"I don't shoot paper"

[acloco]

At the annual fall "sight in" day, invariably, we have stories to tell.

Most recent, asked the gent if he has shot this rifle/scope combo before. Yep. Just want to check zero.

Replied, scope is mounted backwards. I KID YOU NOT!


SAME person, next rifle, have you shot this rifle/scope combo before. Yep, shot a big buck last year with it. Just need to check zero.

Upon firing the FIRST round, the scope JUMPED off of the rifle, did a triple Linde, and STUCK the landing on the concrete.

 

[BoydAllen]

There are people who only drive to get from A to B, and there are enthusiasts. The same is true of shooters. The silly part is those who have different goals disparaging one another. Ranges and political issues need the support of every sort of shooter, from the once a year guys to the two or three times a month types. IMO the most important are those who train youngsters in the basics of gun safety and marksmanship. All shooters have one important thing in common. They are not anti-gunners.

 

[wwbrown]

Last fall I was at my club getting a zero on my 6.5x47. Father and Son next to me were getting ready for the season. First hunt for this kid who's dad was having him shoot his 300wm.

It is never to early to learn a life long skill, in this case flinching.

 

[Rocketvapor]

I shoot often at a 100 yard range in the Honey Island Swamp open only on the weekends. Staffed with good RSOs. The wife and I are practicing for 600yd competitions. We usually go on Sunday mornings before the berm shooters show up. Some are "minute of man" is good enough.
If they seem to doing it safely I keep quite. It's the cross lane shooters I don't like.

 

[Bill Norris]

I do shoot at paper and enjoy it. I only have 100 yds. behind my shop but it is a nice little "hole" in the woods literally down to the swamp where I also hunt. I don't compete much at all but I do enjoy working up different loads and experimenting to some degree. Hopefully, it helps members here to maybe get a starting point to work from with their rifles as well.

 

[jds holler]

Over the years I've learned that the guys who can take their cold barrel deer rifle and nail a pop can at two hundred yards, are almost as rare as the guy who actually has a close friend or family member who has died of the Covid. And I'm talking from a rest.

I think we all need good off-hand practice at practical ranges, and even a gong/clanger at two hundred yards is fun and good practice. I've got a 16 incher that I hang out at longer ranges. One day I took the grand daughters out with some milsurp rifles, and the oldest, Briana, could stand off-hand with my Nazi Mauser and nail it about 3 out of 5 at two hundred yards.

Now, 200 yards isn't waaayyy out for a 16 inch gong, but for her first time with an open sight battle rifle -- I was pretty proud. jd

 

[GotRDid]

That's a great post.








And here, I thought you wuz just good for memes lol

And Cakes……



GotRDid.

 

[3Ackleys]

So seems about every other time I go to the public range I end up having the same conversation with some one. I'll be testing loads and pulling targets to have someone next to me look over and at my targets start talking about me shooting groups. I usually have to explain what I'm looking for in a good groups ( basically just saying most mean I want a clover leaf or all five under a 1" group @100yd) which usually seems to irk most deer hunters the wrong way .They'll poke their chests out and say something along the lines of " Well I don't shoot paper past zeroing ! I'm a hunter I shoot live game not targets!" Like what do y'all say to that ? I always just kinda shrug like "mmmmmkay that's neat." and go back to testing. Like I hunt and I'm sorry but to me the shots I see most average hunters make dont really fill me with a ton of admiration. Like I personally like to put my round exactly where I want as best as possible and most of these guys are perfectly happy if there within 4" of the bull @100yd so idk lol.

If they "shoot live game not targets" what are they doing at your range? Hunting?

 

[603Country]

Over the years, I’ve taught a bunch of folks, men and women, to shoot rifle and pistol. I enjoy it, and back when I went to a public range, I’d help anyone that asked. Unfortunately most of those folks at the range had cheap scopes on inaccurate rifles, so only so much help is possible. And you don’t want to criticize their gear.

Fun is sometimes possible. Years ago I was at a range in Houston. I always got there early to get my pick of benches. I was shooting my old Ruger 77V in 220 Swift, which was, and is, a marvelously accurate rifle. A young couple took the bench to my left, and the guy would shoot once, adjust the scope, shoot, adjust, and on and on. He let the cute girlfriend shoot, but I could see this wasn’t much fun for her. He kept giving shooting advice he wasn’t qualified to give. But then he went off to the bathroom. I asked the gal if she wanted to shoot a real accurate rifle that had very little kick. She did, shooting at the boyfriend’s target, and had a real tight 3 shot group. She was grinning ear to ear. I don’t think the boyfriend was quite as thrilled, but who cares.

I hated to go to the range right before hunting season. Too crowded. Bench after bench with poor shooters.

Got my own range now, here in the wilds of east central Texas.

 

[atombaum]

“You would if you could hit it.”

 

[ballisticdaddy]

Every post in this thread are reasons why I ended up living a little ways out of town so I can shoot on my own property at any time. The last time I was at a public range, my shooting buddy and I got there early so we can get a few decent spots on the line. About 10:30 that morning it started to get crowded and when I was finished shooting and went back to the table where all my shooting stuff was, a wise guy thought it was a great spot and moved all my stuff off the table and down in the dirt so he could setup.

 

[Adam in WI]

And Cakes……


View attachment 1344204
GotRDid.

Sooooo..... Can I start calling you Memecake?

 

[dellet]

There are people who only drive to get from A to B, and there are enthusiasts. The same is true of shooters. The silly part is those who have different goals disparaging one another. Ranges and political issues need the support of every sort of shooter, from the once a year guys to the two or three times a month types. IMO the most important are those who train youngsters in the basics of gun safety and marksmanship. All shooters have one important thing in common. They are not anti-gunners.

I think this is very important.

Being a “gun owner,” doesn’t automatically make someone “pro gun” or “ pro 2nd amendment”. People who own a rifle and or a shotgun and don’t shoot paper. Who only go to the range once a year, on free Hunter sight in day. Buy a box of ammo every year or so because two sighters and live shot or two, make a box last a few seasons. Really do not support the industry. They may not even really support the cause, the right to own firearms.

They are a pretty good pool of candidates ready for recruitment to the level of enthusiasts.

Last numbers I saw, suburban women were the fastest growing group of not only purchasers of firearms and related products, but also card carrying 2A advocates, who are most likely to vote. Recent elections also show they are running for office and winning, based on their hardcore stands defending a Constitutional Republic.

A group largely ignored as little as maybe 10 years ago.

Maybe stop to consider that the annoying character at the range, might be the deciding vote when closing the local range is on the ballot. That doesn’t mean a lesson in range safety or etiquette isn’t required, but how it’s delivered might just make a difference between having a “gun owner” or a “gun enthusiast” next to you at the range.

Like it or not, we’re all in this together. Might as well make the best of it.

 

[ebb]

I went with the wife to shoot while we were away at our property near Daytona FL. We went to the range in the Ocala National Forest, and when we pulled up the wife jumped out and started grabbing gear. I asked her to stop and get back in the truck and watch for a minute. I watched three very large guys practicing their quick draws with single action revolvers while the whole rest of the line was cold and down range changing targets. I asked a passer by if there was an RSO on duty and he said that at this range there was no such thing. We never left the truck and soon left. The wife asked why we were not going to shoot? I told her I had enough health problems without adding a colostomy bag to the list.

 

[BlueWater]

"I don't shoot paper."

I shoot paper 'til I get it right. As proof I've gotten it right.

Of course, I'm still shootin' paper, after all these years. I'm sure the deer are thankful. Constantly gettin' shot in the butt can't be pleasant.

