Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Shooting Days are Over

1B just nailed it!

As for me, I have days when I can shoot well, and days that I cannot. On the cannot days I don't beat my head against a wall, I shoot fun stuff like pistols at cans and clay targets, then go home happy and try the paper some other time.

Go shoot turtles for a few weeks. It will line a guy out

Yea I use to shoot that way. But 10 years on night shift managed to open them groups up even on a great rifle.

That was me John, and I am glad it's fly season.

Just about gave up on a re-barreled 700 MR 7-08 that refused to shoot consistently. It wasn't: scope, bases, trigger, barrel heating, brass, powder, seating, or the operator. It was adding 10g of bullet weight combined with needing to be very clean. Now it's touching bullet holes and doing it cold or warm in new or FF brass with said operator under intense mosquito pressure. It ain't right.

Eliminating variables and combinations thereof can turn into a full-time job...

I couldn't get my .257 Roy to shoot light bullets. Went to a 110 gr accubond, and 1.5" shrunk to 3/4". It was hell too, because I hate being forced to shoot paper at the range.

Kitch,

How did you feel about your shooting that day?

Was your mind in the right place?

Were you able to call your shots and do so with confidence?


The mental aspect of shooting groups is just as important as everything else. If there's things on your mind that interfere with your ability to focus 100% then the results may not be optimal. The next time you go to the range shoot with the steely eyed precision that you know you have. If the groups aren't what they should be you'll know it's not you.

CONFIDENCE !

Don't give up. Everybody has a bad day once in awhile.

I didn't feel good at all about the results of the shooting. My mind wasn't in the right place on the way to the range much less when I got there. I'm having a lot of problems with the leg and foot and was concerned if I could even walk down and back to the 100 yard target area to tack up my targets.

I lucked out there as there was only one other guy there when I pulled up, a young black guy in his mid to late 20's and we exchanged salutations and he asked if he could go on down to tack his targets up. I asked if he would do mine as well and explained the leg condition. He obliged and I was relieved about that.

I had the leg on my mind and was concerned if my dog was ok. I don't like leaving him alone for very long. Just a quirk of mine. I knew I had a lot to do with a new scope, rifle, and another rifle with an exchanged scope I'd have to bore sight along with a lot of new loads and keeping up with what groups were shot with what bullets/loads and didn't know how long that would take.

All in all I was there physically but not mentally. I tried to concentrate on what I was doing but had a lot of excess baggage in the subconscious. Maybe next time will be better. I did h ave to retrieve my targets as the fellow that tacked them up for me left about an hour later. It was difficult going down and pulling the targets down and walking back. I had to stop twice. That takes all the enjoyment out of shooting when pain over rides it.

Now you know what the problem was and that's a good thing.

The next time you go to the range make it easy on yourself and plan on working with just one rifle. If things are going good then decide if you want to do more range work. Don't do it because you have to.

Have fun with it.

I usually take two rifles-the 243 and 270 or the 22-250 and the 270. The FW barrel on the 270 heats up after three shots so, I let it rest, grab one of the other ones that's cold and shoot a five shot group, clean and grab the 270 again. It's usually cool enough at that point. So, I bring two at least just to rotate them. I was just testing too many things and had more than I should have on my mind besides that. It all seemed more work that pleasure that day.