Breda continues her "Chicks with Guns" project, taking a coworker to the range. Said coworker sounds like she's going to go back. Definitely worth some points in Greg's contest.

In a follow up post, Breda talks about someone at the range appreciating her accuracy

While I was at the range yesterday, the Ruger Mark II got jammed and I had to call in Jim, the guy on staff, to come fix it for me. I was griping about the jam because I was totally in the zone and shooting fairly well. Jim looked down the lane at my target and said, "Have you ever thought of joining our .22 league? It meets on Tuesday nights."

I told him that I didn't realize that there was a league, and wondered if I'd be good enough to join. He said, "If you can shoot like that at 50 feet, you would be." (I'd been shooting at about 25-30 feet)

I've gotten the same comments about my shooting, especially when I shoot the Glock 29. Which I don't understand, because when I look at my shooting, I don't think I'm that good.

However, I'm good enough. Generally, in the 10 to 15 yard range, I can keep it within the 7 ring. We're not talking 1/4" groupings or something you can cover with a silver dollar. Even when I shoot the .22, it's generally 9 ring or smaller with usually a few "fliers" here and there.

Now, I admit, I've gotten much, much better and would consider myself better than the average shooter, but that is probably due to the fact that I'm at the range every single week, sometimes twice a week. However, looking at all my old targets I just don't see myself as one of those super accurate shooters.

And that's OK with me.

You see, where I hit at on a target is perfectly within bounds of where I will need to hit if the time ever comes for me to use my firearm. If I aim dead center of the chest, I'm going to keep it above your xyphoid process and slightly under the manubrium which is going to hurt. Bad. And given a couple of seconds to properly aim (e.g. the time during when you're still contemplating the new hole I just put twixt ribs 3 & 4) a head shot is not out of the question for me.

So, what is considered "good shooting" in the competition world? I don't know because that's not why I shoot. I release stress by the concentration I need to be "accurate enough". I also train myself how to use my sights, how to focus on sight and not the target, breathing, and follow up shots. If I take my time, I'm deadlier with the .357 than anything else (but I've had 15 years to practice with it). But for accuracy, all I care about is "good enough" and that includes being able to shoot the second shot rather quickly.

I do the same thing when shooting the rifle (and now Ugly Betty). I don't shoot from a stand or sitting because in real life you generally don't get that luxury, and since I'm not aiming for competition scores, as long as I hit the paper, I'm good.

Anyone else here shoot for <1" offhand accuracy? How do you go about getting even tighter groupings?