Ok, how many of you just shoot one gun for both classes and why? Under the current rules does it still make sense to shoot 2 guns for both classes. I am asking so I can decide to spend extra building just one gun or get 2 guns in the future.

Thanks
Kevin

i shoot one gun because, under the current rules, you can build a hunter rifle that gives nothing away to a standard rifle. clearly much less expensive, less stuff to haul around, only have to find one rifle/ammo combination that works, one rifle to sight in, one trigger to learn...

I've gone to the one gun to travel with approach this year. I haven't taken the plunge to turn my 54:18 into a hunter gun, but don't feel undergunned with my 1710 in a McMillian stock. Here's an interesting exercise for those who shoot two guns or have shot two guns in the past. Add your scores for each rifle for the entire season. Compare the two. Did you kill more targets with one gun or the other? I shot 30 matches last year in which I shot two different rifles, a 54:18 weighted to the max in heavy gun and the 1710 DKL in the hunter rifle class. After all was said and done I killed on target more with the 54:18 than with the 1710. Not a scientific experiment by any means and probably tell more about the shooter that the guns. It told me that at my point in my learning curve I'm not shooting well enough to take advantage of any potential inherent advantage in the heavy gun. As I mature as a shooter and progress in the mental and physical aspects of the game I would expect there to be a real advantage in shooting one gun so long as it didn't give anything away. And, as Dave Imas pointed out, the current generation of hunting guns do not give anything away.

And I would echo what David McLemore said about silhouette shooters being the most approachable of all the major shooting sports. Newer shooters would do well to take this to heart. I have invited numerous people out to shoot and many have said word to the effect " I'd be embarrassed to bring out my 10-22 and stand on the line and shoot with those guys" That's simply not the case. There is room at the firing line for all. Over the past 17 years I have covered, as a free lance photographer and journalist, NFL football, SEC football, and Major league baseball among other things, and have been priviledged to meet many of the great athletes of our day and many from the past. The average guy will never be able to shoot the breeze with Mark McGuire or catch a pass from Joe Montana. But in our sport the average guy can stand side by side and shoot with some of the best shooters of all time, current and past national, world and olympic champions. You have the opportunity to watch, listen and learn from the best. And, hey, if you're lucky, you might even get to pet Spottin Kittty.......or Toby Lavides' Waldo the Bear......Or Chicken Georges' Pecker......(his new mascot, that is).

Like most, started out shooting Hunter as that is what I had. As my interest developed I switched to a 'Heavy " gun and shot an accurized 10-22 for several years. I then with to a MSR 54:18 about 3 years ago. Last year I traded for a FWB 300 target Air Rifle and started shooting it. I then decided to go to Winnsboro, and wanted to shoot a hunter gun, so shot a friends CZ in local matches, and then at Winnie. I got a 1712 at Winnie and started shooting that, and was shooting 2 guns in each match. This fall with the cold weather and cold fingers I found I could not feel the 4 or 5 oz trigger with the Heavy gun very well, and switched to just the hunter- and was able to shoot master class scores shooting in both classes. I also started working on a wooden stock on the Pharr pattern for the hunter. Now with warm weather back I am now shooting both guns.

If I was to do it again at this time -with what I know now-I would start with a 1712 action, have it put in a Pharr stock, and put on a Burris 4200 series scope- and shoot in both classes.

Recent threads also have me thinking about going back and shooting the tube fed bolt action Mossburg I started out with in some of the local matches- just because I think it would be interesteing- and encourage some of the newer shooters.

Concur with I'm a mess

54.18 MSR action, Hart barrel, anschutz classic stock pillered and bedded and a whole lotta practice

I began in

Thanks for the replies. I too believe most of the ability is the shooter and the gun will gain you some targets but not many. I was asking because I have a 1712 on layaway and was thinking of shooting my CZ452 for hunter and the 1712 for Standard, at least for the local matches. I am very competitive and I know that I will end up with the better equipment anyway. I just wanted to find out if you all thought that one gun can be the best for both divisions.

Kevin

you should have just asked your real question! shoot your 1712 in both!!!

Dave, I like a man that gets right to the point!!!! I will shoot it in both, except when i want to play alittle with my guns before hunting. So Dave I take it the 2 stage trigger is the only way to go!

Kevin

now that gets tricky... there is absolutely no reason one can't shoot excellent scores with a single stage trigger. its about pre-load... a two stage trigger allows a mechanical pre-load but you still, with a 2lb trigger, have to pre-load the second stage. no more or less easy than pre-loading a single stage trigger. gets back to working hard and knowing your equipment. as an exercise i'd suggest getting some VERY cheap ammunition, sitting down on a bench and breaking your trigger with your eyes closed. you have to be intimate with your trigger and that takes mileage.

eeleater wrote:If I was to do it again at this time -with what I know now-I would start with a 1712 action, have it put in a Pharr stock, and put on a Burris 4200 series scope- and shoot in both classes.

That's exactly what I'm doing, and I got the email from Neal Stepp that my action came in yesterday!

Now I just have to wait my turn with Mark Pharr...

Dave, thanks you have given me some ammo at least a little for a single stage trigger. My new 1712 will have a 2 stage but I will play with both and see what I like. I might have to get me a 1712 action because I dont have the patience to be without my gun to send that one off to have a Pharr stock put on it. Then Ill use my stock 1712 as a back up. arrgg so many toys to buy. Anyone Wanna buy some tools??

Kevin
Matco Toools

Kevin,

Just curious....You going to pull the 1712 out of it's original stock and put it in a Pharr stock right away? Have you shot the 1712 much in it's original stock? How much have you shot a Pharr stock? No intent to doubt your planning, just curious about the decision making process....My learning curve may not be up to speed with others here, but it takes me a good while to adapt to any change in equipment and even longer to decide if it's a good change or bad...

i'm with John. Don't really know anything about you or your shooting abilities Kevin but if you are just starting out, a stock 1712 will probably do you right in to Master class. I don't mean to talk Mark out of your hard earned money but you might want to slow your schedule down and allow yourself to shoot your new rifle as is for awhile.

My wife got me a 1712 and it's coming in next week. But I will not use it "competitively " until after Winnsboro. I think the three months between Winnsboro and Little Rock will be enough time to get used to a new gun.

Right now I am happily stuck in "AA", where all the sandbaggers are. You know who we are, . I mean who you are.

If I follow the logic of this thread , I should be shooting better by next year , Yea right.


I just have to live up to my handle.
I could get LUCKY or SHOT(hope not).