Rant Mode On: "Just For Fun"

[Doc Shapiro]

Ok, I'm turning rant mode on.  I've been debating posting this for a few weeks and my better sense lost out.

Ok, maybe not.  I wrote out a long rant and then deleted it.  So maybe my better sense is winning out. 

I'll say this as quickly as I can.

WE ALL JUST SHOOT FOR THE FUN OF IT.  Whether we are competitive or not.  Whether we dress to the hilt, or not.  Whether we enjoy the socializing or not.  We are ALL in it for the fun.  Otherwise we wouldn't be out there shooting, we'd find something else to do.

So those of you that use one of the may variations of the phrase "I'm in it for the fun of it" - think on this.  We all are.  You aren't singling yourself out as anything special, cause we all have the same reason for participating.  It's fun.

I had a lot more in my original post. 

Rant Mode Off.

Doc

[The Arapaho Kid]

MILD RANT MODE BACK ON

I came into CAS for something to do with my spare time (I'm retired).  I get frustrated when I shoot because I always wind up on the bottom of the barrel on the score sheet.  In my last shoot I took first in Gunfighter...but I was the only one shooting in that class.  As you may expect...I was at the bottom of the score sheet.  First in Gunfighter class  --  at the bottom of the barrel on the score sheet!

But.....I had fun getting there!

MILD RANT MODE OFF

[Micheal Fortune]

Actually Doc, I'm here for the Total World Domination of the sport!

With my blistering fast speeds and cat like reflexes, nerves of steel, the body of an Olympian (ok have drank a lot of Oly) and my steel trap mind I will concur first the local scene, then move out to the regional and national matches and someday soon, The World!  (insert mad scientist laugh here)

Well as none of that's true, except the Oly part, I guess I'm with you Doc, just in it for the fun!  

I would like to place in something someday, hey, maybe get some black powder reloading stuff and next year go 49er, Frontier Cartridge Duelists!  

And I am special, my mommy told me so.  I asked!,
I said "Mommy am I special?"
And she said "Yes son, that's why your ride that short bus to school"

[Advertising]

[Doc Shapiro]

Hey, I've won some matches too.  I'm highly competitive in nature.  I practice a lot.  Even have a gun next to me by the computer so I can pick it up and dry fire.  Even if I was just doing it to win, I'd still be chasing fun.  For some folks, they have more fun winning.  But it's still just for fun.

I seem to get the impression that folks that use the phrase "just for fun" are in some way trying to belittle those of us that like to practice and shoot fast.

Doc

[Derby Younger]

And I am special, my mommy told me so.  I asked!,
I said "Mommy am I special?"
And she said "Yes son, that's why your ride that short bus to school"

ROTFLMAO

[Russ T Chambers]

Hey, I've won some matches too.  I'm highly competitive in nature.  I practice a lot.  Even have a gun next to me by the computer so I can pick it up and dry fire.  Even if I was just doing it to win, I'd still be chasing fun.  For some folks, they have more fun winning.  But it's still just for fun.

I seem to get the impression that folks that use the phrase "just for fun" are in some way trying to belittle those of us that like to practice and shoot fast.

Doc

Doc
Having shot with you at “High Sierra” this year, I guess you would say, I’m the last one to really be there to be “competitive”.  For me it is the reaction of the fellow posse members, for a shooter that isn’t there to walk away with a trophy, and is “there for the fun”.  I watched you through the entire match, and saw the “fun” for you was competing between yourself, and at least one other member of our posse!  That is the best part of our sport.  “Fun” can be goofin’ off with a stage design (as long as you’re safe!!!!!), or trying to be the best shooter you can be! 
(Glad the coat kept ya’ warm!!  It was great shootin’ with ya!)

[The Arapaho Kid]

CHECK THIS OUT.  LOOK WHO' RIDING THE BOTTOM HORSE.  THIS IS MY USUAL POSITION!