 

[PRR1957]

I generally shoot sight in targets from a solid bench and gun support to develop loads, confirm the sights zero, and a clean cold bore zero. If the firearm is used for varmint hunting, I’ll reconfirm on sight in targets to make sure nothing has worked loose or the barrel is fowled. And yes I do clean the bore, even if only one shot was put through it after bagging a woodchuck and coyote which is all I hunt nowadays as I don’t really like venison. While still at the gun range after a test session or sighting confirmation, I’ll set up life size game targets and shoot from my field support and ground resting position. It’s one thing too shoot at a target with a precise aiming point, so game picture targets teaches me how too pick a point of aim for the animal I intended on using that firearm to hunt with.

I do on occasion at a gun range, if permitted, will shoot at scab golf balls for fun usually from my field support. Other times to amuse myself during the warm summer months with attaching a blank sheet of paper too a target frame and dab honey too attract flys and try to bust them as they lap at the honey. Notice I said try. I like the adage of Aim small. Hit small. I mite have heard that saying from a movie.

The most amusement I get from being at a gun range is that I almost exclusively shoot single shot handguns such as a T/C Contender, Remington XP100 or other custom built bolt action hand-rifles. The looks of doubt from other shooters which is usually quashed when they see my targets or lofting golf balls at the 200 yards target line.

 

[Txhillbilly]

I usually have a good time with other shooter's when I go to the public range, in general. I only go there during the week, so I don't have to deal with the weekend warrior's.
I had a young guy in his 20's that used to shoot with me. He could shoot pretty decent, but he always made fun of the novice / once a year "Hunting" crowd that shoot patterns on targets. I told him that he did the same thing when I first met him. I told him that as long as those guy's were happy with their shooting, then what did it matter to him.
Not everyone has the skill, knowledge, or equipment to shoot tiny groups on target's.

I'm headed to the range today, and I'm sure I'll have a great time shooting the first test loads in the new rifle that I just built. I'm sure there will be other shooter's that will want to talk about stuff, some will be pleasant, other's will be annoying. I just go with the flow, and enjoy my day at the range.

 

[Dgd6mm]

10 miles to my club range, 32 miles to the Osceola Forest range. My club range has 325 yards, the Osceola Forest range has 200. It's a no brainer for me. However I do wander into the forest about 3-4 times a year to shoot with either family members or friends that live there. They also come to my club as guests.

 

[dryhumor]

I’ve had some pretty serious adrenaline dumps through the years shooting deer. I think if hadn’t spent the time on paper I have I’d likely have missed more than a few. There have been two or three times after a shot I couldn’t control the adrenaline and had the sit down thinking “son of a b….”

Pity the poor soul that doesn’t practice and sees the trophy of a lifetime and has ammo that’s “good enough” or doesn’t spend the time to know what he and the rifle are capable of….

 

[Webster]

So seems about every other time I go to the public range I end up having the same conversation with some one. I'll be testing loads and pulling targets to have someone next to me look over and at my targets start talking about me shooting groups. I usually have to explain what I'm looking for in a good groups ( basically just saying most mean I want a clover leaf or all five under a 1" group @100yd) which usually seems to irk most deer hunters the wrong way .They'll poke their chests out and say something along the lines of " Well I don't shoot paper past zeroing ! I'm a hunter I shoot live game not targets!" Like what do y'all say to that ? I always just kinda shrug like "mmmmmkay that's neat." and go back to testing. Like I hunt and I'm sorry but to me the shots I see most average hunters make dont really fill me with a ton of admiration. Like I personally like to put my round exactly where I want as best as possible and most of these guys are perfectly happy if there within 4" of the bull @100yd so idk lol.

I got out of the Army in 1966. I used to go in a local small gunsmith shop. On Saturday mornings a couple of GH hunters would gather there and talk about GH hunting. So I was hooked on GH hunting before I bought my first rifle. Always considered a rifle that wouldn't shoot small groups a waste of money. 1-2" groups may be fine for deer hunting but not for varmints. I was at the range once and a guy was shooting what looked like five inch groups at 100 yards and he told me he was working up loads. He even hung targets at 200 yards. I call them bow and arrow targets.