Hello all. I’m not new to firearms, but have recently, after 30 years, started get back into them. Until recently I never went to a real indoor range. Usually just shot at a friends land or maybe some bird hunting. My wife has also decided to start carrying due to several factors which we will not discuss.
I carry and Kimber Ultra Carry 2 and a Kimber Micro .380. We also have another 9mm Kimber and a .380 Sig as well as shotguns. My question is, how much time at the range is too much? I’ve put about 1200 rounds thru the .45 and about 1000 through all the others combined in the last 2 months. 2 to 3 times a week I’m at the range. Is this a ridiculous amount? Am I just wasting ammo? Just wearing the firearms out? I usually take 100 rounds, per caliber, with me when I go.
I buy in bulk as I can find it and have a membership at the range so cost is minimal. My aim has improved significantly and I’m trying different stances and targeting. Just curious when its too much.
Welcome to the Community, @Winson! Is there too much training? Not if it’s good training.
If you can afford to go through that much ammo on a consistent basis, go for it! Be sure you’re training with your end goal in mind and not just putting holes in paper. There are days just putting holes in paper is a great stress reliever, but you don’t want to get yourself into any bad habits.
I’d suggest finding some drills (search through the Community, there are tons), and be sure to have a training goal in mind each time you go. Also, as your wife is newer to carrying, take her with you and you two can set up malfunction drills for each other. (Load her magazine with a snapcap somewhere in the magazine so she has to go through the clearing a malfunction drill and have her do the same for you.)
Aimless, non-purpose shooting is just that. I go once a week with different drills to challenge myself. Dot torture test, 1 to 10, Mozambique, El presendente’, multi target acquisition, and precision shooting will help you with different skills but also help with accuracy and speed. It is not how many rounds you shoot down range but how well you work at the quality of the rounds down range. I always say, Practice, practice, practice but quality training is never a bad thing. Especially if you improve and learn something from each time you go practice.
I shoot a minimum of 50 rounds per firearm. I shoot more either because I’m not satisfied with the results of a drill I’m practicing or I’m having too much fun, I need to shoot some more.
Not a reply about the quantity of rounds, but rather range time.
All the lanes at my indoor gun range are rented for 60 minutes. They recently did a study and found the average person only shoots for 40 minutes.
I buy a box of 1000 9mm rounds & 500 45acps about every 3 months. I go to the range twice a month, I will take my ECD gun & 2 other of my 9s along with both of my 1911s, So I am shooting a little over 165 rounds of 9mm target ammo each time. I will also shoot 20 rounds of my defensive ammo that I use in each pistol so that’s close to 200 rounds per 9mm pistol & 50 rounds for each 1911 (if I take them both) sometimes I just don’t want to clean 2 1911s. lol. so I’ll take one. I have owned these pistols for many years with the exception of my Ruger American Pro 9mm (about a year old}. I always shoot my EDC 1st with target rounds then I will shoot it again before I leave with my carry ammo. This routine seems to be enough for me to feel confident. The work I put in at home is more time intensive but just as important as firing my guns. I enjoy shooting pistols. If I go with a friend we may shoot for an hour or more just for the fun of it but 1200 rounds each time I go to the range would wear me out. It;s flipping hot in South Texas & my range is an outdoor tactical range. If you enjoy shooting that many rounds then fire away. I don’t think that you need to deny yourself the enjoyment if you can afford it. BTW, Welcome
Welcome aboard and glad you are back in the game! For a “new shooter” you have a nice collection of sticks. To your question, the answer is more about the QUALITY of your range time rather than the Quantity of ammo expended. 2500 rounds in two months is far from excessive. At one point in my life I was shooting 500 - 1000 rounds A DAY as I was either instructing or being instructed.
So with that much ammo down range how is your performance?
Are your groupings/shots consistent and where you expect them?
Has anyone evaluated your technique?
Are you satisfied with your performance?
