Defensive Carry banner

How often and how much do you practice ?

4K views 52 replies 43 participants last post by  hogdaddy 
#1 ·
Yesterday at the range I listened to people brag that they could keep 6 out of ten rounds of 9 mm on 18 by 18 target at 15 yards like this made them expert shots or something , they all told me you only need to shoot once or twice a year. what say you ?
 
#4 ·
I really think it depends on the individual. Late in May, I shot a CAS match which was the first time I had touched my CAS guns in over 7 months. The only shooting I had done was to break in a couple of new carry guns. I won my class and finished 15th overall in a field of 55 shooters which is about as good as I can do due to physical (bad knees, bad hips, arthritis) limitations. In 10 stages with a combination of rifle, handguns and shotgun and about 250 rounds fired, I had 8 misses shooting and moving as fast as I can go. BTW, I shoot duelist which, for you non CAS shooters, means my roughly 100 single action revolver rounds fired in the match were fired one-handed.

Basically, my shooting skills don't seem to deteriorate from lack of use. Fishing is a different story. If I haven't fished for quite some time, I spend the first couple of hours retrieving my lures from tree limbs as it takes me that long to get the "feel" down again. I know this thread isn't about fishing, I'm using it as an example of how different skills can deteriorate at different rates for the same individual.

The moral of the story is that it doesn't matter how much someone else practices. Each person should practice as much as they feel necessary to maximize their skills.

Hoss
 
#5 ·
Well, last month was once a week for us (my #1 and me). We did the local gun club's steel challenge match today, so we're starting the month off right. I figure we'll need to get the 22's out next time whilst I forage for more pistol ammo. We burned through about 400 rounds of 9mm today between the two of us.
 
#6 ·
For some that might be good enough. We all make ourown decisions factoring different priorities - money, time, skill-level. Not everyone can afford to spend 6-8 hours and $200 a week on developing their marksmanship.

For those who think that 60% "on target" is good enough, well, I certainly pray that it is.
 
#8 ·
We are fortunate enough to be able to shoot here at home. I would say on average we shoot every other week, sometimes just one evening and sometimes two in a row. We usually run practice drills that would simulate more real life scenarios. I'd say all of our pistol shooting is done in 15 yards or less usually covering everything from right in your face to shooting and moving back or out to the 15 yard mark. I like to practice my draw when I shoot and be able to move backwards and side to side so I don't know that I'd be much interested in the range unless we were doing IDPA matches which we do one a month, two if we can make it. I'd say there are many personal factors that define how often one practices their skills. I'd love to be able to practice more often but right now we just can't.
 
#9 ·
I used to practice twice a month.

Haven't shot since last November -- bad winter, then the ammo shortage.

Once ammo becomes readily available and reasonably priced I'll be back to twice a month again.

Bobo
 
#10 ·
Every week. Last week: 64 rounds 45acp, 50 rounds 380acp, 200 rounds 22lr. Tomorrow I already have out 50 rounds 38spc, 50 round 380acp, 50 rounds 40 S&W, and 200 rounds 22lr. I usually pick 3 or 4 handguns and have at it, but sometimes I'll just burn a few hundred through only one. :king:
 
#12 ·
I like to practice every week but lately it seems more like once a month. But then I do dry fire and airsoft practice at least 3 times a week. That helps a lot to maintain my ability.

I am not a great shooter but 6 out of 10 at 15 yards on an 18 by 18 target is pretty crappy shooting! Some people are easily satisfied.
 
#13 ·
Unfortunately I don't get to the range as often as I would like. I have to qualify every six months for work and for the army, so usually at least once between qualifications I'll shoot a couple hundrend rounds. Before I deployed was qual scores were improving fairly steadily. I just picked up a Ruger Mark III so I can afford some more range time. I'd like to step it up to at least once a month.

Dave
 
#16 ·
Trying to go at least once a month. Taking the .22 lr and shooting it more than my carry piece to practice grip, target, and left hand. Then I try to go through similar drills with my carry. Currently using small targets and working on accuracy. The most fun is a target with 12 1" dots on it. Load up a mag and shoot each dot once at 5-7 yrds. That will let you know what you are doing quickly.

I just wonder if those folks were target shooting or unloading the mag? Makes a bit of a difference, not much but a bit.
 
#17 ·
I try to go monthly, but I think that SD pistol courses serve a better purpose for me.

Stay armed...one shot a day is better than 365 shots on any one day...stay safe!
 
#19 ·
Until "ammo shortage" I shot carry gun every week, now every two weeks. (50 rounds) I shoot the 317 in .22lr every day in my garage (bullet trap and backdrop)(50 rounds)

.38 Spcl ammo is so scarce right now that in another month or two I will be down to firing the 317 only. Reloading won't help. Reloading supplies (especially primers) are just as scarce as ammo in .38 Spcl. I have .38Spcl range ammo on backorder at four different online sources and there hasn't been any avaliable locally for over 6 months.

We didn't need the Democrats, our own "people" have effectively shut us down.
 
