Is competition shooting pay to win?  Can you buy your way into the winner’s circle?

I had to give this article/question a healthy amount of consideration before I could put pen to paper. I’m sure some of my brain wires are no longer intact. I know, tell me something that isn’t obvious. This one may ruffle some feathers, but I assure you it is not on purpose.

It would be nice if the answer were a simple yes or no, but that’s not the case. So is competition shooting pay to win? I would say it depends. Let’s tear this open and see what we can discover.

At its most basic level, the answer would be no. You have to be a good shooter and possess the necessary skill sets regardless of anything else. You have to learn to be a good shooter—not something you can buy. I have seen shooters show up at matches with a bone-stock Savage rifle and do exceptionally well. That’s like trying to win a foot race on crutches.

If you have an inexperienced shooter with their finger on the trigger, it’s like giving a teenager the keys to your new Porsche. They might drive well for a time, but eventually, your insurance agent is going to get an unpleasant phone call.

You have to be able to drive like a shooter needs to be able to shoot.

I know what you’re going to say: “I have witnessed inexperienced shooters with high-end gear (most likely not theirs) show up at a match and do well.” No, your eyes didn’t betray you, but you need to ask yourself these questions.

Did the wind blow without remorse?

Did that person engineer the ammo and set up the rifle?

Did their wealth of experience result in the successful production of a top-notch system?

Chances are the answers to those questions are “nope.” Knowledge and experience are essential for someone to be a successful long-term competitor. Not trying to pay to win.

Now things get a bit complicated. If a shooter has reached the classifications of Master or High Master, the answer to the question is, unfortunately, “yes.” Every shooter who has reached that level is at the top of the game.

All the shooters at the top tier are pretty even in all their abilities. The difference between winning and losing comes down to who makes fewer mistakes. The only way to get an edge, or even keep up, is to make your bank account start to scream. (Ask me how I know!)

The shooters with the best equipment, top-end reloading gear, and knowledge will almost always be in the top five. That’s just how it is.

In closing, purchasing all the best gear will not help if you want to be a successful shooter: “You can have all the money in the world, but Mother Nature isn’t going to hold the door open for you.”

One thing that will genuinely help any shooter that money can’t buy is having a shooting mentor. The knowledge they can hand you will save several years of trial and error. If you want to compete with the best, seek out the best.

I have gained so much knowledge/skills from mentors. I can’t even possibly begin to quantify it. I have dedicated an entire article on this subject called, How to find a Shooting Mentor?

You need patience, practice, and knowledge to be a successful competition shooter. If you think you can pay to win without developing the skills. I sincerely wish you the best of luck.

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