OK, for shooters the biathalon has to be the best Olympic sport, right?

[tac]

I think 6 million in 65 million is less than one gun per person, but you're right, i haven't met the right people in the UK. Again, back to the education side, so many people have no idea about that so much contributes and goes on there. And you have to have a bunch of money you can assign to it there

Yes, i'd love to see them, link to the channel? anything, i'm always interested.

Actually, I wrote one shotgun for every eleven people. I'm not counting rifled firearms, but you can do the math yourself.

To tell the truth, most people here don't give a rat's *** about shooting, and that's the truth, unless it's either a sporting success, like our former world champion junior gal becoming the world champion shotgunner, or George Digweed winning the wolrd title for the 21st time in succession - or, less funny, some nutter going on a shooting spree like they do in the USA. Here in UK we've had three such sad events in recorded modern history...whereas......

However, this is not the place to say how wonderful it is over here, it isn't, and we all know it isn't. But it isn't THAT bad either, bearing in mind just how bad it could really be, with no privately-owned firearms of any kind like there are in many countries.

As for education, I don't go out of my way to inform the general population of my particular interest, but I will, if asked. As I noted before, the general public don't care about shooting sports. As for being costy, please advise me what technology-driven sport isn't? Have you bought a decent compound bow recently? Sure, you CAN spend thousands on your shooting, but my last rifle cost me just £25 to save from the gun-club scrapheap.

My channel is called tac's guns on Youtube. I also play with live steam trains here and over in Oregon and Washington - full-size and model. That's on tac's trains.

tac

 

[F2CMaDMaXX]

Thanks for the info, i'll check it out.

I was saying that you mentioned 11 guns/shotguns/etc for each person, maybe my maths are completely wrong, but i worked it out (the shotguns at least) to being just under one per person?


You're right about the nutter streaks, and, well, 314 million people Vs 65 million does factor, and, well as you've been over here, you should have started to garner that between the crazy *** medical culture they have here, pimping drugs over tv commercials, and that GM food we all saw news about 20 years ago, that never really happened in the UK?

Started noticing lately, that it continued over here, people are massively intolerant to many foodstuffs. GM food is more the norm, than the exception, it's really bad here High fructose corn syrup, mildly addictive, very unhealthy, very cheap, substituted into foods here that are common to both countries. I'm honestly not surprised they have so many really crazy outbursts It's very sad

Anyway, sorry, back on topic, i wish that both countries would care about shooting sports in general, it's very odd how they shy away from any coverage compared to other sports.

 

[tac]

Six million shotguns - sixty-six million people = 1 shotgun per eleven people.

I'd better get off this now, else raise the ire of the Mods, so PM me and I'll send you some pics. Apart from my Super Redhawk, my most modern gun is my Krico 650SS+ Nightforce NSX, most other stuff varies from 120 years up to the middle 80's.

tac

PS - I love the Swiss schtuff - got three of 'em, me.

 

[40calruler]

Date Time Event Stage
Feb 08 9:30 AM ET (M) 10km Sprint Final
Feb 09 9:30 AM ET (W) 7.5km Sprint Final
Feb 10 10:00 AM ET (M) 12.5km Pursuit Final
Feb 11 10:00 AM ET (W) 10km Pursuit Final
Feb 13 9:00 AM ET (M) 20km Individual Final
Feb 14 9:00 AM ET (W) 15km Individual Final
Feb 16 10:00 AM ET (M) 15km Mass Start Final
Feb 17 10:00 AM ET (W) 12.5km Mass Start Final
Feb 19 9:30 AM ET (X) 2x6km+2x7.5km Relay Final
Feb 21 9:30 AM ET (W) 4x6km Relay Final
Feb 22 9:30 AM ET (M) 4x7.5km Relay Final

If you have comcast/xfinity on demand and sign into your account online you can play any event that has happened yet. It just says watch on TV and you click on that and it starts on demand on your tv....Pretty cool since you do not have to worry about seeing it right on time live. probably can get it through normal on demand on the tv as well but it is listed easier on your comp

 

[RicInOR]

@TAC - sorry mate. I was going from information in the news papers, and stuff broadcast during the last Olympics. And of course from Jezza, the Hamster, and Capt. Slow.


"But, on the other hand, the strict regulations have done nothing to stop the trade in illegal guns. The weapon Reeve used was, after all, a handgun, which no one has been allowed to own in this country since 1997 – not even the British Olympic pistol shooting team, which has to train in Switzerland."

UK gun owners - Telegraph

And for an understanding of which is Britain, Great Britain etc .. .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNu8XDBSn10

 

[tac]

The UK pistol team was given dispensation to train here in UK in the short time leading up to the games, that's all. Of course, they COULD go over to Northern Ireland to train - a part of the UK where handguns are NOT prohibited, but it's not so spiffy as Switzerland, I guess.

