What type of shooting do you do with your AR?

[rob_s]

I'm hoping to get a pulse for things here. The question is not how often or how much do you shoot. Regardless of how much, you shoot X amount and that is made up of various types of shooting for most people, from classes, to matches, to structured practice, to plinking, to benchrest/accuracy shooting, etc.

I also don't care what your metric is, as long as you include it. Whether you count hours spent at the range, number of rounds fired, number of range trips, whatever, just be clear about how you're taking your measurement.

Let's assume the 6-month period preceding the date of your post.

For example...

In looking back at my logs I can easily document round counts through my guns over the last 6 months, so number of rounds fired is the easiest metric (just a hair under 5k). I found just now that my breakdown looks like this
9% Bench
13% Match
59% Class
19% Practice

Where Bench is any time I was shooting from a bench whether for zero purposes or for groups, Match is any competition shooting environment, Class is any training environment where I was a student, and Practice is any other drills type shooting.

Classes for me are pretty much the typical where everyone is in a line, shooting on their own target and/or perhaps the target on either side of you. Some classes work in more dynamic movement, use of cover, lateral movement, engaging multiple targets, on the move, etc. Same goes for the "practice" which in my case is (or was, until recently) largely the drills nights that I ran. My shooting there generally consisted of demonstrating drills and skillsets to the shooters and participating when we ran more dynamic drills.

The "Matches" were also predominately the matches I run (or did until recently) and mainly consist of IDPA but with a carbine (for lack of a better description) with targets anywhere from 5 feet to ~120 yards with the majority of stuff being relatively close-range at 25 yards and in but with a lot of movement between positions, use of cover, target ID, target discrimination, low-light, transitions to handgun, shooting while moving, etc.

[The Cat]

Interesting question and well-asked.

Currently, I'm looking at:

15% Bench
0% Match*
10% Class
60% Practice
15% Demonstration**

* That will change this year!
** for forensic chemistry classes here at my college

[Flyer007]

Round count around 2k for AR / 5k for pistol (didn't ask, but figured I'd throw it in)

AR distribution
10% Bench
75% Practice
5% Plinking
5% class (need to up that this year)
5% match (need to up this also)

Pistol distribution
5% bench
60% Practice
25% Match
5% Plinking
5% class (teaching)

[nimdabew]

Rifles:

1-2% bench (zeroing only)
25% practice
50% matches
15% classes
8-9% plinking

Round count: 3-4k rifle per year

[Smuckatelli]

0% Bench
0% Match
0% Class
100% Practice

My practice consists of prone, sitting, kneeling, and off hand drills rapidly engaging targets at multiple distances. Nothing fancy, roughly 300-500 rounds a month. If I need to zero, it is from the prone position.

Pistol is 15-25 yards standing about 200-300 rounds a month.

[C4IGrant]

I am pretty good with a carbine so I don't spend much time "practicing" with it anymore.

General break down with 5K in ammo:

0% Bench
0% Match
50% Class/training
50% Teaching



C4

[Mac5.56]

Break down of percentage in relationship to time spent:

4.9% Bench Shooting
80% Structured practice, and Training
15% Instruction of Others
.1% Yahoo shooting (I have a couple of mag dump kind of friends, and from time to time I will humor them, I feel guilty about it).

[GTifosi]

AR:
50% bench
50% practice

Shotgun:
99.9% practice
0.1% bench

Pistol:
100% practice

[Sgt_Gold]

Interesting question and well-asked.
15% Demonstration**

** for forensic chemistry classes here at my college

Do tell, what kind of demonstrations\experiments are you conducting?

I haven't shot a rifle match in about three years due to my training schedule and concentrating on pistols. 100% of all my rifle time has been training\qualifications.

[Smuckatelli]

I am pretty good with a carbine so I don't spend much time "practicing" with it anymore.

I should probably clarify, I was sticking with Rob's selections. Every time that I shoot it is training. I learned long ago that no matter how good I am, there is always a need for more training. ;)

[arizonaranchman]

I average around 2k a year with my AR's

10% off the bench for sighting/zeroing...

60% practice (drills and CQB oriented)...

20% training...

10% instruction of others...

My AR is with me everywhere I go. I use it for predators and feral dogs around my rural property, home defense and as a patrol rifle.

[chasetopher]

40% Bench (I come from the target world, shot and coached, hard to get away from it)
15% Match (CMP, Cant seem to find any 3-gun in NH)
5% Class
20% Practice
20% Plinking/Instructing (Mostly non-exp shooter friends)

[jonconsiglio]

General break down with 5K in ammo:

0% Bench
0% Match
50% Class/training
50% Teaching


C4

I think this is a good way for me to break it down as well. This is strictly for my ARs.

0% Bench
5% Match
65% Class/training/drills
30% Teaching

If we had more local matches that 5% would be a little higher.



Do tell, what kind of demonstrations\experiments are you conducting?



I'm interested in this as well. I can't think of any way I was able to put rounds through my ARs in relation to college experiments or demos, especially 15%! Though I think can see a few rounds for a forensics class.

[WillBrink]

I'm hoping to get a pulse for things here. The question is not how often or how much do you shoot. Regardless of how much, you shoot X amount and that is made up of various types of shooting for most people, from classes, to matches, to structured practice, to plinking, to benchrest/accuracy shooting, etc.

I also don't care what your metric is, as long as you include it. Whether you count hours spent at the range, number of rounds fired, number of range trips, whatever, just be clear about how you're taking your measurement.

Let's assume the 6-month period preceding the date of your post.

For example...

In looking back at my logs I can easily document round counts through my guns over the last 6 months, so number of rounds fired is the easiest metric (just a hair under 5k). I found just now that my breakdown looks like this
9% Bench
13% Match
59% Class
19% Practice

Where Bench is any time I was shooting from a bench whether for zero purposes or for groups, Match is any competition shooting environment, Class is any training environment where I was a student, and Practice is any other drills type shooting.

Sadly, very little. Remove from storage 1-3 times per year, take to the range, put 100-200rnds through it to make sure it's still GTG, clean, put back in storage. Generally from 50, and 100 yard line. Perhaps 50/50 standing and bench.

Two primary reasons for that are:

•I live the NE, in a state that does not have much room (100y outdoor is often max distance), a state that does not like gun ranges (making the ranges inherently conservative, risk averse, etc, so "tactical" style carbine course for example rare if ever...) and sees all black rifles as evil weapons of mass destruction with their own mind, etc. The major time with the AR I got was when working with tactical LE and using their stuff. :cool:

So, courses of "dynamic" nature with an AR = a drive out of state/travel as a rule for me.

• It's my feeling, as a civi type, I'm most likely to require a handgun for SD, and so, most of my time, $$$, effort has been toward the improvement of skills with handguns as the best time/$$$ spent for what is (in my view) my potential needs. Only so much time and $$$$, so given the choice, most likely to work the handgun skills, courses, etc.

I wish I did have more time and training on the AR platform and it's on my list to take a good course in the future.

[Terlingueno]

Since my weapons are all sighted in:

30% training
70% practice

[aquajon]

30% - drills
65% - matches
5% - bench/static range - this is mostly to take out new shooters as I find the static range mind numbing.

I'm planning a more training based distribution in the coming 6-12 months to something more along the lines of:
5% bench
30% matches
65% classes/drills

[Ranger325]

0% Bench
0% Match
0% Class
100% Practice


Me too.
FWIW, I lump my zero/confirm is in practice and I do it in the prone 'belly in the dirt'.
Practice is static, although multiple targets may be used, based on the number of shooters. Reloads & Malf drills are practiced. Movement is not allowed at the clubs where I belong.
I think my goal for next year will be a carbine class; this year's class was LAVs 1911.

[rob_s]

It strikes me that "training" and "practice" probably need more definition. I'm editing my post above. If nothing else it needs to include whether it's "dynamic" or "static". In other words, working position shooting at 50-250 or working CQB drills at indoor distances?

Also, feel free to use your own categories entirely. You don't have to use mine. If you have better definitions for the kinds of shooting you do please use them.

[JimmyB62]

AR
3-4k yr

A while back I built a range out back with lots of varying steel targets. Most of my shooting is on my range. I'm tempted to call it training but the reality is I really enjoy it and don't do enough structured practice to define it that way.

I shoot way more handgun and do structured training. It's not nearly as enjoyable but it made sense for me to devote the bulk of training to handgun vs carbine.

For my AR then:

Goofing off : 75-85 %
Real training: 10%
Work: (class & qual) 5%
bench: 3-4 %
Predator control: <1%

I've been on motors at work for the last 12yrs so I don't carry an AR. If I was back in a patrol car I'd likely do a lot more real training.

[GunnutAF]

I don't keep round counts!:rolleyes:

Bench /load developement 50%
Practice/plinking 25%
Hunting 25%

[Magic_Salad0892]

I can already tell you without that math.

100% practice.

This year. I want to get into classes next year, but working out, getting my projects finished, practising drills, gathering information, and building a handloading/reloading bench is on my list of goals for this year.

Then I want to try an get into a Kyle Defoor class.

