Quoting Duceman:
"worrying about 'sucking' while learning a sport and shooting next to seasoned shooters is pointless.
if you actually have an interest in being a better offhand shooter, there is only one way to get there.
The sentiment seems to be that 'great' shooters are born and show up at a match and dominate because it is their god given right and destiny.
the dedication, money, and resources required to excel in this sport is staggering to say the least."
Comment: Much of the difference between a 'poor' offhand shooter and a 'good' offhand shooter is how much
deliberate shooting time is put in. A multi-time silhouette National Champion showed me his training plan, which included nutrition and fitness! There was a lot of variety in the training activities, to mix it up, keep things interesting and balances the effort vs. reward mental equation.
I raised my game with a simple plan and an end goal: winning my club's fun in-house shooting trophy (yeah, its a small pond but the guys are good field shooters/hunters).
10,000 rounds of 22LR offhand practice over 2 years (alone, and alongside another guy who shared the same goal) with a rifle whose trigger mimicks my centrefire match rifle got me there.
The guy I trained with for two years came in 2nd, by 1 point, which goes to show that effort pays off. Practice at a less intense level allowed me to stay somewhat competitive, placing all over in the top 5 incl. another win. The less I shoot 22, the more my weekly centrefire scores become erratic....because my hold and follow-through degrade quickly.
Duceman: "
the whole point is, when guys are saying they won't try because they don't stand a chance in putting up a target, the only one they are beating is themselves."
Comment: Yes. I've seen guys show up at a silhouette SB club match to see what it's all about but they
'forgot their rifle at home'. I've silently wondered what's in the gun case in that shiny truck parked next to my ****box ride.
Like you said duceman, those guys are only cheating themselves. One said he'd go practice and then come back....never saw him again. Meanwhile, on the line, were a mix of novices, intermediate and expert shooters. Nobody cares that a new guy sucks, and we are happy to coach or give tips to a guy who wants to get better. If he'd left his ego at home and given himself permission to suck publicly, he'd have been on his way.
What many don't get is that if they suck, they suck whether the rifle stays in the case or not. Shooting alongside better shooters raises a man's game. Success is contagious.
Duceman: "
you guys would be shocked at how quickly you double or triple the abilities you have now with 3 or 4 saturday sessions spent with 50 rds of ammo and someone to give you a few basic simple pointers."
Comment: Totally agree.
Duceman: "
i suggest that if the time spent reading and typing on this thread alone had been spent on the range, a few targets could have been posted by now. lee"
Comment: Good advice. Yesterday late afternoon a buddy and I (he is a natural, I have to keep working at it) lined up some shotgun shells in the snow, racing each other down the line. Nothing quite like hurrying to acquire a sight picture and finishing the trigger press before the other guy shoots that hull away. A bit of pressure and fun competition goes a long way.