SRT Driver Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 Everyone has different reasons. What are yours? The shooters that I learned from started in the military and/or where in law enforcement. And it seems that many forum members are in the same group. And it might be interesting to hear some stories. I started shooting competitively in my twenties when I thought about persuing a LE career. A friend mentioned that most LE types do the bear minimum just to qualify and I did not want to be one of those. It seemed that something other than standing at the table just banging away was a better route. At a local range, a group shot a PPC league on Sundays. A non-sanctioned league since most league members were civilians but it was fun and exposed me to timed fire and drawing. I got pretty good and started winning. I was perfectly happy until a guy asked me why I shot PPC if I couldn't get classified or go to a national championship and test myself against the best. That struck a cord and I started Bullseye, Highpower, NRA AP, and IPSC shooting over the years. I haven't looked back since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 I started shooting competitively a few years after giving up motorcycle racing as a hobby and finding myself bored. Made a new friend that was doing it and after trying it on his prompting, found it provided what I had been looking for. It fit the bill prefectly because it made loud noise, cost too much, had a small amount of risk mixed with the resultant adrenaline and involved technology that I could manipulate to my own ends. -- Regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ipscron2000 Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 I started shooting USPSA because a friend took me to a match. WOW! What a blast. I've always liked handguns and got such a rush from a field course that I spent 5 grand the next month on a open gun and loader. Never regreted it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Cheely Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 Since I've been young I've had 2 loves, bicycling and shooting. When I went off to college I started riding competitivly with other students. I've been as far away as Colliegate Mountain Bike Nationals in New Mexico. Through all of it I figured out that what made it so fun was making myself get better so I could win. So when I moved home, I was back with my guns regularly and figured that since it was so fun to ride with others, I'd get into shooting competitivly to get the same. Shot bowling pins and have won the local .22 leauge ever since. Started PPC and came in 2nd my first season, and shot my first 600 in my second season. And now those same PPC shooters told me about IPSC and here I am. 4 Matches under my belt and I'm so hooked... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Di Vita Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 I think it was more like shooting found me. From there I promised myself I would do whatever it took to be the best. ....looking forward to the journey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael_aos Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 I go camping with friends from Memorial Day through Labor Day. And we tend to do a lot of plinking when we camp. I was just looking for something to do in the "off-season". Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dajarrel Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 Someone described my feelings best when they said" I came for the shooting, I stayed because of the people." Mixed in with the tactabillies and gun store commandos are a group of people that I am proud to associate with. These are the folks that rise to the top. These are the folks that frequent this forum. dj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobert1 Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 I am new to the sport, just began competitive shooting Aug '04. When Ohio passed their CCW law I wanted to become more proficient in all areas of my gun use. A new range opened up that summer and our Speedy Seevers began to offer league type practice. He introduced many of us to USPSA and have brought many of us into the sport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRD Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 Like bobert, I'm pretty new - although (which is typical for me when I find something new that interests me and costs money) I dove in headfirst. Started shooting competitively about 2 years ago when I just happened across some info about practical shooting, can't remember where or what it was, and knew right away that was what I needed to be doing. Found a great bunch of guys at Green Mountain Practical Shooters in VT, took their 'new shooters clinic' and then immediately got together with some friends and set up a local club so we would have somewhere nearby to shoot. - Gabe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew_Mink Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 Like Ron, I always liked handguns and shooting in general. I wanted to start competing so I could gain proficiency with my carry gear. When I started I blasted away very quickly, but couldn't hit anything. That was an eyeopener. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 Always liked shooting and after I attended my first match, to watch, I thought I could beat 75% of the guys without having any personal knowledge of what was going on....I was correct, but the other 25% were a little tougher... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemo Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 My dad used to shoot. I remember his Hammerli 208 and his K-38, both he got rid of before I came to gun owning age . But when in college enlisted in the Naval Reserve back from Great Mistakes was sent to a security unit. Had to qual with M16, M9 and shotgun. Out of college got a job as a state wildlife refuge manager. With the job came the responsibility of collecting fund$ for fishing licenses, tournament registration and camping. If you collect govt money$ the also give you a blaster. They took me to a range made me fire something like 50 shots and gave me a govt carry permit, then took me to the police warehouse where I was assigned a S&W M-39. Drove all the way back home with the piece and a box of ammo (RN-FMJ), and thinking on the responsibility of having a gun in the house. Decided to join a range to become proficient. Started shooting the 9, then got a 22 then a K38 then a goldcup... And in 1996 discovered IPSC... Still like to fish but since then my main thing has been the shooting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBF Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 I always liked shooting. I had no real burning desire to compete until I found this forum. I am now hooked on IPSC. A huge thank you to all of the fine folks here ! Travis F. