TargetTalk

I have been shooting sporter class three position all four years of high school,went to both cmp camps, to various national competitions, and got my Gold Distinguished shooter this year. Now with all of this I have been shooting sporter class, and now need to switch over to precision so I can shoot in college. My shooting coach only knows what he learned from the Army, so target talk and cmp have been my biggest resources over the past four years and I am hoping it can help again. In the fall I have to buy all of my equipment for air rifle and smallbore, (price isnt an issue thanks to Army ROTC) but i have no clue where to start. IF y'all got any advice on what equipment to buy or advice for just switching over in general that would be of great help.

Many college teams have some equipment for loan. Why not contact the college coach where you are going to school and get his suggestions?

For precision,

Rifle of your choice
coat
pants
suspenders
Kneeling roll (If you use one)
Scope stand
mat
Sling
Handstop/sling swivel
hand block/fore end riser/palm rest (If you use one)
shooting stand/rifle rest for standing
glove
shooting glasses (If you need them)
etc.

Smallbore

(stuff for precision)
Rifle
Ammo block,
cleaning equipment
hearing protection
etc.

That's the basics. Though I probably forgot something.

The rifles you chose is your choice. Many brands to chose from (Pardini, Anschutz, FWB, Walther, etc.) but the best is to feel a few different models and pick the one that feels best.

Hope this helps.

Do you have a college yet? Is the team competitive?

I hate to be a total buzz kill but here is my take on it.

The CMP jr Rotc have basically killed smallbore 3 p and precision AR in a large part of the country. This obsession with sporter by the CMP means that you will have to start from scratch to go to precision. The crazy sporter rules mean that a 11 year old girl about 4'6 and a male high school senior 6'2 have to shoot the same gun in the same configuration. That only means that people learn bad position and habits that have to be unlearned.

Some college teams have some equipment left from departed shooters and other alums but most college coaches expect you to have all your own stuff. Thats as much as $10,000 for all new. Two good sources are Champion Shooters Supply and Champions Choice. They can set you up with everything you need, some new, some used.

Most good colleges buy matching coats and pants for the team but probably not for a freshman just off sporter.

Your first year the coach should think about red shirting you, which will give you an extra year to learn precision. By the end of the first year you will at best be shooting as well as the last shooter who has precision experience.

However its not all bad. Being a college athlete is a big deal no matter what team you are on and how good it is. Lots of perks and recognition. The NCAA allows a $575 a year stipend for expenses for example. But what you give up for that is most of your free time.

I know that is very negative but that is my take on the state of jr and sporter shooting. I am sure I will get yelled at by those here who swear that sporter is the best thing since night baseball. But its not the first time I have lobbed a hand grenade into a hornets nest.

gwsb wrote: The crazy sporter rules mean that a 11 year old girl about 4'6 and a male high school senior 6'2 have to shoot the same gun in the same configuration.

Untrue. Guns like the Crosman Challenger's and Airforce edge have stock adjustments. Cant of the butt plate, stock comb height, LOP.

Maybe I'm missing something, but I've been to a few CMP sporter matches and people all have their guns adjusted differently.

My biggest regret is not shooting precision in high school, but where I live there is only sporter shooting in JROTC. Currently I am shooting a crossman challenger, so I do get alittle bit of adjustment but not much. I got a four year scholarship army rotc scholarship to the university of Kentucky, I want to go there and try and shoot. One of the problems with tat is I cannot shoot first semester until I get my college gpa, but after, during the winter break I can buy all of my equipment. I have contacted coach, but I do wanna get some other ideas because I am gunna be spending $10,000 in equipment. I have been looking into guns, right now I am debating between Wathler, Anschultz, and Feinweiksburg, but all I have to go on is online descriptions.

I strongly urge you to drop the "regret" talk! I really mean this. Your four years of sporter will serve you well, it's provided a strong base in marksmanship fundamentals and has exposed you to the discipline necessary to succeed, not to mention baptized you to match pressure. It's all good!

So precision is different. So what? Seriously, so what? Learn the differences, push hard, go out and succeed. Once you are done with school and serving as an officer you might want to take up OTC shooting. But no, it's different! B.S. You will go over to the new discipline and learn what is different, push hard and go out and succeed.

Or be mired in regret ... that's your choice. (As a future officer I think you can guess what choice I hope you make!)

Regarding only having online descriptions of rifles. That's all you will get here as well! I'm not saying the suggestions you receive here are of little value, but they really won't add as much value to your decision making as getting out and handling the rifles and gear.

If at all possible show up at matches. You can see, and once the shooters are done with their final relays many times handle equipment. I've rarely seen a polite request in this vein turned down. Before you drop a large amount of cash it's worth some gas and time.

I suggest you really connect with your coach at Kentucky, and I suggest you contact the AMU and inform them of your scholarship status and information needs. While there is little they can do directly, they can steer you in the correct direction.

Congratulations on the scholarship, you have an exciting future ahead!

Semper Fi

gwsb wrote:... The crazy sporter rules mean that a 11 year old girl about 4'6 and a male high school senior 6'2 have to shoot the same gun in the same configuration. ...

