Handgun matches modified due to range limitations?

[jwai86]

The indoor range in Sydney (Auburn Shooting Academy) where my club meets for handgun competition and practice is only 25 metres long, so the matches held by the club are often modified to account for the shorter length. I'm finding it difficult to compare my experiences shooting such matches to standard match formats that are run using longer range facilities eg. 50 metres.

Is there anyone else that belongs to a club that has similar issues?

[bladeracer]

The indoor range in Sydney (Auburn Shooting Academy) where my club meets for handgun competition and practice is only 25 metres long, so the matches held by the club are often modified to account for the shorter length. I'm finding it difficult to compare my experiences shooting such matches to standard match formats that are run using longer range facilities eg. 50 metres.

Is there anyone else that belongs to a club that has similar issues?

Try facing backwards and using mirrors, that'll double the range

[rc42]

Shooting at 25m and 50m isn't much different, obviously, the targets appear half the size when twice the distance away but you can print your own half size targets to simulate that, the only complication will be if you are using a 6 O'clock hold as it will be wrong on the smaller target at 25 so you'll group high. Obviously, group sizes will normally be about twice as large at 50m but a scaled target will provide equivalent scoring.

The bullet drop at 50m won't be much for a pistol sighted at 25m, maybe an inch or so but you should be prepared for that if you ever compete at a longer range, otherwise a 25m range will provide all of the practice you need to get really good.

Are there any other ranges that you can join and either move your membership or shoot at both?

[bladeracer]

While you can simulate the sight picture of longer ranges, actually shooting at 25m does not accurately simulate shooting at 50m, just as shooting at 500m does not simulate shooting at 1000m. If it did, all competitions could be shot in a one-metre box

I like to shoot .22LR at long ranges because the loss of accuracy and increased trajectory and wind effects can reasonably simulate shooting centrefires at even longer distances, but it is only simulating it. Shooting .22LR at 200m, 300m, 400m, or 500m can teach you a lot about about shooting centrefire at 400m, 600m, 800m, or 1000m, but it can't replace the actual experience you gain from shooting centrefire at those distances. But shooting .22LR at 50m teaches you very, very little about shooting .22LR at 100m, or 200m, or 500m, despite scaling the targets to look correct.

A 25m range will let you become very good at 25m, not at 50m, that can only come from practicing at 50m.

Shooting at 25m and 50m isn't much different, obviously, the targets appear half the size when twice the distance away but you can print your own half size targets to simulate that, the only complication will be if you are using a 6 O'clock hold as it will be wrong on the smaller target at 25 so you'll group high. Obviously, group sizes will normally be about twice as large at 50m but a scaled target will provide equivalent scoring.

The bullet drop at 50m won't be much for a pistol sighted at 25m, maybe an inch or so but you should be prepared for that if you ever compete at a longer range, otherwise a 25m range will provide all of the practice you need to get really good.

Are there any other ranges that you can join and either move your membership or shoot at both?

[jwai86]

Are there any other ranges that you can join and either move your membership or shoot at both?

The indoor range I currently attend is merely 10 minutes from home by car. The other places that I know of are much further away.

[rc42]

A 25m range will let you become very good at 25m, not at 50m, that can only come from practicing at 50m.

Have to disagree there.
With pistols at 25m or 50m there's no wind drift to allow for and projectile drop is negligible compared to impact variation from a hand held firearm, especially if it's a single handed competition. Comparing it with rifle benchrest with a completely stable firearm where the wind and range judgment are critical isn't really fair.

In pistol competitions, those who shoot well at 25m will shoot well at 50m, there are some differences in sight picture due to target size but otherwise everything about how you stand, aim and fire is the same.