Do you or have you participated in Competitive Shooting?

[Inline6]

FTR, Local 22 rifle matches 50,75, 100 yard, field rifle matches that turned in to the PRS.

Field style shooting helps with hunting. You are not always on your belly shooting animals.

 

[Safari Dave]

I do long-range metallic silhouette at my local gun club (I have been since 2008).

I've also do IPSC, IPDA, and 3-gun occasionally.

I shoot skeet, trap, and sporting clays from time to time, but don't really compete formally.





I like Kevin's idea.

A buddy and I came up with an idea about buying an old army jeep and welding armor plate over the front of it. One person could drive it to "charge" and chase the hunter. It would have a 5 inch diameter steel plate in the front connected to a "kill-switch". If the "hunter" could hit the plate, it would turn off the jeep.


If the "hunter" could not hit the plate, he would be at the mercy of the jeep driver!

 

[Safari Dave]

I think competitive shooting is a big plus for hunters, if they have the opportunity.

In 3-gun and IPSC you have to be able to shoot while being active.


In most of the others, you have the pressure of trying to win, being watched, and criticized.


I believe all are good, especially if DG is on you list. Being disqualified at a match for a mistake is nothing compared to a mistake when being charged.

 

[gzr]

Weekly informal offhand rimfire and centrefire competition for about three to four years. Also weekly 20 yard bullseye for something like a year and a half, as well as pretty regular skeet. This is all great practice in safe handling as well as the fundamentals. Covid put a kink in things but will go more regularly now that we are mostly clear of it. Ammo prices are currently insane though.

Also took some long range rifle courses but think maybe there's too much mental math and knob twisting for me to do that regularly. I like the art more than the science.

I'd like to do regular informal field position practice with a rimfire as a sort of focused rifle yoga. Then extend those skills out to 300 yards with .223 and .308 in field positions. It's a great way to move, focus and relax.

 

[rdog]

I started shooting at bulls eye targets in 1960 as an officer candidate in the Marine Corps. Later, with friends who had shot on collegiate rifle teams, I started real competition. I never qualified as less than Expert with either rifle or pistol in the Marine Corps and in Okinawa, in 1965, I was in charge of the battlion rifle team in the Far Eastern Division Matches.

I earned my first "leg" on distinguished there, but instead of going back to the states for further competition, we were all shipped to Vietnam, where I carried out my duties as part of the Marine Amphibious Force staff armed with my 1911 Colt automatic and an M1 Thompson submachine gun I acquired through unofficial channels.

When I was released from active duty in 1966, I became a member of the USMCR rifle team and continued with that until I left the reserves in 1971.

As a civilian, I was a member of the Tennessee State High Power Rifle Team which competed at Camp Perry and eventually became the 499th individual to earn the title of Distinguished Rifleman. I did not continue with pistol competition, but never failed to qualify as "Expert" in the Marine Corps.

I also became acquainted with trap and skeet competition in the Marine Corps and was for a while the Officer in Charge of the Camp Courtney skeet range in Okinawa. Later, back in Quantico, I practiced with two members of the US Olympic Team in International Skeet and Trap, and as a civilian competed in International Skeet events, which gave me gun mounting skills which were later valuable in the hunting field.

I also experimented with smallbore shooting, both indoor and outdoor. I obtained the NRA classifacation of "Master" in indoor and outdoor position and outdoor prone.

I continued competetive shooting until a vision problem with my right eye put an end to it. I now hunt with a rifle left handed, which I became adept enough with to the point that virtually every shot I have taken at a deer has been successful. This has been shooting from a blind, where shooting from a rest is possible.

In Africa, I killed every large animal I shot at. The difficulty I had was with the smallest animals, with which I sometimes overestimated the distance and shot over them. I never failed to down a large animal, with one exception: a Beisa oryx, which took a step farward just as I fired, causing me to hit him about a foot to the rear of where I was aiming. This was at a range of roughly 300 yards, and we eventually recovered the animal.

Now, at age 84, I am restricted to hunting from a ground blind and in recent years the opportunities have been scarce, but I have never failed to take advantage of those which did present themselves. I have now killed deer with 34 different rifle calibers and look forward to adding more to the list. The most recent addition to the list was the 7.62X39 cartridge, fired from my Ruger Mini-14. One shot was enough.

