How much to shoot

[PGJPJ]

My standard hunting rifles, where shots are expected to be no more than 200 yards, I shoot about 50 rounds/year. My dedicated target rifle (223 Rem VTR bolt action) I shoot about 200 rounds/year.

If I guy wants to keep good enough with a particular rifle to shoot 600 or 700 yards at big game, how much should a guy shoot with THAT rifle?

I know lots of guys keep in practice with 22LR. That's kind of what I'm doing with my 223. But I think there is something to be said for being very familiar with your long range rig.

Thanks! (Pac-Nor is putting a 280ai barrel on a Remington 700 for me).

edit: sorry, I have a wife and 3 small kids. Time and money is a constraint.

 

[RMulhern]

Well...with your hunting rifle you're shooting about 45 rounds a year more than the 'average' hunter!!

 

[gohring3006]

I shoot 20 rounds a month per rifle. That's with three of my ten rifles.

 

[carnyman]

Kind of a personal question. Shoot as much as possible and always be honest about your current skill set and limitations.

 

[4xforfun]

Just a heads up, and I suspect you already know this, but you better be practicing at 500 - 700 yards also. Shooting at 200 is not going to get it done!!!

 

[scrmblr1982cj8]

I'm not sure of a specific round count, but enough so that you can confidently hit a target with a cold bore shot at that distance. If that takes 20 rounds a month, fine. My personal opinion is that it takes a great deal of skill to make that shot on a consistent basis. There is a lot of distance between the 200 yards you are used to and the 600/700 yards you want.

If you can't make that shot at the range the first time, keep practicing. I doubt any animal is going to give you 3 or 4 cracks at it.

 

[TXAoudadKlr]

You'll likely do a good bit of shooting at first, once drops out to your "max range" and have the rifle dialed in you should be able to get by with practicing fundamentals with your 223.

Every now in then I stretch the legs on my rifle but for the most part I work on fundamentals and shot execution at closer range namely 100 yards. Mostly because it allows me to spot any errors in form I may be having.

 

[Jaxdialation]

Dry Fire
Dry Fire
Dry Fire
Always practice improvised positions - live or dry

I shoot around 75 rounds a month
I dry fire 500 trigger squeezes a month, I should be doing 10x my live rounds

I start Deer and Elk hunting in a few weeks and I'm Dry Firing the **** out of my hunting rifle.

 

[WildRose]

My standard hunting rifles, where shots are expected to be no more than 200 yards, I shoot about 50 rounds/year. My dedicated target rifle (223 Rem VTR bolt action) I shoot about 200 rounds/year.

If I guy wants to keep good enough with a particular rifle to shoot 600 or 700 yards at big game, how much should a guy shoot with THAT rifle?

I know lots of guys keep in practice with 22LR. That's kind of what I'm doing with my 223. But I think there is something to be said for being very familiar with your long range rig.

Thanks! (Pac-Nor is putting a 280ai barrel on a Remington 700 for me).

edit: sorry, I have a wife and 3 small kids. Time and money is a constraint.

As long as 600-700 is your limit wind is not a super critical factor. When you go beyond that, it becomes very important so it changes the equation quite a bit.

You still need to shoot enough under conditions similar to how you hunt and do your best at reading the wind and making proper adjustments but at those ranges and shorter it won't take as much practice as it does to really stretch things out.

The more field time you put in shooting under field conditions the better shooter you will become over time as long as you're doing things right.

No one can tell you how many rounds per month or year it will take to become proficient but get out there for at least a few shots in differing conditions every chance you get without it interfering with your family life.

A guy who shoots four or five well placed shots on each outing is going to advance his skill set faster than a guy who blows a hundred every time he's out.

Enjoy.

 

[PGJPJ]

Thanks for the input guys!

 

[treillw]

Do you use one of those fake plastic cartridges or something when you dry fire? I know people say that dry firing a centerfire gun doesn't hurt anything. Is doing it 1000s of times an exception?

Dry Fire
Dry Fire
Dry Fire
Always practice improvised positions - live or dry

I shoot around 75 rounds a month
I dry fire 500 trigger squeezes a month, I should be doing 10x my live rounds

I start Deer and Elk hunting in a few weeks and I'm Dry Firing the **** out of my hunting rifle.

 

[Jaxdialation]

I don't use a plug when I dry fire.
No worries with a bolt action centerfire . I suppose at some gozillian number of cycles it might make a difference, but it's a exponentially less stress than firing a cartridge.

Do you use one of those fake plastic cartridges or something when you dry fire? I know people say that dry firing a centerfire gun doesn't hurt anything. Is doing it 1000s of times an exception?