Range Session Volume

[TGS]

I usually go 150-200. Anything over 200 without a coach/instructor and I'm just making backwards progress, I think. Sometimes I go more, but it's usually because I'll be with friends and we'll do something creative, like a little competition of some sorts. I shoot at "Sharpshooters" in Lorton for you NoVa guys......I'm sure no one wants to be in there longer than an hour since their AC blows. I actually just came back.....I only ever shoot there in the evenings during the summer.

That's for a practice session.....with a training day in a class, I shoot as much as the class requires and never feel worn out until the end of the day. You get breaks all the time in a class, whereas at the range it's not like I'm going to take a seat and talk to someone while I inhale all that toxic dust in a 90*F/60% humidity range, so I kinda just blast through the rounds mag after mag.

When I lived in Vermont, I was mostly into non-tacticool long guns. I've really liked slow-fire long distance rifle work ever since I was a little kid. I could shoot 50 rounds in an entire day and be happy in that setting, but there's no rifle ranges I know of around here.....not to mention I hate Virginia's weather.

[ToddG]

Why speed before working on accuracy Todd? Understood on starting with a cold drill.

(1) Because I'll never get to warm up before needing to shoot fast. Slow marksmanship doesn't get a significant boost from a warm-up, but speed definitely does. Speed first means I'm both getting an accurate reflection of what I can do on demand and it's forcing me to deliver ability cold(-ish).

(2) Blazing away for 2-300 rounds makes it hard to dial back and break max-accuracy shots. Again, my thought process is that if a real world situation requires extreme accuracy, discipline is going to be a bigger limiting factor than time.

(3) Serious marksmanship work can be so fatiguing visually and mentally that working speed afterwords can be counter-productive.

[GooberTim]

(1) Because I'll never get to warm up before needing to shoot fast.

From a novice's perspective as opposed to the likes of ToddG and SouthNarc; my range sessions have almost always began with drawing and putting rounds on target quickly for the above quoted reason. I've been starting with drawing and shooting high probability target with multiple hits, then work on press-out on low probability target one hit only, then 2-3 hits. Transition to slow fire, watching front sight the whole time, as small a group as possible, then speed it up just a bit until the groups get out to mostly 8"-10". While I'm doing this, I'll incorporate reloads. As time permits, between 100 - 300 rounds.

Trainers today seem to be mindful the limitations "Joe Shooter" (myself) has and provide guidance on how best to utilize their training time. ToddG and Ken Hackathorn both shared their knowledge on the subject recently in classes I was fortunate enough to attend. Thanks guys!

[irishshooter]

250 - 300 rds, but also depends upon the training goal for the day. like any training activity......warm up, drill with fundamentals and then cool down. warm up less than 25 rounds then accuracy, speed, reload drills and finish on cool down fundamentals with accuracy drillagain less than 25 rounds ie. single bullet hole, reset drill. start with accuracy, finish with accuracy.

[fuse]

I usually go 150-200. Anything over 200 without a coach/instructor and I'm just making backwards progress, I think. Sometimes I go more, but it's usually because I'll be with friends and we'll do something creative, like a little competition of some sorts. I shoot at "Sharpshooters" in Lorton for you NoVa guys......I'm sure no one wants to be in there longer than an hour since their AC blows. I actually just came back.....I only ever shoot there in the evenings during the summer.

That's for a practice session.....with a training day in a class, I shoot as much as the class requires and never feel worn out until the end of the day. You get breaks all the time in a class, whereas at the range it's not like I'm going to take a seat and talk to someone while I inhale all that toxic dust in a 90*F/60% humidity range, so I kinda just blast through the rounds mag after mag.

When I lived in Vermont, I was mostly into non-tacticool long guns. I've really liked slow-fire long distance rifle work ever since I was a little kid. I could shoot 50 rounds in an entire day and be happy in that setting, but there's no rifle ranges I know of around here.....not to mention I hate Virginia's weather.

I too shoot at sharpshooters. I don't think I am going to renew my membership when it runs out, due to the air issue you mentioned, and also that the lighting SUCKS. it is almost low light training, it seems.

I will probably start going to the NRA range exclusively.

Advantages: excellent lighting, excellent air filtering, and the outstanding modern disappearing timed target carriers.

Disadvantages: further away, limited hours, there is usually a wait, and ones actual range time is often limited to an hour.

God I hate this area.

[Kyle Reese]

I too shoot at sharpshooters. I don't think I am going to renew my membership when it runs out, due to the air issue you mentioned, and also that the lighting SUCKS. it is almost low light training, it seems.

I will probably start going to the NRA range exclusively.

Advantages: excellent lighting, excellent air filtering, and the outstanding modern disappearing timed target carriers.

Disadvantages: further away, limited hours, there is usually a wait, and ones actual range time is often limited to an hour.

God I hate this area.

I like the NRA Range, but wish I could shoot M855 there. There is an outdoor range here in MD, but it's full of sanctimonious Fudds much of the time.

[fuse]

And I seem to shoot about 100-150, although I definitely go slower due to picking up brass (I reload)

[fuse]

I like the NRA Range, but wish I could shoot M855 there. There is an outdoor range here in MD, but it's full of sanctimonious Fudds much of the time.

I wish there was a range around here where you could just rent a berm, like in some other parts of the country, apparently.

I know, I am dreaming.

[TGS]

I wish there was a range around here where you could just rent a berm, like in some other parts of the country, apparently.

I know, I am dreaming.

This area just fucking sucks....the food, lack of good non-chain restaurants, the traffic, the ranges, the (nonexistent) fresh produce, endless urban sprawl...

I grew up in New Jersey. While the gun laws and civil liberties suck, the outdoor ranges, and indoor ranges, are plentiful. Don't get me started on the other stuff....

[ToddG]

Let's keep this thread about how much people shoot during a practice session, please.

For discussion about how difficult and unpleasant life is in the NoVA area, see here.