Why do people have to make excuses for the way someone else shoots?

[Jon Coppenbarger]

Does this happen to you or is it just me?
Alot of us here compete in different types of competitions and I have run into this twice this year that I know of.
I usually go to matches that are geared to the serious shooter and have fun.
But I also go to some what I call fun shoots (matches) to either hang around friends or to help run and general help out a friend who asks.
I really truely have started to not even shoot in them because of this.
Why the heck does someone at almost everyone of these events have to tell me why I shot the way I did and they would do the same if they had my rifle?

I am very quiet and I do not bother anyone and I try to be friendly and NEVER EVER try to act a big shot or a ass.
One earlier in the year was like a 3 day event and I just watched for the first two days and decided to have some fun and shoot the last day. I had two different folks say later the reason I shot like I did was because I shot a ar15 and the other was because my rifles weight is too much. They were off by like 5 pounds to heavy. no rules on weight or caliber so why make excuses why I shot what I shot?

The other was just this last weekend. After the match someone came up and said the only reason I shot like I did was because I had fancy match sights. I had a cmp legal ar15 with open sights? I had never ever even met this guy before so why come up to me and say stuff like that and a few other things he said?

It bugs me that folks do that. Does that happen to you and do you just blow it off. I even had someone cheat me a few years ago on my scores to try and beat me.

[joab]

The answer to your question is pretty simple

If I don't shoot as well as you who's fault do you think it is, mine?

Not eve hardly
It's because you gotta have all the expensive grips and hi-tech iron sights to beat me.:D

[Magnumite]

Some male egos are very tender........

[Tim Burke]

It's not the instrument, it's the musician.

[Correia]

Hand them your rifle, say let's swap. $20 says I still whoop you.


:) (but I'm a jerk)

[strambo]

Hand them your rifle, say let's swap. $20 says I still whoop you.


(but I'm a jerk) I know you're kidding, but actually, you still wouldn't be the jerk in that situation. He is, for insinuating your skills are poor and only compensated with gear. We've been socialized, and quite frankly, emasculated into taking crap from people who are jerks. That said, I would think to myself something along those lines but say nothing. It's just not worth wasting time with morons (I'm too well socialized-emasculated:uhoh: ). Now if he pushed the issue...well I'm way calm and laid back, but I got limits.

edited: to make my smiley faces look right ;)

['Card]

It bugs me that folks do that.
The way other people act, the things other people do, and the things other people say, are all completely beyond your control. You can either let it ruin your fun (by letting it 'bug' you) or you can chuckle about it and have a good time anyway.

Think about it. Do you honestly care what they think? Are you shooting because you enjoy it, or because you want to impress somebody? If you're just out there shooting to have a good time, then what those people think (and the stupid things they say) is completely irrelevant. It shouldn't phase you at all. So instead of letting it bug you, just laugh, smile, and say "Yeah, I can see why you'd feel that way." - and go on about your business.

[OH25shooter]

I've never had that happen at a range. But, someone seems to make comments regarding my golf swing. I'm like you, I keep to myself and I never make comments to someone I do not know. In my lifetime, I've noticed many people are talented. Many are non-threatening. At the range I've seen short, fat, old bald men put rounds in and around the 10 ring. Quitely gather their gear and leave. Others spray and pray the target and you can hear them "trying" to give advice to their shooting partner. I agree with the member who said, ..."and the things other people say are completely beyond your control". Everyone has an opinion on something. Especially, guys with guns. Oh the power I have. :barf: At least they didn't say you suck shooting that gun.

[Jon Coppenbarger]

Thank you for your comments. I totally agree with you that I should not pay attention to what others say as it does not effect me.
Only worry about something you have the power to change and if you do not then do not worry about it.

[goalie]

I went into an ER one night to have my shoulder reduced (it was dislocated) and I refused morphine, as it makes me nauseous. One of the female nurses just had to go out of her way to tell me that women bear children, and their pain tolorance is five times that of men.

I asked her if anyone she worked with smoked. She said yes. I then asked her (in front of about 6 other people who had heard her initial comments on pain tolorance) if, since her pain threshold was 5 times that of a mere man, and I was a man, would she like to bet a thousand dollars that she could hold a lit lighter under her arm longer than I could before she could no longer tolorate the pain and pulled her arm away?

She stfu pretty damn quick. Maybe I'm just a jerk as well.

:neener:

[Byron Quick]

Haven't been to that many competitions. But,in general, I don't hear that type of talk much amongst strangers.

It hasn't been that long in the Deep South since rude talk could get your clock cleaned muy pronto. There's still enough of the old school guys around to make polite conversation among strangers a survival characteristic. I've seen more than one person ignorant of this invited coldly to step out back and repeat whatever. The person has then either abruptly left or stumbled all over themselves backing up.

[PinnedAndRecessed]

It's because we live in an uncivilized society. People don't respect manners anymore.

When I was a kid, if I acted up, one of the neighbors was as likely to reprimand me as my folks were. Today, the parents of these animals dare anybody chastise their precious (psycho) kid.

I was at a gun show recently. A dealer was watching people come over to his table and just pick his guns up without asking. They'd finger the blue and then "toss" it back on the table. I looked at one dealer and said, "People are rude, anymore." He said that was right.

We've turned into a society of mongrels.

[Freedomv]

I shot Service Rifle for many years and experince what you are talking about.

There are many differant types of people on the shooting range. Too many to list here.

You are discribing the classic "ALIBI" shooter. He needs a mirror to discover what is causing his poor performance on the range.

