How long to lose shooting skills...........?

[2dogs]

Lately, due to laziness I guess, I haven't been going to the shooting range as much as I used to. I'm down from maybe once a month to once every couple of months. I'm sure that folks on this board vary in how often they shoot- maybe a couple of times a week to almost never?

My question is- once you become fairly proficient at shooting- can you lose that proficiency? Is it like riding a bicycle- you never forget, and all you need is an occaisional brush up? Or do you lose it all and after a time have to start all over? Does the time needed to redevelop the skill depend on how proficient you were?

Maybe I'll head over to the range now................................

 

[longtom4570]

I think that you do lose some skills,such as proper breathing,proper stance,that said you do regain it back. It could only be the focus that is lost.

 

[Sven]

It is a 'perishable skill' no question. Some of us are still working on FINDING shooting skills.

 

[BerettaNut92]

I find that how good I do doesn't really matter how many rounds I put through my gun a month, but moreso how much I fight the temptation to drop the gun and look at the target. I found that it's pretty much a game with myself to not be a dork, and just remember sight alignment, trigger control and followthrough.

I can still shoot 4 matches a month and go to the indoor practice range twice or thrice a week and still be not as good as shooting once a month if I have my HUA.

 

[10-Ring]

I've noticed that proficiency does go away relatively quickly...not as bad as my golf game but quickly none the less. The key, I've found is not the live fire, but keeping the dry fire practice in my routine.

 

[brownie0486]

Shooting is a "diminishing skill", another called it "perishable".

I was taught to use the natural ability everyone has to point without "aiming" or using the sights by some counter-terror boys back in 82 and have never looked back since that time. But it is not point shooting, per se as there is an aiming point, just not using the sights to index the barrel.

It utilizes the natural abilities we all possess. At one of the Riddle of Steels I was commenting on this to another good shooter and explained the technique to him. He got home and tried it, it worked, he called me immediately with praise for the information and has not looked back since as well.

If you have the proper handhold and stance you can go a long time without practice once you are "up to speed" initially with the weapon of choice using your natural ability. This takes into account you do not have issues with "flinching" or anticipating the recoil/noise which should have been solved in the initial learning curve.

When I competed on the NE circuit I never practiced between weekend matches, just grabbed the gun and run the course. Others would practice all week in preparation for a big match and come out with less to show for it.

I relate the above so that you can understand that if you are "trained" to use the sights, you will need constant practice to maintain muscle memory relative sight alignment, hence, it's a diminishing skill [ to use the sights and sight alignment ]. If you use your natural ability and do not use the sights there is no diminishing skills to worry about, except the slow process of your sight diminishing.

Brownie

 

[kalibear45]

If you practice long enough with the basics (stance, grip, trigger pull) it should come naturally. I've taken a 4 month hiatus from target shooting before and that first time heading back to the range - the recoil of the 'ol 1911 actually suprised me. I was off the first couple of shots then I adjusted gradually with a tighter grip and a more slow, timed trigger pull. After that, I was tapping a big hole in the X ring

 

[longtom4570]

Brownie where can i learn more about this tecnique?

 

[RustyHammer]

Yes ... it suffers.

 

[brownie0486]

longtom4570 :

I was shown the technique while training under one of the founders of the OSS and later an operative with the company in 1982. Have never used sights since on a pistol out to at least 30 yds.

After 30 yrds, I'll go to quickly picking upthe sights but still not attemptingto align them, it's not necessary unless you are trying to keep really small groups with your shots.

In a combative scenario, hits ANYWHERE on the target right now are better than hits on the target a second later. The older you get the harder it becomes to look at the target, then to the sights for alignment and then back to the target. Using the natural ability everyone has negates the problem considerably and brings about fairly centered hits in a hurry.

The instructor was good enough to put them on a human chest size target at 100 yds immediatey, though I have never given that much practice to further the distance with the technique past 30-35 yds, which is plenty for defensive needs on the streets most of the time.

