Poll: How often do you train

[Grizfire]

Recently we had a member who was concerned about how often his shootin' buddy trains. I was curious to know how often you train or go to the range.

What dictates how often you train; ammo price, weather, having to clean, etc.

Me, I go every other weekend or so in the summer, and very rare in the winter (but that's gonna change I hope)

 

[Big Daddy Grim]

I go once a week rain or shine.

 

[22lr]

When I can afford to. I practice the draw and shooting. I practice clearing the house to when no one else is home but that's about it.

 

[JBritton]

I'm relatively new to all of this in that I just got my permit for carry and inherited my father-in-law's guns. After doing much research online and in such forums at this I've learned that you need to practice as often as possible (at least once every couple of weeks) until you can put all rounds in a grouping the size of a saucer at 30 feet as quickly as possible AND until you feel completely comfortable with the weapon and familiar enough with it that your handling of it is "automatic" for you...regardless of the type of weapon you have. After you get to that point, you will know how much you need to practice to keep that finely honed edge. Others may want to comment on this and are encouraged to do so, but that's my 2-cents worth. It sounded like really good advice to me.

 

[1911 guy]

I shoot an average of once a month. Every week or two in good weather, but much less in cold months. The range I go to most is closed Jan and Feb. Actual classes, I go to one a year. Dry firing, a few times a week, along with draw and corners/using concealment.

 

[Floppy_D]

I put 2-3 times a month, though on better months it's 5-6 times. I shoot at an indoor range, and I shoot cast reloads, so weather and cost are not factors. Really, if I shoot more often, the novelty wears off and it becomes a chore. If I shoot less often, I become ansy and am short-tempered with people and animals smaller than me. Once or twice a week is a good number, and it becomes increasingly more fun when I have buddies or new shooters to bring with me.

 

[brandonc]

I go hunting or shooting 2-3 times a month during the cooler months, but in AZ it gets too hot in the summer, so I have to take a break.

 

[BlackHand1917]

I try to shoot once a week, but I think everyone knows how married life is. I actually manage to shoot about three times a month. This includes occiasional IDPA and military rifle matches. Apart from competition, every other visit to the range is usually shot only with .22LR rifles and handguns to save money. Every once in a while I venture out into the back yard with a BB pistol and a pellet trap. I will leave it to my readers to decide if this is real shooting.

 

[sherman123]

i usually dry fire practice six days a week and live fire at least once a week. This is often several drills including reloading,malfunction clearing(when im shooting a semi) shooting on the move,strong hand,weak hand... and i practice clearing my house occasionally too

 

[mpmarty]

I have a range (100 yard) at home. I shoot several times a week and on weekends some friends come out and we shoot little matches. I built a 24 x 12 covered enclosed area with firing ports facing the range so we can shoot in Oregon weather without getting soaked. In the rain we're pretty much reduced to shooting bowling pins and steel plates. Poor us.

 

[Treo]

I try to get to the range once a week. Economic concerns ,as well as, school tend to limit that.

I spend quite a bit of time at home practing drawing and taking a sight picture.

A month or so ago something happened at work that scared me bad enough to make me draw and I found out that I had enough muscle memory that I drew and got the gun on target W/out concious thought.

 

[zombienerd]

When I'm home (4 months out of the year) I try to hit the range 2-3 times a month, but the range isn't my only training.

Working at sea, I practice SD fighting/takedown skills several times a month with a buddy. I'm stuck on a ship where I have no access to guns, so I have to practice Hand to Hand more often than gun handling. I also train with short knives, and spikes (albeit these are simulated, don't want to hurt my buddy )

A lot of you guys are very lucky in the fact that you can rely on your firearm for Self Defense pretty much 24/7/365... I can only rely on my firearm for four months out of the year, the other eight are on me being able to hopefully disarm a pirate who has an AK-47 using only a Knife or Skull-piercing spike.

I know the odds are low that my ship would be attacked, and even lower that I could actually get the drop on someone with a rifle, but I train for the possibility... If I didn't have a clear shot at disarming them, there's a good chance I'm going to die anyway, so it's time to try some Rambo stuff.

EDIT:

After reading this post, I thought I may have come across as the Mall Ninja type

I have to clear that up!

