How often do you fire your carry pistol?

[spiroxlii]

I'm not asking how often a shooter needs to practice.

I know that practice is necessary to build and maintain proficiency.

Most of us who carry semiautos carry with one in the chamber and a full mag. Most of us hope we never have to fire our carry weapons in self defense. How often should we fire our semiauto carry pistols, though? Does leaving the magazine fully loaded for extended periods really damage the spring? If I did take it out weekly or monthly to empty the mag, would it really do any good, since I would just reload the mag again after shooting?

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

More shooting would wear the magazine spring out faster. It is the cycling through firing that fatigues the springs, not leaving them compressed in a fixed position, even for a long period of time.

I think four magazines is a sensible minimum for a gun that is to be shot at all extensively, in part to reduce the wear on any particular magazine.

 

[10-Ring]

It's not the compression of the springs that is bad, it's the cycling through that wears them out...

 

[Treo]

50 rounds a week, magazines stay loaded,& I use a 10 round mag to pratice W/

 

[Wesson Smith]

I shoot my carry at least once a week, 25-50 rnds. a session.
Besides the fact that I just plain love to shoot, I have an ulterior
motive. My CCW instructor, who is also a LEO, stressed the importance
behind healthy practice with your carry weapon. And his argument for
this came from a legal standpoint. The idea being that if you wind up
in front of a jury of your peers and can prove that you are familiar
and proficient with the weapon used in the SD incident, you have a
leg up regarding your defense.

 

[JDGray]

Lately its been once a month. When it warms up a bit, I"ll get back out more, but my carry ammo and one in the pipe come out, mags of practice ammo go in. Can't afford to shoot Hornady TAP, at paper or steel, too often

 

[jeepmor]

Good spring design should provide infinite cycle life. I know this is not the case in many of the mags out there today, but it should be. As an engineering student, we were taught that a sound spring design should afford full compression of the spring and it should return to full length when the tension is released. If it does not do this, it should be redesigned until it does.

And yes, the cycling of the spring wears it out, not just sitting fully compressed all the time. There again though, it should be able to handle infinite cyclings within its operating limits.

I fire my carry pistol every time I go to the range. I start with my range guns to get warmed up and have fun. Then, once that's done, I usually run about 100-200 rounds through my carry pistol practicing my draw, double taps, and other drills. Of course, I don't use carry ammo for this work, that would be prohibitively spendy.

 

[XavierBreath]

At least one magazine a week.

 

[New Reloader]

Practice makes proficient! I practice with my carry gun (Springfield XD9 3") every week. I run at least 50-100 rounds through it every time I go to the range.

 

[Mad Magyar]

How often do you fire your carry pistol?

At least every three weeks which includes some PD rds..

 

[1911 guy]

Minimum once a month, usually a couple hundred rounds per range trip. Easy to blow through two or three hundred when doing specific drills and then some general blasting fun.

 

[Dirtypacman]

Just about everytime I head to the range.... being in the Northeast thats plenty in the nice weather / rarely in the cold weather.

 

[Walkalong]

Depends, usually once or twice a month. I shoot a 1911 more often than that, just not my main carry 1911. If I pick it up and it does not feel like "auto pilot" is on, I know it has been too long.

 

[mnw42]

I try to shoot mine at least once a month.

 

[ROCK6]

I also try to get out at least once a month. I also shoot my CCW mag first, it helps to rotate the SD rounds and keeps them "fresh", plus maintains my confidence that they'll feed with no issues. Most of my pistols have 3 loaded mags, but I have at least 5 mags per pistol with a goal of 10-12 and rotate them annually (the loaded ones that is).

ROCK6

 

[P97]

Mine varies. I have a Ranch that I shoot at, and Camp on in the Spring-Summer-Fall, and shoot more than weekly. I stay in Town in the winter and just go to the Ranch to shoot whenever the weather is good. At least monthly of more.

 

[bikerdoc]

did some math and come up with, 2 x month 50 to 100 rounds

 

[Hokkmike]

Once or twice a month. More in better weather.

 

[Old Dog]

I've got 4 semi-autos in my regular carry rotation these days (3 1911s and a SIG); I shoot each one of these pistols at least every third week, usually at least 4 or 5 mags through each 1911 and 50 rounds through the SIG ... I also rotate carry mags (use 3 carry mags per pistol).

 

[UnTainted]

I fire my carry and home defense pistols each time I go to the range. My primary EDC is an MK9, so that's quite pleasant to practice with at the range. My secondary carry is a P228, which I used to fire each time at the range, but now I only fire it once every few times to the range: range time for the 228 has been replaced by the 229 with the 9mm conversion barrel. I want to conserve the round count in the 228 given that it's a w.german model. Both guns feel the same to me except for the weight and the SRT on the 229, but I've found that practice with one transfers to ability with the other. My ability with the 228 helps my shooting with the 229 when using the .40 barrel as well. I sometimes carry the 229 also.

I make it to the range probably once a month during colder weather, and more times during warmer weather.

I also find that extensive practice with my .22lr pistol (with that practice focusing on trigger, grip, and sights) helps my proficiency with all my pistols, including the MK9, which is much different than the buckmark. Go figure...

I CAN'T WAIT for the .22lr conversions for the Sig pistols.

 

[esq_stu]

Every time I get to the range, which is every 2-3 months these days. I practice like I carry (draw from carry holster; draw BUG from weak side pocket holster). I fire at least two mags/speed loaders of carry ammo plus a bunch of WWB and test guns I have tinkered with since the last time I was at a range.

 

[gym]

Every 5 years, weather it needs it or not. It's like riding a bike

 

[gym]

Every 5 years, weather it needs it or not. It's like riding a bike, you can practice witout actually shooting bullets, I point shoot, so if I didn't go for 5 years, not much would change

 

[gym]

Almost never, too expensive. You don't have to go to the range or even fire the gun to practice, especially if you point shoot. For me after 40 years of shooting guns, if I can see it most likelly I can hit it.

 

[KBintheSLC]

I practice with a dummy gun daily for quick draws and point-style aiming. I practice weekly with .22 caliber pistols and rifles. And I practice once per month with my actual carry gun. 9mm is too spendy to shoot every week. Anyway, I find the draw, and the target acquisition to be more important than putting holes in paper.

PS... leaving mags loaded won't hurt them... as others have already stated.