Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Learning to shoot again.

Had the covid last winter, lost 2 months of my life and dang near died of it, the issue was in doubt for a few days. Have been SLOWLY recovering, Doc sent me to physical therapy/rehab as almost all of my strength had gone away, have been doing some simple exercises and seems to be helping. Still very short-winded and weak. Anyway, talking with the PT guy a few days ago, lamented to him that I had lost almost all my ability to shoot due to weakness, etc, he told me to go shoot anyway in hopes that it would come back.

I have a regulation 10 meter airgun range in my basement along with an FWB300s target gun, iron sights, and a Beeman R-8 sporter with a Beeman 3x9 scope set at 9x. Shot for the 4th times this evening and saw a little improvement. With the FWB, it is just about too heavy right now , a little over 12 pounds, but I will keep trying. Being short winded, I can only hold my breath for about 6 seconds before the target disappears out of the front sight and everything goes grey, even though I have the largest aperture in. It's from my eye running out of oxygen. Also , pretty shakey, I can only get a decent sight picture for 2-3 seconds and it drifts out into left field.

With the Beeman , I can do fairly well as it is a lighter rifle and has the scope.

My goal so far is to be able to reliably put 10 shots in the black on the 10 meter target, tonight I got 8 with the FWB and the Beeman both, which is progress as I was only getting 3-4 when I started.

Being 80 years old doesn't help, I'm sure. Beats the alternative. Glad our club has a weekly .22 benchrest shoot, I'll do a lot better at that.

Never give up, never ever.

Keep at it. My coworker was out of the plant 1/6 for covid and recently made it back. It was about 3 weeks before he quit coughing up a lung a the drop of a hat. The recovery for those that covid takes a liking to is long.

Fire a couple shots, take a break, repeat. Pace yourself.

So sorry to hear you got hit with that. Good on you though for doing what you can to get some sense of normalcy back. Here's hoping for your continued improvement!

My hat is off to you sir. Hang in there and keep us posted how you are doing. I personally find shooting .22rf @ my 250' gongs with suppressed subsonic Ely more enjoyable than centerfire rifle shooting more so all the time. Only on a calm day. 104 clicks up with a 50' zero.

This.

Just keep shooting. Then shoot some more. I promise those guns don’t know you had Covid or that you’re 80.

Your physical therapy IS shooting and the targets are your progress report. That’s how I’d treat it. 6 seconds will turn to 7.

Keep it up!

Exactly.

Glad to hear you're feeling better, jnyork.

I would let you borrow a couple of my boomsticks to play with, if you were close.. You know, for diversity.

+2

You keep at it--you're doing great!

You can bounce back.

Hang in there!

When the going gets tuff.....

Wishing you the best for a full and speedy recovery.

Paul

my old man is 82 and still a badass pistolero, so it can be done.

Sounds like you're on the right trajectory! (See what I did there?)

You are a Stud.

In most men's gun clubs in Europe, older men shoot from supported stands. So try a little support for the heavy airguns.
Those FWB300 cock nice, and even that is great exercise. Best wishes for your full recovery and full enjoyment of shooting.

It's said that practice makes perfect. So, keep shooting away and have fun doing so! Sounds like you're on the right path to recovery. Just don't rush it.

jnyork, sorry to hear of your troubles, but I'm delighted to hear you're doing better! Keep on shooting, sir. And keep us posted on your progress.
Doc

jnyork,

Congratulations on the progress. It is great to hear you are doing better.

Shooting the air rifles? Hell, I am impressed you are making it up and down the basement stairs after what you have been through.

Yup!

Glad you're still on the right side of the dirt York.