To those who can Run and Gun

Running and Gunning

Gene Bukys and Charles Huckeba are probably the best in Our Region at this, I get to watch them a lot. From the "cheap seats".

My dream this year was to completely re-vamp my shooting style, changing from a "hunter and picker" to a "runner and gunner", when the opportunity was presented.

I invested heavilly in a new action and stock configuration, right eject, but if you have read any of my recent post, the Rifle has been a source of mysery. You can't shoot fast when the bolt doesn't want to open.

So, untill I get it sorted out, I am just shooting the R-L Farley Sporter that has served me well in the past.

If you watch Gene shoot, you notice that he isn't even particular about flags, or what relay he is on. Most of the time, Gene does not shoot "conditions", what he shoots is when there is very little "condition", relative to what the usual is. He has an uncanny ability to sit there, study the entire range, often with his arms crossed. When he sees the condition come to a favorable "let-up" that he likes, and then he goes to town. His Rifles shoot so darned well that he can follow any slight up swing, and never miss a beat.

That is also a big key to this whole thing. The top shooters go to the line with a Rifle that is capable. Whether we admitt it or not, most don't.

That, and he is just darned good at this game. I used to could hang with Gene, on occasion comming out ahead. Not anymore. I am stuck, treading water, he gets better every time he shoots.

Sure, sometimes he gets bit, but his idea of "getting bit" is when he turns a .300 at 200 yards into a .400. That is when most are trying to "read the push", and struggling to keep it under 1 inch.

The best non-ejector shooter I know is Pat Byrne. He developed a very good system that allowed him to place a round in the chamber while taking the spent case out. I also think he has a natural talent for this game. You can see it when he shoots.

I can shoot my Rail Gun fast, it has a Drop Port Viper. But, I often catch myself hunting a picking with it. Old habits are hard to break.

That is something that is hard to deal with. My Mentor in Benchrest back in the mid 90's stressed reading conditions, going to the sighter, and holding off what ever was needed. You can get pretty good at Benchrest doing this, you will pick up your share of wins. But, to reach the pinnicle, you have to be able to adapt and shoot fast when the opportunity presents its self. Untill I learn to do this, I will be nothing more than a reasonably good Region Level Shooter, missing out on the rewards that those at the top of the game enjoy.........jackie
 
Having interviewed many of the best....

Let me say that Joe's views are the consensus for many of the top shooters. He has proven that it works for him while shooting many conditions.

Gary Ocock uses a different approach, and he, too, is an excellent shooter. Gary shoots his own BT bullets and he always jumps them. He finds the "jam" length, and then seats the bullets about 0.030 deeper in the case. This will give him about .012-.015 of "jump".

Gary also holds his rifle with a fairly firm grip. As far as speed, he does not shoot as fast as Ratigan, Bukys, Krupa, Huckeba,Tony, or Campbell; but he does shoot well.

Lowell Hottenstein is another shooter to watch if one wants to learn how this game is to be played. Lowell is not very "busy" at the bench, but he achieves speed through smoothness. Also, Lowell has the uncanty ability to wait until the wind is waning, i.e., the tails are going down when he shoots....almost every time.

Bart Sauter is another shooter who can "run and gun" with the best. He told me that he practices loading with dummy rounds (on the kitchen table when the wife is not there:p).

There are several styles of shooting that have proven successful, but the one Joe outlined is used by many of the top shooters today. Good shooting...James
 
Jackie

like I said earlier there are those I feel who WILL ALWAYS be that step ahead.

If I could sit at amy table in the house and practice, practice, practice it may help out. The key is how does the rifle track and perform under recoil. That is something taht at this time cannot be simulated.

Calvin
 
Pete Wass said:
If someone could make a comparison of the costs above to running a Modified Stock Car for a season or the cost of a competitive Golfer who plays in tournaments all summer I think.
Just MHO.
Click to expand...

When I see comparisons to what it costs do do other sports incomparison to Benchrest, the only answer is I couldn't afford to do those sports either and not everyone could afford to do those other sports either, as it comes back to disposable income. To tell the truth I couldn't afford to smoke and do benchrest either.

I do do Benchrest though, but still couldn't afford to shoot 5,000 rounds a year let alone 10,000. To shoot 2000 rounds in NZ would run about NZ$2800 and that is only replacing your barrel after 2000 rounds and a barrel dosn't ususally stay competitive for that long............Ian
 
J. Mock

Could you elaborate a bit about when is a good time to shoot.
I was told never to shoot in a let up always in a take up.
This seems to be contradictory of your comment about Lowell and waiting for the wind to wain.
Centerfire
 
Centerfire..

Lowell didn't tell me to do this, but I observed that he uses this method. Another great shooter, Allie Euber, told me to shoot either the pickup or the let up, but don't shoot both. He said that he preferred the let up. Good shooting...James
 
??????? Opinion!

I am NOT qualified BUT, it seems Euber has the right idea. If you start in a pick up you don't know how much more is coming, VS, if one starts in a let up, at least one can "maybe" follow that back to your known ZERO or completely calm............. Jan
 
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Most of the let-ups around here....

.... are switches in process. My biggest fear is when the flags are late in responsiveness and you get burned. And I am a big sucker for the calm - it just looks too good to pass up. However, I have had my worst groups shooting in dead calm. (That is why they call it "dead".)

At both Holton two weeks ago and the Hog Roast last weekend I got burned on the let-ups (swithces in process) and had my best groups shooting the pick-ups. A little vertical in your tune seems to cut down the affect of the cross wind.

That being said, I would say that Lowell probably sits and times the let-ups, swells and pick-ups and tries to shoot in whatever is stable and weak for as long as it takes for him to get five shots off. Timing the conditions before the "commence fire" has helped me quite a bit the past few years.

Also, Lowell has a very good barrel right now and he knows how to tune as well as anyone I've seen.
 
Well

JD Mock said:
Lowell didn't tell me to do this, but I observed that he uses this method. Another great shooter, Allie Euber, told me to shoot either the pickup or the let up, but don't shoot both. He said that he preferred the let up. Good shooting...James
Click to expand...

I find this bit of info very informative as I never thought of it that way. I usually shot in either a pickup or let off as long as the velocity was the same or what I thought was the same.

Well sometimes you need to hear it from someone before you realize what a bone head I can be.

It all makes sense in theory just like when your flags are going one way and the mirage another. You never shoot when the mirage is not going in the same direction.

Thanks James.

Calvin
 
If there was ever a topic to put into your "favorites" this is it, although I have another in there by Joe. Others that we know have acquired the same skills in the past. The differance is...Joe has been gifted with communication skills...in addition to some others he has as well.

I too...thank you for sharing.
 
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