How do you practice?

[Falstaff]

I'm wondering if anyone might share their practice routine with the group. Specifically, what range (distance not location) you like to practice at, amount of ammo per session, exercise or other things you might do in preparation, stuff like that. I'd like to maximize my learning/skill with minimum ammo. I have a 1911 and several polymer pistols, and I can hit the targets OK but I want to get to the next level. I seem to have plateau'd out, I practice 2-3 days a month, but I don't feel like I'm getting better. I still catch myself flinching quite noticably now and again, I really need to stop that. I'd be especially interested in any trigger control routines that might help.

[Hornetsnest]

1. Dry firing
- I hate doing it, but no reason to be wasting good ammo when the problem can be fixed with other methods. Video tape yourself and play it back, watching for a smooth trigger press and how much the barrel moves.

2. Schools/Classes
- Have you been to any formal shooting schools or classes lately? Even though someone may be a great shot or one of those "know it all" shooters, everyone can take some lessons away or have good habits reenforced at a good shooting school or class.

3. Rangetime
- Short and effective is what I prefer (50-100rds per gun). I watch some guys go to the range with 500+ rounds and proceed to just blow paper away with no rhyme or reason. While this might be a great stress reliever, it does little to maxmize the rounds from a training aspect.


Just one man's 2 cents....

[Falstaff]

Videotaping some dryfire practice is a GREAT idea! Thanks; never woulda thought of doing that and it's cheap! My wife will think it's weird, but so what. I've done the frontsight 4 day defensive handgun, learned ALOT and will be going back in the fall. (My goal is get the DG (distinguished Graduate) and a perfect score on the qual. target (I got -6 on it my first time which was not a bad score, but perfect is better!)

[l8apex]

I use this to get sured up. From M4Carbine.
Hey guys this is one of our favourite drills, sorry about the format, couldn't figure out how to insert a table.....have fun

Handgun Standard Exercise: Hackathorn Standards
Course Designer: Ken Hackathorn
Source: Larry Vickers (former CAG Lead Firearms Instructor)

300 Points 60 Rounds No Make Up Shots
IPSC Target:
A = 5 C = 3 D = 2 Entire Head = 5
All stages start holstered unless otherwise noted.
250+ Expert
200-249 Acceptable
Below 200 Needs Improvement

Notes:
Originally designed for IPSC targets; IDPA target are slightly more difficult (smaller 5 zone).
Highest Score Ever: Larry Vickers 298
Highest First Time Score: Rob Leatham 290
Jerry Barnhart's First Time Score: 277

Targets: 3 IPSC, 1m spacing, staggered medium-high-low height

#1--5 yards--1 rd on each head from draw freestyle--3 sec
#2--5 yards--1 rd on each head strong hand--4 sec
#3--5 yards--1 rd on each body strong hand--3 sec
#4--5 yards--1 rd on each body strong hand--3 sec
#5--8 yards--2 rds on left target freestyle--2 sec
#6--8 yards--2 rds on center target freestyle--2 sec
#7--8 yards--2 rds on right target freestyle--2 sec
#8--10 yards--El Presidente; start facing uprange w/6 rds in gun, turn and draw, 2 rds each target, slide lock reload, 2 rds on each target--10 seconds
#9--10 yards--weak hand pickup; gun on ground, butt to strong side, start standing, strong hand in small of back, retrieve handgun, 1 rd on each target--5 sec
#10--12 to 8 yards--2 rds each target while moving forward from 12 yds--5 sec
#11--15 yards--transition drill; start with hands at shoulder level as if holding rifle, 1 rd on each target--4 sec
#12--20 yards--start standing; drop to prone, 2 rds on each target--10 sec
#13--25 yards--start behind barricade; 2 rds on each target standing, perform tactical reload under cover(retain/stow partial mag), 2 rds on each target kneeling--24 sec

[6114DAVE]

I practice with a little bit of stuff i've learned from the Corps. Failure drills, controlled pairs, hammer pairs(fun!)...then i switch to one handed,then weak-handed. then i do things like put a spent casing in of each my 3 mags and differ the amount per MAG...then i shuffle them while not looking at them....that way i can practice speed reloads and immdeiate action drills....finish off with GRAB GUN SIGHT IN AND EMPTY MAG AT CENTER MASS ASAP... i use about 200 rounds per session at least once a month...less per session if i plan to do it more than once a month

[JTROKS]

I do more dry firing than range time now a days. I'd like to have more range time, but gotta work for the rugrats.

