Question for Mature shooters.

[Not The Brightest Bulb]

As one of the more mature shooters here, not that far from 80, I will say the tripod will become your new best friend. Also you could not have found a better forum to watch your back. Just ask and somebody will jump on with the needed help/info etc.

[cherokee]

You guys are lucky to make it to 60...or 50 for that matter.  I am 49 and can't hold up even the lightest of guns and expect to hit paper anymore.  Too much metal in my body and that caused some nerve damage on my left side.

I do most of my shooting from a rest.  I can still sit on the ground, but can't go prone as my head lacks that range of motion, but bottom line start shooting from a rest, it really is fun you just have to change what you want to get out of shooting.....if you can't change then it is time for a new hobby I am sad to say.  I lost motorcycles, and really can't shoot an firearms matches anymore...we just have to move on.

[N6CRV]

Wow, thanks for the encouraging replies. Sure is nice to see I'm not alone. I will be using a rest and not feel bad about it. It has been 7 years since I was last into shooting and that was with handguns. I friend gave me a old B3-2 and I was hooked . This is so much cheaper then trying to find .22LR shells and more fun. I don't drink Coffee but a lot of ice tea. I think I will also try shooting with my oxygen on more and see if that helps can't hurt. Have a great time shooting and thanks for making a person not feel alone or "old"
Don
 

[Rex]

At 76, you all look like kiddies to me (smile and remember the good old days).  Lots of practical advice given by the "been there, done that" crowd.  All I can add is relax, use a light grip and focus on the follow through.  Control your breathing and develop a repeatable pattern between sight pattern and trigger pull, even the best shooters have some movement (especially offhand).  Light trigger action and a relatively heavy rifle/pistol will help.  Grip the rifle at the balance point for the minimum movement.  Pretty much basic stuff, but it all adds up.  Good luck and hang in there.

[N6CRV]

At 76, you all look like kiddies to me (smile and remember the good old days).  Lots of practical advice given by the "been there, done that" crowd.  All I can add is relax, use a light grip and focus on the follow through.  Control your breathing and develop a repeatable pattern between sight pattern and trigger pull, even the best shooters have some movement (especially offhand).  Light trigger action and a relatively heavy rifle/pistol will help.  Grip the rifle at the balance point for the minimum movement.  Pretty much basic stuff, but it all adds up.  Good luck and hang in there.

Don't have to worry Rex, I'm hanging in there. I thought I would of been in the more mature group. But it looks like I might not be that aged yet at all LOL. It is also nice as I can shoot in the back yard here in town. I'm on our City Council and a couple years ago a couple members wanted to outlaw BB, pellet and Bows in the City. Well that was not going to happen. If I had to talk all night LOL. Kids need to be able to shoot BB guns. We have a lot of Bow hunters and they need to get a little practice in the Fall. Well it is still OK to shoot in town. Good thing some don't know the power we can now get out of Air Guns. So I have been having a lot of fun. Now will try the things to help with my shaking. Kind of feel like a kid again, you know that is a nice feeling!!
Don
 

[scrane]

If you're not looking for trophies concentrate on having fun, rather than stressing on some arbitrary standard of accuracy.
Try using aperture sights. The unity magnification factor will cut down your perceived shake and will improve your confidence and enjoyment.
Start using that age old arbitrary standard of accuracy: the pop can. Set it out to twenty yards and start shooting. If you can't hit it set it at 15! Once you can hit it keep it dancing until you can't hit it no more. Repeat as necessary.
Don't worry. Be happy.

[Joeryan]

I'm 64, and am starting to notice the shakes. All my rifle shooting now requires some form of support, most often the side of a tree or branch. But, the biggest improvement came when I bought a hatsan 135 that weighs-in at 11.5 lbs scoped. It's tougher to tote around, but my aim, even off-hand, has greatly improved.

[Booger]

I'm 64, and am starting to notice the shakes. All my rifle shooting now requires some form of support, most often the side of a tree or branch. But, the biggest improvement came when I bought a hatsan 135 that weighs-in at 11.5 lbs scoped. It's tougher to tote around, but my aim, even off-hand, has greatly improved.

The weight of a heavy gun makes me shake more. Then again I am only 5'5" & 155#.

