Humble beginning makes life great, your about to go to work. Try several types of ammo and save that brass. Reloading is in your future...
F-Class participation?
- Thread starter Erud
- Start date
Humble beginning makes life great, your about to go to work. Try several types of ammo and save that brass. Reloading is in your future...
Hah. You did great. I know it didn't feel that way. It didn't feel that way to the experienced shooters either.
Here is the wind chart from yesterday. We started shooting a little after 9. I think we were finished at 1 or 2. There were fish tailing headwinds, switches to near full value, and nasty let offs. Plus there was complete cloud cover, no mirage. Not really beginner conditions. The good news is, it is often like that over there.
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I had the opposite situation at my first registered f-class(600 ftr) a month ago.
I shot a score I was thrilled with and thought might even put me up in at least the middle of the ftr pack(570)
The results just got posted and apparently the conditions were so easy that I was still just about last.
I had the opposite situation at my first registered f-class(600 ftr) a month ago.
I shot a score I was thrilled with and thought might even put me up in at least the middle of the ftr pack(570)
The results just got posted and apparently the conditions were so easy that I was still just about last.
Still waiting for the results from Saturday to be posted but I figure it's inevitable that I'm last by a mile.
These last post bring up another factor that may entice new shooters to stick around. That is the awarding of class winners if the shooter count in any particular classification is high enough. At Palo Alto we give out medal for overall winner and first in each classification if we have enough shooters in that class....so a 570-xx may get a medal if he/she beats two or three others in their classification. An under attended match may not allow but many times we have enough participation to give out such awards.
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I've been last by 15 in a 40 shot match.
In other matches this year I've not been last because I beat :
- a kid, not junior, a child
- an old,old man who tottered to the line
- somebody's wife who shoots once or twice a year
Victory!
I've been last by 15 in a 40 shot match.
In other matches this year I've not been last because I beat :
- a kid, not junior, a child
- an old,old man who tottered to the line
- somebody's wife who shoots once or twice a year
Victory!
I feel better already.
But remember, you beat EVERYONE to scared to show up!!!!
I had the opposite situation at my first registered f-class(600 ftr) a month ago.
I shot a score I was thrilled with and thought might even put me up in at least the middle of the ftr pack(570)
The results just got posted and apparently the conditions were so easy that I was still just about last.
A 570 is a great score for your first time out. Shoot another 570 next time and you'll make the NRA Expert classification if you are shooting NRA sanctioned events.
There's nothing wrong with being at or near the bottom. My buddies and I are finally starting to win our share of F-Class matches after several years of work and improvement. But we're also branching out to other shooting disciplines where we are at or near the bottom.
That's one secret: bring some other newbies with you. You won't all finish last.
I do notice how close I am from the bottom, but in new shooting sports, I focus more on how I'm improving, and what I need to do differently in my next match to keep improving. It usually comes down to 1 or 2 fundamentals and shooting more often.
" It usually comes down to 1 or 2 fundamentals and shooting more often."
Well said,Your last sentence speaks volumes . Getting out to the range is what it's all about.
I guess that wasn't me then. I'm an old, old man and I totter to the line, but I won my last couple of F-Class matches.
My shooting experience so far is much different than other sports. It seems that almost everyone who shoots matches regularly is very good.
Years ago I was the BEST player in a 48 man company golf league with a 39 average. The lower half it was arguable if they were playing golf at all!
39 and 570 probably aren't much different relative to elite performance.
My bowling league has gone to 100% handicap so who wins has nothing to do with who is the better bowler, just who has the better night relative to their own average.
DE-F-Open
Gold $$ Contributor
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Obviously winning is fun - everyone likes to win.
The only question is how do you define "winning"?
Being at the range is the best part. Being with other shooters is good too. But don't go to beat others (that will come of its own accord, eventually) - go to beat yourself. No matter how good you are or you might become, you can always get better.
We all have our good days and our bad days - but if you are there to compete against yourself, you will get better. Treat every match as practice for the next match. If you win, so much the better. But if you beat yourself, improve upon your last score or your season's average, then it's a good day at the range.
And, after all, a safe and productive day at the range always beats a great day at work...
Go, have fun, meet new people, learn new things - but most of all, have fun.
And remember, if it was easy everybody would do it - and if it was easy it probably wouldn't be worth doing...
And don't forget to bring a new shooter to the range with you....
Good luck!
John
Showing up, or having the privilege of being able to show up, is a win in my book. Last, first, in the middle.....I am having a good life if I can make it to a match. Just remember...if you cross shoot at least give the affected shooter an X
. All good in my bookAll depends on the people you are shooting with. Went to my first match ever in Sept on a whim.
Match1: 189-3x (hey I can do this!)
Match2: 196-5x (this is easy! Master rating here I come!)
Match3: 165-3x (oh- I do have to pay attn. to the wind-completely missed a huge let off, and got a zero for one shot)
Came in last with a 550.
In that third match, my scorer noticed me paying attention to a wind flag that was not important as another. He suggested a different one, and I immediately shot better. After the match, I was able to pick the brains of some of the experienced guys, and they could not have been more helpful. Spent a lot of time with me. Was such a great experience and good time, I flew back out for their last match in November and did not come in last with a 570-11x Point is, had those guys not been as helpful, I don't think I would have pursued it further. Already thinking about how to get down to Malabar this winter!
Good to hear that others offered help and suggestions. I have had similar experiences and have made competing that much more enjoyable. Hope you can make it down to Malabar. Great range and even better people. One of their best matches is the OBR. http://www.orangeblossomregional.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/2018-OBR-Match-ProgramATCv2.pdf
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