# Range suggestions for a newbie



## Shelby (Nov 13, 2008)

Hello all,

I've been a guitar player for years (now just a sideline), and when I was learning I remember always following a "routine" when practicing. I would tune up, stretch my hands in with a few warm ups, build into some stronger exercises, and finish with some "fun-stuff". (I miss those days....sigh).

Anyway, I feel myself wanting to develop a similar routine when visiting the range, and I'm wondering what type of routines the experienced shooters find themselves doing. IOW, walk me through a "typical" 100 rounds on any given day. I imagine it's more than "plunk, plunk, plunk".

Thanks - looking forward to the responses.


----------



## Blackmagic14 (Nov 7, 2008)

Well here is mine:

I unload the truck inspect all weapons and place them on one of the tables. I then load all magazines I intend to use (I dont keep them loaded cause I heard somewhere about damaging the springs a long time ago.) If I am alone I then hang up all the targets I plan to use In the entry house and everything. I fire 500 rounds a week through my carry weapon and it is usually divided this way I slow fire around fifty rounds first, just to calm down and settle my nerves. Then I shoot 300 rounds at CQ less than 5 yards. I practice several things during this period but the main thing is firing while side and rear stepping. I guess I am paranoid about closing the reactionary gap. the remaining 150 rounds are usually spent on just whatever I feel like (Usually I practice entry and room clearing. sometimes I am lucky enough to have a buddy with me I will have him set the entry house targets up randomly so I dont know where they are. 

That is my practice routine hope it helps.


----------



## Todd (Jul 3, 2006)

Blackmagic14 said:


> I then load all magazines I intend to use (I dont keep them loaded cause I heard somewhere about damaging the springs a long time ago.)


Repeated compression *and* decompression is what damages/cause wear on springs; not simply leaving them loaded (spring in a static state).


----------



## JustRick (Sep 14, 2008)

Blackmagic14 said:


> I unload the truck inspect all weapons and place them on one of the tables. (...)


You are either a LEO or really, really dedicated to personal defense!


----------



## HowardCohodas (Nov 16, 2008)

Check out my favorite site on pistol training, especially the drills section. http://Pistol-Training.com/


----------



## Bisley (Aug 24, 2008)

I'll usually start out with slow fire at 7 or 10 yards, depending on the gun, then back up to 15 yards and shoot up about half of my ammo, concentrating on marksmanship. Then I move to flop-down steel silhouettes at 20 yards. I'll go through them slowly once or twice, shooting at the head (6 targets -head is about an 8" circle). If I'm comfortable with the way I'm shooting, I will start shooting faster, aiming for center-of-mass, and go as fast as I can from one to the next. If I start missing, I slow the pace until I'm hitting again. If I'm shooting really well, I'll do double-taps.

I usually repeat this process, or something similar, with each handgun I brought, until I have expended my practice ammo. If I'm still having fun, I will put the .22 conversion on my CZ-75, and shoot bulk pack ammo at the silhouettes and other reactive targets, until my hands start to cramp from loading magazines.


----------

