Duelling against Ourselves

[pilgrim]

     Good Morning to all.  Its 5:05 am and I just read several posts by Renegade, William and Beowulf, concerning shooting accuracy of a smoothbore.  Since it is early morning and just woke up, I have clear thoughts on this matter.  I feel that most all the guns  that are out there are Very Accurate.  But a rifle, smoothbore, shotgun or handgun are only as accurate as WE ARE !!  At one of the Black powder shoots a marksman told me "Beware of the man with only one gun".   Back in the day all they could afford WAS one gun and they had to be and were very proficient with it.  Today, we  each may have several guns, some shooters may be expert marksman with all their guns,  Today, our very lives do not depend on how accurate we are with our guns.  Today it is merely a hobby.  we supposededly live in a "civilized world??   

     What I am trying to say is that I Admire a Marksman.  There are many on TMC that I consider Marksmen.  To me  a marksman is a person who is accurate when shooting "offhand"  at varying yardages.  That is why I only shoot from a rest.  When I shoot offhand I am like a tree in a breeze.  SWAY.  I have read articles that state it is normal and to time your shots acordingly.  But I have not practiced enough, doing so.   

     Accuracy is ONLY achieved and EARNED  through continuous practice.  It has very little to do with how accurate a gun is.  All guns are accurate,  shooters on the other hand are not all "cut from the same cloth".    But most all have the capacity to be marksmen,  just need to PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.   

     We all are Dueling against ourselves. 

[old salt]

Well said. 90% of the time that I go to a shoot the only oerson That I really compete against is me and my best score. If I get into compition with others it takes the fun out of it,

[Red Badger]

I also compete against myself in order to become a better shot ... but it does bump my pride a bit when I can shoot against Old Salt and beat him that day!