Numb-rod,
What shooting event are YOU going to enter this year?
What is the highest level you have achieved?
Master?
State championship?
National championship?
National record?
World championship?
World record?
Probably none, as I don't compete officially any longer, but...
I hold a Master Long Range card from the NRA, that was EARNED in competition, not internet bragging. And you don't get it for one lucky match. It's an average of many matches, requiring you to stay on top of your game.
Multiple state championships, in military (Guard) matches, in rifle (four times), pistol (twice), machine gun, and sniper rifle. In one particularly good year, I won ALL FOUR disciplines, in a single year. Never done by anyone else, before or since.
Three time winner of a regional military match, fired on a format resembling an NRA High Power match (standing, kneeling, sitting, prone). I shot against Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marine shooters from a four state region, and won individual three times and was on the winning team five teams.
Top three in national level competition, at the Wilson matches (National Guard Championships), with two Chief's 50 wins (awarded to top 20 rifle, top 20 pistol, top 10 MG, and top 10 sniper). I won it with the rifle, twice. The Wilson matches are a weeklong event, where you shoot probably 20 or so different matches. Everything from 25 yards out to 600 yards. Your cumulative score over the week determines the winner. Again, not a lucky day, but a strong sustained effort, against 200 (!) other competitors, puts you on the stage at the end.
Was selected to, and SHOT ON, the All-Guard International team. Actually went to, and competed in, Brisbane, Australia, against other militaries from around the world. I was there for almost a month competing daily. Came home with a pistol gold medal in the team event, along with a smattering of lesser stuff. That one, by the way Lee, was paid for with your tax dollars. You don't get to represent your country abroad, on their nickel, by being a poser...
EARNER of the Distinguished Rifleman Medal, along with having the silver version in pistol (I was never as good with a pistol, but still managed to amass 22 of the 30 points needed to go distinguished with that one as well....). Again, a long term effort. You earn 6, 8, or 10 points per match, depending on your placement. Only the top 10% of the whole match get ANY points, and that group is divided into thirds when awarding the points. So the top 3% (!) get 10 points, etc, on down. You can only shoot four matches per year, so again, you need to stay on top of your game over time. It is next to impossible to "leg out" in one year. It took me two.... And yes, I did have a 10 point match, which put me ahead of 97% of the other shooters.
These were all EARNED in regulated competitions, over time, against hundreds of other shooters, on many different ranges, under a wide variety of conditions, not some nonsense "walk on, at my own level" dreaming....
So, how about you Lee??
