Introduction to Practical Pistol - 10

In an earlier page, a suggestion was made to allow 200 plus rounds per practice session, and to practice frequently.   It should come as no surprise that (dry-fire notwithstanding) your rate of skill improvement can relate to the amount of ammo expended, and paying full retail for ammo can get expensive.   Factory ammo may also be less than optimum for your gun, or it may be more powerful than you need to make your chosen power factor.  

Most experienced shooters reload their own ammo so they can shoot more for less cost, and can completely control the ammunition side of the success equation. Reloading requires attention, but is safely done by those using reasonable care. 

When using reloads (or shooting with people who are), beware of the (very rare) “squib” load. The load consists of a primed case and a bullet, but no powder charge; they go “pop” instead of “bang,” and usually leave a bullet stuck in the barrel. It's not dangerous at that point, but don't try to fire the next round - if the gun goes POP, STOP! If this happens to you, it's time to re-evaluate your reloading process. Distractions like watching TV while reloading are to be avoided.

The traditional advice given to beginners was to start with a single-stage press and to take it slowly, and be careful. This still isn't bad advice, particularly the slow and careful part, but to generate the quantities of ammo you will want during your pursuit of practical shooting skills, you will need a progressive press that lets you be much more efficient with your time. The initial cost is a little higher, but you won't be sorry later.  

This author generally avoids endorsing a single brand of equipment for this sport, but when it comes to reloading, experienced practical shooters agree - the choice of brand is simple, only the model must be decided.  

Dillon presses are the undisputed first choice among IPSC shooters. The only question is which model? 550, 650, or 1050, - each trade initial investment for more rounds-per-hour. Unless you plan to quickly reach the rank of Master or above, your ammunition needs are likely to be entirely satisfied with the less expensive 550.    

Before we close this introduction, there is one tip that cannot go unmentioned. A highly-regarded resource for practical shooting knowledge is the forum section of the Brian Enos website. [Editor's note: warning! this forum can be addictive; if you spend half your forum reading time actually practicing, you will be a GM in one year]

Please consider joining the IPSC organization for the USA: USPSA - the United States Practical Shooting Association.

Once you get the feel of our USPSA sanctioned Practical Pistol competition, if you shoot rifle and shotgun, you may want to try our multigun matches. See our schedule for more details.

Download USPSA handgun rules: PDF format.

NOTE: This introductory series is a work-in-progress. Although most material is original, some has been adapted from USPSA publications and other sources. If you see any remnants of your work here, please let me know and it will be either removed or properly attributed. Suggestions are always welcome - please email the Webmaster.