[jus Tom]

I too relate with the issues of aging, I'm 62 and not in the condition I once was. Both rotator cuffs have tears, doctors say they can't assure me any better motion or outcome from surgery,, so I get cortisone injections (maybe once a year) when they really start "screaming" and that helps.
It was mentioned in an earlier post about losing muscle mass....that is absolutely true, seems I don't look much past the keyboard for any strenuous activity anymore !  I take care of what needs to be taken care of outside,, but just don't look for anything that needs fixin' if it ain't broken.

Most any of the quality springer air rifles are fairly heavy, I've been using my home-made shooting sticks for sniping critter shots. I used to snow ski and had some sets of poles around, they make great shooting sticks for seated shooting,, grips removed, drilled and bolted together at proper height making the X and removal of the bottom basket/flange for folding together.

As for my eyesight, I wear glasses, with a tri-focal, many changes over the past few years. One thing I did notice with scopes..... my eyes work best with Nikon products. I've owned and sold Weaver and Clearidge, can't make myself pay for a Leupold so I don't know 'bout those.
I don't know if it's the lens coating Nikon uses or what,, but I have more Nikons mounted on my long guns than anything, couple of BSA air gun scopes which do what they're supposed to....but I'm always watching for deals on the ProStaff EFR 

[jfrey]

 I put the heaviest muzzle break I could find on my springer.    The shakes have "softer" edges now, more like a sway.    It's easier for me to anticipate when a sway is going to bring my cross hairs across the target.  Almost like leading a moving target except I'm the one moving.  Rifle weighs a lot now but I don't carry it in the field, just use if to punch paper and plink so the weight is OK.    Before I bought the muzzle break I used zip ties to fasten two steel bars onto the font sight just to experiment with different weights and effects.   Oh and scotch helps too.

[lefteyeshot]

I've also noticed the longer i've been outside shooting, an hour or so away from the coffee pot and smoking less. And I get more in the mood or mode or zone or zen or just plain relaxed the better it gets. But the gold is just to shoot a little better this week than last week. Shooting in the prone is out. I've got metal plates holding my ribs together and the prone position hurts to distraction.

[josixpack]

Was not sure how to put the question and did not want to say "old" . I'm getting into the mature range 60+. My question is how the heck do you adapt for the shaking? It seems like I have shakes that I never knew I had. I have been trying to pull the trigger between them but hope there is a better way. It might just be something we have to put up with. It bothers me when I can have a friend check my rifle and he can stack the pellets and I try and I get a 1/2 dollar size group. Thanks for any help.
Don

For rifle shooting have you tried a sling or maybe the Hasty Sling method?  Some say they are useless and produce less accurate results but it seems to stabilize the gun some for me when I've tried it.  Although, I've only tried the Hasty Sling method.

http://loungecdn.luckygunner.com/lounge/media/hasty-sling-1.jpg

[badbitbucket]

...try not drinking as much coffee...

Switch to single malt

Seriously though, I'm 53 and I don't think I shake yet, but I can't hold my Venom steady, simply because of its weight. So I always rest and never feel inferior because of it. Snipers use a rest, and every skilled hunter I know uses a rest if they can find one adequate.

Off hand is a fun challenge for me with a lightweight powder burner, but I don't even bother to try with the Venom. well, ok, occasionally I have to try, but I stop trying after about 3 shots. And they will all be misses.

[jenora]

From your avatar it looks like you might be shooting pistols. I cannot help you there.

However, for rifles, I got some good advice from a HFT shooter here in Georgia named Walt; another geezer gunner like you and me. I'm 70 this past month.

He, and now I, do what he called "drive_by" shots on off hand and kneeling lanes. At or age, holding steady is harder than moving, so to overcome the shakes we use deliberate, intentional movement to engage all the eye/muscle coordination we have left. I am best when I sweep the target from lower left to upper right. That took some trial and error to determine by sweeping across from all different directions.

We both do HFT so we can use a seat and bipod to be stable on all non-forced lanes. I don't have trouble with the bipod if I control my breathing and CO2 and O2 levels. And don't squeeze the hands or posture muscles. Hope this helps.

[N6CRV]

From your avatar it looks like you might be shooting pistols. I cannot help you there.

