No place to practice!

[chris in va]

I recently moved further out from the city madness to a town of about 25k people. Nice area, save for one thing...no ranges! Nothing indoor, and the closest outdoor is a real PITA to get to and is on a campground. All the 'good stuff' is 1.5 hours away...in the city.

I'm not looking to buddy-up with some redneck guy that ownes 100 acres, but this is getting bad. I need to practice. My new 40P isn't even broken in yet.

Now what?

[capbuster]

not the same as live fire but you can get alot of milage by loading your gun up with dummy rounds and dryfiring around the house. This will really hone your trigger pull. you can buy dummy rounds. If possible have some made up with lead bullets this will make the weight of the gun realistic.

[kozak6]

You could reload with wax bullets and a primer, skipping the powder. Or, there are kits that come with rubber bullets and special casings, and all you have to do is stick a primer in there. Those are expensive, though, if I remember right.

[chris in va]

I may have to do that dry fire thing. I was even thinking airsoft, but those plastic BB's might get everywhere.

[michael t]

Got a local gun shop or pawn shop that sells. Stop in and ask were they shoot ,Get to know the people. Now you could move again this time on your own land in boonies then you could shoot till the cows come home. I have a small pistol range in side yard next to house. I drive 10 miles each way to buy gas or a gallon of milk and 20 one way for gro. but I like it. Best thing I ever did. If you have a problem out here and call 911 you will get someone in 30 min or so on adverage So best be prepaired to handle yourself.

[skidmark]

Chris -

Practice is good -- if you know that what you are practicing is good technique. Otherwise you are going to be establishing muscle memory for bad technique.

I once thought I could dryfire and improve my technique. Then somebody asked me how I know that I really was hitting what I was aiming at. That shook me up enough to invest in a LaserBlater, and later on in a Bullite. They are training aids at best, but then so is ammo fired at the range. Over the life of batteries they both work out to a heck of a lot cheaper than the cheapest ammo you can find. ($6 for LaserBlaster batteries good for somewhere near 500 shots = 1.2 cents per, and the Bullite = 2.75 cents per for 10,000 shots.

I have no financial interest in either product, except that I have paid for them and hope the companies do not go out of business if I ever need customer support/repairs.

Besides, I can do all sorts of drills with a laser trainer that my indoor range will not allow, even if I am the only one there. I can do stuff that would not be completely safe on the best of outdoor ranges. But those scenarios are based on real-world issues that others have had to face.

And best of all -- how else can you ever practice clearing the homestead in your undies while proving to (insert name of person/species here) that it really can be done in a dignified manner? (No, you do not want to know, and I'm not dumb enough to ever tell.)

stay safe.

skidmark

[HOKIEHUNTER]

where in VA are you located?

[chris in va]

Winchester...off 522.

Funny thing is, I did ask at the local gun shop. He shrugged and pointed to the pamphlet about the campground. It's extra frustrating getting into a 'sport' like this and having all the ranges disappear. I haven't been to the range in over a month!

[CajunBass]

I'd like to find some place like that around my area, but at least I have a couple of ranges within easy driving distance.

[Apple a Day]

Chris,
Try here http://www.myvssa.org/varanges.htm and see if something fits.

[Rob Pincus]

Chris,

I was a cop in Winchester a few years back... go into Stonewall Arms and talk to those guys, they should be able to make some good suggestions. If you bump into Wally, tell him I said "hi".

-Rob Pincus

[XavierBreath]

I'm not looking to buddy-up with some redneck guy that ownes 100 acres, but this is getting bad.

You know, it might be your thought process here. I know a lot of old redneck type coots with land. As a result, I get to shoot and fish in a lot of places others don't. I also have made some good friends. I have made some good contacts for used guns. You don't have to be willing to squeal like a pig, but it helps to be able to lean over the back of a pick-up truck and carry on a conversation about the weather and clean up your mess when you leave. When ice storms come along, I usually crank up the 4WD and grab a chain saw to help these fellows out. When harvest time comes, I get paper bags full of tomatoes and pecans. About half way through deer season, I have a freezer full of venison and I don't even hunt. It's about friendship.

FWIW, I don't consider myself to be a redneck. I'm a home health nurse. That is how I usually meet these folks. Make sure they know how to contact you so when Uncle Bob passes on and they are looking to sell a few guns, they can. Be fair, honest, and respectful. If you don't, they will find out, and you will no longer be shooting there.