[CharlieMike]

Lately:

Bench: 0%
Match: 50%
Class: 40%
Practice: 10%

I run a carbine match and I often get a chance to get some practice in before the match. I also just started shooting 3-gun. I never bench rest shoot for some reason.

[eightmillimeter]

50% annual qual
30% practice
15% zeroing (confirming)
5% taking care of wounded animals on the road

[MistWolf]

Current shooting activities (within last 6 months)-
5% from the bench for sighters & informal accuracy testing
5% test fire for function
20% live fire practice
20% dry fire
50% shooting for fun

It's my goal to get to a class, participate in some type of competition and shoot more

[Scorpion]

You only specified AR, so:

Practice: This is done 90% of the time.
80% Fundamentals. Working on the fundamentals and keeping them sharp is making me a really good shooter. I practice in all positions. Every once in a while (5%) I'll get on the bench and really test myself.

The other 20% of my practice time with an AR is spent with dry fire, practicing speed and tactical reloading (don't foresee a need but it's fun and it's better to know it than to not know it), weak side shooting, etc. Generally, things I pick up from here and decide to try.

The other 10% of my time (non-practice) is "instructing" my friends (all of whom are new shooters) on the basics of weapons safety and handling, and blasting paper.

Granted, I'm now spending a lot more time on pistol shooting because I found that I was lacking in that area.

[seb5]

My average year

Bench: 10% about 500 rounds a year
Match: 10% mostly informal matches during or after SWAT training
Class: 40%, about 2000 rounds average a year
Practice/Training: 40%, about 2000 rounds a year

Mostly all this is directed to my job as a LEO. I pay for roughly 70% of my ammo expenditure as I prefer to shoot more than the department will allow.

[pingdork]

Not le nor mil (anymore) all I do is have fun with my boys.
We've been running thru 500 rds/month.
10% bench zeroing and rezeroing BUIS eotech and new nikon.
20% informal contests against kids seeing who can score more in the red from various positions and distances.
80% blasting pumpkins, soda cans, and pictures of zombies, bin laden, and even a zombie binladen that my boy found online.

[Packman73]

I don't get to shoot as much as I'd like but my shooting breaks down like this:
3% bench
97% plinking at paper or cans or whatever
0% competition or drills

[badness]

the fun kind!


actually not really.

It's pretty much 100% bench shooting.....because we have no where to do all the fun shit that the rest of you guys do :( :suicide::cray:

[Berd]

5% Bench
15% Training
5% Practice
75% Matches

All of the bench shooting that I do is zeroing/confirming zero.

The guys I compete with usually get and run drills and teach me for the training.

Many times when I am finished zeroing, I will take advantage of the public range's fixed steel targets from different positions.

There are tons of matches in AZ. I prefer 3-gun, and practical rifle/carbine matches but do occasionally shoot a handgun steel match.

[Silver_2325]

I have only had my AR for a little over a month so mostly bench shooting to zero all of my optics and BUIS. Just got done dialing in my new Micro T1 this afternoon so now I will move away from the bench and shoot standing up and while on the move. I am a range officer at the shooting complex here so I have a key and can go shoot anytime I want when no one else is there. Makes it easier to set up random targets and walk down the firing lane blasting away. Time to build some barricades for cover shooting scenarios. I just hit the 800 round mark today so I am averaging ~133 rounds per week.

[RogerinTPA]

25% Professional training
75% Practicing drills from training.
0% Bench unless zeroing a new weapon or optic, or switching optics.

[The Cat]

Do tell, what kind of demonstrations\experiments are you conducting?


It's for an entry-level CSI-type class for our Criminal Justice majors.

There are a couple gun-related labs in the semester designed to familiarize the kids with some weapons they're likely to encounter in their careers. There's usually an assortment of Glocks, revolvers, an M4, a M870, a 1911, etc.

One week, they get to study the weapons and how they operate, and learn a little terminology. It always surprises me how many of the students have never been around firearms before.

The next week, we take the students on field trips to the local county range for demonstrations. They get to see firsthand what different kinds of bullets do - FMJ vs JHP for instance. We've found the best way to demonstrate this is by spatter patterns with a thick gel. This gel isn't quite as thick as standard ballistics gel, but it makes the JHP bullets expand nicely. We can capture the bullets for use in their next lab, where the students examine rifling under a microscope. We also do penetration comparisons with some of the weapons in different media such as plywood, treated hardwood, drywall, etc.

Between the classes and the dress-rehearsal range trips beforehand, I'll only go through 50 or so rounds of 5.56. It got a fairly high percentage in my first post because 2011's been a dry season shooting-wise so far.

