In recent threads about rifles and ammo, some respondents talk about matches and competition. Who has, and still is shooting competitively and at what level? It would benefit me knowing, and maybe others as well when evaluating your responses. For example, I read a little slower, and pay more attention when Wilson Combat/Bill Wilson responds. I've also recently learned that a responder had a career as a machinist, another is a professional Gunsmith.

I’ve shot a couple handfuls of matches, but that doesn’t mean you should listen to me. You’ve been here long enough, you know who knows, and who’s full of chit. Shooting matches doesn’t mean you’re good. It means you’ve got entry fee, transportation, and the day off.

This LOL I shoot matches and I wouldn't listen to anything I had to say

I shoot competitions...but I wouldn't say that I shoot competitively...

I edited my post, to include "at what level". I'm not talking about what you and I did at a Hunters Challenge, but sanctioned by recognized organizations, and maybe sponsored by known manufacturers.

I think you have to take everyone's responses with a grain of salt and do your own research either way. I received some advice from a respected and recognized expert recently on here, and I am not taking his advice based on my own research and previous experience. I'll still look to that person's experience and advice as generally quality advice, but on this one, I think he is wrong.

You can trust me on that, I do. This is a part of that process.

That is really tough question to answer. Some guys know a lot about their disipline. Some think they know everything about it. When I started I found guys that were winning. Followed that up with the guys that wrote the books on shooting disiplines. I just takes time to sort through the maze or so called knowledge, apply it to yourself and practice. To me the same applies to hunting or really any sport. The great thing about shooting is there are a lot of really nice people out there and they are all willing to help someone wanting to inprove. A good book to read is Applied Ballistics for long range shooting by Bryan Litz.

Looks like an easy enough question to me: "Who has, and still is shooting competitively and at what level?"

I used to shoot the PRS and NRL matches for many years. The last year I shot full time, I qualified for the 2012 PRS finale, and finished #49, which I didn't shoot that well at the finale. I got burned out of it, honestly (and a lack of time). I find more enjoyment in being a Range Officer for the matches now. I also learn more as an RO than as a shooter. As an RO, you can watch the wind shifts as a shooter shoots and see where they miss due to certain factors. I can also watch shooters getting into position and see what positions work and do not work. In comps, a lot of the time it's not about shooting, but the logistics of shooting, meaning getting into a good position to make the shot for that stage. In years past, I've gone to Rifles Only for their Brawl matches, which is one of the top competitions in the nation. They offer a train up the week before the match. I generally am an RO for the match and shoot the train up the week before. We spend lots of range time on certain stages and fundamentals. I went through over 100 rounds on just the mover one day at the 400 and 500+ yard lines. It's not very often you get to shoot movers at distance. I find training offers more benefit for me than shooting the matches now a days. Plus, some of the PRS and NRL matches have become more cut throat and shooters only care about their score. "The game" has changed over the years, also. Now, I enjoy the comradery with the other shooters I've shot with over the many years. That's the fun part now, for me.

Awesome. Good information and summary of your qualifications.

I don't know how many PRS matches I shot over the years, and back before there was a PRS. They were the same style of shootjng,but not one organization. I also stayed busy with the North Texas club that had matches around the metro mess. I was told, once you have your own range, you won't go shoot matches as much. And that has been correct. I'm missing it and am wanting to go to a few a year again. I'm also going to try my hand at the 1 Mile matches.

Similar to what Chad said, I get a whole lot of learning being a spotter on my range. As well as shooting people's rifles for hire. I'm waiting on a barrel to cool right now. You spend tens of thousands of rounds behind a spotting scope and you will get wind lessons, for free, just time spent. Between myself and customers, I've probably watched 100,000 rounds go down my range. And from .22lr and.223 Rem to 338 Lapua Mag and 300 Norma Mag, and about 50 cartridges in between.

I take every day shooting as a lesson for myself. Before I lived on the land the range is on, I'd end my day with a cold bore shot at distance, because that is the hunting shot. Pull up to the platform in the truck, grab whatever rifle I had with me, pick something pretty far out. I started at 500 yards, no matter the wind. In two weeks I went to 600 cold bore, then 700, then 800. After I did that prone for months, I switched over to kneeling, but backed up to 300, then 400, then 500 yards. If no one challenges themselves, they will not improve.

LOL - do shotguns count? League & NSCA tournaments. you can check the Trap, Skeet & Target Shooting forum for everything i have been into lately.

Was also into 3D Archery tournament's . until my shoulder was replaced.

And during its heyday played professional foosball & played in the world tournament's that use to be played at the DFW Hilton

Hetman(aka Steve)

Truer words were never spoken.

I just shoot a lot and talk up the quality businesses, guns, and ammo that kept me out of the office over the weekend.

Fingers crossed for the '23 season.

USPSA since 2004. I should be a lot better at it than I am. I got pretty hard and heavy into three gun for awhile and have slacked off from it in the past few years—Covid didn’t help.

I shoot pretty regularly at the local level. I went to 3 or four major matches last year. I’ll probably shoot half that this year.

I will say this: over the years, I’ve owned, shot, or seen just about every kind of 9mm, 40, or 45; so when I give an opinion on a gun, it’s from firsthand experience. Not some random crap I read on the internet.

We got no room for that here!

participant in many

master of none

mostly for fun and to be around other good shooters. I've never left a match where I didn't learn something.

Started when I was 17, skeet, then NRA bullseye Pistol. These set the foundation to today @ 70.

Not that competitive anymore, just a plinker.

My bad

LOL.

That's kinda cruel, Gary. But I like it.

I guess I’m qualified to give advice on the shotgun side, not as much on the various guns as on shooting them….had my share of wins on the Skeet circuit long ago.

I guess my first competitive shooting was on our college ROTC team as a guest as a I wasn’t in the ROTC. Started reloading and shooting Centerfire’s seriously in the late70’s.
Lots of 3D archery in the 80’s/ 90’s and really got away from rifle hunting until my kids got old enough to go all the time.
Predator hunting got me back into rifles and shooting which evolved into some LR shooting then 3 Gun competitions. I never actually practiced just went to matches and had fun with my son who is now beating me as practicing is part of his job description.
Dabbled in some FClass 600/1000 yds matches and we have our local quarterly 1000 yd match and I shoot in all three classes of that event when it doesn’t interfere with predator hunting.
About 18 months ago I got a PRS style centerfire rifle and started with local monthly matches and the MD said I should try the rimfire match which I did and that was so much fun I started looking around for more events.
That lead me to look for other types of matches that might have appeal and have shot last two Steel Safari matches and an going to try the NRL if I can find a match that fits my schedule this year.
This is first weekend in a month I didn’t have to go predator hunting but I couldn’t find a match anywhere close on Practiscore.
I am not a gunsmith but I can do very basic stuff.
I probably mount scopes and sight- in 75-100 rifles a year so I get to play with a lot of nice equipment.
I know people… so I was shooting and reloading the 7mmPRC a while before it was introduced.
I know stuff that I am dying to put online but then if I did I wouldn’t get to know that stuff.

I shot USPSA hot and heavy back in the 1990s, 2-3 matches a month for about 5 years. I miss it and want to get back into it, but life keeps getting in the way. I have met some of the best human beings on this planet at shooting matches.

I still shoot about once a week because it is silly to carry a gun for a living and not be proficient with it, but if you want to see big jumps in your gunhandling skills competition will make you better.

Good to know. Nice mix of range and field of experience. Steel Safari Matches? Interesting.

I think last I looked it was 17 years of USPSA. But only made it to A class. Worked and shot major matches over the years. Used to shoot 3 gun a bit,and actually came out of retirement on that last weekend lol.

Also shot bullseye pistol and hi power rifle on the local scene.

Had my own range for a couple of years that was geared towards USPSA and three gun. Unfortunately I opened it about 3 or 4 months before Newtown and all the ammo dried up, so it was doomed from the start.

Shot 3D archery for a while and won state and national event on the amateur side of course, not the pro LOL. That was with a compound, also used to shoot recurve quite a bit and was pretty salty with it but never on the same level as I was with a compound. But I haven't shot recurve much in a long time so I suck with it now LOL

This is me, transportation and the day off. I used to compete with Buzz to see who could get put out first, I’m good for 11 and out, but he started winning some rounds with that blue rifle he sold.