View attachment 518053

I too can relate to your experience in Vietnam 2 tours with the Australian army 1969 -1971, a
member or the Army rifle team in Aust, at 76 i am slowing down i still hunt & shoot sporting clays with my 2 sons . Have a Ruger 7.62x39 its wonderful cartridge i was in my prime in Vietnam a Browning Hipower 9mm pistol & a L1A1 7.62 rifle, that photo brings back memories of my youth.

 

[rdog]

I too can relate to your experience in Vietnam 2 tours with the Australian army 1969 -1971, a
member or the Army rifle team in Aust, at 76 i am slowing down i still hunt & shoot sporting clays with my 2 sons . Have a Ruger 7.62x39 its wonderful cartridge i was in my prime in Vietnam a Browning Hipower 9mm pistol & a L1A1 7.62 rifle, that photo brings back memories of my youth.

XAUSA, in the photo you are with a WHITE MOUSE a Vietnamese national police man , my wonderful wife is Vietnamese, her father & uncle were white mice her father a Sargent was killed in1965 ,her uncle died of old age in 1992 he was a Colonel, in 1971 he helped with our marriage paperwork he introduced me to rice wine. he had a derringer in 357, i sourced some ammo for him, all he could get was 38 spl.

 

[Tintin]

sorry to derail rdog’s cool yarns

The Sporting Shooters of Australia has a Big Game Rifle Club , I enjoy shooting the matches a few times each year. This year, my state, Victoria, is hosting the National match - a great excuse to visit Australia

If anyone is interested in more details let me know.

 

[rdog]

sorry to derail rdog’s cool yarns

The Sporting Shooters of Australia has a Big Game Rifle Club , I enjoy shooting the matches a few times each year. This year, my state, Victoria, is hosting the National match - a great excuse to visit Australia

If anyone is interested in more details let me know.

HI tintin how is the 404J project going?

 

[sureshot375]

I did a lot of competitive shotgun shooting in middle school and high school. I think those skills certainly transfer to double rifle shooting.

 

[7x57Joe]

Back in the early to mid 1970's I eagerly competed in muzzleloader matches also. I don't know how I failed to mention that in the earlier post. Rifle, shotgun, and pistol but, rifle was my favorite. At each match, we had side matches with different events such as sticking a double bit axe in a block of wood with a clay pigeon on each side and shooting the axe to split the ball and breaking both clays. Have you ever shot the flame off a candle? Yeah, we did that too! It was a fun time for all. Now at 76 it's hard to see the sights but, not complaining, just stating facts.

 

[Tintin]

HI tintin how is the 404J project going?

Hey Richard - 404 project is well and truly complete and field tested.

It works

You may be referring to the 333 Jeff...

It's at the engraver, then off to have the stock finished, then back to Swanny's for a few final tweaks and blueing.

 

[gesch]

Sport background:
I am certified shooting coach rifle/pistol in the club, and ISSF referee for pistol, rifle and clay targets.
Recently I am more coaching then competing. (not to mention admin work in the club)

I think I was at some phases in my life competing everything with various success, but biggest number of competitions I made in long range. (ok, actually medium range, 600 meters), and pistol bulls eye shooting.
IPSC, and IDPA recreational on local level, not seriously competing (no time due to nature of my job).
Clay targets, my shooting is recreational, not competitional.

DG rifle.
How to define DG rifle?
For purpose of my answer, I will define DG rifle as any rifle in caliber 375 H&H or bigger.
So, if that is so, my experience is limited, as I have done only two safaris with 375 H&H. (and one with 300 H&H)

Benefits, and drawbacks of target sports, in hunting:

Stress control:
Every competition is stressful. Experience in competition, in long term trains the shooter to control stress. I am guessing that experienced target shooters will less likely experience buck fever. Or more likely keep cool under DG Charge. Possibly.
But competition in part is stress control. Fact.
In hunting, and DG hunting this is very important.

Safety
Experienced target shooters, have absolute safety habits when handling the firearms.
This is not typical for many hunters, who hunt seasonally and fire less then box of ammo per year.
Rigorous safety rules and habits are most typical for IPSC sport, but for other shooting sports as well.
This is most important lesson learnt from sport, to be used in hunting, Firearm safety.

Long range shooting (f class and similar)
Come to think of it, long range experience thought me to zero the rifle to my preference, and to trust the scope, and to trust myself. It builds self confidence. It also thought me that long range shots are sometimes unpredictable due to wind and other gizmos, and in hunting, I prefer close range shots, preferably under 150 meters.
Experience of occasional bad shots at paper target at longer ranges, thought me modesty.
Good shots at paper targets at 300 meters gave me self confidence. Its a good mental balance.

However, there could be bad habits developed.
Possible bad habit that can come from classic bulls eye disciplines is that in those sports you are not extremely limited with time at range, and not under time pressure. At range - you are focused on breathing, aiming, natural point of aim, getting a perfect stance, etc.
For all that, you have no time in hunting. In hunting, you have no time for perfect shot in most of cases.

In hunting, you must react fast behind the scope.
I know several good target shooters, who are not confident in stalking animals and shooting in field conditions, exactly for that reason (my guess), so they prefer hunting from high stand or blind. And they do it fine. But fast sight line up, and quick shot is not their strong side.
In blind they take time, and choose their perfect moment for perfect shot.

Bulls eye pistol shooting (or rifle):
Keeps you trained with mechanical sights.

Now enter: dynamic shooting, under stop watch.
IPSC and IDPA.
they come in all shapes and sizes. (pistol or rifle, without scope and some with optics)
Shooters compete under stop watch, and at closer range.

Moto of IPSC sport covers well the complexity of DG rifle usage in the field.
Diligentia – Vis – Celeritas / Accuracy - power - speed.

All three factors are accounted in final result. If you can shoot accurately more powerful gun, it accounts for better result. 416 is better then 375, is it not?

The best prep, for DG rifle in the field, is IPSC. Especially with rifle. Where targets are scattered around the range, at various distances, and engaged in shortest time possible.

The drawback in this sport is, the shooter does not get used to recoil of DG rifle. Nobody shoots IPSC rifle match with 375. But the shooter gets good habits.
Drawback, semi auto rifle, does not teach fast bolt operation or break action fast reload.

Benefits are overwhelming:
When comparing target shooting with DG rifle shooting, I would say, any competition target shooting is beneficial for getting skills for hunting. But it does not fully compensate for lack of trigger time behind DG rifle.

The DG rifle training:
Once the skill is established with trigger time with other guns - in competitions and training sessions, then DG rifle must be trained in as real as possible circumstances on the range, to get used to recoil, to rifle, and to build self confidence. DG rifle will always have less training then other guns, because of price of ammo and cumulative effects of recoil, so training with smaller calibers is essential in field positions similar to those how the DG rifle will be used. Training session to start with smaller calibers, can be 22lr, over middle power calibers like 308, and then built up to final dozen or more shots with DG, in field positions and from sticks

Thank you for this comprehensive answer to the question. I would certainly enjoy some coaching from you. Thanks again for your contributions. Your friend, Brian

 

[rdog]

Hey Richard - 404 project is well and truly complete and field tested.

It works

View attachment 519677

You may be referring to the 333 Jeff...

It's at the engraver, then off to have the stock finished, then back to Swanny's for a few final tweaks and blueing.

Yes i did mean the 333J

 

[Daveboone]

The only competitive shooting I do is patched ball black powder. I am a member of a local black powder club, and we shoot April to October every monday. We are strictly open sights, patched round ball at 25, 50, 75 and 100 yards. It is a very mellow good natured shoot and club with a lot of camaraderie. As I do greatly enjoy my ML hunting, it has greatly helped me. Even though we only shoot twelve shots an evening, you are making each shot count. I did take my buck this year with my Lyman Great Plains rifle, was hoping for a 2nd with my flintlock, but had a very wet season.

 

[Wheels]

I hang a couple of pie tins on the far side of the backyard, pull out the Crosman and ring steel.

Occasionally the wife will come out and humiliate me.

 

[7x57Joe]

I did take my buck this year with my Lyman Great Plains rifle, was hoping for a 2nd with my flintlock, but had a very wet season.

You may be surprised with your flinter in wet weather if using a cow's knee and replacing the prime at intervals. I got a doe in Alabama several years ago on a rainy and intermittent sleet day. Rifle fired just like the sun was shining.

 

[Eric Zelanko]

My competitive shooting started on my high school rifle team from 1972 to 1976. Way back then, many schools in Pennsylvania, upstate New York, Ohio and other states had rifle teams. Our mentors, sponsors, and coaches were members of Greatest Generation, veterans of World War II. Can you imagine a rifle team as a varsity sport in today’s world?

