All good points. I normally don't put much faith in group-shooting, except to understand my ammo and my rifle. When I get away from the bench and lay down on the ground, it's a whole 'nuther story. The only guy I shoot against is myself. Occasionally, I shoot against the deer on my hunting lease, but that's another story entirely.
Recently, I joined a
local pistol club to help me with my handgun shooting. There are some fairly impressive pistol shooters there who are dedicated to the race-gun hobby and take it seriously. There are also guys like me who'd like to spend Saturday morning burning some powder, flinging a little lead downrange, and enjoying the company of like-minded people. It's a little thing to join the club, to help the people who run the club, and have a little fun while shooting. In short, I shoot for other reasons than the some of the guys who come to those shoots. They shoot to win, and that's great. I shoot to have fun, and that's great too. As long as I don't embarrass myself, or get DQ'd, I'm having a ball. And incidentally, my pistol craft is improving.
But, when I put my belly in the grass, sling up the rifle, and settle into my breathing, it's just me and the target. I don't care if there is one person there, or a hundred. It's just me, the rifle, and the target. I haven't yet found a better way to spend the day.