Q for XD9 Owners: What kind of groups do you make?

[Jl808]

Owner of a stock XD9 5" Tactical here.

At 25 yards with factory ammo, I've been consistently been able to hit 1/3 of my shots inside a 6" circle and 3/4 inside a 12" square. I have been practicing with it for several months, seem to have hit a plateau and my groups aren't getting any tighter.

Just to get an idea on how more I can improve... what's the smallest group you can realistically expect to make with your XD9?

[mustang_gtcs]

I rarely shoot that far out. Most of my training starts at 7 yards and goes out to 15 yards. I pratice both body and head shots at these distances. Also slow and rapid fire drills. Sounds like your groups are good for a 25 yard distance.

When we qualify at my department we shoot a 30 round course and only 4 of those are at 25 yards.

[Jl808]

Originally Posted by mustang_gtcs

I rarely shoot that far out. Most of my training starts at 7 yards and goes out to 15 yards. I pratice both body and head shots at these distances. Also slow and rapid fire drills. Sounds like your groups are good for a 25 yard distance.

When we qualify at my department we shoot a 30 round course and only 4 of those are at 25 yards.

Thanks for the response, mustang_gtcs. That's actually very helpful.

Unfortunately, the only public range we have sets up pistol targets at 25yds and 50yds only. There are a couple of indoor ranges but they require $$ to shoot and you have to buy their overpriced ammo. It seems the distances are intended for target pistols and I just wanted to see if a stock XD9 is supposed to shoot like one or not.

I was wondering how much more I can improve on shooting the XD9 or if I should move on and start practicing something else. If the groups are good enough, then it might be time to practice another gun or other types of shooting drills like uspsa or ipsc.

[BubbaGum]

At my local, open to the public, range, I am able to set up targets at 7 yards, 10 yards, or whatever yards even though the length of the shortest range is 25 yards. I just bring a cardboard box to tape my targets on, place them where I want them when the range is cold, and then just work on whatever it is I'm working on.

A lot of other folk do the same thing; there are a lot of different target holders improvised, kind of a do what you can with what you got situation. So set up the range when its cold so that you can evaluate and work on the things that are most important to you that day, then work hard while the range is hot.

Twenty five yards is a long pistol shot! I'm thinking that in a violent assault, my adversaries would be within 10 yard of my person. So I think it is advantageous to practice closer targeting as I do.

[JustSomeGuy]

While most pistols will shoot within 4" or less at 25 yards, most people cannot hold them well enough to shoot to that grouping. Keeping the majority of your shots inside a 12" square at 25 yards, though not a bullseye shooter's dream, is certainly no nightmare! 25 yards is a considerable distance and few "combat" shots are taken at that distance with a pistol. It all depends on what you are trying to achieve. How fast are you shooting? How many rounds per week do you expend?

The 25 yard distance had been used for years to determine the absolute accuracy potential of a gun and ammunition, and was usually fired from a rest on a bench with a pistol. Nowadays, more and more shooting is done against the clock with two and three shot groups on several targets set at between 7 and 15 yards. This type of shooting is more a test of the shooter than the gun, and absolute accuracy is not so important as the ability to put multiple hits into "A" zones on multiple targets. Still... a gun that is capable of putting several shots through the same hole does instill confidence. At those lesser distances, most guns will do that, and most shooters will not.

[mustang_gtcs]

I would find a new range to shoot at, 25 yards is an unrealistic pistol training distance.

[rgrmax]

I do most of my shooting with my stock xd 9 tac from 25 yds. On a good day I can keep my groups (almost) as tight as you. I find that practice on the 25 yd line really results in some nice groups when I do some up close shooting: 7 and 15 yds.
I also have an xd sc in 9, when I shoot that at 25 yds any imperfections in my technique are very magnified on my target. My groups with the sc at 25 are no where near as tight as with the tac. If I do my part they are not too shabby at that distance and pretty much the same at close range.

[Jl808]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I will try to check with the range officers at the pistol range if I can set up targets at closer range because no one seems to do it. If they don't allow it, I may have to check with one of the gun clubs in our area for a more "combat" oriented set up at 7, 10 and 15 yards.

I shoot isosceles standing up and aim my shots -- not rapid fire but not too slow either. I go through about 150 rounds of factory ammo every time I visit the range, which is about once a week or every other week.

The info about the 4" groups helps a lot. Thank you JustSomeGuy. Looks like there is still lots of room for improvement. Maybe if I can get all my shots in the 12" box at 25 yards, then I'd be pretty happy.

Definitely will have to try shooting the 7 yard targets next.

[wildweasel]

Sounds like you're off to a great start for accuracy. Bring the distances in and work on engaging multiple targets, draw speed and follow up shots. I'm primarily a self defense shooter, so I'm always trying to shave time off my draw more than hit bullseyes. I use 8" plates and 8"x12" paper for head/body targets.
I'm lucky enough to have a private range that allows me to set my targets up and move to the ranges that I want out to 50ft. If you haven't already, look up a good shot timer for your smart phone to track your progress. I also like to bring someone out with me to call out targets for me.

[Superorb]

The pay range requires you to use their ammo even if you're using your gun? I'd find another range if that were the case.