One Man, One Rifle

[T-DOGG]

For those of you who have invested a heavy amount of time practicing/shooting with only one rifle, how are you able to focus with all of the distractions in the gun industry these days?

It seems like every day, there is a new latest/greatest something coming out. How do you avoid the temptations of trying out new things all the time and "suffer" through the monotony of frequent practice with just one gun?

I know we have some serious, long time competition rifle shooters in here and I look forward to their insight on this.

 

[daddyusmaximus]

I'll just leave this here...

 

[daddyusmaximus]

I do need to focus more on my training. I have more than one gun though, and I don't concentrate on any single one enough to truly master it. I'm pretty good with them, some better that others, but haven't really mastered either of them as I'd like to.

 

[teddy12b]

Personally for me..... I find there's a big tipping point for the number of guns I own and how well I can shoot & handle each one individually. There's also a certain level of time and experience needed behind each gun before I reach a level of proficiency that I can feel comfortable with. I'd also add that it's all a perishable skill.

For me, I had a short career with uncle sam, so an AR-15 is always natural for me to have in my hands, but the more time I spend on that the more my long range precision game seems to suffer. The more time I spend at the range working on distance and wind with my bolt gun, the more sloppy my reloads and handling with my AR-15 get. On top of that, if I shoot another pistol enough to build muscle memory and don't use my carry pistol enough then it doesn't feel as natural to me to work on drawing and firing.

It's a constant struggle with like a ying & yang. This may sound weird on a gun forum, but too many guns is actually detrimental to your ability to use them.

 

[Thor]

One gun...

I avoid the noise level by knowing what is good and what I am good with. It's like stereos; get a good one and then ignore the noise and be happy with what you have. I prefer things that are classic anyway.

 

[MCgrease08]

When I was new to guns I spent some time chasing gear and technology. I didn't know what I didn't know and didn't take enough time to understand what worked for me and what didn't. That was mostly a result of not taking enough training. I made assumptions about what I wanted and needed without validating things first.

The more I train the more I find what I like and what works for me. Now I have enough experience to shift my mindset from gear quantity to gear quality. Hardware is much less important than the software.

 

[gregkl]

I too chased hardware. I usually bought, sold and bought again but my "inventory" did swell a little for a couple years.

Now I am down to just a few. Just the other day, I opened my safe and looked at what I had and realized even with just those few, I don't get enough time to become truly proficient with them.

I really have the best range times when I take one firearm only with me. It helps me stay focused.

I always get that "itch" when something hits the market and in particular these newer "precision chassis" style rigs look interesting.

But I take a breath, remind myself that I have enough guns and not enough money so I move on.

I'm getting to the point that I don't even look at the classifieds anymore.

 

[T-DOGG]

Personally for me..... I find there's a big tipping point for the number of guns I own and how well I can shoot & handle each one individually. There's also a certain level of time and experience needed behind each gun before I reach a level of proficiency that I can feel comfortable with. I'd also add that it's all a perishable skill.

For me, I had a short career with uncle sam, so an AR-15 is always natural for me to have in my hands, but the more time I spend on that the more my long range precision game seems to suffer. The more time I spend at the range working on distance and wind with my bolt gun, the more sloppy my reloads and handling with my AR-15 get. On top of that, if I shoot another pistol enough to build muscle memory and don't use my carry pistol enough then it doesn't feel as natural to me to work on drawing and firing.

It's a constant struggle with like a ying & yang. This may sound weird on a gun forum, but too many guns is actually detrimental to your ability to use them.

Pretty much my thoughts and the reason for the thread. I'm getting more interested in long range and precision shooting, but I'm having an internal conflict about bolt guns vs AR's. I'm more versed in AR's, but the bolt guns do interest me and the general consensus seems to be that bolt guns are inherently more accurate. So now I feel like I'm at a crossroads and not sure what to do. I don't like the thought of trying to practice with an assortment of rifles all at once, but here I am doing just that. I really like the idea of becoming very proficient with one rifle, but it may just be a pipe dream at this point.

 

[Tryin']

Whenever I get the urge to buy another weapon, I find it helps to go shoot the ones I have. Figure out my perceived need that the new one will fill and then see if I already have something that will fill it.

I still want a semiautomatic. 308, though...

 

[bwframe]

Good thread!

