Quote:


Don't agree.  You need to keep slinging it!    

Set higher goals.

Boats
I've seen  more than one title by Tubbs, which book are you sharing the info from? Thanks for the info.
Bob

I agree with everything I've read, but I'm surprised that someone hasn't mentioned proper stock fit. I started out shooting skeet and made several stocks to try to improve my technique and I did. I found that some folks can shoot well in spite of an ill fitting stock, but it's a lot easier if you have a gun that fits you properly. You should be able to pull up your gun with your eyes closed, and when you open them find that your pointing right down the barrel. In a 100 shot match, a proper fitting stock will greatly help your score. The distribution of weight plays a part too, the Germans made rifles with heavy stocks and light barrels, we generally use rifles with light stocks and heavy barrels. I've always wanted to make up a Schuetzen try-gun adjustable for length of pull, height of comb as well as drop. I once owned an Olympic Martini with an excellent articulated stock and it shot well! Anyone whose seen Chuck Blender's rifle will understand what I mean.

Bob Tyler

G Warden

Tubbs book is "Highpower Rifle" Zediker purblishing 1993.  Of course the real "Bible" is  "Competitive Shooting" by A.A. Yur'Yev  generaly known as "The Russian Book"   Yur'Yev's is the most complete if not the most readable. Tubb just makes a lot of sense to me and his credentials are the best, it's not a long or expensive book just the result of his experence in a compact readable format.

Schuetzenbob.  Stock fit is truily important.  Funny thing is the old designs are often exactly like the new adjustable rifles end up fitting. In Tubbs book he has a whole lot to say about stock fit. Some of his ideas are radical to most eyes, Canting the rifle for example but all of it makes sense and would be usefull in Schuetzen

I ordered my first True Schuetzen from Paul Shuttleworth and on his advice used his high comb Pope model stock. I had for some time owned and shot a Anschutz M54 Free Rifle with a fully adjustable stock. Comb, leingh of pull, Palm rest Hook plate adjustable etc.  When adjusted to fit the modern rifle is just about like the Pope model in all respects.  Even the ballance is about the same.

It's an arkward fit at first but once you get used to it the control and consistency of positon is remarkable. The real key and one Tubb is very stong on is erect head positon.  He says and I do believe your balance is much better with your head erect than laying over on a low comb.

Boats

  I would like to chime in on the "principle" of counting your shots in a Schuetzen match. By all means, if it upsets you to be able to fire 11 shots in a ten shot match, dont do it.   I shoot for the fun of it, and try to have fun whether  I win or not and whether I have a "good " day or not .  Some people I know like to shoot but wont go to a match because they are afraid to loose. They say, " I will go when I know I can win it"  If everybody had that attitude we would never get more than two or three people together for a match. Same thing with car shows or model airplane shows.  But to each his own. I resolved this issue by considering the fact that the same rule applies to everybody.  I have turned in many targets with less than 10 holes, in situations where serious things were going worng that one good shot could not fix, like last summer when the last six or seven shots were of the paper in a benchrest match due to serious leading, or the time by scope mounts fell apart in the middle of a match.   

However, If I am having one of my "good " days, and in the running for a medal, if the rules allow me to re-shoot a clean miss I will cheerfully do it, as long as I know that everybody else can follow the same rule.   As much as I enjoy shooting for the fun of it and the comradship, etc, Its usually just as much fun if not  a liitle more fun when you get a medal.  So why let someone else re-shoot a miss and get the medal ?

JUst my opinion for what its worth (not much probably)

On a related note, I would like to suggest that practice is practice, Air rifle, rimfire, whatever. My neighbor and I shoot Aquila no gunpowder rimfires in the basement or garage in rain or cold weather.  The Lee Shaver .22 inserts are really great for practice, allowing you to use the same rifle that you will compete with.  Rem Thunderbolts can be bought for around $9 per 500, makes for lots of offhand practice without casting, weighing, lubing sizing, sortin, loading etc.   

This last comment may sound a liitle wierd but I believe in it. You can actually practice the mental aspect of sight alignment and trigger control in your lazy-boy.  Close your eyes and imagine you are shooting, visualize the sight picture and the feeling of applying pressure to the trigger.There is a certain "feel" to the coordinated act of trigger control and sight alignment that you can mentally practice without getting out of your chair. As we get older, the lack of reaction time starts to hinder the trigger letoff sequence, the mental practice can help to keep the mental reflexes in shape.    Joe S

Guys, 

Let me be clear. The rule is the rule and if you shoot various matches following them is the prpoper way to conduct yourself.

However I strongly believe your thoughts during a match are self-fufiling. If you want to improve offhand having the ablity to shoot "Throway" shots will hamper your progression.

The way to score in Schuetzen is not to miss the target. Having the ablity under the rules to re-shoot a total miss will make it more likely you will miss the entire target on some shots.

Harry Pope said it's not a number of good shots that make a good score, It's the absense of bad shots.  He got it right.

Boats

guys, been reading this thread with great interest and "joe s" said it best...practice, practice, practice!!! the reason i point this out is i believe some people overcomplicate this concept and suffer  from the dreaded "paralysis through analysis" syndrome. it true that it is not necessaraly practice makes perfect, but rather perfect practice makes perfect. i think return to the basic fundamentals of offhand shooting and log in some substantial triggertime. the top shots i know use a quality air rifle FREQUENTLY , [ as do I], and shoot indoor .22 , league or not. lastly, if schuetzen, sillouette, muzzleloading, smallbore or whatever your game, try to have your practice rifle mirror your chosen fields rifle weight wise. ANY triggertime will improve your abilities if your even moderately serious about it. i don't want to make it sound as if i'm oversimplifying this, as offhand is the most difficult discipline, but a little weightlifting for better body control , a positive attitude towards your shooting and 15 minutes a day will make you most assuredly BETTER.you will not shoot well unless you 'know' you're going to shoot well when you mount the rifle...confidence is my biggest allie..........blue