Why are young kids so good?
 

I'm 63 years. I got it into my head a few years ago to give air rifle a serious try. So I went out and bought an FWB 800. It has become my favorite rifle to shoot (and I have many rifles). I practice with it consistently in my basement, as I have the necessary 33 feet to shoot it in. Rain or shine (or snow in my case), day or night, I can practice with it. It's great.

Few people are more disciplined than I am. Yet, I suck at it. Offhand, my scores on the NRA A5/10 are consistently in the seventies. Kneeling, in the eighties. Only in sitting and prone do I break into the nineties, and not even then all the time.

I look at the scores from some air rifle matches, and I see these kids shooting scores I can only dream of - high nineties, for the most part, many cleans.

How come they can do it and I can't? It's not for lack of trying on my part, or lack of practice, or lack of quality equipment. And I'm in pretty good shape for an old codger.

They have YOUNG EYES! You might try Lasik's.

Pretty simple, they have less distractions, clear eyes, better muscle tone, they oxygenate better, and they listen to their coaches. We all have bad habits which get in the way of letting the rifle do its job, Kids do not have that accumulated experience. Its not practice that makes perfect its PERFECT Practice that makes perfect. Focus on quality over quantity of practice and remember that you shoot because you enjoy it. Keep it enjoyable.

I would enjoy it more if, when shooting Standing, I shot 95's on the AR 5/10 target, rather than 70's.

I find from my own experience that, " The more you think, The more you stink. Keep shooting and enjoy it, better standing scores will come in time.

I must suck too. I shoot a Diana 75 and my offhand scores are high 70’s low 80’s. I think part of the difference we see in match scores are because they are scored electronically ?so they get a prorated score depending how close the hole is to the next scoring ring. Where Iam shooting paper and just take a score based on the highest scoring ring I break. So I would take a “9” regardless of how close it is to a 10 and if it was scored electronically it might me scored a “9.9” for example. Or maybe Iam all wet and don’t understand how it works

I'm 72 and have reluctantly come to accept the adage - "The older I get, the better I was."

The few parts I got that still work hurt when I use them, my eyes are NOWHERE near as good as they were a few decades ago, and I can't shoot my GI 45 now with as tight a group as I achieved when I was on the Army Pistol team at Ft Bragg in '71.

I remain content with being able to still shoot to MOD - Minute of Dead - with all my various firearms. Cuz frankly, I'm just not that good anymore. The mind is willing but the body says "Screw it." - lol

It is also a truth that the "Golden Years" are mostly urine and rust.

Now that statement is full of truth! ;)

You should see teenagers shoot their .22 rifles in Steel Challenge!

They probably don't over think the process.

The human body reaches its peak efficiency (eysight, muscle tone, coordination, etc,) in the mid-twenties. After that it's all downhill. Doesn't mean you can't improve with practice, coaching, and discipline, but there are limits to that improvement.

I have seen many times where young kids who listen can shoot very well. My daughter at age 12 was very small and could barely hold my .45 automatic up with both hands. But she listened to what I told her and could put all her shots in the black.

The young are truly amazing sometimes. The other day, I received the Fall 2021 edition of the GCA Journal. On the cover is a young slip of a girl holding her grandfather's M1 Garand. The Garand is about as big as she is. On page 8, an article states that this young woman went to Perry for the first time this year, and, with her AR 15, shot 55th in the President's Hundred. The article then goes on to mention another young woman from North Carolina who went Distinguished at age 16, shot 11th in the President's Hundred, which qualified her for the final shoot-off, and ended in 7th place with a score of 395-15X. She cleaned the prone rapid. She shot a 496-25x in the NTI setting a new record for High Woman shooter. Looking at her picture, she can't be more than 18-19 years old, if that. These kids are truly amazing. I am green with envy of their ability. Only in my dreams can I shoot as well as they can.

Not that it's much different buy Haley is 22 now I think (CMP still has her as a junior because they gave every an extra year because of 2020). She and her dad Bobby shoot at our club very often. They are great people and both stunningly good, and they are consistently that good (Bobby cleaned 200 pts standing last year). And they've both only been shooting since 2015 or 2016. I dunno why the kids are so good, but it's amazing.

If you haven't seen any of the pre-teens and teens shoot .22 rifles in Steel Challenge, go watch. Then you'll see how much you suck. ;)

When you're as ancient as I am, all the youngins look younger than they really are. I'll pass on the Steel Challenge, I already know how much I suck.

The "young" are only as good as their mentors. How many of us have taken the time with a youngster who was struggling at the range and all of sudden they found the sweet spot of their firearm and gained the confidence to come back and continue to develop their skill set? The skills can be there. As we know there are other nuisances. Breathing, positioning, mental focus. That separates the marksman from the wannabees.

Young people don’t know everything.First thing they don’t know is how hard shooting is.
Now the rest of us old f**ts got to remember how much coffee,cigs,alcohol and other substances we consumed,that wrecked our bodies.
Wait till they find the steering wheel and the opposite gender.
Hey just trying to be funny.
Truthfuly,a lot of us were that good too!With the equipment,ammo,and coaching at the time.
What impresses me most is they are interested.
Good for Them.