Informal Shooting - Alone or with Friends?

[BuffaloSoldier]

My Baker Rifle is being worked on, so right now, no range time

 

[stephenprops1]

I probably shoot alone 90% of the time. I am retired, but work a part-time job. It is hard to coordinate a schedule with someone else. I can go to public ranges at odd times and sometimes have the range to myself. As others have said, I work up my loads, sight in a scope, practice and update my record data best when I am not distracted by another person. My wife occasionally shoots her pistol with me and sometimes I shoot with a friend or family member. I still compete in muzzle loading shoots. I know a few of those shooters too, but we never shoot together socially.

 

[troy2000]

I've found it impossible to do any serious shooting (load work up, adjusting sights, etc.) when I'm shooting with friends or relatives. That goes double for muzzle loaders. BP guns are so far out of their normal experience that I basically end up acting as a tour guide: setting up targets, showing everyone how to load and fire, adjudicating who gets the Tower replica or the Kibler SMR next, explaining how flintlocks work, and so on.

I don't really mind; I get a kick out of exposing people to my guns - including all my unmentionables - and I usually enjoy the company. But having someone along turns into a social event, even if it's only one person. I have to sneak off by myself, if I want to do any serious shooting...

 

[Treestalker]

I have a range and my shooting bench is on my front porch. I live in a cabin way back in the woods. I shoot like some people watch tv or read a book. Sometimes every day. I enjoy shooting, tinkering and experimenting with my firearms. There are probably 100 lbs of spilled black powder and 10,000 brass cases that have fallen through the cracks of my porch. I attend a monthly blackpowder match and enjoy it a bunch but I enjoy my quiet time making lots of noise.

Don't drop a cigarette!

 

[Lippy984]

I feel I really only get the stress relieving factor when it’s just me in the woods at my little range. I do enjoy showing people new things, but it’s just not the same. Maybe it’ll be more enjoyable when my kids are old enough to shoot.
On a side note, it’s a bit surprising hearing how many of you are in the same boat as I. Not having many friends into traditional firearms.

 

[Josephg]

Solitude is bliss

View attachment 92596

Solitude is when you are by yourself. Who's foot is that? Bigfoot?

 

[Rifleman1776]

both

 

[GoodRabbitPilgrim]

Solitude is when you are by yourself. Who's foot is that? Bigfoot? View attachment 93016

Haha you got me, I do go there by myself more than with company but never take photos of myself.

 

[Josephg]

Where is that anyway?

 

[tom_in_vt]

I usually shoot alone. Sometimes I bring my dad or a friend along. I like to concentrate on what I’m doing. I am required to shoot frequently with groups of 10+. When I shoot on my own time it’s nice to be alone.

 

[smoothshooter]

When testing whatever at the range (different gun, different powder, different something or other) I can understand just wanting to be left alone to concentrate.

How about just wanting to get out and shoot?
Do folks prefer to be on their own or is it more fun with shooter friends?

I typically shoot muzzleloaders alone.
None of my friends or relatives have the slightest interest in traditional muzzleloaders, and only a couple even have in-lines that they only shoot a few shots out of just before BP season.

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

I typically shoot muzzleloaders alone.
None of my friends or relatives have the slightest interest in traditional muzzleloaders, and only a couple even have in-lines that they only shoot a few shots out of just before BP season.

Yep....same around here too my friend.

 

[Dale Lilly]

When I talk about traditional MLs, I get rolled eyes, or "huh .. what's that". I have 60+ year old neighbors who had never seen one [except in Dan'l Boone or Davy Crockett]

 

[sheriff john]

Retired 16 years ago to our farm from a place with weekly ML league, trap, skeet, sporting clays, pistol, rifle, archery and fishing lake. Sat on the board for 28 years, enjoyed all of it. Once there were formal and informal ML matches somewhere every weekend. Buddies shot, hunted, built, tinkered with BP on a constant basis.

Buds all dead. Haven't heard of a match within 100 miles in probably 10 years. Shooting alone is akin to taking your sister to the prom, but I still do it - mostly to bring back memories, I suppose. The fun was, in hindsight, sharing a common interest with people you enjoy being with.

This year, I'm hoping to put together another BP deer hunting group of relatives here on my farm. Might be the last time for one or two, but there are a couple of youngsters old enough to get started, so ....it's worth a try.

 

[Rum River]

Like many on this board have found (or pretty much all of them) traditional muzzleloading doesn't seem to grab the attention of most shooters.

My wife and I host our own annual 'mini-rendezvous' for our family as well as descendants of the original deer camp of the 1930's. Started as a sight-in day and grew from there, we're up to two or three dozen attendees.

I've demo'd, displayed and competed with (we have an informal ten shot challenge with a traveling trophy) one of my traditional rifles. While folks are genuinely interested in the workings and accuracy of the smokepoles - no one has shown any interest beyond maybe trying a friend's unmentionable front stuffer for a couple years.

I'll keep trying.....

 

[sheriff john]

One last thing - somebody took you shooting, hunting, fishing - perhaps many years ago. If you don't do the same thing for someone else, the great times you've enjoyed will die out. Share the fun while you still can. Make it fun and they'll be back for more.

Children are the only product of our lives we send forth to a time we will not see.

Rather a grandkid enjoy grandpa's old shotgun than an auctioneer at my estate sale.

 

[hanshi]

Solitude is bliss

View attachment 92596

Well, that takes MY breath away big time!

 

[GoodRabbitPilgrim]

Well, that takes MY breath away big time!

It's q spectacular part of the world, my state has around 22 million acres of public land hunting, most of it mountains like this.

 

[Josephg]

It's q spectacular part of the world, my state has around 22 million acres of public land hunting, most of it mountains like this.

View attachment 93507

Where is it?

 

[GoodRabbitPilgrim]

Where is it?

Australia