What's the LONGEST you've gone...

[StorkPatrol]

Currently in the middle of a 6 month deployment. This will be the longest I've gone without shooting. Most Air Force deployments used to be 4 months, but then we cut a bunch of people. Guess who picks up the slack.

 

[mljdeckard]

You'll laugh.

On active duty in Germany and Iraq I qualified less than once a year. My time in the army has been my slowest shooting time.

 

[BigRugerLover]

One year, when I lived in England. I didn't even see a gun on a cop until I went back to Gatwick to fly home - and they weren't carrying any the year before, but the IRA had been really active, along with Euro terror groups. At that point, an MP5 looked weird to me.

 

[Zach S]

Probably about six months with no rangetime. My groups opened up, but drawing and firing on an IDPA target didnt seem affected.

Up to the end of my failed marriage, most of my rangetime was with a 1911 that I rebuilt into a dedicated .22. I'd go through one or two federal bulk packs a month, but I probably went a year without shooting a centerfire round due to being broke...

My first trip back to the range after she left was awful. I had gotten so used to the lack of recoil that I thought I had a kB! and shot patterns until I stopped flinching.

 

[1911 guy]

About a year. It was a bad year...

And my worst skill degradation was handgunning. Rifle picked up okay after a couple range trips but it took serious effort to get my pistol back up to snuff.

Truth be told, i don't shoot nealy as much now as I did way back when and I am of the opinion that my discretionary income this year needs to go toward a LOT of training. Once a year isn't cutting it anymore. I'm not twenty years old anymore.

 

[MARKMALL]

I used to go all winter with out shooting. Since I joined a club only a few miles from my home I can go shooting any time I want. The most I go without shooting now is my be 2 or 3 weeks when it is really cold out.

 

[Doc7]

Been 4 months for me. Shooting in north NJ is ridiculous so I go to the backyard range in PA at 2nd home. Haven't gotten to go there since September. Meanwhile I am polishing my Marlin 60 bolt and hoping like heck that it still works GREAT next Sunday when I hope to get to PA : )

 

[PT92]

Lots of Vets posting in the thread.

I am always honored to say THANKS for your service! We don't have this forum absent your efforts.

You guys get to actually handle REAL "Assault Rifles."

--Cheers

 

[Ranger Roberts]

For me, currently, I only go a week or two tops without shooting. Funny thing is the longest I've ever gone was when I got back from each deployment.
My father on the other hand hadn't shot a pistol in 30 years. A few months ago I'm standing in my backyard shooting a few of my pistols, he reaches down, grabs my CZ and puts every round center mass! 15 shots! The kicker was his group was better then mine and I'm one of the better shots in my department! He just looked over, smiled and said "keep practicing, we'll try this again in another 30 years!"

 

[holdencm9]

Hey everyone, thanks for the responses!

It is funny that a lot of the longest times people have posted were military deployments, which at first seems weird, but I guess it makes sense after thinking about it. And I'd like to echo PT92's sentiments and say thanks to all you vets for sacrificing (among so many other things) your range time to serve.

 

[Lateck]

I had a 20 year layoff...... Jobs, family, money all had higher priorities during that time in my life. I owned handguns but they were locked up.
Then when the kids moved out, money was freed up and I got back into firearms. Now the longest time without shootings something is a few weeks.

Lateck,

 

[allaroundhunter]

Before becoming part of my school's shooting team, typically I did not get to shoot at all during the Fall and Spring semesters. So, the longest I have gone is probably 5 months. Afterwards I am a little rusty, but after about 5 clays, I am typically back on track. For me I guess it's kinda like riding a bike

 

[tarosean]

Approximately 183 days a year... I travel worldwide for business. Im posting from Saudi Arabia, while I see tons of machine guns everywhere, it probably wouldn't be wise of me to ask to shoot one.... just sayin...

 

[SpazC]

Longest I went was about 6 months while I was in school. When you're living on ramen noodles with eggs the $13 box of ammo just isn't on the top of your list.

First thing I shot was my 10/22. Simple choice $13 for 50 round of 9mm or $10 for 333 rounds of .22.

Now that I'm in the real world I try to make it out every other week or so, with Red Ryder practice in between.

 

[Russ Jackson]

8 years when I lived in San Diego.

 

[HoosierQ]

I've gone a few years in a row there in the 90's...the "boating days". I haven't been for 6 months probably except not for lack of trying. Had several dates on the calendar that were cancelled due to "range improvements" (we're pretty much on a "call ahead" basis) and a recent snow storm.

 

[aeriedad]

...Thus I have to ask what model shotgun you used in the Corp (I'm assuming a 500?)...

It's been more than 20 years; I just don't remember. It was a 12 Ga., and maybe we called it an M7. A little quick Google-fu hasn't helped me confirm or reject that guess.

 

[Sauer Grapes]

After all my hunting and shooting venues disappeared, and then got married, I didn't shoot for 20+ years.
I'm getting older now and decided life is too short. Now I shoot regularly with either shotguns or pistols. Winter is a slow time for me. I haven't shot in about 5 weeks. I may try and get to the range this weekend.

 

[WNTFW]

I didn't shoot a rifle offhand for 6 months. I went to a Highpower no sighter match and shot a 96 in offhand.

Just because you can't shoot live ammo does not mean you can't practice. It is a mental game at least as much as a physical one.

 

[bsheets20061]

in the last 4 years the longest I have managed to go without shooting is a little over 2 weeks, but with the current ammo prices on certain calibers the amount I shoot during each trip has greatly decreased.

 

[zdc1775]

I haven't had the chance to shoot handguns in about two months, but I still shoot one of my .22's every few days.

I am a shotgun nut and I have always had a keen interest in their military use as well. Thus I have to ask what model shotgun you used in the Corp (I'm assuming a 500?) and thanks for your service.

I had to qualify with an M-1014 while in BSG. And a Mossberg 590(?) at my unit until they were replaced by the 1014.

 

[Centurian22]

I forgot when I posted before, thinking back a few more years I went between 3 and 4 years without shooting during the reign of my ex wife.

 

[MedWheeler]

I got into shooting in late 1985, or early in 1986. Handguns came along for me in 1987, and I was sworn in as a LEO later that year.
I left LE in 1991, and fell away from the "gun culture". A friend I met later, in 2000, got me to shoot with him when he took up the sport in around 2004. It didn't really stick for a few more years, until the summer of 2008. Then, it was all-speed ahead; I got my civilian-carry license, and the first of several more handguns to come since then.

So, from 1991 to about 2004, then another four-year hiatus.