What was an absolute game changer for you in this sport?

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SpiralGroove said:
Hey Motorhead;),
Do you have a specific book, video or named marksman you can recommend outlining such essential skills?
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Most of it SELF TAUGHT in connecting the dots of technique & style used by many into a specific style that fits me personally. .... been shooting for over 50 years at this point. Seriously competing in AG Field Target for @ 10 years now.
Have been very fortunate to have several Past & current National FT champions, as well 3 who shoot on the World WFTF team in our local SVFTC club these past years, some being mentors and others just to reflect off of or give stout competition.

I have stuck mostly with "Hunter" class PCP, tho played Open & WFTF as well. As with any shooting sport ones needs to be adaptable to the situation / conditions of any given match or shooting conditions in general. The more you practice GOOD technique the more the good habits carry over when ever your shooting and the bad habits seem to be less influential.
I'm just as neurotic in my pursuit of shooting skills as i am in my pursuit of Mechanical excellent in my equipment used.
 
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This applies more to PCP's and powder burners than to springers but it is a good concept. For each rifle or pistol, I have a small pouch with the magazines and fill probes. I keep all my rifle or pistol pouches in one box. I keep all of my "in use" ammo in another box right next to it. Grab the rifle or pistol, grab the pouch and pellets. For springers I simply grab the needed pellets. Having a system means I have a good chance of not forgetting anything no matter what range I am heading to.
 
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I would have to say the modern PCP. I thought I knew about air guns and I thought the Diana 54 springers were high end.

once I bought my first PCP and saw How I could just stack pellet after pellet at 30 yds, with no recoil and no hearing protection. I was bit hard.
Then when I got my first high end PCP.... wow, just wow. I'm still amazed every time I load the magazine and run the side lever.

And the fact that I can shoot every day .
 
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Motorhead said:
Shooting SKILL ... to be more than just an operator, but learn what it is to be a marksman. MASSIVE !!!!
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Totally agree.
Learning your gun completely, trusting your gun to do what you know it's capable of, and putting in the time to do so. Not being scared to push for your "limits". Allow yourself to learn from your mistakes. Imo
 
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I think my Shelden compressor changed everything for me and opened up the air gun sport for me , It was a lot of money way back when I bought it and there were no other compressors around, It will fill a great white in 15 minutes and I have never had a problem with it in 15 years, But if something were to go wrong I always have 3000 bucks set aside to buy a quality compressor , I think its the heart of the sport,,
Mike
 
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I had multiple springers over the past 20yrs and never shot them a ton. I got hooked this summer when I was in need of a new air rifle with more power than my springers offered. That's when I learned PCP rifles are stored WITH pressurized tanks! That gave me the green light to buy my first PCP and the hook was set! I still enjoy shooting my springers from time to time, but I'm hooked on the PCP rifles now. Gamechanger for me.
 
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Sqwirlfugger57 said:
These are all great answers. Does anyone have any actual positional/hold improvement that made a huge difference? Like maybe you started tucking your elbow in a certain way for offhand shots and suddenly you realized you were steadier than you've ever been in your entire life.
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Coming from f class shooting helped me alot, but all my years of shooting taught me to get the best consistency you need to be comfortable. Tense muscles and shooting for groups dont really work.
 
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vmaxpro said:
Coming from f class shooting helped me alot, but all my years of shooting taught me to get the best consistency you need to be comfortable. Tense muscles and shooting for groups dont really work.
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Exactly. Being a lifelong powder shooter my largest improvement came from relaxing my trigger hand.
 
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dens228 said:
Exactly. Being a lifelong powder shooter my largest improvement came from relaxing my trigger hand.
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Funny enough, I went from powder to springers/PCP (mostly springers). I took a good two years off from the powder side of the hobby due to Covid. When I got my membership at the local club I went back to shooting powder on occasion and wouldn't you know it, sending a couple tins of pellets down range at home every week DRASTICALLY improved my firearm shooting. I guess trigger time transfers!
 
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Sqwirlfugger57 said:
Funny enough, I went from powder to springers/PCP (mostly springers). I took a good two years off from the powder side of the hobby due to Covid. When I got my membership at the local club I went back to shooting powder on occasion and wouldn't you know it, sending a couple tins of pellets down range at home every week DRASTICALLY improved my firearm shooting. I guess trigger time transfers!
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It certainly does. My best friend of the last 40+ years started shooting a few years back, firearms not air, and the first time I went out with him to shoot he was jerking the trigger something fierce. I bought him some dummy rounds and told him to practice trigger pull at home. His shooting greatly improved.
 
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There have been a couple. First was getting past the fear of trying something new and joining a Field Target club. Second was to put aside the PCPs in favor of learning to shoot a well tuned and accurate springer. Rough road but (for me) sooo rewarding. Just wish I’d started a little earlier in life. Uj
 
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dens228 said:
It certainly does. My best friend of the last 40+ years started shooting a few years back, firearms not air, and the first time I went out with him to shoot he was jerking the trigger something fierce. I bought him some dummy rounds and told him to practice trigger pull at home. His shooting greatly improved.
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I think learning to "scare myself" while pulling the trigger was probably the biggest improvement I've made in this game
 
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Uglyjohn said:
There have been a couple. First was getting past the fear of trying something new and joining a Field Target club. Second was to put aside the PCPs in favor of learning to shoot a well tuned and accurate springer. Rough road but (for me) sooo rewarding. Just wish I’d started a little earlier in life. Uj
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There aren't many things more rewarding than making a great shot with a spring gun and I too wish I had learned that lesson at a younger age.
 
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