FNG here from GA, walking into the fog of LR shooting. Shot target and hunted small game a lot as a kid and teenager. My dad owned a small gun and reloading shop in Evergreen, AL in the early 80s where I was depriming and cleaning brass at six years old. Won a few .22LR matches at camps and local shoots for youth, but never got into consistent competition. Didn't shoot rifle for many years after joining the Air Force, because they don't really use small arms other than guarding planes and combat control, and I worked in a building with no windows.
My wife's Uncle invited me to come to Montana to start elk hunting with them annually and advised I get a .300WM or WSM. I was already considering buying a LR rifle and ended up with a Bergara Premier HMR Pro .300WM for dual use topped with a Mark 5. Obviously won't be competing in PRS with it, but I'm signed up for the Skills category at the NRL Hunter match this Feb at Arena Training Facility in GA, which will be my first ever big boy event. Just need to scrounge up 200 rounds of quality .300WM before then! I am also signed up for the Arena Long Range Precision Course at the same facility in March to get some pro guidance, besides relying on Ryan Cleckner YouTube videos.
I will probably end up with a 6mm <something> bolt gun by the end of 2023 so I can start with PRS. I say something because that is part of the fog I've noticed with getting into shooting. So many opinions, blogs, selections, BC comparisons, etc. on Dasher vs ARC vs BR vs CR, and so on. I am open to experienced advice on selecting a caliber and rifle maker. I do like Cleckner's perspective on this, shoot something you can get ammo for and don't suffer from analysis paralysis on data, which seems to be rampant. I do plan to start reloading as well, but can't find .300WM brass or primers right now. Once I build up a collection from shooting premade bullets, I'll start down that path.
Other vices are fly fishing and classic cars. Have a 70 Challenger and wife has a 57 Chevy Wagon (not a Nomad), and I do most of the work on them, except body work. On a personal note, I don't have much faith in governments and none in humanity, religion or cats.
I'll be chronicling my shooting journey on Instagram as @d.o.p.e.shooter
My wife's Uncle invited me to come to Montana to start elk hunting with them annually and advised I get a .300WM or WSM. I was already considering buying a LR rifle and ended up with a Bergara Premier HMR Pro .300WM for dual use topped with a Mark 5. Obviously won't be competing in PRS with it, but I'm signed up for the Skills category at the NRL Hunter match this Feb at Arena Training Facility in GA, which will be my first ever big boy event. Just need to scrounge up 200 rounds of quality .300WM before then! I am also signed up for the Arena Long Range Precision Course at the same facility in March to get some pro guidance, besides relying on Ryan Cleckner YouTube videos.
I will probably end up with a 6mm <something> bolt gun by the end of 2023 so I can start with PRS. I say something because that is part of the fog I've noticed with getting into shooting. So many opinions, blogs, selections, BC comparisons, etc. on Dasher vs ARC vs BR vs CR, and so on. I am open to experienced advice on selecting a caliber and rifle maker. I do like Cleckner's perspective on this, shoot something you can get ammo for and don't suffer from analysis paralysis on data, which seems to be rampant. I do plan to start reloading as well, but can't find .300WM brass or primers right now. Once I build up a collection from shooting premade bullets, I'll start down that path.
Other vices are fly fishing and classic cars. Have a 70 Challenger and wife has a 57 Chevy Wagon (not a Nomad), and I do most of the work on them, except body work. On a personal note, I don't have much faith in governments and none in humanity, religion or cats.
I'll be chronicling my shooting journey on Instagram as @d.o.p.e.shooter
