[conservative]

I read and hear people say that they go to the range every day. Others say once a week . Some go once a month . I know that one should train as often and as hard as possible , but unlike those who are retired or have a set work schedule I work retail with varied hours . What is realistic? Also , how long should sessions be and how many rounds?

 

[SavageGuy]

Train as often as you can, and for as long as you can afford. You don't necessarily have to shoot live ammo to train though. As I type, I'm on the middle of dry-firing. I have a t-shirt on a hanger hung on the wall across from me. I pull the trigger, pull back the slide, then slowly let out till reset, then pull again. Do that for 30 minutes before bed everyday for a week, your double tap groups will probably tighten up. Also helps smoothen out the trigger. When I go shooting, I typically shoot 50-100 rounds. I go whenever I feel the urge and I have a spare hour or two. My range only charges $5, indoor or outdoor. Or I go to the woods and shoot my steel plate for free.

When you train, (if the range allows, another +1 for the woods) practice drawing from concealed, double taps, and while moving.



Realistically, if you can hit the range once a week and shoot a box or two, that's pretty good. If you keep that up, you'll shoot anywhere from 2600-5200 rounds a year. If that's factory 9mm, that'll run you about $500-1200!
Shooting is so dang expensive..........that's why I started reloading years ago. When I started casting, my prices dropped even more. I can make a box of .357 for under $4

 

[MagBlackhawk]

For a SD gun...

Shoot as often as you can till you can hit a pie plate out to about 50 ft most every time while standing.
Then put up three (or more) and practice 'double taps' till you can hit most every time doing that.
(Start with closer, larger targets at first).

After you get that down you'll need to shoot as often as it takes to keep up your skill.
For me that's about once a month minimum. Twice a month is much better.

Also, you can never be accurate enough or fast enough so it's a never ending type of deal.
Speed is important but NOT at the expense of accuracy.

I like to shoot about 100 rounds per range session. Sometimes more if I have the time and ammo.

 

[DrDenby]

As has been mentioned, there is a LOT of training you can do off the range.

Probably the most important of this is the draw.

You are not necessarily after speed as you are smoothness.

There is no such thing as over practicing the draw.

You should be wearing anything that you might be wearing at the time.

You could be accurate as hell but if you snag your gun on your jacket and drop it, it may be fatal.

You get that down to muscle learned repetition.

Training is so much beyond pulling the trigger.

You should be practicing weak handed as well. If you hurt your strong hand, what are you going to do? Stay in the house until it heals?

Another thing you can be doing is attach some weight to your gun so it actually weighs more than if loaded and practice bringing it up and holding it. Just holding it with one hand as steady as you can.

Keep doing this until you can hold it for minutes (alternating hands). The idea behind that is like batters swinging 2 bats. You get that down and one bat will be "easy".

There is more you can do, I just can't think of it now.

Training/practicing is full time, with probably 80% off range.

On the range you should be practicing a draw and fire (if you are lucky enough to be only one there). I try to get there at first light and usually have some time to myself.

You should be shooting standing, shooting both hands, shooting one hand.

If you have a flinch you need to beat it out of yourself.

The idea of the pie plate that was mentioned, is that if you can hit that consistently, you can hit center mass on just about anyone.

As was said, shoot what you can afford, budget it out.

Doc

 

[allenr]

Lot's of good advice above. I'd like to emphasize two points made by magnum.

Learn to shoot with both hands. You don't have to get shot to lose arm or hand function. You can do that taking cover of you hit the ground or an obstacle.

Accuracy is more important than speed. That is not to say speed is not important. You can be the fastest to shoot but if you do not hit the target the speed means nothing.

Train for accuracy first then develop speed.

Practice wear side shooting by dry firing for hours before you waste ammo because you failed to get the feel it first. It does take a lot of practice to shoot from your weak side including the fact that you will be using the weak side eye to shoot. Dry aim and fire that side a lot.

 

[Tommycourt]

I practice weekly expending about 100-150 rounds. I work constantly on accuracy and double tapping. My range will not allow the practice of drawing from the holster so I practice that at home without the magazine in my SR1911. I always wear a shirt over my pistol so it cannot be detected. Dry firing 10 minutes a day is an excellent way of learning how much travel is in your trigger and how far it has to recede in order to reset. Practice with both hands, weak and strong. Also when using your weak side make sure you are using your weak eye as most of us shoot with one eye closed. If you shoot with both eyes open then more power to you. As Allen said, you can be wounded on your way to safety or trying to find a way to get out of the line of fire. Also, another good technique is close quarter combat. Be aware you have to move when returning fire so practice rolling to the floor or dropping down to get out of the line of incoming fire. You need the agility to be flexible enough to avoid getting hit. Use your front sight as your aiming point. In close quarters you are not going to be able to take a careful aim but your return fire must be accurate! Accuracy over speed is much better but speed is essential. Better to hit the BG once rather than shoot 10 misses. Be aware of your surroundings because there may be more than 1 threat. Do not take for granted that if the BG falls that it is over. He could be playing dead or severely injurded and suck you in for another shot. Stay prepared and never take anything for granted. As Paul Hornig used to say: PRACTICE********PRACTICE*******PRACTICE!!!!
Good luck and a few minutes each day may save your life!

Tommy

Tommy

 

[buster40c]

I think how often a person trains depends on personal ability to stay efficient. If you find going to the range it is like you are starting from scratch then no doubt you need go to the range more frequently.
A good way IMO to practice trigger control, draw and active movement shooting is to buy an airsoft pistol of good quality. It is much cheaper practice as well as safer, It can be done in your backyard keeping safety in mind. A couple bales of hay with a target in the center is inexpensive and fairly safe for practice. A box of BB last a long time. The CO2 cartridges each last about a hundred shots or more for me.

 

[Oldhand]

All the above is good advise, I try to practice weekly 100-200 rounds. Having grandkids, I've been getting a lot of practice point shooting with nerf dart guns on moving targets. My youngest grandson says it is not fair I have 60 years of practice on him.

 

[SavageGuy]

This setup below will run ya about $50. 2400 bbs, a bb gun that holds something like 20 rounds (? It's been awhile) and 15 co2 cartridge which will last almost long enough to shoot all those bbs.......

Or, you can get a revolver which holds ten pellets (more expensive, about $7 per 500) and shoots them fast enough to kill squirrels (a fact I can attest to)

 

[SavageGuy]

Oh, another thing, the revolver shoots very good groups, easily 3" at ten yards.

 

[jigs-n-fixture]

Laserlyte makes some good practice systems: Spendy but good. I have three of the reaction targets, and laser "bullet" for my Beretta PX4. Definitely works best with a dual action pistol, so you can manually cock the hammer without racking the slide. The target lights, and you have a short time to aim and pull the trigger, and sending the laser pulse to hit the target if your aim is good.

They also make "tin cans" that pop up in the air when you hit them.

It is about $175 for two reaction targets and a universal laser. Which seems a little spendy until you figure out that you can shoot in your house for free, (except for batteries), as many rounds as you want per session, anytime you want. It allows lots of inexpensive target time.

It is cold here in the winter, and I'm much more likely to shoot when it doesn't involve packing up and going to the range when it's below zero outside.

 

[conservative]

Like the laserlyte idea. Thanks!