How Mutch Practice ?

[SKULLANDCROSSBONES65]

G'day. how much practice is enough to stay in form? I used to shoot lots years ago but that has changed and I have not been out much in the last 10 years. How often should I go out and how many rounds should I use each time? I just want to maintain my skill level. Are there any other things that can be done to help maintain skill level? Is range shooting as good as the real thing?

 

[the rifleer]

I try to fire off at least a few rounds a week. I notice that i start to loose it if i don't shoot for more than two or three weeks. I shoot strictly for fun, its expensive some times, but that is why i have a .22 and a black powder muzzle loader. they are fun and cheap to shoot.

It really depends what you are practicing for. If you are like me, which is practicing for more practice, then its probably not important to shoot every week, but if you are a police officer then i would sure hope you shoot all you can when ever you can.

To me proficient it knowing that you can put a round exactly where you want it at any range in any position. I think you should just shoot when you want to. For me its fun, I can spend all day at a range. If its not fun to you then you probably should find another hobby.

 

[caspr2]

Not nowhere as much as I should...
We all have all of our lives going around us. And it is not easy to find time to get to the range near as often as we should.
What I do is buy a box every week for all my firearms and then when its gets hard to find a place to put the ammo I know I've been a little lite on the range.
Mike

 

[ddeyo1]

as often as you can find time for / afford

 

[sneaky pete]

Don't Forget about "Dry Firing" practice @ home

old Sneaky Pete here: In your spare time, if you have any you can practice your positions, breathing, trigger squeeze, sight alignment/picture by "Dry Firing" at home . Place a Black spot about the size of a $1/4 US (3/4" +/-) and get back till it seems about the same size as the Scoring Black of your normal target and go thru the routine. For flinching ballance a small coin on the barrel and then dry fire--if the coin falls off you'r doing something wrong. Be inventive!!! THANX--SNEAKY

 

[SKULLANDCROSSBONES65]

G'day sneaky pete.

Place a Black spot about the size of a $1/4 US (3/4" +/-) and get back till it seems about the same size as the Scoring Black of your normal target and go thru the routine.

This is an excellent idea with one small problem. I have never shot at spotted rabbits so I dont know what size the 'dot' should be. I remember going to a range once, I was about 10 (35 years ago-approx). I grew up in a rural location, could even shoot from my bed inside, at rabbits outside.

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

That depends. Rule of thumb I always taught is: confidence in what you are using for a weapon and in this case a gun.

What are you using and what for.
Set your own goals when you are practicing.
Get comfortable when on the bench.
Then get comfortable in the prone position while firing.
Then get comfortable in the sitting position while firing.
Then get comfortable in the standing position while firing.

Now get good using all four.
Use the sitting position more than the rest.
Use the standing position and practice that one a heck of alot until you have a good confidence using the standing position. A modified standing I use is when you brace your non firing elbow against your body bending your back. lengthening your fingers to hold your rifle to steady it. It is a slow process but the most accurate standing.

 

[James R. Burke]

Hard to say we are all different. I like to get out once a week, and try to rotate a little on what I am shooting. I am a little older now, and I sure can't shoot like I use to but I do have fun. I reload quite a bit so making up loads keeps me shooting alot, and in practice. Can't beat the 22's for playing around, and having fun. Plus the cost is not to bad. I think having fun is the best part of it no matter what.

 

[sneaky pete]

The $.25 was used as an illustration

old Sneaky here: We don't have any "Spotted Rabbits" on Big Pine Key either--only ugly Iguanas. I imagine that you could kind of cut a little tiny rabbit out of paper and put it up on the wall and then kind of back up till it appears about the same size as your UN-spotted rabbit seems thru your sight and dry fire at that. BUT seriously that black spot was to be used for checking your sight alignment/picture and to see if you were flinching, bucking or jerking if the coin falls off when you pull the trigger. Of course I know that you knew that and were just funning me. Noone can say old Sneaky doesn't have a sence of humor, altho sometimes it gets very weird. THANX--SNEAKY

 

[TheNatureBoy]

I live in the city and have to drive 2 hours to the range so not nearly as much as I want to. I could join a gun club thats about 30 minutes away but their best offer is a 100 yd range. If I take the 2 hr drive I can go 1000 yards if I want to. To keep my mechanics together I go in my back yard, set up a target at 20 yards and shoot my scoped pellet rifle.