However, for rifles, I got some good advice from a HFT shooter here in Georgia named Walt; another geezer gunner like you and me. I'm 70 this past month.

He, and now I, do what he called "drive_by" shots on off hand and kneeling lanes. At or age, holding steady is harder than moving, so to overcome the shakes we use deliberate, intentional movement to engage all the eye/muscle coordination we have left. I am best when I sweep the target from lower left to upper right. That took some trial and error to determine by sweeping across from all different directions.

We both do HFT so we can use a seat and bipod to be stable on all non-forced lanes. I don't have trouble with the bipod if I control my breathing and CO2 and O2 levels. And don't squeeze the hands or posture muscles. Hope this helps.

Hello, That is just my 1911a1. The trouble is with the rifles. I think I did just what you wrote today. I used a rest and that helped, but did not stay on the target trying to hold still. I kind of swept into it and once there pulled the trigger. It is working a lot better then I would of thought. I have empty CO2 cartridges that I drilled a hole in and strung on a wire. They are out about 10 yards and was hitting them about 90%. Was surprised how much they get destroyed getting hit with pellets. The .22 does a real number on them. I will keep working on getting on target and letting it go. It has been a real pleasure getting all the help!!!! Thanks to all that have replied.
Don
 

[Frank in Fairfield]

Don,
You use the term "Shakes" when I think you mean swaying.
Everybody sways.
You just squeeze slowly and keep the swaying going.
You will do fine.
I am 69.
We shoot offhand at our FT matches.
Sometimes I get them all, sometimes I don't.
But you must practice.
At step #1.
Big bullseye from 5 yards, 10 yards, 15 yards.
Then use a smaller target at 5, 10, 15, etc.
The swaying is in your head.
Trust me it can be done.
Aim small hit small.
Aim for the middle of the bull, not the bull.
Aim for a single hair on the squirrel, not the squirrel.
Aim for the rat's eye, well, you get the picture.
Shoot every day.
Practice looking small.
When you look at a stop sign mentally aim at the hole in the "O".
Practice, practice.
Shoot our monthly contests here on the GTA.
Good luck....

[mpbby]

Quoting Scrane:"If you're not looking for trophies concentrate on having fun, rather than stressing on some arbitrary standard of accuracy."

With the above wisdom always in mind (I keep trying), also be alert to the several other potential stress causes.  For instance, air gun maintenance, inconsistent accuracy (when you thought "everything" was right),..

Maybe you enjoy this -

[SAWHOSS]

I suffered a near fatal stroke 2 years ago. So struggling with motor skills associated from that provides me with plenty of shaking. The BULB, BUBBA, and I shoot from stands that I built and that lets me time the squeezing of the trigger between the shakes and wobbles.  BULB and I are still amazed at how steady the young teenager is. Not a shake or wobble to be seen. What I would give to have that back. Shooting with the BULB 6 days a week has been some great therapy and has actually helped me regain the use of my one hand. loading can still be a little tricky at times. However I never give up and I must say airgunning is a rewarding hobby. Watching BUBBA shoot the eyeballs out of things and kicking the snot out of BULB and I is the most rewarding of all. I am a couple years shy of 50 and I was one heatbeat away from not getting to enjoy that experience. Bubba has been shooting since he was 5 years old. I'd say its time for him to teach me how to shoot.     

[Sfttailrdr46]

  My wife and personal nurse just completed her LPN to RN last August and Passed the New York state Nursing Boards exam last Oct 2013. She is now working an over night 12.5 hr shift and taking a full time online BSN from Kaplan University. Long story at times I help her with some of the research online for the classes she is taking and I have learned a few things about human physiology along the way. One of the things that I have learned is that people with brain trauma  recover and much of the recovery is the brain rewiring itself. My dad's mother had a stroke at 39 y/o and had to learn to do almost everything . I never knew this until she passed and my aunt commented that she was always a fighter and had regained everything after her stroke . Don't give up on yourself I also learned along time ago that most often we set our own limits. Enjoy the Bulb he is not as dim as he pretends to be

 Bulb are you still riding that Road King?

[Bicycleman]

I was fussing and moaning because I had no shoes.  Then I met a man who had no feet.

HOSS, you are an inspiration to us.  You rock!