IamA 18 year old Competitive Shooter

What's it like being a female in a predominantly male sport?

it's fun, i like it, because when i beat the guys they get all defensive. also, most of the guys offer to help carry my heavy equipment, so no complaints there!

:D So am I! 19 year old shooter from MI. I've been to nationals many times.

woo! youre probably better than me! I'm slightly out of practice

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50 ft indoors, 50y, 100y and 55m outdoors i usually use iron sights, not to sure about that scope, i've used it about 3 times, i prefer iron

We should probably talk about this in a private message, but would you be willing to, uh, "take care" of a troublesome "rat" for me?

The "rat repellent" you're holding in that photo should do the trick.

I only shoot paper ;)

Why do you hate trees?

one fell on our car in '09 ever since then....IT JUST HASNT BEEN THE SAME

(true story, but i dont hate trees, but they cry less than people)

Do you make good money in competitive shooting? Also, is it something you'd like to continue on for a long time?

I compete, but I'm not professional, so no one pays me, its quite expensive, match ammo is about 50 cents a around and each target requires at least 40 rounds, and i would like to do it for as long as possible

Then what do you compete for? Just a trophy/award?

for fun! i mean its a bonus if our team gets #1 but im not searching for any titles or anything major. mostly local matches, sometimes we get plaques or metals, thats always cool

So are you getting college scholarship offers to be on their shooting team? If not, you should DEFINITELY look into it. Free college plus all the ammo you can load.

I wish! my college doesnt have a shooting team

Do you like cheese?

I do actually...my favorite is sharp cheddar called cougar gold

How do people respond when they hear about your sport?

depends, some think its really cool and want to know more, others look at me like im a crazy redneck (which im not) and will go crazy at any second (they tend to be on the very far left)

How do guys your age react to this? Are they somewhat intimidated by a girl who is a superior shot, as our stereotypes imply (incorrectly, mind you) that this is a man's sport? Are the guys you date insecure about it at all?

guys my age who plink around with daddy's air rifle or go crazy with a semi auto usually laugh and say they are a better shot than I am, i ask them what they shoot at and its usually beer cans placed 20 feet away...i tell them i can shoot the center of a bull the size of a quarter 10 times in a row without missing a shot at 50 ft and it usually shuts them up

they aren't usually insecure about it, they usually think its badass and want to come to the range with me, its something they tell their buddies about so they dont mess with me ;)

How far to you want to continue with the sport? Also where the hell are you getting .22 right now, no one seems to have any?

Just for my own fun and recreation, i dont think i will ever be good enough or have enough time to actually become a serious competitor and enter into major competitions. My family is also really involved in the sport so my dad knows where to get the ammo.

What is the best piece of advice you can give someone who wishes to improve their accuracy?

practice and patience and learn how to call your shots

I've heard taking benzodiazapenes (Vallium, Xanax, Ativan, etc) is frowned upon or outright banned in competitive shooting because it equates to 'doping' and has been found to significantly increase accuracy. Have you heard about this in the competitive shooting world or is it blown out of proportion?

The reason I ask is that I've (within the last 3 years) had a lot of Marines ask me for prescriptions to these drugs before the range qual day because they believe it will help them get a higher score.

i dont compete at a high enough level where i would hear about that. but it makes sense, a lot about your heart rate and anxiety levels have to do with how well you will do, and when the difference between winners is how many X's they get, i can see where doping would come into play

My dad used an Anschutz while on the team at Indiana University, and he told me (tall tale alert?) that they set their triggers to be so light that they had to lock the doors during indoor competitions and practices; a gust of wind or sudden change in temperature could apparently set off the already-sensitive triggers. Ever hear of this? I've always suspected that he was exaggerating, but I've never had the opportunity to ask someone in your position, before.

hmm..I have not heard of that, but it sounds interesting and I'd like to look into it! I'll report back if I ever find out...but it sounds to me like a possible exaggeration, i personally HATE light triggers, I like to have a chance to change my mind if i put my finger on it.

Did you ever dream of going to the Olympics?

i did, i thought it would be really cool and badass to be good enough to get there. the people in the olympics are AMAZING and I wish i started younger so i had a chance to get more involved before college took over my life

How come competitive shooting doesn't involve a western style showdown? wouldn't that ultimately prove who the best shooter is?

the government takes the fun out of it

I'm also an 18 year old competitive shooter. I shoot trap!

thats awesome! youre awesome!

What was required to get started shooting competitively? I would be interested in getting my son involved in something like this. you mention ammo costs, and that is certainly a consideration, but how about the rifle? Could someone start competing with a Ruger 10/22 for example, or would you need to step up into a higher-end rifle right away?

i dont know if that can be used for a competition, but it would be a great idea to teach him how to use it! that way when he uses a competition rifle he will have a pretty good handle on things

if you search NRA .22 small bore the rule book PDF will come up and it will have specifications for guns that can be used in competition

Any interest in USPSA/IPSC/IDPA?

i havent looked into it much but it sounds really cool and i would try if i had the opportunity!

I'm an 18 year old guy and I love to shoot. How does one get into competitive shooting?

find a club/team! see what they have to offer, i lucked out and had two parents on a team so they already knew how to get involved. use google to find whats near you!

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my university doesnt offer it sadly

Ever think about stepping into service rifle?

I did, for a long time. But i dont know if its for me

What can I do to improve my aim?

practice! a lot! try to 'call your shots' which means after you shoot, before you look at your target to see where your shot went, try to guess if its "6 oclock in the 8 ring" or wherever you think it went, eventually with enough practice you will be able to accurately call your shots and know if you are in the right position to shoot a 10!

Did you have ammunition during the Obama scare? 22 is still rare here in Chicago

yes, everyone in the competitive community stocked up

I love this made it to the front page! What ammo do you use? What other calipers do you shoot often?

im super excited about that too :) i use eley tenex for competition, cci or whatever is cheap for practice! i like to use a .44 magnum but im not accurate with it, sooting the M1 garand and the moisen nagant is also a good time!

have you ever killed a man?

i shoot paper, not people