Sharing Secrets

[Bsharp]

You folks that shoot for fun and competition, do you have 'secrets' that you don't share?

Or have a small circle that mostly shares?

Or only one friend?

Just wondering who does what.....when it come to sharing.

"Secrets", tips that improve your scores.

[Top Jaw]

I think the short answer is yes.  In any skills competition, everyone is constantly looking for an edge.  And when they think they have discovered one (legit or not) no one is sharing those tactics, hardware, new product, device, tip, etc. with other competitors.  Maybe a close friend in another part of the country or a relative that they don’t compete against.  There is probably less of that going on in flintlock and traditional archery competition than most other types of shooting, simply because we are using several centuries old technology to start with.  And there is only so much you can tweak things.  In my opinion, these types of matches really draw more on the practice, ability, consistency, and mental toughness of the individual shooter than some technological edge. 

[retired fella]

Ya put  the center of the round ball in the ten ring then repeat as necessary (3x or 5x).  Anything less than a ten you call out "flyer" if your competitors concur you have a do-over.  If you believe this line of malarkey i have a .40 calibre flinter that shoots nothing but tens and an occasional 9.  I'll sell it cheap relatively speaking.

Enjoy your journey into this sport.  I think that you will find the "secrets" are a mix of personal preference and old wives tales.  If you discover those secrets don't hand them off to just anybody.

[Hungry Horse]

 I think you should be aware of the whip’em at the campfire tradition perpetuated by some shooters. I have heard shooters I’ve shot with give a pilgrim advice that I know the shooter had tried and abandoned. So don’t believe everything you hear.

  Hungry Horse

[OldMtnMan]

The only time I was really serious about shooting was when I was younger shooting on the trap shooting tour. There were a lot of secrets but everybody knew them that were serious. I was very serious because I was making a living doing it. We shot for a lot of money.

The only secret and it's not really a secret was practice a lot. More than you can imagine. I spent a small fortune on factory ammo. We couldn't reload because shot was too soft that we could buy. Only the factory ammo hard hard shot. Trap shooting shots are long and the pattern had to stay tight. That needed hard shot.

The second secret and it's not a secret either and you can't do much about it. It's a natural talent. Some can shoot and some can't no matter what they do.

My other competitions were for just fun and I didn't get serious. BP shoots and CAS. Fun but you can't make a dime on it.

[rich pierce]

If you share them, they are not secrets.
Are you looking for load development, loading techniques, shooting techniques, or all the above?

[Bsharp]

If you share them, they are not secrets.
Are you looking for load development, loading techniques, shooting techniques, or all the above?

All the above.

If you find some that works for you , do you share it?

[snapper]

Yes I share readily.   Those that I am friends with share as well.

Fleener

[bob in the woods]

I have not met  many folks in the muzzleloading community who don't share everything regarding the loads, the techniques , or whatever.   I will help anyone who asks .  For target shooters, even extremely competitive ones in the long range shooting community, it's the same in my experience.
There really isn't a way to buy your way into the winner's circle with secret loads or tricked out rifles in this BP sport.   

[OldMtnMan]

It's the point I was trying to make. All the secrets are known and shared.

Winning comes down to practice until you're as good as you can get. Then the one with the most talent will win.

[redheart]

You forgot to factor in "Beginners Luck!"

[OldMtnMan]

I've heard about it. I never had it.

[Jeff Murray]

A book called "Winning and Shooting With the Champions' was published several years ago which covered  a lot of the techniques used by folks who did well at the national shoots in Friendship.  I believe  Don Davis was the author?  There are also books that address the skills of Olympic shooters.  These are not directed to black powder shooters but apart from load development, many of the basic skills are the same.  As noted above practice is important to maintaining your ability to shoot well.   "Good practice" is even more critical.

[Scota4570]

I practice often.  Get an accurate air rifle and an accurate air pistol.  Use them. I have a good C02 rifle  and an IZH-46M pistol.  A bug hole accurate air pistol will teach you a lot. 

Eliminating your flinch 100% is key.  With pistols and open sights, sight alignment is critical.

[JBJ]

Mr. Murray brings up a book that is worth your reading. The full title is "Muzzle Loading Shooting and Winning with the Champions" by Max Vickery, Webb Terry, Bob Butcher, Don Davis, Walter Grote, Bill Carmichael, Peter Allen, and Warrren L. Boughton (edited by Don Davis). I corresponded with Bob Butcher for a while and found he readily shared his experience on how to wring maximum accuracy from a rifled musket. A really nice fellow! I think that his remarks regarding the rifled musket actually apply to the firearms of seriously competitive muzzle loading shooters, "The rifle must look, feel and function as a military rifle, but perform on targets like a match grade rifle, which it really becomes."  Topnotch triggers, locks, etc. and LOTS of discipline and serious, thoughtful practice. At my age, I will have to leave all of that to the younger folks with better vision and physical condition.
Above all else, be safe and have fun!
J.B.

