Range practice--rounds and distances

[geoswz]

I'm a new shooter, working on accuracy, and see conflicting advice on how many rounds a week to shoot at the range. (I see 50 rounds a week, 500 rounds a week, etc.) If I went to a range once a week, how many rounds should I shoot and at what distances? E.g., 2 rounds at one yard, 5 at five yards, double taps, etc. This is a range with one target and no drawing allowed. I can also go to a shooting ranch with multiple targets and drawing, but I can get advice there on what to do. I'm also going to do dry fire and competition.

I'm sure this question has been answered elsewhere so if you can point me to that thread I'd really appreciate it. Is there a way to search the forums, I couldn't find a search box. Thanks.

[Hi-Power Jack]

Geo, try the dot torture drill - it's GREAT.

To answer your question - it's very personal - depends

on where you are in your development and what your

goals are.

For many years, I fired hundreds of rounds a week and

learned NOTHING. Didn't have this Forum to guide me -

it's not how many rounds you fire, but your plan that's

important.

Seriously, the dot torture drill is GREAT for me at my

stage of development.

Jack

[Dirty Rod]

I suggest starting at 3 or 5 yards and focusing on your fundamentals (grip, trigger press, sight picture, stance, etc). When you can consistently shoot under 2" then move back to 10 yards. The other drills (double taps, controlled pairs, one handed, etc) all require good fundamentals or you won't hit what you are shooting at anyway.

As to round count its different for everyone so don't focus on a specific number. Start with 50-100 but when you lose focus STOP. 10 shots with perfect form are better than 50 bad shots as you are most likely reinforcing bad habits. I see folks all the time plop down 500 rounds and just start blasting and most of the time they are just wasting ammo.

Once you are comfortable and your groups start to shrink then try a few drills, games, etc.

Edited November 12, 2012 by Dirty Rod

[Forgetful]

I wouldn't shoot over 150 a session for now. With a static range practice accuracy, shot calling, and seeing sights through recoil.

Also practice the second half of a draw (meaning start right before hands cone together).

Fundamentals now so you don't have to unlearn bad habits. One thing a lot of people lack is ability to keep A hits at 30-40 yards consistently. (me included)

Search function is the blank white box in the upper right of each page. It'll search whatever forum and sub forum you're currently in.

Edited November 12, 2012 by Forgetful

[leadslinger275]

Check out Mike Seeklander's book Your Competetion Handgun Training Program. There are many other training programs out there this is just the one that I have been using lately.

Brandon

[drivingit]

As Leadslinger275 posted, Seeklander's book is good. Also worth reading is Enos' "Practical Shooting, Beyond Fundamentals" as well as Stoeger's "Champion Shooting." In regards to Stoeger's book, he lists 10 drills to get proficient on, something I wish I did when I started shooting competitively.

The search function will be your next new best friend, the knowledge available here is scary at times.

[knedrgr]

I will average about 200-300 rounds a session. Most of that is with my 1911-22. It's set up pretty much identical to some of my other 1911s. The good thing about my 22 is that I run it dirty, and mix up my ammo, so it'll malfunction. The reason for this so I don't know when it'll malfunction, and can practice clearing it, and getting the gun back on target. It's a great thing to be able to get a tight group and all, but I think a lot of people forget to practice clearing malfunctions and getting the gun back to working, quickly.

And lastly, trying to keyhole 22s are much harder than 9mm's or other larger calibers. So it's also a good tool to practice tighter group.

I also mix in shooting my other guns, so I can get the control of my carry guns.

[Ben Stoeger]

I'm a new shooter, working on accuracy, and see conflicting advice on how many rounds a week to shoot at the range. (I see 50 rounds a week, 500 rounds a week, etc.) If I went to a range once a week, how many rounds should I shoot and at what distances?

The more you shoot and dryfire (properly) the faster you will get better. If you want to get really good really fast, practice hard.

[toothguy]

I'm a new shooter, working on accuracy, and see conflicting advice on how many rounds a week to shoot at the range. (I see 50 rounds a week, 500 rounds a week, etc.) If I went to a range once a week, how many rounds should I shoot and at what distances? E.g., 2 rounds at one yard, 5 at five yards, double taps, etc. This is a range with one target and no drawing allowed. I can also go to a shooting ranch with multiple targets and drawing, but I can get advice there on what to do. I'm also going to do dry fire and competition.

I'm sure this question has been answered elsewhere so if you can point me to that thread I'd really appreciate it. Is there a way to search the forums, I couldn't find a search box. Thanks.

