What is point blank range?

Answer 1

Point blank is any distance at which a pointed firearm is reasonably sure to hit a target in a vital area. This can range from a contact shot to several yards away for some handguns, to more than 300 yards for some rifles.

In exterior ballistics, the term is used to describe a range zone in which the bullet does not deviate more than a specific distance above or below the line of sight/point of aim, ensuring that the bullet will hit a specific target radius when aimed at the center of the target.

For example, if the target radius is 3 inches, point blank range is any distance where the bullet does not go more than 3 inches above or below the point of aim/line of sight.

The term is frequently used to describe contact shots where the muzzle of the barrel actually touches the target, or close contact shots where the muzzle is very close, within a couple feet of the target -- however the more correct terms for these distances are contact or close contact, not point blank.