I have mentioned before I had some elders and mentors, I listened. Granted I had to "test" some ideas ,after all being a whippersnapper at the time I knew everything - just ask me.
Damned old farts,with their smirky grins.
I was fortunate that I when was wrong I admitted it, and these folks shook my hand and smiled. Understanding - because they had done the same darned thing. They did share arguing with a Drill Sargent or a Gunny was still unwise tho' - not recommended I find out for myself.
I had time and money. No Internet , no cable TV, didn't much care for TV anyway. I worked, read books, attended plays and when a good action flick hit the movie house - I went.
I'd buy the rest of the inventory of ammo I wanted from Mom & Pop gun stores and bait shops retiring. I reloaded and "experimented" with stuff in shotshell loads. I blew up some guns...err...I tested metallury and actions.
So it was not uncommon for me to spend the day and shoot 100 slugs to bust up a rock "out yonder". I wanted the stamina for other stuff, I was the idiot that shot 300 slugs in one day, made some headway on that rock too.
Run through a case of 10 boxes of buckshot - because I wanted to. Six rounds of skeet was no big deal as far as stamina and recoil - I was conditioned.
Old farm houses and barns that were scheduled to be razed - I used as testing areas. A 55 gal drum of frozen water is a neat target to shoot slugs / buckshot at - I was making a burn barrel and shooting it seemed a whole lot less work that hammering a screwdriver into the darn thing. Work Smarter- not harder I say.
I shot at old wrecked cars, with permission, I wanted to know. A .38spl for instance most likely will richochet off the sloping back glass, buckshot will depending on distance, a 30-30, '06 and a slug won't .
I'd get a call about rabid critters and I was there. I wanted to know what worked and what didn't. I also wanted the experience on moving targets - this might come in handy for some serious situation later on in life.
Ruark was right by golly when he wrote use enough gun and to shoot twice. Have 100+ pound rabid dog of some mix, but the Doberman gene is obvious -come at you full bore, buckshot did NOT stop him with 2 good hit, didn't even turn him. I turned tail and ran to the bed of a truck - to gain distance, two rounds of hardball stopped him .
The next time I was faced with a situation like this, there were two dogs, each went down with the first slug, I shot each again- Figured Ruark was right about the "enough gun" part, he must know something about the "shoot twice part.
I learned first hand about reliabilty with a pack of rabid dogs. I was carrying someone else's 1911, one that had been "customized" and shooting some "new loadings. Well the load sucked, it didn't go where aimed,and damn sure didn't stop. Forget "Tap, Rack, Bang" , I dropped that gun and used my Combat Commander with 230 grain hardball. I tripped over brush and went down and mags do NOT drop up, forget the fancy stuff you hear, snatch that mag out , slap another one in and shoot...I don't like the view of a 80 # snarling rabid mutt about to pounce on my head when I am on my back and I see this about to happen coming from behind.
I made a vow to never carry a gun for defence again I didn't know the loads or reliability of - I haven't since.
Shot placement requires the firearm runs and hits where aimed. I made another vow to myself. Reliablitly of firearm and loads in that gun coupled with POA/ POI was my priority - otherwise the shot placement part was NOT going to happen.
I keep it simple because I learned from experiences . I put in my "time" be it for play or curiousity. Beat the hell out of watching TV.
darn 
