"Used To" -- Remembrances of Past Activities

[bluealtered]

If we are lucky we will all get there. Now having said that it sure doesn't feel lucky when it's your turn. Yes I'm talking about not being able to make the groups you "used to". I won't bore you with my past ability to make those legendary one hole groups from any distance, ... ( well at least in my mind).

I have so many "I used to's" that I would be sitting here typing for the next week or maybe longer. However the old man who looks back at me any time I look into any mirror anywhere anymore just makes me wonder what happened to the young man who had the world by the tail?

I am also very sure that I'm not the only one here who has this problem happen to them in what seems like a blink of the eye, so if you would like share the ones that happened to you chime in. Because those of us who have had our youth stolen from us by the mirror need to stick together.

 

[Bill K]

I guess I have a few "Used To" also at 85yrs of maturity. Balance on hills, rough terrain, etc. Less steady on any offhand shooting. Best to use some sort of rest. Slow and easy on doing things I did when younger.
Groups in shooting might be opening up some, but we must still keep plugging along and doing what we still can no matter. It makes our life and days as pleasant as possible.

 

[Krogen]

We're all facing, and will face future obstacles. Some of those "used to" things reflect declining capabilities with age. Others reflect increasing wisdom with age. I can look back with some amazement having lived through some of those "used to" things of youth. Life is an ever-changing novel.

 

[NCIowan]

Interesting thread. Yup, I’m at the “used to” stage too…will be 76 in Feb. Examples…diminished writing vocabulary, open sights not an option, need higher scope magnification, and double, triple checking reloading operations. I’m not going to share any more physical “used to”. Haha.
Some of the positives with this stage of maturity…more time to enjoy family, six Saturdays and one Sunday every week, and a refocus / clarifications of priorities that matter.
I would appreciate hearing what people are doing to adjust to this “new” challenge - to diminish these changes.
I am definitely confused. I may not be in this stage of maturity yet? My wife keeps telling “me to grow up”. Evidently I’m not aging at all! Lol.
Duane

 

[K22]

An appropriate thread for us old farts who have been in the game for a very long time.

For me, I have accepted the transition necessitated by my diminishing physical condition from being an obsessive competitive pistol shooter to just enjoying going to the range and shooting in the 80's instead of the 90's (NRA B16 Slow Fire Target). Oh, once in a blue moon I shoot a 90 but it's rare these days where it was the norm in my younger days.

I feel blessed to still be able to shoot with open sights with my very old revolvers and still be respectable. Many of my fellow shooters and friends have either passed or can no longer shoot at all.

As far as rifle, I never competed except for a brief time in three position small bore rifle but I was an obsessive varmint hunter. I perfected shooting off cross sticks in the field. I often spent 8 to 10 hours per hunt in the field covering several farms. Now days, I spend more time at the range in "virtual" groundhog hunts shooting off my cross sticks to see if I can still do it. When I do go varmint hunting, it's only for a few hours in the evening and it's more about just getting out and enjoying the beautiful scenery and interacting with my farmer fields. I often smoke a cigar and fall asleep.

Life is all about change and adapting to it. Even with diminishing physical skills one can still enjoy oneself in the shooting sports if one adjusts their attitude and expectations.

 

[338 Mollett]

I'm so broke down 9 ball is aerobic !!

 

[rjtfroggy]

No matter how hard I try I can't do what I used to. What used to take 4-5 hours now takes 2-3 mornings to get done. At 71 I still do all the maintenance around the house, it just takes a lot longer.
As for shooting no more handguns or hunting only shoot off the bench now.

 

[durand mortenson]

If we are lucky we will all get there. Now having said that it sure doesn't feel lucky when it's your turn. Yes I'm talking about not being able to make the groups you "used to". I won't bore you with my past ability to make those legendary one hole groups from any distance, ... ( well at least in my mind).

I have so many "I used to's" that I would be sitting here typing for the next week or maybe longer. However the old man who looks back at me any time I look into any mirror anywhere anymore just makes me wonder what happened to the young man who had the world by the tail?

I am also very sure that I'm not the only one here who has this problem happen to them in what seems like a blink of the eye, so if you would like share the ones that happened to you chime in. Because those of us who have had our youth stolen from us by the mirror need to stick together.

The seventies were doable but the eighties have been rough. One of my "used to" was drag racing in the sixties. Myself and a fellow machinist put together a 2dr post 55 Chevy to race in D/G. The car ran 12.0 high 11 Best 11.84. We ran a 6.14 gear which would spin that little 327 to 8 Grand real easy. It was pretty quick for it's time. Rough on the drive train. It ate clutches and broke 4 speeds. It was fun but it was also a lot of work. I can only dream of having that kind of energy again

Mort

 

[Cecil S.]

Used to.....yeah I hear ya. Thank God I am physicaly in good health (just for now) but I can feel the "Used to" coming on fast.

 

[Forum Boss]

Used to ride motorcycles. Now with devastating foot injury suffered 6/9/23, probably never again. Here's my Honda ST1100 on Highway One in CA.



Used to sail racing catamarans... now after 6 skin cancer surgeries and too fat for my wetsuit LOL, time for something else. This is NOT me, but is the kind of boat I sailed: NACRA 6.0m Catamaran with spinnaker.



