I have recently went to my first two matches and I ran one about 3 years ago. I shoot a lot hunting ground hogs and at different long ranges. Basic information I would give to someone before running a match.
1. Have a sub moa gun, and know all the data out to 1k in at least 25y increments. By a ballistic app or a kestrel. Make damn sure your gun does not have feeding issues. Load your mags full and run them to make sure of this.
Have the attitude to get better each time and understand your going to get your ass kicked the first couple you do,
Most ranges that have matches will have an open range, practice days. Go there tell shooters you are new. (personal experience) most will help you. They will let you try out their bags or give you some advice. Take it all in and thank them. Before you go spending money on equipment see if you can try it first and if you like it.
When buying equipment, spend money on quality equipment. Do not go buy everything cheap just to up grade and up grade. Buy a piece and get good with it.
One of the top 5 shooters in PRS shot in a very small match the other day, and I was in his group. I was having trouble locating targets fast. Hitting not a problem I was waisting a lot of time locating. His advice was to put or find some very small objects at 100-200 yards. While looking over the scope line it up with the object and then slide your eyes down in the scope and your should be on the target and or very close. He said just like dry firing, muscle memory is important with location as well. He said to have 3-5 of these objects and go from one to the other. Just like shooting a pistol, first couple times you drew your pistol and aimed it took you a while to locate the target and line up your sights. You can probably fly with a pistol now, locating a target and your sites. This takes practice practice practice.
Just have fun.
1. Have a sub moa gun, and know all the data out to 1k in at least 25y increments. By a ballistic app or a kestrel. Make damn sure your gun does not have feeding issues. Load your mags full and run them to make sure of this.
Have the attitude to get better each time and understand your going to get your ass kicked the first couple you do,
Most ranges that have matches will have an open range, practice days. Go there tell shooters you are new. (personal experience) most will help you. They will let you try out their bags or give you some advice. Take it all in and thank them. Before you go spending money on equipment see if you can try it first and if you like it.
When buying equipment, spend money on quality equipment. Do not go buy everything cheap just to up grade and up grade. Buy a piece and get good with it.
One of the top 5 shooters in PRS shot in a very small match the other day, and I was in his group. I was having trouble locating targets fast. Hitting not a problem I was waisting a lot of time locating. His advice was to put or find some very small objects at 100-200 yards. While looking over the scope line it up with the object and then slide your eyes down in the scope and your should be on the target and or very close. He said just like dry firing, muscle memory is important with location as well. He said to have 3-5 of these objects and go from one to the other. Just like shooting a pistol, first couple times you drew your pistol and aimed it took you a while to locate the target and line up your sights. You can probably fly with a pistol now, locating a target and your sites. This takes practice practice practice.
Just have fun.
