Pistol Practice

gurgs · Post by **gurgs** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 10:27 am

How many rounds do olympic/ national team shooters typically shoot in a year?

ruig · Post by **ruig** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 2:37 pm

Friend of mine trains 5 times a week. About 3 hours in the morning + 2 hours afternoon and he needs about 25.000-30.000 rounds in year + 2000-3000 rounds of expensive competition ammo for competitions and training camps.

52 weeks * 5 days * 100 rounds = 26.000... And 100 rounds/training it is not so much in some cases (RFP) :-(

RMar · Post by **RMar** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 9:43 pm

It varies for each person, from one event to another, and depends on how the matches are scheduled. But if you're trying to determine an average, here's what I did for rapid fire:

Physical training year round, 6 days a week.
Actual shooting for 10 to 12 months per year (depending on match and tryout schedule), 5 days per week (two practice sessions per day in my early years, one practice session per day after gaining more experience)
Dry fire 10 to 12 months per year, 7 days per week.
(Sports med year round, 7 days per week.)

Average volume of ammunition: 55,000 annually.

I can offer you just one example. As I said, it varies for a variety of reasons. I hope this is helpful.

Roger

Mako · Post by **Mako** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 2:14 am

US Free Pistol World Record Holder, Match plus Finals, Bill D. shot 20K Air and 20K Free the year he set the WR and went to the Sydney Olympics.

Don't know if he was much of a Dry Shooter ?

Here is one of his composite practice targets:

Mike M. · Post by **Mike M.** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 2:58 pm

I ran the numbers...20K rounds equates to a 60-shot match plus sighters 6 times per week.

I've stepped up to 30 shots (plus sighters) per practice session, five days per week. A full match every day would be a lot of work.

Mako · Post by **Mako** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 3:14 pm

Yup, takes a lot of work to get on the US Team > Olympics. :-)

Note Bill D, was doing 40K rounds between Free and Air!

Interesting side note. When he shot his WR at the Milan WC, he shot ammo that he got for free at the event. When he was at the Olympic Training Center later on, they tested that ammo against various other ammo ... and it tested the WORST of all the batches. Just goes to show how relatively unimportant things like ammo is compared to doing the basics. He figured that at best he might have gained a couple of points with the best ammo out of his trainer center Loaner. Yup, not even his own pistol. Perhaps the ugliest Free Pistol ...

JUST DO IT !!!

Check out the holes in the grip:

Rover · Post by **Rover** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 3:52 pm

I laughed when I read this post, with all the questions that are posted wanting to know the BEST ammo for their ill-fitting guns.

I think it has been a while since we've seen you on here, Mako.

Mako · Post by **Mako** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 4:00 pm

... yup, I too have seemingly wasted a lot of time testing. :-) ... I'm SURE it was good for my own .32 and .45 loading

Been auto racing, so no time or money left for shooting ... but I AM buying a pump or tank so I can perhaps do some shooting. I'm the luckiest guy ... my gal loves shooting and racing!

That's her in my car:

Her Vette and Miata:

[/img]

SeanM · Post by **SeanM** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 9:52 pm

Mike M. wrote:I ran the numbers...20K rounds equates to a 60-shot match plus sighters 6 times per week.

I've stepped up to 30 shots (plus sighters) per practice session, five days per week. A full match every day would be a lot of work.

I think the danger in that would be that when you get to a match, after you shoot your sighters and your 30 shots, your arm isn't going to be ready to carry on for the next 30 shots.

"Woah woah dude, you want to keep shooting? F that noise, we only practiced 30 shots, I'm packing up and going home. Good luck with all the fliers I'm about to give you."

As was always drilled into me back in the baseball days: Practice how you play! You'd be better off shooting longer, even if the tradoff is that you couldn't practice as many days out of the week.

Also:

Mako wrote:(everything Mako said)

Glendale huh? Are you going to shoot the matches at Prado/La Puente next month?

Mako · Post by **Mako** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 9:56 pm

I use to shoot those matches ... tell me more. I thought they stopped after Sandy passed ...

Dave IRL · Post by **Dave IRL** » Wed Aug 01, 2012 7:24 am

You should also ensure that everything is substantially within your physical comfort zone. For instance, for a 60 shot course of fire, make sure that you have no issue with firing over 100 shots. This means you have a reserve in case something affects you. You could have a stomach upset or a slight cold or something which is debilitating on the system, but if you've trained to have a proper reserve, you won't be debilitated to the point where it badly affects you.

Mike M. · Post by **Mike M.** » Wed Aug 01, 2012 8:08 am

SeanM wrote:
Mike M. wrote:I ran the numbers...20K rounds equates to a 60-shot match plus sighters 6 times per week.

I've stepped up to 30 shots (plus sighters) per practice session, five days per week. A full match every day would be a lot of work.
I think the danger in that would be that when you get to a match, after you shoot your sighters and your 30 shots, your arm isn't going to be ready to carry on for the next 30 shots.

"Woah woah dude, you want to keep shooting? F that noise, we only practiced 30 shots, I'm packing up and going home. Good luck with all the fliers I'm about to give you."

As was always drilled into me back in the baseball days: Practice how you play! You'd be better off shooting longer, even if the tradoff is that you couldn't practice as many days out of the week.

I most likely will start to shoot more. Not so much to improve air pistol, but to get in more intensive practice that can be used to improve my performance with the muzzle-loaders. I'm going to shoot my best at Worlds this year, but I'm determined to dominate in 2014.

Russ · Post by **Russ** » Wed Aug 01, 2012 8:10 am

Keith Sanderson. Keith explains in detail each of the pistol events and provides a tip that we all can use to improving our shooting. (NSSF Video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fk-4maiu3hg

SeanM · Post by **SeanM** » Wed Aug 01, 2012 10:25 am

Mako wrote:I use to shoot those matches ... tell me more. I thought they stopped after Sandy passed ...

They're hosted by Bridge Jr Club, who up until recently has focused mostly on air pistol.

On the 25th there will be Junior/Women's Sport Pistol, Mens Free, and Men's Rapid Fire matches at Prado. The next weekend will be the air pistol matches, back at Bridge's club in La Puente.

If you want I can email you the match program.