38superman Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 (edited) Before I started shooting in USPSA three years ago, I was an avid rifleman. I did a little hunting but was never real big into it. My thing was punching paper and seeing how much accuracy I could wring out of a production rifle. I did this with a little tweaking and exhaustive load development. Now all my free time (and disposable income) is directed toward USPSA shooting. I have dedicated my efforts toward helping my local club, shooting the matches, building guns for different divisions, etc. Today I took note of the fact that working my way up the IPSC food chain has caused me to set aside all else. I haven't launched one round downrange with a rifle since my first club match in April '04. The rifles that once saw so much use are now safe queens. I won't say this is good, bad, or indifferent. It is simply an observation. I love action pistol shooting and have no regrets. I simply wonder if others have experienced this phenomenon. If you pursue other shooting sports, how does one find balance? For me, I would need three lifetimes to do all the things I enjoy and do them well. Tony Edited June 3, 2007 by tlshores Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFlowers Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 Yes it has. Several years ago I was a dedicated SASS Cowboy Action Shooter, in fact I was shooting at very high level. Now like others my disposable time and money goes to shooting USPSA. Though life lately has done its best to take as much of my time as possible away from my shooting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Cheely Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 Previously I shot PPC almost every week, bowling pin leagues, and thousands of miles on my bicycle every year. Now I only manage to ride a few times a week, and shoot USPSA every weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jman Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 Come to think of it I haven't shot a clay bird in almost a year. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddy_fuentes Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 Gave up shooting the rifles and shotguns, too. I don't Bass fish as much anymore, either. I'll never be a top competitor, but I sure as heck enjoy shooting USPSA. Buddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwx40x40 Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 I too found myself with too many irons in the fire. I gave up IHMSA and IDPA to shoot more USPSA. Even at that it is still hard to find time to practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herky Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 There are other shooting sports? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mscott Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 I still shoot sporting clays once or twice a month since I only have 2 USPSA matches a month within 2 hours drive. I should probably practice my pistol shooting more, but other games are fun as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
996fan2007 Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 Strangely, I've diversified a bit. I'm now shooting a little more trap than I used to. Every once in a while (once every couple months) I might shoot a bullseye or air pistol match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAL Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 Lately I have been shooting everything but Ipsc. Still shoot long range rifle but now losing my spot causes me to have to drive 3 1/2 hours one way to get 1000 yards, So that has slowed due to time and fuel costs. Used to have 3000 plus in a sand quarry like 30 Min's from the house. Just started shooting IDPA about 3-4 club matches so far. I also just recently got back in to shooting a Bow and back into 3-d shooting after like a 15 year break, Got all brand new stuff, 07 Hoyt 38 Ultra, Carbon express Maxima's etc. And have started shooting trap again for the last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No.343 Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 I used to shoot bullseye pistol, IHMSA and Hi-power rifle. Started shooting USPSA three years ago because tendonitis in my elbows did not allow me to hold the 15" barrel pistols. Now I am hopelessly hooked. The tendonitis is much better, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flatland Shooter Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 I stopped shooting USPSA about 1995 simply because it was too far a drive and too much hassle to continue competing. Took up sporting clays and enjoyed it immensely. After a move back to Texas, I was again able to shoot USPSA. Although both shooting sports had really great folks to compete with, sporting clays quickly took a back seat to USPSA. And no regrets. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XD Niner Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 I travel a great deal and have limited time to devote to my hobbies. USPSA practice and matches takes up about 75% of my time available for hobbies. Woodworking takes up the rest. While I have shot clays and would like to do so again sometime in the future, I don't have the time right now. None of the other shooting sports are really attractive to me right now but who knows what the future may bring. Right now, it is runnin' and gunnin' that I enjoy the most. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 We generally have 4 matches a month here. 2 IDPA - 1 USPSA and 1 ICORE. I usually shoot all of them and a carbine and a 3 gun every month with 5 Sundays. I find USPSA suits my mentality better but everything takes a back seat to 3 gun when a big match or a 5th Sunday rolls around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlamoShooter Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 (edited) If you build a good foundation of skill in each discipline & you reach a level above average, the shooter will not back slide to far backwards. IF the foundation of skills are week...The skill will crumble with-out constant maintanace. I think if a shooter can reach a consistent level above the top 80%, ... even after a year or more the skill level will not fall back past 70% with only a minor (Tune-Up) But I may not know nothing I have not shot sporting shotgun in 11 months, and next week at STC nat. I bet my scores are above 80% Err Ahhaa ....I hope so any way Ill get back to you next week Jamie Oh and the other Sports thing. I can tell that IPSC has helped my game in the other three disciplines I shoot Edited June 4, 2007 by AlamoShooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawulf Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 (edited) Ipsc renewed my interest in shooting. I only started shooting Ipsc in 2006, but now I'm hooked. I shoot every free weekend I have. I go to the range once a week for practice, plus dry fire in the basement. Not to mention hours spent reloading. Before Ipsc the last real shooting I did was DCM matches at my gun club, in the mid nineties (it got really mundane and boring for me ). Wish I would have found Ipsc earlier. Time go practice for this weekends match . Edited June 4, 2007 by dawulf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPatterson Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 I have a NSSA life membership but haven't shot a bird in 2 years because USPSA is a lot cheaper and more fun. Also I have never seen a USPSA shooter throw a shell after a miss. Skeet has gotten too money hungry, $38-40 a gauge so a full weekend can cost $250 or more with side events. If people think USPSA has a costly equipment race try a Kolar with a $10,000 starting price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j2fast Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 I travel a great deal and have limited time to devote to my hobbies. USPSA practice and matches takes up about 75% of my time available for hobbies. Woodworking takes up the rest. While I have shot clays and would like to do so again sometime in the future, I don't have the time right now. None of the other shooting sports are really attractive to me right now but who knows what the future may bring. Right now, it is runnin' and gunnin' that I enjoy the most. Substitute golf and a few other things I do occasionally in place of Woodworking and XDNiner described my situation as well. Shooting a rifle (AR) more does interest me but time is putting a serious damper on that idea. Especially when my rifle in it's stock configuration shot about 1 MOA and now that I messed with it by free floating it the darn thing is shooting 6in at 50 yards..... If I had the time I could get things right but at this point it may be easier to just send it to someone like Benny. Right now my life only allows me to get out and shoot 1 or 2 matches a month but it's the most fun I've ever had with a firearm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derwoodski Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 There are other shooting sports? LOL +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidball Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 There are other shooting sports? +1 I also have this bag with these strange sticks in them covered with dust. The sticks have flat ends canted at various angles. The flat ends have grooves cut into them. Some of the flat ends have rounded / oval metal backings on them. All of the sticks have a rubber type coating on the other end. One apparently sticks the rubber end down into the bag to transport them with the varying flat ends sticking out the top. I also found several small white balls in one of the pockets of the bag along with some small, odd, pointed, puncturing devices. Weird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XRe Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 There are other shooting sports? I was going to ask the same thing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwin garcia Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 I started shooting IPSC 8+ yrs ago and have not had a chance participating other shooting sports. I'm pretty busy enjoying IPSC and don't intend to join other sport-shooting or otherwise at this time, thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddy_fuentes Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 David Ball, those are target stands and the little white things are targets. You dig a small hole in the ground and stick the big end in the hole and cover with dirt. You then set the white target on top. You may have to get some double bubble gum to get the target to stay on top of the target stem. Start shooting at 10 yards and when you can make consistent hits move to 15yards and keep moving out when consistent. I hope you have a good supply of the little white targets...they seem to fly off to parts unknown when hit by a speeding bullet. Buddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9x21 Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 There are other shooting sports? +1! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidball Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 David Ball, those are target stands and the little white things are targets. You dig a small hole in the ground and stick the big end in the hole and cover with dirt. You then set the white target on top. You may have to get some double bubble gum to get the target to stay on top of the target stem. Start shooting at 10 yards and when you can make consistent hits move to 15yards and keep moving out when consistent.I hope you have a good supply of the little white targets...they seem to fly off to parts unknown when hit by a speeding bullet. Buddy Sweet . . . always looking for a new drill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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