Range Practice Drills

[ah141nj 0]

How do you guys practice at the range? Do you have a plan that you stick by or do you just load up & fire away?

One handgun, several handguns each visit?

Same distances? Different distances for different calibers/firearms?

Looking to get better groups,to be more accurate & consistant.

Last week I had a phenomenal session. Hitting everything I wanted with both 9mm & 45acp from approx 32 meters. Last night I wished I had stayed home.

[tgz13 0]

I have a relative set routine that I like.

 

I set my NJGF Targets onto the Orange Oval style ones. This makes it easier for me to identify the target, and at the end when you pull off the last NJGF Target you can see how well you would have done on a normal size target lol.

 

I start with the .22 which allows me to warm up on something with no kick, and it's kind of relaxing after the drive. Shoot 10, relax, BS if there are others around. If I am by myself I shoot 10, then go around kicking my shells out of the stall. Try to pace myself and not blow all my ammo in 10 min.

 

After a while I will switch to the 9mm (don't have anything larger), change my NJGF target and load 1 magazine of 10 (no need for all 15). Pretty much the same routine after that. Shoot the 10 paying attention to stance and grip (sometimes this makes me less accurate), pick up some shells, relax, load the next magazine, shoot.

 

Until I get better I have been sticking with 7yds. No reason to add distance if I can't consistently get the groupings I want at the closer distance.

[ah141nj 0]

Wow, pretty surprised only one response. Thought this would have been a good topic to discuss.

[tgz13 0]

Wow, pretty surprised only one response. Thought this would have been a good topic to discuss.

I guess some people are just lazy and don't want to type :?

[tbtrout 141]

I bring a few guns most of the time. I generally shoot my heavy calibers first and work my way down.

 

If I am rapid firing I generally stay at 7 yds. I shoot more at 15 than I do at 25. When my groups start opening up I am done.

 

I will run some failure to stop drills once in a while as well. Then when I am feeling bold I will shoot weekhanded.

[kenw 293]

I meant to answer sooner, but I needed to find my post from an older, similar thread. I'm basically a lazy, hunt & peck typist, so if I can reuse content, I'll gladly do it.

I have 4 magazines for the M&P, each holds 15. I never load more then 5 at a time, and try to use those 5 as if they're the only ammo I have. Since I don't shoot but every 2 or 3 weeks, there are some perishable skills I have to relearn each time. I'll work on grip, target acquisition/reacquisition, grouping, weak hand, limp wrist, offhand, seated, etc., but only 5 at a time, and I pick up the brass after each 20. It gives me more time on the range, I don't tire as quickly, and I feel like I'm accomplishing something each time I send 5 downrange. As much fun as it is to punch a couple of hundred holes in a sheet of paper as quickly as possible, this system works for me.

 

Ken

[waterman308 0]

My goal is to be familiar with how each of my firearms shoots at different ranges (no pun intended). I shoot .45, .357/.38 and sometimes my Buckmark .22. I shoot weakhanded, one handed, and without my glasses (now that is fun... is that the target?). i also go to the 100 yrd rifle range and shoot my AR and my M1A.

 

The downside(s) are that this is an expensive proposition, I usually have somebody with me to help use up ammo, and, shooting many different firearms at the same time reduces my familiarity with any one in particular.

 

My problem is that I just love to shoot them all, and I can' t bear to leave them home alone

[ben 0]

If you can find it, go to a range with steel targets and bring a friend with a stopwatch. Spend some time shooting groups until you get around a quarter size. Time yourself on drawing from a holster to impact on target afterward. That's how I would spend my time at a range before coming to NJ. A lot of places don't allow you to practice drawing from a holster. I think Bullethole might if you clear it with the ROs first. This is all for practical/home defense training of course.

[mikelets456 78]

If you can find it, go to a range with steel targets and bring a friend with a stopwatch. Spend some time shooting groups until you get around a quarter size. Time yourself on drawing from a holster to impact on target afterward. That's how I would spend my time at a range before coming to NJ. A lot of places don't allow you to practice drawing from a holster. I think Bullethole might if you clear it with the ROs first. This is all for practical/home defense training of course.

 

I pretty much do the same. I start off at 7 yards 8 shots to chest, then 8 to the head. Number and mark shots on the target. Then I do the same for 10 and 15 yards. As long as my groups are tight I move to the next step. I lie my pistol on the table, grab the gun as fast as I can and fire 3 quick shots from 7 yards. If I am on I do it again and aim for a specific spot after grabbing the gun off the table. It ain't so easy because I try to make the situation seem like it would be in the real world.

 

I will do this one and two handed....it ain't as easy as it seems. It's hard to get to this point because of obvious reasons like cost of ammo, etc.

However, I would imagine this is how the real world would be....real targets don't stand in the middle of a room waiting to get shot. I'm sure they move, duck, etc. Grabbing a gun and firing quickly is a great way to learn to shoot and aim in a whole different manner.