CHL Target Size

[dbshelton]

I am taking a CHL class next Saturday and am trying to get my wife to take it with me. Problem is she doesn't think she can shoot well enough to hit and also doesn't think she can make the shots within the required time allotted. I want to know what size the target that you shoot at in the class is. We rednecks have always shot at paper plates and I may have done her a disservice by having her practice shooting at the paper plates and not at something larger. Help.

[Crossfire]

The target is a standard B-27 police silhouette. The center scoring ring is a 17" inch oval. If you stacked 2 paper plates one above the other, the center ring would be about that size. If she can shoot at all, she can do this.

[longtooth]

The time alotted is ample.
Use the 2 paper plates as stated above. Let her shoot 20 rounds at 9ft away.
Mover back to 21 feet & let her shoot 20 more rounds. If she has 35 or more holes in the that target she is already qualified. If she does not have 35 in the paper plate oval but has 30 in the paper plate oval & the last 10 w/in 2"of the paper plate oval she is qualified already. She will still have 10 more shots to have fun with.

[AEA]

The timing sounds short but it is plenty as long as you do not have any malfunction with your pistol.

Many folks who have never held a pistol in their hands before qualify with no problems.

Last re-qualify I went to there was a older lady that could not even load her .380, but she managed to shoot well enough to qualify.

[frazzled]

I am taking a CHL class next Saturday and am trying to get my wife to take it with me. Problem is she doesn't think she can shoot well enough to hit and also doesn't think she can make the shots within the required time allotted. I want to know what size the target that you shoot at in the class is. We rednecks have always shot at paper plates and I may have done her a disservice by having her practice shooting at the paper plates and not at something larger. Help.

1. Do both of you shoot pistol? If not have both of you shot at least once in your lifetime?
if the answer to either of the above is...yes then you will do ok on the shooting side.

2. Do you have the ability to go to the range twice this week prior to the class? I say this only assuming you are testing at the same time as the class. Go to the range and get the same size target (large silhouette-tell them you’re practicing for the CHL). If you and the wife shoot 200 rounds each during the week you’ll be 4x as ready to take the shooting portion. Seriously if you can see the target you can hit the target. As I swear the target is the size of a horse then you’re good. Just practice twice and that will completely take the edge off.

[shawn]

so is that the only 2 distances you shoot from ? 9 ft, then 21 ft?

wifey and I are taking it on the 14th. She is a better shot than me so I'm not worried. the only thing I 'm worried about is her being able to load the mags. Gonna order on of those mag speed loader deals. I assume you can use one of those during the tests....

[longtooth]

No you shoot ten more rounds at 45feet. I gave thaose examples to let folks know the VAST MAJORITY of folks are qualified by the time they finish at the 7 yd line.
You will shoot 50 rds.
20 rounds at 3yds = 9ft.
20 rds at 7 yds = 21ft.
10 rds at 15 yds = 45ft.

[frazzled]

so is that the only 2 distances you shoot from ? 9 ft, then 21 ft?

wifey and I are taking it on the 14th. She is a better shot than me so I'm not worried. the only thing I 'm worried about is her being able to load the mags. Gonna order on of those mag speed loader deals. I assume you can use one of those during the tests....

Is there an Academy near your location? You can pick one up there.

have her practice loading and unloading until its not an issue. My wife shoots excellently, but is used to a magazine loader, but didn't take it with her to the shoot so had problems loading the magazine. Let me reprhaase, she tried to load it the wrong way. once she got past that minor mishap it was smooth sailing.

[daveag98]

Being new and all and just having taken the test I thought i would give my insight.

The shooting test was way too easy. Just point at the near area of the target and pull trigger.

There was a lady in our class who had never fired a gun before and was not able to hit the same place twice, but she had enough holes in blue to score the min.

If i read it right before, you can just hit the blue area of the target as long as the majority at 3 yards are in the middlish and then get progressively worse out to 15 yards and miss the paper totally and still end up passing the test.

Personally since i shot IDPA for 2 years, the 3 and 7 and 15 yards were fairly easy. My buddy who took the class with me, who is a self proclaimed bad shot, scored a 220. He had never fired at 15 yards before.

Again my personal thoughts would be to make the test at 5 7 and 15 yards.

[dbshelton]

Thanks for the replies. I think reading them has helped her a little and the fact that she knows the man who owns the range that we are taking the class may help too. He has told her that he will be right behind her for support and she will not fail (he's a LE Firearms Instructor and has pretty much seen any case of nerves possible) My fear was that she would drop out at the last minute, and I'm pretty sure that she wouldn't take the course without me there. Personally, I think she shoots well enough to pass with flying colors.
I did buy some targets and although she won't get a chance to shoot until the night before the class, I taped the target to the utility room door so she could at least get used to looking at it.

[longtooth]

That is good & some dry fire practice would also give hers some confidence.

[dbshelton]

My wife did get a chance to shoot at the full size targets on Thursday and did fairly well (at least she felt better about herself)
We took our course Saturday and she almost out shot me with a 236 vs my 240. Needless to say, I'm damn proud of her for going through all the anxiety, etc. All you husbands and boyfriends need to talk your woman into getting a CHL.

[AEA]

Great! She done good! Not that hard huh?
Congrats!

[frazzled]

Good to hear.

[GirlWithGun]

I just took my class in Texas, 2 weeks ago...several ladies had never even shot a gun and passed. Give your wife some encouragement and tell her the rest of us girls are rooting for her. She can do it! It would be so much more fun to take it with you and take a chance of passing than having to take it later by herself. Good luck to her!