Bone to pick with new rifle owners - 100 yards out of the box

[comfisherman]

I am a proponent of having to prove your proficiency with whatever tool that you choose to hunt with, whether bow or firearm. The weapon of choice should be demonstrated to a trained instructor and listed on your hunting permit by the instructor, by hand not put in the computer.
Too many wanna be hunters that make the rest of us look bad.

Only one catch,

Pick the craziest nut job you've ever met in your state. In 10 years either they, or their illegitimate offspring will be the gate keeper "instructor".

Systems powerful enough for this are powerful enough to eliminate hunting entirely.

Let's try well reasoned and expressed peer pressure before we get the state involved.

 

[Ol' Red]

Only one catch,

Pick the craziest nut job you've ever met in your state. In 10 years either they, or their illegitimate offspring will be the gate keeper "instructor".

Systems powerful enough for this are powerful enough to eliminate hunting entirely.

Let's try well reasoned and expressed peer pressure before we get the state involved.

This is why I am against the government getting too involved. Here in WY there is a requirement to pass a hunter safety test. The instructors will read the test if you have a reading problem.

 

[Turpentine21]

Thanks. It`s a challenge, though! Don`t hit it every time for sure!

My 308 between 800-1000 will leave me scratching my head a lot. The field I shoot in has eddy wind, hedgerow effect, and full value crosswind and it can all be happening at the same time. Plus mirage can be an absolute bear. I do better with the 6.5-06 but even it can make me shake my head. It's still a whole lot of fun!

 

[C-130 Dude]

Multi dollar rig will not give any significant edge to a crappy shooter over a good shooter with a good rig. Put that good rig into the hands of an excellent shooter .....well that is where hunts become legendary memories ...like some one said around a campfire many moons ago...practice practice practice...

Thers no substitute for trigger time.

 

[comfisherman]

But it's really nice when it's a crisp single stage trigger, from a stock that fits just right, with repeatable and crystal clear optics, shooting a load perfectly tuned for a quality bullet.

 

[Rosebud]

I am a proponent of having to prove your proficiency with whatever tool that you choose to hunt with, whether bow or firearm. The weapon of choice should be demonstrated to a trained instructor and listed on your hunting permit by the instructor, by hand not put in the computer.
Too many wanna be hunters that make the rest of us look bad.

Not everyone has a mentor, or family member who can show them how hunting works. It's trial and error for them unless you're trying to help these new hunters become better it might be best not to say anything negative. We need new hunters coming into our sport/lifestyle. Otherwise we're doomed. Think before you speak.

 

[Rflshootr]

I'm required to be armed at work, so in a different situation than some people.
Soldiers don't pay for their own either, because they are required to go to work armed.
Spent 10 hours on my horse today alone, with my 30-30. Didn't have to use it thankfully, nothing went wrong today.
When I was 10 minutes away from the barn on the ride home, stopped and fired 6 rounds at a log, just because I could.

It didn't die after the 1st shot?

So now I'm curious.....what did you learn from those 6 rounds?
Did that make you a better shooter? Did it help with polishing your skills to shoot longer ranges or to be more accurate?

 

[Turpentine21]

But it's really nice when it's a crisp single stage trigger, from a stock that fits just right, with repeatable and crystal clear optics, shooting a load perfectly tuned for a quality bullet.

Absolutely. I have really gotten to where I like two stage triggers but that is all personal preference. I've started using Triggertech triggers and they are really good in both single and two stage. I usually use Geisslee National Match triggers in my ARs. I mount scopes and zero a lot of rifles for folks and it is certainly much easier to shoot a rifle that has some weight, a decent scope, and a good stock. Some factory hunting models these days can be very difficult to shoot well as their ergonomics and triggers leave a lot to be desired.

 

[skipglo]

That is exactly what I was relaying. It's a near impossible feat even for most benchrest shooters. She would be setting herself up for defeat before she even got started. A more realistic goal should be set and then improved upon. Otherwise, it would just cause discouragement and despair. Not to mention the waste of a lot of ammo trying to do the near impossible 1 time. Something most people don't think about is the fact that the bullet is coming in at a relatively steep angle which now turns that 5" tall can into much less of a target to hit elevation wise. Now add a 1 or 2 mph puff of wind, or a little bit of mirage to the equation and try to do it 20 times in a row without missing. Even if you are dialed in perfect at the beginning, somewhere in that 20 shot string, the conditions will change. Whether it is environmentally, fouling in the bore or heat in the barrel.

Your study of this feat...is 100% spot on! However you're over thinking this.....it's like an Analogy...and I trust just a lofty goal...not an expectation....just like myself...I believe my expectations of buying my 50 BMG...was to put 10..750gr. rounds at the and at least 1 after entering the Stratosphere should land within 11 miles of Neil Armstrong 's footprint! Then...I would be able to consistently shoot 1 mile! ( please....don't attempt the math on this one) Cheers!

 

[C-130 Dude]

I took an NRA train the trainer class for basic pistol several years back. Of 5 people who were in the class, I was the only one who had appreciable trigger time. After the classroom portion we shot the qualifier, which was a 9" plate at 15 yards. You had to put a 6" group onto the plate with 15 out of 20 shots to pass. Some of the new "instructors" were allowed to try the qualifier 6 times in a row before they squeaked through and got 15 in the group. But, they finally passed and therefore became fully fledged nra instructors. Blew me away how low that bar was and how hard it still was for most folks there.

Isn't that kinda like "teaching the test"? Test manipulation to increase the pass rate? Overnight instructors. Sounds hazardous to me.

 

[Turpentine21]

Not everyone has a mentor, or family member who can show them how hunting works. It's trial and error for them unless you're trying to help these new hunters become better it might be best not to say anything negative. We need new hunters coming into our sport/lifestyle. Otherwise we're doomed. Think before you speak.

Very true. When you start setting standards and considering just who might be setting them that becomes a mighty slippery slope.
In my experience shooters are a friendly bunch and many are very willing to help folks out that are truly willing to learn. Although sometimes the info they give may range from really good to exactly wrong. Help is out there. But it needs to be the right help.
Theres also another group. I've been an instructor for a long time and have worked with many shooters that have never held a gun before. Most are willing to do what is necessary to learn and want be safe and to excel. But I can honestly say that there are some people out there that just can't be taught. It may be due to arrogance, carelessness, foolishness, ignorance, etc. These are the folks that scare me. They are a danger to others and to themselves. Proficiency with a firearm is one thing but safety is absolutely imperative. These are the folks we can do without.

 

[marksman1941]

Isn't that kinda like "teaching the test"? Test manipulation to increase the pass rate? Overnight instructors. Sounds hazardous to me.

It was eye opening. I had little respect for the nra prior to that course, and that really degraded it further for me. It was truly just a certificate factory to make the nra money, not anything actually worthwhile. I had expected quite a bit more out of it

 

[LongestShot]

You can always tell if the "mentally challenged" have been hunting in a certain area; every stop sign, yield sign and even road signs are decorated with bullet holes. This type of nonsense won't show up on any test or hunting course.

 

[comfisherman]

Our state appears to be full up with em. Drove to Seward last winter and we played a game... spot a not shot sign. Think only the mile marker signs were spared. I've no idea what the state pays for repair but just signs alone has to be hundreds of thousands.