Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced?

[BDM 9MM]

What stage?

Pax:

Very good question and survey. In the world of "Fish & Game" instructors, there is a theory of "The evolving Sportsman". It goes like this - a young hunter goes through many stages along the path from beginner to sportsman. (such as) Stage #1 Learning gun skills, safety and game laws. Stage #2 The first hunt Stage #3 Limiting out on game he/she hunts Stage #4 Hunting trophy animals Stage #5 Learn to hunt with a more primitive weapon (Bow or muzzleloader) Stage #6 Desire to instruct younger sportsmen. The path is a never ending circle.

So as the sportsman achieves all of he/her goals they desire to branch out and make the sport/game harder and more self rewarding. The person will achieve all they can with a rifle (expert and very successful hunter) and move on to the bow to start back on the bottom (beginner).

I look back to my journey over the last 60 years and it has been exactly what I have done. I have hunted with HP rifles, bows and muzzleloaders. I own and shoot over 40 handguns - revolvers, autos, single shot muzzleloaders and black powder revolvers. I like them all and shoot, all of them, good enough to stand in the prize circle more times than not.

How do I rank myself - I don't but if you give me any operational bow, rifle, muzzleloader or modern pistol - I will be able to take game and defend myself.

Dan Bromley

 

[lee n. field]

Stage #5 Learn to hunt with a more primitive weapon (Bow or muzzleloader)

Shooting a revolver might be the equivalent, in the gun gamer and defensive shooting world

 

[the357plan]

Well, I didn't get to vote in the poll. But if I could have, it would have been advanced and that's because of where I shoot and who I run with. I generally shoot on public ranges and none of my shooting buddies are competitive shooters. So among my friends and the general public, I seldom encounter someone I consider my equal. I could be a little conceited .

 

[jmohme]

I would have to say intermediate.
I don't spend nearly as much time as I would like at the range and definitely not enough range time to achieve advanced status.

 

[predecessor]

This is always interesting to see how people rate themselves.

In my CFP classes, I ask the participants to rate themselves on their ability to perform with a handgun using a scale of 1-10. I ask them to be as honest as they possibly can. An yet, invariably, at least 50% of the students overrate themselves.

Many of them give themselves an 8 or 9 with the occasional cocky 10. I then indicate to them that I, as a former competition shooter, am only a 7, they quickly backtrack and re-rate themselves.

Certainly, the criteria of the scale is an important frame of reference. On my scale, the journey from 1-4 can take a couple of days while the journey from 7-9 will take years and thousands of rounds.

 

[TfflHndn]

Poll's closed now, but if I were to rate myself I would say advanced or 8-9 on the 1-10 scale, at least with a handgun. Close to that with a rifle. Shot competitively in the Marine Corps, medaled in both rifle and pistol, individual and team. Two invites to the Marine Corps rifle and pistol teams, competed in the All-Marine matches. Still compete locally, win my share, and can hit 45 or better of 50 two-inch clay targets at 30 feet with various handguns. Don't shoot a lot of rifle any more. Just got started on trap, and wish I had started years ago. That's good fun, even though I'm very much a novice with a shotgun.

 

[walks with gun]

I am so advanced, targets tremble in my presence, or maybe it's my hands.

 

[Stevie-Ray]

Intermediate. I cannot go enough anymore, nor am I bold enough to think I belong up there with the experts. My scores are generally better than the vast majority of those around me when I do go, but fall off dramatically (for me) the longer I wait between visits. I was once joining an IPSC club that fell through when my late college days and workload skyrocketed in the 90s. That was, unfortunately, likely the best I ever will be, but it was at the tune of over 500 rounds a week. Very likely, I will never get back to that point, even though I am now retired. Doubtful I will ever consider myself a rank amateur anymore, though.

 

[jolly roger]

Placed first expert in PPC back in the day. Top third in our IPDA competitions. NRA and State LEO Instructor for 25 years. So I guess advanced for handguns. Pretty decent rifle shot. Sporting clays?...well..I'm workin on it

 

[Skans]

I am most definitely intermediate. I have been shooting too long to be a beginner. I don't enter any formal competitions, so I can't consider myself advanced. Yep, I'm a solid intermediate.

My criteria?

Advanced: Must have received some advanced training beyond the basic courses, and have participated in at least 5 USPSA, IDPA, Bullseye or other formal pistol competitions.

Intermediate: Participated in informal competitions or a couple of formal competitions; have numerous hours of range time either over a long period of time or more intense over a shorter period of time; proficient at shooting various kinds and calibers of semi-autos and revolvers; can at least field-strip the semi-autos you've shot; can shoot tight groupings at stationary targets with most handguns at the "appropriate range" for the type of pistol being shot.

Beginner: Just getting into shooting handguns. Range from complete newbie who borrows/rents handguns to shoot, to someone who owns one, maybe two handguns and has maybe up to a total of 24 hours of range time.

(ok, now I'll read what others have said....)

FWIW, I think there should be another category of "Expert". I think you can be an advanced shooter without being expert. The expert would compete regularly...and win occasionally, and may even teach courses on shooting. Obviously, all of these categories can be broken down even further, so I tried to use a very broad brush when addressing the OP's question.

 

[Sgt127]

High intermediate, low advanced?

I've been shooting for close to 40 years. Used to compete in IPSC. I'm a state law enforcement firearms instructor. I'm a sub gun instructor. Been to sniper and patrol rifle schools. I teach advanced shooting schools a few times a year.

Honestly, I think I can outshoot 90% of the people I come across. But, I'm nowhere close to being in the running with the big boys anymore.

I'm now a better teacher than a shooter.

 

[johnwilliamson062]

I answered beginner, but it depends what I am comparing to. If I compare to the general public or even gun owners I am probably in the top few percent as far as training, rounds down range, technical ability, etc.
Even at local informal unregistered matches that changes though. I am probably somewhere around intermediate leveraging my 20/15 visual acuity to keep my head above water against guys shooting with bifocals. Guys with hundreds of thousands of rounds downrange.
In this forum I am sure there are members with more rounds downrange in some years than I yet have in my lifetime. Probably more training in some months than I have in my lifetime. If the posted targets are true there are definitely a number who can shoot circles around me with any sort of visual disadvantage I can dream up.