Less Bad than I Woke Up

[Olon]

...that's the perspective I had to take when I went out shooting yesterday. Hadn't shot a handgun for a month or so as I've been busy with school and hunting all weekend. I was rusty and it took me about 50 rounds to start getting warmed up, but finally I started making good hits when I really slowed down and focused on the fundamentals.

Ours is a perishable skill, that's for certain.

Didn't shoot like a pistolero, but I got to burn some powder and wound up a little less bad than when I woke up.

Anybody else having a hard time getting to the range? Hoping to make some more time for short trips and practicing dry fire to slow the atrophy in these busy times.

 

[AK Hunter]

With a handgun I can't hit a barn from the inside.
But with a rifle I can split hairs.
I don't know why I never got into handguns, it just something to shoot until I can get to my real gun. LOL

 

[Howland937]

I'm not having a hard time getting there, and usually get some trigger time at least once a week. I'm having more trouble getting enough ammo loaded so supply meets demand. Hoping to have everything I need to get the new progressive press running this weekend and then, just maybe...
At least til I get low on supplies.

 

[roval]

always interesting to see how you would do after a long break from shooting . i had to recertify for something in 2017( 5 1/2 months break) and had to stop going to the range and more recently with the pandemic and job woes.(7 months break)
i made videos on both with no warmup and videos were shot as the guns were shot.

 

[Olon]

I'm not having a hard time getting there, and usually get some trigger time at least once a week. I'm having more trouble getting enough ammo loaded so supply meets demand. Hoping to have everything I need to get the new progressive press running this weekend and then, just maybe...
At least til I get low on supplies.

that's been tricky for me too. I've got components, but knowing they'll be tough to replace makes it hard

 

[FROGO207]

It will be interesting to see how many on here do slip some as far as accuracy when all the ranges reopen. I can still shoot on family land but it is not so convenient as the local range would be. I still shoot but not nearly as often as I would like. Oh well this too shal pass.

 

[Olon]

always interesting to see how you would do after a long break from shooting . i had to recertify for something in 2017( 5 1/2 months break) and had to stop going to the range and more recently with the pandemic and job woes.(7 months break)
i made videos on both with no warmup and videos were shot as the guns were shot.

Great vids, thanks for sharing! It sucks my soul away not being able to shoot for awhile haha. Yesterday I felt that I didn't lose much in SD ranges (which I would define as 25yards and under); maybe a little speed. When I stretched out the range though that's when it showed.

 

[Olon]

It will be interesting to see how many on here do slip some as far as accuracy when all the ranges reopen. I can still shoot on family land but it is not so convenient as the local range would be. I still shoot but not nearly as often as I would like. Oh well this too shal pass.

Right. Can't hang my head about it because I'm glad I got to go and I'm glad I still have ammo to shoot. Not everyone can say that.

As always, attitude is everything.

 

[Obturation]

We all get rusty, I've got a mk3 ruger I like to warm up with. Easy to shoot and very accurate. I'll generally take 20-50 rds to get warmed up. The biggest thing I fight is the flinch, I conquer it every time but it takes a few.

 

[Olon]

We all get rusty, I've got a mk3 ruger I like to warm up with. Easy to shoot and very accurate. I'll generally take 20-50 rds to get warmed up. The biggest thing I fight is the flinch, I conquer it every time but it takes a few.

Yeah if it's been awhile it especially takes a lot of focus for me not to flinch but after I really hone in on relaxing and letting the gun do it's thing it's all good and well. Some days it just takes more shots than others.

I'd love to shoot with enough frequency and volume that there's no "warm-up" period, but I don't know if that's reasonable. I do think that consistent practice seems to shrink that window, though.

 

[WestKentucky]

Trigger time? That’s a joke for me. It’s been a while... a long while... since I could slow down, take my time, and enjoy shooting. That’s why I’m buying more 22s now because I can shoot them at home. Not so much centerfire guns.

 

[375supermag]

Hi...
I shoot pretty much every weekend.
I do miss an occasional week because of bad weather or freezing temperatures but otherwise I get out weekly all year round.
One of the gun clubs I have a membership in was closed for the Wuhan flu for awhile but that only lasted a month or so.

No degradation in my shooting skills.
I usually start with .357Mag revolvers and work my way up the caliber ladder. Mostly single action shooting but I do some speed drills with the DA revolvers and my 1911 carry guns.

Generally get 2-300 rounds downrange, sometimes considerably more.
If I start shooting semi automatic handguns, I can easily get several hundred rounds through them before I even get to my revolvers.
My son shoots more rounds than I do but he is constantly shooting his semi auto handguns in defensive drills. The round count escalates quickly when you are shooting 15-17 round magazines full at steel plates.

 

[Obturation]

Yeah if it's been awhile it especially takes a lot of focus for me not to flinch but after I really hone in on relaxing and letting the gun do it's thing it's all good and well. Some days it just takes more shots than others.

I'd love to shoot with enough frequency and volume that there's no "warm-up" period, but I don't know if that's reasonable. I do think that consistent practice seems to shrink that window, though.

I'll leave a couple chambers empty when I'm warming up with a revolver , just so I can watch my flinch and get it in check quicker. It's always about calming down for me, trigger control.
I don't do much dry fire but I'm sure it would help.

 

[gunlaw]

I had that flinch problem. Lay off the big boomers for while and it will go away. It’s in your head try to forget about it and let nature take its course.

 

[Obturation]

I had that flinch problem. Lay off the big boomers for while and it will go away. It’s in your head try to forget about it and let nature take its course.

I'm an addict , can't leave the big ones alone! Guns.... We're talking guns!

 

[gunlaw]

I get it. I’m with ya brother. Maybe we should start a support group

 

[Pivot Dr]

Yes, it’s a big problem, they sold the range to law enforcement, strictly off-limits now!

 

[DustyGmt]

...that's the perspective I had to take when I went out shooting yesterday. Hadn't shot a handgun for a month or so as I've been busy with school and hunting all weekend. I was rusty and it took me about 50 rounds to start getting warmed up, but finally I started making good hits when I really slowed down and focused on the fundamentals.

Ours is a perishable skill, that's for certain.

Didn't shoot like a pistolero, but I got to burn some powder and wound up a little less bad than when I woke up.

Anybody else having a hard time getting to the range? Hoping to make some more time for short trips and practicing dry fire to slow the atrophy in these busy times.

It usually takes me a mag or two to get warmed up. Some days I leave the range embarrassed. Nothing worse that shooting at a plate steel arrangement and not hearing the music.... some days I'm in the zone. I agree and am acutely aware of the fact that it's not an indelible skill and frequent range trips are required to maintain speed and precision.

I have made a thing of it lately to practice one handed, also lefty because one handed shooting is what I am the worst at. Always had a tremble in my hands so it's not a strength. However the other day I was making good one handed hits.....

 

[375supermag]

It usually takes me a mag or two to get warmed up. Some days I leave the range embarrassed. Nothing worse that shooting at a plate steel arrangement and not hearing the music.... some days I'm in the zone. I agree and am acutely aware of the fact that it's not an indelible skill and frequent range trips are required to maintain speed and precision.

I have made a thing of it lately to practice one handed, also lefty because one handed shooting is what I am the worst at. Always had a tremble in my hands so it's not a strength. However the other day I was making good one handed hits.....

Hi...
I have the same problem shooting left handed. I used to be pretty good left handed after an injury to my right wrist didn't allow me to shoot right handed for several months about 20 years ago.
Unfortunately, some surgeries have severely weakened and restricted movement with my left shoulder so holding a handgun at arm's length requires a lot of effort. As a result, my left handed shooting beyond seven yards is not "optimal". Still pretty good right handed out to 25yds on steel plates but tight groups require a two handed hold or a rest.

 

[SeanSw]

With a handgun I can't hit a barn from the inside.
But with a rifle I can split hairs.
I don't know why I never got into handguns, it just something to shoot until I can get to my real gun. LOL

With a handgun I can't hit a barn from the inside.
But with a rifle I can split hairs.
I don't know why I never got into handguns, it just something to shoot until I can get to my real gun. LOL

I am not a particularly great shot with a pistol but I struggle terribly with rifles. Always figured cross dominance didn't help but I tremble like a leaf with a rifle in my arms. I've never really shot supported though, there isn't much opportunity to use a rifle around here.

 

[WheelGunMan]

I acquired a laser trainer cartridge that helps me stay sharp between range visits. I can work on fundamentals from the sanctity of my living room. It has helped me improve my grip and concentrate on the sight picture. The efforts have certainly paid off with a recent visit to my range where I was grouping considerably smaller than my last outing. It's a great training tool.