[Bob McBride]

In my experience everyone in this hobby shares freely, and, yet, though there are plenty of “long ways around”, there are few shortcuts.

[Bsharp]

I remember back in the 80s the talk of what makes a smoothbore shoot. Many ideas and not much talking.
There seemed to be a small circle that knew.....and that was all.
Over time, tid bits trickle out.
Not true in all 'hobbies'.....there is just some knowledge that can't be shared yet.[not to do with shooting]
I do like to shoot, it goes in spirts, but when I find something new that works, I like to share.
But competition can be like 'fight club' we just don't talk about it.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I've been at this game for a very long time, and have enjoyed receiving first place accolades in all of the shooting sports including traditional and primitive archery.  Without inflicting myself on anyone, I have been pleased to talk to others about my processes and regimes, and share as much as I am asked.  I have no secrets that I can identify that set me apart from anyone, and love it when another competitor sets the bar too high for me to touch...like Justin Urbantas, for example.  If there's one small piece of advice that makes a big difference, it's a line from "Patriot" with Mel Gibson..."aim small, miss small".

[P.W.Berkuta]

The shooting sport is an individual talent that a shooter acquires and develops based upon his abilities, physical condition, and desire. A mentor who is of great skill himself can pass along his skills that works for him to the neophyte and that neophyte can then develop those skills to fit him and build on it. What works for one person may not work for another. The same can be said about equipment and firearms. It is an individual thing not everyone is built the same and one has to tailor his equipment to their own body to achieve the optimal fit of firearm to body without this you are struggling with repeating the most accurate shot time after time. Above all PRACTICE, PRATRACE, PRACTRICE and more PRACTRICE is what makes a great shooter.

My father was a VERY GOOD trapshooter and traveled all over the US competing along with his trapshooting friends and winning money and trophies. One of his close friends was about to give up the sport because he would get frustrated because he could not break out of "C" class and his handicap scores were dismal. One day at the practice range the group had a talk with this person and this frustrated trapshooter decided to make a commitment to be one of the best trapshooter around. Long story short he quit his job and began to devote all his time and energy to the sport of trapshooting. His name is Kay Ohye and is a inductee in the Trapshooting Hall of Fame <https://www.traphof.org/inductees/details/1/124-ohye-kay>. He is a family friend from before his trapshooting career started and way before he was a great trapshooter. Practice and dedication makes a great shooter.

[Frank]

I share everything and always willing to help someone out.

[OldMtnMan]

This is the man I had to shoot against. Dan was the most natural shooter I ever watched. Luckily, we shot for so much money that I didn't have to win to make a lot of money. The only time I could win top spot was when Dan didn't show up. Which wasn't often. It was still a fun way to make a living. I never worked one day for 6 years. I just toured shooting trap and practicing. Good times.

https://www.traphof.org/inductees/details/1/12-bonillas-dan

[Daniel Coats]

Back in the mid 1970s someone in our local club tied a short leather shoe string with a knot on it to his trigger guard. I was the second one to try it and the idea was to hold the knot in your teeth on the side of your mouth providing another anchor point while aiming the rifle. It worked so well that we eventually had to outlaw it from our shooting matches. A chew string is what we called it. Haven't seen it used anywhere since that time.

[Bsharp]

Back in the mid 1970s someone in our local club tied a short leather shoe string with a knot on it to his trigger guard. I was the second one to try it and the idea was to hold the knot in your teeth on the side of your mouth providing another anchor point while aiming the rifle. It worked so well that we eventually had to outlaw it from our shooting matches. A chew string is what we called it. Haven't seen it used anywhere since that time.

There we go, I like that one!
 
How many have tried to build a "shooting jacket" into a shirt that wouldn't be noticed?  [summer time]

[OldMtnMan]

Back in the mid 1970s someone in our local club tied a short leather shoe string with a knot on it to his trigger guard. I was the second one to try it and the idea was to hold the knot in your teeth on the side of your mouth providing another anchor point while aiming the rifle. It worked so well that we eventually had to outlaw it from our shooting matches. A chew string is what we called it. Haven't seen it used anywhere since that time.

That's a new one on me. I like it.

[Daniel Coats]

Yeah, we used to get a lot of funny looks shooting with one hand  and the other hand behind our backs!

All kidding aside you could hold a rifle rock solid with your left hand your right hand your shoulder and your teeth all holding on to it and one way or another.