What about "The Rest of Us?"

[LA50SHOOTER]

28 Nosler is under rated for accuracy, especially when you consider the over bore.

It made me think about the guys who built the rifle and all the components that I spec’d out, and the efforts that went into what they provided. - I picked a lucky combination of 180 gr. Berger VLD’s that were .007 into the lands and a 56K psi load (using Quick-Load as a guide) of Alliant Reloder-33 to fireform the new brass.

 

[338 Mollett]

Curse that blasted ego in a man !!!

 

[Scott J]

I shoot competitions because I like he challenge. Used to be 20+ shooters in the warm up room, now we're down to 2-3 and that's a good day ! HA! More of "to see if I can get better" thing. I do enjoy the competition and see friends, though.

Scott

 

[Sandstorm]

Competition for me is simply the best.....Hell I have a great time and usually get beat
but I have shot a few cleans and even won a 1000 yd F-Open...so I guess I do Ok.
I really like the people in the Industry as a whole....nothing better than shooters as people IMO.
You all Rock my brothers.

 

[jackieschmidt]

I have been involved in Competitive Short Range Benchrest since the mid ‘90’s.

I like it all. I love the competition. I love being with friends and sharing ideas. I love building a Rifle that is competitive. I love Web Sites such as this and Benchrest.com where we can have great discussions.

What I don’t love is the reality that I am now an old man. In just a few days, I turn 74. I still am just as active in my business as I was when I was 54. That takes a toll, as being old and tired zaps your enthusiasm for things that take a sharp mind and a rested body.

Yeh, I know what everybody will say...... Retire.

Easier said than done

 

[NateHaler]

Jackie, I've learned a lot from your posts on this and the benchrest forum over the years. I do wish you would retire from your regular job so we can hear more from you about shooting topics!

I found it easy to retire, because I don't think anyone would say -- at the end of their life -- "I wish I had spent more time at the office".

As to competitive shooting, I had as much fun helping (mentoring?) some new participants get into the sport as I did winning a few matches here and there. At one match, a guy I helped bring along learned he had placed 4th overall, after I was called out at 5th place. He turned to me with a huge smile on his face and said "I beat YOU?". That made my day.

At Visalia quite a few years ago, I was standing in the back with Lee Six, who was watching the match with his huge (WWII era) binoculars (said they were from a Japanese navy ship if I remember right). He was making funny comments, and I was chuckling, and he said "It's fun being just a spectator. A lot less pressure". I thought to myself "A lot less expensive too."

 

[Shooter13]

I have been involved in Competitive Short Range Benchrest since the mid ‘90’s.

I like it all. I love the competition. I love being with friends and sharing ideas. I love building a Rifle that is competitive. I love Web Sites such as this and Benchrest.com where we can have great discussions.

What I don’t love is the reality that I am now an old man. In just a few days, I turn 74. I still am just as active in my business as I was when I was 54. That takes a toll, as being old and tired zaps your enthusiasm for things that take a sharp mind and a rested body.

Yeh, I know what everybody will say...... Retire.

Easier said than done

I'm 68 and work all across the country, the travel get to me especially when leaving the house and my wife of 50+ years. Hitting the lotto would make retiring a possibility.

 

[Uthink Uknow]

Way back when I had a sailboat, a Cal 25, I named it “Rest Of The Fleet”. So when they would post the winners I never placed less than fourth. They named the top three and “Rest Of The Fleet”.

 

[rayporter]

competition has been a part of me since grade school. it was fast horses then but now i shoot. if i am shooting well at home when i go to a match i can compare my scores, if i can shoot to my potential i am happy and usually can do well, either way i try to have some fun and learn. its solitary world shooting alone and trying to improve and not for everyone.

