Firearms- Practice Makes Perfect

We shoot here at the house. Mostly 5,56, 7,62/5,45-39 and pistols. A 300 meter range and 100-200m are about 30 minutes away.

One thing we've done to lower the cost is shooting pellet rifles and pistols. RWS Diana M48 with a Leapers 3-9 mil dot. In pistols, a RWS LP8 with a Walther PS 55 and an old Benjamin brass 132. We shoot acorns here at the house.

I've taught the wife how to make a range card. It is all really the same except the ranges are shorter. Wind has more of an affect in the distance than one would assume.
The mechanics are the same so it's good practice. Only one shot makes a person think more.

Shooting skills go stale as fast as fresh bread.

 

I have a pretty good home range where I can shoot out to 200 yards. Lot of talk about the proper stance and that is basic and a standard. Don't forget to shoot at least some in odd positions, angles and with your off hand or shoulder. Some day you may need to.

 

Virtually not a day goes by (including today, already) that I don't spend, at least, half an hour dry-firing my EDC pistol - Which is presently a Glock Model 19(RTF2). First off I check my grip to make sure that nothing has changed, no bad habit has slipped in, and I'm still doing everything right. Part of this process is subliminal and causes me to assess my own proprioceptive reactions. Then I check my sight picture which, nowadays, requires me to put on my shooting bifocals.

Finally I practice my trigger stroke and breath control. What's the most important handgun exercise a pistolero can practice? I've done them all; and, for me, the most important way to dry-fire practice with a pistol is George Harris' excellent, 'Wall Drill'. In a fraction of a second I'm able to determine both how my body is working as well as where my shot(s) would have gone. I've been shooting pistols for a long time; (more than half a century) and I continue to find daily dry-fire practice, and exercises like the, 'Wall Drill' to be essential for my continued (admittedly impressive) speed and accuracy with a pistol.

The most important benefit I derive from these daily pistol practice sessions is considerably less than obvious, though. As I've aged my body has changed, and not always for the better. The self-analysis and proprioceptive self-examination that goes along with daily dry-fire sessions has, unquestionably, helped me to maintain my proficiency with a pistol. I can't see as well as I used to; neither do my hands grip as tightly either; but, regardless, I'm still able to blow out the center of a target in less time than it's taken me to type this paragraph. The question becomes, 'Would I do as well if I didn't practice regularly?' Know what? I'm positive that I would not.

During most of the year I'll get to the range two or three times each week. Right now, though, I'm lucky if I get there anymore than two or three times a month. Yes, I do plan my range practice sessions; but the plan does vary! On days when everything feels right; and I'm, 'on' I'll run the first targets out to 15 yards, and progressively work my way out to 22 - 25 yards. On days when everything doesn't feel right; and I'm having trouble making it all work, I begin shooting for COM on targets set at no more than 7 1/2 yards; BUT, never from any closer than that. 'Why' you might ask? Because many years ago I disciplined myself to shoot instinctively at and inside 7 1/2 yards; (and, just between you and me, I had very good personal and tactical reasons for doing so. )

Now with the virtues of, 'sighted pistol fire' understood and set aside, early in life I recognized the curious psycho-physical phenomenon that: ALL pistol shooters - and especially those pistol shooters who are under immediate physical stress - prefer to begin using their weapons from within what I will call the shooter's own personal, 'combat comfort zone'. (Which, generally, happens to be from well inside 7 yards.) Translation? If you should allow an armed attacker to enter into his, 'personal combat comfort zone' then you will be allowing him to begin firing at you from his chosen distance rather than your own! Of course this means that your chances of being hit in the opening volley just went way up!

The solution? How can you avoid becoming your attacker's favorite target-of-choice? Well, ....... I'll tell you what the solution is NOT. If I were to have ten dollars for every pistol shooter I've watched practice at and inside 7 1/2 yards I'd, probably, be a very wealthy man. (Sighted fire, no less too!) The most important pistol practice regimen for me is to be able to, literally, handle a pistol at and inside 7 1/2 yards without even thinking about it - The chore is entirely left up to my acquired proprioceptive reflexes; and one of the ways I hone this skill is to always practice pistol shooting at longer rather than shorter distances.

After everything is said and done, pistols are NOT very good self-defense weapons. Bigger, faster calibers might make an individual shooter feel safer; but, after many years of doing these things, I feel very confident in saying that, 'shooting for group' with whatever caliber pistol you're using is, emphatically, the best and only way to go!

(Shooting sooner, rather than later, might also help!)

 

I don't have the income I did while working, so my practice is limited to what I can afford, air guns.
They simulate the same practice and cost a fraction to shoot .

 

@arleigh
We do the same thing here. It is fun, inexpensive and no brass to police up. Another benefit is "killing" the acorns before they sprout. Wind and a target at 60-70' adds a level of challenge with the rifle.

Many of the adult precision air rifles have the same length of pull as a CF and quite a few pistols are full size copies of their big brother.
IMO, it's not only good practice, it's fun.

 

Truth be told I probably have more air guns than fire arms.
It's not necessarily looking for something more powerful but accuracy is my primary interest .
Practice with an accurate weapon is fun.
Although I must admit , the next gun I hope to get is a Pre Charged Pneumatic in 45 cal.

 

@arleigh,
I have more firearms. However there is a simple joy in the inexpensive shooting an air rifle offers. They are highly accurate. I've popped squirrels and even a couple of raccoons.
Judging by plywood penetration; my Diana M48 is the equivalent of a 22 short from a revolver.


30 yards and a dead apple.
Daughter's S/O thought my springer was a joke. Until he saw it trim Hosta stalks 10 to 30 yards away.

My only complaint is when I saw how prices have increased. I can't afford to buy the ones I own...