Why don't you compete?

Hungry said:
Yes it's winter, so get your wife showing you the YOGA positions and Vinyasa Flow you need for CQB competition RFN (right now).. :D Use this time wisely! Get conditioned before Service Rifle rundown and then the position change for the snap or rapid fire follow-up matches! :) :ar15:

:cheers:

Barney
Click to expand...

I've actually been drinking that Koolaid (except the Yoga) for months now. Fitness classes once, now twice a week for months. Spent the coin I was going to blow on a "Celebrate the end of the LRG" rifle on a Spin Bike for home and as soon as I'm of CGN tonight I get on with various stretching exercises to fight of my terrible lack of flexibility. Then some dry firing in various uncomfortable positions (kneeling on my bad knee and sitting).

I have a problem doing Yoga positions with my wife....I can't stop thinking about other positions I would rather be in with her :D
 
Bolivar said:
I've actually been drinking that Koolaid (except the Yoga) for months now. Fitness classes once, now twice a week for months. Spent the coin I was going to blow on a "Celebrate the end of the LRG" rifle on a Spin Bike for home and as soon as I'm of CGN tonight I get on with various stretching exercises to fight of my terrible lack of flexibility. Then some dry firing in various uncomfortable positions (kneeling on my bad knee and sitting).

I have a problem doing Yoga positions with my wife....I can't stop thinking about other positions I would rather be in with her :D
Click to expand...

Me either after that explanation. :D :D
 
Kelly...
I acknowledged that competing is not for everyone.
Motivation, however, is what drives us to do anything. I think it's pretty well acknowledged that if basic needs are not dealt with, definitely there will be issues. Whether it be family, work or other interests that we are involved with they all compete for the time that we have during a day. Applying resources,time being one, to anything is relative to the motivation one has to achieve in that pursuit.
This is neither a condemnation nor a criticism - you just have to decide how much you are willing to put in to get what you really want out. If you can't achieve what you want then the goal is set too high and you will either give up or decide on a different goal.

One example of time allocation,and again not a condemnation. Your # of posts since your joining CGN relative to my # of posts since my joining CGN. Just a difference in how we use our time not good or bad use.

A prospective Olympian said to Lanny Bassham that he'd like to win a gold medal. Bassham asked him 'What are you willing to do to get it ?'
 
ANY time on CGN is good time.;)

It actually is getting me closer to possible competition.

dryfire said:
Kelly...
I acknowledged that competing is not for everyone.
Motivation, however, is what drives us to do anything. I think it's pretty well acknowledged that if basic needs are not dealt with, definitely there will be issues. Whether it be family, work or other interests that we are involved with they all compete for the time that we have during a day. Applying resources,time being one, to anything is relative to the motivation one has to achieve in that pursuit.
This is neither a condemnation nor a criticism - you just have to decide how much you are willing to put in to get what you really want out. If you can't achieve what you want then the goal is set too high and you will either give up or decide on a different goal.

One example of time allocation,and again not a condemnation. Your # of posts since your joining CGN relative to my # of posts since my joining CGN. Just a difference in how we use our time not good or bad use.

A prospective Olympian said to Lanny Bassham that he'd like to win a gold medal. Bassham asked him 'What are you willing to do to get it ?'
Click to expand...
 
AlexF said:
I live on Montreal so there are 3 reasons for this:
  1. Valcartier range is 270km (3h 17min)
  2. Ottawa range is 216km (2h 37min)
  3. Farhnam range is 60km (60min) but is restricted to millitary

Around 20-25 years ago, I used to shoot both saturday and sunday at St-Basile-Le-Grand shooting range which is 28km (30min) from downtown Montreal but the shooting range was closed.

Consider yourself very lucky if you have access to a nearby army shooting range.

Alex
Click to expand...

C'est la vie au Québec pour les R:d:
 
Competing isn't for everybody...Not for me, and I'm a highly competitive person at the core.

I used to compete, not just shooting but several other sports. I took it right to the level of becoming a world champion (amateur level) fully sponsored with a full ride...What I took away from these experiences was discovering that I didn't like the competitive me, I was never ever happy, I became completely consumed with competing to the point of becoming self critical and loathing even with the wins.

Now I just do my own thing, I'm happier, healthier and a better person to be around IMHO.
 
Language, someguys could make a group of hells angels blush. I'm old school.
My wife used to shoot as well.
Distance to events now.
Now on a shooting budget, I have to pick and choose wisely.
 
jjackman said:
4 Reasons:

1. Local range is short, and all the serious competition is 3-6 hours from home.
Click to expand...

This, as well as getting nickel and dimed to death. For instance, to do xyz match, they want you to be a member of the provincial body ($$), AND the National affiliated body ( $$).
Then the match fees itself. All for attending maybe, one or two competitions a year (because of distance mostly), but I also work weekends too :(. So it pretty well limits you to local matches, which vary considerably in quality.

Another thing at the time was that our PRA range wasn't certified/cleared for restricted firearms, which I thought was a serious oversight given how firearms can be added to the restricted list at anytime. I guess that since it was all about bolt action target rifles, they never considered someone might want to show up with a long range semi (like an AR).
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
jjackman said:
4 Reasons:
2. Asshats, Mall Ninjas, and people with judgemental attitudes. Shootings a hobby I enjoy and these people make it less than enjoyable.
Click to expand...

And then what do you do when the people/person running things are Asshats? I don't know whose worse, the guy who grossly "pads" his score, or the match director(s) who don't give a sh*t, because "we're all friends here". Well, "friends" don't screw over friends...I had the offending score "corrected". Went to see/talk to the match directors afterwards to see what we can be done to make sure that this sort of thing didn't happen again and got a pretty dismissive and downright insulting response from one of them. I was one of the founders of the competitive group and had been participating for years. But this was the straw that broke the camel's back. I haven't been back since. Apparently running an honest match isn't a priority. UPDATE: One of the above match directors was fired or forced to resign his position over similar insulting/bizarre behavior displayed at an important range meeting. Now. if I can only get the other guy to acknowledge/take measures to make sure that "padding" doesn't happen again :(

Example 2: I once filed an appeal/grievance during another local match (which was decided in my favor). End of story, right? Nope. Months later I learned that the punk running things decided that me doing this was a "slap in the face" and took it "very personally". Weird. I was polite and diplomatic in bringing up the grieavnce. Anyhow, I'm apparently on this punk's "sh*tlist" (which is fine by me, as long as things are being run as his personal fiefdom)
and thereby banned from any event he ever runs again.

In both cases, my concerns/case were found to have merit and things were subsequently corrected at the time. Yet I found myself being attacked for being a "complainer", with some interesting side rumours of my character being born.

Truth is, nothing ever improves unless people correct things and give feedback.

Anyhow, I'm slowly getting back into competing again. And I'm still going to be a "complainer" if I see something wrong. And if the powers that be can't handle that, then they shouldn't be in a position of authority :p:p
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Again speaking for Ontario only, there are many more practice dates than there are match dates. Distance to travel doesn't change but cost is cheaper without match fees. You might have to pay for a marker (if available) but you get more shooting time to test long range loads. If you feel you are not ready for full competition right off the start, you can shoot practice days for a couple years or forever. Many matches will also allow "shoot alongside" during matches if a target puller is available.

In fullbore competitions one shooter keeps score for the other shooter, even with 3 to a target it runs quite smoothly. Trying to pad your scores is very difficult because any corrections on the score card must be initialed by the scorer and the shooter before being handed in to the RO as you come off the line.

As far as Asshats, Mall Ninjas, and people with judgemental attitudes goes, you will find this in any organization. If you find that everyone is like that maybe it's you:p Find someone else to talk to at the range.
 
Interesting to see all the answers here.

Cost, distance and time. Nothing has changed, it was always like that.

There will always be whiners, bullheaded, self-centered people in all competitions, the work place and in public life. There are some who feel entitled to win. Get over it and develop a tougher skin. You'll live longer.
 
zupermann said:
.
Yet I found myself being attacked for being a "complainer", with some interesting side rumours of my character being born.
Click to expand...

You forgot to mention Mr Punk's sending his patsies after you:mad:
-------------------------------

Some of this just means that not everyone's suited to participate in running an event. Just because you're stuck with a certian group of volunteers (if you even have volunteers), someone has to have the brains to cast them correctly. e.g.. you don't put the testy, chip on his shoulder guy in a job where he's working with the public etc

A sticky with some do's and don'ts of running an event might be helpful if anyone has any tips.
Click to expand...
 
I hope to compete some this year, or at least get to practice dates to work on my skills. My problem is time. Working two weekends a month makes it difficult to abandon the family for a day or weekend shoot when I'm off. I have also been working on getting the rifle built, loads worked out etc, plus this is a costly venture, even when trying to stay within a budget.

The good news is I think I have the load and rifle ready.

Now just need time and money.
 
Well, I was going to get back into it this year big, but it seems that my local club needed some direction from me this year, so I am once again up against time constraints!:(
However, this will give me the chance to get our own 1K range done once and for all and finished up so we can once again concentrate on getting shooters to go long .

As it stands I should be able to get one shoot in , but Homestead is a full 11 hour day away for me, and that is a major commitment to travel that far to compete.

I am the only palma /TR shooter up here , but may be able to get an Fclass following going .
The problem is that most guys at our range are not interested in competing, they just want to shoot.
Cat
 
^^^A 1K range? Good for you! I hope your sacrifice is recognized when it happens. Building/contributing to a facility like that will (I'm sure) last longer than some of us will be around.

Raising kids, life, work I think this is why you tend to see older shooters at a lot of these events. You need to be well established financially. It helps when the kids are out of the house. Problem is, thats when your body starts breaking down!:)
 
zupermann said:
You need to be well established financially.
Click to expand...

Believe me, I personally am FAAAAR from being "well established financially" but I do make sure that I put away enough to do the shoots that are important to ME.

The only thing my wife likes about me going to shoots is that she gets to go places we wouldn't normally go to. California and Oregon so far, New Mexico this Sept. We just make a holiday out of it and do some sight seeing while we're at it.
 
CyaN1de said:
Believe me, I personally am FAAAAR from being "well established financially" but I do make sure that I put away enough to do the shoots that are important to ME.

The only thing my wife likes about me going to shoots is that she gets to go places we wouldn't normally go to. California and Oregon so far, New Mexico this Sept. We just make a holiday out of it and do some sight seeing while we're at it.
Click to expand...

Yoga in interesting new places? :D :evil:
 
I just wanted to chime in at the end here.. I got into long range shooting 2 years ago.. I always enjoyed competing in anything.. just for personal reasons.. don't have to win anything... Just improve...

I bought a basic Savage 12 FTR .308 rifle and all the stuff that you need.. Press, brass, dies etc..

I shot a 1000 yard match (western Canadian Championship) as my first match and really enjoyed it.. The people were great!!! helpful, friendly... a great bunch of guys... Its something i want to continue doing...

but my other shooting disciplines sometimes get in the way... Did not shoot at all last year as i concentrated on my handgun shooting... and the matches just never worked out for me.. So really only time and sometimes the money comes into play...

Finally my rifle seemed to crap out on my last year.. and i have not had the time to figure out whats up with it.. It used to shoot .350 MOA but after i installed a new scope it turned into a flyer shooter... "whats up with that" I went back to load development and got it to about 0.800 MOA but thats it.. Maybe its the new scope.. a buddy said check the torque of my pillar bolts... So this winter i am going to bed the action myself and see if i can get it to shoot.. and i hope to back next year for a few matches.. I hope..

So for me... Its time .. and some money issues.. (where i want to put the money that is...LOL)

RDG
 
rdgietz said:
I just wanted to chime in at the end here.. I got into long range shooting 2 years ago.. I always enjoyed competing in anything.. just for personal reasons.. don't have to win anything... Just improve...



RDG
Click to expand...

That is a great attitude!!!!!!

So many people using the "I don't have a long range to practise on" excuse......so what.....come out once and post a score, come out 2nd time and beat first time score, come out 3rd time and beat 1st and 2nd time scores, rinse and repeat.

I don't have a long range to practise on either, but you get the long range experience by attending, you can't shoot long if you are not there......simple as that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom