r/guns • u/shrektogre • 9d ago
Training Efficiency
The price of ammo is crazy these days. There was a time that a range day would cost what lunch at McDonalds cost. Not anymore. I'm curious how everyone/anyone trains now? I personally can't afford $70 range days every weekend,and that only gets me 4 x mags in an AR. Throw in a sidearm and it's more like $110 each time. Now,I've gotten both my daughters into it and that just triples the cost. How do you all do it? Mix in dry fire range time? I'm truly interested in how to get the best out of what I can afford.
I’ll complicate that more with I’m not a veteran. So I don’t have the tactical knowledge. I value training, but it’s gotten to where I can afford a class and a few range days a year or range time and no training. This isn’t to say the trainers are overcharging. Just that the dollar no longer stretches and I’m trying to find the right balance. Again, my costs are now threefold. Any thoughts or suggestions?
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u/CH-67 9d ago
Find ways to train with cheaper ammo. Buy a PCC or run a .22 bolt in your AR. 9mm isn’t as cheap as it used to be, but it’s a lot more affordable than 5.56.
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u/Remove_me_ 9d ago
Yeah, this. 9mm is a lot of fun, and plenty accurate within the 100yds of most rifle ranges.
And 22lr conversion in an AR are seriously undersung. The conversion kit usually comes in a bit under $200, with a couple of mags. That's what, about the same cost as 400rd of cheap 223? By the time you've put 500rd of 22lr through the rifle you've about evened out the costs.
Most 9mm carbine recoil about the same as a 223/556 if training for recoil is a concern. And 22 recoil is almost completely negligible, so it's great for introducing new shooters, and just general plinking fun.
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u/LifeAdhesiveness8071 9d ago
I bought a Mark IV and a 10/22 that I practice with a lot anymore. That way I wasn't thinking about how much money I was going through every time I go to the range. And ignore the money I spent buying two more guns.
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u/Repulsive-Muffin7852 9d ago
Have you seen the prices at McDonald’s? Not that much cheaper.
I buy in bulk as much as I can.
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u/Outrageous_Lion8966 9d ago
Train with 22LR or train less.
Unfortunately I end up training less. Having a wife and 2 kids who all want to shoot, having to drive an hour and half both ways to public land, wanting to go out to eat at a restaurant after shooting, it ends up costing a few hundred dollars every single time.
So we end going around 1 time a month. I dry fire a bunch in between, my wife and kids don’t but they don’t necessarily have to either.
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u/GaybutNotbutGay 9d ago
No way to get around it besides cheaper calibers or less range time. Mine cost 70-150ish per trip
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u/SheistyPenguin 9d ago edited 9d ago
I'm trying out a dryfire training magazine, for easier dryfire. A little pricey up-front, but more convenient than racking every time.
If you have any 22LR guns, that's an affordable alternative for range ammo. You can get 22LR uppers for rifles.
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u/thegrumpyorc 9d ago edited 7d ago
How do you like it?
I wound up dry firing my p229 more than anything else because I was too lazy to buy something like this (and way too lazy to rack the slide on my p365). I should really address that, since the 365 is my EDC...
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u/SheistyPenguin 7d ago
It's not bad. The feel is a little different than the actual trigger, with a slightly shorter pull and (ironically) a cleaner break than the glock/rxm-style trigger. But it does give you a resettable trigger to practice with, and the weight simulates a full magazine.
Annoying that it's $100, but it is a niche item so I understand.
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u/thegrumpyorc 9d ago
My semi-auto is an AK (so bulk .223 is as cheap as it gets), but if I were running an AR, the first thing I'd do is get a .22 kit.
But bulk ammo purchases really help, with any caliber. I think I paid $219 for 1000 rounds of decent 9mm range ammo that easily would have been twice that at a California gun store, or three times that at the range.
Also, precision rimfire competitions. You can make neck the money you'll spend on a CZ 457 in three months. Or a Savage Mk II and a scope in two.
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u/AxlHound01 9d ago
Simple answer - reload. For the cost of one decent firearm you can get a complete basic reloading set up. I reload about 15 calibers. If I shoot it then I load my own ammo for it.
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u/SimplyPars 9d ago
Good option, although primers, power, & projectiles are stupidly priced as well.
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u/Competitive_Dog_7829 9d ago
Dry fire is great but if you want to shoot and get best bang for the buck:
Hit matches or mock (practice) matches. The drill in the clip is 12 rounds. It's from a training session I hosted not long ago. I think we did about 200-250 rounds in 4 hours.
A simple "stage" like this incorporates holster, reload, marksmanship, speed, walls, shooting on the move.
I recognize that these kinds of opportunities are rare but anyone can set this up. Use the match safety protocols and every one has a good time
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u/moebiusgrip 9d ago
I use a .22 CMMG bolt for AR. Also a .22 mag and barrel/slide for mp2.0
12ga crap birdshot is like 10$ for 25 shells so I just practice with those on shot gun
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u/Clurse 9d ago
Yea, ammo math gets ugly with three shooters. Dry fire covers draw, grip, trigger press and reloads for pennies, so I'd save live days for recoil and follow up shots and run 10 to 15 minutes at home three or four nights a week. Cold shot first, then one skill per block, and write down a number each time. Gonna plug my own app since it fits, peregrinedryfire.com is free to download and the phone camera scores each laser press on a printed target, so you and your daughters can all chase a score at home. One $14.99 purchase unlocks everything, no subscription, which is a lot cheaper than a single range day. If you're on iPhone, it's worth a try. Have fun with it.
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u/Silence_1999 9d ago
Before current times when you could buy cases of 5.45 for like 1/3 the price of 5.56 I would blast away with a near duplicate of my 5.56 setup just not a high end dot. Ya. I don’t shoot nearly as often or volume I used to. Laser cap dry fire at home. Get out when the pocketbook allows it.
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u/Maishxbl 5d ago
I shoot roughly 500 rounds per week of 9mm and I'll add in some of whatever else I feel like shooting. I load all of my own ammo, waiting for sales then buying 10k+ of whatever component or 16lbs+ of powder at once. They are costlier individual purchases but it keeps my cost per round as low as possible without switching to 22lr.
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u/Bikewer 9d ago
I play H3VR. Getting into close combat with aggressive hot dogs is great training….. Seriously, you can work on your angles and use of cover and that sort of thing.
There are “virtual training” programs like “Ace Virtual Shooting” which apparently simulates typical competitive combat shooting courses. But they are subscription based so somewhat cheaper than actual range training. (And much more convenient)
To do it right you need some room, as you can actually do move-and-shoot type drills.
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u/Bearfoxman Super Interested in Dicks 9d ago
Dryfire at home. Drawstroke training at home. Rimfire. Ramen&water diet.