Yet most of the rest of us, who have utterly no expectation of coming in first, have a great time. Come and shoot with us. You don't need to have shot a possible to be welcome.

So, if it's OK to just have fun, or to become cutthroat serious- either one, what's yer point?
Is this just another way for you to regurgitate the fact that you can shoot a 247 and I can't? I'm tired of hearing you beating that drum. The majority are probably numb from hearing your self-praising blather.

John I think you are correct the bar gets higher. This is true in other shooting sports as well. What was good enough in the past is not today.

I look at it another way though.  While scores are important for records match place is a better indication of shooter ability.  With variable conditions a critical factor experienced competitors have the edge when the wind blows.  IF their equipment is up to snuff.  Get a good condition  day all scores are higher, sometimes very much so.

Boats

As with everything in life it depends on what is important to you and how you define your own goals.

Quarterbore I could not agree more its a very diverse group with varying individual personal goals being set by all. I also have the up most respect for those just wanting to get out and punch holes in paper as they too have there own personal goals that are just as enjoyable for them to achieve as they are for a serious competitior.

JLouis

JLouis wrote on Jul 9^th, 2017 at 8:11pm:


It was me that JL is of course refering to, regarding 247's. My statement was about, getting a rifle shooting, competitively as regards the breech seating depth, using the old Ron Long way of doing it. That was for reference only, I now use the Russ Weber method and it seems to produce better scores. The point was to get newer shooters competitive and I'm sure that the newer shooters would be happy to have a 247 as a base line, to get started. Scores go way above the rifles ability to shoot. The person behind the trigger is more important than the rifle, most of the time.

But, since JL made this statement, in this thread, I thought that I would go back and check the Modesto groups scores for the last year (8/16 - 7/17). Modesto shoots a ISSA type format, in that their matches and are almost always 20 shot matches. Last year they shot one 50 shot match that I averaged by itself and added it to the 20 shot matches. So, this amounts to a additional, 1.5, 20 shot match scores. 

Of the top three shoters, there is one stand out that averages about 1.5 to 2 points more that the other top two shooters and that helps to pull the averages up.

Now the results. It turns out that the average of the Modesto's top three shoters is 246.5 over the last 12 months.

So a 247 would indeed get you into the top three places, most of the time! And that 247 would would have got you first place, at least twice.

The numbers speak for themselfs.  I think even the EG and NY people would have wished they had shot a 247 at times.

This info isn't to put the Modesto group down, they are excellent people and excellent shooters but, only to keep inaccurate info from keeping new shooters from testing their skils at more competitive matches.

Frank

As far as all this about helping others.  I tried entering a discussion with Louis and those with vast knowledge but received no comment. I get the feeling that "junior" members are expected to listen to the vast knowledge bunch and keep their opinions to themselves. Fairly typical of forums in general, a couple of commentators take over. Enjoy the small pond.