Ever feel disconnected with other shooters ?

[swd]

Being an F Class shooter and having a friends introduce you to new “gun friends that target shoot” only to find out they shoot paper plates at 25 and 50 yards with an AR15 off the bench and then call that Benchrest shooting..

 

[rockhound78]

Definitely. I shoot cast bullets a lot and usually get that they aren't accurate(takes a little work), will lead your barrel, ect. I usually show them my targets or tell them to look down the barrel and tell me where the leading is. Usually they just mumble and walk off.

A few will ask questions and I will answer what I can. I think I am the only caster in our club of about 400. I have a 38-55 on a P-14 action and had a338 WM that would put many a non-benchrest rifle to shame.

 

[SEM]

I have partially crawled in to a hole (retiring'ish) the disconnect is warming, I know a few real reloaders, More like real ammo or brass crafters, And enjoy not explaining my day away, With a very short sentence we can explain and understand "ya know what I mean" and "what the hell for you gonna do that for" means, "cause I wanna" I just wish it did not mean... Crap now I have to try that cartridge, Means go the the gun shop buy another what ever, dies and supplies for whatever maybe a mold too for fun shootin......... whatever.... LOL OP thanks for the distract (disconnect)

 

[mousegunner]

I have a plain Jane AR carbine M4 type but then I see guys showing up with bell and whistle accessories tricked out ARs and I feel poor. When they start to shoot man sized groups at 100 yards I feel more disconnected but in a good way. I'll take my MOA carbine and sub MOA NM service AR and shoot my small groups with a smile.

 

[brokeasajoke]

Another place I feel disconnected is church. Shouldn't be that way but, when all us guys congregate before or after service the talk is always sports, sports, and more sports. These guys are so enthusiastic about watching other people play a game. They call the players by their first names and know all the facts and statistics. For me, it's less than zero interest. I mean, I simply do not get it. It just doesn't penetrate. Like water off a duck's back.

Ya know, the thought occurs to me...well let me see if I can explain it.

By far, most people spend their every-day leisure time watching “television.” In quote because, yeah I know nobody watches broadcast TV or even cable any more, it's all some kind of internet streaming. I think the fact that they're watching these highly popular series like “The Punisher” or “The Mandilorian” or the zombie stuff is a big factor in their interest in guns. These cultural things form their attitudes and perceptions, their interests. That's why you see AR15s at the range with logos from these TV shows on them. Skulls, space-man helmets, and zombies. Quotes like “This Is The Way” (somebody had to explain that one to me). But this is nothing new, the old Dirty Harry movies caused a run on S&W Model 29s and the ranges filled up with guys wearing sun glasses and leather jackets who would fire three rounds, two of them with a massive flinch, and then leave.

Video games too. People at the range with all the “Army” gear.

If it wasn't for popular culture maybe many of these guys would not own a gun at all. Same with concealed carry. Instructors promote training on social media, people see it and a small percentage of them go Oh, I can do that? Carry a gun? And there's a whole concealed carry culture...that doesn't necessarily involve regular practice...

Not saying any of this is bad. More gun owners is a good thing. It's just that most of them are people I wouldn't ordinarily dovetail with so to speak, hence the feeling of disconnection.

I hate sports unless it is motorsports but at this stage in my life I can't afford a hotrod/sports car and I'm the only one I know of at work or my church that is really into firearms so quietly I sit and listen about football nonsense. There was one guy who used to talk guns a a lot but his idea of testing loads we loaded up was just shooting at a steel plate with a spray painted dot about 2" wide at 100yds with his 6.5cm. I just thought to my self "nothing accomplished in taking all the time to reload those carefully ant meticulously.

 

[Just Say Moe]

Disconnected? Sure. Take a look at Long range hunting forum. These guys construct expensive rifles with short carbon fiber barrels with suppressors. They buy 6.5PRC et al of multiple brands and bullet weights by the case at $80/box and proceed to fling bullets at 600+ yards at animals.

 

[Chiquita]

Some of my friends think that my reloading and the fancy equipment is very cool and out of this world that I produce custom made ammo, and I explain why I reload.

They ask "WOW, so you can control the quality and precision of the ammo?"

"Yup you can" I tell them.

But I don't tell them that "I" can't shoot side of a barn at 25yards.

 

[AccelR8]

I have a plain Jane AR carbine M4 type but then I see guys showing up with bell and whistle accessories tricked out ARs and I feel poor. When they start to shoot man sized groups at 100 yards I feel more disconnected but in a good way. I'll take my MOA carbine and sub MOA NM service AR and shoot my small groups with a smile.

