how often do you shoot?
#12
RE: how often do you shoot?
my "deer rifle" used to see atleast 100rds a year...if not at paper, i was picking off groundhogs with it...
till recently...last summer i setup a varmint rifle..no more groundhog action with the 3006...
and this year i killed my buck with a bow and antlerless with a flintlock...never even took the rifle to the range this year..
i do enjoy to target shoot as much as possible...but time is always a factor for me since i went to college. plus ammo prices anymore...dad and i used to take a brick of 22 shells and our pistols to the indoor range every saturday till i went to college...highschool i was one of the few in the rifle club...shot my 22 rifle weekly...
this summer i spent alot of time on the bench with the groundhog rig and shot the 22 or flintlock while the barrel cooled...
used to burn atleast a pound or 2 of powder in the flintlock a year shooting it..
just dont have the time like i used to....but still try to shoot as much as possible...and dont go hunting with guns i dont know if they are shooting true or im not comfortable with them...
i dont believe you can "over shoot" a gun...they are guns...guns are made to be shot...you will quit shooting before your rifle takes a "toll" from shooting...barrel might burn out...after thousands of rounds, unless you enjoy turning your barrel red hot, then it will be sooner than that...if you dont clean and maintain your rifle, you might not see the best performance from it...but if you do your part of taking care of your rifle, you aint gunna hurt your rifle from shooting it...
i feel it doesnt matter what particular gun you shoot alot of times as long as your other guns are similar styles, just important that you DO shoot something to keep your "tune"...if your shooting a scoped bolt action rifle for deer , a bolt action 22 with a scope can be a great cheaper way to practice...but dont neglect the deer rifle all together..
i did notice this summer that longer range shooting takes more practice and time spent...i went from shooting 2" groups at 200yds and killing dang near every groundhog within 350 if i did my part, to missing anything over 200...why?? it rained for a couple weeks, work got in the way, then it went from a monsoon to 100 degrees and i just didnt make it to the range or groundhog fields for about a month...didnt touch the rifle...it showed...took a little while to get "back in the groove" but i was also making 350yd shots under hunting conditions..not under good conditions off a bench...that alone takes practice IMO
unless im sighting in a rifle, i dont shoot from the bench much...i shoot my rifles to practice for hunting..why practice from a bench and sand bags if i dont have that in the field?? the groundhog rifle gets shot from its bipod...flintlock gets shot from the shooting sticks(carry them when hunting with the flinter alot of times) or knee or leaning on a tree...same with deer rifle and 22s...plus freehand and prone shooting...
i love to shoot...and still shoot as much as possible...
till recently...last summer i setup a varmint rifle..no more groundhog action with the 3006...
and this year i killed my buck with a bow and antlerless with a flintlock...never even took the rifle to the range this year..
i do enjoy to target shoot as much as possible...but time is always a factor for me since i went to college. plus ammo prices anymore...dad and i used to take a brick of 22 shells and our pistols to the indoor range every saturday till i went to college...highschool i was one of the few in the rifle club...shot my 22 rifle weekly...
this summer i spent alot of time on the bench with the groundhog rig and shot the 22 or flintlock while the barrel cooled...
used to burn atleast a pound or 2 of powder in the flintlock a year shooting it..
just dont have the time like i used to....but still try to shoot as much as possible...and dont go hunting with guns i dont know if they are shooting true or im not comfortable with them...
i dont believe you can "over shoot" a gun...they are guns...guns are made to be shot...you will quit shooting before your rifle takes a "toll" from shooting...barrel might burn out...after thousands of rounds, unless you enjoy turning your barrel red hot, then it will be sooner than that...if you dont clean and maintain your rifle, you might not see the best performance from it...but if you do your part of taking care of your rifle, you aint gunna hurt your rifle from shooting it...
i feel it doesnt matter what particular gun you shoot alot of times as long as your other guns are similar styles, just important that you DO shoot something to keep your "tune"...if your shooting a scoped bolt action rifle for deer , a bolt action 22 with a scope can be a great cheaper way to practice...but dont neglect the deer rifle all together..
i did notice this summer that longer range shooting takes more practice and time spent...i went from shooting 2" groups at 200yds and killing dang near every groundhog within 350 if i did my part, to missing anything over 200...why?? it rained for a couple weeks, work got in the way, then it went from a monsoon to 100 degrees and i just didnt make it to the range or groundhog fields for about a month...didnt touch the rifle...it showed...took a little while to get "back in the groove" but i was also making 350yd shots under hunting conditions..not under good conditions off a bench...that alone takes practice IMO
unless im sighting in a rifle, i dont shoot from the bench much...i shoot my rifles to practice for hunting..why practice from a bench and sand bags if i dont have that in the field?? the groundhog rifle gets shot from its bipod...flintlock gets shot from the shooting sticks(carry them when hunting with the flinter alot of times) or knee or leaning on a tree...same with deer rifle and 22s...plus freehand and prone shooting...
i love to shoot...and still shoot as much as possible...
#13
RE: how often do you shoot?
I'd say I'd average 1-2 times a week over the course of the year, as during the winter it can be pretty cold for bench shooting and my shooting tapers off considerably.
#16
RE: how often do you shoot?
Not as much as I'd like. I don't have the money to buy enough ammo to shoot every week, and shooting in the cold winter winds just isn't any fun. So during the summer, I probably go once every week or two, during the fall I'm busy hunting, and during the winter I never shoot unless I'm after birds, rabbits, or coyotes.
#18
RE: how often do you shoot?
I have a range set up out back and I try to shoot my Deer Rifle at least once a month, I shoot my Glock at least once a week. Don't worry about wearing it out, If you shoot that much good for you. I've never heard of anyone wearing out their rifle by over shooting it. just let it cool down between shots.
#20
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Carbon County Pa.
Posts: 601
RE: how often do you shoot?
I don't practice withmy hunting rifles much, I shoot them before the season, or when I'am testing new loads. I like to target shoot with my winchester model 52 and unertl scope.