At what age did you really get into precision shooting?

[Rpm1106]

I consider myself fairly young at 26 years old, but I do feel like I showed up late to the party. I have been shooting since I was in the range of 4 years old but never really had any experience with bolt action or precision shooting. In the name of being thorough I would like to know where I stand and how my progression goes with this adventure I am starting in comparison with others.
If this is in the wrong section I apologize. I am just trying to get a feel for this place.
On a side note, I have read through a ton of older posts and information you guys have provided and I am thoroughly impressed with your wealth of knowledge and sense of humor. Thanks already for the info.

 

[Sugarbug]

27!! Lol. I think you're experiencing the same things I am. For the most part, I don't think there are very many younger (than us) people getting into this outside of the military unless we're talking the son's of guys that are into precision shooting.

 

[BradleyH]

Currently I am 20! Tried to start when I was 18.. I have been taught a lot to say the least.

 

[velillen]

I'm 25 and still very new to it. New to rifles in generally really. Used to shoot pistols once every year or two, now its shooting every other weekend. Rifles are still new. Only since May really for me.

I do think its just an age thing. When I was younger and shooting the bb gun it was more fun to rapid fire than sit for precision. The same probably applys to firearms as well. That and when you pay for the ammo you don't want to do mag dumps constantly lol

 

[hondo1312]

I started getting into long range shooting at 35 and competed in my first matches at 37.

 

[Scratchthejeepguy]

You young whipper snappers better keep it quiet down there! I'm 43 and got my first .308 less than a year ago!

...and keep off my lawn!

 

[Killer Spade 13]

12 years old

 

[PhulesAu]

52 Stick that in your hat.

 

[sandwarrior]

Since I was about 15. I'm 50 now. I had the whole wide open desert to go out and shoot in. But, so much of what is required for long range I had no clue. Also, due to the high desert where I grew up I didn't encounter typical problems that sea level shooters did. I didn't shoot competitively Until about 40.

 

[Sinus211]

31, as in last year! lol

This local guy(to me) puts us all to shame with his awards and achievements, and he's 25

 

[Rustybroadhead]

I have spent the majority of my life in competitive archery and now I am trying to make the switch. I am 40 and I am not sure whether to feel good or bad about this thread!

 

[UA_Flyfisher]

I got interested around 18 after growing up around Bullseye Pistols with my Dad. Bought my first LR rifle at 20 and have been hooked ever since. Sadly I haven't be shooting much since I got married but my wife is somewhat interested in the idea and I'm starting to get back into the game now. Been about 5 yrs since I've shot a match but I'm hoping to change that in the coming months.

 

[RStewart]

52 Stick that in your hat.

53. Beat ya!

 

[PhulesAu]

53. Beat ya!

Damn, 1 upped again!!

 

[triceratops3]

Well I guess I'm on the younger side. I'm 19 now and have pretty much just gotten my rifle to where it'll suffice for awhile. I started out shooting bb guns and .22's around 6-8 years old. Then when I was 15 I got a heavy barrel savage .223 and tried to use that for awhile then realized I needed something better. So when I was 18 I rebarreled my .308 hunting rifle (since I didn't hunt much) to a 6.5 creedmoor. Now after shooting long range for a couple years I want to start shooting bigger matches but the only problem with that is money. I'm a broke college kid who spent all my money on reloading gear and a rifle and my parents don't support my shooting hobby in any way (except they bought the rifles for me since I wasn't 18, but I did still have to pay for them).

One day I would love to be sponsored but if that doesn't happen I would be content with having a decent job and a wife that wouldn't mind me shooting all the time. But the way I see it, I've got plenty of time to get more into the sport so we'll see how everything pans out.

 

[RStewart]

We had a young lady go High Master in F-Open at 16.

 

[armorpl8chikn]

I ain't gonna start off with the Red Ryder Daisy. The question was PRECISION SHOOTING. Started competing in 1000yd BR at the ripe age of 28. I have been shooting some kind of competition ever since. I will be 45 in December.

 

[Rpm1106]

Thanks for sharing guys. I like knowing where I am compared to others and I enjoy tracking progress with as much data as possible. It looks like a wide range of starting ages.

 

[bunsen27]

Started shooting groundhogs in my teens (200-350yds), dabbled in BPCR silhouettee in my late 20's after college, and then went full retard over LR precision shooting in my early 30's a few years back. Still a few more years untill I hit 40. Reguardless of your age I don't think there has EVER been a better time to be into LR precision shooitng. Equipment is top notch, tons of good info available around the web, and the plethera of competitionts occuring is just amazing!

 

[grayghost]

Damn, 1 upped again!!

63 got you both beat

 

[kraigWY]

I really got serious in 1977, guess I was 30 then.

I got most you young whippersnappers beat, I'll turn 66 next week.

