These days I find Shooting is becoming more a social than purely competitive outing. Having the experience of FT and HFT beginnings whether one is or was harder , you can only shoot that which is set out for you.
Club days at Markyate or the beginnings of the competition circuit soon showed the standard required against the more accomplished shooters, you achieved this or made the numbers up. I don't think the groups were that much better then than now, especially HW77 at 55yds,that is taking into account at practice you were always shooting for pellet on pellet ( sometimes it happens ) but clover leafing seemed to be the norm.
Distance judgement is probably the most crucial element in high scores and probably the first to fail you!
HERX77 .