Shooting time

[azmntman]

I have been reading posts here for some time on range time and sighting, finding the right load etc. What time do you feel is necessary to really accomplish anything? I seem to never have the time to do much more than "shoot" and when ever I do have a bit more time I seem to forget the caps, the powder, the balls or any combination of these! I plan to create yet "another" muzzle loading box to tote that will have a bit of everything for all my guns! Getting old and stressing from work etc can ruin a mans day at the range.

I really wanna get a few of my rifles "ductched" but have had no time! I'm thinking at least 2 hours plus travel and cleaning. What do some of you men/ladies think?

 

[Shooey]

Not including travel time, I usually shoot for an hour or an hour and a half. Sometimes I like to shoot for groups and experiment; keeping careful notes on everything. Other times I just shoot off-hand and practice having fun.

Having everything in one box certainly helps.

 

[Col. Batguano]

right with you on that.

I use a great big tool box and keep something for each caliber in there. 38, 40, 45, 50, 54, 58. And a pound of FFFg and a pound of substitute powder, patches, CO2 discharger, pin drivers, screwdriver, pliers, caps, capper, nipple wrench, pan charger, pick, powder measure, powder flask, horn, short starters, ear plugs, shooting glasses, binoculars, notebook, pencil. It's all in there, and only gets changed when I'm getting low on one supply or another.

When I commit to going to the range, I usually spend about 1 1/2-2 hours there, as I know I have about 20 minutes of clean up for each gun at the end of a session.

 

[glw]

I always forget the earplugs. Every time. Usually I can buy them at the range.

Yesterday, I picked up some at the church. As strange as it sounds, they had a box of them as you went into the sanctuary - perhaps in response to some of the modern music they play.

Yes, I went straight from church to go shooting. :grin:

Dunno, but I helped myself in return for putting something extra in the offering plate.

 

[will5a1]

Having gone to the range on more than one occassion with .50 balls and a .54 rifle I double check, or at least try to, my range box and supplies the night before. I try to be slow and precise at the range and will often spend four hours there, especially if I bring two rifles - I think of it as being my time, I've earned it, and work and chores wait. I usually go on a Monday morning, usually no one else will be at the club then, and when I get home I can clean the rifles while the changing loads of laundry, keeping the wife happy (she works Mondays).

 

[don hepler]

I'm retired, and still don't have the time. I keep my rest, stapler, targets, hearing protectors, and spotting scope, in my truck.

I have a check list, in my reloading and gun room, as a reminder, as to the items, for black powder, and another list, for modern rifles. It's a 30 min. drive to the club range, and a couple hours, is usually enough for me. I will often clean the lock, and barrel, but not re-assemble the rifle, until the next day, or later that night after dinner. If it becomes to much of a chore, you just won't enjoy it as much.

 

[Patocazador]

My 230 yard "range" is only 80 yards from my house but I have to get the cows in a different pasture and lug out the target stands, gear, etc.
I always have to walk back to the barn 2 or 3 times to get things I forgot. I always shoot more and longer than I intended too and then am so beat that I dread cleaning the guns.

I also shoot with a pre-determined goal in mind which I never seem to achieve.

 

[wulf]

It is close to impossible to shoot here because of the high fire risk and a 20 mph wind with gusts
up to 40 mph....not kidding. We do get a whole 3
hours one day once a month...So I prefer to shoot
out In the bush.
Wulf

 

[daniel collums]

almost all of my shooting is done ten feet from my backdoor and i spend a couple hours at a time or longer if i'm shooting more than one rifle or handgun. the bag i got my wife to order for me that has Hawken fever on it will hold all the stuff you could ever need, cleaning and shooting stuff. like i said in the slang for muzzle loader topic on the second page now i think, she can get you one at her cost plus she still has some 5.00 off coupons left. i think with the writing on the front it was 42.00 +your state tax and shipping then you get the 5.00 off coupon to use on it. i think theres 7 different colors to choose from. if you want to just look at the stuff let me know and i will send you the link to where you can look and see if anything is there you might want. p.s. if you didn't read the last post on that topic about the slang for muzzle loaders i put a picture of my white stuffed squirrel on there, check out the antler hes sitting on i found it in the woods behind my home. the base is 8 inches round.

 

[azmntman]

here too.....50mph+ and forest (county) closed to all shooting. Unless yer in a legal hunt. Be hard to convince the warden yer bunny huntin with the .58 and harder yet to convince him "he just hopped off, really he was sitting there the last 6 shots". I Just wait till monsoons in a month or so :idunno:

 

[smo]

When I go to a public range I like to stay 2 to 4 hours depending on the temp. :wink: When I shoot at my house I can get er' dun in 1 1/2 to 2 hours in most cases. I haven't shot at a public range in several years now because we don't have any clubs in our area and I got plenty of room to shoot here at the farm. :grin: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

What I find to be the most fun part of shooting at the public range is listening to comments from the other shooters when I put a nice tight group on the target with iron sights. It' amazing to me how many people who own those black things can't shoot a lick.... :shocked2: :shake:

 

[mooman76]

It really depends on what I am trying to accomplish. Sometimes it only takes a short while and sometimes an hour or more and sometimes I even have several projects going. I usually plan on 2 hours though.

 

[shawn_c992001]

I have a bag made up for each rifle. In the bag is everything needed to make the rifle run. Caps, powder, powder measure, patches, lube, balls, short starter, jags, spare cleaning patches, nipple pick and wrench, spare nipple, and a multi-tool. I keep a set of cross sticks in the truck under the back seat. I made them from regular hardware store dowels and some leather thong wrapped and lashed around the top. Throw a floor mat down beside the tire of the truck to sit on, lean your back against the tire, and set up the cross sticks to rest the rifle on. This is a very stable shooting position when done right.

I can be shooting in about 30 minutes from my house.

 

[btech]

The back seat and bed of my F-250 crew cab is filled with shooting supplies. When I can get to the range I just enjoy the mechanics and challenge of shooting these old guns. I don't focus on how tight my pattern is or how historically correct I am. I use wads in my revolvers instead of grease or corn meal and pre-lubed patches in my rifles.
Of course, I never kept score of my golf games either.

 

[hanshi]

That's me, too. I always end up staying longer than I should but my wife has come to expect it. I fatigue easily so even if I start off shooting okay I often tire enough to barely deep them on the paper. That's when it's time for me to leave regardless of what I need to find out.

 

[gwalker]

I've been shooting the same custom built rifle ( 54 cal. Pennsylvania Long Rifle, Lancaster School) for the past 30 years. So I'm long past the point of shooting for one-hole groups or trying different round ball/patch/lube combinations. I live 6 miles from the county range, where muzzleloaders have their own range set-up. Other than when the local group holds their monthly shoot, I am typically the only one that can be found at the range most any day at the range just shooting iron spinners, clay disks, or any other thing that breaks or moves when hit (paper targets seldom interest me but I do shoot at playing cards). If I want a change, I go out on public land just outside of town and hunt prairie dogs, rabbits, or just set up my iron spinner. Every rabbit I've shot with the 54 cal rifle has been a head shot but the prairie dogs have not been so lucky. Being retired, I spend my free time between shooting my rifle and fly fishing the mountain streams. For me, the time spent alone shooting my flintlock is very relaxing.

I typically shoot between 15 and 25 balls each session that takes me about 2 hours and another 30 minutes when home to clean the rifle. I use only water to clean my rifle, pig tallow/lard (rend it myself) to lube my patches, virgin olive oil to protect the bore of my rifle and the pig tallow to protect my lock and barrel, and mineral oil on a near dry piece of fabric to wipe my stock down. Nor do I use a short starter, but rather push the ball into the barrel (0.015 inch patch and a 0.524 inch round ball) with my thumb and run it home with my ramrod.

By the way, beware of the man/woman who only shoots one gun, for he/she knows how to use it.

 

[azmntman]

Of course, I never kept score of my golf games either.

I golfed once. not allowed to again. Picture happy Gilmore w/o the score :shocked2:

 

[bpd303]

I shot some golf once, never could figure out how to cook the little suckers though. :grin: