As some of you already know, I developed a training regimen this last May when I got my carry permit and began carrying a lightweight J-frame (M&P 340)
"Practice Practice Practice" is the correct mantra--and here's what I did to make that practice worthwhile.
1. Select a particular SD load, and make it the primary goal to shoot that round proficiently. For me, it was the Speer Short Barrel 38+P 135-gr. ammo. The "problem" of course, is that this round normally costs about $1.00 per round, although I found it for about $.50 a round in the LE 50 box, and it can be had for about $.30 round if one orders in qty 1000 prices on the 'net.
2. Reload your own ammo to build a cheap practice round. I sorted out the recipe for AA#5, a 140LTC bullet in both 38 and 357 Magnum cartridges
to replicate the "feel" of the factory ammo. This round costs me about eleven cents a round to build. Since you can assemble a good quality basic turret reloading package for perhaps $150.00, the payback comes in as little as 200 rounds, once you have made the initial investment.
3. Use the goal-setting concept of "successive approximations" in setting your shooting goals. If your hand isn't strong enough yet to shoot a cylinderful load, build lighter handloads to accomodate your current skill level.
Always set a realistic goal for the proficiency level you are at: Don't go to the range with your lightweight j-frame and a box of the 125-gr hotrods and expect to shoot a 5x5x25x5; start with, for example, the FC 38 Spl. 110-gr. load, or even with the 148-gr DEWC softball loads.
4. Set goals for your SD shooting performance. My goals looked something like this:
1. shoot to get familiar with j-frame handling.
2. Develop hand strength to shoot a j-frame comfortably.
3. set a performance goal--for example, "5x5x5x5"--5 shots / 5 seconds / 5 yards / 5" group.
4. Repetitively shoot lighter practice rounds until goal is achieved, then move the power parameter up.
If you set down this kind of program, you can shoot a lot, gain the skills and the habituation needed, and feel good all the time you do it. For me, I went from the 148-gr. DEWC load to the FC load, and I developed the reload "replica loads," as well as less-powder loads. I shot a lot from my 640 and a bit from my 340. At the beginning, when my hand was weak, I really didn't want to think about shooting a second cylinder of the FC 38 110-gr. load in the lightweight--not to mention the Speer 38+P 135-gr. load.
Six months later, I can now comfortably shoot the 38+P 135-gr. replica reloads in the lightweight for at least two cylinders' full. In the 640, I can go on indefinitely...and my next goal is to acclimate to the Speer 357 Magnum 135-gr short barrel load. My hand is not only stronger, but appropriately calloused, and I plan on shooting 500 rounds or so a month throughout the winter to both maintain that conditioning and to refine performance / marksmanship skills.
Jim H.