What is holding you back from competitive shooting?

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

I didn't read all 5 pages but Where in the H#!! Are guys finding enough affordable components to shoot precision rifle matches these days??
I haven't done a PRS match since the "Plandemic" when primers, and powder became unobtainable and or went up 300 %

 

[dieselchessy]

I didn’t read all 5 pages, so maybe someone said it already.

A big offput for me with these type competitions and clubs is Facebook.
I don’t have Facebook and these outfits seem to communicate everything in Facebook for some reason. They often don’t have, or don’t put info on a regular web page.
Makes it hard for those of us who don’t use Facebook to know what’s going on, schedules, ect..

 

[DakotaBPNW]

I didn't read all 5 pages but Where in the H#!! Are guys finding enough affordable components to shoot precision rifle matches these days??
I haven't done a PRS match since the "Plandemic" when primers, and powder became unobtainable and or went up 300 %

We were stocked up before hand.

 

[long hunter]

I didn't read all 5 pages but Where in the H#!! Are guys finding enough affordable components to shoot precision rifle matches these days??
I haven't done a PRS match since the "Plandemic" when primers, and powder became unobtainable and or went up 300 %

As Dakota stated seen the shit coming and stocked up, as even now looking for componets on a regular basis to add to the supply, If things do not change and soon it will only get worse. For instance made a phone call yesterday about rifle powder, guy told me he had one lb. left of what I was looking for went and got it, he told me that 15 lbs had arrived two days ago and this was the last lb. left and did not know when the next shipment would show up. Also the price went way up.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Pretty much everything about it these days. I was a sponsored shooter for a few years which was nice for being able to shoot hundreds of rounds a day for free. Other than that I don’t really miss it.

 

[Travis Bertrand]

lots of good responses, keep them coming!

 

[SDHNTR]

lots of good responses, keep them coming!

Additional honesty… Gun dorks (other than myself, of course lol), range rats, and wannabe Rambos at best annoy me, and at worst, frighten me.

 

[fisherman983]

Time and money.

I'd love to do it but it's expensive and components are non existing. Not to mention gun parts

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

 

[eoperator]

I have a buddy that would like me to travel with him on prs circuit. The amount of money I have spent on gear and components to do this is embarrassing. But every year I change my mind and choose to spend time with family/kids/sports. Willing to bet I never regret making that choice later in life.

 

[Bolt Thrower]

I am coming from a different perspective than most here - I am new to hunting (and to this forum), but have been shooting matches for a while. I did not read every comment, but read most of them. The most common reasons seem to be cost, time, ability to practice, access to components.

My experience (which may be regionally specific) has been that you can go to a local club precision rifle match for an all in cost of around $200-$250 (match fee, ammo and gas), run a rifle you already own, borrow whatever gear you lack from your squad mates and be home in time for dinner.

Practice - a local club match can be a good deal. It usually costs $30-40 for entry and you get access to a great range, safe environment, props to shoot off, someone else sets up the steel, 4-8 spotters. The stress of shooting on the clock is something that I have not been able to replicate in solitary practice. I consider shooting under stress to be valuable experience/practice.

Components - Matches can actually be a good place to source and trade components. Maybe you have a bunch of powder and lack primers. There is a good chance that there is a guy there with the opposite problem.

The big catch is that you have to leave your ego at home and approach it with an open mind to gain anything from the experience.

 

[Travis Bertrand]

I am coming from a different perspective than most here - I am new to hunting (and to this forum), but have been shooting matches for a while. I did not read every comment, but read most of them. The most common reasons seem to be cost, time, ability to practice, access to components.

My experience (which may be regionally specific) has been that you can go to a local club precision rifle match for an all in cost of around $200-$250 (match fee, ammo and gas), run a rifle you already own, borrow whatever gear you lack from your squad mates and be home in time for dinner.

Practice - a local club match can be a good deal. It usually costs $30-40 for entry and you get access to a great range, safe environment, props to shoot off, someone else sets up the steel, 4-8 spotters. The stress of shooting on the clock is something that I have not been able to replicate in solitary practice. I consider shooting under stress to be valuable experience/practice.