Piracy is a real danger in the area we are in, my ship is currently in the red sea, and has to travel through the Gulf of Aden on a regular basis.

These pirates have been known to kill the crews, loot the ships, and then sink them. This is not the majority of the attacks, but it is happening.

I'll be completely honest here, I'm scared of this happening. Deathly scared. So, I revert back to basic psychology, when people are scared, they tend to train to kill what scares them, whether or not the tactics and strategies are correct, it gives hope, builds confidence, allows a clear head in times of concern, and gives the essence of control.

I'm no bodybuilder, I'm no black belt, I'm probably not even above average when it comes to fighting, but I'm not going to die without a fight, even if it is a 1 in 1000 chance of survival

 

[Bakeneko]

What do you consider "training?"

If dry firing and airsoft are included, as well as unarmed stuff that helps keep a pistol from being taken from me, then the number of times I train per week is actually pretty high.

Obviously airsoft is not able to replace shooting with a real firearm. Having said that, I would rather shoot every day with an airsoft and shoot a real firearm whenever I can than just rely on whenever I can get out to a place to shoot. A little bit of practice every day is better than a whole lot of shooting done infrequently.

 

[wankerjake]

once a week when I have time (summer), but almost always at least once a month. I reload so that helps with ammo cost. I go more than anyone else I know. I am still friends with them.

 

[Grizfire]

What do you consider "training?"

Mostly I was referring to live fire, although, I can see dry fire and airsoft as a viable training exercise.

Y'all can feel free to express your own definition

good question.

 

[Carl Levitian]

I go to the range at least once a week, sometimes twice in warmer weather. Even though Maryland is a no carry state, the better half and I just like to shoot. We each have a Smith and wesson revolver by our respective sides of the bed.

But I have a group of friends that meet once a week down my basement where we have an old duffle bag stuffed with rags, and some hockey gear for protection. We practice stick techniques on the bag, and with one another. We range in age from early 60's to early 70's, and we all carry some sort of walking stick. Mostly its our old army pugil stick stuff, since we are all army vets exept for one navy vet. We let him play anyways.

We also practice with the AA minimag on the bag. We watch each other and try to critique and find ways to improve our strikes. Adapt techiniques to our various problems like arthritis and old injuries. Find what works best for us.

It sucks living in a non ccw state, so we just do what we can. A stout blackthorn or hornbeam walking stick does take care of run of the mill street vermin though.

 

[INSULATION TIM]

It's been too wintry here recently, but generally every weekend if I can. There is an Indoor Range close by , but the wait, and noise and general morons make it intolerable for me.

The State runs a nice outdoor range about 30 miles from here that I much prefer though the pistol ranges start at 25 yards.

 

[threefeathers]

You have to define traiing a bit better. I train daily, I use snap caps and I draw, and do what I call my daily routine of drills. I go to the range bi-weekly unless a competion is coming and then it is daily for the week leading to a shoot.

 

[possum]

i train 2-3 times a month, about 20,000rds per year, between t handgun, rifle and shotgun, more handgun than anything. i do more if the army allows me too, it all depends on my schedule really. and i go to training courses as much as the schedule/ field time/ deployment and funds allow.

 

[MIgunguy]

Once you master the fundamentals I don't think it really matters. I didn't shoot a thing for about six years, then one day I went to the range with a bunch of friends of mine, all of whom are Marines, with guns I had never fired before. I shot better than any of them, much to their (and my) surprise. But if I were a cop or carried CCW every day, I'd make a point to practice (live fire) at least once a month.

 

[Eightball]

As often as time, classes, work, and money permit--however, that's vastly less than I would like or need.

 

[jackdanson]

About once a month, sometimes more sometimes less. Time is my main enemy, long drive to nearest range... and ammo cost can suck, but I'll just shoot .22 if I have time, but no money.

 

[VegasOPM]

I try to get in 15-30 minutes of dry fire and manipulations every day, followed by live fire sessions 1-2 times per week (150+ rounds per session) and 1-2 matches per week (50-150 rounds per match). All in all, I am shooting around 2000 rounds per month and spending at least 20 hours per week doing some form of training.

 

[orchidhunter]

Daily, in the comfort of my own home, that is what is so good about the Orchidhunter's Mall Ninija Correspondence Course. orchidhunter

 

[franconialocal]

The only limiting factors for me are