FOR LOVE OF THE GAME

With all of the discussions about competitions, matches, etc. I haven't heard much about shooting for the simple satisfaction of being able to hit a target accurately.  For now I don't feel the need or desire to compete against anyone to validate my skills.  I know my shooting sucks but it's improving by my own measure.  I still get a kick out of going to the range by myself and trying to improve.  Anyone else satisfied shooting in a similar way without competing in matches?

Every shot is fun for me.

After that shot is gone, I'm excited to do it again.  In matches, practice, you name it.  It's fun.

Cmp matches are so few and far between that it really doesn't interfere with my quest to make master. Getting consistent higher scores is my primary goal and I enjoy every shot. But its easy to get caught up in all the different variance's that pop up, like trying different guns for CF, deciding to try for Distinguished revolver and other stuff. So after taking off down many pig trails I decided it was time to get back to basics so I sold my 32 bennelli, and my 38 revolver and my hardball gun. Once I reach master then maybe I will try one of the others but not till then, except maybe a cmp match now and then now that a regular Range officer is legal but more for giving someone else a chance than to win points myself right now.

I just like to shoot and just took up bullseye about four years ago and like the  challenge of the sport but my hold up in going to matches is cost but I enjoy every one I go to it is fun and a good time with good people for the most part. as far as this DB thing I have never been to match that had what is it EIC match ( I have shoot in about 15 2700 matches) in three states and thought  this EIC match was some kind of match for professional shooters.
but if it is only a 30 round match that would be a lot cheaper maybe I am playing the wrong game maybe new shooters should start there!

Beeser;


I have never thought of competition as competing against another person or persons.
To me it is a competition within myself to do my best and let the chips fall as they may.


Sometimes I am disappointed with the end result but no one is to blame other than myself for not performing to my potential on that particular day, we have all done that.


Competition does inspire me to be a bit more focused compared to practice.

If you start thinking about other persons scores relative to yours it is a big detriment to your game, too much crap will be bouncing around in your head to properly focus on your routine.


I competed in American Skeet shooting for about five years before getting into bullseye.
I made AA across the board shooting 12-20-28-.410 and doubles.
A lot of work and money to get to that point.

In Bullseye I made my goal of Master, and have my DR badge.
Someday will get my hard leg to get my pistol badge.

I made my goals by competing within myself and not against others.
If not for competition I do not think I could have achieved my goal.


Just remember to have fun and stay focused but also push yourself a bit at a time to become better.
Do not worry about what others think about your score or shooting ability cause it does not matter one bit.


I could go on and on but enough of my rambling

Clarence

Deerspy wrote:I just like to shoot and just took up bullseye about four years ago and like the  challenge of the sport but my hold up in going to matches is cost but I enjoy every one I go to it is fun and a good time with good people for the most part. as far as this DB thing I have never been to match that had what is it EIC match ( I have shoot in about 15 2700 matches) in three states and thought  this EIC match was some kind of match for professional shooters.
but if it is only a 30 round match that would be a lot cheaper maybe I am playing the wrong game maybe new shooters should start there!

The reason you have not seen a eic match is generally they are only held in conjunction with a State match or a Regional and at the nationals at camp perry.

I do it for the sheer enjoyment.  My goals are to be consistent and improve my average.  I compete against myself and no one else. I've been involved in a local league for 2 years now and will be traveling about 100 miles to shoot my first 900 match at the end of Feb.  My goal is to have fun and shoot just a little bit higher than my average.

I agree with Clarence and Don. I like the competition but only with myself. The matches make me focus. I'm happy if the next guy does well. I just want to progress through the classifications for myself. Plus the people are great.

I started shooting bullseye so I could keep shooting thru the winter.  It grew from there.  I like that most bullseye shooters do compete against themselves, as opposed to my colleagues in USPSA who are very competitive with each other (some of us are too slow to ever top out in that game).  I still love to shoot by myself but showing up for regular bullseye matches keeps me practicing on a regular basis and really improves my game.

Just shot yesterday morning here in PA outside.  30 degrees and overcast.  .22, 9 and 45 for about 2 hours.

I shoot air gun in my basement for fun and training.  Friday night indoor league.

I compete mainly against myself for the sheer fun of it.  I really like helping new folks learn the fundamentals when the opportunity arises.

But I can't lie, I do relish placing well in my class at local matches from time to time.  

I just ran across this. I've not been shooting BE long, but it has quickly become a goal focused discipline with deadlines incorporated.....do this by this date sort of thing. I do view it as a competition against all others I'm shooting with. I don't view it as if I'm competing against myself. I am competing against every shooter that shows up on match day. I want to beat all of them. I don't think there is anything wrong with that. 
I leave the range (training days) sometimes frustrated because I didn't do what I thought I should have done performance wise. I don't know if I had "fun" on those days or not. I don't know how good I'll ever be, but the limiting factor will not be will.

I always try to compete against myself. The "fun" part of the game for me is the satisfaction of posting scores in relation to my goals. That being said, having people at a match who are better than I am really helps me to step up to meet the challenge. I think it put me on the fast track to master, when I was regularly competing against high masters and masters.

Im always trying to shoot better than I did last time also part of what spurs the hunt for better shots is the other regulars that are in my class and that look at the end of match scores.

BE Mike et al:

The shooter who is usually to my left (and thus whose target I score) regularly shoots 100's in sustained fire.  He has much improved in the last couple years.  Scoring his 100-7X a few weeks ago gave me resolve to concentrate harder.

I attended a seminar put on by 2012 Olympian Gold winner, Jamie Gray.
She pointed out a big difference in American training vs. the rest of the world training:
Americans are trained to, "do your best", while others around the world train to, "Win!".
With that in mind, I shoot matches and practice with guys that shoot their average, year after year. They enjoy shooting, nothing wrong with that. They simply don't believe they can improve.
Don't accept your average today, without the goal of beating it tomorrow. It gets to be even more fun!

I enjoy shooting. And I have a few other firearms I take out just to have fun and shoot some targets. I do like competing. Not agenst the others so much, but as a goal for myself. At this point of the game, at my age and just starting BE there is not much hope of being a top guy... But I can beat myself!!!

As far as I can tell in any sport, the really good competitors generally love their sport a lot.  

But the people to really admire are the ones that love anything enough to give others the opportunity to participant, even if they can't.  Like unpaid and volunteer coaches for kids leagues, people that can't shoot anymore but still run matches, etc.

To the original question:

There is something known as the testing effect. The basic idea of which is that testing can help one learn faster than studying by rereading or memorizing. Applied to shooting the idea is that matches help up improve through the act of the competition.

Every match is practice under match conditions and the only way to master those conditions is to shoot matches. Locally we shoot a coached practice on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday and a 900 on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday. The results of this combination over the past few months have been gratifying with consistently better scores and improved mastery of match conditions. 

Years ago I read that Alvin York believed that match shooting was a key to shooting success. Back in the 90's I was told the same thing by  Gunny Hathcock, when I was involved with IDPA. The act of competition has helped me to improve my scores under pressure. You can try to practice with that pressure, and I do, but it just isn't the same to me. 

Mike

What he said!

Practice and shooting matches will prove fruitful, a good friend of mine who retired  early, put all he had in training, practice and shooting matches, he quickly rose to master then shot over 2600 then developed some health issues that prevented him from keeping up the full time pursuit, slowly his scores dropped and dropped till he reached a average just under master scores. Had he been able to continue I have no doubt he would be a high master and a contender at Perry. Shoot as much as possible and you will see improvement if your doing it right.

Dear Beeser:

I love competition shooting!

I love the equipment!

I love the precision!

I love the mental challenge!

I love the responsibility required for responsible gun ownership!

I also love the assistance offered and distributed to up and coming shooters.


but most of all......


I love the honesty and integrity displayed by my fellow shooters and the shooters I am fortunate to call my teammates. 

Talk about a high caliber group of people.......


I cannot convey the pride and sense of accomplishment I get when my teammates elected me captain of the team.  I hope that I have the privilege to continue for another year. 


With that being said, every round I send downrange.....Every dry fire I perform in practice.....every bit of advice I give to a newbie... even if it is keeping my mouth shut and letting them realize it for themselves.......


I dedicate to those that have assisted me in the past....


Yes...........every shot is a pleasure...


Not sure why you gotta ask.


regards,
Crankster