Bone to pick with new rifle owners - 100 yards out of the box

[marksman1941]

A fella I know is a weird combination of over informed and under practiced. He's spent hours researching exactly what setup he wanted, and ended up with an extremely nice Sako topped with a vortex shooting ultra primo ammo. Then he bought a labradar so he could track exactly what his bullet was doing over 100 yards. And then... he never stretched out and practiced anything farther than 100. In elk camp he can talk for hours about what the bullet is supposed to do at range and what his holdovers are and his turret adjustments, but it's all based on the 100 yard range. I haven't sat him down for the conversation yet of "100 doesn't magnify to 500 just because you have DOPE" but I think that'll happen at camp this year.

 

[Mike Matteson]

Unfortunately those same people who show up at camp with little to no experience with their rifle are not likely to read this.

That wold go without saying.

 

[Turkeytider]

I agree, I had shot paper with guys that have all the equipment but have learned to shoot or spent the time on the trigger learning their DOPE. I shot with someone who adjusted his scope according to his kestrel and still couldn't hit the target. I shot his gun and put them on target. He hadn't learned to read the wind, he expected the kestrel to read the wing all the way to the target. If he spent the time on the trigger he wouldn't have this issue

I`m finding the Kestrel to be more of a guide ( albeit a good guide ) than anything else. For example, I`ve had to make minor corrections on my scope with both elevation and windage, particularly at longer ranges ( 400 yards and out ).

 

[birddog 68]

People have no idea of what they are doing sometimes. but they were never in the military either and learned how to shoot.

Not all branches of our military are created equal when it comes to firearms training.
I went to the range with a co worker that was in the navy and only had a few days shooting in boot camp. That's it and it showed.

All of these posts re-enforce what Canada has done. Before you can acquire a firearm a firearm safety (knowledge) course is required! Then a hunter training course before you can buy a hunting licence and tags. No-one likes more restrictions but it does eliminate or at least reduce the possibility of idiocy! No -one knows anything unless they are taught!

My two cents worth!

Thank goodness I live in the USA
I'm sorry but you can keep your two cents of Canadian currency

 

[RichCoyle]

My son-in-law bought a new .300 RUM with scope and almost full box of ammo for $700. The seller bought it for his ten year old son. Of course, the poor kid was afraid of it after the first shot. The ammo was Barnes 180 grainers. Son John's fired it at 300 yards. His worst three shot group was 1 3/4". His best was a little under 3/4".

 

[Argon Glen]

An acquaintance asked if I wanted to shoot with him. He was going to sight in a new AR10. 40 cartridges later... he might still be there.

 

[xsn10s]

And, let me guess- the guy proceeded to blame everything and everybody but himself!?
What a ***...

I'm sure his barrel was bent.

 

[comfisherman]

My son-in-law bought a new .300 RUM with scope and almost full box of ammo for $700. The seller bought it for his ten year old son. Of course, the poor kid was afraid of it after the first shot. The ammo was Barnes 180 grainers. Son John's fired it at 300 yards. His worst three shot group was 1 3/4". His best was a little under 3/4".

The classified rums... man those are the deals.

Bought an iron sighted sps stainless one off the local classifieds couple years back. Dead give away was the included box of 17 rounds....

Got it super cheap.

 

[Hudge76]

It's not just those that buy them, but also those selling to them. I will say that Sportsman's Warehouse is one of the better places I've heard gun counter guys explain to the customer that bore sighting was a rough sight estimate to get you on paper. Other box store type sporting goods, it's hit or miss. I have to say that Bass Pro may be one of the worst and Academy Sports as well. Probably the worst ones are when they find out the gun is supposedly bore-sighted from the factory as it's a gun/scope package. I've also seen gun shops do the same thing and misinform customers on bore-sighting.

I guess with all of that being said, the worst ones to me, are the people that have hunted for years, but never shoot until hunting season is open. A lot can happen in the months since last hunting season. Sights get bumped, new ammo bought with different brands/styles of bullets, you name it.

 

[Dooner]

I usually end up sighting in my cousins rifle every year, he has zero interest in shooting and only comes up once a year to hunt with his Dad. We put him in stands where he only has to shoot 50 yards and he usually does ok but we usually loose at least one shoulder due to poor shot placement.



Boats add the whole other dynamic of Mother Nature does not give one **** if you live or die. Case in point just a couple weeks ago at an inlet in NJ a guy with his two sons was coming back from fishing on a rough day.

As they went to line up and time the waves to go in the inlet a 15ft wave broke in the dark and hit them broadside rolling the boat in an instant. Dad and one son barely made it to the rocks and had to be drug up on shore, the other son was missing and wasn't found until several days later. An experienced guy who had traveled the inlet for years but wrong place, wrong time got his son killed.

Very sad to hear. That kind of thing is easily avoided by reading the marine weather report, and not trying to go back into that inlet in the dark during a large swell. You're right, nature doesn't give a **** if you live or die.

 

[NorCalAOSHunter]

Simple solution: make them handload. Would be literally impossible then for them to get a gun and shoot it before they took it out in the field.

I'm being facetious, but the amount of time that I've spent behind the trigger because of reloading, has improved my marksmanship Significantly. It is also helped me understand my rifle and ballistics significantly more than I would've just shooting factory ammo.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

For the most part, most of the hunters I know are not "shooters". They may own 2-3 rifles, but they only shoot once or twice a year. If you go to a public range in the weeks preceding the opening of whitetail season it's packed. People in general are bogged down with work, kids, and other life issues. It is only us hobbyists that really are committed to accuracy.

From what I've seen in the hunting camps, the average hunter is way over gunned in horsepower and optics. Many have far more gun than an occasional shooter can comfortably handle and far more than is needed for shooting deer in a woodland environment. Gun stores know how to pump up a guy's ego and make big sales. LOL

 

[ajkellerusmc]

It is these wannabe snipers

 

[YZ-80]

Wow. Not much to add to what has already been said. This thread has gotten me half way through my daughter's cheerleading/expo competition, and for that, I am eternally grateful. I won't get out of this stuffy gym for another 2 hours.