Apparently a 3 month break from shooting results in great shooting!?

[SlvrDragon50]

I haven't gone shooting in 3+ months simply due to no time, but I decided to just make the drive to the USPSA shoot. Turns out, dry firing my P07 a ton makes shooting my S2 a whole lot easier! This was my 2nd run where I shaved 2 seconds off the first, but I shot a mike on the 2nd to last target. I went in wanting to go to the far right target, but I stopped early, and I was thinking about this mistake while shooting resulting in a mike.

That said, my first run was extremely good! No video though. I'll post the scores when they're up on Practiscore.

[Practical Shooter]

There is no substitute for dry firing. Good video.

[M1A4ME]

I remember a story I heard years ago, when Appleseed was a fairly new program.

A guy in Wisconsin (I think it was Wisconsin) went to an Appleseed and shot a high enough score to get his Rifleman's badge.  When they asked him how long he'd been shooting he told them he'd bought the rifle and done a lot of dry firing with it, since he really didn't have a place to go shoot.  He just practiced the fundamentals (got from reading a pamphlet that that RWVA used to sell/include with orders for targets).

If you've never been to an Appleseed, I can tell you the average percentage of attendees actually shooting a high enough score to get that badge is around 15 to 20%.  Shooting a rifle, even a .22 rim fire, at those tiny targets (even at only 25 meters) along with the magazine changes, the position changes, etc. ain't as easy as so many people think it is.

Anyway, dry firing, when done correctly, is very beneficial, even for experienced shooters. 

[BionKiwi963]

I agree dry-firing (and .22 LR training) helps, and I'll go farther in saying that it's ESSENTIAL for achieving the best performance. You can over-train from shooting too much full-power ammo and develop a flinch response, among other things. Dry-firing and .22 LR practice trains your muscles to not flinch.

Ever take a brand-new shooter to the range? The couple of times I did, they shot the pants off everybody at the range (except me ) on 9 mm pistols because they haven't trained their muscles to flinch from the recoil yet. The same thing happens after you take an extended break from shooting--for me it was 3 years because I was living overseas.

You can't OVER-POWER the flinch response out. For example, shooting .44 magnum from a 3-inch barrel revolver will NOT reduce your flinch when firing a normal 9 mm.

[SlvrDragon50]

My two runs:



I am curious to see what the score of my 2nd run (video) would have been if I didn't get the M. I don't think I've ever shot so many As before though, especially at this speed.

Production


I actually managed to snag 7th in the overall too.

[Beak Boater]

I agree dry-firing (and .22 LR training) helps, and I'll go farther in saying that it's ESSENTIAL for achieving the best performance. You can over-train from shooting too much full-power ammo and develop a flinch response, among other things. Dry-firing and .22 LR practice trains your muscles to not flinch.

Ever take a brand-new shooter to the range? The couple of times I did, they shot the pants off everybody at the range (except me ) on 9 mm pistols because they haven't trained their muscles to flinch from the recoil yet. The same thing happens after you take an extended break from shooting--for me it was 3 years because I was living overseas.

You can't OVER-POWER the flinch response out. For example, shooting .44 magnum from a 3-inch barrel revolver will NOT reduce your flinch when firing a normal 9 mm.

Funny you should mention that, my range bag always had either my Ruger MarkIII or S&W Model 41 in it. Got a couple of new pistols, wanted to shoot them so out came the .22's. Noticed my groups were a little wider and more to the left  of center.  I used to fire 100 to 200 rounds from my .22's on every trip. Stopped shooting them and I think my trigger control has suffered a little. Got to put them back in the bag!!!
Not sure if that's the case or not.....but it sounds like an excuse for more range time.

[dlmoak]

In the old days, when I used to play golf, the first trip to the course after a long dry spell usually resulted in a great round.  The wheels didn't come off until the next time (but I had done no dry firing ).  An indoor range opened up near me not too long ago so I now go 4 or 5 times a week, but shoot many fewer 9mm and .45  rounds each time than I did when going once weekly at a more distant location - no more than two mags each and often only one.  But I start off with lots of .22 LR at 3 yds and walk it out from there.  I shoot the other calibers at the end and then go home.  My shooting has improved and my ammo cost is lower because I have been able to get .22 LR for under a nickel a round on sales.  I should also point out that I retired January 1st  .

[cremaley]

Thanks for sharing.