Do you Compete and Why?

I have competed in many things my entire life.. Don't have to win... Just improve...

If you compete with others that are better than yourself... you will benefit from it.

Performing up to or beyond your expectations is fun... Not doing so gives you something to work on...

RDG
 
Longshot said:
Because competition is the best way to get better. It's the closest thing we have to reality. Stressful environment with fleeting targets that require you to make a quick shot.
Click to expand...

Perfect answer. Short of somebody shooting back there is nothing that shows your strength and weakness like competing.
 
I compete in service rifle. Going by some of the courses of fire you guys shoot over there, it seems a bit of a different beast here. In all honesty, I compete mainly to hang out with the people I have met when I got involved in the sport, see what new gear they're rolling and have a play with it. There are some bloody good people involved and the atmosphere at my club can't be matched amongst my non gun owner friends. I have become quite good at open class, I actually just got back from a shoot. We had an SLR/FN FAL themed day, in memorial of a deceased club member. I was shooting an AR though, so wasn't eligible for the trophy.
 
I shoot my club's Service Rife, 3-Gun, and Steel Challenge pistol shooting when I can.

Why?

The Service Rifle helps keep up my rifle skill (great for hunting), and 3-Gun and Steel Challenge are just plain fun!!!
 
I use to compete. Whats measured can be managed. Its the most efficient and expedient way to prove your trg.

I havent competed since i became an expat, Once i get return ill get back into it. We do have local comps here, between the different forces, but nowhere near the professionally sanctioned methods.
 
No competitions for me. Did this kind of think 10 years ago, then it became kind of boring.

I tried IPSC a couple times, but for my liking it's too much "sport" with way too many rules that made me do some things that I wouldn't have done that way otherwise.
At the time I was a Sgt at the army basic training-facility so it completly ruined my usual drills.

Now I'm taking courses every 2 months or so.
Just got back from a SKS/AK-course a few hours ago. Absolutely loved it.
 
kombayotch said:
I compete for many reasons. For one, I like rising to a challenge and I appreciate that quality in other people. It takes a certain amount of character and courage to do it, kind of like asking a pretty girl out on a date. You're putting yourself out there in some ways and taking a risk. Winning sure feels good, but losing can be heartbreaking and humiliating.

Many matches have per-determined courses of fire or require you to perform certain procedures or do something a certain way. That gives you something by which to measure your skills and progress. You're forced to examine your strengths and weaknesses and to practice things you would otherwise likely not practice if you were just screwing around at the range (mag changes, or shooting a pistol weak hand only, for example). This gives you goals and purpose when you go to the range.

Competing makes you evaluate your equipment and the way you do things. You look for ways to improve and optimize them to work for you so that you can perform at your best and hopefully gain an advantage over your competitors. It's a form of R&D that often leads to new ways of doing things better and more efficiently. A lot of new equipment and techniques have come about from things that were learned in shooting competitions. I generally always learn something of value at a competition.

Many of the skills and knowledge you gain from competing carry over to other activities, like hunting. Shooting under time pressure, at snap targets or at a moving target are things you may never get to practice at a regular range.

Competition is a great way to build camaraderie with the other people who do it.
Click to expand...

I was going to give my own personal input but kombayotch pretty much summed it up.

I compete for the following reasons

1. It is fun
2. Is use it as a motivator for and a measure of my own skill development
3. I like the social interaction with other like minded shooters

Can't wait for the next match :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom