was just thinking about pistol shooting. when i started (somewhere around calvin coolidges day) the targets were either varmints like rats or bullseye targets. care was taken, particularly in slow fire that maximum accuracy would be obtained. Now today it seems like the above pistol sports are almost non existent, having been replaced by defensive/offensive shooting. Instead of trying to hit a small target, it seems to be the sport has changed to see how fast we can shoot and hit a silhouette. Evolution?? don't know

I hear you butchloc, but I did hear somewhere that Bullseye shooting had a larger following than any other shooting sport in the USA. I have not verified this myself.
On the other hand, Bullseye shooting is not easy. In addition, the guns that people shoot are, in general:
1. Barely capable of holding the black of a 25 yard target,
2. have very bad sights.
3. Have a bad trigger.
All this would make Bullseye shooting with those guns an exercise in frustration.
On the other hand, the "A" zone of an IPSC target is 11'x6" and it is generally shot at 10 yards. Thus people can shoot IPSC or IDPA with the gun that they bought to kill Zombies with, or at least kill their neighbors when TSHTF.
I am sympathetic with your view as I do go out at least once a week to practice my Bullseye shooting with one or more of:
S&W 41 or High Standard Trophy.
S&W mod 52
Colt Gold Cup (with Kart barrel).
I KNOW that these will at least hold the 10 ring, the sights and trigger are excellent. The 95's that I shoot are not competitive, but I still enjoy shooting Bullseye.
I do also enjoy shooting IPSC, although I do not practice much, but then again, I do not shoot a high capacity race gun.

Bullseye shooting is a sport unto its self. Takes lots of skill and practice to get good at it.

It is good for learning sight picture, breath, trigger control

But then most people do not own a hand gun for shooting at round black circles.

The evolution started way back in the 20's when people involved in combat realized that bulleye shooting did not cut it..

Its been a hard fought fight to get away from bullseye type stance and shooting.

Even in the late 70's when I went through my frist police academy. I was told I couldn't reload with speed loaders because it wasn't in the rules. I couldn't use the Weaver stance because it wasn't in the rules.

I was a shooter I was a firm beliver in McGivern,Akins,Jorden,Cooper.

I read them all took a bit from each. When I frist started instructing many years ago. I was informed that no this is the only way.(what ever it was at the time.)

I am a frim beliver in teaching the students the stances. Then letting them chose or modify them to what works for them. As long as they are shooting and hitting well.

Evolution you bet for the better I belive so.

Bullesye shooting and being able to hit small targets has it place. But not so much when it comes down to saveing your life in a dark ally at spitting distances.

Can't say I disagree with you P dog. the innovative thinking of folks like Jeff Cooper taking a close look at how the pistol could be used as an effective defensive weapon (parallelling the work of Keith in the use of the handgun as a longer range weapon), plus the work of the "professional" shooters gave rise to:
the extended safety
the extended mag. release
magazine pads to ensure effective seating of the mag.
Ambidextrous safeties
resurrecting the 38 Super and the development of the 9x21 and 9x23 rounds
the supported chamber
the development of compensators in handguns
the frame mounted optical sight
the study of speed and tactical reloads
etc. etc. all advanced the utility of the handgun as a defensive weapon in it's own right.
However, none of this advanced the accuracy of the weapon. That was left to the Bullseye shooter.
Peter.

I really don't know about all the advanced in accuracy is all about bullseye shooting.

I have seen a lot of IPSC and other practical shooters demanding high level of accuracy from their guns also. Some of the same smithing goes into each to get them accurate. But what defensive shooting brought to it was accurate and being super relieable.

Pistol target shooting started in the 1880s .This of course was with revolver or single shot .One of the developments was sights like the Patridge sight still about the best.
Things really started to change in the 1960s after liberal judges caused crime to go up substantially.Then there was interest in defensive shooting which lead to IPSC etc. Handgunners later followed rifle shooters in the Mexican game of metallic silhouette.At the same time more handgunners became interested in hunting .Something very rare in the '60s.
Specialty guns, formal training , laws permitting hunting, carry etc, came into the picture.The last 40 years has been very good to handgunners !!

As long as it's getting folks interested in shooting, it's not bad. I have "evolved" from IHMSA to IDPA but that's mostly because my eyes can't shoot precision stuff anymore and I see the need for defensive pistol shooting more everyday.