Any advice on how aging has impacted what you can and can't do for shooting?

[Sheepdog1968]

I'm now in my mid 40s and started shooting when I was 10. I shoot better now than ever before because I shoot more. However, as I have aged, I have noticed some things aren't as easy as they used to be such as using iron sights.

For those if you who are even older, what else have you found has changed? Do you have any advice that would help us we get even older? Many thanks.

 

[[email protected]]

Wait until your in your 70's. I'm a Bullseye pistol shooter and you really have
To change your ways. But remember, you might give out sometimes, but
never give up!

 

[Twiki357]

The 70’s were a turning point for me too. Love to shoot my rifles, but they have been ignored for a couple of years now. I can still shoot them, I just can’t hike out far enough to put up a target worth shooting at so I’m pretty much limited to shooting in open areas at the trash others have left behind.

 

[lxd55]

harder to stand and shoot a k-98 or for that matter to get up from a prone position.
I had to start wearing glasses at age 40, before then I could shoot 4 inch groups at 100 yds with iron sights.

 

[Cee Zee]

Back and neck problems in my late 40's changed my shooting forever. It's a lot harder to shoot off hand than it used to be. I just can't hold steady like I could most of my life. It actually motivated me to go back to the drawing board and learn to shoot all over again almost. I had to do things a lot differently. I remember missing a shot I really needed to make and that really upset me. I don't like to miss especially on something like that. It wasn't really my fault so much (animal turned it's head just as I pulled the trigger and I hit neck instead of brain). I hate to make "any" animal suffer.

So I started shooting from a rest which I had never done. I discovered I liked doing that too. I would use a rest before if it was handy when I needed to make a shot but that didn't happen very often. I even went as far as taking up bench rest shooting for a while. Now I mostly plink and keep in practice with my SD guns. I rarely hunt these days. I'm pushing 60 and my health isn't so good.

The main thing is just to roll with the punches and take things as they come. It happens to everyone sometime or another. I just keep learning to do things different. It just takes some practice time.

 

[olafhardtB]

growing old ballisticaly

I once was so good with a peep sighted 22 that as soon as I opened the car door a mess of squirrels would jump in and die on the floor boards. I now have to listen them laugh while I stumble through the woods with a 20 gauge. The last one I collected was shot at so many times it died of smoke inhalation. Old flatusitude can be an enjoyable experience and if you don't bring home any game there's always grocery stores.

 

[lxd55]

I once was so good with a peep sighted 22 that as soon as I opened the car door a mess of squirrels would jump in and die on the floor boards. I now have to listen them laugh while I stumble through the woods with a 20 gauge. The last one I collected was shot at so many times it died of smoke inhalation. Old flatusitude can be an enjoyable experience and if you don't bring home any game there's always grocery stores.

Dayummm that is so funny. thank you.

 

[rugerman]

I'm 63 I used to shoot on a weekly basis 10 years ago, now due to arthritis (RA & OA) and degenerative disc disease in my back those days are just memories. I used to go out and shoot several hundred rounds of pistol (22, .357, 41, 44, 45) as well as rifle (22, .357, 44, 45-70, .270 and 7mm mag) in a session. Now due to loss of hand strength I have trouble racking the slide on auto pistols and the recoil from the magnums hurt my hands, Heavy rifle and shotgun recoil hurts my back. Due to the lack of dexterity in my hands my shooting has gone to pot. I still try but it is discouraging to see the loss of skills. "GETTIN OLD AIN'T FOR SISSIES".

 

[longknife12]

At 71, I've found I have to get more range time to maintain my skills. God has blessed me with no serious ailments.....still do Elk at 9K...just have to pace myself! I'm still looking forward to a few more years in shooting sports. I still do light weights and my daily up hill n down hill walks.
Dan

 

[TomJ]

At 52, my eyes aren't what they used to be. I went with Tru Glo TFO sights, as I could no longer see regular sights well at the range. I also can't shoot handguns with substantial recoil for long periods of time, as old injuries to my right wrist are catching up with me. Shooting a 12 gauge shotgun or higher caliber rifle is out of the question, as I blew out my right shoulder a few years ago and it won't take the recoil. .223, .243 or a handgun caliber carbine is about all it will take. I can't wait to see what my 70's bring.

 

[WALKERs210]

Better sit down and reflect while you can. I can write a book on all the things that can't be done or require a major rework to be able to do. I am giving thought to changing one of my doctors because everytime I go to his office for follow up or anything he sticks me in the hospital again. Can't carry anything over 5lbs over a distance of 25 ft without stopping, standing to fire a rifle is a heck of a chore, the only way I can hit a target with a pistol requires me to shoot at very close range. Put a laser sight on one pistol, active the laser and try to aim at a point on the wall. Makes a very nice light show if you can follow the dot, also makes it easy to tease the cats. I have reduced my collections of firearms by at least 75% just because my get up and go got up and went. In other words enjoy you health and youth because the "AGE" card can be played against you when you lest expect.

 

[skoro]

I'm in my 60s and all of my rifles are mounted with scopes. Haven't been able to use open sights well for quite a few years now. With handguns, I just try to get the front sight on target while the rear is blurry but roughly aligned.

 

[TonyInFla]

I shoot weekly but as I can no longer see the sights on my 45 I now shoot scoped rifles. My step-dad goes to the range with me as he doesn't like to drive that far any more . He's 86 and now shoots his handguns sitting a bench with a pistol rest. He still loves to shoot and only misses going if I can't drive. Hope I'm still shooting when I'm 86.

