Caffeine versus Accuracy?

Remmy700 said:

U better be easy we going to have some squares chime in soon just wait! (The Obama and Hillary voters)!

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Honest to God, I shot Sunday morning trap in high school with a guy who wasn't worth a pinch of $#it if he didn't have a good hangover. 15 to 18 sober, 22-24 when he was tuned up.

I don't drink caffeine on days I compete. But for hunting, the caffeine is just a rounding error when you've got yourself worked up hiking around. I've got a bit of an advantage as my HR is in the 40-50 range from my serious running days...even with some caffeine on board a bit longer to settle and squeeze.

Once in college we showed up for a smallbore match and the other team was digging into the coffee and powdered donuts they brought as hosts. They offered us some which we politely declined. I've never shot in such a one-sided competition I almost felt guilty about it...

Remmy700 said:

Dang that is serious. I try to drink a couple Coors before bed to help me sleep and if the Misses is feeling frisky snort a blue pill or two!

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LOL! I also only sleep on average 4 hours a day.

johnnyk said:

Ditto, same here. I can drink a cup and sleep like a baby. In the mornings (4:30), soon after I finish the first cup, I'm looking for some reading material and heading toward the "reading room". I'll be walking on tip toes and clinching if I tarry.
That's healthy (I guess) but dang it, during deer season I have to get up a little earlier, drink my coffee, grab a shooting magazine or reloading manual, something, and go do my business before I head out. If I don't I'll have to find a comfortable tree to prop up on when I get there! I hate crapping in the woods! :\

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I am up by 0300-0330 every morning, and 0200-0230 during hunting season. I too do not like taking a dump in the woods.

therifleman556 said:

Honest to God, I shot Sunday morning trap in high school with a guy who wasn't worth a pinch of $#it if he didn't have a good hangover. 15 to 18 sober, 22-24 when he was tuned up.

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Story of my life! Road beers get me there!

I hike my *** off to get to them. Last thing on my mind is coffee or beers. I never noticed a difference at the range. Usually a 2 cup a morning kind of guy.

If you're already on a beta blocker, just plan your dose an hour or two before the range trip.

From various sources/coaches growing up in competitive shooting do what your body is used to. If it's used to 2 cups of coffee do that, if it's used to no coffee do that. You're body acclimates to stimulants, more or less than your body is used to will have negative effects. Try to not drink any caffeine in the morning and you'll be shakey by lunch, drink a couple red bulls when you don't normally you'll have the same problem. That said ideally as a shooting competitor you're better off avoiding stimulants, but you can't do it the day of or day before a match. It has to be all the time.

There have been a lot of shooting competitors get in trouble for taking depressants/sleeping aids etc. To take the "edge" off shooting, even more for using alcohol for the same reason.

My experience is that keep to your normal caffeination schedule when doing serious shooting.

The normal fine tremors from caffeine are nothing compared to the withdrawal tremors one gets when skipping the morning coffee!

Try alcohol if you want to really screw up a day at the range, especially skeet.

Remmy700 said:

Man I usually drink coffee before range also and usually have a big chew in while shooting (opposite side of cheek rest lol). However I know few people I shoot with they refrain from coffee on the day they are shooting espicially load work days.

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Man, I love my coffee too but have to abstain on load development days and group shooting. My heart rate increases just enough to move the reticle slightly on the target dot even when benched in solid. I've tested my theory. With no coffee, way more solid. I don't even notice my heart rate. On high power match days, no coffee! I head to the coffee stand on the way home.

Remmy700 said:

Man I usually drink coffee before range also and usually have a big chew in while shooting (opposite side of cheek rest lol). However I know few people I shoot with they refrain from coffee on the day they are shooting espicially load work days.

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Me too

Blackdirt Cowboy said:

Remmy, where I'm from, we call those coors lights aiming fluid. I didn't know you could shoot without it.

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I'm from CO, and we call coors light, "water!"

YZ-80 said:

Well it can't be any worse than chain smoking, which I've seen a lot a guys do when waiting for barrels to cool off the firing line. Let's face it, shooting long range for accuracy is a tedious affair and sometimes some caffeine or nicotine takes the edge off. Just sayin.

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You are one of the lucky ones. As for me, I can watch my reticle jump 5 inches every heart beat when shooting beyond 1000 yards. I gave up coffee all together.