Am I practicing to be a bad shot?

[Sir Henry]

I’ve been in Wisconsin for three years and can’t remember the last time I shot at paper. All my shooting has been at traps and spinners and usually at distances I can’t miss. I wonder how I’ll do at precision shooting?

I thought about this yesterday as I walked past my shooting bench going up to the shop. With the warmer weather the snow is melting and I’ll be able to put out paper.

[GunnyGene]

One way to find out.

Speaking of, I've started practicing pistol left handed and left eye due to arthritis and a cataract in my right eye, to re-program my brain. Bought a new Sig P-365XL 9mm, and a left side holster for that specific purpose a few days ago. Switched the mag release to the right side of gun (not easy to do) and started breaking it all in yesterday.



First Mag from new 365XL. Actually first 2 mags. All left handed standing. Took my time throughout. Draw, shoot, re-holster, 24 times. I did catch myself using my right eye the first 2 or 3 shots. Hard to break that habit.

Target at about 7 yds. Not too terrible, at least all but 3 shots were in the black. Still have a lot work to do to shrink that scatter down to something reasonable.

[Sir Henry]

I did the same thing a dozen or so years ago. I practiced until I got really good. Then one day I shot competition and all my practice didn’t do me any good. Under pressure I switched back to shooting left and I realized I’ll never shoot right-handed naturally. At least with pistol. Shooting a rifle is much easier to reprogram. At least it was for me.

[BigAl52]

Then I will be a bad shot the rest of my life. Because I could care less if I ever shoot paper again. Just sayin

[brm4450]

I tried shooting with the right hand, no Gouda as they say in Wisconsin. No matter how long and how much I practiced my shooting right handed never got better.

[North Country Gal]

Gene, define "precision shooting". That term gets kicked around a lot these days. It's currently being used for handgun shooting at distances beyond typical self-defense distances and it's also used to describe a relatively new sport with rimfire rifles known as PRS or it can just be a term you choose to use for informal shooting for smallest group size (which would describe most of my shooting over the years).

Regardless of how you use the term, if you haven't been doing it for three years, you will need to spend some time and ammo getting back to where you were before you quit that particular type of paper punching. If it's a new type of paper punching, however, some of what you already know will help, but you'll mostly be starting from scratch.

PRS, in particular, is a highly competitive sport and like most formal shooting sports, the equipment used evolves to get pretty specialized (and expensive). My Anschutz 1761 22 rifle is actually a new model made for this precision sport. It's basically an Anschutz target rifle with a new action that allows for faster operation and quicker mag changes and is light enough and compact enough to carry and use across a course where you are shooing from a lot of various positions and as far as accuracy, well it's an Anschutz.

[Sir Henry]

Gene, define "precision shooting". That term gets kicked around a lot these days. It's currently being used for handgun shooting at distances beyond typical self-defense distances and it's also used to describe a relatively new sport with rimfire rifles known as PRS or it can just be a term you choose to use for informal shooting for smallest group size (which would describe most of my shooting over the years).

Regardless of how you use the term, if you haven't been doing it for three years, you will need to spend some time and ammo getting back to where you were before you quit that particular type of paper punching. If it's a new type of paper punching, however, some of what you already know will help, but you'll mostly be starting from scratch.

PRS, in particular, is a highly competitive sport and like most formal shooting sports, the equipment used evolves to get pretty specialized (and expensive). My Anschutz 1761 22 rifle is actually a new model made for this precision sport. It's basically an Anschutz target rifle with a new action that allows for faster operation and quicker mag changes and is light enough and compact enough to carry and use across a course where you are shooing from a lot of various positions and as far as accuracy, well it's an Anschutz.

I’m thinking rimfire bench shooting at 50 yards with a scoped rifle.

[North Country Gal]

I suspect you have plenty of rifles right now for 50 yard rimfire bench shooting with a scope. Just a matter of getting the most accuracy you can with each type of rimfire action.

In our house Anschutz and CZ bolt guns rule with a few of our single shot Winchester 1885s and TC single shots in the mix.

Then it's the various lever guns and autos with some of these getting close to where our bolt guns start for accuracy. I actually have just as much fun pushing these to get there.

And then there's my specialty pistol rimfires, my TC and Anschutz rimfire handguns. These are a bit more demanding as far as technique, but they will deliver bolt rifle accuracy.

