Rifle Matches -- What Are the Key Reasons We Compete?

[JEFFPPC]

If you will go to the Competition Forum and look at the Anderson Creek Sportsmen 200- and 300-yd match for Sat Aug 5, you will see a question posed to me by a reader of this website concerning why we compete. I am curious how fellow competitive shooters would answer the poster.

Forum Boss: The questioner specifically asked what level of accuracy is required to be "competitive". I would say that depends on the venue, the guys on the line, and the discipline:

"Just out of curiosity , what is competitive in a shoot such as this? I've never shot a match. Most of my targets breathe."

 

[jelenko]

For me, that's a great question.
Again, for me, it's both a formal 'record' of my skills that I've worked on in practice and a yardstick of how I'm doing vs others.

For me, both of those are important to me. To try to say why they are important is like asking why I breath. It's just important.

Years ago I competed on tennis teams. At times, someone would mention they are going out to just hit a tennis ball back and forth with someone - i.e., not playing a game, just hitting the ball. It made no sense to me why I would ever want to do that.

Same with shooting - it's the achieving and competing that is 'fun', not the sending of rounds downrange.

 

[Bc'z]

FELLOWSHIP

 

[ReedG]

Shooting better than fellow shooters is no different to me than any other competition. It simply means that on any given day, under a certain set of conditions, I did it right more often than they did. My real competition is, with every pull of the trigger, did I do the best I could under the circumstances. Even when I'm at the range alone, testing and/or practicing, every trigger pull in the wind and mirage is a challenge to do to perfection. And then to understand what happened when "perfection" wasn't achieved.

 

[Hntndad]

I go just to get my ass kicked by an 11yr old girl.. can’t have much more fun then that!

 

[rardoin]

For the pleasure of it.

 

[dsinfour]

It's you against that bullet that just left the barrel. Later

 

[outasite`08]

If you will go to the Competiotion forum and look at the Anderson Creek Sportsmen 200&300yd match for Sat Aug5 you will see a question posed to me by a reader of this website concerning why we compete. I am curios how fellow competitive shooters wouls answer the poster.

Jeff, I compete to test my skills against someone else. If I don`t win a match,then I have something to strive for. Like anything in life if you don`t have goals,you`re just riding the bench. Last match showed me I still have alot to strive for. And I agree with Bc`z ,I like to be with people that my interests. Another Jeff

 

[ronsatspokane]

Educational opportunities. Seems I get educated nearly every time I attend a match.

 

[KMart]

FELLOWSHIP

That about sums it up. Plus, shooting and golf are about the only sports where you and only you have control over winning and losing.

 

[LeoHuhta]

That was one of the stranger questions is have seen!
Competition should just be about improving your own abilities and having fun doing it.

 

[D-4297]

As human beings ; we are constantly "measuring" ourselves . Both against others , and against our own values , and standards . Competition of any type , gives us a yardstick by which we can determine how we measure up to those standards . Shooting is unique . It is one of the only sports where you do not have to go through any qualifying process to be able to compete in a National Championship , and potentially become a National Champion . Golf has "levels" of qualifications and , even the U.S.G.A. "Open" titles have requirements to qualify potential entries to the "Field" . One must have a Handicap of a certain performance level , to even be considered for entry .

The same holds true with the sport of Skydiving . A competitor must be a member of the U.S.P.A. and compete in , and "place" , in local and Regional Meets , and posess either a "C" or "D" License , before entry into the U.S.P.A. National Championships . Shooting is unique . But we do it because we enjoy doing it , and because "WE" as individuals want to know where we "stack up" , within the Herd .

 

[MikeMcCasland]

After shooting competitively, just going to the range for the sake of doing it feels meaningless, and frankly kinda boring.

Matches (and hopefully success/improvement) are the end goal.

 

[JEFFPPC]

That about sums it up. Plus, shooting and golf are about the only sports where you and only you have control over winning and losing.

Well, I must say I quit both archery and golf due to all the cheating. Kick the ball, nudge with your club, guys shoot 550 all winter indoors, go outdoors in their own little group they all shoot 580 to 590 or on the 3 d courses 5 in a group 5 to 8 arrow srikes audible every target. Glad to see all the replies. Those who pass on the shoots miss some great times.

 

[D Coots]

That about sums it up. Plus, shooting and golf are about the only sports where you and only you have control over winning and losing.

Obviously you didn't shoot registered group matches, unless you had control of better shooters. All you have to do is beat all of them.

Later
Dave

 

[Falfan2017]

Meet people, share knowledge, have fun and satisfy competitive drive.

 

[KMart]

Obviously you didn't shoot registered group matches, unless you had control of better shooters. All you have to do is beat all of them.

Later
Dave

My competitive shooting was in clay targets. If you don't miss and are the last man standing, you are the winner. Only you have control of that

 

[gdbleb]

As human beings ; we are constantly "measuring" ourselves . Both against others , and against our own values , and standards . Competition of any type , gives us a yardstick by which we can determine how we measure up to those standards . Shooting is unique . It is one of the only sports where you do not have to go through any qualifying process to be able to compete in a National Championship , and potentially become a National Champion . Golf has "levels" of qualifications and , even the U.S.G.A. "Open" titles have requirements to qualify potential entries to the "Field" . One must have a Handicap of a certain performance level , to even be considered for entry .

The same holds true with the sport of Skydiving . A competitor must be a member of the U.S.P.A. and compete in , and "place" , in local and Regional Meets , and posess either a "C" or "D" License , before entry into the U.S.P.A. National Championships . Shooting is unique . But we do it because we enjoy doing it , and because "WE" as individuals want to know where we "stack up" , within the Herd .

I recall the Skyvan Boogies back in the late 70's & early 80's with "The Herd". I always wondered whether that was a "D" from USPA. CCS-181

 

[CharlieNC]

While I like to win I am primarily competing against myself, for which a match is not necessary. So it comes down to enjoying the comradery of similar minded folks, which transcends just the act of shooting.

 

[338 Mollett]

Top level competitors in most things are motivated out of ego ,and vanity.