Kick in the butt to me. I'm gonna head out back and shoot the air rifle a bit. Try to remember how a trigger works again...

 

[Colt556]

Boy this thread really hits close to home. While I haven’t actually pulled the trigger on a live round in a while I still want more and more guns. I have more guns than I could ever need but still want more. I borrowed a saying from a lifelong friend that goes “Need has nothing to do with it”. I really love to shoot my 22 rifles but also love to collect USGI weapons, S&W revolvers, Colt 1911s, Classic bolt guns, well, you get the picture. I used to buy a lot of guns outright but do to financial reasons I mostly have to trade for something new and different I may want. If I’ve had a gun for a while and something comes along I may want more then trade isn’t to bad. My problem is that I want a lot more than my trade items could ever bring in. One battle at a time I guess. Oh, I do the same with model kits too. I’ve been told I have more kits than a lot of hobby shops ever had in stock. Another weakness I suppose. We do what we can do.

 

[T-DOGG]

I'd love to be a minimalist gun owner, but I keep making excuses and giving "roles" to guns. Then I look in the safe and think of all the money spent chasing my tail all these years. It's really hard to be a person heavily involved in firearms and also practice serious self control when it comes to the buying/selling/trading aspect of it.

 

[Hookeye]

Shooting is shooting.
Put good triggers and sights on your rigs and just shoot.

 

[Hookeye]

I dont target shoot. Just test/ zero a rig and its ready to go hunting.

Am no great shot but do pretty good, usually good enough to pizz off those at the range.

Its shooting. Dont try to reinvent thr wheel. Use what works and dont screw around.

Proper form.....been shooting for about 50 yrs . Right, wrong or whatever.....at least im consistent enough to appear to be decent LOL.

Kinda like swimming IMHO....relax and its easier. Dont fight yourself

 

[gregkl]

I'd love to be a minimalist gun owner, but I keep making excuses and giving "roles" to guns. Then I look in the safe and think of all the money spent chasing my tail all these years. It's really hard to be a person heavily involved in firearms and also practice serious self control when it comes to the buying/selling/trading aspect of it.

Being a minimalist gun owner is easier if you are generally a minimalist. .

I am a minimalist and when I look in my safe, I have too many. But I can't bring myself to thin anymore.

I justify having two .22 rifles so that if I want to shoot with someone, we can each have a rifle.

 

[Hookeye]

Ruger #1, Rem 760, 1100,870....bolt rifles. AR or FAL.

Its just shooting.

Even if its a stock FAL trigger compared to a Canjar on a varmint rifle LOL. One is a little nicer though

 

[gregkl]

. Dont fight yourself

This is my problem. I overthink it. I have been consistent all winter shooting every weekend practicing with my pistol. Sure I'm better at the drills I do each weekend. But try something different or try to increase the speed and you'd think I never shot before, lol.

Oh well, I keep trying. I'm better than the average gun owner...which isn't saying much.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I've been starting to consider reducing my "inventory" but I've already eliminated most of the duplicates. In that respect I guess I'm more of a collector than a shooter, but I do enjoy shooting what I collect. There's always that little nagging voice in the back of my head that says, "But what if I get the urge to shoot a Turkish Mauser instead of a Swede or a Brazilian or an Argentine or a German or...." Well, you get the idea. And then there's the Enfields. Or even the AR's.

 

[Hookeye]

My issue is when my eyes were good and I worked under microscopes, I had a very light touch. Which was a plus for my shooting. Could shoot good without much effort. Aim small miss small. Well that and having shot for decades.

Now w bifocals, arthritis just losing focus in brain.....i have to pay attention and concentrate more just to be close to what I was.

Definitely more effort to fight the decline, that's going to win soon enough.

Saw my dad go through it. Buy better stuff and still not shoot as well as used to.

I aint gonna drop the coin or hours to win Z class. Great if folks want to do that.

Me....no prob accepting what is going on. Dont like it one damn bit. But fighting it would just be futile and im not gonna spend a fortune making myself more upset .

I gave up 3d and indoor archery due to injury. And wont take it up again because i simply dont have what it takes visually or mentally.

The only good thing about getting older is not caring too much.

Now is that by design?

 

[Gabriel]

I do both. I have some "new and cool" stuff, but mainly train with the same old rifles I've had for years.