And don't forget the air guns. While 50 yard shooting requires days of excellent shooting conditions with no wind, these can deliver amazing accuracy at those distances. At 30 yards or less, some of these will outshoot a lot of rimfires. If you want to practice your rimfire paper punching over the winter, get set up indoors for 10 meter indoor shooting and log your scores. It can be every bit as challenging as 50 yard outdoor shooting.

[Sir Henry]

I suspect you have plenty of rifles right now for 50 yard rimfire bench shooting with a scope. Just a matter of getting the most accuracy you can with each type of rimfire action.

In our house Anschutz and CZ bolt guns rule with a few of our single shot Winchester 1885s and TC single shots in the mix.

Then it's the various lever guns and autos with some of these getting close to where our bolt guns start for accuracy. I actually have just as much fun pushing these to get there.

And then there's my specialty pistol rimfires, my TC and Anschutz rimfire handguns. These are a bit moire demanding as far as technique, but they will deliver bolt rifle accuracy.

And don't forget the air guns. While 50 yard shooting requires days of excellent shooting conditions with no wind, these can deliver amazing accuracy at those distances. At 30 yards or less, some of these will outshoot a lot of rimfires.

I’m still in the minor leagues compared to you and only have a few CZs that I can claim as accurate. Still I like to beat my own handicap.

[North Country Gal]

Understand, completely. I only compete against myself.

You also do impressive work with some of those Henrys.

[Sir Henry]

Understand, completely. I only compete against myself.

You also do impressive work with some of those Henrys.

I have done some fantastic shooting with them then the next day can’t hit the side of a barn.

[North Country Gal]

You might try offering something to the shooting gods before you shoot, maybe a piece of pizza or something. Just a thought.

[BrokenolMarine]

I wouldn't say so. It depends on what you are practicing for. If you aren't planning to compete in bullseye, and just shooting to keep your skills up, you should be good. Worried your accuracy might be hurting, move back a bit, shoot at the smaller targets.

The important thing is you are shooting often. Even shooting at spinners and reactive targets at close range is working the trigger control, sight alignment, and sight picture. There are those who are excellent shots on paper when they have all day to make the one shot, but can't shoot a reactive turning target, can't hit falling plates because they can't move from one target to the next and can't develop the rythm to shoot swinging targets to make the keep swinging. It's why I shoot paper, steel, pins, plates, and balls I toss onto the range to roll around. I hope to be back on the range soon and shooting again. Good on you for shooting as much as you do.

[Sir Henry]

I wouldn't say so. It depends on what you are practicing for. If you aren't planning to compete in bullseye, and just shooting to keep your skills up, you should be good. Worried your accuracy might be hurting, move back a bit, shoot at the smaller targets.

The important thing is you are shooting often. Even shooting at spinners and reactive targets at close range is working the trigger control, sight alignment, and sight picture. There are those who are excellent shots on paper when they have all day to make the one shot, but can't shoot a reactive turning target, can't hit falling plates because they can't move from one target to the next and can't develop the rythm to shoot swinging targets to make the keep swinging. It's why I shoot paper, steel, pins, plates, and balls I toss onto the range to roll around. I hope to be back on the range soon and shooting again. Good on you for shooting as much as you do.

Thanks.

[Bake]

Anytime you're on the line is good trigger time. Now, having said that, I believe if you shoot competition, you should practice your event.
In my case, when I became involved in trap shooting, I shot my first match without practice, and shot a low score of 60, three months later, I won my class, and a Class "C" Belt Buckle with a perfect 100. The key was shooting from the 16 yard line at least 100 shots, three times a week.

I do have an advantage over a lot of the shooters that I compete against, I suffer from OCD and I'm superstitious, but I do change my underwear on Match Day . . .

[fortyshooter]

I save the paper for trying out a new gun or load. After that it is steel fun!

[cooperhawk]

I have executed hundreds of wood chucks when I lived in Northern Virginia. We shot in orchards, horse and dairy pastures at the invite of the owners. I have a 220 Swift that is deadly.
I started shooting skeet forty years ago and it took a while before I scored my first 25, but now I have many patches of 25 and 50 straight.
Unfortunately I have gotten old and have shoulder problems so I can't shoot the leagues anymore, but I do occasionally shoot a round just to keep my eye in the game.
I never did shoot much trap but a couple of years ago a friend wanted to shoot a round with me, and I warned him that I had probably shot maybe 10 rounds in my life, but he just grinned and started shooting. He shot 15 and I shot 23. He accused me of lying to him.
I used to shoot pistol competition but now with arthritis in my hands I don't do much of that anymore either.
.22s are Ok but the bigger stuff isn't.
Getting old is a bitch.