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The reason for this post is to vent a little!, the point is to enjoy your shooting comrades,the ability to shoot in competition,relax, and be objective! I shot in a 25m match today and shot terrible... then got frustrated! That led to my demise! If I would have only listened to my own advise...
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Wise words. 

I shot "one shot" centerfire benchrest competition for a while. Not for "group", but honest one shot, closest to center takes the pot. Some of the pots were rather handsome and I supplanted a low paying entry level job for a while with a 30BR. More specifically, we shot for cash and sometimes I made more with a single shot than I did after clocking 40 hours at my day job.

The learning curve was a little steep, and expensive, but all things take time. After a while, I was dominating the field without any undue effort on my part. (Ancedote.....we , meaning all of us, sent an honest to god Alphabet org sniper home with his tail between his legs. His parting words were something along the line of bringing his team up there to see how it's done. He never returned, though).

I can't say my shooting declined. But suddenly, I wasn't winning anymore. This game was measured in thousandths of an inch, and well....I was consistently a couple or more thousandths out. After a while it seemed that anyone who showed up armed with anything other than an irregular shaped rock was going to beat me.

I wish I could say I simply lost interest and walked away. But that's not true. I became frustrated and just quit.

When I break into the gun-safe for the occasional PM cleaning, I often look at that 30BR , gathering dust, and remember the good old days. Health and eyesight won't let me recapture them.

Point being.....the good old days are now. Don't let them slip away.




 
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Nation,

I ALWAYS shoot for fun first. Last year at the AAFTA Nationals, I had some issues regarding my guns......actually, it was a potty chronograph issue. I was finished after the first day. The second day, I threw lead, shot even worse.......and had a blast. I was shooting with GREAT guys I only see once in a while, which makes it all that much more worth it. The 2018 AAFTA Nationals were the best I've ever experienced. And In my class, I ended up flat dead LAST, and I'm not ashamed to say it. Fellow competitors and friends made the entire experience well worth it.



Tom Holland 

Field Target Tech 
 
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I did a lot of competitive shooting and I always shot average or lower scores. I’m not real competitive and while I tried to improve age and time took its toll l I enjoyed the friendships I made but one of the things that I DID find annoying is that almost universally the top shooters are walked around with their shoulders back and rarely associated with the people who didn’t measure up to their standards.

I would challenge you great shots to shoot remember that there would not be target shooting matches with out those of us posting in the lower half if the scores.

Perhaps my experience is unusual. If you go home frustrated and angry maybe you should consider what life is about. Instead of hobknobbing with the never miss guys come on down and talk to and maybe help the little guy at the other end of the line 
 
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I just wanted to clarify that I was frustrated for that particular match!, I’m very competitive,and know I should and have shot better, no one or nothing to blame but myself! Conditions were favorable (shot in much worse and done better!) I just let my emotions get the better of me,and anyone who shoots 25m with a very competitive field, it doesn’t take much to fall behind and fast! Also I shoot with a very good group of shooters (one who just shot a usarb springer record!!!) they are very supportive and get along well,mind you I never let it go (my frustration) any further than the bench! it’s time to move on, get off the forums and practice...


 
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I’ve seen plenty I’d this “artificial hierarchy” in various clay target sports. I’ve also experienced a gradual decline in performance and desire after 50+ years of it. Funny thing is that when I started getting into Field Target I saw none of this. While matches are competitive in nature, you’re really just competing with yourself and looking for improvement. There’s plenty of time to talk and exchange ideas during the match ( even while shooting) and none of the “win at all costs” crap seen elsewhere. Uj
 
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Whether it's BR or FT, for me, the most important shot(s) of the match is the one(s) after a miss. It's SO easy to let it get into your head, start to rush and get off your game. And yes, it is possible to be highly competitive AND have fun. It's a fine line and I'm starting to land on it a bit more, but it takes being mindful. It's actually one of my favorite parts of the sport. 

Chas
 
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Another ancedote. The best match day I ever shot........

Being in Colorado, you'd think we shoot in snowstorms often. That's not true. If the forecast on the day prior called for much snow the next, the match was usually cancelled. So, we didn't shoot in snow very often.

One day though, snow settled in just as the match started. I lost the first match, then blew the second due do my rear bag slipping just at trigger break. But....the shot landed exactly where the crosshairs were when the rifle went off.

Through a 36X scope, the swirling snow made it appear that we had near hurricane force winds going on, and the natural tendency was to hold hard upwind. My bag slip on the previous shot told me different.

I held center of target for the rest of the day while my companions kept compensating for a non-existent wind. I won the next 19 straight matches.

That was a really fun day.
 
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.......... but one of the things that I DID find annoying is that almost universally the top shooters are walked around with their shoulders back and rarely associated with the people who didn’t measure up to their standards.

I would challenge you great shots to shoot remember that there would not be target shooting matches with out those of us posting in the lower half if the scores.

Perhaps my experience is unusual. If you go home frustrated and angry maybe you should consider what life is about. Instead of hobknobbing with the never miss guys come on down and talk to and maybe help the little guy at the other end of the line
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I assume you are talking about your powder burner days, because the air rifle competitions I have participated in are the exact opposite of what you describe. I can count on 3 fingers the number of air rifle competitors that I have met that match your description and they are all out of the sport now because they were not tolerated. This covers 8 years of air rifle competitions including FT and Benchrest at the national, regional and local levels. I have had the pleasure of shooting with at least 8 or more National Champions (several shoot out of our local club) and everyone of them would loan you their rifle if you had a mechanical failure with your airgun. Most of them are happy to shoot with brand new shooters, coaching them through their first matches. I shot competitive action pistol for many years and tired of the macho environment that began to overtake the sport, so far I see none of this in air rifle competitions. I find Field Target matches one of the most fun shooting competitions I have ever participated in, with some of the nicest people you will ever meet.

Jim in Sacramento


 
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