[jameslawson71]

OK - For all the highpower shooters and leg chasers, what is your training round count per year? Not including ammo tests, bench top zeroing, etc, just pure unadulterated number of rounds fired under match training or match conditions per year?

Any rifle you compete with. Doesn't matter....?

This year for me was 3225 rounds of .223 Remington....

 

[Eagle 1]

This year about 800 with the M1A, 400 with the M1 and 300 with the 03A3. Now that I'll be shooting a NM mousegun, probably 700-800 with that. Add matches to that number, 1-3 matches per month from April to October. I'm still steep on the learning curve.

Eagle 1

 

[MadMinute]

Just enough to keep my game up. Dry-firing is probably the best for positional training.

I might shoot 250 rounds/year out of my Garands and another 250 out of my M1A. 120 out of my 03a3. I haven't picked up my WOA AR-15 this year. It's been a great year....more CMP matches. I enjoy this vintage rifles much more. My M1A included. Shoot all the reduced matches with my NM and SM M1A.

Most of my marksmanship training consists of using a Mossberg M44US in all the positions, with an emphasis on sitting and offhand. Prone doesn't need to be rehearsed as much b/c it is so well supported. It's all natural point of aim and trigger control. Sight alignment is easiest in the prone position.

I'm sure ammo pricing has a lot to do with the lower round count. Most improvement was dry-firing and shooting hundreds of rounds of 22LR. Learn when to break the shots and find a stable offhand position. Matches are won and lost in offhand.

There is a decline in concentration if your range trip involves too many rounds. Maximum concentration is necessary for improvement. Try and put every one in the X-ring. When you pass that point it's best to just go ahead and plink some or call it a day.

My shooting mentor told me to never exceed 60-80 rounds in a trip. I believe it was sound advice.

After you learn the ropes it's all about the mind game, the mental aspect. Concentration and having the discipline to avoid bad shots separates the mediocre shooter from a great one.

Good luck....sorry if sounded any bit like a lecture, but I sure appreciated others telling me this stuff. Saved me money on ammo, barrel wear, etc. and I improved quickly.

After a while it's kind of like riding a bike. You just figure it out and the match routine becomes effortless. You perform your best when calm and relaxed. Don't forget to breath!!!!

Hold 'em hard fellas.....

 

[KYShooter]

On a normal year, I go through between 800 - 1k total rounds fired. I concur that practice consists mostly of dry fire and rarely do I ever fire more than 25-30 rounds in a practice session. This is with my M1A.

 

[jameslawson71]

Big "concur" on the dry-firing and holding exercises! A definite must do!

 

[Dave-2]

My total is around 1400 rds. between Garand matches, regular XTC and practice. That's down a lot as I've been off the 'circuit' .
I don't dry fire but shoot 10Meter Air Rifle. I got a good suggestion that I use which is a little different from the other posters. When I'm shooting[practice] good I shoot a lot. 100-150 rds may be more. The theory being load up on good technique when it occurs. If the practice is not going well ,stop. Even if it's only 20 rds.

David

 

[Trung Si]

Mine was around 2200 for Matches and Practice when I was shooting around twenty Matches a Year!

 

[ripper51]

3530 over 37 matches in a year and a few practices.

 

[Bamban]

i started high power at age 43 in '95. Starting at an older age in high power, I had a lot of grounds to make. The first two years I shot close to 10K rounds a year, matches almost every weekend and practiced three times a week. Burned 4 barrels along the way. Paid off big time, I legged out '96 in 4 matches and made HM in '97. Then everything went downhill from there...... lol