Competition shooters. How much do you practice?

[ARIZONA_F_CLASS]

Is three times a week excessive???

 

[ShootDots]

I would imagine that there is no such thing as "excessive".. If your wallet and spare time can handle it, there is "no limit"! I try and shoot at least once, if not twice, per week. Weather, time to reload and components are my limiting factors.. Shooting at 1000 yards in 15-25 m.p.h. winds with switching / changing conditions and adding gusts to the equation, tells me hitting consistently in those conditions is more "luck with timing" than actual skill.. If it were a matter of REAL SKILL in reading the wind, scores would not go down>>>BUT they do! Now shooting in "normal" windy conditions for your range, will indeed help! The more the better! However, at some point, in my humble opinion, getting a "no wind zero" is more important than just about anything else. Without that item, you are always guessing. Even if you have to add a minute or more in windage to it, you STILL are shooting with a known P.O.I.

But to answer your question, Practice does NOT make perfect>>>Perfect practice, makes perfect. Great rifle control, proper wind reading under "readable" conditions, with a good puller and excellent loads, will quickly lead to better scores! I know this is long winded, however, I believe it to be necessary to properly answer your question.

 

[Gabe]

If I was retired i would practice more than i do now. What I do now is take a few days off before a match and try and tune for the shooting range I will be shooting on. I shoot 100 and 200 yards benchrest. I try and practice at least once a week,helps keep me on the edge.

 

[Chappy]

Always try for once or twice a week of school and work schedule allow it.

 

[dannyjbiggs]

Practice...practice!? When I was shooting NRA HP, I would be on the living room carpet at least a couple of times per week, all suited up, practicing magazine changes and timing for sitting rapid fire with an M14/M1A rifle, and dry firing off-hand more often than that. I did the same when I transitioned to a bolt gun...timing and developing expertise in reloading a 5-round clip. In either case, on Saturday , unless there was a match somewhere, I was on a 200 yard line doing the same thing for 200 rapid fire and practicing live fire off hand (had a job at the time). When I switched to Palma, I was blessed by being near enough to a range that I live fired practice at the 1,000 yard line every Tuesday morning (retired at the time). When I took up F-TR, I occasionally practiced 200 yard live fire to develop bipod control, etc. Initially, when I started F-Open, I practiced a little live fire at 200 yards, and attended a lot of local club 1,000 yard matches. In the last 3 years, I have not practiced at all. I might attend a local club match, seldom; anymore, my "practice" is at the particular major competition being offered. I do not bother to attend the practice sessions scheduled before those major competitions, either. In the first unlimited sighter match of the day, I generally shoot at least 10 sighters...that's enough practice for me! Generally, the week before a major competition, I will visit the local 200 yard line to verify by 200-yard base line zeros for all the rifles I will be taking. Practice you ask...I'm burned out on it!! :-\

Danny

 

[ARIZONA_F_CLASS]

I can understand that Danny,

After the Berger last weekend. I said I don't want to shoot till next month. Well that didn't last very long. I shot at 1000 yards yesterday. And more than likely will be back at 1000 yards on Sunday. I'm still obsessed!!! lol

 

[Steve Blair]

Is three times a week excessive???

[br]
If you're doing it three times a week, be wary of palmar pilosity and stop at the first sign.

 

[dannyjbiggs]

I can understand that Danny,

After the Berger last weekend. I said I don't want to shoot till next month. Well that didn't last very long. I shot at 1000 yards yesterday. And more than likely will be back at 1000 yards on Sunday. I'm still obsessed!!! lol

I fully understand the relaxed inner peace one gets from being behind the butt of a rifle!

Dan

 

[Immike]

Let's read how Danny got good and take that to the bank. I practiced every day years ago, this a must until you get better than the competition. (If you want to win)
The better they are then the harder you must train.

Train as much as you sleep..
Miyomato Musashi

 

[ARIZONA_F_CLASS]

I can understand that Danny,

After the Berger last weekend. I said I don't want to shoot till next month. Well that didn't last very long. I shot at 1000 yards yesterday. And more than likely will be back at 1000 yards on Sunday. I'm still obsessed!!! lol

I fully understand the relaxed inner peace one gets from being behind the butt of a rifle!

Dan

I asked a friend once. Why do I feel so relaxed after shooting. Is it the concentration? Is it the slow breathing? He said no, It's blowing crap up!! lol

 

[MNFinn]

Dry fire....daily.....

....live practice, when the snow goes away....once a week if I can......baby detail will take up a lot of time

 

[Down South]

When i first got started in FTR i would go to my local range once a week or two and shoot groups at 300 yards in position on the bipod to practice getting my form correct, i would also practice dry firing at home a couple times a week. Nowdays the only practice i do is in matches once or twice a month.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Other than load development I only shoot in matches.

 

[DennisH]

Trigger time is always a plus

 

[Bob Sebold]

Danny, Danny, Danny, If you wouldn't be practicing Basketball....Maybe you could shoot more! See you at Lodi.

 

[memo43]

I try an practice as much as possible, but with that being said there's several things I practice. For example some of the things I practice rarely ever gets taken in consideration:
-prep time
I practice setting up all my gear since there's theoreticaly 3 min of prep time. I want everything to become like second nature an not be fumbling for amo or adjusting my spotting scope etc etc
Also having everything set up where I can lay everything out in the 2 min prior to prep time.
I want to be able to have everything set up an ready to go when time starts.
- I also try an train under commands with a shooting partner (helpful for team matches)
Once I feel confident with my routine I'll shoot 5 dry fire shots and make mental notes of what needs to be adjusted.
(I make my own dummy rounds and fill the primer pocket with silicone) this has help with being able to reach out for the next round while still keeping an eye on the scope an watching for changes in wind conditions.
I also try an go out to shoot about 20-30 rounds at 100-200 yds out at a local spot (public land)

 

[Erik Cortina]

My only practice is at matches now. I did practice when I got started.

 

[Lapua40X]

... to answer your question, Practice does NOT make perfect >>> Perfect practice, makes perfect.

Ditto .....
Lots of practice without using proper technique equals consistent failure.
I used to shoot pistol competition with a guy who rarely engaged in range practice. But he had a daily dry fire routine. I never beat him in a match. Close; but no cigar.

 

[boltman223]

... to answer your question, Practice does NOT make perfect >>> Perfect practice, makes perfect.

I never beat him in a match. close; but no cigar.

I think not practicing gets you this

 

[Immike]

Ditto .....
Lots of practice without using proper technique equals consistent failure.
I used to shoot pistol competition with a guy who rarely engaged in range practice. But he had a daily dry fire routine. I never beat him in a match. Close; but no cigar.

Great shooters inspire others to try harder. Back 30+ yrs ago when I started shooting NMLRA off hand there was a undefeatable menace that practiced 30 shots every day. He cleaned nearly every tournament in a Tri state area and could not be stopped. I decided to surpass his training and it worked! Then everybody hated me instead of him. Lol Rocky, you have gained ground fast , don't change what your doing buddy or the gain stalls out.