Rifle shooting is no longer like golf.

I like shooting golf balls sitting on a coke can at 200yds, with my AR. Very stimulating, and satisfying.
You know. I have never seen a Tiger in the Woods down here.
 
Great thread Gentlemen, I'm 72 and I just marvel that we can actually expect to hit targets 1000 Yards away with some degree of confidence ! It's impressive and the science has made it fun ! I just read a post about shooting 30 06 out to 1000 yards ! It's amazing !!
 
Rifle shooting used to be kind of like golf. Get a feel for the clubs and the ball and the turf, groove your swing, and hit it. Long range shooting is not like golf at all. All this long range stuff going around today makes shooting more like data science, more like a video game. Its more about turning the dials instead of swinging the club. I am not sure it is for the better. I guess it must be a cultural change. I can't say that I like it, but who am I to judge because I am 66 years old.

What do my fellow bloggers think?

It seems like science because it is science; ballistics is literally the study of the mechanics behind objects in flight. I was drawn to shooting because of the math and science behind it while studying kinematics in college. Kinematics led to the study of internal and external ballistics, which led me to terminal ballistics, which led me to hunting. An accomplished long range shooter has to have at least a basic understanding of the math behind what's happening. If the shooter doesn't understand what's happening, then he must rely on somebody else who does (spotter). Otherwise, they're just lobbing shots in the general direction of a target and getting lucky every once in a while.

I'm not terribly familiar with golf, but I'd bet that any top level player is applying just as much science into that sport as shooting. Even if the individual golfer isn't aware of the mechanics behind the sport, somebody else on the team is. Otherwise, everyone would be using a single club for every shot.
 
It seems like science because it is science; ballistics is literally the study of the mechanics behind objects in flight. I was drawn to shooting because of the math and science behind it while studying kinematics in college. Kinematics led to the study of internal and external ballistics, which led me to terminal ballistics, which led me to hunting. An accomplished long range shooter has to have at least a basic understanding of the math behind what's happening. If the shooter doesn't understand what's happening, then he must rely on somebody else who does (spotter). Otherwise, they're just lobbing shots in the general direction of a target and getting lucky every once in a while.

I'm not terribly familiar with golf, but I'd bet that any top level player is applying just as much science into that sport as shooting. Even if the individual golfer isn't aware of the mechanics behind the sport, somebody else on the team is. Otherwise, everyone would be using a single club for every shot.
With all respect to our old friend here, i dont agree with his opinion at all.
The technical part dosent enter into it at all when the shooting starts.
First off you will already have selected the components that give the best results for the shooting.
When the time comes for shooting, the conditions take control to a very large degree.
Yes more experienced shooters will do better than those having less in that case.
But that has to do with experience, not science.
The data we use for dialing today is mostly supplied by others, and hopefully confirmed by the user, so no science involved there either on the part of the shooter.
Fact is, what we do isnt very difficult, and can be accomplished by pretty much anybody having enough interest and the proper equipment.
Note the words (proper equipment), by that i mean all thats necessary for (you) to make the shot, and not just what others think (you) should do.
 
If you enjoy shooting longer or faster or both is a progression for your skillset. Some want to push their skills some don't have the time. If you want to learn but don't want to take a class due to the good ones costing 600-1k+ goto a prs match. You will learn what you are weak in for the cost of the event. You can then build your fundamentals to improve these weaknesses. You can enter any club event with a rifle you have in your safe. Bring your ammo and go with an open mind. If that rifle will shoot into 1moa you have the equipment to hit 95% of the targets. It's the indian not the arrow. If you don't think so
 
That was a great read. It reminded me of my father who died in 1960. He was one of the "old timers". He got his claim to fame when he won the Small bore Championship of California in the early 1930s. He was also one of the soft spoken, understated old guys that just kept on going, dispensing wisdom, morality and encouragement to those that came to him to learn. He was also a Civil Engineer that helped to tame the west. They were a great generation of real men.
 
There is no substitute for trigger time.
By far the best is to start young, with smaller cartridges on things like clay birds on the ground at distances up to maybe 400 yds. When the bird is broken, then go for the smaller pieces.
From there go for rocks on hillsides at varying distances untill you dont have to actually think about what your doing or need to do in order to make a hit with a follow up shot.

Sorta like what to do when you hook up with a Mahi while blind trolling, and when you get it to the boat there are 5 others trying to get the lure from it. You can read or be told about those things, but you still need to have the experience in order to put it together and put all of them in the boat.
It isnt hard, and it isnt technical, its simply trigger time.
How did we learn to ride a bike? or learn to swim?
How many grown men today have never driven a stick shift car?
Would a good class be adequate for learning to actually do any of those things?
 
There is no substitute for trigger time.
By far the best is to start young, with smaller cartridges on things like clay birds on the ground at distances up to maybe 400 yds. When the bird is broken, then go for the smaller pieces.
From there go for rocks on hillsides at varying distances untill you dont have to actually think about what your doing or need to do in order to make a hit with a follow up shot.

Sorta like what to do when you hook up with a Mahi while blind trolling, and when you get it to the boat there are 5 others trying to get the lure from it. You can read or be told about those things, but you still need to have the experience in order to put it together and put all of them in the boat.
It isnt hard, and it isnt technical, its simply trigger time.
How did we learn to ride a bike? or learn to swim?
How many grown men today have never driven a stick shift car?
Would a good class be adequate for learning to actually do any of those things?
One of the reasons for instruction is to steepen the learning curve. Today we have information advantages and technology we didn't have just 10 years ago. Nevermind when I started or even further back when you started. Today you can look up what the top person in any quest is using/doing and move forward in weeks vs years.
A good instructor can steepen that curve dramatically..
The one-sentence I have been using for years about instruction is this. It will cost you alot to learn to be above average shooting, fishing, skiing, or whatever. Your time, basic instruction, or multiple lessons/instructors. It is your choice which method of payment is the best fit.
 
Biggest problem for most people is the place to shoot. (or fish).
And a shooting school can of coarse be a solution for that.
And maybe a picture pointing to a hit on a target at a mile is satisfaction enough.
I once chartered a 32' Blackfin for a day in Kona Hi.
And guess what, im now a Marlin fisherman, and i have a picture to prove it. lol
 
Rifle shooting used to be kind of like golf. Get a feel for the clubs and the ball and the turf, groove your swing, and hit it. Long range shooting is not like golf at all. All this long range stuff going around today makes shooting more like data science, more like a video game. Its more about turning the dials instead of swinging the club. I am not sure it is for the better. I guess it must be a cultural change. I can't say that I like it, but who am I to judge because I am 66 years old.

What do my fellow bloggers think?
Didn't read all of the post's, but you obviously haven't heard of Bryson DeChambeau!! LOL
 
a lot of good info here , I don't do either one very good any more but I still play golf and still hunt , there is nothing like the look on my 15 year old granddaughters face when she dropped that 5X5 elk this year at 140 yards with a 243. With one shot to the heart
you usually get out of people something close to what you put in
 
anyone have a good load recipe for a Titleist ProV1 ... best power, primer, charge weight etc? ... Planning to fire it out of a 460cc taylormade with graphite medium stiffness shaft while wearing old school spikes (no soft spikes) ...

🤣
 
anyone have a good load recipe for a Titleist ProV1 ... best power, primer, charge weight etc? ... Planning to fire it out of a 460cc taylormade with graphite medium stiffness shaft while wearing old school spikes (no soft spikes) ...

🤣

Oh yes - and I need to achieve a blend of velocity and accuracy to hit the middle of the fairway at 375 yards even when the fairway is only 10 yards wide between 2 deep bunkers ... (please nobody wake me up - I'm enjoying this dream)
 
Warning! This thread is more than 4 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.
Top