OK... finally proved to myself I need to start shooting more semi autos...

[Magnum Wheel Man]

Do you remember the TV show "Top Shot" ???

I've always thought of myself as a good general all around shooter, & thought I'd do well on that show...

last weekend a buddy & I did a "Sportsman's Challenge" at the Shooters Round-up at Alhman's Gun Shop in Morristown MN...

they have 15 stages & include everything from throwing axes, & shooting bows, had 5-6 stages of shotgun, even a paintball stage, a couple rifle, & the rest were handgun stages ( 2 of which incorporated suppressors for the 1st time )

I don't shoot much shotgun, & am an admitted revolver guy... I did better than expected in the shotgun shooting... only missing 2 clays all day...one on a fast triples ( I got to that stage about 1/2 way through the day, & shot 2 of 3, & was told I was the 1st person to get 2 of them ) I also missed 1 of 2 "rabbits" rolling / hopping down a steep hill

I was very dissapointed in my semi auto shooting, only passing the 2 stages that used 22's... there was only one revolver stage, which was a Judge shooting 410 shells ( 3 ) at steel plates...

the 15th stage was bench rest rifle, which you could only do if you had passed 12 of the previous stages ( I had 10 )... I was told only 3 people had passed enough stages to shoot the 15th stage that 1st day

I did not pass the axe throwing, the triple & rabbit shotgun stages, & 2 of the semi auto stages, & the paint ball, but you were allowed 2 mulligans ( I think my math is right, leaving me 2 short of doing the 15th stage )

I have my own range, & own several semi autos, so there is really no excuse, except that I do alot of reloading, & hate picking up brass off the ground... the semi auto stages were pretty basic, so I have no excuses there...

I guess I'm going to have to suck it up, & get some more range time with the semi autos... might even have to buy an M&P, since they used 2 of them in different stages...

the suppressors were on a Ruger 22 semi, & on a 45 auto Colt 1911... it was my 1st time shooting one, & while interesting, it would have been more fun if I could have hit the broad side of a barn with that 1911 ( I passed the 22 stage, my buddy did not, & he passed the 45 stage, while I did not )

I don't think anyone passed the triples stage, as the thrower was only about 15' away from the standing position, & there was only like a 6' - 8' hole in the trees, & the clays flew side to side through that hole... I was triggering off the sound of the thrower, rather than visually... I think the 3 that completed the shoot used a mulligan for the triples...

the paintball stage was mostly luck, as the guns had no sights, & you had to knock over a 6" steel duck, at like 50 ft... maybe if I would have just kept triggering with the gun up, I could have walked one in, but I brought the gun down each shot... poor stragity

over all, it was really fun...

BTW... the supressed 45 was really quiet...

 

[JERRYS.]

you can never have too any guns. you can sell them, trade them, defend yourself with them, hunt with them, target shoot/plink with them, pass them on to your kids/grandkids....

 

[g.willikers]

I've always had both revolvers and auto loaders.
There's not all that much difference that can't be easily overcome with some practice.
I found that using both at the same sessions, and switching back and forth, works best.
For an additional challenge, include a single action six gun, too.

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

I was disapointed there was not a single action stage ( especially since several of the stages were shot on their cowboy action range ) also no "fighting double actions" only revolver was a 6" Taurus Judge shooting 410's... I'd never shot a Judge, but aced that stage...

I'm also not at all a bow guy, but only needed to shoot one bullseye at close range with a summer camp type comnpound bow with no sights... I put all 3 arrows in the bull

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

I also should get some smaller steel plates... I have steel plates that replicate the CAS plates I shoot at on their range... the plates we were shooting for the Sportsmans Challenge were like 6" X 6"... I think my CAS targets are 18" X 18"... so I was having trouble getting hits, & thus couldn't tell where my shots were going...

