So I Start 4HTomorrow...

M

Mosin-Marauder

New member
I go to my first 4-H meeting tomorrow. We're going to be shooting at one of the local ball fields that isn't used anymore. We're supposed to bring our own rifles but I'm not sure if they'll allow me to use my Mosin. If they dont, I don't think I'll stay in it. I've been rarely getting the chance to shoot my Mosin the past few weeks, so I don't really wanna join just to shoot 22's.
Anyway, I was just wondering if any of you folks had some experience with your local 4-H clubs. If so, did it it improve your shooting? Also, another thing. The Email said "Bring your own rifles, but no ammo." Just seems odd they would have every type of ammo. As 7.62x54R isn't a very popular caliber where I live. So thoughts on that would be appreciated. Thanks In advance.
 
They're not going to have ammo for your rifle. Get a 22 and use it for practice. No reason to bail just because they limit you to a 22. You still have lots you can learn and a 22 is the ideal training platform. If a Marine Scout Sniper can buy and train with a 22, you can, too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfegX1JZ4ZI
 
4H is more than shooting guns, there is lots of stuff that you can learn and pick up at 4H. They cover a multitude of interesting activities.
You have expressed a wish to do some hunting if I remember correctly. Unless you own your own place to hunt, and even if you do, you may still want to hunt someone else's place. The farms in your area are probably some of the best places to hunt. 4H is going to teach you about agriculture and all the in and outs of working in or with agriculture. You could learn to appreciate and talk to the landowners, and build a relationship with them, and understanding the landowner goes a long way in getting permission to hunt.:)
 
I would expect that a 4-H program being conducted on a ball field will be geared toward .22s. I would also be VERY surprised if they will allow you to use a high-powered military rifle like a Mosin-Nagant. The 7.62x54R ammo will probably shoot right through whatever they have for a backstop.
 
If that's the case I think I will bail on this one and find a shooting club geared towards my interests. As this club is strictly shooting/archery. Thanks for your advice.
 
The 4-H shooting sports program is a lot more than just a club getting together and and shooting -- you'll get actual training from certified instructors, and you can't beat the price. Training with a .22 will carry over to any other caliber you want to shoot, and good training will improve your skills pretty fast.

Don't knock it if you haven't tried it. ;)
 
Vanya said:
Don't knock it if you haven't tried it.
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Agreed.

I'm a senior citizen. In "my day," everybody started shooting with .22s. Although the Appleseed program is open to larger calibers, it's my understanding that the majority of participants elect to use .22s. Marksmanship is marksmanship -- lessons well-learned on the .22 will carry over to the big boomers. Bad habits picked up by starting too soon with big boomers will likewise carry over to everything you shoot.
 
+1 for sticking with the 4H. That can lead you to district and state tournaments... and possibly college UIL shooting teams and scholarships. Give it a whirl and think about the connections, possibilities, and end results.

There's a whole different world of instructed shooting- not just holding a firearm up, lining up notches, and making the thing go bang. Good instruction will get you to analyze everything down to pulse, breath, and individual muscle movement and twitch. This is for a different discipline, but so much of it can hold true and hit home for rifle marksmanship- http://www.bullseyepistol.com/zeninfo.htm
 
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I'd say take a shot at it even if it is just .22.

As others have said .22 practice will carry over to your other shooting. Play the game. See if you can pick up some tips. See where you stand against the other shooters. Measuring your skill in competition can push you to improve.

Socialize, there is more than a little to be said for the 'fraternity of arms'...I've met a few folk I've not liked at ranges but well over 90% have been decent folk that share my affection for the shooting sports and it's been fun getting to know them.

You've got some experience to contribute too...doubt many of them shoot a Mosin. (But maybe hold off on telling your stories right off...listen for the first couple meetings.)

Good luck.
 
Aguila Blanca said:
Although the Appleseed program is open to larger calibers, it's my understanding that the majority of participants elect to use .22s. Marksmanship is marksmanship -- lessons well-learned on the .22 will carry over to the big boomers. Bad habits picked up by starting too soon with big boomers will likewise carry over to everything you shoot.
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Exactly. I've done Appleseed shoots (another great program, and open to all ages), and typically, there are 20 or so people there with .22s and maybe one guy with an AR15.

Another thing to consider is the cost of ammo. It takes thousands of rounds to become reasonably proficient with a rifle, and it's a lot cheaper to feed a .22 than a Mosin or other large-caliber rifle.
 
Use your .22 and join up. You should be fortunate to have a 4-H in your area that has shooting training. Back about 10 years ago I took the necessary training (paid for out of my own pocket) to become a NRA shooting coach. My kids were in 4-H and I wanted to start up a shooting program. Once I received my credentials, I had a meeting with the area 4-H Board. Nope, they were very anti gun. They wanted no part of a shooting program. I guess being in Illinois has something to do with that.
 
As 7.62x54R isn't a very popular caliber where I live. So thoughts on that would be appreciated. Thanks In advance.
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Maybe not - but - @ the ultra inflated price of .22lr these days, it just might be cheaper to shoot it than a .22! :D
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Definitely get a 22 for 4H and just for general practice. Even at the 'inflated' prices it's still the cheapest practice you can get (and really, what's so bad about $.06-.08 per shot?). I have a variety of way more expensive higher power rifles, but my $100 Wally World Marlin 60 gets used more than all of them! It's a great tool for practice and improvement.
 
It's going to be impossible to find a shooting club for high powered rifles. The clinics I've saw are only for US Military Rifles (which is utterly stupid). Anyway, thanks for your help.
 
Shooting is shooting.

I started on my grandfather's Winchester .22 carbine. When I was old enough to attend day camp, the camp rifles were .22 bolt actions. What I learned with those .22s was more than enough to put me well ahead of most of the guys in my training company when I enlisted in the Army and we fired the M14 in Basic Training.

Although I own one Mosin-Nagant M39 carbine, most of my mil-surp mini-"collection" is Mausers. What I learned shooting my grandfather's .22 is what allowed me to take an out-of-the-box M24/47 and shoot 4-inch groups at 200 yards using the cheapest 8mm mil-surp ammo I could lay my hands on. There's a reason (actually, a number of reasons) why more people learn to shoot with .22s than anything else.
 
Even at the 'inflated' prices it's still the cheapest practice you can get (and really, what's so bad about $.06-.08 per shot?).
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Are you serious or haven't you been paying attention to the prices?

Ammo seek lists Green Supply as the cheapest source for .22lr w/Blazers @ $5.97 for 50.
That's $.11 per shot - roughly %40 more than your $.06 to $.08 to begin with.

Add in the whopping freight charge - of - are you sitting down? - $23.17.

That comes out to - $.58 per shot.

Care to tell me again how cheap the .22lr is?

I can reload .38/.357 cheaper.
I can almost reload .44 mag and/or .45LC for the same price as .22lr.

All four of those are a whale of lot easier to find components for than it is to find .22lr.

I haven't seen any .22lr on a shelf on months and months.
 
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I'm getting ready to go to the first meeting. I'm bringing my Remington model 514 instead of my 10/22 because I shoot it the best. Wish me luck guys. I think I might stick with it.
 
I shot my 10/22 instead and I kinda enjoyed it. All shots were on paper at 25 feet. Had 4 flyers, 11 in the black and 5 on the white in the circle. I did pretty badly compared to the other people. We shot prone, sitting, kneeling, and standing. I did the worst standing. I'll post pictures if possible.
 
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