[Dirtyboy333]

50% Bench/Load Development

25% Training/Practice (static)

25% Training/Practice (Dynamic)

0% Instructors/Classes

0% Matches (I do some "unorganized" matches but i just lump that in with training)

[Dirtyboy333]

It's for an entry-level CSI-type class for our Criminal Justice majors.

There are a couple gun-related labs in the semester designed to familiarize the kids with some weapons they're likely to encounter in their careers. There's usually an assortment of Glocks, revolvers, an M4, a M870, a 1911, etc.

One week, they get to study the weapons and how they operate, and learn a little terminology. It always surprises me how many of the students have never been around firearms before.

The next week, we take the students on field trips to the local county range for demonstrations. They get to see firsthand what different kinds of bullets do - FMJ vs JHP for instance. We've found the best way to demonstrate this is by spatter patterns with a thick gel. This gel isn't quite as thick as standard ballistics gel, but it makes the JHP bullets expand nicely. We can capture the bullets for use in their next lab, where the students examine rifling under a microscope. We also do penetration comparisons with some of the weapons in different media such as plywood, treated hardwood, drywall, etc.

Between the classes and the dress-rehearsal range trips beforehand, I'll only go through 50 or so rounds of 5.56. It got a fairly high percentage in my first post because 2011's been a dry season shooting-wise so far.

Damn, i just graduated in that major in '07 and had taken CSI style classes but we never got to see any guns. We did alot of mock raids and search and seizures. Oh, we also did some fingerprinting and interrogation.

Your completely right about the students not knowing a damn thing about firerms. One of my teachers was retired ATF and he would always lose his patients when trying to explain firearms and ballistics. They also knew nothing about drugs (thats probably a good thing). I think I did more teaching than the Professor :sarcastic: joking

[1371USMCFL]

over the past 6 months?

(in rounds)
20 rounds - BZOing
600ish - teaching/practice

never counted the rounds I sent down range during combat, I'm guessing around 500

[The Cat]

Damn, i just graduated in that major in '07 and had taken CSI style classes but we never got to see any guns. We did alot of mock raids and search and seizures. Oh, we also did some fingerprinting and interrogation.

Your completely right about the students not knowing a damn thing about firerms. One of my teachers was retired ATF and he would always lose his patients when trying to explain firearms and ballistics. They also knew nothing about drugs (thats probably a good thing). I think I did more teaching than the Professor :sarcastic: joking

We do fingerprinting, but nothing physical like interrogations or raids. We do set up a mock crime scene at the end of the semester, and the kids usually do well with that.

I can empathize with loss of patience - what 'knowledge' the kids have comes from TV and movies. Always the clip vs magazine issue, and I make sure the instructor (a retired FBI agent) has an M1 clip on hand for corrective purposes :laugh: There's always someone that asks if there's going to be an M1 at the range - and I'm only too happy to oblige.

[rob_s]

Umm, guys, "what kind of shooting do you do", not "let's discuss forensics".

Thanks.

[Clobbersauras]

So far this year...
5% Zeroing/function check
50% Practice
45% Prototype testing (flash hiders, muzzle brakes, comps)

[zacbol]

Not necessarily proud of these numbers (well, the last one), but being honest here:

40% practice
30% classes
30% turning money into noise

[jbo723]

I took my first class this year and it was an EAG Carbine 2 (which was an amazing class). I now have signed up for 2 more to finish out the year. I try and get to the range at least once a week so, here's my breakdown.


Pretty much evenly spread with Rifle and Handgun
5% Bench
45% Matches
55% Dynamic training

[motoduck]

Rifles
10 % Bench
20 % classes
80 % practice/drills

Pistol
20 % classes
60% Practice/drills
20 % Matches

F/A Fun
10 % classes (Subgun or Sims)
90 % Burning ammo (Taking friends out to shoot)

[rob_s]

Interesting responses. I like that some people have given more information than just "drills" or "practice". To some folks sitting at the bench IS practice, while to others that's just more bench time.

Hope to see some more replies.

[joe138]

Approx. 2000 rounds so far this year.
50% SWAT/Dept. Training
50% personal Training.

Hope to get in a class later this year, so percantages may change.

[Six oh Nine]

I wish I did have more time and training on the AR platform and it's on my list to take a good course in the future.

My feelings exactly....

[peabody]

I don't keep round counts!:rolleyes:

Bench /load developement 50%
Practice/plinking 25%
Hunting 25%





............THIS.........:big_boss:

[Packman73]

Yeah, I forgot to add hunting. About 50% of my shooting is hunting.

