Laugh all ya' want............

Discussion in 'Competition Shooting' started by Bill Idaho, Oct 11, 2019.

  1. Bill Idaho

    Bill Idaho .270 WIN

    As I recently said in my introduction post, I spent 24 years as a SWAT sniper, so I have been to a gaggle of precision/sniper classe4s over the decades. Most on their dime, but many out of my pocket. I inherited my father's guns when he died. He was a somewhat "established NRA shooter back in the 30s-60s, and I ended up with all of his stuff. I started indoor NRA small bore pistol a few years ago, right when I retired.
    Then out of the blue, a friend grabbed me one morning and I ended up at this unheard of sporting event known as "sporting clays". After spending decades training to shoot very precisely, I just couldn't wrap my head around this shotgunning stuff.
    I shot a 14 (out of 50) my first time, using one of my A5s. I think it was a 12/full choke, and was told that probably wasn't the best choke for that game.
    A few weeks later I returned, same A5, and shot a 17. I was starting to get the "lead" concept figured out.

    I struggled for a few months, honing in on my lead estimations and actually got up to regularly scoring around 30. Then, after I admitted I was having fun at it, I grabbed another A5 with an improved cylinder barrel. Instantly I shot a 40!!!!!
    I watched the other guys with their high dollar over-and-under guns reaching into their pockets in between stages, switching chokes. Ahhh.... the next week I brought yet another A5 I have with a Poly-Choke.
    The best of both worlds, and I didn't have to dig into my pocket to find the right choke.

    A 44--currently my best. I did determine I was in fact having fun, and have told myself on several occasion I was having fun---because---if I took it seriously like many of the other guys, I would no longer have fun at it. Whether or not I do good, I am out blasting 50 rounds of 12 gauge every Monday morning!


    Then a few months ago.......I went to a different range and tried this relatively new game-"5 stand". Kind of like trap and sporting clays had a baby.
    Ploy-choke rules at that too!!!
    In my 30 years+ of buying A5s, one of the most common remarks I have heard is how ugly those Poly-Choke/Cutts Compensators are (were). Maybe, maybe not. I will argue-they ARE functional.


    I love having those young whippersnappers ask me about "that ol'Browning", and tell them it's 80 years old!
    Rudolph31 and win7stw like this.
  2. Rudolph31

    Rudolph31 .30-06

    How can you compare the thrill of punching a hole in a piece of paper to the tedious experience of crushing a hurtling clay and watching it disappear in a cloud of smoke?
    gnappi and win7stw like this.
  3. Bill Idaho

    Bill Idaho .270 WIN

    There is a comparable thrill when you hit a clay bird,

    at 800 yards, with the first shot.
    Or.......................have 5 holes touching each other at 100 yards. In any weather-rain, snow, WIND, etc. It's that "any weather"
    part that separates the chaff.
    High Power rifle is calming. I shoot a NM M1A, and have done ok at it. I will admit the most challenging shooting sport I have participated in is the NRA small bore pistol indoor. One hand, 50 ft, .22LR, rapid and slow fire. That combination taxes every facet of shooting. Breathing, trigger control, stance, sight alignment, concentration- everything. ( I am old school and don't use any glass optic, just iron sights.)

    YMMV.
  4. gnappi

    gnappi .22LR

    I almost spat my tea all over the screen reading that! :)

    My fave is 5 stand, it may get boring to some, but it presents all of the shooting elements I'm interested in without seeing blokes in golf carts off to a day in the woods.
    Rudolph31 likes this.
  5. gnappi

    gnappi .22LR

    I've known shooters with NM M1A's that could drive a nail in a coffin, and others like me... nope! I even went so far as to get a FCG and trick it out (not legal for match shooting I think) to see if I can get sub MOA out of it, it helped a bit but no cigar.

    But while the NM is as reliable as on old hunting dog, try as I might my NM M1A but it just isn't the gun my DPMS LR308 or Savage 110 BAT/s are. Have you shot an AR-308?
  6. Bill Idaho

    Bill Idaho .270 WIN

    I own a couple of .308 AR platform rifles. They go bang, that's about all I can say. As far as accuracy, maybe on a good day, they might shoot as good as one of my NM M1A---HOWEVER----much like a Browning A5, M1As/M14s have a soul. Unlike any other weapon in my humble opinion.
  7. gnappi

    gnappi .22LR

    Agreed, the plastic and aluminum on the AR platform sure is cold and lifeless... no soul is appropriate.

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