 

[oughtsix]

I started shooting 3 position 10m air rifle in high school when I was 14. Spent a lot of time in the basement of that school training, won a few regional comps and went to CO springs to shoot at the Olympic training center twice, Fort Benning for nationals my junior year. My all time high in competition was 560/600 with a sporter rifle at the MBA rifle classic in nashville. Made NRA expert. Needless to say, I was, and still am, way into this sport. Then I graduated and realized this hobby is cost prohibitive for a college student without a trust fund . Haven't shot competitively in 6-7 years, but maybe I can get back into it now that I'm finally graduating and have a good job on the line. I'd like to get into shooting service rifle, because I miss shooting irons really bad...

 

[308boltgun]

A) Its never to late to start, B) it doesnt matter if you are having fun. In 1999, one of the members of the US Palma team was 70 years old.

My wife and I started shooting competitively (NRA High power) when we were 24, we shot seriously for 17 years (13 years to camp perry), went to 3 world championship long range matches. Quit shooting for 12 years and now back into it and big game hunting.

 

[2Shots]

Well I fall somewhere in the upper end of you guys. Like most I grew up shooting rifles and shotguns but really didn't get into long range rifle until I started hunting out west and felt the need to be able the shoot out to 500 yds, because you get some long range opportunities out there, as opposed to the 50 yd deer shot around here! Started shooting tactical matches three years ago, and feel a little old for some of the stages we shoot! I'm 58 the year, it does seem that at these big matches the average age is in that 30 to 45 range though. Haven't won one yet! But still trying! Great bunch of guys to shoot with and you are right, a wealth of knowledge on here.

 

[40xs]

15 yrs old. 1959 in Petersburg, va. Junior NRA. Friday nights in the basement of the old ymca. In the defunct 3 lane bowling alley. .22's were .50c. a box. No telling how much lead particles we inhaled because there was no ventilation. by the time we would finish up around 9:00 pm the smoke was so thick you thought you were in a fog. No such thing as OSHA or EPA. The "good ole days"??

 

[usmc02xx]

likeothers it was a progression for me. rimfire as akid, pistols and carbines in my 20's, precision rilfes in my 30's. now in my 40's its precision rifles and the joys of reloading that keep me occupied. Next is comprehensive ballistic theory

 

[Maxwell]

A) Its never to late to start, B) it doesnt matter if you are having fun. In 1999, one of the members of the US Palma team was 70 years old.

My wife and I started shooting competitively (NRA High power) when we were 24, we shot seriously for 17 years (13 years to camp perry), went to 3 world championship long range matches. Quit shooting for 12 years and now back into it and big game hunting.

308boltgun, thank you for that post. As I was grunting code at work today (programmer) I was thinking of this thread. Starting out at almost mid 60's I guess I'd have to say, it is never to late.

Maxwell

 

[fx77]

Serioulsy ...when I was twice your age and could afford it

 

[Rob01]

27 but didn't start seriously competing until 37. Wish I would have started earlier.

 

[long range newbie]

I started when I was 14 (I just started this year) other wise I've been shooting since I was 3 and I remember shooting pennis at 100 yards with my 17hmr when I was 8

 

[Pat M]

29-30 had shot but that's when i picked up a R700 308 heavy barrel

 

[Name Enough]

Dang ya'll a bunch of youngins.
I started shooting fifty years ago. 46 years ago the Army gave me an M14. Still love that rifle.
Inaccurate firearms are very boring.
This year I bought a custom Savage with a Criterion barrel and MacMillian Stock and mounted a Viper 4-16 on it. This is the first time I will be shooting past 300 yards for accuracy. So far I am still working up loads.
So as far as precision shooting goes guess I am a youngin.

 

[jdw336]

I've been shooting my whole life (rimfire mainly), but bought my first set of reloading gear at 17. Everything took off from there- it wasn't until 20 that I pushed out into the realm of ELR. Today at age 22 long range shooting is a passion of mine

 

[hessian]

For me , all shooting is and has been precision shooting, from day one. 1960 or thereabouts.

 

[RStewart]

Wish I would have started earlier.

Man is that ever the truth!

 

[barnesuser28]

i got into reloading when i was 12, started from scratch, my Dad didnt have any equipment and i taught myself precision shooting and reloading. I plan on getting into f-class in the next year or two.

 

[lash]

Like many, I've been shooting in some way since I was a young'un. However, after about 20 years where i was so busy with work and raising a family, a couple years ago I got heavily into IDPA. Then bought my first accurate .308 and have been sucked in ever since. I'm 54 now and certainly wish I'd been able to get into LR sooner, but money has always been a consideration for me.

Maybe in a year or so I can really afford better glass, but for now I'm just totally enjoying the practice and learning. Sometimes I am a tad envious of the young guys who are into it while they are at their prime. But then I realize its way more about the fun and participation.

 

[Sharpsman]

Oh...back about 1948 with my Red Ryder BB gun!!

 

[shooter1054]

Up until Oct 2011, I thought 200 yds was a long shot. I went to a M&G for another forum. It was at a range that runs out to 1k. With some help from someone who I now call a friend, I was able to shoot my rifles out to 600 yds that day. I went home and started thinking about my long range rifle. I went balls deep and jumped into a 338LM in Jan 2012. Now 200 is where we warm up. I was 41 when I started in on LRP.

 

[steveptr]

Im 23 and this is my first season of shooting competitively and so far I've learned a lot.... I still have lots to learn too. So Cheers to shooting and moving forward in this game.

 

[Downzero]

still hoping to get started. have shot out to 600, but now that i live out here, it's time to really reach out

 

[phillipjr]

19, i havent really gotten to excel in it until now (im 21) because of money, but precision shooting is one of my favorite hobbies now.

 

[long range newbie]

I reload my own stuff too, I mean my dads been loading since he was like 10 so he teaches me stuff here and there but I'm also 14 which I think I've said to you before but yeah I also taught myself, but my dad had all the equipment I could think of and probably 50+lbs of powder on hand

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Shooting? 8 or 9; I was successively a Junior Fudd, and a GI Joe up to the age of 21. Then nothing (and I mean nothing at all related to firearms) for another 27 years. Took up 3-gun Bullseye handgun comp. moved on to Nat Match Highpower. Started with paper Sniper matches. Got serious about handloading and rifle accuracy sometime around '96, when I was an even 50. I dropped handguns, including owning any, when I moved back into NY in '98. A man can only have so many loves.

Greg

 

[Wnick308]

Started at 18 shooting in FTR matches.


Sent 2700 feet per second.

 

[Whit]

I got into it at 25.

I was 8 or 9 when I started hunting birds with BB's, .22 when I was 10 years old and hunted squirrels and rabbits and shot shotgun when I was 14 or 15. I stopped shooting when I was 16,What can I say, well I guess you can say I hunted Tail!! LOL I started shooting again when I went to the Marines at the age of 22 (my 23rd bday was graduation day from MCT). When I was 25 I had to pick a new hobby, the wife (my girlfriend at the time and also pregnant) frowned at me going to the bar and chasing tail!!

 

[DanGuy48]

Formally, when I was a teen and joined a smallbore jr. rifle team. I shot 4 position, 50ft and 100yds. during the summer out at Ft. Eustis. I got my NRA Distinguished Expert there. After that I shot on the Layfaette Gun Club team for a while. My last shot at glory was as Virginia State Champion, Sharpshooter class, 4 position, shot at Ft. Belvoir's Libby Range. I still have my Anschutz Super Match 54, Model 1413, with 20x Unertyl scope. I recently bought a .375 CheyTac and I'm itching to try some long range but real busy right now with some other stuff. Talk about different from smallbore. Oh, and I'm 65 now.

 

[Tempest 455]

"Precision"?

I always tried to be precise but did not seriously attempt to be "precise" and try matches until a few years ago. So my equipment and my discipline got better in the last 2-3 years and my son who is a great shot started showing serious interest in the last few years as well. We just started trying matches this year. So my official answer is 45 for me and 14 for him.

He did his 1st 1,000 yard F/TR match this year in Feb at 14.

 

[armorpl8chikn]

My reference to "precision shooting" may have ruffled some feathers. If it did...well I am sorry. In my experience I did not, as Tempest has said, seriously attempt to be precise, until I started shooting actual competition. I need to go back and look at my old NRA Silhouette books, as I may have started sooner than I think, it doesn't really matter though.
Yes I grew up toting a gun many months out of the year. Had a Red Ryder when I was 6 or 7, hey its been a long time so it is hard to remember. The folks took pics with the newer POlaroid, and it didn't have those convenient dates on the bottom of the pics like the Polaroid they had in the 60's. I got a H&R .410 for my 9th Bday, Daddy insisted that a 22 Rifle was too dangerous, hey it says range 1.5 miles on the box you know. Shot my Uncle's 22's whenever it was hunting season and I was supervised, with the shotgun I was free to roam during hunting season, those were indeed simpler times. 22 Speedmaster when I was 11 or 12, the uncle played a large role in convincing the folks I was ready. Huge jump at 13 with a Remington 700, in 7mm magnum, the rifle that nearly ruined me. Started reloading at 13, taught by a neighbor, it was an attempt to find a load that I wasn't scared to shoot. 7Mag was traded for a .243 S&W 1500 when I was 14, and THAT is when I began to learn to be a rifleman. There have been many rifles and pistols since. I have killed a lot of game, but I don't consider those formative years precision, though they certainly led to a search for "something more" and that is what competition has provided, and ultimately led to my quest for precision.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

I started shooting when I was 4. When I was 9-10 I had my own guns and was addicted. When I was around 12 shooting on family property I began getting curious about shooting further. I believe my first long range rifle was a 700 5R when I was 13. By time I was 14 I was the owner of two custom 308's, one I had built by a local smith, and one by Patriot arms and I was head over heels into it. It wasn't easy either mowing grass or shoveling driveways at $20 a pop. Fast forward 10 years later and I'm still addicted. My interests shifted a few times back and forth from fast cars and offroading but my passion has always been shooting.