Shoot me a pm at [email protected]

Brownie

 

[Guy B. Meredith]

Sometimes a break can help--I hope. I find my calendar and wallet too sparse in being able to support shooting time right now. I did go to the range recently after a long break and found that the break had allowed me to let go of some bad habits and to take a new look at what I was doing. In the past I have had a problem with a need to warm up, but this time I was shooting in the black from the first shot. I will be going to the range on Sep 20 after a two month break. I'll report back on the results.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Was told that a lot can perish over the course of a weekend. Regular practice is recommended.

 

[cracked butt]

I used to shoot trap alot, but stopped shooting for about 10 years. last year a guy I worked with asked for advice on what to get for a shotgun for bird hunting. After he got it, him and I and a few others I worked with arranged to do a little trap shooting. I ended up breaking 49 out of 50. The next week I broke 24 out 25 on standard trap, and 23 on wobble trap.
I have no problems with wingshooting, but if I put a pistol down for more than a few months, it seems to take me a few hundred rounds before I can hit anything.

 

[TheeBadOne]

In a combative scenario, hits ANYWHERE on the target right now are better than hits on the target a second later. The older you get the harder it becomes to look at the target, then to the sights for alignment and then back to the target. Using the natural ability everyone has negates the problem considerably and brings about fairly centered hits in a hurry.

I concure. The instructor that taught me was very good at enforcing this (even though I was a young pup at the time). I did so well I was accused of using my sights by some of the other students. When the night shoot course finally came along the following week I was the subject of many sly smiles, all sure that I would be exposed for "the fraud/cheat that I was". (this was pre-night sight area, at least as far as general use). Well, after the 1st night shoot round I received a pat on the back from the instructor and dead silence from those who followed us up to the targets.
Sometimes those old timers really have something to contribute, even if you don't appreciate it at the time. I've finally aged enough where my eyes/focusing aren't quite as quick/sharp as when I was younger. Those lessons really ring hard and true now, and I'm glad I took them to heart back in the day.

 

[WonderNine]

You guys know what's weird? I noticed the first year I was really regularily shooting handguns that if I didn't shoot at least every two weeks I would really suck bigtime, but now I can go to the range after two months or more without shooting and do just fine. I think it's like a bicycle, but a complicated bicycle. If you shoot alot at first and find guns you really like, then you can slack off and don't really have to shoot every week because you'll remember your shooting technique and be able to hit that target.

If you find a type of gun you really like, stick with it.

 

[SteelyDan]

My amateurish impression is that once you've "got it" with a particular firearm, you can probably go six months or more without shooting it and start over pretty close to where you left off. I'm talking about untimed range shooting for accuracy; anything more complicated than that, I haven't a clue.

 

[labgrade]

"When the night shoot course finally came ... "

I disagree.

I can see no need at all for a "night course" for "civilians." (to be polite & not that we should all be conversant here)

You are either at threat, or you are not & there will be no question about it at all.

& "at threat," you will be likely close enough to arms length that using night sights" will never come into question. (not that having night sights isn't handy at times - no disagreement there .... )

If you can "point 'n shoot," your skills will be plenty good.

The distances can't be much more than a couple feet, right?

& here we go off to what are self defense distances.

Prolly a good enough thing ....

 

[TheeBadOne]

If you find a type of gun you really like, stick with it.

Always good advice. The Rough Grouse in my area fear my 870 LW
The paper/metal targets shudder at the sight of my Ruger 22/45 and Glock 22

 

[WonderNine]

I can see no need at all for a "night course" for "civilians." (to be polite & not that we should all be conversant here)

You are either at threat, or you are not & there will be no question about it at all.

A threat who is shooting at you from darkened cover is a threat, no question about it.

 

[Jim March]

Proper shooting skills can disappear quite quickly for some people.

Around two or three incoming rounds wizzing by usually does the trick .