Used to travel a lot when writing adventure travel books... now it's been a decade since I've been out of the country. Maybe New Zealand in 2024? Here's one of my favorite places, Wanaka, NZ in the South Island. View west to the Southern Alps.

 

[durand mortenson]

I heard about your accident but didn't know the cause Sounds like life has been an adventure for you. Way to go.
Great photos.

Mort

 

[1K Luver]

Thank goodness - I’m not the only one. Used to ride motorcycles; lost my sense of balance. Chasing my 85th year on this planet and, regrettably, currently engaged in a “going out of the shooting business” sale of a lot of shooting stuff. It is truly emotionally painful to actively watch each piece of gear that leaves my possession in exchange for dirty old money. I have been fortunate to the extent that I have been able to retain good eye sight, good enough to still pull in a few of those wonderful 10’s and X’s at long range when I was able to fall/crawl into position but it’s embarrassing to have someone else help me up when the cease fire announcement is made. Another truly bothersome circumstance is that, because my cognitive abilities are not what they used to be, I’m no longer engaged in teaching hunter safety education classes; something I did for over fifty years. My old brain follow a lesson plan the way it used to. I had been able to get down for tactical competitions but I can’t get up without help - heck, I can even get up from a bench position without a struggle. Tramping about the open spaces in search of game is waaaaay beyond my ability. I need nap after any hundred yard trek. I also found myself making mistakes in my reloading activities, causing me to check, double check and triple check my work at the reloading bench. Even then, hoping I didn’t overlook something, neglect a powder charge or charge an unprimed case. So I’ll just satisfy myself with watch the younger shooters in the family take on the challenges of competition. I can at least be pleased and proud to have raised a competent group of hunters and competition shooters.

 

[TaperPin]

I’m not out of my 50s yet, but for well over two decades the trigger control of my teens and 20s has been missed. As a kid growing up in rural Wyoming I probably shot 200 rounds of something every week from age 10, often with heavy factory triggers and with minimal coaching - it’s easy to forget how important muscle memory is from consistent practice.

Many kids and new shooters of all ages have it rough - ranges are fewer and farther between, rural areas have more and more houses springing up, things like backyard pellet shooting is much more frowned upon by neighbors, range fires from steel clad bullets has restricted much of the best public land, schools no longer allow shooting programs, and it’s just harder to shoot unless you’re fortunate to live way out in the sticks or have a well run nearby range.

My grandson is a few years away from picking up a gun, but when the time comes I don’t see an option for large amounts of trigger time other than supplementing with indoor laser trainers and a fun collection of targets with feedback of various kinds. I’ll probably build everything I would have loved as a kid, and he’ll be so wrapped up in other things it never gets used! Lol

 

[358WCF]

 

[jr600yd]

Yup I’m one of those “good old days” guys. Bad knees from to many parachute landings, bad back from to many rucksacks, bad lungs thanks to agent orange. Use to shoot a lot more, XTC, Palma, Bullseye, hunting, just for fun. Got a lot of other complaints but what the hell, Grand kids playing in the yard, wife’s cooking dinner. Instructing the kids on how to shoot their “22” lots of smiles and laughs.
Maybe I am paying for past sins but right now life is good!

 

[Cecil S.]

Years ago I Road Raced a motorcycle (3 years) after face planting on the track at around 50mph I stopped. I dont even own a street bike because I can not keep my adrenalin in check and at 66 that might not be healthy for me. Theres that "Used to" thing again.......LOL Happy the FORM BOSS is on the mend!

 

[Texas Solo]

I think about this everytime I can't do something. I sit down to put my pants on. It takes me about 3 weeks to rake the leaves. I "used" to be pretty good at pistol shooting, but now the front sight won't stay still. I "used" to be damn good at CMP XTC stuff. Made Master in short order, but again the sights are nowhere to be found. I took up F Class due to the age. I've done very well, making High Master in 2 years. I usually win the club matches. But getting up or down from prone is nuts. At least I can still compete.
I use to be more tolerant of stupid people. Now I say what I'm thinking.

I use to drive anywhere. Now I get lost.

I use to thing that Govt was for us. Now I'm smarter.

 

[rr2030]

I used to run a 5.1 second 50,

57 years ago ...

 

[snert]

I used to be able to jump, hop, stand upright on a hillside, run on uneven ground, slide into base headfirst, shoot ruffed grouse with a model 42, see a peep sight, remember a lesson outline, think of two things at once, remember what I had for lunch, throw a rock right where I wanted, drive like a maniac and make it look easy, and attract girls.

Now I can only do a couple of those things. If I could only remember which two....

 

[Cecil S.]

I think about this everytime I can't do something. I sit down to put my pants on. It takes me about 3 weeks to rake the leaves. I "used" to be pretty good at pistol shooting, but now the front sight won't stay still. I "used" to be damn good at CMP XTC stuff. Made Master in short order, but again the sights are nowhere to be found. I took up F Class due to the age. I've done very well, making High Master in 2 years. I usually win the club matches. But getting up or down from prone is nuts. At least I can still compete.
I use to be more tolerant of stupid people. Now I say what I'm thinking.

I use to drive anywhere. Now I get lost.

I use to thing that Govt was for us. Now I'm smarter.

Amen Texas Solo. Remember some one needs to correct the stupid ones because their parents did not!