 

[g.willikers]

Those kinds of matches seem like the best fun and test of skill.
I always wanted to do something similar at our local matches, but just using shooting irons, without the funny stuff.
Where each course of fire emphasized a different discipline.
But the best that was tolerated by the competitors was an occasional sidematch for shotgun or rimfire.
There's apparently a very big match in eastern W.Va that's like that.

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

this is a pretty big deal... I'd bet between Saturday & Sunday they had maybe 1000 different shooters, plus there were 5-6 factory representatives that bring guns you can shoot on their private range, if you pay for the ammo, as well as reinactors shooting cannons & having black powder shoot outs, also lots of shooting you can do with your kids that isn't part of the competitions

also several deminstrations from trick shooters & other "experts"

they have it every fall...

http://www.ahlmans.com/SR-Master%20Page.htm

specifics of the Sportsmans Challenge

http://www.ahlmans.com/SR-Wild%20Hunt-2.htm

 

[44 AMP]

I remember "Top Shot". I rather enjoyed some of it, but still lost interest after the second season no idea if they ever made any more.

Some of it was rather fun, but I found a lot of it to be barking stupid. And not the drama and interviews and what went on at the house (I expected that to be stupid) but some of the shooting challenges, and the way they did them.

First off, while interesting to watch, who, besides actors in a movie are going to be shooting while sliding down a zip line??

One of the things I never liked about the show (aside from certain whiny contestants) was no one ever got to sight in the weapons, or practice with them, beyond a short familiarity session. Breaking 8" plates is one thing, the turning around and having to hit a 2.5-3" wide bottle to score is quite another.

Seemed like most of the misses were just barely misses (was very good high speed camera work).

I got the point, that it was to move everyone away from their comfort zones, to put everyone at an "equal" disadvantage, I just never agreed with it.

It was enlightening to see people with championships in their chosen areas shoot like crap with something else...but I thought the episode with small women (90-100?lbs) having to shoot Tommyguns was a bit beyond reasonable. I don't care who you are, you won't do well with a weapon that goes more than 10% of your body mass, without extensive practice.

OK Magnum Wheel Man, you did poorly with the auto pistols...was it because of you? or the pistols used? or (most likely) the combination of the two?

one thing the world has taught me over the years, when I am in a situation that calls for me to act, without the luxury of being able to think it through and take my time, I do my worst with unfamiliar guns.

For me, the type, SA,DA, semi or revolver, doesn't matter as much as being unfamiliar with the specific gun and AMMO being shot. People grip the guns differently, look through the sights differently, etc. What is spot on in your hands might be off enough in mine to miss that bottle, by just enough....

You (or I), the sights, and the bullet impact are all supposed to be on the same point. A gun that runs 2" left in your hands and right on in mine could be all the difference needed to cost you the match. And how do you find that out, without practice with the specific gun & ammo that will be used???

Maybe that's why those kind of shoots never had much appeal for me. I shoot my guns, my way, and do pretty well. Someone else's gun? No clue, unless I get to practice with it, first.

As an example of what is possible, a friend had an SA revolver (forget the brand, off name, not Colt or Ruger) beautifully accurate gun, shooting 158gr .38 Special. dead on point of aim at 50 ft, tiny groups. EVERY .357 load fired shot (at least) a foot low and left at the same range, in the hands of every shooter who tried it. beautiful .38, POS .357mag. Same gun.

Shoot more semi autos! It won't hurt. Just expect when you go to a match, and shoot their guns, you might be a little ...off..

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

it was probably "both"

but for example, the 1st semi auto stage we shot, was a compact Ruger 9mm... about the same as my often carried TCP in 380... I only hit one of 3 plates, my buddy hit all 3...

another stage was that 1911 with the suppressor, which I could not hit one of 5 shots, & my buddy who does not have a 1911 or a 45 auto hit all 5... I have a couple 45's including a series 70 Colt

 

[g.willikers]

Ahlmans isn't the one I was thinking of, being in MN instead of W.VA.
But it sounds terrific.
I need a motorhome and driver.