Sameer Ambekar, from a gold medal winner in the Manchester Commonwealth Games of 2002 to former international medalist, moves onto the professional shooting scene with a unique twist on the traditional route. Ambekar chose guns over butter: while most of his contemporaries became national coaches, he decided to work as an armourer for the National Rifle Association of India. His job is critical to ensuring that India’s top shooters have good weapons when they go to Paris.
In shooting, the right weapon has always been indispensable for good results. With the increase of marksmanship, the significance of gunsmiths and their knowledge about weapon settings has become more and more important. Ambekar’s work involves subtle adjustments to a variety of aspects in rifles, including weight distribution and barrel selection. These have a big impact on a shooter’s performance.
Sameer Ambekar, a former gold medal winner at the Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2002, has taken a unique path in the professional shooting world. Instead of becoming a national coach like his peers, Ambekar has chosen to work as an armourer for the National Rifle Association of India.
His role is crucial in ensuring that India’s top shooters have well-functioning weapons when they compete in Paris. In the realm of shooting, having the right weapon is essential for achieving good results. As marksmanship continues to advance, the expertise of gunsmiths and their understanding of weapon adjustments have become increasingly important. Ambekar’s responsibilities include making subtle modifications to various aspects of rifles, such as weight distribution and barrel selection, which significantly impact a shooter’s performance.
Ambekar Knowledge as Gunsmith
Sameer Ambekar’s move from competitive shooting to gunsmithing began after a problem in 2003 with a new rifle. This crisis made him realize how important it is for a rifle to be properly adjusted. In 2011, Ambekar, together with Olympic medalist Gagan Narang, joined Guns for Glory. This allowed him to visit the Walther factory in Germany. There, Ambekar acquired valuable knowledge not only about rifle parts but also about repair techniques–skills particularly useful for Indian athletes as access to European resources is often restricted.
Currently Ambekar does not specialize in any single task, but handles a wide range of different subjects. Ambekar’s association with Guns for Glory and his visit to the Walther factory in Germany alongside Gagan Narang in 2011 enriched his knowledge in rifle parts and repair techniques. This knowledge is especially valuable for Indian athletes due to restricted access to European resources.
Presently, Sameer possesses a diverse skill set and takes on various responsibilities within Indian shooting, including rifle modification and customization. He has many responsibilities at the top levels of Indian shooting: for example, he is in charge of such things as rifle modification and customization. Quite often, a quick solution for an on-the-spot problem is required. Thus, when Elavenil’s rifle broke before an event,he was able to repair it even though there were no parts kicking about in the area.
Ambekar recently collaborated with Sandeep Singh, who outperformed World Championship gold medalist Rudrankksh Patil in the Paris Olympic Trials. Singh’s improved performance can be partly attributed to weapon upgrades made during a visit to Walther in Germany. Ambekar guided Singh through this process, and emphasized the importance of necessary changes to the weapon.
Set to turn over their guns every two months in top-class athletes’ routine, the gunsmith recently had a twenty-million-rupiah pair donated by a well-wisher. This token was in recognition of their work behind a special Indian army sniper unit of twenty men–many of whom are elite athletes who already have weapons serviced by Ambekar.
Singh’s improved performance can be partly attributed to weapon upgrades made during a visit to Walther in Germany. Ambekar guided Singh through this process, and emphasized the importance of necessary changes to the weapon. Set to turn over their guns every two months in top-class athletes’ routine, the gunsmith recently had a twenty-million-rupiah pair donated by a well-wisher.
This token was in recognition of their work behind a special Indian army sniper unit of twenty men–many of whom are elite athletes who already have weapons serviced by Ambekar. The largest ever delegation of Indian shooters, all 21, will take part in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Ambekar is busier than ever before. He emphasizes the builder’s attention which is needed for a successful effort in his sport: even beneath a point is significant.
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