why do people spend all day shooting their high powered rifles at 25 yards?

coldbeer · October 22, 2012, 12:10 PM

I went to the shooting range yesterday hoping to shoot my handguns and ended up waiting almost two hours to shoot. I understand hunting season is approaching and I expected it to be busy, but I didn't expect the 25 yard section to be full of people shooting rifles all day when theur is plenty of open slots at 50 and 100 yards. Maybe I'm missing something but other than zeroing your scope which takes 5 minutes what's the point of shooting rifles at such a close range? I'm not talking 22lr either, these were all high power rifles. I'm just curious I don't mean to come off as a dick.

Double Naught Spy · October 22, 2012, 12:22 PM

Okay, why didn't you spend all day shooting at 50 and 100 with your pistols? If you can shoot 25 with a pistol then you can shoot 50 pretty well. What a great opportunity to learn about holdover!

As for the hunters, they are sighting in their rifles. They do it at 25 for a lot of reasons, but I think mostly because they can't do it at greater ranges (inexperience). They probably also have issues with getting properly sighted in such that what should take 5-10 minutes will end up taking more than an hour, assuming nothing is wrong with the setup. If something isn't right with the setup (canted scope, loose rings, etc.), they could be there all day long to figure things out.

Of course, they could just be having fun, just like you wanted to have.

coldbeer · October 22, 2012, 12:27 PM

They don't let you shoot anywhere but 25 yards at this particular range with a handgun I don't know why . I apalogize if I got your panties in a wad I said I wasn't trying to be a dick.

amd6547 · October 22, 2012, 12:36 PM

Not the kind of language I'm used to here.

Metal god · October 22, 2012, 02:50 PM

I agree , If there were lanes open at the longer range thats where they should have been . Especially when you can't shoot hand guns at the longer range . The big range may have been full when they got there . If so as the lanes opened up they should have moved only cus of the hand gun rules . Im sure all the people that attend that range know thats the pistol range .

Now that being said . the big out door range I go to has 4 ranges . shotgun , pistol 25yds , 100yd all guns alowed you can set targets from 5 feet to 50yd then 100yds and a 300yd range all guns alowed fixed targets at 50 , 100 , 200 and 300 yds. The problem is they are all at least 200yds apart and you can not the shooting areas from one to the next . Its hard to give up your spot not knowing if there is another one available .

In short If I was forst to shoot at the 25yd range cus that was all that was open . If I was unable to see if lanes opened up on the other range Im not sure I would have moved .

Art Eatman · October 22, 2012, 03:24 PM

This is one of those "Why?" questions which appear to have no answer. So let's not specutlate.

October 22, 2012, 12:10 PM	#1
coldbeer Junior member Join Date: February 21, 2012 Location: Woodhaven MI Posts: 477	why do people spend all day shooting their high powered rifles at 25 yards? I went to the shooting range yesterday hoping to shoot my handguns and ended up waiting almost two hours to shoot. I understand hunting season is approaching and I expected it to be busy, but I didn't expect the 25 yard section to be full of people shooting rifles all day when theur is plenty of open slots at 50 and 100 yards. Maybe I'm missing something but other than zeroing your scope which takes 5 minutes what's the point of shooting rifles at such a close range? I'm not talking 22lr either, these were all high power rifles. I'm just curious I don't mean to come off as a dick.

October 22, 2012, 12:22 PM	#2
Double Naught Spy Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2001 Location: Forestburg, Montague Cnty, TX Posts: 12,717	Okay, why didn't you spend all day shooting at 50 and 100 with your pistols? If you can shoot 25 with a pistol then you can shoot 50 pretty well. What a great opportunity to learn about holdover! As for the hunters, they are sighting in their rifles. They do it at 25 for a lot of reasons, but I think mostly because they can't do it at greater ranges (inexperience). They probably also have issues with getting properly sighted in such that what should take 5-10 minutes will end up taking more than an hour, assuming nothing is wrong with the setup. If something isn't right with the setup (canted scope, loose rings, etc.), they could be there all day long to figure things out. Of course, they could just be having fun, just like you wanted to have. __________________ "If you look through your scope and see your shoe, aim higher." -- said to me by my 11 year old daughter before going out for hogs 8/13/2011 My Hunting Videos https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange

October 22, 2012, 12:27 PM	#3
coldbeer Junior member Join Date: February 21, 2012 Location: Woodhaven MI Posts: 477	They don't let you shoot anywhere but 25 yards at this particular range with a handgun I don't know why . I apalogize if I got your panties in a wad I said I wasn't trying to be a dick. Last edited by coldbeer; October 22, 2012 at 12:38 PM.

October 22, 2012, 12:36 PM	#4
amd6547 Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2006 Posts: 2,313	Not the kind of language I'm used to here. __________________ The past is gone...the future may never happen. Be Here Now.

October 22, 2012, 02:50 PM	#5
Metal god Senior Member Join Date: April 10, 2012 Location: San Diego CA Posts: 6,875	I agree , If there were lanes open at the longer range thats where they should have been . Especially when you can't shoot hand guns at the longer range . The big range may have been full when they got there . If so as the lanes opened up they should have moved only cus of the hand gun rules . Im sure all the people that attend that range know thats the pistol range . Now that being said . the big out door range I go to has 4 ranges . shotgun , pistol 25yds , 100yd all guns alowed you can set targets from 5 feet to 50yd then 100yds and a 300yd range all guns alowed fixed targets at 50 , 100 , 200 and 300 yds. The problem is they are all at least 200yds apart and you can not the shooting areas from one to the next . Its hard to give up your spot not knowing if there is another one available . In short If I was forst to shoot at the 25yd range cus that was all that was open . If I was unable to see if lanes opened up on the other range Im not sure I would have moved . __________________ If Jesus had a gun , he'd probably still be alive ! I almost always write my posts regardless of content in a jovial manor and intent . If that's not how you took it , please try again .

October 22, 2012, 03:24 PM	#6
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	This is one of those "Why?" questions which appear to have no answer. So let's not specutlate.