Many times new shooters will be happy keeping all the rounds on a silhouette target at 10 yards. After banging away for a month they are pleased that they have a 12" group (most days) and they continue along that path with the occasional “flyer” or three. If they are lucky and willing to listen some good soul will say “Hey, I noticed XYZ when you were shooting, you might want to try this instead it helped my groups a lot.” Those impartial second set of eyeballs are incredibly valuable. It’s often referred to as the “Ah Ha! Moment.”
At current ammo prices 3 or 4 boxes of ammo in $$$'s is a wise investment in a coach or instructor for an hour to evaluate you, your technique and performance. IMHO it is rare that I never learned “nothing” from a second set of educated eyeballs. With ammo being often difficult to find, maximum training value from each shot is more important than ever. You may be able to afford it but $$$'s do no good if there is nothing to buy.
I usually take my wife or daughter with me and help them train. I get a huge rush seeing that huge grin on my daughter’s face.
Lately I’ve been working on my draw and accuracy without aiming so I load a round draw from concealed to fire. I’m getting sub 1.25 second speeds but I’m not getting as many hard stop shots as I would like.
If it is me and the wife, we say we are going to shoot about 50 rounds each. That usually becomes 100 rounds each (so much fun) shooting our primary firearms, then switching out for a few turns just to practicewith the other’s gun. If it’s just me about 100 rounds (no…really ). Either way we are there for 1 to 1 1/2 hours running through primary hand, off hand, and single handed drills.
My average time at the range is about 1 1/2 hours. Depends on what I’m shooting. I don’t get charged for lane time being a member. I buy ammo in bulk as I can get it. I was hurting for .380 for a while. Finally found two suppliers that had some so I’m resupplied. Still looking to fill the 9mm can. Just takes a constant watch.
My groupings went from mostly center mass with a couple of fliers at 10 yards 2 months ago (.45 UC2) to 7" yesterday for my worst grouping. I’ll take that all day long. All center mass at 20 yards (12" or more), but there is nowhere I could imagine a 20 yard shot in real life.
I’ve only have the Micro 9 for about 3 weeks. I am NOT as good with it at all! I don’t like the grips and will be changing away from the crimson trace ones asap. I put everything in a silhouette mass target, but my groupings are crap. With both .380s I’m under 6 inches at 7 yards. Again. good enough for me. (Though I constantly try to get better!)
One I forgot to mention, which I LOVE, is my first gen Ruger Vaquero .45LC. 8 1/2" barrel. I’ve had it for many years. 8" at 20 yards using hot “Cowboy” loads. Its really a nice one to fire. Old school!
I’ve gotten away from the silhouette targets lately and am using “dot” targets. What do you all use? Just curious. Its just easier to measure using the dots. I’m also looking for a tactical range. One where I can move and get some good instructors. No luck yet, but I’ll keep looking.
Its not rapid fire, but a decent pace. I usually fire twice, look, correct, fire twice, look correct, fire twice, look, take serious aim and fire once. Going to try the Mozambique drill next time. Two to the chest, one to the head.
With the Dot torture I hang sideways. Top line go two rounds at the little (left) dot, and immediately go to the large dot (right) two rounds. I do this several times for a total of twenty rounds. Then I go to the bottom line and reverse the drill. Its not a lot of movement but its something at least.
Try two or three “controlled pair” without taking a break to correct the shots. Like in real gunfight. Max 2 seconds. Then see result. If you are still in 6" square area, I’d say it’s perfect.
If I’m not mistaken, center chest area is 8" square, so your shots are great
The range I go to is about 45 minutes away. I usually take 200-400 rounds every time. Might not use them all if I get called for work or something, but that way they are available if I want more practice. I use silhouette targets and targets that have 4"and 1.5" circles on them. I shoot each circle in a random order as fast as the range will let me.
). Either way we are there for 1 to 1 1/2 hours running through primary hand, off hand, and single handed drills.