In the Marines I shot on the USMC Rifle Team for a summer and the next year became a Distinguished Marksman. I could have done more but when I became an officer, I had limited my participation in Competition in Arms. It turned out that most Commanding Officers do not want to be without an officer for four months of the year. Long after retiring from the Marines, I went to Camp Perry and finished off my path to Distinguished Pistol Shot and also made the Presidents Hundred. In recent years I competed in bullseye Precision Pistol.

I now enjoy shooting double rifles and large magazine rifles. I like working up loads that will regulate in my double rifles. I usually end those shooting sessions with a dozen or so rounds shot rapid fire with reloading “under pressure” at 20 yards. I keep it close to reduce any chance of my bullets going over a 12’ berm.

Mark,

As a recently retired school admin, i assure you the shooting sports continue in my neck of the woods of PA. My district has purchased rifles, ammunition, and shooting attire for the team. It is included in the budget just like all other sports. In fact, it is one of the most expensive sports for the district. At my district, three students have received scholarships for their shooting skills; Two for colleges in Kentucky and one in Ohio.

Many schools in central PA have rifle teams which compete over the winter. Not all are funded to the level of our district. Many rely on fundraisers to survive.

Several years ago the local shooting club asked for our permission to start a trap team. I don’t fully understand how it works but students shoot scores at the club and compete remotely with other students based on scores. I think it is a regional thing involving many states.

Both of our teams have plenty of students involved. That’s a good thing. I think the same is true of the over 40 districts that we shoot against.

our state athletic association has no oversight of the shooting sports. As a person who is not pleased with their organization, that’s a good thing. The. coaches and other volunteers, (mainly sportsman club members) run extremely safe, efficient, and student focused events.

sometimes I take offense at some of the complaints I hear about todays schools. While my district may not represent the norm, I’m proud that I was able to continue the tradition of no school on the first Monday of buck season, have a zebra rug on the floor of my office, talk to students about my Africa adventures, and even just a couple weeks ago, have a PH speak to the entire third grade about the Big Five. I admit there can be radical differences between rural and urban/suburban schools. Most of those things wouldn’t be acceptable in many places. I was fortunate to work almost 40 years at a place that still has values, beliefs, traditions that align with my own. And best, I don’t see a change happening anytime soon.

AH members would be well served to encourage their shooting clubs to sponsor youth events. From sharing hunting experiences to holding junior shooting leagues, we need to encourage young people to put down the electronics and enjoy something different. Better yet, AH members could help financially support those activities. The price of a few boxes of ammunition could make a huge difference for some of todays youth. -z-

 

[Frederik]

Last few years being competing more in other shooting competition except for big bore.

BASA (Big Bore association of South Africa)
Have been shooting Big Bore competition around 6 times a year since 2012, 18 rounds avg per shoot.
Charging targets fun targets and tricky targets we never have the same exact range setup,
Also once or twice a year DGS about 30 rounds per shoot (Dangerous Game shoot hosted by Safari & Outdoor shopping chain)

The bigger the calibre you use the easier it is to score but you still have to hit your targets.
Always competed with the 375 H&H untill upgarding to the 458 Lott 3 years ago.

With BASA being part of an umbrella larger shooting association CHASA there are more shooting to be done on CHASA shoots Veldskiet, Warthog, impala and springbuck targets. Gong shoots .22 rimfire shoots. One DG shoot a Static buffalo frontal.
Also some Bianchi pistol shooting a lot of fun with my FN High Power.

I enjoy shooting and spend more time on the range at competitions than developing or practising but shoot enough to practise while competing.

 

[CBH Australia]

Nothing serious but I've shot in various disciplines as a member or a visitor.
Finally finding the time and money to spend more time on the range but that's a local club rifle comps in rimfire/centrefire where tho older members have some competive rifles and I'm just getting started.
Hoping to learn some long range skills just to hone my skills.

 

[CBH Australia]

sorry to derail rdog’s cool yarns

The Sporting Shooters of Australia has a Big Game Rifle Club , I enjoy shooting the matches a few times each year. This year, my state, Victoria, is hosting the National match - a great excuse to visit Australia

If anyone is interested in more details let me know.

Talking to someone the other day who I met through a mutual friend and member here. He says he is going to that match.
We must try get him to join here.
Not sure if we've spoken before but G'day from another Aussie, more of us here than I realised.