Keeping old club members shooting

[Nude nut]

We have a few older members in our club and one in particular who lives down the road from me who has had a few heart attacks so I watch out for him keep a close eye when at the club.
Well he was considering packing it all in he shoots match rifle an T/R the heat gets to him now with a jacket on and he is short of breath he's a real character and loves a sh*t stir and can take one as well a nice bloke.
So the other week I offered him my lads 223 to shoot and he hammer the X ring and had a smile I hadn't seen for a long time since then he has already purchased another rifle and I have been helping him convert to F class and tuning his rifle the only problem I'm having now is trying to refine his reloading.
So I'm glad he is going to hang around the club wouldn't the same without him thought I would share this in hope to encourage others to think about their older club members.

Cheers Trev

 

[MGYSGT]

Good job. Pretty sure that is what F Class was intended for. Keeping the old guys shooting.

 

[RetiredArmy]

I have a buddy that is 78 years old. Had both knees replaced, heart attack, blood infection all in the last year . Wanted to quit shooting all together, 308 was just pounding him. He shot my 6.5 creedmoor and just had to have one. Bought a rem 700, shakes to much to hit small dots at 100 yd s but sure can knock the snot out of a steel plate at 200 yds. Brings a twinkle back to his eyes and giggles like a school girl every time. If you don't have a kid to take shooting, take an elder.

Thanks Bill

 

[swd]

It always saddens me when I see posts about guys getting out of the sport because of age and health. There's a lot to learn from them. And it's not always about shooting. When I shot trap we had a few guys in their 80's and one in his 90's. One of them had flown in B17's in WWII. Keep shooting as long as you can!

 

[LoganDon]

As a 74yr old shooter, I am thinking of trying F class. I have a very accurate Tikka t3 in 223 that shoots 77gr smk wonderfully at 100 yds. Just don't know any F class shooters that can help me start. I shoot at the Kingman, AZ range about once per week. We old guys still love to shoot and reload.

 

[NorCalMikie]

My shooting buddy (Brother from another mother) had/has medical issues. One time at the range, he couldn't walk down to put up targets. His meds were giving him fits.I unloaded his gear from his truck, set him up at the bench and set his targets. We only did an hour or so then we went and did lunch. He doesn't shoot anymore but we meet at a half way point for coffee.
He's about 1 1/2 hours from the range. When we meet I make it a point to bring some wildcat ammo or related stuff that I'am working on. That keeps his shooting spirit alive. Do what you need to do/can to keep the older guys interested.

 

[sdean]

A life lesson here. We will all be old one day. Do unto others. Good on everyone that helps another person in need.

 

[rardoin]

Electronic targets enable physically handicapped(from age or illness) shooters to participate....which is great. Most ranges, I presume, could not afford them. We have made allowances at our range to allow such shooters to set up and score their target using a target camera that they provide. We dedicate a target for that purpose when the need arises. It would not be NRA compliant but still allows them to participate, just not have scores submitted for registered matches. If they wanted to be on record for the registered matches a 'paid puller' would be assigned if needed.

 

[dmoran]

Set him (them) down on a portable bench. The rules allow it (under the medical & handicap clauses).
Donovan

 

[Bbear]

Had a mentor in reloading and shooting when I was younger. By the time I was in college he had started giving away guns and the like. I'm guessing he was in his 80's. He said he couldn't shoot the heavy kickers and even his 243 was too much to shoot more than a couple of shots.
I got a friend to make me some 'pull-up' poppers in some sheet steel made to look like the little 22 silhouette targets. Took him out to 'show him a new gun' and set them up out in his pasture.
The joy and giggle in his eyes when he realized all he had to do after knocking them down was pull on the rope was a pure joy to be seen.

The old boy passed on about 5 years later. His wife told me he was out in that 'damn pasture' every chance he could to shoot those little targets.

Sometimes it's good to pay it forward too.

