Okay, I've gotten lazy.

I used to shoot mostly at 25 yards when I shot revolvers outdoors.

But after joining an indoor range I find myself shooting pistols mostly at 7 or 10 yards (And yes, it's a lot more fun blowing the center out of the target when it's up close.) I'd say 85% of the shooters at the range reel the target out to 7 yards at most (and don't keep 'em in the black at that) except for the guy shooting a .44 mag and proving I need better ear protection).

Once in a while I'll shoot my Sig 250 .380 at 5 yards but usually just to g to transition between SA on my Walthers or 229 and the DAO on the 250.

So here's the question: at what distance do you shoot which guns? (I almost always shoot my 226 or P99 or BHP at 10 yards and my 99c, P6 or Walther P4 at 7 yards.)

It's completely dependent on the type of pistol. Pocket guns I shoot 5-7yds with draw and fire or rapid fire drills. Full size I start at 10yds shooting pickup and 3-5 shot drills. Then blind turn around acquire/fire drills. Then move out to 15-25yds for slow fire accuracy drills. Target pistols I shoot whatever distance seems appropriate for the pistol and how well I'm shooting that day.

Most pistols about 25 feet, unless I'm doing a certain drill that brings it in as close as 6 feet.
300 BO rifle 100 yards, pistol 25-50 yards.
5.56 100-300 yards
.22lr rifle 50-100 yards.

I recommend all center fire rifles to start zeroing at 25 yards, then move out to 100 yards.

Basic info, not including people wanting to go past 500+ yards.

In action pistol matches typically shoot at steel plates, plate racks, or paper targets anywhere from maybe around 20 feet to perhaps 75 feet. Most times targets are stationary, sometimes moving (e.g. Texas Star, cardboard swingers). Typically shoot these matches with either 6" barreled revolver 686 or 5" barreled revolver PC 627 although any standard 4" barrel defensive pistol with a decent trigger can do quite well.

For indoor range frequently start at very close range (3 yards) for point shooting practice then gradually move out target on pulley to 7-10 yards. Training on static targets at indoor ranges is OK for marksmanship but very poor preparation for any kind of match shooting or defensive training which frequently can involve shooting at multiple targets at varying distances where both shooter and targets may be moving. Also most indoor ranges prohibit holster use and rapid fire shooting which severely limits training effectiveness for either match preparation or defensive training.

Also depends on what type of gun training with. My shooting with j-frame is typically at very close distances while shooting with a PC 627 8 shot 5" barrel is going to go out to 75 feet and sometimes may have some fun pinging big steel plates at 100 yards with some holdover. It all depends on the range and what they allow.

If I have an outdoor pistol bay on a range allowing multiple targets at different distances as well as controlled rapid fire shooting, then the game changes and you can stage much more realistic defensive training scenarios.

For practice I have 3 target stands for paper IDPA/IPSC targets. Sometimes they are all at same distance (e.g. El Presidente). Frequently I stagger them. One of my favorites is closest at 5-7 yds then 10 yds then 15 yds. That way you're forced to adapt your shooting style and sight picture from target to target rapidly. The closest target can just be a locked arm point shooting. The middle target a bit slower with a 'flash sight picture, front sight focus' and the far target with a hard front sight focus. Practice in each string shooting several rounds on each target, transitioning rapidly from target to target. Mix it up, start far, finish close or start close, finish far.

Also don't forget one handed shooting, particularly for defensive training or match preparation. Frequently I see pistol matches won or lost in one-handed shooting stages. Many folks don't practice one handed shooting at all. For defensive shooting, most shooting will be one handed as you'll frequently need your weak hand for other things like fending off a close range attacker, holding a light, the list of potential reasons is long.
So I mix up a lot of shooting with:
- Two handed, strong side grip
- Two handed, weak side grip
- One handed, strong side grip
- One handed, weak side grip

If your range allows it, you can definitely work in dynamic movement. Be safe.
- Start at spitting distance, draw and shoot to center mass while moving backwards
- Start at 50-75 feet, advance while shooting

Have some fun and take a professional training course or attend an IPSC match if you've never had any experience shooting while moving. For personal practice, you'll need a tactical bay by yourself for that kind of shooting which can be hard to find. Most professional training courses also frequently involve both shooter movement and target movement on pulleys.

Have a couple books with good shooting drills. I'll see if I can dig them up today and post references.

IHMSA matches are another story and are pure marksmanship with slow timed fire.
Rimfire targets at 25, 50, 75, and 100 yards. I shoot open sight standing with taco hold. T/C Contender with MGM 10" barrel
Centerfire targets at 50, 100, 150, and 200 yards. I shoot open sight Creedmoor position. Remington XP-100 with 15" barrel.

All the guns use iron sights click adjustable for windage and most especially elevation to account for bullet drop in flight.

Couple books.

General Background
Practical Shooting, Beyond Fundamentals by Brian Enos
Practical Pistol, Fundamental Techniques and Competition Skills by Ben Stoeger

Good Books for Drills
Perfect Practice by Saul Kirsch
Champion Shooting: A Proven Process for Success at any Level by Ben Stoeger

Great source for IDPA/IPSC silhouette targets and cardboard backers
https://shop.actiontarget.com/

You can do a great variety of the drills with 3 target stands and a stack of IDPA/IPSC silhouette targets which will be helpful to train defensive shooting on multiple targets at varying distances.

80 yards, Colt 1918 at 6" steel plates. You'll find me on the rifle range with my 1911s.

I'll usually 'settle in' at first @ 7 yards, then move out to 10 and see how twitchy I am... if everything is going well, I'll move it out to 15. I've found that my eyes have trouble focusing at anything beyond that nowadays and it just ends up being a waste of lead and embarrassing.... Back in the good ole days when ammo was cheap and I was at the range 2-3 times a week, I'd start at 15 yards and have no trouble going to 25.... damn it sucks to get older....

That's my style right there.

I'm in the same boat with my eyes....it do suck getting older. Putting Dawson fiber optics (red front) on most of my best guns....they really help.

This post was a great help...sorta confirmed what I've been doing. I'll just have to suck it up and keep practicing at 10 and 15 yards.

Think I'll ask about training in another post.

All ranges from 100yds to 5yrds. My best pistol is my sp01 I take that out to 100, it's fun but it's getting less challenging, my smallest the shield I max out at 25.

Welcome to the club... back when bricks of 22 were ~$8, 9mm $5/box, 40sw $7 and I was shooting 1000+ rounds a week --- I could keep my slabside mkII on a quarter @15yds most of the time --- it was always a good warm up to get rid of the twitchys.... the baby eagle 9mm would obliterate 3" black with rapid fire @ 10 yds and keep all shots inside 8" @ 15, and I could keep 15+ out of 20 in the 3" black @ 15 yds with the 40sw 1911 (yeah- thats right...Kimber Target 40). I never was very good at stretching it out to 25 yds tho for any of the guns without a rest. Those days are long gone since I shoot only once every 3-6 months nowadays and only ~100-150 rounds --- I'm lucky if I can keep them in the 3" black @ 10 yds....

One thing that I find helps is to take a sharpie with you and draw 1-2" circles on the target -- 5 bulls instead of one -- aiming for a smaller 'bull' seems to help (plus you can see how far you miss from the center instead of the 1" bull surrounded by black). I'm pretty happy when I can keep 80% shots in 2" @ 10 yds.... there are always fliers when you start getting over confident.

I have taken my Sig 220 out to 100 yards.