Components - Matches can actually be a good place to source and trade components. Maybe you have a bunch of powder and lack primers. There is a good chance that there is a guy there with the opposite problem.

The big catch is that you have to leave your ego at home and approach it with an open mind to gain anything from the experience.

my sentiments exactly.

 

[DeerCatcherUT/CO]

For me it’s too hard to find the ammo that my hunting rifle shoots. It’s my only long range caliber. It hurts me just to practice every month because my stack of bergers is getting shorter

 

[Antares]

For me, it’s an access problem.

I’d love to shoot some matches like NRL22 or NRL Hunter, but I’d have to take a couple flights and get a rental car. I have the money to do it if I really wanted, just doesn’t seem like the best way to spend my money.

Maybe some of the other AK guys can chime in. Are there some good matches in-state I’m not aware of? I’m guessing there must be a few in the valley.

 

[JFK]

I’m a big believer in the idea that no one rises to the occasion in moments of stress. Everyone falls to their level of training.

I don’t have any desire to enter matches, but you can compete with your friends and get a lot out of it. Set a timer and have a series of shots at varying distances and different shooting positions. Put some
money on it so you have something to gain/lose.

 

[Lawnboi]

I’m a big believer in the idea that no one rises to the occasion in moments of stress. Everyone falls to their level of training.

I don’t have any desire to enter matches, but you can compete with your friends and get a lot out of it. Set a timer and have a series of shots at varying distances and different shooting positions. Put some
money on it so you have something to gain/lose.

Agreed. What most hunters are doing is not training though. Shooting your rifle at the bench or prone is not training, and that’s what most guys, including myself up until a few years ago, do.

 

[Macintosh]

... The most common reasons seem to be cost, time, ability to practice, access to components.

My experience (which may be regionally specific) ....

....Practice - a local club match can be a good deal. It usually costs $30-40 for entry and you get access to a great range, safe environment, props to shoot off, someone else sets up the steel, 4-8 spotters. The stress of shooting on the clock is something that I have not been able to replicate in solitary practice. I consider shooting under stress to be valuable experience/practice.
....

I agree wholeheartedly in concept, but I think you nailed it with the "may be regionally specific". If you have a range within a reasonable drive where you can practice and shoot a local match without investing multiple days of time, it is a totally different animal compared to a location where there is literally no accessible place to shoot at longer ranges within a several-hour+ drive, often much longer. In my experience most of the eastern seaboard simply doesnt have accessible ranges that are even close to long-enough for practicing for this type of match, which means there ARE no local club matches, and that both practicing and shooting any match takes exponentially more time and costs exponentially more. Literally, outside of one military facility that isnt open to the public, if I want to even true my dope I have NOWHERE to legally shoot more than 300yds within a 4+ hour drive, and even then that facility isnt open most of the time, isnt accessible in winter, and isnt accepting new members. That means I'm pretty much always showing up to a match without having had the opportunity to even check my data, which can get frustrating when you are paying to check data on the clock and dont get to re-shoot. There are a few private ranges I can get on occasionally, but they still require a long drive plus a lot of coordinating with other people and being at the whim of their schedules. I can practice locally with a 22 which is great in some ways but also doesnt help in others (anything in relation to recoil management, etc). I'm not sure this is something the match "industry" can change except in the very long term, but accessibility to any range that is sufficient for the most basic longer-range shooting is definitely a primary limiting factor that prevents a great many people in my neck of the woods from taking part, and manifests across cost, time, etc.

 

[parshal]

The time, money and distance to matches is what I hear from folks. I personally believe some of the folks don't want to go find out that they aren't as good as they think they are. It's a humbling experience, been there, done that. It's happened to everyone as a new shooter.

For the folks that think the top competitive shooters aren't hunters, think again. Look at Matt Alwine and Rusty Ulmer to name two. They live to hunt first.

There is a factory class in NRL Hunter using the same rifles most hunters are buying. Rusty has one a match in factory, light hunter and heavy hunter. It's not the arrow, it's the Indian.

Don't use the excuse that you can't practice to not go shoot a competition. Anyone who is a hunter will learn a ton by shooting the skills division in a single NRL Hunter match. The RO's can help you. Your friends can help you. The only thing they can't do is dial your dope or pull the trigger. Don't go out there thinking you're going to place well. Go out and be ready to learn.

I've shot NRL/PRS race gun for three years. I shot a Hunter match last year and three this year. One was as an individual and two as a team. We placed fourth at the NRL Hunter Finale as a team. My first match was in the light Hunter and the rest have been Heavy.

Here's what I've learned:

I've abandoned my lightweight hunting rifles and now carry one around 15 pounds. And, I no longer chase velocity. A slower consistent load kills just as well. These have led me to being able to better spot my shots which is huge when hunting. It allows faster follow up shots if necessary.

Wind is unforgiving and not nearly as simple as folks make it. Mirage and other indications can lie to you. Environmentals have really caused me to think about what shot I'm going to take on an animal. Even though I can consistently hit targets over 1000 yards I'm not going to take that shot on an animal if I can get closer. If I can't, I'm probably more likely to pass on the shot.

I've ditched the bipod for hunting. I've become comfortable with a tripod and can use it in more positions than I ever could a bipod. I'm a far better positional shooter because of it.

I've learned to use the gear I hunt with more effectively and much faster. I've watched the way a lot of others approach a situation and how they use their gear. I've discovered positions that work for me and the positions where I'm not so stable.

I do 100% of my training at 100 yards. All of it is odd positions with the goal of being able to shoot, consistently, 1". You don't have to shoot long range to practice once you have known dope.

If I didn't do these competitions I'd still be hunting with a high velocity, lightweight rifle and wondering why I was so inconsistent. I'd take a shot farther than I should because I'd not have, literally, thousands of rounds, in different areas of the country in different conditions (freezing, sweltering heat, rain and snow) and at different elevations to know what I don't know.

 

[Bolt Thrower]

I agree wholeheartedly in concept, but I think you nailed it with the "may be regionally specific". If you have a range within a reasonable drive where you can practice and shoot a local match without investing multiple days of time, it is a totally different animal compared to a location where there is literally no accessible place to shoot at longer ranges within a several-hour+ drive, often much longer. In my experience most of the eastern seaboard simply doesnt have accessible ranges that are even close to long-enough for practicing for this type of match, which means there ARE no local club matches, and that both practicing and shooting any match takes exponentially more time and costs exponentially more. Literally, outside of one military facility that isnt open to the public, if I want to even true my dope I have NOWHERE to legally shoot more than 300yds within a 4+ hour drive, and even then that facility isnt open most of the time, isnt accessible in winter, and isnt accepting new members. That means I'm pretty much always showing up to a match without having had the opportunity to even check my data, which can get frustrating when you are paying to check data on the clock and dont get to re-shoot. There are a few private ranges I can get on occasionally, but they still require a long drive plus a lot of coordinating with other people and being at the whim of their schedules. I can practice locally with a 22 which is great in some ways but also doesnt help in others (anything in relation to recoil management, etc). I'm not sure this is something the match "industry" can change except in the very long term, but accessibility to any range that is sufficient for the most basic longer-range shooting is definitely a primary limiting factor that prevents a great many people in my neck of the woods from taking part, and manifests across cost, time, etc.

I understand where you are coming from. Today I am conveniently located to matches and places to shoot at distance, but before I moved it was a 3 hour drive to get beyond 100 yards or to a centerfire match.

 

[3325]

I’m a big believer in the idea that no one rises to the occasion in moments of stress. Everyone falls to their level of training.

I’m a big believer that you are correct.

 

[3325]

I have no desire to compete at my age, but I’m inspired by high power/service rifle competitors and most stuff I read about shooting is from that discipline.

Look at the four stages: 200 yards offhand slow; 200 yards sitting rapid; 300 yards prone rapid; 600 yards prone slow. No bipods or rear bags, although shooting jackets and gloves are used, along with a shooting sling.

Think proficiency in this won’t transfer to hunting or field shooting? Eric England and Carlos Hathcock were Marine Rifle Team competitors before their tours as snipers in Vietnam. Their service rifle competition experience transferred to hunting men with resounding success.

Both men also shot 1000 yard competition with great success. In 1965, Hathcock won the Wimbeldon Cup and England won the Leech Cup.