 

[Richard Campbell]

I'm 81 years of age, and last year I took up bench rest shooting. have a 50yd range where I use a Savage mk11 where I fire at a 50yd target. I fire 5 rounds, then walk to the target and paste up the holes . Also, in my pasture, I have a 100yd target where I fire a Savage md11 in 223 cal. I also fire rounds into the target, and walk to the target to paste up the bullet holes. I took up this sport as it allows me to get out of the house and walking is my form getting my exercises to keep me fit and trim. Also, every trip to the range, I'm in competition with myself, as my goal is to improve score. This is my way of keeping me from being a couch potato. I told my wife that I will not die in the nursing home, but my time comes to meet my maker, I will die with my boots on at the range.

 

[JaoeyP]

If they're legal where you are, consider trying to get a suppressor for them. Takes a lot of the recoil out of the shot and brings down the dB's a bit.

 

[Darryll]

We have a few older members in our club and one in particular who lives down the road from me who has had a few heart attacks so I watch out for him keep a close eye when at the club.
Well he was considering packing it all in he shoots match rifle an T/R the heat gets to him now with a jacket on and he is short of breath he's a real character and loves a sh*t stir and can take one as well a nice bloke.
So the other week I offered him my lads 223 to shoot and he hammer the X ring and had a smile I hadn't seen for a long time since then he has already purchased another rifle and I have been helping him convert to F class and tuning his rifle the only problem I'm having now is trying to refine his reloading.
So I'm glad he is going to hang around the club wouldn't the same without him thought I would share this in hope to encourage others to think about their older club members.

Cheers Trev

When I first joined the club that I belong to back in 1999 I knew about rimfire pistols, but that was about the extent of my firearm knowledge back then. I soon had a crash course in shooting Hi-Power positions at our 200 yard range. I learned about M1 Garands and AR-15s and a lot of other rifles, but my fondest memory was when we had an M1 Garand fun shoot. I didn't even know how to load the rifle, but a Korean War Marine veteran literally stood over me and reloaded for me when I was in the prone position saving me from getting a Garand thumb or finger. He's still alive and shoots benchrest in the summertime with help. Members help unload his equipment, set-up his rest, rifle and target. I will be forever grateful to this member for all his help and teaching me the value of "Passing it on".

 

[Nude nut]

I'm 81 years of age, and last year I took up bench rest shooting. have a 50yd range where I use a Savage mk11 where I fire at a 50yd target. I fire 5 rounds, then walk to the target and paste up the holes . Also, in my pasture, I have a 100yd target where I fire a Savage md11 in 223 cal. I also fire rounds into the target, and walk to the target to paste up the bullet holes. I took up this sport as it allows me to get out of the house and walking is my form getting my exercises to keep me fit and trim. Also, every trip to the range, I'm in competition with myself, as my goal is to improve score. This is my way of keeping me from being a couch potato. I told my wife that I will not die in the nursing home, but my time comes to meet my maker, I will die with my boots on at the range.

Richard,
I have witnessed shooters passing on the range in comps its sad but yuo know I feel that they were at the plac they wanted to be.
I hope you get to wear out a couple more pair of boots walking to them targets.

Cheers Trev.

 

[MMH]

A life lesson here. We will all be old one day. Do unto others. Good on everyone that helps another person in need.

Thank you for the wonderful reminder!

 

[IdahoSharpshooter]

I shot HBR for several years. One of the regulars was from Medford, OR. He survived the Bataan Death March in WWII. He was a tremendous source of stories, and quite a shooter.

Vince Stangl, RIP

 

[Immike]

We lost a mentor in 2010, he was a hard worker at bench shooting and a innovative thinker. He would help everyone that asked him but didn’t ask for anything in return but cooperation. His family was the shooters and he was very devoted to us. After his unexpected passing I tried to get the range named after him with no success and just last year we named a club trophy after him. Steve Yauger award is for a perfect score during club matches now and it is a fitting award since he died one week after he shot the first one!

Soon after his demise I carved a honor board for perfect scores with his name on it... this started a race within the club to be on the board with him and several did!! He would have loved it!