Anyhow, regular handguns ARE able to be licensed and kept at home under the provisions of a special license, but they cannot be fired. Another version of the same license means that they CAN be shot, but them they, and their ammunition, have to be stored at one of six or seven locations in England, and 'visited' there, where they can be fired under strict supervision [yeah right]. Having commanded troops, there is no way on earth that I'm going to stand and shoot my own guns while some spotty yoof makes sure I don't get up to anything mischievous.

I get my CARTRIDGE-FIRING regular-style pistol shooting [apart from BP, and I do a LOT of that, as well as the freaky-looking long-barrelled revolvers] when I visit with friends in OR.

tac

 

[40calruler]

The UK pistol team was given dispensation to train here in UK in the short time leading up to the games, that's all. Of course, they COULD go over to Northern Ireland to train - a part of the UK where handguns are NOT prohibited, but it's not so spiffy as Switzerland, I guess.

Anyhow, regular handguns ARE able to be licensed and kept at home under the provisions of a special license, but they cannot be fired. Another version of the same license means that they CAN be shot, but them they, and their ammunition, have to be stored at one of six or seven locations in England, and 'visited' there, where they can be fired under strict supervision [yeah right]. Having commanded troops, there is no way on earth that I'm going to stand and shoot my own guns while some spotty yoof makes sure I don't get up to anything mischievous.

I get my CARTRIDGE-FIRING regular-style pistol shooting [apart from BP, and I do a LOT of that, as well as the freaky-looking long-barrelled revolvers] when I visit with friends in OR.

tac

Sometimes there is nothing more fun than an insanely long barreled revolver.

 

[3MTA3]

I do like the biathelon, and I'm always a bit surprised that it isn't bigger in the US. As much as I like it, it is not my favorite Olympic sport. That crown falls to women's beach volleyball (summer) and women's speed skating (winter).

 

[tac]

Athletic gals in tight lycra and guns! What's not to like?

For those of you who would like to try it but lack the $3000+ for that spiffy Anschutz Fortner-action rifle, do what I did - get a Browning T-bolt and a handful of five-round magazines instead and still have $2500 left for ammunition. Assuming that you already have skis, of course.

Over in the Nordic countries, during the lack of snow period they laffingly refer to as summer, they all practice either on roller blades or mountain bikes, and with air rifles. In Russia they also do it in the winter with recurve bows - called ski pursuit.

Athletic gals in tight lycra with bows.....even better............................

tac

 

[Martini_Up]

I totally lost interest when they changed over to the .22cal Fortner-actioned 'toy' guns. To me, Biathlon was always about a MILITARY skill required for that type of environment.

Agreed.

 

[Sstrand]

3MTA3
Be VERY careful when you type Beach Volley ball . . . heh . . . Heh . . . HEH

Sheldon

 

[Phillyfan]

For the guys that poo-poo this sport because they shoot .22, you are totally missing the point. They could be shooting sling shots, or bows for all I care. The point is the challenge of shooting with your body and mind being under so much stress, to me. In fact, I think bow biathlon would be even more fun to watch. As a bow, hunter I know how hard it is not to have to "chase the bull" after climbing a steep hill before a shot. Sights move up and down with each breath, and holding it makes it worse! Adrenaline, fatigue, thin air at altitude all work against you. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is hold off until your body is ready to take a responsible shot, but these guys don't get that opportunity.

They have to condition themselves to get all these things under control, adjust as necessary, and perform.

All due respect to those that have had to face combat, but I think this and maybe three gun would be the closest shooting sports to it, as far as physically and mentally challenging. Of course in both the major variable (fear) is left out. Full disclosure, though I served I was lucky enough to not have to be in combat (served between wars/conflicts), so I can only guess.

 

[Phillyfan]

I really hope none of you who have had to be in combat don't take offense to me comparing those sports to what you had to deal with. My point was only that, if I were to guess, these two sporting events would be the closest challenge to shooting ability that one would face in that scenario. Again, that is only the guess of a guy who was lucky enough not to know for sure. I defer, respectfully, to any of your opinions.

 

[Phillyfan]

Man, ever post something and instantly feel like an ***?

 

[tac]

Biathlon developed from the Nordic nations' need to practice cross-country skiing and shooting as a military skillset. A look at the Finnish Winter War would show you the benefit of this practice where a handful of Finns skied themselves into the history books and slaughtered the invading Red Army in their thousands.

And the change-over from military skill to an amateur 'anybody' can do it sport using a highly-developed .22LR rifle and NOT the service sniping rifle of the nation were what 'lost it for me'.

Sure, as I've mentioned elsewhere, it can actually be enjoyed using a bow, as is very common in Belarus, for instance, if you watch it on Youtube, or on roller blades using an airgun when there ain't not snow.

Here in UK, a small group of us in our club take a three mile circuitous bike-ride, leap off and straight onto the 25m firing point to shoot - three times, to make it a bit harder.......

tac

 

[alphapygmy]

 

[206thsense]

The Firearm Blog had a nice little write-up about the history of the sport:

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2014/02/12/military-roots-olympic-biathlon/

 

[redhippie]

I would think the summer shooting sports is more relevant. Everything from trap, pistol, rifle, etc. would be cool to see IDPA