Benchrest / Target shooting disappointment

Thegogg

Thegogg

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Having retired some years ago and having so much free time on my hands, I really needed to find something new try out. I've only ever really used air rifles for hunting but recently I'd been spending more time at a local shooting range just setting up my scopes and night vision along with a little plinking so I started putting out some targets and I found it quite enjoyable.

Well I've never been one to do things by half so decided I'd give 25m benchrest a go. Well a week or so later I was the proud owner of a new RAW TM1000 and Falcon T50i plus set up along with a load of other bits and headed down the range to do some pellet testing. An hour later I was packing up and putting everything away as I'd had enough. I've been down twice since and both times felt the same, coming away after an hour or so again underwhelmed.

Contrast this to when I go out in the field and can spend hours on end, sometimes not even taking a shot but feel great just watching and listening to my surroundings as the world just passes by.

Am I strange or does anyone else ever feel this way?

P.S. keep you eyes peeled for some decent benchrest gear popping up in the sales section in the near future 🤣.
 
I get what you’re saying ..
my experience was similar … I started with airgunning doing range stuff and hft comps … and I really enjoyed it for 5 yrs ish ….untill …a friend of mine said
“fancy coming ratting one night “
And I did ….
since that day I haven’t shot hft since 😊… I sold the hft gun and invested in ratty hunting stuff and haven’t looked back .

There’s something about wandering around farms at night …. the peace and quiet and me against the rats …. an unexplainable excitement…. the not knowing if I’m gonna shoot.. 10 …20 …. or 180 in a night 👍
🎯🐀 💥 🔫
 
never tried benchrest as it does not interest me, like yourself i have always liked hunting be it with shotguns or rifles. love going hunting with a air rifle the most . but i do a bit of plinking in the garden occasionally and check poi.
 
I shoot BR at our local club out in the elements and like the challenge, although it can be annoying when you have a bad card and I come away wondering why?
 
Bench Rest does not appeal to me at all - fair enough, glad some folks love it.

My first exposure to it was at Pete's Airgun Farm, some old boys were shooting and getting very stressed at their less than Nanometer-perfect results.
One of them complained that my rifle (HW77 IIRC) was "too loud" and putting him off!

Can't see the point - I only shoot my guns while actually holding them myself with no gadgets etc in contact with my rifles; does not conform to any shooting "discipline" AFAIK, just me having fun.

I make no claim to be a good or competitive shot - quite the opposite - but I thoroughly enjoy a trip to my Club and Boinging away while grinning like a fool and chatting to mates.

Shooting is a hobby, hobbies should make us happy - I reckon - so it is case of finding what works for you / me / whoever.
 
Yeah, I get what you are saying. We are not all the same and we don't all like/dislike the same things. So some will prefer hunting, some will prefer simple plinking, some will go for HFT/FT and/or BR, and some will do a bit of a mixture, each to their own and all that. There's no law saying you have to like everything you try... There's always more potential hobbies, etc out there to try out at some point....
 
I'm finding that after looking through the scope for around half an hour or so my eyes start getting tired and my concentration starts to wander, can't see how others can spend hours doing it.
 
As some other have said, HFT is my preference. 30 different targets and shooting positions, a nice walk around the woods, not too much stressing over equipment, generally good banter.
If I owned any land I would be setting up practice courses and probably wouldn't shoot anything else 😂
 
I think the time limit is 20mins to shoot 25 targets, I don't shoot BR competitively, just for fun in the garden, along with tin cans etc, it's a hobby it shouldn't be a chore
 
I love Benchrest and shoot off a bipod with rear bag no co axial or mechanical aids using my hand under the stock to do minor movements and steady the rifle. I score a 250 regularly with 19x,s being my best I have never shot outside and don’t want to go ratting or bird shooting, but each to his own. Only took up shooting about 18 months ago
 
Thegogg said:
Having retired some years ago and having so much free time on my hands, I really needed to find something new try out. I've only ever really used air rifles for hunting but recently I'd been spending more time at a local shooting range just setting up my scopes and night vision along with a little plinking so I started putting out some targets and I found it quite enjoyable.

Well I've never been one to do things by half so decided I'd give 25m benchrest a go. Well a week or so later I was the proud owner of a new RAW TM1000 and Falcon T50i plus set up along with a load of other bits and headed down the range to do some pellet testing. An hour later I was packing up and putting everything away as I'd had enough. I've been down twice since and both times felt the same, coming away after an hour or so again underwhelmed.

Contrast this to when I go out in the field and can spend hours on end, sometimes not even taking a shot but feel great just watching and listening to my surroundings as the world just passes by.

Am I strange or does anyone else ever feel this way?

P.S. keep you eyes peeled for some decent benchrest gear popping up in the sales section in the near future 🤣.
Click to expand...
I feel ya, my friend...sittin' on my arse chasing straight Xs ( indeed paper punching in general) would bore me to tears... nothing beats a good walk and the plinking at of targets of opportunity, animated or not.👍
 
Thegogg said:
I'm finding that after looking through the scope for around half an hour or so my eyes start getting tired and my concentration starts to wander, can't see how others can spend hours doing it.
Click to expand...
I went down the range twice this week, Friday I was there 4 hours. Mind you I recon 3 hours was spent talking rubbish with some of the other guys there.

Just starting to shoot bench rest, t50i will be on my shopping list.

Ps. You didn’t think the economy ll would be good at 25 yards did you? 😂
 
Thegogg said:
Having retired some years ago and having so much free time on my hands, I really needed to find something new try out. I've only ever really used air rifles for hunting but recently I'd been spending more time at a local shooting range just setting up my scopes and night vision along with a little plinking so I started putting out some targets and I found it quite enjoyable.

Well I've never been one to do things by half so decided I'd give 25m benchrest a go. Well a week or so later I was the proud owner of a new RAW TM1000 and Falcon T50i plus set up along with a load of other bits and headed down the range to do some pellet testing. An hour later I was packing up and putting everything away as I'd had enough. I've been down twice since and both times felt the same, coming away after an hour or so again underwhelmed.

Contrast this to when I go out in the field and can spend hours on end, sometimes not even taking a shot but feel great just watching and listening to my surroundings as the world just passes by.

Am I strange or does anyone else ever feel this way?

P.S. keep you eyes peeled for some decent benchrest gear popping up in the sales section in the near future 🤣.
Click to expand...
I'm with you, don't get benching, rather be out and about.
 
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