 

[The Bushmaster]

I'm with Longknife12. I'm 71 and exercise daily. My horses have a barn 200 feet higher then the house and my mail box is 100 feet lower then the house. My on sight pistol range is up near the barn and my 200 yard rifle range is below the mail box. I definitely get my cardiovascular workout daily.

I shoot better today then I did when I was younger (hands are steadier). Eye sight has changed to far sightedness. I can see the target, but the sights are blurred. Glasses solve this minor problem. Now the target is slightly blurred and the sights are clear.

I figure I have many years of shooting left in me.

 

[HOWARD J]

In the 70's I had to cut way back on trap shooting or I was sore for 2 weeks.
Also-I reload all my shells with light loads.
I did have the operation to implant plastic lens & that worked great
Buy the best medical insurance you can afford
When you go on Medicare buy a supplement insurance policy or you will be very very sorry
If I was not reloading I would not be able to shoot----full loads would finish me.
have fun,
H

 

[cologuy]

Eyesight, weight gain, knee injury, and shakier hands here. Eyesight was fairly easy to fix, found an understanding optometrist who adjusted my glasses to help shooting, and I've been switching everything over to scopes, red dots, and fiber optics. Weight gain means I had to change carry position to accomodate the "overhang" over my belt, and the knee means I shoot more from a rest or standing, not so much prone or sitting anymore, since it's hard to get up. Shakier hands I haven't got diagnosed yet, just hope it's nothing serious, and it only affects my pistol shooting so far, and I was never that great a pistol shot to begin with so it's not a huge loss.

 

[wleggart]

age affect your shoot?

Heck yea! I am 66 and I can afford to shoot all I want! That is the good part. I went dove hunting twice last weekend and had 10-12 pass shooting opportunities each morning or afternoon. I killed one dove, and knocked feathers off of several others. It was with my trusted 870 modified and AA 7 1/2 heavy load. That is the bad part. There were days when I would kill my limit (15) and have several shells left from the box I started with. I am convinced that I am a little less fluid and balanced than I was at one time. Yes, I work out 3 time a week for stregnth and endurance, and I am in good health. We'll see when duck season gets here. Medicare and Social Securiety! Never thought I would see a dime!

 

[bhk]

At 65 I am plugging along pretty well. Open notch sights are a minor problem, but peeps and scopes work just fine. I shoot rifles as well or better than ever. My shotgun skills keep getting better as I age. Hope that continues. My pistol shooting is as good or better than ever, but I do get to practice a lot (backyard ranges).

I still actively hunt, although it seems my desire to kill stuff is not as great as it once was. I will no longer try to drag and load deer by myself, as last year's two bucks and a doe made my back sore for many months. My hunting buddies are about the same age, so when one gets a deer the phones start to ring (keeps us busy as we usually get about 3 deer each most years). I seem to be able to walk the trails and climb the hills almost as well as ever.

Take care of your health the best you can and hope for good luck with those unpreventable things that strike some folks without warning. You may have several decades of good shooting and hunting ahead of you. I figure I have, with luck, another good 20.

 

[Red Wind]

Into my early 70's and the accuracy is still there. The stamina is a bit diminished on the longer boonie treks.

All in all, not aging too badly. And of course it beats the alternative.

 

[Sunray]

Noticed the glasses I got when I was your age I should have had earlier. Need 'em for distance.
Time for you to quit eating all the crap we all shovel into ourselves too. Had a heart attack and quad bypass in Jan '13. Can't eat anything now. No sugar, carbs, cholesterol or salt.

 

[Hurryin' Hoosier]

At the tender age of (almost) 66, I find that 100 rounds thru one of my pistols is about all I can handle in one trip to the range. Various and sundry back and hip problems won't allow for any more than that. And long guns have been out of the question for several years, due to the back, the neck, and a right rotator cuff which has been torn at least twice.

 

[g.willikers]

As the years add up:
No more run'n gun matches - might still go for stroll'n gun, though.
No heavy hitters, too hard on the ole' body.
No more high round count days - hand and finger joints can't take it.
Less indoor shooting - the ole' lungs are in bad enough shape.
And there's better be a nice comfy place to sit, once in awhile.
Harder to get motivated, too.
Regular exercise does help keep Mother Nature at bay some.
Hear it only gets worse.
Hill, what hill?
Oh, you mean that one back yonder behind me?

 

[Red Wind]

^ Walt Whitman would be proud! Well done! We could call it, Leaves of Age!

 

[Nom de Forum]

Through my eyes the targets seem to have gotten smaller and harder to hit while my belly has gotten larger and easier to hit.

 

[BullRunBear]

In my 60s. The eyes haven't changed in a decade but they were pretty bad before that. Contact lenses help a bit. I only shoot standing off hand or from a bench. Kneeling, sitting or prone ain't happening; old injuries have caught up. Stamina is less and it takes more effort to come back from injury and soreness.

Having said that, I'm enjoying shooting more than ever. I'm retired and can spend more time working up (hopefully) more accurate hand loads. I won't set any marksmanship records but I have a ball seeing how much accuracy I can get with mil-surp rifles and mild, cast bullet loads. Shooting my muzzleloaders really suits me for pace and comfort. I don't hunt anymore, so I don't have to worry about missing or, worse, wounding an animal.

Sure, there are limitations but I'm lucky to still be active in the hobby.

Jeff