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txaggie Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 When my knees started bothering me, I had to give up the stick and ball sports. I had to find an outlet for my competitive desires, and shooting static targets seemed to give me that. That is until I found you could move and shoot as well :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ima45dv8 Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 What Matthew said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFlowers Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 Always loved to shoot. Dad and I would go down to the old sand pit and spend the day with the .22s and anything any of his friends would bring. Sadly, people leaving the sand pit in a mess killed it for all of us. Once I became an adult with a good pay job and disposable income, I got involved in Cowboy Action Shooting, not competively just having fun. Then I bought a 1911 and started shooting USPSA as well. I did this for about a year, no real competitive drive, just fun. Then I got in with the competition crowd among the NC SASS Clubs. The drive kicked up and I began to push hard to be better and really up'd the level of competition. So it went for several years, constantly moving upward in the SASS ranks, shooting as many majors as the money would allow. But I missed USPSA, so 2004 I split the year, USPSA in the spring and SASS in the fall. But three mistresses (wife, SASS, and USPSA) are one too many, so 2005 I dedicated myself to competing in USPSA at the highest level I can (which is not that high, sometimes!). Anyone one know a way to lose 80 pounds before Area 6 in 3 weeks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sargenv Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 I started hunting before I started shooting. Dad got me hooked on bird hunting starting with Dove hunting when I was 13, and later that year, Duck Season. I'd been going with him since I was about 10, but only had a BB gun and all I did with that was plink at stuff while in the field. We never did any kind of formal practice until I turned 18 when I thought to myself, "I need to stop wasting so much ammo shooting at the sky instead of hitting birds". So around then I started shooting Trap and Skeet. On other parts of our range I was watching targets drop out at 200 yards so I went to investigate.. That started my second love, handgun sillouette. I bought a 30-30 Contender when I was 21. I also picked up a GP100 for plinking and general target practice. Later I picked up a model 700 Varmint in 308 also for some long range plinking. I was on the slow fire range one day when I heard rapid fire going on behind the berm. I went to check that out and found ipsc kind of shooting going on. I could never take their safety class because I didn't get sundays off. When I switched to a normal 40 hr work week, I took the safety class and started shooting ipsc. At that point I was shooting a 645 with 8 - 8 rd mags. Not competitive, but it was what I had. I gave up shooting that for a few years since there were some not so nice people there. I came back to ipsc in 2002 shoting a revolver and then my Sig 229. I did ok, but soon wanted more, so that's when I built a limited gun based on a P16. Now I shoot all divisions and shoot at a club where I can practice any day of the week, and at practically any time. I'm into 3-gun as well. I shoot because it's fun, the people are great, and it's basically something to do in between boring times. It's one thing where I can get together with other like minded individuals and socialize and otherwise have a good time. I've been reloading since I was 19, initially shotshell only, and now I reload shotshell, pistol, and rifle. My wife was smart 8 years ago in getting me a 650 so she can have some time to spend with me. Vince Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 For money, fame, babes and glory. That's why I became a rock star. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 The chicks. What else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemo Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 Sorry to hear about your failure Flex... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carinab Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 My first introduction to guns came at age 26 when my first husband bought a single stack Colt 45 Combat. He thought it'd be a good idea for me to take a class so I signed up for the college extension basic gun safety class taught at the police range in San Diego. After the lecture class explaining sight alignment and trigger pull, we went out to the range. I shot a 98-4X the first time I tried 25yd bullseye - with full power 45 loads! It was the first thing that I had ever tried that I had natural talent at. There was a second class - advance firearm safety (hey, if there's basic safety there must be advanced safety, right?) that introduced different "action" shooting games, NRA Action, PPC, IPSC, and so on. I signed up for that class and I found home. I hadn't even completed the 9 week class before I started on steel matches (the first two months), then I shot my first IPSC match barely six months after I first started shooting. Shooting has literally transformed my life. It's a bit personal but when I started I had some personality issues (hey now, be nice - I know I've got some left - I'm working on it!) and the microcosm of competition forced me to look at those issues. Your game doesn't improve unless you're willing to look at your weaknesses - I coudn't become a better shooter until I became a better person. (Hmmm, wonder if that's why I'm still stuck in A class? ) During the transformational first two years of becoming a shooter, my then husband disliked the changes occuring within me and gave me the ultimatum - shooting or him....I think you can guess which choice I made. Shooting taught me that I have more resiliance, more fortitude, more determination and self reliance then I thought I could ever muster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 For money, fame, babes and glory.That's why I became a rock star. Ah, you must have heard the one about the Polish Musician. He was in it for the money! I guess it could also be the Polish Competition Shooter, or the Polish Abstract Expressionist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XRe Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 I always seemed to have a natural talent for shooting, but found I liked shooting handguns best. I found group shooting as a hobby to be intensely boring, and was playing paintball actively. I heard about IPSC when I was 20 1/2... and couldn't wait for my 21st birthday so I could buy a handgun and start playing.... It sounded like a great "action" sport using a real gun, which it is - the X-game of shooting, if you will.... But, it turned out to be more than just that (as many have discovered) - a great learning and proving ground for me as a person, and as a competitor in life..... blah blah blah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zhunter Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 I enjoy competition! I am an adrenaline junkie in the worst way. I used to do Long Range shooting with .308, and loved it. I liked the ballistics and the creating of the loads etc... I got out of shooting and into hunting, but did not like to hunt with firearms, as being a very good long range shooter (read 1/4 minute of angle accuracy) it was not challanging enough, so I go into archery!!! Hunted with Bow and Arrow for many years, then decided to start hunting dangerous game!!!!! ( Read Cape Buffalo last Sept., Lion next month) Got a Girlfriend that wanted to go shooting, I have always had a CWP, so I took her. 500 rounds later, me loading the mags, she was/is hooked. So, I told her that we would learn to shoot IPSC together. We both have VERY busy schedules, and she has not shot a match yet, but I am hooked. Let's see, I love to do the loading, I love to shoot, I LOVE to compete against myself ( that is what this is about), The people are great, and it is something I can do with my family. I am taking my two kids, 9 year old son and 10 year old daughter shooting this weekend, first time for handguns for both. We worked on Saftey and grip yesterday here at the house! Now I have to go and make up some soft puppy loads for the G22. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
short_round Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 The chicks. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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