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

[Huntz]

You guys miss the big picture , 99% of these idiots sell their rigs after one season and usually can be had for a song .I worry less about a wounded animal than a dead innocent hunter shot by accident . It would not bother me to have proficiency tests given before hunting license is issued . Keep the klutzes out of the woods .

 

[Stammster2]

9 pages where rule #1 doesn't apply?

RULES

www.longrangehunting.com

 

[kfreeze]

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!

The bad thing with that is that there are always so many who learn how to pass the test and then do whatever they want after. Case and point, driving on the road. All of these people passed a test to get a drivers license, then watch how they drive on the road. You can't fix it.

 

[Lee7588]

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 ).

His issue was that he was going off what his kestrel was telling him and not adjusting for the space between us and the target.

 

[kfreeze]

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.

Those people would just load a max book load and go. They would think the vleocity was right too. Probably even worse that way. Haha

 

[Turkeytider]

His issue was that he was going off what his kestrel was telling him and not adjusting for the space between us and the target.

Yep, that`s one of the reasons it`s just a guide. Wind wise it can only truly tell you what`s going on at the firing line.

 

[Pmacc60]

Years back I was on my way to Potter County PA for the opening of buck season my hunting buddy ask me to stop and pick him up two boxes of shells for his 30-06 . He shot ar the time 150 gr Winchester silver tips and had a issue with sighting in running through his ammo .I stopped at a gun shop that carried them in the town of Westfield and the place was packed at 430 pm the Sunday afternoon before the Monday opener ! Guys buying rifles and scopes getting them mounted asking what shells to use and it's getting dark outside ! It was shocking revelation to observe , I could not contemplate going into the field so ill prepared !

 

[bear52157]

I was ready for a long shot but stalked 3/4 of a mile and got an 85 yard shot Fierce rogue 7 mm PRC handloads 168 gr.berger's classic hunter and DRT!

 

[Muledeerhuntingfreak]

I used to work the gun counter at Sportsmans warehouse many years ago. We had a frat boy looking fella come in and buy a Tikka 7mm the night before elk opener. He bought a scope, and I ended up staying an hour late to mount the scope, bore sight it, and let the background check clear. I cautioned him a dozen times that the bore sight would get him on paper at 25 yards, nothing more. He HAD to tune it in and test a couple ammo options before he hunted it.

The guy came back the following afternoon with the rifle and THREW it across the counter at me, screaming "you made me miss an elk!". Of course he didn't shoot the rifle or take it to a range, he just went to someone's ranch and tried shooting a critter at 300 yards straight out the box.

We banned him for life from the store. And I refused to do boresights for anyone after that.

In all reality, you can't fix stupid you never will. You never can people just don't understand shooting is an art you have to be able to keep control of all your emotions if you can't let alone not make sure that your rifle is sided in in the first place, you're never gonna hit what you're aiming at. I'm 59 years old, I've never shot an animal over 250 yd ever. I've taken a lot of animals in my lifetime. I don't understand why people think long-range shooting is so easy that you should be able to just go out and shoot. I spent my whole life shooting guns since I was 15 years old. It makes no sense why people just assume that they can go out. And shoot a gun that's come out of the box. I guess their brain is still left in the box.

 

[Darryle]

Gamesniper19, great post!

Not only are those "wannabe" long range newbie hunters/shooters wasting your time, and causing suffering to animals in the field… they are doing the same on these forums…

Many Uneducated wannabe/newbies in today's shooting sports/forums are not willing to, capable of, or WANTING to learn…before they shoot, take to the field, or attempt to take an animal while hunting.…Or to understand their equipment

Why do some of them NOT want to "learn" about hunting/shooting, through experience?

Because, they don't truly LOVE the sport. They want to buy their way into being "a respected Expert"

Even if they don't make money hand over fist…money is their "membership card" to this sport…(and everything in life)…It is not

Others have been taught that in our "Society of Instant Gratification", that no dues have to be paid (experience built up through trial and error), for knowledge and skill…they lay some money on the table, and that is where their knowledge and "Street Cred" is earned

Also, many people really have the such limited mechanical knowledge or "street smarts", when it comes to shooting, hunting, or being in the field. Because that is an acquired knowledge, from time spent in the sport, on the bench, and dare I say…common sense from previous experience

And why are many not willing to spend the time accrueing knowledge in the field?
…they just watch how to do it on YouTube instead

And do I need to mention all of the G's, Trolls, spammers/scammers, and bots on all of these forums, wasting our time?…

Bottom line is…these people need go spend some time on the bench.…Go spend some time in the woods, prairies or mountains, take some pictures…and enjoy this sport for what it is…

Not to pay for, and pretend to be, something they are not.

Very well articulated

 

[Oddbod]

I've never taken a rifle hunting which I haven't first shot to ensure it'll hit where aimed at the ranges expected.
Heck, I even regularly check the suppressed .22rf I use on rabbits, never mind the .270

 

[Rosebud]

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

This is so true, I loaded 270 ammo for a farmer I know. He never touches the rifle until he get off the combine and whacks a big old buck. Calls me and tells me how good my ammo shoots. What can you say to that?

 

[skipglo]

Couldn't agree more and your sentiment is a lot of the reason I dislike the creedmoor craze, though cartridge is irrelevant in this conversation. Some of these clowns go out and spend money on equipment but they don't bother to learn it. They buy into the hype that it's a point and click application when in reality it is much more than that.

LoOk MoM iM a SnIpEr!!

You spelt the name of the craze incorrectly.....it's spelt....PRC!

 

[Rosebud]

I get to talk with guys on the phone regularly that are trying to learn how to reload on their own. I feel for these guys that don't have a mentor to teach them. For these guys I spend as much time as they want, to help them as much as I can. In a way, I admire them for getting into the game and trying to learn. I think we all owe those new guys as much help and patience as we can give them.

I've tried to talk many people into reloading, even given away older manuals to get them started. Offered them my loading equipment to learn on. Very few take me up on it. Most would rather pull out a bunch of $20,s for me to do it. I just take their money and buy your bullets.