"Most of them shoot 9's or 10's." And the top 4 are GIRLS! I wish I could shoot like an 8 year old girl! Sure is refreshing to to read something positive about shooting on occasion. We all like to think the world is going to heck in a hand basket--there are plenty of quality young people out there--they just rarely get any press.
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Bull's-eye in tatters at contest--BB-gun squads duel in Rogers
Ryan McGeeney Arkansas Democrat Gazette

ROGERS -- About three hours into the 49th annual Daisy National BB Gun Championship Match, Annie Downum can't stop scrolling through her mother's iPad.

"We're 29th now, but it constantly fluctuates," she says.

Annie, 10, of Annie and the Oakleys, Benton County's competitive BB gun shooting team, is one of 357 children participating in the indoor two-day competition that ends today at the John Q. Hammons Convention Center in Rogers. Fifty-one teams, composed of shooters ages 8-15, are representing shooting clubs from more than 15 states, including Arkansas.

As each shooter completes his relay, the targets are pulled and scanned by judges using specialized software, and the results instantly update on the competition's website.

"It's sort of just, 'refresh, refresh, refresh,'" says one of the adults accompanying the team.

Each team includes seven shooters, two of whom are considered alternates, as well as two to five coaches, said Joe Murfin, a spokesman for Daisy Outdoor products. Once a shooter competes at the nationals, he must "sit out" a year before being allowed to return.

"We're trying to avoid clubs forming a 'ringer team,'" Murfin said.

All competitors are required to use the same model BB gun, a Daisy Avanti Champion Model 499, although minor modifications may be made to a rifle, such as lengthening the stock for longer-limbed shooters. Each gun is inspected before the competition begins, although Murfin said he had never seen the judges reject a gun.

The 499 is a single-shot, muzzle-loaded rifle that fires a .177-caliber BB using a compressed spring mechanism. Each shooter must fire 10 BBs each from four positions -- prone and standing Saturday, sitting and kneeling today -- within 10 minutes. Each of the 10 targets measures about 2.75 inches in diameter, with the "10 ring" measuring one-eighth of an inch. Competitors shoot from a distance of 5 meters, or 16.4 feet.

"Most of them will shoot mostly nines and 10s," Murfin said. "They're that good."

To reach the nationals, teams must place first, second or third in a state competition sanctioned by a 4-H Club, the Boy Scouts of America, the National Rifle Association or other recognized body. The cost of traveling to Rogers for the competition, as well as accommodations during the tournament, are borne by teams themselves, although Daisy awards each team in the competition a $1,000 prepaid Visa card to help defray the costs, Murfin said.

Although the national competition has been held at many locations across the country over the past five decades, it has been held in Rogers every year since 2010. Murfin said Daisy has committed to holding the championship in Rogers until at least 2017.

James Eberwein, a shooting coach for the Flint Hills Junior Shooters in Alma, Kan., said the toughest hurdles for most young shooters to overcome has less to do with the mechanics of putting "metal on target, and more with building self-confidence and building mental fortitude."

"It's a matter of not letting that one bad shot ruin their day," said Eberwein, who has been a shooting coach for nearly 30 years. "They definitely have better eyesight than us old people, so they see when that shot's not in the black."

Unlike many sports, the competitors are not segregated by gender, and there is no required male-female ratio for a shooting team. Eberwein said girls are often better marksmanship students than boys.

"Probably the best team I ever had was the all-girls team because they will listen," Eberwein said. "They don't think they know everything."

At the tournament's halfway point Saturday, after all competitors had completed shooting from the prone and standing positions, all four of the highest scoring shooters were girls.

Eberwein said that during his decades of coaching, he has learned to seek out and address the unique aspects of each student's personality to draw out their best performance.

"You've got to get to know the kids -- their habits and their mental aspects," Eberwein said. "You handle every youth differently. You've got some that come in really bashful and shy and won't say two words.

"I feel like this is one thing where we can get kids to open up and become more outgoing through shooting sports."

Competition resumes today at 8 a.m., and there is no admission charge for spectators. Live results for each team and shooter is available at Daisy Outdoor Sports.

NW News on 07/06/2014

Print Headline: Bull’s-eye in tatters at contest

This is neat! My first gun was indeed a BB gun at 7, a Daisy Quicksilver. I loved that thing and had it for years. I even shot a rattlesnake in a vacant lot near my house. I would love to get a proper airgun now, but until I can afford something with compressed air I am loving my Daisy Powerline.

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Still just a kid at heart

a Daisy Red Rider.....that would hold a whole tube of BB's

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witty signature goes here

My older brother had a BB gun. It got him in more trouble, it's not a toy and not a firearm. I started at about 10 with a 22RF and the same is true for my kids. Unfortunately my son's guns were racked in their room and cable locked in the rack. Not because of any misdeeds by my guys, but because our society is no longer mature enough to not freak out when that see a teenager with a 22 rifle walking in the woods or on the way home! Ivan

My first gun was a BB gun as well. I don't remember if it was a Red Rider but, I do remember it being a Daisy lever action that held a **** load of BB's.

I started with a 22 Remington bolt action rifle with a tube magazine.

Shot 22 shorts.

Started at age 8.

was that the Remington with the nylon stock???...I wanted one of those so bad.....until I seen the marlin bolt action with tube magazine that shot .22 shorts,longs, and long riflewith real wood stock.....that I bought with my own money working on the golf course course at an Elks country club in Terre Haute, In. when I was 12...that was 50 years ago....that Marlin is still in my safe

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witty signature goes here

A Daisy lever gun and tomato cans in my pap's backyard. We finished up every "range" session with 1 .22 BB cap. I learned alot about hitting with the 1st shot there.

I bought a Crossman pneumatic when I was older, but even with more power, they don't have the same flair as the Daisys.

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Because of the metric system?

This is great and we need more kids getting into the shooting sports like these boys and girls are doing. Good too they're actually competing with each other and not just getting those participation trophies they're so fond of these days.
I started with BB and pellet guns when I was a kid too. It seemed we all had them and slingshots too. It was a real source of pride to be known as a good shooter and we competed informally with each other for that honor.
They were good for keeping busy in the winter in the basement when there wasn't much going on. Of course we didn't have video games or computers to spend time with either and were better for it I believe.

I was raised in a anti-gun household, both parents did not like guns (but didn't mind other responsible people owning firearms).
Uncle Sam taught me how to shoot a M-14 rifle when I was 18 years-old.
I've owned a firearm ever since I was 21 years-old (Mom said it was OK).

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"Life is short, hunt hard"

Crosman .22 caliber pellet rifle in my case.
Pump it up eight times and no empty TAB can was safe.

Daisy Red Rider was me first gun.

And you didn't even "put your eye out!"*

*From the movie "A Christmas Story."

I had a Daisy and my daughter got one for her first Christmas, when she was one month old!

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Pappy said you ain't gittin' no toy gun. When you're old enough we'll get you a real gun.. I got a bolt action magazine fed .22 when I was 8.

Bought a Daisy Red Rider when I was 65.

Din't nobody ever say old Iggy wasn't a wee bit bass ackwards, but the squirrels and rabbits got a healthy respect for that little rascal.

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Eccentric old coot

Yep. I started with a Daisy Red Ryder. I still have it too. You guys know if you put three drops of three in one oil down the barrel it shoots harder. Another benefit of that is SMOKE comes out the barrel, just like a real gun! I still remember that after all of these years. Try that tip Iggy!

My first gun was a Daisy BB. It wasn't a Red Ryder, but looked like one, except the stock and forearm were plastic instead of wood.

Years later, I got my sons a "Red Ryder." It rode in the rod locker of my bass boat until it got so rusty it wouldn't shoot, but provided hours of fun, plinking at various pieces of wood, leaves and such floating in the river. We stopped shooting snakes with it when we found out it would kill them. Hold that thing up at about a 45 degree angle and shoot it down the river on a calm day when the river was flat, and it would throw a BB darn near out of sight. You'd have to look hard to see the dimple where the BB hit.

I've still got a BB gun, but it's not my favorite. That would be that Red Ryder. I got this one when my wife was sick, and I was cooped up at home and couldn't get out. I'd toss a can out in the yard and plink at it to relieve the stress. The "Pffffttt" and "Plink" were great threapy for me.

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John 3:16 .

My Uncle introduced me to my "first BB gun." It was his Red Ryder. I can remember how thrilled I was that I was allowed to shoot it outside by myself (and a WHOLE TUBE OF BB's) while the grown-ups "talked" in the living room. I don't know what ever happened to that Red Ryder. I do know I had to learn, re-learn, and re-re-learn several times to not let go of the lever during cocking. That thing slammed my fingers so hard I could have let out a scream so loud it would have been heard for three counties. But, I wasn't about to let out a peep, lest the "grown-ups" would come outside and take the BB-gun away from me!

A couple years later, my Dad got me my first BB-gun for Christmas. A "nicer version" of the Red Ryder model. Some years later, and after getting a Crosman 760, I stupidly sold my first BB-gun to a kid I pretty much disliked, and for thirteen lousy dollars.

I'm pretty sure he shot at me with that same gun not long after that.

Well anyhow, a number of years passed, and I couldn't for-sure even remember the model number of it. I searched the auction sites, and I eventually found one that looked as close as I could remember.

I reckon I'll keep this one. (Especially after paying a considerable price for it, and then paying another considerable price to get it into working order.)

Daisy Model 96

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WWSSD?
What would Skeeter do?

Mine was a Daisy "Spittin' Image of 1894". No pics from way back then, but I do have this one of shooting a Red Ryder with my oldest, now a big ol' 23 year old:



Wish I still had that black hair, and I wish he was still little.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

Yep...65 years ago.

Still have one (a new model) hanging by the back door and a soda can hanging in a tree in the back yard for those times when I feel a need to shoot something.

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Pay attention...it pays to win

Pellet rifle. Marksman Biathlon Trainer to be exact. Didn't have much power but the sights were good and it was very ergonomic.


My kid's first shots were with a match barreled adjustable stock 10/22 at age four.

He now has a Daisy BB gun and Crosman CO2 target rifle.

Yep, I started out with a Daisy Model 1894 "Spittin Image" BB lever-gun. I literally wore this gun out shooting an untold number of BB from it. I got to where I didn't use the sights for up-close shooting and could hit big dragon flies on the wing at a nearby farm pond...

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S&WCA #2815
Gun Scribe

My first gun was a Daisy Red Ryder with plastic stock and forearm. I shot it a lot and hunted barn sparrows constantly. My Dad wasn't a gun person but he sure liked me ridding the farm of sparrows. I used it so hard the plastic stock broke completely off. That enabled me to graduate to Dad's Winchester Model 62 given him by my Mom in 1939. Mom and Dad are gone but I do still have the 62.

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Bob.
SWCA 1821

Guess who !

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I had an 1894 replica Daisy and could shoot the dog mess out of it. It didn't shoot straight but it was consistent and with some Kentucky windage I impressed myself. (In one case it was unfortunate. I NEVER thought I could hit that poor little bird).

I liked my .22 pellet rifle as a utilitarian hard hitter. It was pretty close to a .22 rimfire.

Yup, a daisy rifle but I can't remember the model though. I had several pistols as well, Co2, Pump, etc. One of which still survives and is at my Mom's house.

Many Star Wars figures and GI-Joe's lost their lives due to my air guns, along with a lot of fruit and veggies.

My favorite however, was the one I got for Christmas the next year (I think I was 9 by then). I don't remember the brand but, it was a .22 caliber pellet rifle and had a side cocking lever (kinda like the modern "break barrel" pellet rifles) so, 1 "pump" produced 1,200 FPS. I do remember it was a single shot and came with a small scope already on it.

None of them did. They were either high right or left or whatever. After a couple of days shooting, the birds were in deep poop because of "kentucky windage" learned.

If I had a nickle for every bb expended back then, I'd be a rich man.

Mine had a wood stock.

It would shoot shorts, longs, and long rifles.

I shot shorts because they were cheap and my dad figured if I had an accident they would do less damage.

Tin cans didn't know the difference.

When I was in college my mom sold my rifle. It was a sad day when I found out.

Writing this makes me think I need to buy a replacement.

Crosman Model 130 .22 cal pellet pistol in my case,circa 1964.Later on,I got a 140 rifle to go along with it.The rifle was sold in 1971.The pistol was stolen in a house burglary a few years ago.They didn't get much-it didn't work well or at all,even after new parts installed,but it had sentimental value.

Iggy, my story's a little like that. No BB gun for me, I sure wanted one, but Dad presented me this Ithaca single shot .22 s,l,lr. We went to his shop, he measured me up, we took the stocks off, cut the butt, and stripped and re-finished with Stock-glo. Then mounted the buttplate and trimmed it to fit, put her back together and I was off to the hill country. Squirrils in the pecan bottom on the Nueces Canyon were served notice, and an invitation to dinner. (truth be told, the squirrels attendance was a bit poor that first season)

the little Case came along with it. (8", scabbard an all.)

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Halfway and one more step

Recently while helping at a youth scout summer camp a bunch of youngins were claiming that their Daisy BB guns didn't shoot.

Don't tell me your gun don't shoot. There's about thirty shots in one target and fifty in the other.

Everybody was shooting bullseyes by the end of the week.

My boy shooting.

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If I was a critter around there I would be clearing out!

My first gun was a hand pump pellet .177 cal pistol. The rubber ring on the compression piston went so we fitted a faucet washer in it. The more you pumped it the more powerful it was. It shot a pellet thru a 2" solid door.
She had a bent barrel but you could judge a shot by watching the arc of the pellet. Then use Kentucky windage to be more accurate.

Nope, first one a Sheridan Silver Steak 20 ca. single shot pump. Lot of power and accurate. Couple of years later, about 1966, a Marlin 39A, with Marlin scope. Gotta thank my mother for keeping the old photos, me with my Marlin and pup Malamute back in '66.

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My first was a Winchester 63 22lr. It was sort of mine & my Father's rifle although I was allowed to keep it in my room. When I was discharged from the Navy, had my first job & apartment, my Dad said, "here, you had better take this with you."

My first was a Benjamin .22 pump action pellet gun, which was a great learning gun. My first .22 rf was a single shot Colt "Colteer", followed by a m 62 Winchester which I still have.

Still have mine - Daisy Model 20.
Altho brother Brett rescued it out of Pop's garage & saved it for me. Believe I got it sometime around 1959 or so. Musta put about a billion BB's thru this one.

Pic of my Grandson holding it, in my backyard.

Never owned a BB gun although I've shot a few. I shot a couple of 22s at summer camp when I was 11, and my folks gave me a Marlin 81DL, tube magazine 22 with peep sights when I was 16. I still have it; the headspace is a little loose from several dozen bricks of high speed 22s.

My first BB gun was a Daisy pump, I couldn't tell you how many times I pinched my fingers in that damm thing.

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Don

My first was a Crossman VL350. It had a wooden stock and you pulled the barrel toward you and back out to cock it. According to the instructions and the model number it had a blazing 350 feet per second velocity. That gun was awesome and I could hit everything and anything I aimed at. Many a tin can, pop bottle, Australian pine cone and other such targets fell to this mighty rifle. Ahhh, we never knew how good we had it back then!

Me too - and it only held 50 BB's, plus you had to unscrew the core out of the barrel to load it.

But - did you know that if you sharpened a piece of welding rod on Dad's grinder, and if you dropped it down the barrel, that it also makes a short range harpoon-gun?

Dad nixed BB guns, although most of the neighborhood kids had one. He started me with his only gun, Winchester Model 69 when I was about 12, and then only under his supervision. Couldn't go with other kids who had 22's. I got the message. Guns are not toys, son!