Do you shoot competitvely

[rhino]

I shot competition (USPSA, Steel and pins, built race guns, sold guns and instructed for the NRA and learned a lot of stuff and met some great people (and some A holes) over a 25 year period. Lived,breathed and ate it up. I have actually shot against Rhino before he was purple in matches at Veeders - tucky (Coal Creek I think it was called) long ago (he probably doesn't remember). Rhino is a great dude. We had a lot of fun. My shooting days are over now unfortunately. It was fun while it lasted.

Yes! COAL CREEK REPRESENT!

 

[selinoid44]

Poll ends tomorrow...looks like the INGO crowd has a smaller percentage of competition shooters then I thought. I guess it doesn't suorise me to much. Still got time to vote.

 

[BE Mike]

Poll ends tomorrow...looks like the INGO crowd has a smaller percentage of competition shooters then I thought. I guess it doesn't suorise me to much. Still got time to vote.

Actually with all the questions and comments I've read over the years, I thought the amount of competitive shooters would be much smaller.

 

[Drail]

Shooting "competitively" almost requires that you become a high volume reloader. If you don't practice a lot you won't do well at a match. With the current situation reloading has gotten to where you aren't "saving" much money (assuming you can even find supplies). If I decided to take up competitive shooting (or reloading) today I would be very very discouraged at the cost. Before Obama it was a completely different situation.

 

[indyblue]

Shooting "competitively" almost requires that you become a high volume reloader. If you don't practice a lot you won't do well at a match. With the current situation reloading has gotten to where you aren't "saving" much money (assuming you can even find supplies). If I decided to take up competitive shooting (or reloading) today I would be very very discouraged at the cost. Before Obama it was a completely different situation.

THIS! I'd love to shoot USPSA or similar, but finding ammo/powder reasonably priced is tough now. It used to be something a middle-class'er like myself could easily afford.

 

[rvb]

Shooting "competitively" almost requires that you become a high volume reloader. If you don't practice a lot you won't do well at a match. With the current situation reloading has gotten to where you aren't "saving" much money (assuming you can even find supplies). If I decided to take up competitive shooting (or reloading) today I would be very very discouraged at the cost. Before Obama it was a completely different situation.

THIS! I'd love to shoot USPSA or similar, but finding ammo/powder reasonably priced is tough now. It used to be something a middle-class'er like myself could easily afford.

You can shoot 10 USPSA club matches per year with about 1500 rounds. at the most that's what, $400 for factory 9mm? $200 for reloads? IDPA you could shoot probably 15 matches w/ that many rounds. Steel challenge w/ .22 you could shoot every match in the state for the year for $250 in ammo.

I went through ~4500 rounds this year, about 1/2 in matches in 1/2 in practice. Ballpark $700 for ammo (reloads). I don't feel bad about spending it.... I don't have any other "vices" (booze or smokes), my cell phone costs me < $9 / month, I don't spend much money on myself for anything else, just shooting. I've never been above asking Santa for bullets, either.

The vast majority of competitors don't put in the time/money to truely "be competitive." Doesn't mean they aren't having fun, improving, learning, etc.

-rvb

 

[bwframe]

...The vast majority of competitors don't put in the time/money to truely "be competitive." Doesn't mean they aren't having fun, improving, learning, etc.

Lots of stuff has been in my way as far as being competitive this past year. One or two matches a month have been THE practice for keeping me in tune with my carry gear. I'd like to shoot more, but I'm quite happy with where I'm at. I know exactly what I'm capable of and what I'm not.

 

[rvb]

Lots of stuff has been in my way as far as being competitive this past year. One or two matches a month have been THE practice for keeping me in tune with my carry gear. I'd like to shoot more, but I'm quite happy with where I'm at. I know exactly what I'm capable of and what I'm not.

don't mis-understand me, I included myself in that bucket, too. I used to shoot 20-25k / yr; not any more! trying to maintain my current skill is about all I'm doing, too. My point is that the folks who do 20k+ rounds / yr are the minority. It's not required to participate.

-rvb

 

[Bosshoss]

Agree with Ryan.

Reloading will save you money on the ammo and while the equipment needed is not cheap it will pay for it's self fairly quickly and it also retains it's value really good. So if competition or reloading is not for you it is relatively easy to sell it and recoup most of your money. Components are not a lot different than they were three years ago, except for shortages like primers last year and powder this year. Primers are back down to pre shortage prices and powder prices and availability is getting better.
Cast bullets have went up about 10% in the last three years but I consider that a normal price increase. It seems like more bullet manufactures are popping up so prices may say the same with more competition.

I'm retired and can't afford to practice so I dryfire for practice and it is free.
I used to practice with a .22 but due to ammo being harder to find I don't do that anymore.
I shoot a revolver in competition and my main dryfire gun has between 1-1.2 MILLION dryfire on it. Cost= $50 for two broken firing pins.

The thing is that the shooters shooting stock guns with Kydex holsters are having just as much fun as the "serious investment" shooters.
Like Ryan said give it a try you will have fun and learn lots about shooting and yourself, and meet some great people.

 

[Rob377]

+2 to what bosshoss and rvb said.

You absolutely do not have to spend a ton of money to compete at the local level.

 

[451_Detonics]

When I was shooting at a national level I did put a lot of rounds downrange but competition is not just about winning titles, it is about improving your skills in a stressful environment. If you practice a couple times a month and shoot one competition a month like an IDPA match your skill levels will increase and you will likely be more successful if the bad guys ever do come knocking. Competition gives you goals even if it is only to beat yourself by bettering previous performances in competition. It is also a great way to meet like minded folks, learn about gear and guns, and just have fun.

 

[GLOCKMAN23C]

I shoot for fun, I don't have the $$$ or time to do it for anything else.

 

[selinoid44]

In cowboy shooting for a monthly match cartridge ammo is around 120+ rds for 5 stages. Throw in side matches another 50 or less depending on what side matches you shoot. I shoot 3 to 4 matches a month. That's less then 700 a month. Most of the time I shoot 3 matches only. Then there are the three day State matches...I attend 3. There are also 3-4 two day matches I attend but for the most part 700 rds is a pretty good number. I shoot around 30 shotshells per match. Along with that a few .22s, S&W 38s, 30-30s, 45-70s.
Its all a choice how much you shoot, but a little is better then none. Like others have said it definetly keeps your skills honed and the pressure of being under a clock is good too. Just have fun...that's what its about for me.

 

[rhino]

In the short time I've been doing this, the #1 reason by far that people either won't participate in competitions or quit soon after trying it is because they don't like to do anything at which they can't excel. I'm sure many other excuses and reasons are sincere, but the most common is that a lot of people won't do something if they know they can't "win" and along the same lines that other people will see and know.

Years ago I said to a small group of shooters who were discussing this issue that if I only did things I was good at doing, I'd be limited to watching television and running my mouth. I shoot in competitions because it's a fun way to practice.

 

[rvb]

Inthe #1 reason by far that people either won't participate in competitions or quit soon after trying it is because they don't like to do anything at which they can't excel. ... other people will see and know.

and yet the 4th option only has one vote....

-rvb

 

[rhino]

and yet the 4th option only has one vote....

-rvb

Self-awareness is not a universal trait, sir!

 

[Rob377]

It's hard to pretend to be a super operator pistolero on the interwebz when there are score sheets that say otherwise.

Fragile egos have a hard time handling that.

 

[PMY]

The only thing that competitive shooting requires is getting past the excuses for why you can't.

I was going to say, that plus having a gun and some ammo in your house. But truthfully, if you make it known that you want to give any particular shooting sport a try, you'll have more people than you can handle offering to lend you everything you need to shoot your first match or two.

 

[451_Detonics]

The only thing that competitive shooting requires is getting past the excuses for why you can't.

I was going to say, that plus having a gun and some ammo in your house. But truthfully, if you make it known that you want to give any particular shooting sport a try, you'll have more people than you can handle offering to lend you everything you need to shoot your first match or two.

And nothing is worse than loaning someone your gun only to have them beat you with it!

 

[PMY]

That's why I give the sight adjustment knob a hard turn to the left before I hand it over!