Best Advice for New Shooter

[HamboneAZ]

Hello All,

I am a new action shooter but wanted to pass along some of the best advise I've gotten so far (outside of form and technique).

When your new, do not buy any new gear or guns before you get out and play the game.

Bring what you have, and borrow what you don't, but just get out and shoot.

Don't waste money on what you "think" you have to have. And don't worry about "I won't be competitive unless I buy this".

The truth is, nothing you can buy (besides more ammo) is going to make you any more competitive as a beginner.

Just get out there and have fun. Make sure the game is something your truly interested in (almost a guarantee, but not always) before you start spending your hard earned money.

And after a month or so you will start to know what you need, based on your own experience and from the tribal knowledge of the club.

Don't be afraid to ask other shooters (preferably better than you, and me) questions about their gear and setup. It just happens to be one of everyone's favorite topics, except after said gear failed and cost the shooter the stage, maybe not the best time to ask.

Don't worry, the time for new toys will come soon enough. And soon you'll be like me and buying parts for a gun you don't own (yet).

But for now just get out and shoot, be safe, and have fun.

-Robert

[Noximus03]

This is going to sound generic, but be safe, and have fun. Not much more advoce to give to a guy just starting out. There will be plenty of time in your shooting career to take this all more seriously. Gool luck, and welcome to the sport.

[g mac]

Yeah, don't try and shoot like the guys who has been shooting for a while. Speed will come. Take just enough time to get "A's",listen to advices, use what works for you, and dis-regard what does not. Watch and learn from the best shooters, take videos, and study theirs and your movements. Dry fire, practice draws, and aiming at home. Buy second hand gears and equipment, you'll save a lot of money and frustrations. Stick with one gun, be proficient with it. Wait until you find the right gear/equipment setup before plunging down on buying spree. Do research and read (BE forums). Reload, you'll need lots of ammo. Exercise to be physically fit to run stages, and do arm/grip strength exercises to hold gun/control-handle recoil...Practice, practice, practice,have fun, be safe..Practice, practice, practice,have fun, be safe..Practice, practice, practice,have fun, be safe. Cheers!

[saibot]

Great advice, g mac!

Don't let fast shooters influence your shooting. If you take the time to shoot all A's you'll do great. Move fast as you can between slowly shooting A's.

Practice, practice, practice. Live as much as you can, and ingrain your draws/reloads/etc with lots of dryfire (free!)

And to add one thing that I wish I had early on, Mike Seeklander's book, Your Competition Handgun Training Program.

Have fun and be safe!

[procovert45]

these are the kinda post i like as a new shooter.

[dskinsler83]

I have to agree with the take your time and just have fun. Listen to your SO/RO. There are no stupid questions my friend. We were all new at one time and we all like seeing new faces. Accuracy first and then the speed I had to learn this too as I shoot with some top shooters in E TN. Be a sponge and take in all you can and as they stated above use what works disregard the rest. Don't get caught in the equipment race.

[Sudden Death]

plus one on get your hits (A's) the speed will come

[dskinsler83]

Pick up Enos' book, Saul's book and Mike Seeklander's book. Find a class, dry fire practice, and put quality rounds down range don't just waste ammo. Find your strong points and work on your short comings. Sight tracking, grip, draw, reloads, stage break down, and movement (in and out of positions) and get a timer and take notes

[Chris iliff]

I had a bunch to,say, but won't. Suffice to say, learn to call your shots. Learn early, make this your focus. Figure shot calling out and ingrain it.

[toothguy]

I had a bunch to,say, but won't. Suffice to say, learn to call your shots. Learn early, make this your focus. Figure shot calling out and ingrain it.

+1

[ClaytonWelch]

What helped me was Steve Anderson's dry fire book. Don't just get; you have to read it AND do the drills.

[SoCalNoMore]

Pick up Enos' book, Saul's book and Mike Seeklander's book. Find a class, dry fire practice, and put quality rounds down range don't just waste ammo. Find your strong points and work on your short comings. Sight tracking, grip, draw, reloads, stage break down, and movement (in and out of positions) and get a timer and take notes

I could not agree more. Brian's book is essential to anyone that wants to improve their shooting. It is especially great for new shooters as it will give you a solid foundation to work from. I also recommend Anderson's book "Refinement and Repetition".

One other thing I would like to add for any beginner or novice shooter, find an expert and pay for at least one course in competition shooting. This will not only help you with any little mistakes or habits you have, but will assist you with getting comfortable in a competition atmosphere.

Last but not least, get comfortable with your firearms. And I mean, REAL comfortable. Know what every button, lever and knob does with your eyes closed. Become so intimate with them that your significant other gets jealous.

Practice, practice, and more practice. Take your learning in stages. Write a curriculum based on Enos' book and follow it.

Edited January 29, 2013 by SoCalNoMore

[daves_not_here]

Spend the money on instruction!

It will save money on ammo and you'll enjoy the ammo you shoot more. There will be less frustration!

This is the way I have fun with the time and money I have for shooting.

Shooting is a "doing" sport where you learn it by doing. Studying helps but there are no written tests at matches.

DNH

[t1nm4n]

I'm new to 3gun (well I hope to get into it), but I have a few years of competative shooting, that was alot of great advice by the OP. I have something to add and it's something that alot of people overlook, "Don't out-shoot your skills". I say that because you will inevatably try and go too fast from one stage to the next, you will start to make mistakes and like most shooters will understand the quicksand concept. There is nothing worse than a "miss" except more "misses". When things go down hill just remember to STOP take a breathe gather your sight picture and go back to hitting your targets.

Actually the most important thing when the buzzer starts is to continue to breathe, you will be amazed at how many people stop breathing when that buzzer sounds, you will get out of breath and that will throw shots off.

Cheapest practice in the world is taking your guns and setting up small targets inside your house and just aiming at them, this helps you get the muscle-memory started and familar with the feel of your guns, I've never read Enos's book but I imagine (from what I have heard of him) he is quite smart and addresses this there. As always like Noximus03 said, saftey first and always.