Sling Shooters please

[Bob3700]

We're supposed to clean our barrels? Guess I need to quit dragging my knuckles long enough to try that . . . .

Bolt Carrier group, that's a different animal all together. . . . .

Bolt Carrier group, what's that ? I thought the bolt carrier was my right hand

 

[1lnbrdg]

Bolt Carrier group, what's that ? I thought the bolt carrier was my right hand

And your knuckles must be worn down smooth

 

[marty dabney]

Corning,
You can get to M and HM on ur own but how long will it take? You will plateau somewhere in that Expert/Master area and hopefully not get discouraged.
A good coach/ teacher will have u breeze thru those classifications. Just look at some of the juniors who go distinguished in their first or second year. Some one is working with them and showing them the right things to do.
U can read books n articles and spend a year pursuing a technique or position that does not work for u. A good coach or better shooter would help u past that hurdle quickly.
The school of hard knocks n experience isn't bad, it just takes time n someone who knows enough to learn from their mistakes. Not always easy to do!

i was one of the fortunate ones. my first classification was master having never fired XTC and made HM shortly after that. i think with XTC anyway, the average shooter can land Master or even HM with just trigger time. where i can really see a need for a coach is in wind reading. i think a coach,book, DVD or YouTube video can only take you so far. talent or at least a knack for shooting is still needed to perform the task that the coach ask of you. my opinion is only related to XTC as that's all i know how to do

 

[Bob3700]

And your knuckles must be worn down smooth

There is very little that I have that is not worn smooth!!!!!!!!!!

 

[loud_noise]

Yep
Fullbore Target rifle

 

[Jeff Hague]

Hi Friends,
Another thread in this forum got me thinking about doing a little research. Question: How many current sling shooters are active on this site? If you don't mind please check in by listing the sling discipline(s) you compete in:
Across the course
Midrange prone
Longrange prone (incl. Palma/Fullbore)
Smallbore prone
Smallbore 3P/4P
Thanks!

Mid-Range Prone
Long Range including Fullbore and Palma

 

[Jeff T]

Hi Friends,
Another thread in this forum got me thinking about doing a little research. Question: How many current sling shooters are active on this site? If you don't mind please check in by listing the sling discipline(s) you compete in:
Across the course
Midrange prone
Longrange prone (incl. Palma/Fullbore)
Smallbore prone
Smallbore 3P/4P
Thanks!

Mid range
Long range

 

[cfreeman]

XTC Service Rifle
Mid Range
Long Range - Palma/Fullbore
Smallbore Prone

 

[Longtrain]

Mid-Range and Long Range, 223AI, 6BR and 6 Dasher FWIW

 

[baydawg]

i was one of the fortunate ones. my first classification was master having never fired XTC and made HM shortly after that. i think with XTC anyway, the average shooter can land Master or even HM with just trigger time. where i can really see a need for a coach is in wind reading. i think a coach,book, DVD or YouTube video can only take you so far. talent or at least a knack for shooting is still needed to perform the task that the coach ask of you. my opinion is only related to XTC as that's all i know how to do

there is nothing average about a HM XTC shooter...

Here is why.

You can coach technique, and a lot of HM shooters are coached to that level. However, It takes mental toughness, wind reading, preparedness and attention to detail is what it really takes to push over that goal!!

 

[baydawg]

XTC Service Rifle
Mid Range
Long Range - Palma/Fullbore
Smallbore Prone

Hi Captain...I mean Major... ; )

chris whitney

 

[marty dabney]

there is nothing average about a HM XTC shooter...

Here is why.

You can coach technique, and a lot of HM shooters are coached to that level. However, It takes mental toughness, wind reading, preparedness and attention to detail is what it really takes to push over that goal!!

I would group wind reading into the "learned skills". that can be coached. the act of shooting Master/ Highmaster scores are in the reach of the average shooter. it goes back to the old saying of if you can shoot a 10, you can shoot another. i believe you can do that mostly with trigger time alone. i agree that the hold back for most shooters shooting those scores is the mental toughness. i think that's harder to learn because it falls back on the shooters own personal mind set. some people just can't handle the pressure no matter how hard they work at it. look at how many people choke in a leg match. they have the ability to shoot a good score physically, but have a meltdown before they ever fire the first shot in offhand when points are on the line. then there are others who just breeze through Leg matches like it was nothing.

i would be curious to know how many shooters made High Master without coaching. i would wager to say that it was a majority of them.

 

[jnc288]

Across the course
Midrange prone
Longrange prone (incl. Palma/Fullbore)
Smallbore prone
Smallbore 3P/4P

 

[Erud]

The vast majority of the shooters I know (including HM's) have never had any coaching at all, unless they happened to shoot smallbore as a junior or something. I think that a little friendly advice along the way is about the most the average non-junior shooter can really expect.

 

[MarkTrew]

Smallbore prone
Smallbore 3P
MR& LR

MarkTrew

 

[Steffen Bunde]

I would not have made HM in mid range without the advise of some really good shooters. I am fortunate to live close to David Crandall and I have improved so much from shooting team matches while he coaches. His advice has helped me so much.
Another big thanks has to go to Ricky Hunt; if I see him staring at the wind flags, he is always willing to share what he sees.
People like these guys make the sport fun.
Lots of trigger time is great but if you have some bad habits all you are doing is reinforcing the same.
Long story short, having really good shooters willing to listen to my questions has gotten me where I am now.

 

[Bob3700]

I would not have made HM in mid range without the advise of some really good shooters. I am fortunate to live close to David Crandall and I have improved so much from shooting team matches while he coaches. His advice has helped me so much.
Another big thanks has to go to Ricky Hunt; if I see him staring at the wind flags, he is always willing to share what he sees.
People like these guys make the sport fun.
Lots of trigger time is great but if you have some bad habits all you are doing is reinforcing the same.
Long story short, having really good shooters willing to listen to my questions has gotten me where I am now.

I guess u have to define coaching!
If u mean a formal coach like in a youth league, then I would agree most earned HM on their own.
To me, coaching has come in many forms. Attending an AMU HP clinic was some excellent coaching that helped me out of a standing slump. 10 minutes on a Noptel with Norm Anderson n Grant Singley showed me what I was doing right n wrong. Scores jumped after that.
Having HM shooters explain n then show me errors in my position or rifle set-up was coaching.
Spending a weekend having one of the best long rang shooters explain n show me his wind reading techniques was coaching.
This can go on n on but the point is, all that activity was coaching. Would I have figured it out on my own with just trigger time? Maybe but perhaps not. Would have probably just gotten discouraged n just taken up golf!
Bob

 

[Bob3700]

Earning a HM card XC with a service rifle is quite an accomplishment. Very hard to do it alone.
The other difficult goal is Distinguished Rifleman. Tip ur hat to those shooters as they are true rifleman!

 

[sneakboxer]

XTC for me.

 

[dc.fireman]

Smallbore Prone
Midrange Prone/300M International
Precision Air Rifle