Vern

[Justin]

Hey, Jon, look on the bright side:

Captain Jerkoid just completely lost any chance that you'll ever help him out.

I know how good of a shot you are, and how hard you've worked to get there.

You've got a lot of useful knowledge that has only been learned through trial and practice, and with one stupid comment, that guy will never even realize that you've forgotten more about shooting a rifle than he will likely ever have.

Life's too short to get bent out of shape over people who are both ignorant and belligerent.

[sargenv]

There was this time that pops into my mind about equipment... In my case though, I was shooting a plane jane 20 gauge Topper model single shot shotgun, with a full choke, exposed hammer, and plain barrel with a single bead. I think it weighed like 5.5 pounds. Guy next to me on the trap line was holding one of those fancy 12 gauge Trap guns. High comb, pretty wood, etc.. He got mad at ME because I shot a 22 and he shot a 23.. We were shooting 16 yard trap, so it was no big deal, yet he got mad at me for nearly outshooting him with such a "cheap" gun. :D

As I recall, I didn't say a word to him besides, "Hi".

Vince

[peteinct]

If I'm a line officer I'll say "Hi, How's it going?" and try to get out of the way. If somebody is grumbling about how he is going to lose I'll answer that it's not over untill all the plates are down. If he shoots well I"ll say so. The only time I'll comment during a match is if a guy is giving up when he still has a chance. Then I encourage him. We have "fun shoots" where friendly behavior is the norm. We aren't serious enough for the best shooters.
pete

[MudPuppy]

"I'll work on my shooting technique and you can work on your manners."

:evil:

Actually, I'm alway polite and say thank you for the advice and smile--basically treat the same as sweet, young, retarded children.

[Correia]

Pinned, as a dealer, I love other dealers who get all huffy and offended about people touching their table guns. It sends a lot more business my way. It is a gunshow. People are going to touch stuff. That doesn't make them mongrels, it makes them a normal shopper. If he is so protective of his delicate firearms, he should invest in a glass case.

Sorry for the drift.

I had a kind of opposite competition experience several years ago. At a 3gun match, one of the shooters kept going on and on and on and on about how awesome his new rifle was, and how it was the best rifle money could buy, and how he really should be in a class all by himself because his rifle was so superior, it really wasn't fair for the rest of us to have to shoot against him. It really was a nice comp gun, and the first that I had ever seen with the dual optic Leopold on top, Doktor on the side setup, JP everything, very nice rifle, but the way he was going on, I was expecting him to weild it like it was the hammer of Thor.

I beat his rifle scores to a humiliating degree. I was shooting a FAL made out of spare parts. :) That one still makes me laugh.

[CTD99]

I beat his rifle scores to a humiliating degree. I was shooting a FAL made out of spare parts. That one still makes me laugh.
Many times when I was shooting competition (it's been several years....okay decades) some of the other shooters would try to get into your head by saying things like that and make you nervous. I was a lowly E-4 shooting against Marine & Navy officers of every rank. Talk about make a guy nervous! You just have to zone out everything but the range officer, and concentrate on the 10 ring. Oh! How I loved beating the brass! :neener:

Your point is well taken. Unless someone asks for advice lets not give any.

[CrisOR]

Jon,

This is common to many equipment-oriented hobbies among those who haven't figured out that it's:
....not the camera, it's the photographer
....not the guitar, it's the player
....not the bike, it's the rider
....not the lathe, it's the turner

All you can do is smile, nod, and leave them to their delusions.

[Gillster]

I showed up for a falling plate match I found on line with a dot sited S&W 627. The group I ended up shooting with were not folks who competed regularly so it was kind of lopsided. One gentleman with a loaded Kimber made a comment about it being the gun that won, not so much the shooter. Before I could even manage a snappy come back another shooter said "who you kidding, he'd of whooped us with a Lorcin.:) Cracked me up.

[ZipperZap]

Everybody's different ... and it ain't nebber, nebber gonna change.

I just smile and 'tend to business.'

[Geno]

I learned as a TKD instructor 26 years ago to blame 1) my lack of preparation, 2) my lack of commitment 3) my lack of experience. To blame any other factor is to decieve the "self". Shooting too is a martial art...believe it or not. Ergo, to blame any other factor than the "self" is to decieve the "self".

Many people are too insecure to admit they are not the greatest. Me? hey, I'm just me. I do some things exceedingly well. Then, well, other things I really do poorly. But, only because I have yet to sufficiently commitment "self" to that development. Be patient with me, and perhaps some day I shall succeed.

Seek to be humble. Seek to learn. Seek truth at all costs.

Doc2005

[Jon Coppenbarger]

Doc2005

One of the better things I have read in a long time.
thank you

[clutch]

I only compete against myself. A new personal best is always a lift and we all celebrate when the guys and gals we shoot with improve. There are dweebs in all activites that just don't get it. Don't let them get you down. It is 'their problem', not yours.

As far as fancy equipment, I have found that most people you shoot with will let you shoot their firearm if you ask nicely.

Clutch

[MrTactical]

As most of you guys already know the money would be better spent on ammo
than equipment.:D

[ccw9mm]

They were off by like 5 pounds to heavy. no rules on weight or caliber so why make excuses why I shot what I shot?
Could it be these were attempts at explanation and to help a fellow shooter, not a palming-off or an excuse? It's your own shooting. It's your own path to improvement. It can either involve others or not, as you see fit. At such competitions, in my experience its the joy of the experience that prompts most folks to offer up suggestions and help, to assist in the goal toward improvement of the shooting arts ... not an innate desire to be an a$$ or intrusive butt-insky.