Posted: 10/16/2011 12:08:58 PM EDT
Forgive me all if you will, but i wish to indulge in a bit of self pity... 
Following my showing today at Shield, i would like to ask hwo much practice other shooters put in? I do try, but with work, other commitments, and distances (including costs) i figure i need more time on the range. I live at least an hours drive from my nearest club, and also have to drive an hour each way to work- which is in the opposite direction to either club. If i'm lucky i get to shoot, maybe 3 times a month, sometimes (absolute max) four times.... These visits to the ranges are usually inconsistent in disciplines shot, with a large variation of guns shot. I usually also shoot alone so never have any benchmark to reach during practice- is this an issue? Any advice gratefully received 
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Forgive me all if you will, but i wish to indulge in a bit of self pity...
Following my showing today at Shield, i would like to ask hwo much practice other shooters put in? not as much as I would like nor need, for mini rifle in the last 2 years I've shot 4 islands 2gun match and Phoenix 2010 speed steels. Realistically, to perform at your best you need to be practising at least weekly - and it needs to be quality practice. When I was at the top of my game (early 90s) I was practising with better shooters 4 times per week & burning through at least 1000rds per week I do try, but with work, other commitments, and distances (including costs) i figure i need more time on the range. correctamundo, young padwan I live at least an hours drive from my nearest club, and also have to drive an hour each way to work- which is in the opposite direction to either club. If i'm lucky i get to shoot, maybe 3 times a month, sometimes (absolute max) four times.... These visits to the ranges are usually inconsistent in disciplines shot, with a large variation of guns shot. this is part of the issue. Different mindsets are required for different disciplines & you need to be in the correct mindset when the timer beeps 
For example, todays steel challenge - had you figured out the best order to shoot the targets, its often not left to right? Had you assessed just how fast you could shoot the big steels (stage 2), vs. the small steels (stage 3)? I usually also shoot alone so never have any benchmark to reach during practice- is this an issue? yes - unless you are Rob Leatham. Do you setup stages, or plink into the backstop? How do you know you are improving, or what your development areas are? is your equipment holding you back? is it reliable, etc? Any advice gratefully received
Probably the biggest issue here is shooting alone. You have limited trigger time available to you, so as you have identified, you need to make the most of it. |
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Shoot once or maybe twice a month.
Never practise. Just naturally gifted 
Joking aside, Limey's right. It would be good to get a shooting partner who's like minded and someone you can bounce off. The biggest thing is repetition. This is where improvements come from. Learning about yourself and your kit and learning where and what you can do to get better. Limey also mentions Rob Leatham, Rob has some great videos up on Youtube. Yes they are all handgun related, but they will work for this. He runs an online club called Drillmasters, where students take one of his drills and learn it by shooting it repeatedly. They are excellent. Theother thing is to shoot more competitions and watch and learn from others. Thismwill mean travelling, but we all do that. Most of my shooting is full bore, and that is 1hr away from m. Distance isn't really a factor but commitment is Hope this helps |
You're not alone. 
With all of my commitments, I usually only shoot a couple of times a month. Like you, I live the better part of an hour from my nearest club (Shield is 2 and half hours). I also shoot different disciplines (today was my first steel match, I usually shoot PSG and mini rifle - I'm planning on shooting CSR on the 5th too). I shoot because I really enjoy it. I am really lucky in that through this board I have met lots of people and as a result, have learnt loads of stuff that would have otherwise taken a lot longer to learn as well as advice regarding kit etc. Your best bet would be to arrange to meet some people from the board at shooting events, as that will invariably lead to you meeting more and more. With the practice time I can devote to shooting, I doubt that I will ever be in danger of troubling the top of the leaderboard - but that's not why I do it. As long as I have a good time then that is reason enough to keep shooting. What do you want out of it? If you want to get serious about competition, you would probably be best on picking a discipline and sticking to it; reading up on it and going from there. |
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Limey also mentions Rob Leatham, Rob has some great videos up on Youtube. Yes they are all handgun related, but they will work for this. He runs an online club called Drillmasters, where students take one of his drills and learn it by shooting it repeatedly. They are excellent. I was not aware of Drillmasters, unfortunately membership is closed & Drillmasters ceases at the end of this year. Bollocks. 
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Limey also mentions Rob Leatham, Rob has some great videos up on Youtube. Yes they are all handgun related, but they will work for this. He runs an online club called Drillmasters, where students take one of his drills and learn it by shooting it repeatedly. They are excellent. I was not aware of Drillmasters, unfortunately membership is closed & Drillmasters ceases at the end of this year. Bollocks. I found out about it late All the vids are available though and you can watch some of the drills on Youtube I feel as you do though
That said, I hope to shoot with Rob next year 
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Have you tried dry fire drills?
I used to compete regularly, and probably dry fired twice as much as live fire. I am not completely sure what your match format is, but the closer you can get to it, the better off you might be. I used to dry fire entire 60 shot courses of fire, standing, sitting, and prone. Including (empty) mag changes, in full gear. It gives you an excellent way to work out bugs in positions, gear location, and fitments of all things, without having to go anywhere other than the living room. I put a few small sticker dots on the wall, and those are my 200, 300, and 600 yard targets. I even adjust elevations as distance changes. Lack of preparation and lack of routine will get you every time. You can build most of this at home. Good luck, and keep trying. (Just dropping through this forum, as I'm a relocated scouser. No I didn't nick your radio. ) |
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Forgive me all if you will, but i wish to indulge in a bit of self pity...
Following my showing today at Shield, i would like to ask hwo much practice other shooters put in? not as much as I would like nor need, for mini rifle in the last 2 years I've shot 4 islands 2gun match and Phoenix 2010 speed steels. Realistically, to perform at your best you need to be practising at least weekly - and it needs to be quality practice. When I was at the top of my game (early 90s) I was practising with better shooters 4 times per week & burning through at least 1000rds per week I do try, but with work, other commitments, and distances (including costs) i figure i need more time on the range. correctamundo, young padwan I live at least an hours drive from my nearest club, and also have to drive an hour each way to work- which is in the opposite direction to either club. If i'm lucky i get to shoot, maybe 3 times a month, sometimes (absolute max) four times.... These visits to the ranges are usually inconsistent in disciplines shot, with a large variation of guns shot. this is part of the issue. Different mindsets are required for different disciplines & you need to be in the correct mindset when the timer beeps
For example, todays steel challenge - had you figured out the best order to shoot the targets, its often not left to right? Had you assessed just how fast you could shoot the big steels (stage 2), vs. the small steels (stage 3)? I usually also shoot alone so never have any benchmark to reach during practice- is this an issue? yes - unless you are Rob Leatham. Do you setup stages, or plink into the backstop? How do you know you are improving, or what your development areas are? is your equipment holding you back? is it reliable, etc? Any advice gratefully received
Probably the biggest issue here is shooting alone. You have limited trigger time available to you, so as you have identified, you need to make the most of it. Thanks very much. Lots of info there. Time-wise, i probably just cannot commit anymore, additionally i could not afford much more in the costs department - 1000+ rnds a week???  thats going to be almost £300 a month!!! ssheeeit!
Shooting alone isnt obviously out of choice, just necessity- i dont know anyone else who shoots at clubs (people i know locally only shoot things if they are warm and moving...). Simple things like i cant even get timed easily i suppose- and that is the marker i would have needed today. Whilst i tried to figure the shooting order (i know the very BASICS), i dont know the reasoning behind changing the order. i watched the others shooting in the group and they seemed to use the same so i followed suit Oh forgot to post this last night..... |
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There were at least 4 regular board contributors at Shield yesterday - if you'd checked the Shield thread from a couple of weeks ago, you could have arranged to meet up with us. I'm not exactly difficult to spot in a crowd... He's usually the one wearing a dress..... 
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Time-wise, i probably just cannot commit anymore, additionally i could not afford much more in the costs department - 1000+ rnds a week??? thats going to be almost £300 a month!!! ssheeeit! that was 9mm
Shooting alone isnt obviously out of choice, just necessity- i dont know anyone else who shoots at clubs whereabouts are you? (people i know locally only shoot things if they are warm and moving...). Simple things like i cant even get timed easily i suppose- and that is the marker i would have needed today. get a shot timer - they are useful training aids. The timer does not lie, no matter how much better that last run **felt** Whilst i tried to figure the shooting order (i know the very BASICS), i dont know the reasoning behind changing the order BHD quote - slow is smooth, smooth is fast . i watched the others shooting in the group and they seemed to use the same so i followed suit Don't be afraid to ask why something is done in a particular way, you will not learn as rapidly if you just watch. I've been at this game for a number of years & I'm still learning things. Figure out or ask why someone just shot the targets in a particular order or why they were quicker than you. Try various techniques & ditch the ones that don't work for you. Most people will gladly give of their knowledge, see someone improving & shooting more matches As was said yesterday Probably the biggest issue here is shooting alone. You have limited trigger time available to you, so as you have identified, you need to make the most of it. Quality practice is needed, just chucking rounds downrange is not going to improve anyone's game. ETA: check IMs |
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Here is an example of an on-line training video. He has a pistol, but the techniques & theory carries over to rifle also.
BlackKnight - there are some pointers in the video for you too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fx0ceKZWbs0&feature=related |
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Here is an example of an on-line training video. He has a pistol, but the techniques & theory carries over to rifle also. BlackKnight - there are some pointers in the video for you too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fx0ceKZWbs0&feature=related Nice one! Much appreciated! I'll try and put the picture up from the Buckmark/Low Mills/GSG "review" session if I get chance. I've not even looked at the gopro stuff yet. DaddyPig - this is a shooting forum and not the place for your twisted fantasies! 
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Thanks all for the replies...
To be honest i have only recently got into competitions. I have shot since i was about 11 and absolutely just love it, always have, best stress buster ever. I remember shooting out in the garden before afternoon GCSEs when i probably should have been revising, but i didnt do badly so it probably helped! However, i wasnt feeling the best on sunday afternoon after obviously expecting better from myself than was possible. I am most likely at the point where i don't know what i need to know - a perfect example of the Dunning-Kruger effect! Hopefully though posting here is part of the learning process! Thanks all and keep the advice coming...... 
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the devon ranger website has a forum,
might be worth posting up on there if you know your going to be up, I work 10 minutes from the range and quite often out there on a friday afternoon Im far from being a good shooter, but more than happy to have a play alongside and give an element of competition, or help set out targets etc, as thats what puts me off, going up there spending ages setting things out, usually knackered before I start shooting LOL my main practice is gallery rifle stuff, mostly 1500 match, but did enjoy the shotgun match we did, need to get the capacity of mine up and then will have a bit better chance, and more fun |