I go to a monthly shooting thing a couple counties over. One time I was shooting a plain M4 carbine with a carry handle, nothing more than A2-style iron sights. Others had Aimpoints, ACOGS, EOTechs. Instructor would ask what's your zero. Some guys would reply I don't know...? We did this thing where the entire line of shooters each fired one round, one shooter at a time, at a steel silhouette target. Miss and you're eliminated. Then we'd back up 50 yards and do it again. Last round was at 200 yards, fired from any position you choose, prone, standing, whatever. Everyone fires until everyone is eliminated. Guess who the last man standing was. Well, actually kneeling.

Couple months later a guy comes to me and says, I want you to know you really inspired me. I'm like me? Seriously? Says yeah. You hit that steel from 200 yards with plain old carry handle sights. Now this was some years ago but IIRC I told him well actually, shooting M194 you can pretty much shoot point-of-aim, point-of-impact from 50 to 200 yards. Just hold on the head at 200, center of mass for everything else and you'll get hits. At least that's what I do. It's no great feat.

Now on the other hand I shoot Service Rifle at Camp Perry and I'm a solid middle of the pack shooter. Each year I tell people half the shooters shot better than me. So I guess how we place depends on the venue!

 

[hpshooter]

Anyone else tend to find themselves being a tad bit "disconnected" ?

I have two small circles of truly close friends, one is comprised of shooters who are competition and reloading savvy, the other is made up off owners of older British and Italian motorcycles and most also love 60's vintage muscle cars.

Personally, I don't mind being disconnected (not to the point of being rude) from those who don't understand the allure of shooting paper, competing with firearms and wrenching on 30's-60's technology based machinery. "If you have to explain it to them they won't understand anyway."

Just this morning at the local Hardee's 3 of us had a 45 minute discussion on shoulder bumping, annealing and neck lubing and I am getting ready to go through my boxes of used Norton parts to get a barn find back on the road.

Being disconnected suites me fine.

 

[M-61]

It’s a strange world. Years ago I knew and shot with some really knowledgeable guys. I learned a lot.
Great range. Shot in a Super Shoot in some place called Wapwallopen Pa., ( maybe 1976?)so I was into it. I move and I’ve managed to somehow and somewhat unfortunately outlive my friends. Today I do belong to a ‘club’. I’m the only BR shooter. Almost everyone is a meat hunter, which is fine.
However the only folks I communicate with regarding reloading never mind short range BR is well…. Nonexistent. I find this site. A gold mine for me as a few members and I actually talk on the phone. Became friends. I see that fading also due to some posts starting with an expert opinion, not to be questioned. Some start with ‘everyone I know does…whatever.’ Sort of like an exclusive club and how dare anyone have a different procedure. Then the political posts being slammed shut. So now talking about the people who wish to halt the only sport I’m interested in …well becomes halted. Sort of like ‘Let’s see what they’ll do to us next’
Shooting by myself isn’t bad. My access to further my skills is reduced to zero. But I’m still shooting so I’ll end my rant.

 

[Pawnee Bill]

Another place I feel disconnected is church. Shouldn't be that way but, when all us guys congregate before or after service the talk is always sports, sports, and more sports. These guys are so enthusiastic about watching other people play a game. They call the players by their first names and know all the facts and statistics. For me, it's less than zero interest. I mean, I simply do not get it. It just doesn't penetrate. Like water off a duck's back.

Ya know, the thought occurs to me...well let me see if I can explain it.

By far, most people spend their every-day leisure time watching “television.” In quote because, yeah I know nobody watches broadcast TV or even cable any more, it's all some kind of internet streaming. I think the fact that they're watching these highly popular series like “The Punisher” or “The Mandilorian” or the zombie stuff is a big factor in their interest in guns. These cultural things form their attitudes and perceptions, their interests. That's why you see AR15s at the range with logos from these TV shows on them. Skulls, space-man helmets, and zombies. Quotes like “This Is The Way” (somebody had to explain that one to me). But this is nothing new, the old Dirty Harry movies caused a run on S&W Model 29s and the ranges filled up with guys wearing sun glasses and leather jackets who would fire three rounds, two of them with a massive flinch, and then leave.

Video games too. People at the range with all the “Army” gear.

If it wasn't for popular culture maybe many of these guys would not own a gun at all. Same with concealed carry. Instructors promote training on social media, people see it and a small percentage of them go Oh, I can do that? Carry a gun? And there's a whole concealed carry culture...that doesn't necessarily involve regular practice...

