Shooting your carry piece

[dk-corriveau]

Once you are comfortable with it's reliability and usage, how often do you shoot your full-time carry piece? I'm typically at the range once a week and I could put a lot of rounds through it if I wanted to, but I am unsure if that is the best idea. What are your thoughts?

[Standing Wolf]

Weather permitting, I shoot my pre-agreement model 60 about once a month or once every couple months. I'd shoot it more often, but like all revolvers, it's a P.I.A.* to clean.

* Pain in the ankle

[Sam]

At least a box a week.
I make a point of using it in my local club matches monthly.

Sam

[TexasRifleman]

Why wouldn't it be a good idea? If your carry piece is such that you are afraid you'll break it by shooting it, maybe it's not a very good idea to carry that fragile thing.

I put a box a month through my P239/.40 and have for the last 8 years, and will continue to do so.

So that's what, 600 rounds a year? 6000 every 10 years. That's low volume in my mind really. But, I do know that it will work when I need it, and that I can hit something.

[33-805]

I shoot my carry guns as often as I can. I don't think you can really hurt them unless you went WAY overboard or were doing some kind of torture testing.

[Rob1035]

as much as financially possible (g26)

[EddieCoyle]

At least 100 rounds per week through my S & W snubbie.

[f4t9r]

about once a month
would do more if I had closer shooting range, range about 45 miles away

[Ala Dan]

Each time I go to the range, I always seem to forget my daily CCW
whether it be my pre-agreement S&W (old model) 60; or my lawyer
locked S&W model 642~! :uhoh: :(

[Cosmoline]

I've put about 1,000 rounds through my SP-101 and it's barely broken in yet.

The only sidearms I'd hestitate to fire a lot are some of the older alloy J-frame .357's. But I understand S&W has solved some of the frame cutting issues with little steel shields.

[Marko Kloos]

I shoot 100 rounds every other weekend...that's as much money as I can afford to spend on practice ammo, and as much time as I can carve out of my schedule. It's not as much as I'd like, but it's enough to keep me in practice.

My carry gun is an all-steel .38 Special, a S&W Model 10. It's already twenty years old, and I highly doubt that I'll even begin to wear it out in my lifetime.

[Vern Humphrey]

I put about 5,000 rounds a year through my Kimber Classic custom and have ever since I got it in '96 or thereabouts. Before that I put about the same through my M1927 Argentine, which was my carry piece at the time. Yes, now and then you'll break a part. Easy to fix.

[PaulBk]

G26 and 50-100 rounds per week. I am not worried about wearing it out and I like to stay current with my carry weapon. :) :)

-Paul

[rockstar.esq]

100 rds/ month .44 spl 2" snubbie.
How else can a guy practice his tactical reloads?!? Plus I like drawing the lil guy from the holster intend'n on doin some good!

[MachIVshooter]

I don't have a set regimen, but it probably sees +/- 1500 rounds per year. About half of that is full-power carry loads (handloads; it is a 10mm). But when I get my S&W 340PD next spring, I doubt it will see anywhere near that. But a revolver does not have to be "proven" the way an auto does.

I would have to say a bare minimum of a couple mags/cylinders a month just to stay proficient. And a good deal of handling in general.

[chris in va]

My carry piece is my favorite shooter, so probably...2-300 rounds every couple weeks. Gotta love 9mm for that.

[Spieler]

I only get to the range about every other month and put about 100 rounds through my CCW gun. The rest of the time I give some of my other guns a workout.

[Zach S]

Its rare for me not to put at least 100 rounds through my carry gun on the weekend.

[bpisler]

XD-9,100rds every weekend.

SW99C,50rds every weekend.

KP-97DC,50rds every other
weekend.

65-3,100rds once a month.

[Podster]

500 rounds before toting. Builds confidence in the handgun and always (even if you can't shoot it) rotate ammo every 30-60 days. Penetrating oils can kill powder/primers. Save your rotated ammo for a trip to the range. Shoot as much as you want, if it is going to break, you want to find out before you need it! Great gunning!

[dk-corriveau]

Thanks for the replies. I should have worded my originial post a little differently. I had developed the impression that most folks don't shoot their carry pieces all that often once they develope confidence in their gun and their ability to hit the target with it. I have about 2,600 rounds through my Kimber and I am sure that my parry piece, a Para LTC, should be able to stand up to that type of use.

[lyricsdad]

I rotate all my pistols when carrying. So i shoot them whenever possible. I am a very busy person doing the full time job, part time job, and college classes 12 credit hours a week. I will shoot all of them usually at least 50 rounds each when I take them out.

[Double Naught Spy]

I had developed the impression that most folks don't shoot their carry pieces all that often once they develope confidence in their gun and their ability to hit the target with it. I have about 2,600 rounds through my Kimber and I am sure that my parry piece, a Para LTC, should be able to stand up to that type of use.

I have put that many through my carry gun, a Wilson Combat CQB, over the past 7 weeks. In all, it has 70K+ rounds through it. Normally, I will do 800-1200 rounds a month through it. I specifically prefer to shoot my carry gun because the more I handle it, the more familiar I am with it. I have other 1911s and while they all work the same, they don't all work quite the same in regard to subtle nuances such as trigger brake.

Shooting my carry gun is like wearing my favorite bluejeans and favorite tennis shoes. It just feels so much more comfortable than the others.

[armoredman]

I try to get to the range once a month, but i have not made it in two months.....still have a couple hundred reload "testers" to try in my CZ 75 PO1!

[scbair]

Well, I confess I only fire my Kimber Ultra Carry CDP about every 2-3 months, mainly 'cause it's one of those "carry much shoot seldom" types Col. Cooper has mentioned. I do inspect, clean & lube the rails more frequently, of course!

It's controls are identical to those of my full-sized Springfield M1911A1 (Mil Spec) and my old Auto Ordnance that sports a .22 Ace Conversion Unit. I try to work out with these a bit more frequently!

[ron8903]

Every time I go to the range.
Also my carry ammo about every 6 mo. I'll shoot all my
mags that are full and the compleat box that it came in
then stoke with fresh.

[AZgunstudent]

I'll typically blow through my carry ammo and then fire about 200 rounds through the carry gun (Glock 26). I do this about twice a month. That's about 5000 rounds per year. I have no doubt the Glock can take that much shooting for many years. I also have a Glock 17 that is more fun to shoot, and most of the skills learned with the 17 transfer to the 26.

[Vern Humphrey]

That's about 5000 rounds per year.

That's about what I put through my carry guns. I keep count by buying two cases of primers (5,000 count ) in Large and Small pistol each year. I am also very good friends with a couple of tire dealers, who save wheel weights for me.

[DirksterG30]

Every time I go to the range, I shoot my carry guns. Sometimes that's all I shoot. You can never be too proficient!

[S_O_Laban]

Not as much or as often as I would like. :(