I think it would be good to know more about each other

jackh · Post by **jackh** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 2:20 am

Lately I have been off my shooting due to back problems, surgery and now recuperation. I have to relearn some muscles to stand, walk, and shoot with out discomfort. So I am going back to basics and a large measure of physical conditioning. Thats one main thing that is missing right now, the ability (condition) to hold as tight as I did before. That messes up your mind a lot.

I shoot mainly Bullseye. There is absolutely no International in my area. I would need to go to Seattle for any thing like regular matches. So it's Bullseye and a bit of AP for training. I have never shot an AP match. I don't even score my AP targets. I just train for group shooting. My better groups you could cover with a quarter. The not so good, a dollar bill :)

Years ago, 1969 -1975to be exact, I had the wonderful opportunity to train under LtCol Miller, USA ret. I enjoyed one on one coaching. LtCol Miller told of times he shot with Joe Benner and other greats. He was active in the NRA. The American Rifleman magazine printed his story and obituary on his passing. LtCol Miller was a WW2 Veteran and lifer until the late 50s or early 60s. Coach was teaching me mostly on the High Standard 106 Trophy. He said we were near the point to move into FP, but his health had a sudden major setback. Thus ended my being coached and groomed for FP. Right after that, school, work, marriage, kids, funds, all had a role in my shooting time availability as well. In fact while raising 2 daughters I did not shoot any matches for 20 years. In 1997 when both girls were at University, I began again with Bullseye.

In Bullseye, my alltime best is 2580 out of 2700. ( that was just a month before back surgery) That would be easy to make better with more time spent training and practicing. My consistency is poor. Working for a living keeps practice time quite low.

I did succeed in earning my Distinguished Pistol Shot badge in 2004 after 5 years of serious work shooting the Service Pistol.

I did shoot NRA Smallbore Outdoor prone matches in the early 70s as well.

That's my story.

Shooter · Post by **Shooter** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 9:44 am

Jack: Where are you located in Oregon? Contact me at bawilli@attglobal.net and lets talk a little. There may be some help around.
I began in 1960 with a team where I worked, and have been at it ever since. In my past, I have shot pistol (NRA & Int'l), highpower rifle and now just smallbore and air rifle. I have shot all over the U.S. and Canada, in several other countries and travelled quite a lot in activities associated with shooting. I have also coached at all levels. But enough about me. Let me know if I can help you get going again.
Don in Beaverton

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 10:12 am

jackh- I agree with your suggestion. If more of us would identify who we are and what our credential are, the effectiveness of our conversations will be enhanced. Also, this would help to increase the viability of the aspiring shooting athlete to “Pick & Choose” what advice or comments he/she chooses to accept. I feel it is important to know from what quarter the information is received and who is offering same and not just an opinion of the respondent. While most of offer what we believe to be good, solid advice, a question arises. . . .is this a true and accepted shooting technique or is it just another “Range tech.” coachwong

E.C. "Coach" Wong
Asst. Nat'l Pistol Coach, (Ret.) USAS #0330
Nat'l Assoc of Shooting Sports Athletes (NASSA), CEO
2103 Wheaton Dr. / Richardson, TX 75081
O972-234-8780 / C214-477-9592
E-Mail: ecjopcwong@cs.com, / Web Site: www.nassa.org

jackh · Post by **jackh** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 10:55 am

Coaches, Thank you both.

Looks like nobody else has a story to tell. I had hopes.

Coach Don, I might get to the Int. and Conv. Sectional in the Spring at Portland R&P. I'll shoot the Willamette valley League in the mean time.

RobStubbs · Post by **RobStubbs** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 9:05 am

jackh wrote:Coaches, Thank you both.

Looks like nobody else has a story to tell. I had hopes.

With respect, you only posted the topic one day ago ! So be patient ;)

I've been shooting for about the last 6 years seriously. I too have shot abroad in competitions and hope to carry on and shoot in some bigger international competitions. I'm still just about young enough, it's a matter as to whether or not I can push my technical skills to that level, but I'll give it my best shot !