 

[Will Henry]

When I was young and was just getting started as a gunsmith and as a competitive BR shooter, I planned to win all the time and did so often enough to consider it normal. This sort of mindset can wear on you though. When I started shoot "F" class, I approached it the same way and, again, had some success but soon found the fun to be lacking.
Today, I attend a BR match now and then and still do OK but don't expect to win. I don't work at it and I still shoot 1980's equipment but I enjoy the day.
I might shoot "F" class once a year and, again, don't expect to win anymore but still make some good shots. Mostly, I prefer to shoot prone, with a sling, and just try to do well for myself. I'm always a bit surprised when I win something.
I compete quite a bit in Metallic Silhouette nowadays and, while I can win in my class, the goal is just to move up to where I can't win anymore (which sounds kind of foolish, I know!). I'm old enough (72 this year) that improvement, shooting offhand, is unlikely.
Jackie,
Although we've never met, I have always gotten the impression that your shop and business is a large part of who you are, as a person, so I can see that retirement would be very difficult. I mean, face it, you are involved with some neat stuff, everyday. WH

 

[jackieschmidt]

When I was young and was just getting started as a gunsmith and as a competitive BR shooter, I planned to win all the time and did so often enough to consider it normal. This sort of mindset can wear on you though. When I started shoot "F" class, I approached it the same way and, again, had some success but soon found the fun to be lacking.
Today, I attend a BR match now and then and still do OK but don't expect to win. I don't work at it and I still shoot 1980's equipment but I enjoy the day.
I might shoot "F" class once a year and, again, don't expect to win anymore but still make some good shots. Mostly, I prefer to shoot prone, with a sling, and just try to do well for myself. I'm always a bit surprised when I win something.
I compete quite a bit in Metallic Silhouette nowadays and, while I can win in my class, the goal is just to move up to where I can't win anymore (which sounds kind of foolish, I know!). I'm old enough (72 this year) that improvement, shooting offhand, is unlikely.
Jackie,
Although we've never met, I have always gotten the impression that your shop and business is a large part of who you are, as a person, so I can see that retirement would be very difficult. I mean, face it, you are involved with some neat stuff, everyday. WH

Yes. I love my Business and love what I do. I like being part of a key industry, I like people, (customers), having to depend on me.
You are correct. My business is a large part of who I am. Just about every part of what I do is connected in some way to my Shop.
I suppose my Brothers and myself are facing a reality that we have avoided.

We simply did not count on getting old.

 

[JimPag]

I do it for the abuse especially when I go down south. Seems them southin boys like to pick on this yankee for some reason. Maybe because I can take it. I love traveling 2400 miles round trip to get abused. Jim Cline is the ringleader no doubt. I've had the sheriff's dept looking for me at Orangeburg. I've had the alpaca's across the street holding up signs telling me to take them north so they don't get abused anymore. I've had a blow up goat tied to my motorhome. Every time I've made it down south somehow I end up buying so much reloading components and new bench rifles that I have just enough room for me to sleep in my bed. I have to move all the crap just to get to the bed. Then I'm usually overweight with all the stuff and my gas mileage suffers. Oh the humanity.

 

[rogina]

When I was young and was just getting started as a gunsmith and as a competitive BR shooter, I planned to win all the time and did so often enough to consider it normal. This sort of mindset can wear on you though. When I started shoot "F" class, I approached it the same way and, again, had some success but soon found the fun to be lacking.
Today, I attend a BR match now and then and still do OK but don't expect to win. I don't work at it and I still shoot 1980's equipment but I enjoy the day.
I might shoot "F" class once a year and, again, don't expect to win anymore but still make some good shots. Mostly, I prefer to shoot prone, with a sling, and just try to do well for myself. I'm always a bit surprised when I win something.
I compete quite a bit in Metallic Silhouette nowadays and, while I can win in my class, the goal is just to move up to where I can't win anymore (which sounds kind of foolish, I know!). I'm old enough (72 this year) that improvement, shooting offhand, is unlikely.
Jackie,
Although we've never met, I have always gotten the impression that your shop and business is a large part of who you are, as a person, so I can see that retirement would be very difficult. I mean, face it, you are involved with some neat stuff, everyday. WH

If you own a business and love your work, Few people ever retire.

