[kdog]

Hi guys,

just curios here.
How many rounds do you fire on average during a visit to the range and at what distance?

Since we mostly have fixed distances on our ranges (exept at the rifle range), we shoot at 25m. (the person on the right on lane 9 is me......). I generaly fire 75 to 100 rounds per session. Depends on how I feel and how I hit the target.

At the moment it mainly depends on the temperature.
Thurseday it was bloody cold at the range. Indoor and no heating turned on. The entire range was cooled out drastically. I could hardly hold the pistol jitter free.

 

[canebrake]

Hi guys, just curios here.How many rounds do you fire on average during a visit to the range and at what distance? Since we mostly have fixed distances on our ranges (except at the rifle range), we shoot at 25m. (the person on the right on lane 9 is me......). I generaly fire 75 to 100 rounds per session. Depends on how I feel and how I hit the target. At the moment it mainly depends on the temperature.
Thursday it was bloody cold at the range. Indoor and no heating turned on. The entire range was cooled out drastically. I could hardly hold the pistol jitter free.

Why not ask for world peace??

There are so many variables that we could answer for ever!

OK. my typical handgun range visit;

Regardless of what my mag capacity is, I load all my range mags with 5 rds.

Using 8-10 mags, I will mix five A-Zoom snap caps randomly in the mix. (Great for trigger/flinch control)

My 1911 3" Colt Defender carry, chambered in .45 ACP is shot at CQB distance (4M or ~12.5') at 5.5" orange peal targets for the majority of the range time.
This is a minimum of 100 rds.

50 rds are then shot using 8" orange peals @ 2xCQB or 25'.

~10 rds are wasted at 50' using the same 8" targets from the last range visit.

I then hang a full body target @ CQB distance for point shooting. This is a minimum of 50 rds. This is the practice that will save your life!!!!!

For carry confidence you should do this 2 x month.

Every 4 months I shoot my carry +P ammo (usually 2 mags, maybe 3) to turn over the vintage ammo.

My typical long gun range visit (7.62x39 SUR);

100-200 rds using my 2-eye reflex red dot @ 25 & 50 yds. Then I switch to the scope.

200 rds @ 100yds to confirm my optics are set.

This is done at minimum once a month. More often depending on disposal income and ammo cost.

 

[cpttango30]

If I am shooting my 308 or 30-06 then it is less than 100, 223 is 50 to 100 if it is a rimfire day then I do my best to eat up $13 worth of ammo (IE 1 550 round federal bulk box). IF it is my 1911 then it is about 200 to 250 rounds.

 

[Cnynrat]

~10 rds are wasted at 50' using the same 8" targets from the last range visit.

That makes me feel better - glad I'm not alone on this one.

Seriously, sounds like you have a good routine, and I picked up a few good ideas to improve my own practice time.

 

[dnthmn2004]

Canebrake, you summed it up pretty good. I like going to the range about twice a month with my handguns and once a month with my rifles.

I feel that I am very lucky to have an outdoor range. Its located in my very small, democratic, home town. I usually go early afternoon during the week. So far, I have been fortunate enough to be the ONLY person at the range every time I go! If I didn't know better, I'd say it was my own personal shooting range.

M&P 40: 100-200 rounds at 25 and 15 yards, point shooting at 5 yards. Snapcaps randomly loaded in 6 mags, chosen at random. I am also guilty of wasting ammo at 50 yards now and then.

Walther P22: I shoot it until I get my fix, usually a brick of WWB, mostly doing drills. Good for practicing weak-hand shooting.

Remington 870 12 gauge: 20-40 rounds @ 25 yards or less doing home defense drills.

Remington 700, 270 Winchester: 20-40 rounds. I only shoot one distance per visit, either 100, 150, or 200 yards.

Savage 93R17: 50 rounds @ 100 yards.

Remington 514: Until I run out of targets to shoot. (did you know the word 'targets' is typed with the left hand only?

 

[c3shooter]

For handgun- the answer is the same as the answer to ALL the questions on the state bar exam- "That all depends!"

Some days I am sitting on the 100 yd line with a VERY long barreled revolver- 50 rounds, slow fire takes a L O N G time. I usually take my carry weapon to the 7 yd line, and run thru at least 2 mags once a week. Some days I may do strong hand/weak hand/malfunction drill and go thru 100-200 rounds. Some days I take along a .22, and run thru a few boxes of 22 LR on the 25 yd line, just for grins and giggles.

I usually make a weekly trip to the range. If the weather is really crappy, I have some of the Speer plastic indoor target loads (plastic cartridge, plastic bullet, no powder, primer only) and I can shoot in my garage (carboard box stuffed with shredded newspaper)

Some days I may be there 30 minutes, somedays, I pack a lunch.

 

[canebrake]

That makes me feel better - glad I'm not alone on this one. Seriously, sounds like you have a good routine, and I picked up a few good ideas to improve my own practice time.

Thanks, glad we could help. I keep telling Mrs. Cane I’m doing a public service here but I don’t think she’s buying it.

You’re in the majority concerning carry gun accuracy at > 2 x CQB distances. (Any distance greater than double digit meters/yards.) Oh I’m going to get some sh1t for that statement (matt-g) but it’s true for the most of us. It's true and rightly so, it’s the wrong tool for distance shooting. I have other handguns in my arsenal that perform well, with me at the trigger showing off my (and maintaining my manhood-damn that Testosterone!) long range skills. Get over it, we’re not blessed with the natural talent required or the $ needed to improve the skill. In real life sh1t happens real close in, if you have a shot at greater than CQB distances, chances are the BG is running away from you and you have no business chasing him with lead. Spend the time mentally recording a good description of the BG to pass on to 911 and let the LEO’s do the cleanup duty.

Work on the CQB distance (4M or ~12.5’) until you’re really good, real deadly good. Also work on the 2 x CQB distance of ~25’ until your good. Both will build carry-confidence and serve you well, as in save-your-life well!


In today's economy, I considered eliminating the rounds spent at the longer distance. Then I looked at it from another angle. It is very sobering (to me) experiencing the worthlessness of tossing carry-gun (3” Colt for me) lead down-range at distance. The sobering aspect is that the bullet is no less lethal, but certainly far less discriminate. This lack of control on the part of the shooter opens you up to a BIG truck load of liabilities. These are unnecessary liabilities, because it can be eliminated 100% by the shooter stopping the pulling of the trigger.

Be safe out there and use your most powerful weapon first, your brain!

 

[canebrake]

I am also guilty of wasting ammo at 50 yards now and then.

50 yards?? Sh1t, I'm wasting ammo at 50 feet with my Defender!!

Good for practicing weak-hand shooting.

I didn't mention this drill earlier because I rarely run it! MY BAD, this drill must be run every range trip! It's that important!
It doesn't need to consume a lot of time or ammo, it just need to be done so the first time you need to call on the skill, it isn't the first time you practice it!

Try this; mentally or physically disable (put your hand in your pocket) your strong-side. Do, with your weak-side, at least one draw and shoot from your normal carry position. Also do a weak-side reload (mag or speed loader) and cock (rack/release slide on SAs) expending a second series of shots. I do a total/minimum of 10 rounds for the weak side drill. (When I do it. )

Another important drill I omitted from my earlier post is the tactical reload. This one is more a mind-set but still requires some muscle-memory training. The training is required because it happens during the most adrenaline heightened period you will ever experience and must happen during the co-processing of a multitude of other critical actions!
In a personal defense shooting, action is intense and usually over quickly, very quickly. It's usually over in just a few seconds, and what you do during this moment are as important as what you have already done! A good analogy would be the eye of a hurricane, the calm following enormous energy expenditure with the anticipation of round two starting soon! What you do during this calm will determine how you will fare in round two. How many shots did you take? You will NOT know, trust me on this one and waste no time determining the readiness of your weapon. With full attention on the downed Tango’s hands, (hands kill, everything else is distraction) determine if he is still a threat? Do not move your weapon from the ready position, start to move towards the BG with the intention of kicking his weapon out of reach. With the weak-side hand purchase, with your thumb and index finger, your back-up mag and bring it to the gun. As you visually keep the Tango in check and clear the area for other hostiles, release the partially-spent mag, catching it with the remaining fingers and insert the fresh mag. Put the used mag in your pocket, NOT the mag pouch to avoid a reload thinking its fresh but keeping it available if needed.

..did you know the word 'targets' is typed with the left hand only?

Only here on the FTF can you get quality information like this!

 

[ScottG]

With the .22s I just shoot until I'm tired of it. I don't count. I'm shooting in the desert at this time because the outdoor ranges are private or too far away. I don't care for indoor ranges.

I generally set the targets for my large bores at 100 yards, handguns and .22s at 25. Targets are regular bullseye for handguns and silhouettes for rifles. I use soda cans or clays for the smallbores.

Maybe one or two boxes for the handguns and one box for the rifles. The M1 gets about three clips and that's it. I don't want to over shoot it. That will be my main "stinking hippy so******t obamabot" medicine dispenser....

 

[cbw]

I try to shoot 50 rounds through the 9mm and 50 through the EMP 40. By then I'm tired and my shoulders hurt. You younger guys must have more money and for sure more energy than some of us seniors.

 

[Arby238]

I shoot 100 rounds of 9mm at 25 and 50 yards. then about 300 rounds of 22 at the same distances.

 

[gorknoids]

Normally I'll shoot 100 rds per trip, at least weekly. Recently it's been twice a week, because I'm recovering from surgery, can't work, and can't drive. It's 3 miles from my house to the range, so I walk there for the exercise.
At 15 yards, there's only so much of a challenge, so lately I've been closing the partition on the left side and working on smoking a BG from behind cover, (Hostage target) and moving from standing to kneeling and back while firing. 3-5 rounds per mag, one-handed. (The one that's NOT in the sling.)

 

[big shrek]

I actually have to break it down...lol

Blackpowder day, 20-30 rounds.
SASS training day, 100-150+ .44 special & a box of shotgun shells.
IDPA training day, 100-200+ 9mm
Futzing around with the Calico & Tec-9 day (usually tied into other fun), 200+ rds.
Short-distance rifle, less than 150 yds, 21-50+ rounds (usually tied into other fun)
Long-distance rifle, over 200 yds, 50+ rounds (usually tied into other fun)

I keep several manufacturer's in biz thru ammo & powder & Pyrodex...lol

Anywhere from twice a week to once a month...in the wintertime I don't go out much, can't stand temps under 50 F...

 

[kdog]

I find this quite impressive, but then lots or most of you guys pack the guns for your own protection, unlike here in germany.

Since we don`t get permission to CCW a firearm, unless in the line of some sort of duty, we don`t really need all that type of training.

So, as mentioned in the beginning, I go to the range twice per month in average (at least once per month).
As you can see on the pic, the targets are fixed at a distance of 25 meters (don`t ask what that is in yards or feet, I don`t have a clue).
Most shooting ranges don`t like you to do combat type shooting training, so we are stuck to the static shooting at a fixed distance.

In average I shoot 50 to 100 rounds per visit, otherwise my wife will kill me, due to the ammo cost. (I guess money isn`t so loose anymore, since we have the flipping Euro). Also since I only have one pistol, my CZ75 in 9mm, there is no need to change weapons.

I don`t really have a training routine like you guys, but I think I will have to set myself one up to improve my shooting somhow.

Ken

 

[c3shooter]

25 meters is about 82 ft. Too many years of using Army maps, still tend to think in meters and "Klicks". What part of Germany?

 

[kdog]

approx. 45km north of Frankfurt in the mountains

 

[AsmelEduardo]

I go to the shooting range once a month if I can. All my handgun shooting is slow fire shooting (since I'm handicapped) @25m (25m=28yrds. or 82ft.) Shoot about 50 rounds of 9mm with the Star, and 50 rounds of .22lr with the Walther PP, sometimes when my uncle shows on the range I shoot up to 100 rounds of 9mm with a Glock 17 or a Glock 19 (from my aunt) and 50 rounds of .40S&W with a Beretta Cougar 8040 (I love this gun), my uncle is a proeficient reloader so he let me spend some extra ammo I shoot my uncle's CZ .22lr bolt action @ 25m or 50m too.

 

[biff44]

Jeez, I wish I had that type of money! I tend to shoot a lot of .22 pistol at 25 yards. Maybe 150 rds.

I will bring something bigger along, like a .40, .45, and do a few mags worth. Every once in a while I will grab the .44 or .454, but only tend to do maybe 10or 20 rounds.

Not only does the bigger stuff cost so much, it is actually getting harder to FIND any of it to buy! Wally world's shelves are pretty empty.

 

[WDB]

I go to an indoor pistol range about twice a month. I shoot 9mm, 40 cal, .357 mag and 45 cal. I shoot about 50 rounds in each caliber at a range of 10 feet to 30 feet as I practice defensive shooting for the most part and believe if the issue arises that will be the distance of the bad guy. When the weather is good I go to an outdoor range for riles about twice a month and shoot at 100 and 150 yards with a mini 14, AR15 and a 300 WSM.

 

[Quis custodiet]

Indoors I shoot 50 rounds through each gun I have with me. This is usually a Colt .357 (with .38s) , an Anaconda, and a .45 Commander. If I bring a .22 then another 100 rounds thru it.

Outdoors with centerfire rifles is usually a box of reloads per gun. If I'm cleaning the gun afterwards I'm shooting it a bit.