Who here is an "expert"

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I would probably say the basis for comparison would be your local LEO. Not talking about the SWAT dudes but your average Joe Blow cop on the street.

Hate to admit it but that isn't much of a comparison. Not saying that LEO's aren't good people (this isn't a LEO Bashing thread). Just saying that your local LEO aren't very well trained with firearms/shooting etc.
 
I think...

Junke hit it right on the head

Ever notice that the guys with the biggest mouth typically have the least knowledge, talent, or experience?

If you've got to tell somebody how much you know, you're probably the only one that believes it

That said, I'm in awe of the knowledge that's represented here. I've found you learn a lot more by listening than talking
 
There is that one guy, don't know if I should even mention his name in a post on this forum, you all have heard of him or read his posts. He is the almighty know it all of gundom! Hint: child of firearms!

Best regards,
GB
 
I agree....I hate going to the range and seeing these young early 20 something guys shooting thousand dollar rifles and who start talking about how 3 inch groups at a 100 yards with a scoped M-14 is "sniper" grade.

I have more respect for the old timers out there with their M1's shooting 1 inch groups with a iron sights any day.

Dude I was really impressed with was this old timer that would shoot bowling pins at 200 yards with a 44 mag. Here I was with my 50 cal with a 20x scope and here he was with a open sight revolver shooting bowling pins. Made everyone at the range look like beginners. God bless him. He made them of a sterner stuff back then.
 
"Firearms" in general is a pretty wide berth , I'd like to think I'm pretty well above the curve with S&W revolvers ~ like SM says , when you come across an "expert" be smart enough to shutup and learn , experts in the older gun designs are dying every day , we need to absorb what we can from those willing to share.

I'm below the curve on auto pistols of any flavor.

I'm riding the curve on reloading.

I'm so low I can't see the curve from here on Service / battle rifles and C&R stuff.

It's hard to be into everything , and a lot to absorb.

Ray
 
I guess I could comfortably say I'm well trained. I shoot a lot of NRA Conventional Pistol, and that has helped me immensely on my precision pistol shooting. I have managed to shoot Distinguished Master (clean targets, 60 round qual course) on all but my first qualification (missed one point). In the past, I have considered myself pretty salty with handguns and rifles.

Then, as I got older, I had the chance to meet people like Darius Young--a Doctor, who is a human machine rest. I believe he is still the current Senior National Champion. I have had the honor of meeting, talking to, and handling the guns of Bob Munden--you know, the guy that shoots the full-auto Colt SAA.

I have also had the great good fortune to meet Jim Clark Sr--the only non-sponsored civilian to ever win the Nationals at Camp Perry, also a former Marine sniper--and have shook hands with Jim Clark Jr., as fine a gunsmith as his father was, and a courteous, well appointed gentleman himself.

There are plenty of folks as good--or better than me on the firing line.

When I can run a revolver like Jerry Miculek, stroke a .45 trigger like Rob Leatham, hit with the accuracy of GySgt Brian Zins, and have the same skills and mindset on the job like Jelly Bryce, then I will call myself an expert.

Now, please excuse me--the range is calling. ;)
 
I am a knowledgable amateur.

amateur
From the Latin "amator:" lover, devoted friend, devotee, enthusiastic pursuer of an objective.
 
I'm not an expert, but I do play one on TV. Watch me clear this room with a 30 round S&W 629, sweeping every officer in sight, leaving some very obvious places unsearched, with the hammer back and finger on the trigger. Then watch me do a fancy spin as I reholster and STILL manage not to blow anything important off. :neener:
 
Expert??

I consider myself a very knowledgable gun owner, as it has been a hobby since my youth, thanks to good old Dad. I have a moderate collection, a dozen handguns and about the same in rifles/shotguns. Most of these I shoot pretty well, some better than others.

I have my Bronze Excellence-In-Competition Badge from the USAF, an "Expert" rating by the NRA in Bullseye Competition, and always qualified expert with both rifle and pistol while on active-duty. I was also lucky enough to train with a member of the President's 100, SMSgt Jim-Bob McCarty, who holds the indoor .22 timed and rapid fire national record. He made me a better shooter than I ever thought possible, but he constantly reminded me (with his prowess) what "good" really was.

I have a bicentennial Ruger Model 77 in .243 Winchester than I can shoot sub-half minute of angle groups with consistently, but rifles like that are hard to find these days (it's unworked on from the box). I've easily put more than 100,000 rounds each of .22 and .45 downrange, and feel comfortable with each weapon, as well as my Peacekeeper replicas.

