How Often Do You Practice ?

bigolbigun · Post by **bigolbigun** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 7:36 am

Just wondering how much you other CHL'ers practice. And at what distance, and target types do you use? Maybe some of you more skilled members could offer some advice on what kind of things should be practiced each trip to the range. Or a particular drill you like to use to improve your shooting. Being fairly new to carrying I try to make it out to the range about twice a month. I usually shoot some at 7,10,15,& 25 yards. Most of the time at a silhouette target,sometimes at a regular one.
I usually am a little low & left with my XDSC9. Trying to work on that though. As always thanks for your input, it is much appreciated from a new guy.

flintknapper · Post by **flintknapper** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 7:55 am

Good morning Sir,

If you make it to the range twice a month, then you're doing better than many.

I am sure you aware, shooting is a "perishable" skill, so it is important to make it to the range from time to time.

Much of what a person needs to practice as concerns CC/Self Defense can be practiced at home (empty weapon). Things such as drawing from concealment, dry firing, sight alignment...etc.

I am more concerned that a person spend his/her time learning to shoot correctly...than I am about them just shooting targets.

As for distances, I normally concentrate on 3 yds. (yes 3), 7 yds. and 10 yds., of course...I shoot at distances longer than this as well, but not as much.

If you have an IDPA club nearby...you might wish to go out and watch a match. This type of "dynamic" shooting is of much more value (IMO) if done even once a month...than is "static" shooting done every weekend.

Just my .02 on it.

Liberty · Post by **Liberty** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 8:12 am

I am a new CHLer also. Got my plastic in August.
I go to the range about once a month. Right now I'm focusing at shooting at round rifle targets at 7 and 15 yards.

I have not done anyything tactical. No drawing no moving around and no moving targets. The range I go to doesn't allow that. because it's not important to me at this time the fundimentals are what I'm concentrating on. Grip, Stance Site picture and Breathing. I am having success my grouping is getting tighter every time I go out.

I've settled into a routine. 3 rounds of 2 mags. 15 cartridges to a mag for a total of 90 rounds fired. I used to shoot more at one time but I found that I wasn't really seeing any improvement in my shooting after a 100 rounds or so, and that I tended to backslide into some bad habits.

Eventually I would like to do more tactical stuff. There is a club close to me that allows this, but I don't know if there are people available that could coach and help me on basic stuff. There is always PSC but there they are pretty far away, and a trrip there would kill a whole day out of an alreay to short weekend.

RPBrown · Post by **RPBrown** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 8:28 am

I try to practice at least once a month or more as time allows. I am going to get into IDPA as soon as work slows down. Usually from 10 yards in but every now and then go out to 25.

As a scary side note, My son in law is LEO and until the forum day at PSC, the only time he shot was when he had to qualify which was only twice a year. After that he has started shooting more (the old man out shot him) because he realized that he wasn't as consistant as he needed to be for his job. I think he is going to start IDPA as well.

Piney · Post by **Piney** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 9:49 am

Greetings--

I get out to the range at least twice a week. I try to shoot 150-200 round each time.

If an IDPA match is coming up, I'll shoot most with my G34. If its an off week, I'll shoot my carry pistol, a G26.

I always try to get in at least 1 box (50 rds) weak hand and/or one-handed.

I shoot the most at about 7-10 yds. If there aren't any other shooters at the bay, I'll shoot some from retention at close range. I'll also shoot some moving as well. If others are there, I'll shoot from behind the rail at about the same distance. I generally go out to the range mid- day during the week so I'm usually the only pistol shooter on the range.

I've pretty much stopped using bulls-eye targets. I use the cardboard IDPA-style silhouettes. If I notice that I'm getting "off center" a lot, then I'll stop, slow down, and shoot at a bulls-eye to get my control back in line.

Piney · Post by **Piney** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 9:53 am

RPBrown wrote:
As a scary side note, My son in law is LEO and until the forum day at PSC, the only time he shot was when he had to qualify which was only twice a year. After that he has started shooting more (the old man out shot him) because he realized that he wasn't as consistant as he needed to be for his job. I think he is going to start IDPA as well.

That's great to hear !! A very few LEO's come shoot at the local IDPA matches. That's disapointing, IMO. I think that only shooting 2-3 times a year is not nearly enough to maintain any skill level. We had even discussed waving or reducing the match fee for active LEOs.

Post by **Charles L. Cotton** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 9:55 am

flintknapper wrote:Good morning Sir,

If you make it to the range twice a month, then you're doing better than many.

I am sure you aware, shooting is a "perishable" skill, so it is important to make it to the range from time to time.

Much of what a person needs to practice as concerns CC/Self Defense can be practiced at home (empty weapon). Things such as drawing from concealment, dry firing, sight alignment...etc.

I am more concerned that a person spend his/her time learning to shoot correctly...than I am about them just shooting targets.

As for distances, I normally concentrate on 3 yds. (yes 3), 7 yds. and 10 yds., of course...I shoot at distances longer than this as well, but not as much.

If you have an IDPA club nearby...you might wish to go out and watch a match. This type of "dynamic" shooting is of much more value (IMO) if done even once a month...than is "static" shooting done every weekend.

Just my .02 on it.

Excellent suggestions all!

I would also get someone to show you how to SAFELY make a "retention shot" and practice that close enough to touch the target. If you ever do have to defend yourself, you may very well be doing it with your hands on the BG or his on you.

In tactical classes or clinics, I run a little test by having people come to the line and tell them to get "close to your target." Invariably, they will line up about 3 to 5 yds from the target. I'll say, "no, get closer." They may move a yard. I usually have to say "go up and touch it" before they will get that close. Why? Because we don't like it there; we're uncomfortable; we don't want to be that close to something we're going to shoot, much less fight. Like most things in shooting, we practice what we do well and that we enjoy. We have to force ourselves to do that which we don't do well (especially in front of witnesses), or that we don't like. Practice at contact ranges as well, thatâ€™s not something you want to do for the first time with a gun pressed to your nose!

txinvestigator is in your area and unless I'm mistaken, I think he going to be teaching tactical shooting as well as CHL classes. I suggest you give him a call and check on a class or perhaps some one-on-one coaching.

Chas.

Chas.

Post by **Charles L. Cotton** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 9:56 am

Piney wrote:
RPBrown wrote:
As a scary side note, My son in law is LEO and until the forum day at PSC, the only time he shot was when he had to qualify which was only twice a year. After that he has started shooting more (the old man out shot him) because he realized that he wasn't as consistant as he needed to be for his job. I think he is going to start IDPA as well.

That's great to hear !!

Yes it is! This is yet another comment that makes all of the work worthwhile.

Chas.

The Marshal · Post by **The Marshal** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 9:59 am

Bobby,

3 things improved my shooting with the SC dramatically.
1) Dry firing at home.
2) Pearce grip extention on 10rnd mag.
3) Changing grip where both thumbs stacked and pointed towards front.

most all my targets are at 7-15yds.
Closer than that, I'm hitting someone with the gun, farther and I am running.

~Bill

JLaw · Post by **JLaw** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 11:37 am

I get to the range once a month for sure, usually twice a month. Always practice with the carry gun while there at 7-10 yards, sometimes take a "fun gun" to play with also.

Ever since the great Draw and Shoot clinic at CHL Forum Day @ PSC, I've been practicing the draw with a standard B27 target, dryfire, trying to concentrate on grip, sight alignment, consistency, etc.

JLaw

oilman · Post by **oilman** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 2:13 pm

I go to the range once a month. 3, 5, 7 and 15 yds. Have also taken 2 pistol courses from Brain Hoffner.

HighVelocity · Post by **HighVelocity** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 8:57 pm

I try to get to the local indoor range and shoot for tiny groups at varying distances as well as shoot 1 or 2 IDPA matches a month depending on work load.

ea40ss · Post by **ea40ss** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 10:32 pm

I usually try to make it to the range at least twice a month or more, but the last few months it just hasn't worked out that way.

When I get to go, I will do a variety of drills. Moving left and right, forward and back. Since I shoot Sigs, I practice first shot speed and accuracy because the first pull is always DA. And ,as aggravating as it is, I will do strong and weak hand only.

Several months ago I bought a Sig Mosquito 22lr pistol so I could shoot more at each range session. I'll shoot 150 to 300 rounds or so for only a few dollars. And it fits right in my holster for the Sig p239. The 50lb first pull is interesting with the weak hand only!

Well it feels like 50lbs anyway. I really like this pistol. It is picky though and when it was new it was great for malfunction clearing drills.

I use paper IDPA practice targets but when I run out I think I will buy the cardboard so I can just tape and reuse them.....maybe. I set up three to five targets at varying heights and engage them in different orders

I usually practice from 3 to 15 yards and a few shots from 20yards.

I also do some drills at home although not as often as I should. I like to align the sights and just move the gun around while following the sights and keeping them aligned. I also practice tactical reloads and reloads w/ retention. It's funny that it works pretty well at home but slows way down at the matches. I guess that's just the difference between doing it at home and working under pressure.

Thanks,

Eric

jbirds1210 · Post by **jbirds1210** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 11:42 pm

I try to shoot once every weekend.....sometimes it is only 50 rounds with about 300 rounds of dry fire and at times I extend it to several hundred rounds. I shoot IDPA every chance I get and rehearse the stages I have shot on a fairly continuous basis in my mind!

I practice dry fire at home at least three nights a week. I have slacked for the past couple of weeks because of school. I feel that I benefit more from dry practice than live. I can sit in the comfort of my living room shooting at targets and work through what is going wrong. My neighbors likely think I am a very very angry person

Jason

Lodge2004 · Post by **Lodge2004** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 8:59 am

I aim for once a week, but due to work schedules, normally make it to the range twice a month.

I used to go by myself and just stand in a lane and shoot for accuracy - old habit from college days when I was on the pistol team. Over the last few years, I have found a couple of groups to shoot with and it has made a world of difference. Number or range visits and rounds fired do not always translate to a higher skill level. Quality practice sessions and constant repetition of the basics can have a much greater impact.

Dry firing at home helps more than most people can imagine. Handling your firearm on a daily basis, if possible, helps to hardwire basic skills.