The quantity is not important the quality is everything when shooting for accuracy. Even dry fire is mentally draining if you concentrate on ingraining the fundametals. Start and end practice sessions with shooting groups. Use as much time as you need to establish a good stance and perfect grip first. Then concentrate on the leading edge of the front sight in a good sight picture. Use steady even trigger pressure as you guide your sights into your shooting area accept the slight wobble that we all have as you pull the trigger straight through. The gun at some time will go off and the front sight will rise, wait for it and let it happen without trying to influence the speed or holding the sight down in recoil. Don't blink and record the sight picture when you see the flash Don't let yourself look at the target untill you are ready to reload. After even 20 to 30 rounds you will be mentally tired. When you get tired stop shooting, futher shooting is counter productive.

[steel1212]

I'm a new shooter, working on accuracy, and see conflicting advice on how many rounds a week to shoot at the range. (I see 50 rounds a week, 500 rounds a week, etc.) If I went to a range once a week, how many rounds should I shoot and at what distances?

The more you shoot and dryfire (properly) the faster you will get better. If you want to get really good really fast, practice hard.

Pretty simple advice! Practice hard andrhe shooting is easy.

[toothguy]

I'm a new shooter, working on accuracy, and see conflicting advice on how many rounds a week to shoot at the range. (I see 50 rounds a week, 500 rounds a week, etc.) If I went to a range once a week, how many rounds should I shoot and at what distances?

The more you shoot and dryfire (properly) the faster you will get better. If you want to get really good really fast, practice hard.

The key word is properly. Try to fiind and work with a shooter that has strong fundamentals. Work hard on those before trying to go fast. To go fast, do the fundamentals faster.

[toothguy]

Sorry, for some reason can't edit yet, The fundamentals are sight alignment through trigger control supported by a good grip and stance. The most important is trigger control.

[Forgetful]

Sorry, for some reason can't edit yet, The fundamentals are sight alignment through trigger control supported by a good grip and stance. The most important is trigger control.

This bears repeating. Trigger control is key when you need to make As at 25 yards. It's too easy to get into a habit of slapping the trigger up close and forget the roots.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

[old506]

Since you said that you are working on accuracy (specifically), finding out what accuracy looks and feels like can take a lot of brain power. Hold the pistol, line up the sight, squeeze the trigger, watch the sight lift, etc., etc. Pay attention to what you feel, what you see, and the feedback you get from watching your sights and the feedback you get from the holes in your target. Once you know what being accurate looks and feels like in slow-mo movement by movement detail (versus just being able to hit the target or the A zone), then you can speed it up and your body/brain will work together to break an accurate shot on whatever you are trying to accomplish. Try it off a bench bagged in at first (if you haven't already).

A couple of things I do.....

I go with a plan on what I want to accomplish during my session and what I am going to do to accomplish it. I usually focus on this on the drive to the range and visualize what I am going to do and see myself succeeding. I have wasted more time/rounds not having a plan so a plan is what I go with.

I would suggest not to worry about how many rounds. Sometimes I shoot a lot of rounds, sometimes not so many. I try to find out what is going on in my head. If it is a day where I have good "focus" then I will shoot more/longer. If my focus wanes, my session is over.

Edited November 17, 2012 by old506

[toothguy]

Since you said that you are working on accuracy (specifically), finding out what accuracy looks and feels like can take a lot of brain power. Hold the pistol, line up the sight, squeeze the trigger, watch the sight lift, etc., etc. Pay attention to what you feel, what you see, and the feedback you get from watching your sights and the feedback you get from the holes in your target. Once you know what being accurate looks and feels like in slow-mo movement by movement detail (versus just being able to hit the target or the A zone), then you can speed it up and your body/brain will work together to break an accurate shot on whatever you are trying to accomplish. Try it off a bench bagged in at first (if you haven't already).

A couple of things I do.....

I go with a plan on what I want to accomplish during my session and what I am going to do to accomplish it. I usually focus on this on the drive to the range and visualize what I am going to do and see myself succeeding. I have wasted more time/rounds not having a plan so a plan is what I go with.

I would suggest not to worry about how many rounds. Sometimes I shoot a lot of rounds, sometimes not so many. I try to find out what is going on in my head. If it is a day where I have good "focus" then I will shoot more/longer. If my focus wanes, my session is over.

+100

[motosapiens]

An awful lot of what you need to practice can be done in dryfire, so I tend to focus on things that I can't do in dryfire, like recoil control, and knowing how much I need to see at various distances in order to make the shot.

I also like to do some of the dryfire drills with live ammo and time them, just as a reality check, and good fun practice.

I personally am often limited in time, so most of my range sessions are 60-100 rounds (plus maybe another 50-100 of .22), and I typically have 3-4 dryfire practice sessions for every live-fire.