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Prepared for the Worst, Providing the Best |
Due to the current ammo situation, my range time has been cut back pretty drastically. I still try to go pretty regularly, but I'm limiting my round counts and have been spending more time on .22s and cowboy guns that I have components left for. I will typically shoot a couple of mags out of my carry gun and duty gun as well, but nowhere near the 400-500 rounds/month that I was shooting back in 2019. I've been supplementing with dry-fire as well. My wife even bought me one of those g-sight laser-trainer things for my birthday and I have a dot target taped to the living room wall. It's better than nothing, but it's hard to practice follow-through and consistency when you have to break your grip to rack the slide after every "shot" to reset the striker, and there's no replacement for the loud noise, flash, and recoil. Last week I had to qualify a new guy, and I got there early. Our departmental ammo supply isn't much better than my own, and I've been pretty protective of it, but I succumbed to temptation and decided to expend a little bit for myself. I was frustrated to say the least...I haven't been shooting enough and it shows. I was able to whip myself back into shape pretty quickly, but I was pretty annoyed that I wasn't on top of my game right out of the holster. I'm curious what the rest of you are doing right now. Any drills (particularly low-round count ones), specifics for your dry-fire routine, other practice, or tips for getting the most value out of every round is what I'm looking for. | ||
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| Freethinker |
I have a handgun and patrol rifle qualification course that I developed some years ago that is a comprehensive test of many different skills: shooting at different distances, reloads, clearing failure to fire malfunctions, use of cover while engaging targets, and all under relatively demanding time limits. It consists of 10-11 stages (depending on the version), and I have pass/fail requirements for each stage and for the total course. The course requires 30 to 36 rounds of handgun ammunition and 35 rifle rounds. I usually fire it twice along with a friend who helped me develop it. One of the things I like about such a pass/fail course is that it helps me avoid the “Oh, that’s good enough” or I’ll try harder next time attitude with drills. I haven’t been shooting that course too much these days because of range and weather conditions, but I also try for a 80-100 round handgun session every two to four weeks which has definitely helped me stay good with the other course. Added: In thinking about the above, I realize that many people don’t have the reserves I do that permit me to shoot as much as I do, plus I’m not in the “I’ll never pay XXX for ammo” crowd and have been adding a little to my pile as I can. Regardless of the amount I could shoot, though, I believe that establishing performance goals and/or standards for oneself is important to get the most value from what we’re able to shoot. For example, I have a rifle drill that requires hitting a 12 inch plate at 50 yards within 2.5 seconds. The course consists of firing 10 rounds, and to pass it requires a 90/100 score: either at least nine hits and 10 shots each fired in 2.5 seconds, or 10 hits and at least nine shots each fired in 2.5 seconds. It’s a demanding standard, but not impossible for experienced officers with a bit of practice, and results in a good sense of satisfaction when they do. The round count is pretty low as compared with many courses. Our patrol rifle qualification course consists of 30 rounds, but I believe that running the plate course three times is a much more valuable use of the same amount of ammunition. ► 6.4/93.6 ___________ “We are Americans …. Together we have resisted the trap of appeasement, cynicism, and isolation that gives temptation to tyrants.” — George H. W. Bush | |||
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E tan e epi tas |
I have been a few times using some center fire ammo up and I have plenty of .22LR and will probably make some trips with it soon. Predominantly I have been doing more dryfire as well as. My home airgun setup. https://www.thehighroad.org/in...p-for-that-d.885875/ "Guns are tools. The only weapon ever created was man." | |||
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Member |
One thing I noticed for myself is that too much time in-between sessions doesn't save me ammo really as I burn up quite a bit getting back in the groove. Right about the time I get my groups starting to look better I'm out of practice ammo for the day. I keep threatening to get an air gun of some sort but haven't jumped down that rabbit hole yet. | |||
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| Prepared for the Worst, Providing the Best |
sigfreund, I like the idea of a measurable standard to gauge performance from session to session. Our state qual course uses too much ammo for the current environment, and IMO is too easy...but I could pretty easily design my own to meet my needs. I like the airgun idea, too, although the ones I currently own are so far removed from a quality centerfire handgun that their training value is pretty much nil. I'll have to look and see what's out there. | |||
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Sigforum K9 handler |
I’m shooting very little. And my skills aren’t degrading much if any. I shot a 800 round class a couple weeks ago and was happy with my performance. The reason is because I have a solid dry fire program that allows me to put in the work. Some people have scoffed in the past when I would say “dry fire is where the heavy lifting is done”. This shortage is proving my point. You don’t have to have the coolest computerized gadget or laser device to make gains. It just takes solid fundamentals and an understanding of HOW to put the work in. And these days, there is a ton of good literature from Steve Anderson and others that you don’t even have to take a class in how to dry fire. I put in half hour a day (sometimes more) three days a week. (I have stopped training with anything other than a Glock, though) I just live fire enough each week to verify what I am doing in dry fire is working. Two of us shot yesterday afternoon and burned maybe 40 rounds of 9mm. For most shooters, and I’ll say this in generalities, burning live ammo is a metric by way work is measured. It’s not the case for most shooters. Excessive live fire has its uses but it’s not where the heavy lifting gets done. | |||