Alias Class Rank FinalTime Stage 1 M2 Stage 2 Stage 3 Raw4 Stage 4 a
I. B. Oneeye Senior 1 157.95 30.6   36.83 48.04   42.48   
Steamboat Willey 49er 2 175.99 53.74   42.3 41.47   38.48   
Soda Creek Jack Traditional 3 235.56 45.68   48.53 72.03   69.32   
The Some Dense Kid Frontier Cartridge 4 242.73 63.27   65.58 55.47   58.41   
Thataway Gal Ladies Senior 5 258.84 53.34   66.09 75.73   63.68   
Colorado Hank Duelist 6 262.94 65.37   66.55 62.82   68.2   
Outta Place Ladies Modern 7 305.08 52.11   78.1 97.89   76.98   
Rio Blanco Kid Traditional 8 344.68 69.42   95.08 86.95   93.23   
Sagebrush Burns Traditional 9 349.57 83.97   121.77 77.25   66.58   
Black Mountain Cat Ladies Traditional 10 382.16 101.23   89.66 96.17   95.1   
Winterhawk Senior 11 418.75 118.42   96.35 105.47   98.51   
Rusty S Pots Senior 12 454.13 107.42   91.44 146.26   109.01   
Desperado James Buckaroos 13 512.76 89.84   133.86 125.28   163.78   
The Arapaho Kid Gunfighter 14    685.69    160.8   134.89   251.8   138.2    

14TH. OUT OF 14 SHOOTERS AGAIN!  I CAN'T EVEN GET OFF THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL WHEN I SHOOT IN A CLASS BY MYSELF!

[Micheal Fortune]

AK, you just need to shoot faster.....

[Bad Hand Dan]

I always place first in the one-handed can't shoot worth a darn class. I wish I was pretty to look at. That would help.

[The Arapaho Kid]

AK, you just need to shoot faster.....

Now this is an excellent idea, but, isn't that going to cause more target misses?  So the question here is:  Which is better...shoot fast and miss a few, or shoot slow and get them all?

[Doc Shapiro]

Depends on what your goals are.  If you want to get better, shoot fast and take the misses.  Your eyes and brain will eventually catch up and you'll be shooting fast and hitting.  It takes a while to make the transition, but that's how to do it.

If you don't ever try to shoot faster, you'll never get any faster.  To shoot fast, you have to practice shooting fast.  Even if your practice is at matches!

Doc

[The Arapaho Kid]

Depends on what your goals are.  If you want to get better, shoot fast and take the misses.  Your eyes and brain will eventually catch up and you'll be shooting fast and hitting.  It takes a while to make the transition, but that's how to do it.

If you don't ever try to shoot faster, you'll never get any faster.  To shoot fast, you have to practice shooting fast.  Even if your practice is at matches!

Doc

Thanks Doc!  I think in my next shoot I'll speed up a little and see what happens.  Winding up at the bottom of the barrel isn't a whole lotta fun!  It leaves me with two choices:  1.  Speed up.  2.  Change my alias to "The Bottom Of The Barrel Kid".

[Doc Shapiro]

Don't get discouraged.  Give it several months and if you can, get some range time in too. 

Doc

[Arcey]

Heck, I'm gonna forget how to have fun.

First cowboy shoot, April '97.  Been doin' at least two a month since.  Just after I retired I did more'n that for a long while.

Today, me 'n some pards should ah been shootin' at Pungo.  After the June shoot, the developers what owned the land evicted us 'n smashed the range.

Couldah been at MDS this weekend but, next paragraph.

Got sumthin' fer next weekend - but - I'm gonna be a new grandpa by next weekend.  Mother, child and other grandkid will still be here.  Still unclear what's gonna be happenin' the followin' weekend.  The baby being stubborn is foulin' up other plans, the boy was due last Monday. 

Already know I'll be missin' Star City, the state shoot in Roanoke 'n all the partyin' that goes with it.  Might miss the local in Mechanicsville on the same weekend too.