[6114DAVE]

oh yeah i do most of my drill at 7 and 15 yds and some at 25yds...but i practice for a pistol confrontation...more than likely it's gonna be pretty close distance....if it's more than 30 or so yards...time to take cover and go tacticool

[asme]

A friend and I go to the range together and we load each others' magazines with a few snap caps interspersed between live rounds so we can see if we're jerking the trigger. Each person loads the other one's rounds so we don't know where the snap caps will be. It's the single best thing that's happened to our trigger control.

We shoot fantastically

And if you're really about it it's a way to *snort* practice tap rack bang hurr durr durr

[BigDogatPlay]

The routine from l8apex above is, IMO, for more advanced shooters, and note that not even world class shooters can clean it. That, to me, is a nice place to get to, but is not an exercise I would recommend to anyone who feels (as the OP does) that they are not improving. Bear in mind also that the exercise involves draw and presentation and most ranges I am familiar with will not allow working from a holster.

That said, I dry fire.... a lot. Always have. I try to focus in any session on fundamentals; grip, sight alignment, trigger press. One out of every four or so sessions I shoot all bullseye. A PPC type of course, without the draw and such, is a good (for me) bullseye test and shooting at 7, 15 out to 25 or even 50 yards.

For defensive drills, when I can't use a holster because of the facility I like to work on a standard silhouette target. IPSC or IDPA targets will also work, they just aren't what I use to practice generally. I start at three yards, from low ready, deliver single shots to center mass for five shots, decocking and lowering after each shot. Then I deliver double taps for ten rounds. Repeat process for 5, 10 and 15 yards. If I have someone with me to call targets, and the range allows it, I'll do a Mozambique drill a couple of times through.

Not nearly as much as I used to, and only when I work with a revolver, I'll do some point shooting at varying distances. This is more for fun and instilling grip and trigger press than for anything else.

Bottom line, seek outside training. You can't correct your own flaws, only compensate for them.

[jdg30]

I like to shoot minimal rounds every time I practice and I try to shoot one or two guns at the most each time. I usually shoot a few magazines to 50 rounds per gun, per time. I try to shoot at least 2 times per week like that. I usually set up an old barricade with a sillouette and some paper plates stapled to it and practice drills from 3,5,7 and 10 yards.

Each time I switch it up, but I like to shoot up close and personal, like if someone tried to strong arm you or attack you up close and you back up, draw and fire a couple rounds. If I haven't shot a gun in a while I will get associated with it by shooting from either 7 or 10 yards and then start closer drills.

I don't spend much time shooting from far distances because in reality I'm not going to use my CCW guns to shoot at someone who is far away. I like to practice drawing from a holster and making my shots count. I also practice drills side stepping, drawing and firing, and also drawing and firing while backing up to get away from a threat and out of a situation.

I don't shoot large amounts of ammo each time because I can't afford to and also I think I get more out of each session if I shoot a little bit each time and reflect on what I did right or wrong and then work on it more next time.

[Greg-Dawg]

Take a class and apply what you learned at the range.

[BamBam-31]

I've been playing hockey for over a dozen years now. Everyone--and I mean EVERYONE--that plays at our level has done mind-numbing skating drills to some extent or other. No getting around it, you just have to put your hours in to develop the necessary balance, skill set, muscle memory, etc.

Dry fire is the same. You'll be hard-pressed to find a top pistol shooter that hasn't put in hours of dry fire to smooth out and perfect his trigger pull. Sure, you'll get the occasional prodigy here and there that can simply blow out the X like he was born to do it. For us Regular Joes, however, dry fire and .22lr's are where it's at.

[9mmepiphany]

if you really want to improve you shooting, taking a good shooting class will be the most productive route. they'll straighten out your bad habits and give you drills you can practice on your own to keep getting better

take a look at this thread. Bruce Gray is coming to Merced. he is an excellent instructor

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=322253

[vNaK]

Like everyone else said, dry fire.

I like to put dummy rounds in my mag when I go shoot. Helps me notice what I'm doing wrong.

Using less ammo per session. Used to shoot 200 rounds per session, but I use 50-100 rounds now. I make sure every round counts.

I used to use a mag loader to load my mags, but I have opt to load by hand now (especially when I'm shooting so little). It helps me slow things down and gives me a break in between shootings.

[OneSevenDeuce]

If you feel like you are hitting your peak at your current skill level you might try attending an IDPA or other type competition. I don't know if you have or not before, but shooting at a competitive level makes you better. It really does. I don't know what your goals are, but if you are like me and just want to get tactically better (in my case for professional reasons) then competing can't be beat. I've done a few and I am a better marksman for it. That, and most of the people there are more than willing to help a guy out with tips and tricks.