The point is there is always more to learn, there is always someone who is better, and without constant practice anybody gets rusty. I've lived through three gun fights but mostly feel lucky from that, not an expert. None of my ballistics knowledge, 300 yards groups or handloaded rounds mattered. It was (all three combined) less than 60 seconds of point-blank gunfire where taking a extra milli-second to see that front sight put my attackers down while I was only hit once, and that a very slight burn along a rib.

Lucky, lucky, lucky! At that distance we should have all been dead, I can only assume God had a purpose for me to live while their time was up.

To me when someone calls themselves an expert they have quit learning, and that is the most dangerous thing one can do.

MajMike
 
SM...I've been lucky to encounter two shooters like like you described. I also chose to watch/listen/learn. I knew just paying attention would take my time. No, I cannot be classified as expert in anything. I'm just a student.
Mark.
 
I don't figure I'm an expert. I've just lived a long time. Not being totally eat up with the stoopids, I've learned a little bit from time to time.

I learned how to be able to eat dove and quail without shooting them on the ground. I learned how to make Bambi stop running so he could become supper. I managed to work up to Class B in IPSC, if that matters. I learned to do most all the work I need to do on my guns.

I'm kinda slowing down on the doing, but I'm still halfway busy on the learning...

:), Art
 
Well I really don't know just how good I am....but I seem to be a lot better than most people I meet at the range. As for rounds put down range?....I'm not really sure. Probably a brick or two of .22LR, about a 100 7.62X51, 1 or two hundred 30 Carbine, and maybe some .45 and .44. I usaully shoot at steel at ranges from 100 to 600 meters. BTW, I never shoot off sandbags anymore, most is done from position.
 
Hmm. Expert? Na. That's the folks that shoot way more than me.

I'm above average with some automatic rifles and a bunch of crew served MG's. I put in maybe 70k rounds through 'assault rifles' in the last couple years. Maybe 40k through crew served. The two rifles I'm best with are the AK47 and G36. My favorite MG is the M249 para.

I'm way below what I want to be in semiautomatic pistols, carbines/SMG's, and distance shooting. I know absolutely zero about revolvers. I'd be more inclined to hit someone with a revolver than shoot someone with one.

I'm slowly learning what I don't know. Seems like every time I learn something new, I learn there are ten things I don't know.
 
not an expert, reasonable able amateur, I have sixty pounds of spent primers in the garage I tell my son it is his job to figure out how many shots that equals.
I used to travel for a living and the one thing i found out was the friendliest people hung out in gun shops. those hours waiting for appointments were like gradschool to a gun nut. read about kieth and capstick and ruark and skelton and then in some hole in the wall gun shop you walk in and there in the case is a factory letter telling you the gun you have read about is sitting right there looking at you. Or remembering the day I walked into a big gun shop and not once did i have to ask "what is that?"

taking my test to get my CCW and scoring 100% only one in the class of 40 beating my best friend and better shooter by one. And flattening the ego of some wannabee ex LEO's

taking second in my first service rifle match.

watching my son shoot a very nice buck, slowly and carefully, then have him sit back and wait, then my radio chirping " yeah dad, that was me, I got one." really calm like. he had no idea i was watching him but he handled himself well so i figured I did that part better than average.

yeah a reasonably able amateur fits ok
 
I think the term "expert" is among the highest compliments that can be paid to anyone by SOMEONE ELSE, as in..."Hoo boy, ol' George over there is a real expert in this field".

I think the term "expert" as applied BY oneself TO himself is one of the worst examples of self-promotion and egotistic aggrandizement in the English language. Just a couple weeks ago I was talking to a FORMER LEO, 'veteran' of a very few years' service in a podunk small-town police force, about introductory handgun training for one of our female co-workers, and a choice of pistol for her. This is a direct quote from that conversation: "I've already given her the benfit of my PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE." Yeah, right....BARF. Oh, and his handgun choice for this petite lady, from "professional expertise", yet, is a Glock .40.....for a brand-new, never-fired-a-round trainee.

We strive for expertise, but to CLAIM expertise is truly a sign of the under-achieving wannabees of the world. I've owned hundreds of firearms over fifty years or more, but "expert"? Me? Never happen, because there's still far too much to learn.
 
Just because somebody shoots a lot does not make them an expert, it makes them somebody that shoots a lot. I've seen too many people blast away at the range and not learn from the session, if filling the air with bullets and making loud noises is the goal then they've met their goal if becoming a better shoot is the goal then they need to reevaluate their training schedule. Usually when somebody proclaims their status as an "expert" that is a person to stay away from.
 
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