 

[444]

I find that my skills go rather quickly.
I shoot quite a bit, at least three times a week. But, I might get fixated on one particular gun or type of gun. Example, I am getting ready to take the Gunsite 556 Advanced Carbine class, so I have been shooting my AR pretty much exclusively. This evening, I decided to change up and took two revolvers out. I did OK, but nothing to write home about. I know I can shoot a lot better. I guess it depends on what you consider to be good enough. I was shooting bullseye targets at 25 yards. Best I could do tonight was to keep them all in the black. After the light started to fade and my eyes got tired, they didn't all go in the black. If it comes to putting them all in the A-Zone at 7 yards from the draw, that isn't a problem.

 

[45King]

Almost any skill is perishable. You may not lose it completely, but any skill which isn't practiced fequently enough will degrade by some degree. Some skills will indeed disappear entirely if not practiced for a long time. Reaquiring them may not take as long as the initial learning, but it will still take some time.

It's interesting to note the bicycle analogy. I stopped riding bikes when I was about 14 or 15, and didn't throw a leg across a bicycle for over 15 years. When I finally did ride again, I discovered that I still had the skills, but they were very rusty. My first 15 minutes or so caused me to feel almost the same way I did the first time I rode a two-wheeler--scared and exhilarated--but after that, it was back to routine.

 

[brownie0486]

Jim, I've found that the skills break down after the first round of incoming for most. Never mind the 2nd or third one.

Civilians certainly would need night/low light shoot techniques and should be versed in low light shoots. Most shoots have participants that miss at almost contact distance day or night. In low light you will need to be able to index the weapon in the hands properly so you know where it is pointing.

In low light training, targets were missed at 5 yds regularly as the person can not index the gun properly without looking at it and of course thats going to tbe hard to do in low/no light scenarios. Night shoots also bring out deficiencies in other areas like stance, indexing the firearm so it points where you are facing naturally [ called the NPOA]. Most rifle shooters at long ranges will know what that is and the importance of having it. It applies to handguns as well but doesn't get much attention until you shoot low light conditions.

There are no absolutes, would you rather have the techniques developed in case in ever happens you need it or would you rather not have them and then one day "woulda, coulda, shoulda, happens and you are at more of a disadvantage than you had to be?

Shot low light in competition for years every third Sunday at 7pm. You are well disadvantage to not have an idea of what happens in low light shoots, how muzzle flash affect followups, how to use one eye closed to preserve any night vision rom the flash, how to stand and hold the weapon so it is indexed where you are looking [ this is even considered by people who only shoot during daylight as they have no probelms with indexing when they can see the gun and assume [ wrongly ] that if they have it down during the day, they will after dark. Doesn't happen that way folks.

If it can happen it will one day, prudence dictates we prepare ourselves for all possible scenarios that can be thought of through imagination or actual prior events related through medias of various forms.

While you are at threat, or believe yourself to be, it would be nice to be able to cover the subject whose a dark shadow at best from any distance. You may not know he is a threat, he fires on you, you respond in kind, even at 10 feet, moving targets and indexing them like you can actually see the sights, but can't can be a determining factor in your survival.

No night/low light training? I'll take all I can get thank you. I've seen what great shooters during the daylight can do, in lowlight they fall apart, no training and have no clue how to index a gun they can't see.

If it was easy, everyone could do it, it's not and requires practice and more practice until you develop a sense for where your weapon is pointed without having to look at it.


Brownie

 

[444]

We did a very brief drill in my Gunsite 250 course where they discussed natural point of aim. We fired at silhouettes from, I believe five yards, with no artificial light, and they told us before we turned on our lights to examine the targets that for most of us, this group would be the tightest group we fired in the course. They were right. Unfortunately we only did this a couple times.

 

[brownie0486]

acquiring the NPOA is all important to speed and accuracy.

Most have never used it let alone know about how to accomplish it. Leave it to Gunsite to intro the students to it, it is very important as you learned.

Brownie