What Do the Few Do That the Rest of Us Do Not?

Hunter

Hunter

Chasin' the Sunset
I'm puzzled over why the same few shooters seem to always be near the top of the results lists, and what they do that the rest of us don't do.

Over the last four Super Shoots, five guys have been in the top 20 every year, and an additional four have been in the top 20 three of the four shoots. So, nine guys have been in the top 20 in three of the last four SS. In addition to those nine guys, there are probably a few others who would be in that group except that they don't go the SS regularly. I'll call them the consistent top finishers ("CTF").

What are the CTF doing that the rest of us are not doing? Surely, out of the rest of the shooters many of them: (a) have just as good of equipment as the CTF, (b) buy just as many barrels as some of the CTF, and (c) practice just as much as some of the CTF. So, what do the CTF do that the rest of us don't?
 
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Shoot every weekend.....new barrels after 500-700 rnds. Make their own bullets....
Rumor has it a well known guy bought 30 barrels. And only found 3 he would take to the Nationals....
Another guy bought and sold 75 rifles. Till he got what he wanted. He shot almost everyday.....
Look up some of the pistol guys.
Jerry Miculek shoots 100-200 rnds everyday. Married a Famous Gunsmith's daughter. Kay.
Kim Rhodes Shoots 300-500 skeet a day....https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Rhode
Kimberly Susan "Kim" Rhode is an American double trap and skeet shooter. A California native, she is a six-time Olympic medal winner, including three gold medals, and six-time national champion in double trap. Wikipedia
 
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I don't know any of the top shooters personally, but I do know what they do. As Tim said above in two words, they "shoot more". There is no substitute for practice in match conditions. that's how you learn to read the wind and all the other stuff.

Rick
 
They know how to tune their gun great and
they know why the bullet went were it did !! most important part is why
 
Focused, single-minded purpose!

Being very good is important to them and they do what it takes to be good. I'm not saying that winning is the important thing, just being the best they can be.

Benchrest is one of the most technical sports. People who excel at it can marshal a bunch of factors into a coherent, winning program. That is a rare talent. It's no wonder so many benchrest guys have also been car builders.
 
What Do the Few Do That the Rest of Us Do Not?

They are all mentally strong!
It is the same in Oz - 20% of the shooters do most of the winning

Michael
 
Hunter said:
I'm puzzled over why the same few shooters seem to always be near the top of the results lists, and what they do that the rest of us don't do.


What are the CTF doing that the rest of us are not doing? Surely, out of the rest of the shooters many of them: (a) have just as good of equipment as the CTF, (b) buy just as many barrels as some of the CTF, and (c) practice just as much as some of the CTF. So, what do the CTF do that the rest of us don't?
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Bill, the same on golf or any endevor requiring refined skills. Practice, practice and practice every day. Benchrest requires, like everything else great barrels, great bullets, and did I mention, practice.

TB has more HOF points than the next 3 combined. Go to a big shoot and get up and out at first light. Tony is already out watching this pattern on the field of flags.

Practice, devotion to winning, eqyuipment capable of winning, and practice.

Something I found interesting from the 2017 equipment list only one in four of the top 20 listed a tuner. I went to the last two days of the fimfire Triple Crown, and, all were shooting tuners!

All those winners practice intensely. The Triple Crown winner, Joe beseech, who lives in Missouri even travels to Wilderness Road in Virginia to shoot 1-day local shoots...practice!
.
 
You have to have a rifle that shoots well to discover any other factors. That's the bottom line on this question. Those that do not have such a rifle can't learn anything except the best way to attend.

And NO...every rifle can't be fixed such that it's a winner.
 
What do they Do?

Knowing when to pull the trigger on that most accurate Rifle,is an acquired skill that improves with practice, practice,practice.

Like any Sport,if you put enough money in equipment, chances are, you will eventually find a working combination.

In this Sport,success comes in a package. Knowing how to use a lathe, is a part of that package.

Glenn
 
Richard said:
there is a difference between "practice" and "testing"

Richard
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Yes, there is a difference.

Testing is when you go to the Range and find out the ultimate capability of your Rifle, with as little of you as possible factored into the equation. You concentrate on the flags, your bench technique, your loading procedures, taking away as many variables as possible.

When you practice, (assuming you have the Rifle right), you put the clock on the bench, and do it just like in a match. You shoot into what the Range gives you. In short, you find out how well you, and the Rifle can do when you have to make decisions in a split second as to when, and what you are going to shoot into.
 
I agree with the dedication part

jim casey said:
dedication and talent!
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not so much with the talent end. I don't know any shooters who are good that got there because of innate talent. But they were dedicated enough that it seems that way.

I have quite a few BR shooters that come to my range to test,tune,practice or whatever. You can tell the ones that that are dedicated. Some will be testing and get the rifle shooting good and then want to quit and go home. I always ask, what about practice? Sometime I get a funny look and they say "that's what I have been doing" Wrong!! Now you need to hammer rounds down range into the conditions with the clock.

Jackie is spot on with his reply. You follow that and your aggs will go down over time.

Richard
 
Private Ranges and Gunsmithing skills

How many of the top 20 twenty shooters who consistently place at the Big shoots have their own private range?

How many, on that list, do their own machine work?

Some of us don't possess either of these two things.

I think there is a direct correlation between success and having immediate access to a place to shoot and being able to keep equipment in top form. Chamber barrels the day before a match. Make changes to or fix equipment that impacts accuracy,etc,etc. There may be a few, just a few exceptions to my views on this issue.



Glenn
 
Glenn, I won't argue with you

on that point. To say I have been blessed would be an understatement on those points you make.
For me it's about 100 yds from the range to the shop, and also about 100yds from the house. I can't count the times I have been shooting and my wife will bring down lunch for me and also for the guys. Sometimes I think they just come for the eats;)
There is no doubt it is an advantage to be able to fix a problem and go right back at it.
Still with all that I believe it still comes down to how bad you want it, and what you are willing to do to get to that point.

Richard
 
Range

Richard, I totally agree with your analogy of "Those who want it most". The old folks used to say, "That kid has Drive" The drive is what gets you there.

I saw some pictures you posted a while back, describing your shooting range. It was very impressive. First I heard of the free lunch for visitors.:D


There are things you can do on a private range that you can't do on a private Club range.



Glenn
 
Thanks for the responses -- they touch on practicing/shooting a lot, having good equipment, dedication, and talent. But, I'm still puzzled. As implied in the original post, I suspect many of the non-CTF have just as good of equipment (including barrels) as do the CTF and practice just as much as some of the CTF. I asked one of the CTF if he practiced a lot and he said "No"; another shooter who is not a CTF told me he shoots a couple of hours most days of the week. So, what's the difference?

Maybe talent (some have it and most don't?) plays a big part in the fact that the same 10-20 guys are typically near the top of the results lists.
 
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