LOP, height of cheek piece, can be adjusted for the individual shooter, you just need to do it on an approved gun and stay within the weight limits. You can upgrade sights and the triggers can be worked on too, and can be make quite nice with very little effort or cost.

Your first year the coach should think about red shirting you,....

This won't work with an ROTC scholarship ... this shooter will need to stay on track to graduate in four years, and then will be serving immediately after graduation.

Yes, my goal is to commission and serve active duty in the Army for a full career, either as Infantry, Intelligence or as a part of the AMU. Part of the reason I cant shoot first semester is because I need to start out with a GPA of 3.5 or higher to be competitive for an active duty commission and to keep the scholarship. Shooting is my passion, and for shooting I am grateful that I shot sporter, because I feel like I have a good grasp of the fundamentals on metal game and position. I know I am going to my last national meet in the august out in Colorado, and will try and get some hands on with some precision gear. I know alot of people from what I have seen have their own personal preferences on guns and equipment. I have been looking at Walther, anschutz and feinwerkbau for air and smallbore, anybody have one or shot one? Also shooting coats what brand is a good brand?

I have to agree with the previous people who have responded with you. Stay in touch with the college coach. If your a junior or senior find yourself a junior club near you. The coaches can help you. I know several shooters that transitioned to precision from sporter. They are doing fabulous.

Walking on the shooting team at Kentucky will be like walking on the football team at Alabama. It can be done though. Maybe someone else can dispute and educate me a little more but I don't think it will be that hard of a transition. I think it is mainly just better fitting equipment and clothing that helps make you more stable. I know young shooters that have made the National Junior team and shot top 6 in open category at US Nationals within a couple of years of picking up a rifle. That took a lot of talent, dedication, coaching, and daily practice to accomplish that feat. Despite everything I have learned from my coaches and clinics at the OTC and from team mates, no one has really taught me how to shoot differently than what I learned shooting a M16 in the Marine Corps. All my "coaching" is really about the mental aspect and talking through the issues I think I'm having and how to train my way out of them. The basic marksmanship is the same.

As for the rifles, all the brands are just as capable of the next of shooting a new world record. It comes down to what feels good to you. If you only had one to choose from and didn't have another to pick up months later, you wouldn't notice one thing wrong with it. In the US, the Anschutz smallbore is used more than anything and is easy to find used and the easiest to get repaired. You don't have to buy new either. I sold an Ans smallbore to an AMU member last year for less than 2000 and he regularly shoots 105 strings with it (if I had known it was that good a gun, I wouldn't of sold it!)

I would recommend not wasting anytime getting started. For $2500 you should be able to find a good used aluminum air rifle and off the shelf clothing and the other basics you need. Even if you aren't going to matches, you can start training now in your house, garage or backyard. Also much easier to start getting gear a little at a time. Money gets really tight when you actually get to school.

john987willi wrote:Yes, my goal is to commission and serve active duty in the Army for a full career, either as Infantry, Intelligence or as a part of the AMU.

Very few officers shoot as part of the AMU ... they are the far exception rather than the rule. If your goal is the AMU, then enlisted is the route there. Contact Jason Parker (the coach of the Olympic events) at AMU for more details.

If you are going thru college and want to walk-on to UK ... do contact the coach so that he can guide you ... Harry's a good guy.

I'm assuming that your last HS age match in August is the TAL championship. Congrats for qualifying and have fun ... it's a super match

I think your first order of business is to check with the KY rifle coach to be sure that he will let you "walk on." Some coaches don't like "walk ons" and don't want them around. If your walking on is OK with the KY coach, my suggestion is to start practicing and competing in smallbore immediately. Even if you had shot Precision, you would have to make the transition to smallbore and it takes time. College coaches can find excellent AR shooters but comparable smallbore shooters are rare and at a premium. These means a rifle AND AMMUNITION. Don't buy a rifle without buying at least a case of ammunition! The above comments are correct - Anschutz, Walther, Feinwerkbau are good rifles. My suggestions would be to get a 1913 Anschutz (walnut or aluminum) or comparable Walther etc. with the current buttplate and cheekpice. Any of the rifles will shoot acceptably but you want a cheekpiece, buttplate and stock that you can adjust to you. It 's a waste of time if you have to adjust to the rifle. Mike Barron

I know its kinda late in the game for this but as someone said walking on at UK in rifle is like walking on at UK in basketball. Both teams were No 2 at the NCAA championships this year.

My guess is your 4 years at UK on the rifle team would be disappointing. They have 11 returning shooters next year every one of which has been shooting precision probably since they were weaned and I expect they have new shooters coming in who are just as good. This past year they had 7 all Americans. Since there are only 5 on a match team with the top 4 scores counting that means that 2 shooters on the second team were all American.

I know it is late but since you are interested in the military have you considered schools like The Citadel and VMI. Both are excelent colleges and have 2nd tier rifle teams where you might be successful.

I cant go to any other college because of my Army ROTC scholarship, I was told there was a club team up there I am gunna try and shoot with them if I can, or even on my own time, to try and get competitive enough to shoot. Just to be able to shoot and be competitive and rise to the level where I could possibly compete with them, because I do need to work hard to get there.