Re: We all know that one guy...
Now now, everybody. Let's not jump on our own. Boyscout might be young and new to this (hell, so am I) but at least he's here and not on Call of Duty. We're supposed to be bashing OTHER people.
Like the 3 toothed guy pushing 400lbs wearing a sweatband who showed up a few weeks back. This guy busts out a vise to shoot from. Not a lead sled. Not a gun vise. But a full on 40-50lb vise. He cushions it with a towel to not leave marks. I asked him what he was doing and he said "I got a new 25-06 and I don't want it to move."
So he gets his 30 minutes of cardio in walking down to 150yds and back to set up his target. Then he busts out his handloads (20 of them). Immediately I begin to give the guy some credit as in my mind if you're willing to go through the process of handloading, you have to be somewhat competent. He shoots 3 times and isn't on paper. He shoots another 3 and is frustrated. All of these were while I was shooting myself so I didn't pay too much attention. He asks me to spot him if he's shooting high, low, etc.
He fires low and I tell him. He immediately craaaaaaaaaaaanks on the knob at least 15moa up (the target is 12 inches). He then fires high and I tell him. He then craaaaaaaaaaaaanks it back down never counting how many clicks or moa. This process repeats itself for 3/4 more times until I politely tell him I need to get back to shooting my rifles.
30 minutes pass and the guy begins to ask me if I know what could be going on and I ask him about his adjustment methods. I suggest not adjusting more than the target size but he doesn't listen because "that can't be it. He's been doing that for 30 years." I then say it is either the shooter, the rifle, the scope, or the ammo. That was a mistake.
This guy then begins to say he can reload match grade 25-06, 30-06, and 270 for less than a 50c a round. I openly call shenanigans to everyone else there and outline even ignoring the cost of the press, case prep, tumbler, etc. The components themselves are more than 50 cents. But he insists and even the other people at the range roll their eyes at him.
He finally gets on paper a few shots later and was so happy. He noted he was low (~5") and craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanked on the elevation knob. Next shot - off paper high. I about busted out laughing. He was extremely frustrated now and I begin packing up and ask him one last question: "If you don't shoot at least a 3 shot group, how do you know you didn't just jerk accidentally?" His response: "I don't. I only shoot groups once it is sighted in. Ammo's too expensive."
These are the people I deal with every weekend.