Tough day tips

B

B. Harvey

Guest
I started RFBR 2 years ago and have experienced days where it's easy (easier) and days where it is insanely difficult. Smooth consistent conditions are what we all dream of, but rarely see. I think I have seen these conditions ONCE in 2 years (non match day). But, we have all seen the days where the vanes never stop turning and the tails never stop up and down movement. The really bad days are days like that but with both going on at all times.

My question is, how do you go about handling the really tough days where the vanes and tails are in a constant state of change? What are your strategies for handling them? Is a head or tail wind a better choice for trying to handle these tough days?

I have been wondering this for a while and figured I'd ask not only to help myself, but for everyone to possibly pick up some useful tips.

Thanks.
 
Use the time wisely

I use conditions like this to do a lot of learnin. You take note and watch the shot in relation to the flags ( Conditions ). I've alway said, there are four different kinds of conditions, and they are, Practice, Ammo Testing, Barrel Tuning, and actual match conditions. It takes all four to pick up a pointer or two.
 
You have to be more patient on the bad days. First, watch your flags before the match starts. If there are two relays, pick a couple of good shooters to watch(discreetly) and see what condition they are shooting. When it's your turn to shoot, try that condition first on your sighters. You may get lucky and find out it works for you, too. If not, try to find the next most consistent condition. Don't try to conserve ammo if you want to do well. I regularly shoot 50-75 shots per target on a windy day. Shoot enough sighters to be sure you've found something that works, and continue to shoot sighters every time you change a row. Most important- Don't deviate from your condition without shooting enough sighters to confirm that the new one is going to be consistent enough to shoot. If something tells you not to shoot that next bull-DON'T SHOOT without trying a sighter or two first!

It also doesn't hurt to shoot a sighter or two in some of those conditions you'd never shoot unless you absolutely have to...if you try it early and the clock is winding down at the end, you might be able to nail one of those improbable shots, instead of shooting a 7 or a 25, depending on what target you're shooting.

Unless the range is big enough to have a "honey hole", everyone is shooting the same conditions. The winner is going to be the one who finds a condition that works and is patient enough to stick with it.
Just my .02 worth,
Todd Banks
 
Hell, just do like Bob. When they say "FIRE" start shooting and don't stop until they call "CEASE FIRE". Also like Bob, bring a truck load of ammo :D

I have learned one thing. When the wind is really blowing say from right to left shoot the LH sighters.
 
bad days

my first shoot was at jefferson city i did pretty well and was using the calfee that day. i shot i think 6th that day out of 9 im not sure but i think joe beshes wife may have padded my score just a little to encourage me.

i think i saw joe and her talking but they may have been discussing something else i dont know. if you dont know her she is a very nice lady and extremely good looking. joe is blessed believe me i sitll dont understand hwo thsoe scrffy guys get all the good looking gals.!!!!

a month later came the st. louis shoot and an extremely windy day. the conditions there are about the worst i have ever seen with mounds of dirt stacked up in strange places so i know you guys that have shot there you know what i mean.

no one shot well that day im not sure but i think joe beshe won of course and his score was awful but that s the way it works. joe oviously knows how to shoot and he won by hard work i can tell you that.

i havent been to anohter shoot this summer dut to other things but i shoot in my backyard 3 times a week and some days i am right on and other days i want to make tomatoe stakes out of my rifles.

i have eyesight problems and other things as i find out now but i try to do my best everyday and continue to find things i am doing wrong by reading these posts.

so keep on keeping on and just keep shooting and studying you will improve.

bob
 
This reminds me of a couple of years ago when I overheard another shooter talking about this with Mr. Jim Campbell. The guy said, " Mr. Campbell. How do you shoot in that kinda condition?"(flags going in every direction) Mr. Campbell replied, "Son, I try not to!" --Nuff said:)---Mike Ezell
 
all the clay shooting sports have coaches/instructors who put on clinics thru out the country where you can pay a fee and learn tips and such, i am not aware of any such thing in rimfire, except for videos and dvds, am i just unaware of anyhing like this??

bill
 
poor shootin

i will make one more comment about this and shut up. there are some guys that have a natural God give talent to shoot. now you good shooters dont jump on me and say its nothing. if that was so why did ted williams hit 400 3
or 4 times while no one else did.

my grandfather was a squirrel head shooter with a junky old rife. not to run b/r shooters down but his shooting went way above that. the squirrel jumping around, wind blowing all directions and him holding that old rifle steady for i thought an hour but i know it was nothing like that! he shot squirrlls out of any height it was amazing to me!

he was on watch in ww2 on a ship and spotted a kamakazie way out there. he gave the ship plenty of notice and he got a medal for that. in his own sweet way he ignored the medal i never knew about it until he was showing me his medals one day for some reason. i was a young man then.

so you great shooters keep shooting those scores but dont be selfish and say its nothing!

but please share with us duffers

bob
 
cwop

Ted Williams when asked about God given talent replied what the hell hapened to dedication and hard work.
 
Tugh Day Tips

You might find some useful tips in the article "The Enemy Of My Enemy Is My Friend" in the Feb 2009 issue of Precision Shooting magazine.
 
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