Alternative shooting disciplines

[ovenpaa]

Given the opportunity would you move to a different shooting discipline? If so what would it be and what is holding you back?

As an example I would really like to give Match Rifle a go but the combination of costs to set up and the weirdness of the people that shoot it is putting me off right now. Apologies now to any MR shooters however the ones I have met smoke pipes, mostly grunt and look down at you with bushy eyebrows over reading glasses. :?

[dromia]

I've always wanted to shoot running deer and boar seriously but the lack of facilities beyond Bisley (again) makes it impractical.

[dodgyrog]

Sounds like you'd fit right in! That wasn't a description of Christel was it???LOL :lol:

[dromia]

however the ones I have met smoke pipes, mostly grunt and look down at you with bushy eyebrows over reading glasses. :?

Sounds like my type of people.

[the running man]

umm the pimms lot! something tells me that type of shooting will never get banned!!!

[targetman]

"Apologies now to any MR shooters however the ones I have met smoke pipes, mostly grunt and look down at you with bushy eyebrows over reading glasses."

Ha Ha.......not sure that fits the description of the current crop of Match Rifle shooters......but pretty well observed of those about 25+ years ago and before......it was a bit of an eccentric sport, for eccentrics.... today you are just as likely to find the same sort of mix of people who shoot Target Rifle or "F" Class shooting Match Rifle and with a few quite minor variations the same sort of equipment.

My interest is very much centred on historic competition rifles, hence the newly acquired back position Match Rifle (and yes I am bearded and wear glasses and I do grunt, but I don't smoke a pipe....(well not one that I am going to admit to on here)

I agree about the cost of setting up for Match Rifle but then I have been quoted £3,500+ for a new standard Target Rifle....which I why I think Target Rifle shooting has gone in the wrong direction....but that is another story...

If you want to shoot Match Rifle then any decent target rifle with a good scope and carefully crafted handloads will get you started even out to 1200 yards. It is not so much the rifle and ammunition that scores at the extreme ranges but the abilty of the shooter to read the conditions. But then that is the same in any discipline...

[rox]

I have been quoted £3,500+ for a new standard Target Rifle....which I why I think Target Rifle shooting has gone in the wrong direction....but that is another story...

But that's not what it would cost to enter the sport and be extremely competitive. Many people at the very top of the game are using rifles that might cost £1,000 to buy used now (in good condition). In many cases that's because they bought current technology when they started, and 10 years later they've made it to the top of the game and the last thing they want to do is change a working setup.

Many people who have bought into the metal stock minefield (that being the major cost portion of many new TR rifles) have given up after 1 year failing to get back to the level they were at with wood. I know of one rifle that was sold on after one year, then the next owner struggled with it for a year and sold it on again. I use metal, and I'd say it took me 3 years to really get it to work, and my history and position suit that type of stock.

Not very long ago I bought a TR for £75. It shoots superbly, and I know it had taken its previous owner to numerous finals, and with a new barrel and sight updates could continue to do so.

[rox]

Apologies now to any MR shooters however the ones I have met smoke pipes, mostly grunt and look down at you with bushy eyebrows over reading glasses. :?

Ha Ha.......not sure that fits the description of the current crop of Match Rifle shooters......

The almost current crop: Elcho 2006 - not too many bushy eyebrowers:

umm the pimms lot! something tells me that type of shooting will never get banned!!!

There is still occasionally pimms involved, but I doubt their influence would extend to preventing a ban:

[targetman]

Rox....spot on....I used a Musgrave with a 30" Maddco barrel for over 15 years to very good effect, it cost me £400, which I thought was expensive then but a new Swing was £1200+.

Personally I think that Target Rifle has become the "Formula 1" of shooting, those at the top of the results lists would be there whatever they shot with but do tend to buy the latest and most expensive kit. Others lower down the ranks will buy what the top people have in an effort to buy results. I have seen it time and time again, somebody starts to be reasonably proficient, maybe wins a medal in club or open competition then gets all carried away and spends a fortune on a new rifle and struggles to get anywhere with it.

Over the years the move to better, purpose made, rifles has been needed to wring the last drop of performance out of the supplied ammunition at Bisley, RG ammunition was always of dubious quality, but at least a decent rifle would get the best out it....thus the new breed of target rifle, all solid actions and long barrels (back to the discussion on stainless -V- chrome-moly) found favour.
With the new ammunition, RUAG, the advantages are somewhat less defined, even a tatty old target rifle like the sort that most us use will perform well with excellent (and pricey) ammunition, even my old Schmidt-Rubin will put in the odd 50.10V with HPS ammo. With handloads even the oldest and outdated rifle can shoot well.

[Robin128]

Chuck up 10 clays at once by hand and see how many you can hit....now wait for the frowns from the old boys with the bushy brows and puffing Petersons... :lol:

I dare you!