[Zell959]

Benchrest shooting at stationary targets 50,100,200 or 300 yards away: 80%

Off hand or prone shooting at stationary targets 50,100,200 or 300 yards away: 20%

I only really have a single viable range nearbye and the rules in place on the rifle ranges are fairly strict. It is literally not possible to practice shooting on the move, shooting targets closer than 50 yards, weapon transitions, or anything more than a double-tap in terms of rapid fire. You would also be sort of pushing it in the eyes of the ROs if you set up more than two side by side targets at the same distance [a 50 followed by a 100 is ok].

[Austin_101]

SInce I just finished putting it together function testing, 25 50 100 200 zeroing, and just all around fun plinking. Planning to take some courses later this year IOT break some of the bad habits I'm sure I've developed over 27 years in the Marine Corps.

[CoryCop25]

I am not a competition shooter. There are not many places in Eastern PA to take classes (none that I know of anyway). My department sends me to an instructor school about every 3 years.I am at about 2500 rounds down range with the 5.56 or 6.8 (combined) so far this year. I try to get out to the range one or two times a week. I also shoot a good amount of handgun too. I also have about 800 or so rounds out with my 5.45x39. This is all on my own time. Instructing my guys is an additional 500 to 800 rounds of rifle, handgun and shotgun per year. I like to demonstrate drills live fire as much as I can.
When I go to the range, everything I do is some sort of a drill. Whether it be tactical reloads, emergency reloads, shooting on the move or off line of attack drills. I rarely just stand there and make holes in paper.

Classes 0%
Matches 0%
Instruction 25%
Training 70%
Function testing and Zeroing 5%

[CGSteve]

I would say 90% training and 10% match. For me, zeroing and confirming zero is just a pre-training portion. I like to think that my alone time training is considered "dynamic". I know that my personal training is more in depth than our agency qual with the carbine anyway.

I work on things like snap drills, transitions, different types of positions such as extended kneeling, sub-prone, support side shooting ,etc.

The "match" portion is an informal practical shooting match held once every month. It is more fun than anything but I view it as training as well. I know that after performing poorly I think about and evaluate the things that I need to work on. It also enables me to evaluate my gear and equipment setups. When I attend this course, I try to use either my work gear or CCW gear as much as possible.

I have attended one training course, but I won't count that as it was through work using my issued carbine (although my personal rifle mirrors my work setup to a T).

[Surf]

The past 6 months is a bit unique and different from any past 6 month period spanning the last 10 years. This period is unique as we are leading into a large world wide event this year and I am overly tasked with teaching. 32-44 hours per week I am teaching courses, not just firearms related so I am not on the range as often as normal. I am teaching about 8-16 hours per week of pure firearms and pure training days are about non-existent. I have only been able to attend 2 courses as a student which one was a pure firearms course that was a 40 hour instructor course mostly to update all of my other certs from the same organization. The other was a 40 hour MACTAC operator and squad leader instructor course from the NTOA and only 1 day was live fire. I would generally like more courses as a student but that isn't going to happen for the remainder of this year. Despite the numbers being down from normal, I am still in the thousand upon thousands of rounds for handgun, rifle, shotgun, subgun, bolt rifle.

So my breakdown looks like this...

0% competition - I don't shoot competition.

1% student - Even though it was 48 hours total it was instructor level classes with a lesser amount of shooting. In reality this amount of shooting is small in comparison to my overall numbers.

Training 79% - Even though my pure training days are down, I still try to fit in training on days I am teaching or am on the range. Shooting prior to classes, during breaks, lunches or training after classes. I don't like to neglect my own training time. But overall numbers are down.

Teaching / Instructing 20% - I only shoot about 20% maybe less of my round counts when I am teaching. I don't like to demo drills, unless if I feel it is important in relaying what exactly needs to be done, or unless if someone is uncertain and asks to see it run for clarification. Teaching very much cramps my own training schedule as I shoot far less when I am teaching.

[jklaughrey]

Instruction/teaching 5%
Training (personal) 30%
SRT/Dept. Training 60%
Function testing and Zeroing 5%

Just under 7k this year, most on the dept.'s dime!

[SGTMAJ]

For the 6 months prior to this post my round cound is only 500rds breakdown is 5% bench 45% training 50 percent classes. I need to get to the range more.

[docsherm]

Here is an estimation for the last year. I do not keep round counts.

10% Bench/ Long Range
0% Match
30% Class
50% Practice- CQB/Team Drills/ Live Fire
10% Combat- I am currently in Afghanistan

[hill]

I have to say I average about a case a year (1,000 rds) AR

70% bench...that's we have at the range
the other 30% is generally practicing various positions and experimentation with new mags and optics etc.

I wasn't asked about other weapon systems...AK...870...1911...scout .308...and then of course test firing repair jobs and so forth...:sarcastic: