Amazed by folks who think $$$ make them better shots

[JaPes]

I've always had the philosophy of buying quality -- and if I couldn't buy quality, don't buy anything until I could.

^That's a good thing. Really it is. Buy exactly what you want. I'm not arguing that point. In fact if I exercised some restraint earlier in my firearms enthusiasm, my wallet would be fatter.

The issue is that there are a bunch of people out there who lie to themselves about how "good" they are at an activity. They'll scapegoat equipment, ammo, anything to avoid having to face the fact that they're not as good as they think they are. They fall prey to the false belief that expensive equipment that the pro's use will somehow compensate for a lack of earned skill.

Sometimes it isn't the arrow, it's the Indian.

 

[gunny4053]

I have a nephew who is so impatient that if he can't hit the X ring on the first shot he will trade the gun for "something better". His opinion of "better" leaves a lot more questions unanswered as well.

Where does your nephew live? See where I'm going with this?

 

[JaPes]

Gunny, gen3guy... you'll get a kick out of this...

A couple years ago(?) I bought a Hi-Point JHP45 because I wanted to get hands on with a firearm that garners an overwhelmingly negative reaction. I was curious because Oneyopn insisted that his shot straight and true.

I took this top heavy, blow back, odd trigger monstrosity to the range with some Russian TulAmmo. I put a target out to 10 yards, and wouldn't you know it consistently shot in the X-ring. As odd as it is, it had it where it counts: fixed barrel accuracy.

The guy in the lane over peeks into my lane to see what I'm shooting. He quickly ducks back into his lane. What the heck? I look at his target. Shot placement is all over the place, worse than a buckshot spread. I'm curious. I peek into his lane. He has the most beautiful Les Baer custom carry. Needless to say I wanted to strike up a conversation in the hopes of handling that 1911, and maybe getting to fire a couple rounds from it. The guy was nice, but began to pack up in a hurry to leave. I had to chuckle. I believe he didn't want anyone else to shoot his Les Baer so that he could keep on blaming the gun.

I can not over stress the importance of employing the fundamentals of marksmanship. I always try to make absolutely sure I'm doing the basics right, from there everything else is easy.

 

[gunny4053]

Now that's funny right there, I don't care who you are.

 

[rappa29]

Spending money DOES make you a better shot! As long as you spend it on ammo, range time, training, classes...

 

[Bekeart]

I KNOW my pistol shoots better than I can.

A friend bet that he could shoot a higher score than me; while using my pistol.

He DID and collected a case of beer as the result.

Bekeart

 

[Waywatcher]

Last range trip, there were a couple guys sitting and firing long barreled revolvers, single action, from a rest at a paper target that was a whopping 20 feet away.

I was standing and shooting my DAO S&W .38 snubby at 20 yards to verify POI and check the accuracy.

Our groups were remarkably similar in size.

 

[snubbyfan]

Isn't it like a car? The more chrome ya put on it the faster it goes?

 

[zzzippper]

Guilty. While in Iraq I fantasized myself into believing I could be a long range shooter. Three nice rifles, three nice scopes, and a few rounds to break in the barrel later I admitted my limitations.

 

[Wyo]

Just be glad that lots of people think that buying new "stuff" will make them better shots (or golfers or fishermen or whatever). It's this kind of thinking that keeps the gun companies, fishing pole companies, golf club companies and every other such company in business, and we all benefit from that.

 

[Salty RI]

I had a young guy ask me one time if he bought a $900.00 reel would it make him a better fisherman, he was a nice kid with a good job, he worked at the Twin Towers, I never saw him after 9/11.

 

[wbraswell]

Machines, especially modified machines need proper troubleshooting. With target rifles, a very good rest can make quite a difference.
I could beat Tiger Woods at golf, if I could find a ball that goes straight.

 

[Photog]

This is why we have AR's and 1911's that can cost 5-6K. I always laugh at those shooters who buy a perfectly good firearm and before they even fire one shot out of it, they send it to a custom gunsmith for all the bells and whistles. When it comes back they say how good it shoots, feeds, etc. The only problem is they have no idea if it may have shot as good, or had no feeding problems before they sent it to the smith and spent all that money. For me, new sights if necessary, some cosmetic, or ergonomic changes that make me more comfortable, and then spend the rest on ammo.

 

[smutt]

I bow to your mastery, then.
Unless of course you measure your groups in yards, as well.

MR-1 Target, prone of course. Sometimes the fun part is being the spotter and watching the "Undulating Donut of Death" hit it's mark. Being in the 'pits' can suck sometimes, especially when your new to target marking. (slow, slow, slow) Remember, bow to no one, it's an obama thing.

 

[smutt]

I could beat Tiger Woods at golf, if I could find a ball that goes straight.

I'm stealing this.

 

[smutt]

I believe he didn't want anyone else to shoot his Les Baer so that he could keep on blaming the gun.

I can not over stress the importance of employing the fundamentals of marksmanship. I always try to make absolutely sure I'm doing the basics right, from there everything else is easy.

How true. Although I remember what went through my head the first time I shot my 'new to me' used Les Baer. "This gun is way better than I am." Needless to say, that gun goes nowhere until I leave this world, and only because I can't take it with me.

 

[brucev]

Re: OP. Yet! Some folks try to buy the results that only come by practice. When I started shooting vintage military rifle matches I used a Remington made 1903 (1942) rebarrelled w/ a High Standard 1944 barrel. The stock has numerous cracks/flaws. I call it... Crack Baby! Crack Baby practices w/ cast lead handloads using 8.0 gr. of Unique pistol powder. This load runs about like a .22 LR round. Friends call this practice match load "Sidewinder Missiles" since in really cold weather the round will sometimes hit the paper sideways. I like 'em! Sideways gives me an advantage. Cool! The rifle averages 96.9 for 10 shot strings fired slow fire at 100 yds. prone.

On a number of occasions I have arrived at a match, pulled Crack Baby out of the case and heard people make comments, etc. Some of them are shooting rifles and ammunition that cost really big bucks. Due to their lack of practice, they end up with low, sometimes really low scores. Some time spent practicing would really pay off with better scores. Of course, you can't buy practice bucks. The coin of that realm is sweat and hard work. Happily that is something everyone can afford. Cool!

 

[snubbyfan]

I've been to the range with people with the latest tactical this and kydex that. They don't generally have much to say afterwards after getting outshot by a gimpy Injun with a dao J frame snubby.

 

[jarhead1178]

I keep all my sd guns stock. At 10 to 15yds I don't need fancy sights
or triggers. All I know is the old springfield m1 had in Korea was stock all the way and kept me alive. o

 

[Old TexMex]

I've seen a lot of that, duck and deer hunting. Most of the hunters had very expensive stuff. Exotic caliber rifles, beautiful O/U shotguns.
Usually pretty good tippers if I was careful not to get all condescending when they couldn't hit a bull in the --- with a bass fiddle.
Equipment will seldom hold a novice back.
The ones that annoy me are the fellows that know everything about equipment and next to nothing about how to use it in the field.
Like having a Rolex and not being able to tell time.