Is it bad to shoot more than one gun in a single session?

[paperpuncher]

It never fails, every time I go to the range after shooting the CM9, or a sa/da, the first pull of the trigger on my Springfield loaded with the trigger job, catches me slightly off guard. Always in a safe direction, but it comes slightly unexpected regardless.

Sent from my DROID RAZR

[muggsy]

I always shoot 2 (or sometimes 3) different guns whenever I can find the time to go out shooting because I like "exercising" multiple guns to enjoy the variety and to do comparisons between them.

But I also know that one should work on "muscle memory," so it occurred to me that using multiple guns in a single session might be confusing my poor little muscles.

Any thoughts on this?

There is no such thing as muscle memory. Your muscles won't do a damn thing unless your brain sends them a signal.

[jg rider]

Our serious practice sessions consist of her shooting her Glock 17 or one of her carry Kahrs and her A.A..22 conversion for her Glock.
And I'll shoot my 1911 Commander, a .22 1911 conversion, and one of my carry Kahrs
Gee I wish kahr would make a .22.

We found for us it's best to practice with the center fire pistols first and then go to the rim fires. the other way causes a grip and recoil surprise because of the semi relaxed .22 shooting.

[jg rider]

There is no such thing as muscle memory. Your muscles won't do a damn thing unless your brain sends them a signal.

We may have different definitions of muscle memory.
If I close me eyes and then draw, the pistol tracks from out of the holster to the target with the correct hold and position on the target. To me it's muscle memory that lets my hand fall on the grip, draw and be on target. with my arm, wrist and hand grip in the right position. It's a learned motion.
However if I were to shoot a revolver the hand has to relearn the grip the arm is right, but the wrist has to learn to bend.

The brain can do one thing and your muscles something else.
My wife practices standing in front o an IPSC target, at a beep she does a palm strike or claws the eyes and starts rapidly walking backwards while drawing and firing. Her brain is concentrating on not falling and listening for my command on which way to back up.

[HDoc]

"Muscle memory has been used synonymously with motor learning, which is a form of procedural memory that involves consolidating a specific motor task into memory through repetition. When a movement is repeated over time, a long-term muscle memory is created for that task, eventually allowing it to be performed without conscious effort. This process decreases the need for attention and creates maximum efficiency within the motor and memory systems. Examples of muscle memory improve's with practice, Providing a certain feel onto a muscle will inflict a memory of the feel and that muscle movement will continue without conscious effort activities such as Basketball, riding a bicycle, typing on a keyboard, typing in a PIN, playing a melody or phrase on a musical instrument, playing video games,[1] or performing different algorithms for a puzzle cube."

It's really not memory in the muscle, it's the brain remembering an oft used neural pathway. as in Practice makes Perfect. More correctly its a synergistic proprioceptive pathway. OK, clear now?

[Markis82]

I always bring at least two firearms to the range. My primary carry to keep my skills up and another to shoot for fun.

That is what I do too. But, I hardly ever shoot more that 2 in a day. Only because cleaning 2 guns at a time is my limit. Love to shoot'em, hate to clean'em. That said, I can't stand an unclean gun.

[wyntrout]

Repetition allows you to not have to focus on each detail specifically, allowing you to use more of your brain to do something else at the same time. As you add more processes or steps to an action, the easier and smoother the entire action sequence becomes.

The first time I tried reloading my Kahr quickly at the range when the slide locked back, I grabbed the magazine and tried to stuff it in quickly... brass to the front... didn't work. I slowed down and thought about the process of how the magazine is oriented in my holder, and the feel of the magazine in the proper orientation as I brought it up to insert in the mag well. After a bit of practice, my hand seems to help me with touch and do the proper orientation without me having to concentrate on that. I'm no speed reloader... blink of the eye, but I do practice and don't have to dwell on the individual steps.

I just wish that my trigger pull didn't turn into a yank and a forward push when I rapid fire!

As I said the other day, when I last shot MY P380, I was grouping about 2" or so low at 7 yards and a bit to the left of centerline, and I really tried to slow down and squeeze the trigger, etc., but it kept the same grouping, so... I adjusted my aim and covered the bullseye... where the bullets grouped.

Wynn

[jg rider]

"Muscle memory has been used synonymously with motor learning, which is a form of procedural memory that involves consolidating a specific motor task into memory through repetition. When a movement is repeated over time, a long-term muscle memory is created for that task, eventually allowing it to be performed without conscious effort. This process decreases the need for attention and creates maximum efficiency within the motor and memory systems. Examples of muscle memory improve's with practice, Providing a certain feel onto a muscle will inflict a memory of the feel and that muscle movement will continue without conscious effort activities such as Basketball, riding a bicycle, typing on a keyboard, typing in a PIN, playing a melody or phrase on a musical instrument, playing video games,[1] or performing different algorithms for a puzzle cube."

It's really not memory in the muscle, it's the brain remembering an oft used neural pathway. as in Practice makes Perfect. More correctly its a synergistic proprioceptive pathway. OK, clear now?

Is that what I kinda said?

[HenryinFlorida]

I don't have that many of them. I just got my 4th pistol (CW45), but I bring them all. I never hurts to know they still fucntion correctly.

[Bill K]

Probably because my range is in my back yard and I mostly shoot by myself I'll hardly ever bring out more than one gun to shoot. If shooting with someone who has brought their own gun I will give theirs a try just for the fun of it.

[Wolffire99]

Fundamentals apply to any pistol

[QuercusMax]

That is what I do too. But, I hardly ever shoot more that 2 in a day. Only because cleaning 2 guns at a time is my limit. Love to shoot'em, hate to clean'em. That said, I can't stand an unclean gun.

Yup. That's where I'm at, too. I never put a dirty gun away.

I like shooting more than one gun just for the contrast, but the cleaning aspect reins me in. Two works well for me.

There are so many things in life that would better if we could only have servants to clean up afterwards.

[jdlott74]

NO, we always take at least 2-3, sometimes more, but usually just 2-3.

[DKD]

Daaaang guys if you feel that way about just a few modern pistols what would you do if you had several black powder weapons / revolvers to clean...? "Shootins done, gone the sun, and now the fun has begun"....Not!
No choice there as to putting them up dirty unless you live out west with almost no humidity. Down here in Florida in a day or so they would look like a rust bucket. Modern weapons clean up easily, and for routine maintenance should only take 10-15 minutes to clean per pistol.

[les strat]

I ALWAYS bring a long gun, which is my first love. I mix the handguns up, but always shoot at least one of my revolvers. I always love to lay claim to the 200 yd lane or at least 100. Popping a water-filled jug at 200 yards is fun stuff.