How much do you shoot to maintain proficiency?

[eod.mickelson]

I'm interested to see how much everyone else shoots for proficiency. I usually try to shoot a box a month at a minimum, but with the shortage of ammo I've definitely found myself conserving ammo over shooting it.

 

[Beckjhong]

Dryfire, dryfire, dryfire, dryfire. I probably did 10:1 dry vs live this year and it paid off.

 

[Aaron Warpony]

I think more is better, but yeah right now it's hard. Honestly right now i haven't been shooting at all to save ammo for hunting season, but I used to shoot every 2 weeks and saw alot of improvement. For me 40 rounds a month out of a bolt action seemed to keep my mind right. For long range stuff anyway

 

[missjordan]

Handful of times a year when we don’t have any guns that need a load developed or a scope zero’d


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[Honyock]

According to my wife, I shoot too much. In normal times, AR about once a month (200-250 rounds), hunting rifles about twice a month for the three months leading up to fall hunting season and handgun about twice a month (150-200 rounds). Handgun is for personal defense not hunting. Obviously with the current situation I've had to cut back. As Beckjhong said, a lot more dry firing this last year.

 

[CZp-01]

I'm still training quite a bit. I reload and stocked up quite a bit in 2019 on components, knowing 2020 was an election year. It def paid off! I try to get out every weekend. Either to shoot pistols (100 rounds) indoors at a min of 12 yards. If the weather is not 10 degrees outside, I'll go outdoors. Setup various USPSA targets spread out to work on transitions.

I started shooting PRS last year and train on positional shooting with a 223 to save on cost of ammo. I compete with a 6.5 CM. It can get expensive quickly.

I also have some small scaled down targets from Ben Stoeger on a basement wall for pistol dry fire training. I'll do the same training in my garage for PRS training working of a barricade I built.

 

[InTheWoods]

I don't shoot so much to maintain proficiency, but I shoot a LOT because I find it just fun! It is also convenient for me, as I have my own backyard range. I have some premium bolt .22s and find myself shooting them more than anything else these days, but centerfire rifles and handguns also enter into the mix. I shoot several times a week. Can't hurt proficiency much.

 

[Antares]

I think what's missing from a lot of peoples regimens is structure, goals, and a focus on improving your form. Trigger time is good, but not if you're just repeating all your bad habits, especially with ammo being harder to find.

It's been said, but dryfire every day. It's free and it helps. Really focus on what your'e doing. When I used to shoot trap a lot, I mounted and dryfired thousands of times to improve my form and consistency. The same gains can be made behind your hunting rifle.

If you can, get a nice .22 bolt gun. Better yet, build a full size .223 trainer. Then find some way to score your efforts so you can track your progress. This is a great motivator and more fun than just shooting groups.

Set goals for yourself. For example, I want first round hits on 2 MOA targets on command out to 500 yards shooting off my pack. I know I can do it with bipod and rear bag, so now I trying to remove those aids. Next I want to start working on shooting seated with my trekking poles, I know I have work to do there.

 

[elkguide]

Some of the neighbors think that me shooting 4 or 5 days a week is to much but I disagree. I shoot a for pleasure, proficiency and also for muscle memory. Along with the muscle memory that I build up, I'm also building up familiarity and confidence so that when I point at something, I know that it will fall over. Here in the North East it can be a little less fun during the winter ( it is up to 11* right now, the high temp for the last 3 days (-8* this morning with a wind chill of -21*)) so on those type days, I'm in the basement shooting a bow and pellet/BB guns. Once again, that muscle memory/proficiency/fun factor comes through.

 

[*zap*]

I think what's missing from a lot of peoples regimens is structure, goals, and a focus on improving your form. Trigger time is good, but not if you're just repeating all your bad habits,

That is a very important ....perfect practice makes perfect.

 

[87TT]

Shoot my bow almost every day. more to keep my strength up. Rifle I shoot before season to check zero. 6 shots or 6 boxes whatever it takes. Don't rifle hunt as much as I used to. I have been shooting that rifle for for 43 years. I also don't shoot long range. maybe 300 yards with a rest but can't remember the last time I used a rest. Carried shooting sticks for a lot of years but just never used them. Now I have been shooting my flintlock more to hone that skill. Shoot some of the others to work up some loads but the old '06 not as much.

 

[*zap*]

That is a generic question to a more specific group of answers. Defensive shooting requires a very good skill set, accuracy, good muscle memory, and ingrained responses to different situations. So, to be good at it you really need to work a good program and get trigger time. I picked up a .22 pistol and revolver recently to allow some savings on ammo and I think it was a very good move for my situation.

There is a defensive pistol shooter group that meets once a month close by and I have not been there for 4 years, going to start going every month, used to shoot idpa and have not done that for years also.
I found idpa to be a good training tool if I went thru the stages @ 1/2 speed and worked fundamentals, not worrying about time/score. 1/3-1/2 speed is best for 75% of defensive training with handgun, imo.

 

[rayporter]

target rifle in summer maybe 100 a week then 500 at a match.

i cant wait as i been hurting too much to shoot. but the brass is ready to go.

well except for the new 6 grendel =no brass

 

[mtwarden]

for hunting I usually spend a few days at the range prior to season starting, insure rifle is still zeroed and then spend the rest of the time at the gong range 100-400 yards shooting a variety of positions, including off of my pack

sidearm- work takes care of that

 

[archp625]

Its hard to gauge how many per week or month but I shot a little over 600 rounds last year in preparation for a late season mule deer hunt. That was with load development and checking my dope involved. All that and the mule deer I shot was at 100 yards.

With the current state of ammo and reloaded components I will have to adjust to make sure I have enough to get me through the year.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Just about every day.

 

[woods89]

My goal last year and this year is 300-500 rounds total out of 2 rifles. I can shoot to 200 yds at my place so it's mostly 10-30 round sessions. I've been doing very little bench shooting and focusing a lot on positional shooting, which I'm not very good at yet.

I have enough reloading components on hand that I feel comfortable sticking with that for the next couple years at least.

More than some and less than others!

 

[Hoodie]

I like once a month to once every six weeks or so, starting in January, leading up to hunting season. I dry fire a lot to conserve ammo. I shot much more frequently several years back, so this seems to be sufficient for me to maintain good minute of deer/elk accuracy from field positions under time out to 300, which is the absolute furthest I´d take a poke at a healthy animal.

Probably a box of ammo each session, so maybe 120 rounds a year.

 

[Mr Drysdale]

Like most I have cut back on recreational shooting due to the ammunition shortage. I do verify any accuracy on any rifle before hunting with it. I formed my shooting proficiency shooting NRA High Power a few years back and it has helped me tremendously. Also shot IDPA for several years. If the shortage gets better? I am thinking about getting back involved with both.