#20 ·
Until "ammo shortage" I shot carry gun every week, now every two weeks. (50 rounds) I shoot the 317 in .22lr every day in my garage (bullet trap and backdrop)(50 rounds)
I too shot a lot more before the 'shortage' jacked up prices of practice ammo. Nowadays it's almost all .22 for me.

Shooting in your garage sounds great! No discharges here except at licensed ranges, it's a crime :tired:
 
#21 ·
Live outside the town limits. County doesn't care. I am in a "semi-rural" setting (smallest lots are 2-3 acres and most are 10+ acres.) I have 2 acres so I shoot indoors. Sometimes I just shoot CBs in the garage, not as noisy and at 10-20 feet just as accurate. 317 is actually harder to shoot than the 642/640. Trigger pull is harder and gun is lighter. I find if I can keep them tight with the 317, the 64X are easy to shoot.

I like shooting at the indoor range with the full sized guns but it isn't even a matter of cost here, the ammo just isn't available.
 
#22 ·
I like shooting at the indoor range with the full sized guns but it isn't even a matter of cost here, the ammo just isn't available.
You could always order online :image035:
 
#24 ·
Ouch! I didn't realize it was still that bad online.
 
#27 ·
My monthly fliers from all four outlets show great bargains on ammo. When you go to the site though, everything is "Out of Stock, backorder OK" They have some of the Russian and Mexican junk ammo, but I won't use it. The only foreign ammo I will use is MAGTECH and some lots of that are borderline. I weigh and measure my ammo before I shoot it. I "calibrate" it and put the acceptable ammo in MTM boxes to put in the range kit. Even MAGTECH can have some horrific variation within the same lot. In all honesty Remington can be pretty wild too. Hornady, Federal and Winchester have all proven to be pretty consistent. (Remember, I am only talking "range ammo" ) My carry ammo is Hornady standard pressure 38 Spcl 125 gr XTP/JHP and I can't find any of that anywhere.
 
#25 ·
Not even half as often as I would like. I am unemployeed at the moment and saving the ammo I got left for the uncertain future. Not only that ammo is hard to come by here too.
 
#26 ·
I'm retired and have almost unlimited access to ammunition. I just bought a 10MM and traded for an XM15 Varmint special. I also belong to a hunting/shooting club about 10 miles from home that I have access to every day. I shoot something almost daily. I don't always average this but last week I ran about 100 rounds through the 10MM and 50 rounds through the .223. The 10MM is shooting well enough to consistently hit the head on an IPSC target at 40 yards using a 165 grain FMJ round running 1350 fps. Still trying to find the round the .223 likes best.
 
#28 ·
I try to shoot at least 100 rounds per month from each weapon I have (except the shotgun safe queen - ZERO rounds in 20 yrs). Unfortunately, life has interfered with that over the past 3 months so I've not been able to shoot as much as I would have liked.

But, on average, 1X per month.

And, what this "6 out of 10 on 18X18 at 15 yds" crap? 6 out of 10 on a std bullseye or silhouette target is FAILING not bragging territory. I would not associate with anyone who shoots that poorly. I might even ask for a different lane assignment if I discovered that I had the lane next to someone who shoots that badly.

FWIW, I would expect that most DC members can regularly keep all 10 inside a 9" circle at 15 yds or else they would sign up for some serious training. Some "occasional" flyers would be accepted but for the most part 10 out of 10 would be the usual. Especially in a slow fire drill. I use 6" bullseye targets (50 yd rifle) at 10/15/20 yds and can usually keep at least 9 out of 10 inside the rings at all distances with my 9mm. Not so hot with my DA .357 but it needs better/lighter springs and more range time. The .357 looks more like a shotgun pattern but all 10 are still on the paper & inside 9".
 
#29 ·
I try and shoot at least once a week and try to dry fire daily for at least 5-10 minutes a session. We usually have at least 2 or 3 open range days and when i go to visit the family out in the sticks there is a free range that is pretty nice. I try to shoot 30-50 rounds at least and sometimes up to 200-300 rounds.
 
#30 ·
I shoot as aften as time and money will let me. It could be 100 rds every week for a while or 50 rds once a month. It all really depends on when I can get to the gun range and how much ammo I can afford to shoot at the time.

Anyway, I figure ANY practice is time well spent. Also, after shooting for more than 45 years, I know my abilities, my limitations and when it's time to put a few rounds down range.
 
#31 ·
No set interval really. I would say roughly 2000 rds. a year. Lately I've been collecting more rds than I shoot.
 
#32 ·
I joined at the local range that I pass by frequently coming home from work. Once I'm a member, it costs nothing for each visit and targets are free each time.

I like to stop in several times a month at least and fire off ten to 20 rounds. I get a lot more out of frequent trips with a few rounds fired each time than I did when I only went once a month or less.

Before - it cost me for each visit so I wanted to "get my money's worth" out of each visit. I'd burn at least a box each time out and tire before the box was half done.

Now I can even stop in and fire just one single cylinder on a week day without anyone around. Much better practice that way.

More like that sudden gunfight than just a marathon session at the local range IMO.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top