Performance tracking and round count

[CCT125US]

Had a brief session at the range today, 100 rounds in total. Of that I shot the HiTS Advanced Super test (30rds) scored 296/300, my FYL drill LV3 and LV4 one run each (24 rd) 22/24, LHO/RHO at 10yd(10rds) 100-3x on B8, and 3 rounds at 25 yds in the x - ring. This accounted for 67 percent of my rounds used. I walked away feeling good about the session, as I have been working through some grip issues and the balance of speed and accuracy. Then I looked at my notes and wondered what I had done with the other 33 rounds. Noting each drill, and round, seems excessive and tedious at times but I feel it is the best way to track improvement. I typically keep my targets as reference as well as inputting the results into Excel. The sessions where I burn 300 rounds and have no data to show are hard to input and only fill in the "round count" column only. Just seems like a waste of time and ammo. Keep in mind this is for my carry / training gun. I do occasionally shoot just for fun, but even that gets turned into performance testing in some way. Maybe time for a break, or stick with a very focused game plan each session from here on out?

[RJ]

I’ve settled on just a few specific drills when I’m at the square range.

I use “The Test”, your Find Your Level Drill (love that Drill) and a B8 at 25 yards as metrics. I don’t really have anywhere I can draw and shoot, so I try and use USPSA matches for live fire practice, as odd as that sounds.

Some range visits I don’t worry about scoring (dates with the Mrs., or with family) and it’s just for fun.

I guess it is a matter of what’s comfortable for you. Nothing wrong with taking a break once in a while and blasting ammo downrange. Shooting is supposed to be fun and if you are always worried about recording data, it might get tedious.

[GJM]

I think it really gets down to your personality — some folks are counters, and other folks are not. I am not a counter, so for the most part I don’t record metrics from my practice sessions. What I do measure is performance, and I continue to reset the bar higher as my skills improve. In my head, I pretty much know my PR, and more typical performance, on a slew of tasks like draw, draw and shoot two, draw and shoot three, draw shoot one reload shoot one, 4 Aces, El Prez, 6/6/6, etc.

[BJXDS]

I believe you must set goals and have a set of standards for accuracy and time. You have to take a test and score a test to know the results. It sounds like you have done that and kept detailed records. Shooting accuracy and time standards is is the fun part, keep records, not so much for me. On the other hand turning ammo( money) into smoke and noise can be fun. Shooting interactive targets can help relieve some of the boredom you may be experiencing. The qualifier is, as long as it is done safely.

Some of the most fun I have had is shooting balloons with bb guns with the kids. Like all things in life there must be a balance between work and play.
Keep training, but keep it fun, or you may stop training.

[LittleLebowski]

I wish I could help, but it is pretty much the limit of my abilities to be able to count how many full mags of ammo I expend.

[feudist]

I've been using an app called GunLog.

It lets you record all your guns, gear and accessories to as granular a level you want.

It records practice sessions in great detail. It subtracts the shots fired from the total you have on hand.

It allows you to attach a pic of each target (before you repair it) so I write the drill down in my notebook and photograph it, then the target, so as to keep track.

I even track SIRT practice using the Itarget laser training app(which is super neat too).

No ties to either app except as a paying customer.