Getting tired of the equiptment race.

[lrgoodger]

In factory class at the varmint shoots, all are on equal footing equipment wise. I went to my first match with an off the shelf Remmy 700 varminter 223 three years ago and won it. I was hooked. I'll admit, getting into the custom class with the ability to win cost some bucks, but I love it.

The best part has been getting my wife to finally go to a match and watch. When she saw the other ladies competing there, she told me, "If they can do it, I can do it!" That cost me a LOT of money, but now we spend more time together talking and driving back and forth to the matches than we did in years. It's been worth every penny. ---Ron

 

[Mark Walker in TX]

Anyone in this thread own a boat?

Anyone ever buy snow skiing equipment?

How about guitars and amps?

Maybe golf clubs?

You think any of the above hold their value any better than gun stuff?

 

[Raythemanroe]

Anyone in this thread own a boat?

Anyone ever buy snow skiing equipment?

How about guitars and amps?

Maybe golf clubs?

You think any of the above hold their value any better than gun stuff?

A computer, even Archery equipment is outdated in a year or two...Rifles other then calibers tend to hold a good value for a used item.. Nightforce seems to bring a close to new price when sold so the initial cost is the only downfall....

Ray

 

[Dgd6mm]

I like shooting all disciplines. I put rifles together, and try to equal thier accuracy with my skills. The dollars I spend on equipment depends on what I think I need to shoot well against myself. I always enjoy it when I meet or exceed my expectations, if I end up ahead of someone else, that is just a bonus. At the end of the day, I rejoice knowing I had fun shooting and fellowshipping. As far as the equipment race goes, I don't need anything bigger, better, or badder to achieve this.... Having fun at the range..... 8)

 

[Chief 101]

To a point I think its a mental thing. Will you shoot better with a $2500 NF vs a $1000 leupold? Nope, its just nicer. At the end of the day its bullets and barrels. JMO.

could be at the end of the day it's the shooter

 

[dragman]

I have had a lot of toys and played a lot of different games and honestly the shooting game is the CHEAPEST of them! If you buy used and look and search before you buy you can save tons! In the end if you have decent equipment and you loose to the guy with all the newest fancy stuff just except that you got out shot and let it go. Cuz if you spend 5k to equal him its gonna hurt even worse when you pull a shot that had nothing to do with your gear.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Anyone in this thread own a boat?

Anyone ever buy snow skiing equipment?

How about guitars and amps?

Maybe golf clubs?

You think any of the above hold their value any better than gun stuff?

So true, I think this is one of the cheapest hobbies there is. When your done you can sell your equipment and probably get what you paid if you've had it for a few years. I see NF Br scopes selling used for about $50-100 less than I paid new. I thought about upgrading my bow this year untill I found out its worth about 10% of what I have into it.

 

[ridgeway]

I really don't see an "equipment race" You can take a 20 year old Panda action, throw a rig together that cost less than a factory Remington and win with it. The equipment end is more mental than anything else and CAN be done on a budget.

The needing a NF Comp is utter non sense...there are many other scopes out there that are competitive! The demise of the NF 12-42 NSX is ridiculous...wonder who at NF came up with that brainy idea? The only thing the NF comp has going for it is the weight, period.

If you want an equipment race, get into any type of racing. RC, MX, sprints, late models...

 

[ShootDots]

As long as barrel steels and the technology they use to make better barrels continues, I am thankful.. The same with bullets and powder. When Berger came out with the Hybrids, life became easier and more fun. When Hodgdon's came out with "Extreme" powders, I loved it... Now we have Brux, Krieger, Bartlein and Rock Creek making the finest barrels ever to come down the pike... So I say HOO-RAH for the advancements!

I just "Broke-in" a Krieger 6mmBR barrel this morning and began some preliminary tests using H4350. The barrel broke in, in 2 shots! I remember 20+ years ago when Shilen and Lilja "ruled the barrel roost" and it took a whole day to break those masterpieces in! Now, I broke the barrel in AND started on some load development!! Like I said, keep the barrels, bullets and powder on a techno arc and I will be a happy camper!!

 

[bheadboy]

HAVING THE MONEY TO BUY ANYTHING YOU WANT AND DOING IT IS FINE---

AS LONG AS YOU RECOGNISE , ACCEPT, CHERRISH AND NUTURE THE THINGS YOU CAN NOT BUY.

Bob

 

[jonbearman]

Very well said Bob!

 

[Keith Glasscock]

I've been a tight-budget shooter for a long time. I don't live in the equipment race. For the most part, I buy second-hand equipment and do well with it.

A great example is my F/TR rifle. I have a Krieger barrel on it, and it just goes down-hill from there. The action is a used Savage 110. The action is original except I had the bolt face flattened off. I have an old broken-down SSS trigger on it, and it breaks at ~1.5 lbs. The scope is a second-hand Sightron 8-32 with 1/4 moa adjustments. The stock, a Stockade fiberglass job that I have modified as I went along in order to get the best out of the rifle. It is painted with rattle-can green paint that I think matches my lawn-mower. I do have a nice, center-shot bipod. I bought that new. It didn't create a significant change in my scores, but it is nice. I use Winchester brass that I torture myself, and I shoot Berger bullets with Tula primers and Varget. It is competitive at every match I attend (although I let it down on a regular basis) winning more than its fair-share of matches. As you can see from the list, I haven't got a ton of money in this rifle.

Now, why is there an equipment race? I like nice things as much as the next guy, but I don't think $5000 for a new rifle is going to make any significant change in my match performance. As I have started in F-open this year, I did spend a bit of cash on a new, custom rifle. To my dismay, it shoots exactly like my old Savage; it's just prettier doing it.

 

[hogpatrol]

I'm still trying to figure out how I shot all my deer over all the previous years without an official bone corrector accessory.

 

[ShootDots]

I'm still trying to figure out how I shot all my deer over all the previous years without an official bone corrector accessory.

That's an easy one HogPatrol! You shot, not a "bone corrector" accessory, BUT a "bone crushing" accessory, called a "good bullet"!! LOL!!

 

[hogpatrol]

I'm still trying to figure out how I shot all my deer over all the previous years without an official bone corrector accessory.

That's an easy one HogPatrol! You shot, not a "bone corrector" accessory, BUT a "bone crushing" accessory, called a "good bullet"!! LOL!!

;D Yeah. Who would've thought you could take something as innocuous as deer hunting and make it in to a multi-million dollar gotta have accessory business. Now let's see, where'd I put my grunt call, rangefinder, windicator, scentblock gloves, c'mere deer pellets, combo knife/saw,skinning kit, cough suppressor, video camera and ultralight titanium limb, tritium illuminated fiber optic sighted, Inconel released "bow"? But, hey, that's progress, right?

 

[madderg]

Shooting and golf are very similar in that you really can't beat the game...you just try to beat YOUR best score and be happy with the experience. Good shooting, Gary

 

[butchlambert]

Jim,
I agree with you. The equipment race is what you make it.

 

[6BRinNZ]

Some disciplines have a greater equipment drive than others....I took my varminter in 6br and shot it for two seasons in FO before I changed equipment...that experience drive me towards FTR. When I built my FTR rig the new NF 2013 comp came out...I didn't bother, I went with the proven 8-32 NXS, I didn't need better glass or greater magnification....I sure didn't need to feel better just because I had the latest.

In NZ we are switching over to electronic targets and this has irked me. I now have to look at the best device for presenting the shot to me. The screen can't be too shiny (or you can't see anything in sunlight), it needs to be large, handle wet and dry conditions, robust if dropped and large enough to show the whole target as it is a major pain to stop and expand to see where your shot went and finally older eyes don't handle switching from looking afar to near so good. I can see this being another equipment race (akin to optics) as electronics often have real improvements which will become important in displaying the shot.

 

[Snuggie]

At almost 64 I've had lots of nice toys. Want to get expensive, buy Harley. I came back to the sport I learned first from my dad, shooting. I've gotten hooked on F Class and have spent a bundle.....but....the friendships that I've made and the fun I have is worth it. We are competitive by nature, that is a given. I have to say that this keeps me young!!! I'm just a kid having fun!! Regards to all, Snuggie. 8)

 

[6BRinNZ]

Jim,
I agree with you. The equipment race is what you make it.

This is only true to a point. I think Jim has been through a couple of high quality rests before he settled on one. The big question is - if a new quality rest came out that offered on paper realistic improvements would he try it or not?