I too do some coaching and whilst most of mine has been short term for youngsters, I have recently taken on the role of pistol coach for my county. All I know need to do is to find some of our shooters who are prepared to give up a little bit of their time to improve their shooting, most appear not to :(

Rob.

Steve Swartz · Post by **Steve Swartz** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 5:26 pm

JackH:

Never fired a single round in pistol competition until 1998 at the tender age of 38. Had goofed around with rifles (metallic silhouette) 1995-1998 and shot some 3-p club matches though.

I too started in bullseye; in the USAF (1998; decades after the USAF really had a full-time team). Had a great time! Lots of cameraderie. As a bunch of part-timers with "day jobs" got our butts kicked regularly by the AMU and USMC but got some coaching and support from both. Learned a lot from "visiting" team camps with the AMU and USMC teams. Mucho Thanks to Coach Ray Arredondo and his AMU team (still owe Thomas Rose a big thanks for turning me on the sub-6 hold!). Also to several folks on the USMC side to include Bryan Zins of course. Mostly got coached by Ed Hall and Jim Bob McCarty on the USAF team- opwe tehm both great thanks as well. Broke 2600 a couple of times; made High Master, President's 100 and got Distinguished.

Caught the International bug in 2001 or therabouts. Just kind of plinked around, stuck in the 560s Air and 530s Free for a couple of years then figured some stuff out. High scores in local matches 586 Air and 554 Free. National level, 575 Air and 545 Free. Then "all hell broke loose" (in a bad way).

Got a wonderful opportunity to travel with the US national team a while back. Ruptured a tendon or two in my right elbow soon after being selected*- didn't know about that little detail until quite recently. Have been shooting for the last two years with a "major disconnect!"

Going in Wednesday for surgery to reattach the tendons. Will probably take a while to get back to where I was. Good on you for working through your own health problems- two quotes come to mind:

1) "Youth Is Wasted on the Young!"
2) "Old Age Is Not For The Faint Of Heart!"

Steve Swartz

*overtraining combined with a day or three pounding in stakes with a 9 lb hammer. Not A Good Idea. Self-doctored for two years until finally just gave up and saw a real doctor (thanks to Richard Kang for shaming me into it!). Too far gone for cortisone. Some real ugly looking MRIs.

2650 Plus · Post by **2650 Plus** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 9:13 pm

I started in Germany ,shooting the old Army qualification course, Won the seventh army championship in my second year after getting my hands on Cpt Paul B Westons book Pistol shooting today. This was a Blessing as my coaching consisted of the phrase you gotta hold and squeese.and a 1000 round can of isssue hard ball. Those were the good old days. Got back to the States in 68 Broke 2600 in my first regestered NRA match. Was picked up by the 4th Army team and was high scorer on the center fire record team in 1960. Won Texas state championship in the same year Got distinguished pistol the next spring. This is going to take too long. Shot on the winning national championship service pistol team in 1967 Broke 2650 [35 person to do so I think] Got shot in Veit Nam, Screwed up my right shoulder. Oh Well s$$t . happens.I forgot about air rifle and air pistol in Germany but I had a couple of good years shooting schutzen bund matches with good German friends. Another disaster, I got promoted to sergeant major and couldn't ger away any more for competition. I think it was 1962 I tied Joe Benners National Matches center fire slow fire record, And the next year won the 45 WC aggragate. I lost a lot of matches in this whole long disseration but I never think about the losses, only the good stuff Good Shooting Bill Horton

2650 Plus · Post by **2650 Plus** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 12:42 am

Got rifle distinguished some how around 1965 , Made presidents hundred with both pistol and rifle. Shot free pistol for one US team, was better with the old duel target and precision with centerfire. but never managed to get on the squad. Blankenship and TD Smith got in the way.We didn't shoot air pistol back in the time I was competing but I had one anyway and enjoyed shooting it very much. I was detailed as primary instructor for the small arms firing school at Camp Perry one year. My block was sight allignment. That was a real hoot! I was involved in the veit nam sniper operations and training and pulled a tour doing that in 1969. Thats when I got shot as I mentioned earlier. How in the world any one can follow the mess I've made out of this is beyond me . If you can stand it carry on. Good Shooting Bill Horton

David Levene · Post by **David Levene** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 1:19 am

Steve Swartz wrote:Going in Wednesday for surgery to reattach the tendons.

Good luck Steve. Have a successful and speedy recovery.

Steve Swartz · Post by **Steve Swartz** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 7:59 pm

Thanks David. At least now I have an "explanation" adn a "way ahead." I'll know long term prognosis a couple motnhs after the surgery.

Steve Swartz

(FYI to all- see a qualified medical professional at the first signs of pain or difficulty. Don't be stupid like me and try to "gut it out" thinking that you can manage to perform at a high level in spite of "problem signals" your body sends you. "Degenerative" is not the same thing as "manageable.")

Ted · Post by **Ted** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 11:56 am

Steve,
Trying to not get off the original topic of this post but, hope your surgery goes wll too and you get back to top form ASAP!
Ted

pilkgunsnotloggedin · Post by **pilkgunsnotloggedin** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 7:43 pm

Not to continue to hijack this thread, but yeah, What Steve said. Get medical advice of the correct variety if you need it.

I went to the NCAA Rifle Champs in Fairbanks Alaska in March. Had a great time but on the way back, because of flight delays, I spent over 8 hours on the plane back to Seatle, bent over in that horrible seat trying to sleep. Plus the rest of my flights to Chicago then Nashville. I had a kink in my back from Seattle ownward of moderate pain. Kept thinking it would go away. days and weeks went by, months of moderate pain in my back. It started getting worse sending darts to my shoulder blades. This was in May. Finally I went to US Shooting Team physcian Bob DuVall who runs a sports medicine clinic in Atlanta. Told him my story, he put his finger exactly on the spot that hurt. He had me do a couple of exercise in his floor in and in minutes 90% of my pain was gone. Told me to keep doing the exercises and and within a week the rest of it was gone.

JamesH · Post by **JamesH** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 4:30 am

Started at university in 1988 where I picked up standard pistol and centrefire, although I really joined the Uni club for rifle shooting but quickly went over to pistol.
Joined regional squad shortly thereafter and trained with the UK rapid fire development squad.

A number of issues put the kaibosh on shooting for a while, the handgun ban in the UK being one of them.
I recently migrated to Australia and have started all over again in Adelaide, again mainly shooting standard and centrefire. I started well but have slipped right off the pace lately.
My club is www.eapc.org.au

I currently shoot an Izh35M, Toz49 and S+W K38 - setting up to reload 7.62x26 Russian was interesting. I treated myself to a Dillon RL550 (time is money....) which makes life very easy.

Getting hold of anything obscure in Aus is tricky, anything obscure and shooting related doubly so.

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 1:33 am

Started shooting in the Rifle club at Oregon State University in 1987. Then in 1991 for the fun of it decided to join the pistol club. When to the Collegiate Pistol Championships the last 2 years of school and made All American in '92. After school got a job and shot rifle. For the next 4 years did not make it very far. In '96 decided to get back into pistol. Still had by AP and got a Toz 3 weeks before the National Championships. Later that year at a selection match in WA State made the finals and shot a 100.0 in the final. Since 2002 I have not shot anything but local matches. In 2005 I started to shoot some 2700's for the cross training and to increase the number of matches I can shoot in.

In Oregon we have at least 2 Free and Air matches every year. If we had more interest we might shoot more matches. Both matches are at Portland Rifle and Pistol. Normally one in March and one in April. The first one used to be in Feb. We have a NRA Sectional and a State indoor Champ's. I will try and post a notice for the next match here. I do not run the matches. Turn out varies from 5-10 people on Sat for Free/Std/Air. There is a larger turnout on Sunday for the 900 agg Convential match.

Hope to see you at a match soon.

Chris

Avanti · Post by **Avanti** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 8:31 am

I’ve been shooting pistols since my entry into the Army in 1983; started Bullseye shooting last May in an attempt to increase work related skills (I’m an LEO) and recently purchased an AP for indoor winter practice. I hope to increase my handgun skills by practicing and reading this forum, judging from the posts on this topic I think I found a qualified group!

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