Really like the boys in Carolina, they're a real good sort.  Nice range 'n I'll bet the weather is gonna be outstandin'.  That'd next for me.  Just hate the part of the trip drivin' thru the Outter Banks.  Kindah like drivin' in Va. Beach on both ends of the trip with a nice ride in the country spoiled in the middle.  'N don't know for sure what the family situation will be either.

Next'd be King George.  That's where my daughter's family lives.  She's here to have the baby with the medical staff she had before they moved north.  I hold some hope for that shoot but I ain't at all shur.

So, hell, 'shoot just for fun'?  Might as well.  If I ever get to go again.  Can't remember the last time I went this long without shootin'.  Ferget how.......

Damned if I ain't savin' a bunch of primers, powder 'n boolits though.

Sorry.  Guess that was more of a whine than a rant.

[Lars]

Been getting a deep dunk in this learning to shoot stuff this year, for two of us, especially in shooting fast, or at least trying to. As a result, I would amend somewhat what Doc wrote about learning to shoot faster.

For us this has ment first getting a nice pace and regularity to a series of "rapid" shots with revolvers and rifle, THEN start trying to speed it up. The regular spacing of your shots will likely get ragged when you shoot faster and there will be more misses but, that will smooth out and misses will decrease again. THEN, try to go a bit faster. Trying to go too fast too soon is not good, it has been essential to maintain a nice spacing and smoothness to the "rapid" fire shooting, BEFORE moving up another small increment in speed. Speed without smoothness has not produced any improvements for us, just faster misses.

Lars

[The Arapaho Kid]

I think what I'm going to do with this is....in the next shoot I'll shoot in the class that has the least amount of people in it.  Maybe someone will be a newbe to that class and will shoot worse than me? I also have to figure that the bottom of the barrel is a place of honor.  Not everyone gets there in every shoot like I do!

[Coop Trawlaine]

I think what I'm going to do with this is....in the next shoot I'll shoot in the class that has the least amount of people in it.  Maybe someone will be a newbe to that class and will shoot worse than me? I also have to figure that the bottom of the barrel is a place of honor.  Not everyone gets there in every shoot like I do!

You bet, Pard,   The bottom slot is extry special,, not all us trailhands can hold that position against all comers.   So far I have held my own, that thar is MY spot on the list and dang me if my best shootin buddy did dang near knock me out of MY spot on the bottom, jest a fraction of a second slower and I would have lost it.....But he had a legit excuse, new rifle and it needs some adjustments.....MY excuse is I ain't no dang good, but I do hold my spot on the bottom like it was the Mother Lode.

[E.R.Beaumont]

Greetings and Salutations to one and all.

Doc, Pard I don't mean to say that I think the competitors are having any less"fun" than those of us who are merely participants.  I think that what most pardners are saying is that "I am only shooting for fun." as opposed to "I am shooting for fun, and the first place in Traditional." 

I prefer to call myself a participant.  I am not in the running for any ribbons in a catagory with more than three entrants. I do however participate fully in every stage, and at the end I feel that I have done something good with my time.  I shoot at the speed that I do because I choose to.  If I would spend 2 hrs a week ar the range and 45 minutes a day practiceing transitions and dry fireing I could be competitive.  That means I would have to work at it, if its work its not fun.

All you Pards that are competitors just stand up proud.  There are folks out there who are jelous of your skill, tallent, and dedication to practice.  They just can't accept that anyone could be that much better than them, and still be a good honest Pard.  They constantly nit pick about petty stuff and try to make it cause for a SOG penelty.

These are not the real "Just for fun" shooters.  The real "just for fun" guys really do shoot "just for fun" and can applaud another Pards work on a stage or match.  Please try to keep these two Just for Fun groups seperate in your mind.  The real ones are having fun, maybe the frauds are having fun too.

Just my two bits in the kitty.
Regards, Beaumont 

[Russ N. Hound]

I shot last wek with a classy gent. He shoots slow and full power loads. Likes it like that. I happened to take first in my class and he got a clean match. I have never had a clean match. We both had a lot of fun. His last words were," had a lot of fun today"
So I am with Doc on this one. Fun is fun and we all have our idea of fun.
Russ