Not saying any of this is bad. More gun owners is a good thing. It's just that most of them are people I wouldn't ordinarily dovetail with so to speak, hence the feeling of disconnection.

This reminds me of a saying I heard long, long ago, "small things for small minds".

 

[JB10]

The guy who got me into reloading barely taught me anything. I had to do lots of research myself and found several things he showed me were wrong for accuracy. After that my eyes opened that all he knew was mass production on his Dillon's and never loaded for accuracy. I started to try and teach him some things i picked up. He did not care to listen. When out at range with him and im shooting tiny groups and he is not all he says is hes just not that good....

 

[Bronsin]

Yes, but I don't concern myself much with it. I'm mainly shooting SRBR and usually when I get to the range there's a bunch of guys all shooting braked AR's and Magnums at 100yds. I just do my thing and ignore them. It used to be that shooting a muzzle brake at the bench would make you persona non-grata, but times change I guess.

It's better to find a group of like-minded shooters that you can converse with. I go to a monthly club shoot, and even though I haven't been there that many times, they greet me like ive been a lifetime member. We have a good time and spend most of it ribbing each other and trading insults lol. I have learned a lot in short period and they have been extremely helpful in bringing me up to speed.

 

[std7mag]

My wife & family for the most part bear with me on reloading & guns in general.
Most of my friends hunt.
While i like shooting in matches, i use it more as a training tool to help my shooting for when i'm hunting.
Don't get me wrong, i like to win when i compete at things.
But my mentality is different when i go to a match. I'm there to learn, meet people, relax and have a good time.

I have one friend that reloads. His grandfather taught him.
The manuals of the day taught him.
They reload for hunting rifles only.
All their pistol ammo is commercially bought. And only because they are afraid of getting sued IF they ever have to use their pistol.

 

[dunraven]

Couldn't have been much prouder than when an army sniper asked me to work up a load for his 6.5, and asked me to show him how to reload.

 

[perazziguy]

Being an F Class shooter and having a friends introduce you to new “gun friends that target shoot” only to find out they shoot paper plates at 25 and 50 yards with an AR15 off the bench and then call that Benchrest shooting..

Sounds similar to my neighbor. He and his family have asked to shoot at our place(I have a dirt back stop). They wanted to shoot their carry pistols for practice and that's fine. I finally finished my concrete pad and bench last year. It is 200 yards. He asked me at work how far it was and said " really?" He has an AR and was shooting it about 20 or 30 steps farther than the carry pistols.

 

[Gargoyle]

Being an F Class shooter and having a friends introduce you to new “gun friends that target shoot” only to find out they shoot paper plates at 25 and 50 yards with an AR15 off the bench and then call that Benchrest shooting..

You got to laugh now, after the fact...I had a similar experience. I scored a 900yd private airstrip to shoot on, bring a guy that says he's interested in shooting long range. He wants to set up at 60-80yds and shoot his octagonal barrel 45-70s. I find a lot of folks that buy guns only to talk a big game, but never really play.

 

[6.5 forever]

Couldn't have been much prouder than when an army sniper asked me to work up a load for his 6.5, and asked me to show him how to reload.

We're you able to gain any shooting knowledge from him in return?

 

[Longtrain]

Well ! How about being a F/Open Shooter and using Remington Actions ?
I like your term "Disconnected".

Me and my 40X action resemble that remark .
I have a relative, (by marriage), who is planning for the end of the world. He has more “tacti-cool” rifles, with more do-dads hanging off the barrels, scopes and what-nots. He can’t wait to show me the newest member of the family. Ammo, ammo you say? 9mm, 223, 308, 450 Bushmaster, 12 ga, thousands upon thousands of rounds…that he’ll never shoot or know how.
Never or rarely goes to a range, glad I’m always busy when that comes up. Yeah, I’m very disconnected from this kind of shooter.

 

[Gargoyle]

Me and my 40X action resemble that remark .
I have a relative, (by marriage), who is planning for the end of the world. He has more “tacti-cool” rifles, with more do-dads hanging off the barrels, scopes and what-nots. He can’t wait to show me the newest member of the family. Ammo, ammo you say? 9mm, 223, 308, 450 Bushmaster, 12 ga, thousands upon thousands of rounds…that he’ll never shoot or know how.
Never or rarely goes to a range, glad I’m always busy when that comes up. Yeah, I’m very disconnected from this kind of shooter.

You say that now, but when SHTF, you'll be glad you're "Family". Bwahahaha!