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| E tan e epi tas |
You know I agree with this fully. I noticed this myself years back during other shortages. I found myself shooting much less but dry firing much much more and I was shocked at how much it played out in the real world. I probably “practice” more now that there isn’t any ammo then when there is as I tend to ramp up dryfire as much for a little shooting fun as training. Sometimes I use a laser and target but more often then not I just focus on my trigger and sights and alignment and draw/grip etc. I tell folks all the time that “quality” dryfire absolutely works. Now the caveat being you need to have a base line understanding of how to shoot. A new person cannot pull gun out of the box and fumble their way into proper techniques. They still need that baseline training but once you have that dryfire really pays dividends. My humble two cents though is spend the money on some snap caps. The vast majority of modern guns don’t need them but they are cheap insurance. "Guns are tools. The only weapon ever created was man." | |||
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Diablo Blanco |
I hit the range with 200 rounds yesterday which was the most in one session I have shot since a class last June. 50 rounds was to sight in a recently mounted RMR and get another 50 rounds through a gun that belongs to my college son. That went extremely well. 150 rounds was to get some rounds through a recently built P320. Unfortunately, it took 100 rounds to get really comfortable with the trigger. I had a few over preps that were quite the surprise. Those 4-5 shots still hit the 8 inch zone in my IDOA target. After about 100 rounds it got really good and I was grouping very well at speed. I was disappointed when the ammo ran out because I was really in the grove. I’m really digging the 320 platform. I too have been doing dry fire almost every day for at least 1/2 hour. I do it with an RMR and iron sights. My skills are definitely not in a decline, but I miss live fire drills. I’m going to spend some more time on 22s ahead of my defensive training to help try get to peak performance in less rounds. After yesterday, I have decided my demand for ammo for training is inelastic. I’m wrapping my head around the ultimate cost versus availability. For the foreseeable future I will continue to dry fire under a timer while using a RDS optic to identify my deficiencies. I’m hoping to attend a class in July. _________________________ "An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile - hoping it will eat him last” - Winston Churchil | |||
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Don't Panic |
Went out yesterday, did about half of the usual. While I am comfortable with my ammo situation, it's really tough to ignore the potential replacement cost issue. | |||
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Read the CONSTITUTION |
Put 50 rounds of 40 downrange Friday. I'm lucky to have ammo. Im amazed how the private club I'm a member of is basically empty. We are having crazy nice weather, was 70 degrees a few days last week. I think there was 7 log ins for whole week. Years past, would be 7 people at once. That's really hitting how little ammo people have or are willing to shoot. A 9mm in MY Hand is better than a 45 at home. SIG P-239 357.. The Modern Martial Arts Pair of 226 Navy's Too many" LOW INFORMATION VOTERS " si vis pacem para bellvm | |||
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Misanthropic Philanthrope |
What is this range time of which you speak? I have forgotten what this is. ___________________________ Originally posted by Psychobastard: Well, we "gave them democracy"... not unlike giving a monkey a loaded gun. | |||
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| Member |
I'll spend two days at home, long enough to get my second covid shot, then back on the road. 27 days, this month. Range time? Non-existent. I'm finding both shoulders are doing a lot of popping and grinding when I dry fire. Just drawing and presenting is getting painful. It may come down to making choices, before long. | |||
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I Deal In Lead |
I'm shooting the same as I was a year ago or two years ago. Shoot at least twice a week, sometimes 3 times and shoot the same amounts as always. | |||
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| Thank you Very little  |
I think you've mentioned it before, do you have a moment to list the program you have for dry fire. I'd like to work on it, but would appreciate any help, tips, outline, you might provide. Right now dry fire boolits are the only affordable boolits  | |||
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| My other Sig is a Steyr.  |
No problems at all. I can get all the 9x21 I want for $25 or so. 38 Super (and to a lesser degree 10mm) isn't overly difficult to obtain for now. | |||
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| Member |
So far, I haven't had a problem. I've always bought .22s in large quantities (just because it is easier that way) and my last purchase was not too long before the King Flu hit. As for center-fire rounds, I reload and likewise buy in quantity. However, if this situation lasts long enough to cramp my style, I have a S&W in .32 S&W Long and a lifetime supplies of 98 grain swaged wadcutters. The load is a rip roaring 2.1 grains of Bullseye, which works out to 3,333 rounds per pound of powder. I suspect this would keep me going for a while. | |||
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| Member |
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| Member |
I have bought 6 laser .38 cartridges and dry fire with it, I also modified a Stryker to use a laser as well and not have to rack all the time. When I go to the range 150-300 per session down from before and not as frequently making the trip. Skill has remained constant no real decline. | |||
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| Prepared for the Worst, Providing the Best |
+1, I'd be interested to hear as well! | |||
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| Member |
Same here. October 2020, that was the last time. Probably pretty rusty by now. I'd rather be hated for who I am than loved for who I'm not. | |||
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