Golly..shot Bullseye for the first time and was that FUN

I'm intrigued by the sport and that it focuses on ME, not on my competitors (at least for now) and tonight finally got a chance to shoot.  I watched the guys shoot a few weeks back indoors, man did that look BORING.  Tonight was outdoor, the first of the season. Everyone was helpful and it was WAY MORE FUN shooting than watching.  I did reasonably well I suppose. I don't know if this is typical but they shot slow, timed, rapid with both .22 and large caliber for a total of 60 shots I believe.   All I know is I had a total blast and can't wait for next week.  The biggest problem is it looks like I'll need one of those boxes, a spotting scope, a brass catcher...good grief.  But I love toys so I'll deal I guess  .  FYI, my handloads of 3.9 WST under an SNS cast and coated 200gr SWC performed pretty well, until I had a jam and that embarrassed me...and when I hung the wrong size target center at 50 yards and help up the line.  But I didn't get any grief so all is well.  I wish I found this decades ago when I had better fine motor control.

Sounds a lot like the FNG I mentored last night. Hope he had as much fun as you did.

Don't worry too much about holding up the line for screwups as a n00b; we're pretty tolerant of that until you have enough experience to know better.

Enjoy!

You don't need all that stuff. All you need is a gun, ammo, eye & ear protection. That being said, they call me go-go gadget at my range cause I'll buy anything that might get me an additional point or 2.

We all have jams (alibis) occasionally so nothing to worry about. Just keep shootin' and enjoy the addiction.

mspingeld wrote:You don't need all that stuff. All you need is a gun, ammo, eye & ear protection. That being said, they call me go-go gadget at my range cause I'll buy anything that might get me an additional point or 2.

We all have jams (alibis) occasionally so nothing to worry about. Just keep shootin' and enjoy the addiction.

Well, I was chasing my brass all over the place, that stunk.  Never thought about that.  Then I got a sizzling hot empty landed inside my shirt collar during rapid fire, that was kind of neat.  Never knew it was such a painful sport.

I'm a complete newb FNG myself.  I haven't even shot a match yet.  But I know it would be fun! Right now, Im just keep all my shots on paper.  Pretty bad huh?  But, I am getting better.  I wish you all the best in your new sport.  I am completely obsessed with it!
Doug

To all Noobs, see if there's a league near you. Great training, great fun. Meet great people. Start shooting matches. There's no better training.

I think everybody does the walk of shame. Going back out to hang the right center..... I know I have. Welcome to the sport.

Bullseye is great fun.  Even better when you can bring a new shooter.

Chip

I shot with a Master shooter/ex Olympic shooter two weeks ago that made that same walk. I, being of sound mind and weakened body usually can con someone with younger legs into running back down for me. Not that that has ever happened.

Len    (hot brass scars are badges of honor. They only leave scars if you keep on shooting)

Since we are always trying to find ways to grow the sport, can you tell us what first sparked your interest in the sport?

I also shot my first match 2 weeks ago. A friend has been trying to get me to go for over a year. I told him he just wanted someone else to beat up on. Well, he beat me but I am hooked. I even ordered a Colt Gold Cup complete with an ultra dot.

BE Mike wrote:Since we are always trying to find ways to grow the sport, can you tell us what first sparked your interest in the sport?

I have been shooting in various forms for many years and I think you need to find someone who wants to shoot against themselves.  This is a very internal sport, almost like golf (I can't stand golf however) in that you can't blame anyone but yourself.  It's all just you and what's between your ears.  I would NOT recommend bringing someone to watch a match, too boring.  Perhaps years and years ago I remember my uncle bringing me out with a .22 revolver and trying to have me hit a tin can at 25 yards one handed.  He was a competitive shooter so made it look easy.  I kept thinking, "My God, why does the gun keep moving?"  NY laws stink and it's impossible, but I think gun clubs should have an open shooting day or reduced fee shooting day and open up say, 10 spots to bring in new shooters with loaner guns.  Give short instruction and let them shoot.  You'll hook someone. My mother in law, God love her, at 71 is joining a gun club because she went with a friend to a "Well Armed Woman" picnic where they shot and let her try and she got totally hooked.  Oddly, I have no interest in cowboy action although it looks fun, but I want to put that little hole in that center ring in the worst way.  Maybe we're all just strange??

I'm with you, I shot my first Match a few weeks ago and had a blast.

Shot again last night.  Did horrible.  I think I started thinking whereas last week, being my first time, I just "shot."  I was given some pointers which I appreciated, but then I started thinking.  Oh my God...it's like golf all over again...

Laminarman wrote:Shot again last night.  Did horrible.  I think I started thinking whereas last week, being my first time, I just "shot."  I was given some pointers which I appreciated, but then I started thinking.  Oh my God...it's like golf all over again...

I found my good shots getting better the more I worked at it.... but still had my bad shots...  So my scores were only a little better over all.. but those good shots getting better are what Im running with!!  Look to the good!!

So tonight I got my "scores" from my first night of shooting in the BE league emailed to me.  I have no idea what any of this means. I have a (UM) next to my name.  UM must mean "unranked master"??  

Is there like a "decent" score in this?  For example anyone who shoots an 80 in golf is pretty darn good.  Where does suckage start, under 250??  

Also, there is a dash and a number and I can't figure out what the second number means. i.e.  208 - 2  and 224 - 3 were mine for .22/CF respectively.  What do the 2 and 3 mean?  And finally (sorry) some folks got "points" and I didn't get any, but I have no idea what it means anyways.  I could wait to ask the guys Thursday but I'm too impatient.  Thanks in advance.

They use the x count to break ties and set records. The - is how many times you hit the target you were aiming at. You were aiming for the X, right?

OldMaster66 wrote:They use the x count to break ties and set records. The - is how many times you hit the target you were aiming at. You were aiming for the X, right?

So the - 3 would mean I hit the "X" 3 times?  That would make sense. And yes, that's what I was aiming for...sadly  

"UM" is unclassified master.  After you've shot at least 360 rounds in sanctioned competition, the nra will give you a classification.  255 is the cutoff from marksman to sharpshooter. 270 is expert and 285 is master. "Suckage" is well below what you shot. A good goal for a new shooter is not a certain score, but just to get all shots onto your own target. From there you can progress to getting all shots within the scoring rings. If you're already doing that, congratulations, you're well ahead of many new shooters.

Suckage????? I'm so low in the suckage dept. I need a ladder and a step stool before I can even reach the tit. My first score was a 127 and my second was a 147-1. That pretty much defines suckage, but I'm going back for another round.

I was at the range practicing, and I just don't like the slack in my barrel. As soon as I get that little item corrected, I'm going back for more.

I shot in a 900 on Sunday and was pleased with a 600 despite a couple problems which included getting distracted by a hot shell hitting me on the nose in rapid fire, which was quickly followed by the same spot getting round 2's case. I have to work on my concentration I guess!

Made progress at practice last night getting all rounds within the scoring rings at 50yd. Just when I wasn't looking for a new hobby,..

just wait till the brass lodges between your glasses and your face.......

600 is a good start

Shot again tonight and I'm noticing a pattern.  At 50 yards, the Browning Buckmark isn't cutting it.  I'm doing better by far (but not great) with my STI .45 at 50 yards.  At 25 yards the Buckmark does OK, at 50 it seems to really fall apart in no apparent pattern. A fellow shooter said it might just be the gun can't shoot at 50 yards (the best round in it has been Federal HV or CCI standard velocity but an edge to the Federal.)  Or maybe because the trigger leave a LOT to be desired.  He looked at my .45 slow fire the past few weeks then the .22 and said my rimfire gun "won't pattern" at 50 yards.  So, for a formal "Suckage Excuse" I'm going with that for now.

Easy test.  Bench rest it with 2 hands at 50 yards.  If it is all random, it is the gun.  If not.... well we all need something to work on when practicing  

My Buckmark on Wednesday got 20 in the target rings at 50 yds and I am a new guy to BE, so the basic gun design is capable.


Things you can do with the Buck Mark, remove trigger and disconnector and polish all contact points.  Clean barrel thoroughly including JB bore compound (you'll be surprised how much stuff was not coming out with patches).  Check barrel mounting screw is tight, check top rail screws are tight.  And most importantly, play with different ammo.   CCI SV and SK plus/magazine are two that work well in my Buck Mark.

What specifically bugs you about the trigger?  Grittiness can be fixed with cleaning and polishing, pull weight can be addressed with cleaning, polishing, and possibly a spring flip.  I got mine down to 2 1/2 lbs without flipping the spring.   I just reworked mine again last night to add more tension in the pretravel by doubling up the disconnector spring, now it doesn't feel like it stops dead before breaking.   I'll range test it next week.

Aprilian wrote:Easy test.  Bench rest it with 2 hands at 50 yards.  If it is all random, it is the gun.  If not.... well we all need something to work on when practicing

Things you can do with the Buck Mark, remove trigger and disconnector and polish all contact points.  Clean barrel thoroughly including JB bore compound (you'll be surprised how much stuff was not coming out with patches).  Check barrel mounting screw is tight, check top rail screws are tight.  And most importantly, play with different ammo.   CCI SV and SK plus/magazine are two that work well in my Buck Mark.

Thank you Ian.  I have not done the trigger at all but do use JB paste.  I did use a bag and 50 yards and while I got the STI under 3" the Buckmark was at least 5" and I couldn't decipher a pattern to it.  I have a cheap red dot on it from Dicks that cost like $49 and I'm not confident it's holding true so barring another gun I may do the trigger and get another sight.