 

[mike mccormick]

I used to compete at everything, and did well, until it came a point where the competitive aspect removed any joy from the endeavor. I stepped away from competing for a LONG time. Now, I have taken up shooting again, and only compete against myself and the elements. I now enjoy the days and the people so much more.

 

[PopCharlie]

I've always loved shooting handguns and rifles. My dad taught me to shoot accurately. He learned in the USMC. I joined and shot the m16 very well. I was high shooter in boot camp and was always in the top 2 or 3 on my annual qualification. I was asked to shoot on the rifle team, but my MOS was critical, so I couldn't. In the early 90s I got bitten by the accuracy bug. It's just been in the last 5 years I've had the time and resources to really get in to precision reloading and shooting. It's a hobby that I love. I've not competed, but plan to in 2021. Just local IBS score matches. I just want to shoot better. I will compete against myself. I'm also looking for other people that play this game, just to talk to and learn from.

PopCharlie

 

[jk80]

I have been involved in Competitive Short Range Benchrest since the mid ‘90’s.

I like it all. I love the competition. I love being with friends and sharing ideas. I love building a Rifle that is competitive. I love Web Sites such as this and Benchrest.com where we can have great discussions.

What I don’t love is the reality that I am now an old man. In just a few days, I turn 74. I still am just as active in my business as I was when I was 54. That takes a toll, as being old and tired zaps your enthusiasm for things that take a sharp mind and a rested body.

Yeh, I know what everybody will say...... Retire.

Easier said than done

I retired a few years ago. Thought I'd take it easier but after years of working construction as a pipe fitter and averaging over 3000 hours the last ten years I don't know how to slow down. I'm doing small welding jobs and flipping houses. My old neighbor always said" if you quit, you sit". My wife says I need to slow down but I tell her I can't, I never know what could be gaining on me! I think I know exactly what you mean!

 

[Shooter13]

I do it for the abuse especially when I go down south. Seems them southin boys like to pick on this yankee for some reason. Maybe because I can take it. I love traveling 2400 miles round trip to get abused. Jim Cline is the ringleader no doubt. I've had the sheriff's dept looking for me at Orangeburg. I've had the alpaca's across the street holding up signs telling me to take them north so they don't get abused anymore. I've had a blow up goat tied to my motorhome. Every time I've made it down south somehow I end up buying so much reloading components and new bench rifles that I have just enough room for me to sleep in my bed. I have to move all the crap just to get to the bed. Then I'm usually overweight with all the stuff and my gas mileage suffers. Oh the humanity.

And you love it!! Next time you come south let me know and I'll come shoot (be a victim) with/for you!

 

[Rook 6]

Why do I compete? Usually to take advantage of the free food buffet. How do I stand among my peers? Not really sure. But most of the time when we talk, they just shake their heads or look askance at me...

 

[KiloTrooper]

I used to be all in to be the best, to place first. Having been there done that and knowing there is always someone better, I complete for the practice of the sport, the fun of it, and the comradery of the firing line, the pits, and the club house. I would rather run matches than shoot in them... that allows me to see all the things eveyone brought, instead of just seeing the rifles and gear of my squad and those adjacent.

 

[ShootDots]

A very wise actor once stated in one of his movie clips "A man has got to know his limitations". Since I was an 8 year old boy, I have been very interested in accuracy. When I finally found out about F-Class in the last quarter of 2011, I got hooked. I have built some of the most accurate rifles I have seen. I love the competition against other excellent shooters. I know that I am a "reasonably" good shot, however, I also know that I am F-A-R from the best. So I always say "I am 6ft. ABOVE ground and NOT 6ft. BELOW. I am at the rifle range and it doesn't get any better than that"! By virtue of the fact I am alive and competing, I have already won! If I win a match>>GREAT, If I don't, I'm still having a GREAT time. The fact that I am enjoying the heck out of the competition is enough for me. Oh don't get me wrong>>>I will do my best to win! But I also know my limitations!