How Do You Make Your Shooting Range Sessions Interesting?

[tleevs]

I'm going to be hitting the shooting range this weekend for the first time to break in one of my new guns. My plan was to print out some targets I found online and just shoot at them. While I'm sure that will be plenty of fun for me for the first few times out, I know I'll get bored just shooting at a target - especially after I get comfortable with my guns.

Are there any kind of games or scoring systems so that I can make my range sessions more interesting and track my progress from session to session?

Or I guess my main question is...what do you all do to make your shooting sessions fun and interesting when you're just shooting by yourself?

Travis

[MisterOblivious]

The two primary options are to either Go Small or Get Reactive.
Going small leads some down the path of insanity, always searching for the itty bitty little improvement in group size. This path can be costly.
Getting Reactive is for folks who just want to blow **** up. You find fun SAFE things to shoot at, and you shoot them. Some options are bits of charcoal, steel targets or warm cans of rootbeer.

Another option is GO BIG! Hand cannons and massively overpowered rifles have their fans as well.

[Q_Continuum]

Do fun things. I know Bill's sells deck'o'card targets - buddy and I buy those and play a game of poker, with my XD's.

To make it more fun, we do one-handed, and sometimes off-hand.

I always make myself shoot at least 2 mags worth off-hand (for me, right-handed) so it doesn't feel really weird if I ever need to shoot right-handed.

Perhaps pick up a silhouette target, and walk your shots around the outline? Or shoot around the ring on a normal target?

[Joecool]

You might also be surprised that it doesn't become boring. The power of the gun is an adrenaline kick that hasn't got old for me yet but I am still new.

[mnmike59]

Put up pictures of your fav politician and give them a hair cut.
J/K (This really doesn't make us pro gun guys look good) Sure would be fun at a private range!

[plblark]

big piece of cardboard with 4 half pieces of paper on it. from low ready, present, 2 shots in each (vary it up herew if you like, 1,1,1,1 then repeat or 1+1, 1+1,1+1,1+1)

then go to 1/4 sheets
then 1/8 sheets

That's how I practiced for the steel shoots

heck, if your range permits, set up 6 targets in 3 lanes. 2 shooters and you can do El Presidente's. One shooter calls it (shot on 1 ... 3,...2,1)

Buy snap caps and have your buddy load your mags ... you'll get to practice clearing malfunctions.

[Stradawhovious]

Buy snap caps and have your burry load your mags ... you'll get to practice clearing malfunctions.

I don't have a burry. Will a friend do?


Also, I can't stress the "blowing things up" enough. Lately my range trips have been all about load development. As crucial as that is for a reloader, I will say that it can make for a long day. Blowing up waterjugs, fruit or cans of soda is my reward for all my hard work at the range. Not only that, it's a hoot to boot. Check out the rest of my videos. You'll see what I mean.

[shadeslanding]

Bring your wife....

(meant as in bring your wife and teach her to shoot or to shoot better... that makes for an interesting range session. I can see how the "Bring your wife" might be construed differently depending on your marital bliss.)

[LarryFlew]

Eggs are awesome too - search for shooting eggs

[plblark]

teach her to shoot or to shoot better

I've been successful with teaching other people, helping other people, and even other people's wives ... but even if my wife were into guns, I think that's a recipe for disaster There are some things I advise my wife on but do not instruct her in. Fashion, driving, and guns would seem to top the list

For that, I'll send her to DonL or one of the other fine instructors hereabouts. Even if he says the same things, it will be from someone else so the husband / instructor dynamic won't be there

[RobD]

big piece of cardboard with 4 half pieces of paper on it. from low ready, present, 2 shots in each (vary it up herew if you like, 1,1,1,1 then repeat or 1+1, 1+1,1+1,1+1)

then go to 1/4 sheets
then 1/8 sheets

That's how I practiced for the steel shoots

heck, if your range permits, set up 6 targets in 3 lanes. 2 shooters and you can do El Presidente's. One shooter calls it (shot on 1 ... 3,...2,1)

Buy snap caps and have your buddy load your mags ... you'll get to practice clearing malfunctions.

I do el prez at the BPR with 3 paper plates on a wide sheet of cardboard... Fun, but going through 12 rounds in 6 seconds eats up ammo fast...

To keep the round count down, I like to mix in dummy rounds, and speed loads.

[plblark]

Heck, last time I did an El Prez at BPR, I threw in the good old stand by "throw the mag across the bay and get the NEXT mag out" routine just to make it interesting

[ttousi]

teach her to shoot or to shoot better

I've been successful with teaching other people, helping other people, and even other people's wives ... but even if my wife were into guns, I think that's a recipe for disaster There are some things I advise my wife on but do not instruct her in. Fashion, driving, and guns would seem to top the list

For that, I'll send her to DonL. Even if he says the same things, it will be from someone else so the husband / instructor dynamic won't be there

So..............DonL must have clout

[RobD]

teach her to shoot or to shoot better

I've been successful with teaching other people, helping other people, and even other people's wives ... but even if my wife were into guns, I think that's a recipe for disaster There are some things I advise my wife on but do not instruct her in. Fashion, driving, and guns would seem to top the list

For that, I'll send her to DonL. Even if he says the same things, it will be from someone else so the husband / instructor dynamic won't be there

So..............DonL must have clout

a lot of it.

Check out his article on maximizing your range time...

[selurcspi]

I'm going to be hitting the shooting range this weekend for the first time to break in one of my new guns. My plan was to print out some targets I found online and just shoot at them. While I'm sure that will be plenty of fun for me for the first few times out, I know I'll get bored just shooting at a target - especially after I get comfortable with my guns.

Are there any kind of games or scoring systems so that I can make my range sessions more interesting and track my progress from session to session?

Or I guess my main question is...what do you all do to make your shooting sessions fun and interesting when you're just shooting by yourself?

Travis

Go to steel shoots and shoot agains the clock and Man v Man