Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced?

[Smoke & Recoil]

People have always told me that I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn...I
I prove them wrong often. So for this reason, I consider my self advanced.

 

[lamarw]

Like the OP, I chose not to respond to the poll.

I would say in my earlier years I was advanced in my shooting skills, but a beginner in other aspects such as firearm knowledge.

I am much older now and a less talented shooter but more appreciative and wiser from experience.

 

[P5 Guy]

Intermediate

I've been shooting for a couple of decades, I handload most all of the ammo I shoot, but I've still got a lot to learn.

 

[Jim Watson]

IDPA says I am an Expert, as did the PMA back when I was shooting PPC, C when shooting IPSC.

With long guns, Sharpshooter in F class, AA in BPCR silhouette, and B in ATA trap.

Those are objective ratings by sanctioning organizations.

So I voted "advanced."

 

[dahermit]

The three terms are so ambiguous as to make them meaningless without the author of the original post stating what a "Beginner, intermediate and Advanced", mean to him inasmuch as it will mean different things to different people to the point were no two people are likely to have the very same definition.

 

[Skadoosh]

I earned expert in pistol and rifle ribbons through the military. But until I earn a distinguished badge, I consider myself an intermediate shooter.

 

[griffin12aaa]

My friends call me hickok because i hit a 10 inch plate at 60 yards(once) hahaha but all in all we are all beginners and relatively new to the sport.

 

[Spats McGee]

Intermediate. I've successfully avoided shooting myself in the foot for many years, and generally hit my target at 10 yards or less. I do get the chance to actually "train" a few times a year (as opposed to plinking), but I do not spend a great deal of time running drills and sending thousands of rounds downrange, having neither the budget nor time to do so.

 

[redhologram]

It is a very subjective poll based on everyone's own opinions of themselves. I'm certainly no Kyle Lamb or Paul Howe, I know that for a fact. I have trained extensively for a while now.
I'll go with Intermediate and continue on my never ending journey of learning.

 

[lee n. field]

It is a very subjective poll based on everyone's own opinions of themselves.

Pretty much.

I put myself firmly in the wide amorphous middle.

I'm not a world class competitor, a famous instructor, an "operator" (whatever that ugly term means), or anything like that.

I'm also way past utter newbie-hood.

 

[AustinTX]

Advanced.

Shooting my taurus 8 shot 6" rev. 357 w/red dot at a 20" square steel plate @200 yrds. Double action (staging trigger) Ding it 8 out of 8.

Indoor range. @30 feet, I can punch out one 3/4" hole 8 shots.

I shoot double action and take my time, but not too long. No rapid fire.

This is why more instruction as to how we're to construe these terms would be helpful. To me, these abilities qualify someone for membership in the broad category of intermediate with a lot of room to spare before getting to advanced.

 

[Woodslab]

I guess I need to hit a quarter @ 200 yrds every time. Not just hit it, bounce the bullet off those two trees, skip off that rock over there, through the ring of fire.

 

[Breathe...]

Intermediate with rifles in terms of accuracy and consistency, 1-5 shots to dope from 100-800 yards in a group no bigger than 0.5-1.5 moa at a man sized target. Though I haven't shot in awhile and have little time to learn more at the moment due to moving to another state. Beginner with handguns and any other weapons category that were mentioned.

 

[buck460XVR]

I've only been hunting and shooting for 50 some years. Never done it professionally, nor have I ever competed at a level higher than my local sporting clay range or sportsman club range. I reload, make my own arrows/bolts, raise and breed bird-dogs and shoot 4 platforms in the field. Handgun, longgun, shotgun and archery. Even tho I am quite proficient with all, I still consider myself just an intermediate shooter.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

Lee -- nothing nefarious, just something that came up today in a conversation with a friend. Can't say more for fear of skewing the results.

I was going to offer a hypothesis regarding the underlying motive for the question, but I'll hold off until Pax posts her reasons, and then see how close I came.

It is a very subjective poll based on everyone's own opinions of themselves.

IMHO it's subjective more because Pax provides no definition of what constitutes "beginner," "intermediate," or "advanced." That makes it essentially a double-blind question. In order to respond, each of us must first make OUR OWN assessments of where lie the lines between the three classifications, and THEN we have to judge which of the classifications (which we made up) we fit into.

 

[1-DAB]

now that a number of votes are in, and the clear majority identify as 'intermediate', i'll bet most of those know the basic function of a pistol, can hit a target most of the time, but few of them have taken more than 2 training classes beyond basic pistol operation.

most men who shoot guns were likely introduced to them by their fathers, and lessons were imparted over time, one trip to the range at a time. but new shooters, who came to guns later in their life didn't have that head start, so they need to 'catch up' via classes, such as the NRA Basic Pistol Course, and a large amount of information is presented in just one day. information that was imparted over years for those who grew up around guns.

my 2 cents.

 

[10-96]

I consider myself Intermediate. I've been shooting handguns since '87, been through three instructor schools, used to compete in local Bullseye matches, won top ranking in state Running Target (pistol and production class rifle), and I've had expert classifications while in the Army. I've seen some folks do some most amazing things with handguns- and I'm not skeered to say that I'm not a man to be counted in that group. I'm OK with considering myself intermediate. However, even considering my track record, there are those who delight in bashing those in my line of work who would say I'm sub-beginner based solely on what I do for a living. lol

 

[KMAX]

As far as people who shoot guns I am probably advanced. As far as those that should call themselves shooters, I am a beginner. I voted intermediate. I shoot better and know more than pretty much all my friends, but there are so many shooters that are so much better and more knowledgeable than me. I would like to be better and know more but don't have the time or resources.

 

[AustinTX]

I guess I need to hit a quarter @ 200 yrds every time. Not just hit it, bounce the bullet off those two trees, skip off that rock over there, through the ring of fire.

Sounds like you're taking my opinion a bit personally. Not sure why, since I'm just providing an example of how all of us have different conceptions of what these categories mean. You and I can each define "advanced" however we like, which is precisely the problem with the poll. (No doubt pax is well aware of this. It's probably at the root of her reasons for asking in the first place.)

What you first described requires plenty of skill, of course, but, with just three categories, it simply doesn't merit one's placement in the same group as this guy or any number of other world-class shooters in my opinion. I can shoot ~4-5" groups offhand at 50 yards with stock sights on a SIG P210 on my best days, I can punch out sub-1" groups at 15 yards with a Model 57 or Python all day long, and I can shoot with good accuracy in a variety of speed drills. I still don't feel like I'm anywhere close to belonging in a category that includes the greats who actually earn their livings based on their skills as shooters. Again, just my opinion.

 

[OnTheFly]

I said "Advanced". Not because I think I am all that, but by comparing how I perform at local matches that test basic pistol skills. I'm not always winning, but I am in the top tier. Compared to the best shooters in the state, I may rank halfway down the list. With that said, on a national level, when compared to the freaks of nature in the shooting world (read Jerry Miculek), I am intermediate at best.

However, If you look at those who regularly shoot IDPA, USPSA, are on a SWAT team, have advanced military training (above simple rifle quals), etc. this is a relatively small portion of the total gun owners. It would be easy to classify all these people as advanced since their shooting has gone far beyond standing straight in front of a target at 7 yards punching holes in paper.

If "pistol skills" include such things as muzzle awareness and other safety aspects, again compared to the general public, I would consider myself advanced.

Fly