Any Bullseye Shooters?

[Budasac]

I shot my first center fire 900 match last night. I shot in a .22 league last winter and started again this month. We shoot the national match course (typically 2 to 3 relays per person each night). Since the club was having a 900 match last night I figured I'd try it out.

I was shooting a Kimber Custom Target II with iron sights. The course was : 2 Slow fire rounds, National Match Course, 2 Timed Fire, and 2 Rapid Fire.

I scored a 735-11x. Not really sure if that's good or bad?? I usually score around 265/270 on the National Match course with my .22, so it's quite a bit lower then that but it's also .45 and open sights as opposed to a Red Dot on my .22.

Also, I was by far the youngest in the group. It seems there aren't a lot of guys my age (40) who are interested in bullseye. What do you guys think.

Any Bullseye shooters out there? Chime in and share your thoughts, advice, and suggestions. Thanks.

 

[H Richard]

They should be placing you in your class. I don't recall the class scores off the top of my head, but you should be shooting only against those competitors in your appropriate class. I got my old 1993 rule book out, and the classifications are: Master 95% and above; Expert 90% to 94.99%; Sharpshooter 85% to 89.99%; Marksman 85% and below. Your score of 735 is 81.7% so you would be placed in the marksman class. Until you get quite a bit of experience, most shooters start and spend the first many months or years in Marksman depending on how much time they devote to practice. You are shooting near the top of the Marksman class and should your range have sanctioned shoots you would want to be sure your scores are turned in to the NRA and you build to your official NRA classification, It takes a few match's to get a full NRA classification. With the NRA classification you can travel to other clubs for bullseye shoots and compete within your official class. Bullseye shooting is a lot more challenging than many shooters realize, and the "Foundation for all pistol shooting".

 

[NYlakesider]

I shot my first center fire 900 match last night. I shot in a .22 league last winter and started again this month. We shoot the national match course (typically 2 to 3 relays per person each night). Since the club was having a 900 match last night I figured I'd try it out.

I was shooting a Kimber Custom Target II with iron sights. The course was : 2 Slow fire rounds, National Match Course, 2 Timed Fire, and 2 Rapid Fire.

I scored a 735-11x. Not really sure if that's good or bad?? I usually score around 265/270 on the National Match course with my .22, so it's quite a bit lower then that but it's also .45 and open sights as opposed to a Red Dot on my .22.

Also, I was by far the youngest in the group. It seems there aren't a lot of guys my age (40) who are interested in bullseye. What do you guys think.

Any Bullseye shooters out there? Chime in and share your thoughts, advice, and suggestions. Thanks.

I’m glad you are enjoying that aspect of the shooting sports.


When I got my pistol permit (1972) Bulls eye was about the only thing serious pistol shooters shot at my club. So I joined the indoor league and got some good instruction. We had a couple of pistol champs there and they shared their knowledge.

I did it for about a year and to be honest it bored the heck out of me so with what I had learned I did my own shooting outside the league, and that got me a chance to fire much more. When PPC and bowling pin shooting came out we organized a league and I never made it back to Bulls eye.

 

[Smithboomer]

I started out with Bullseye shooting and kept it up for fifteen years. One state championship, a bunch of trophies and many rounds through my trusty High Standard Trophy .22 automatic.

I gave up ten years ago when even a red dot sight wasn't enough for my aging boomer eyes.

I never went back to competition. Bullseye was the best teacher for me.

 

[WhitleyStu]

... Bullseye was the best teacher for me.

I agree with Bullseye being a great teacher. Trigger control, grip, sight picture, stance, and developing the right load for the course are a few skills that are honed participating in Bullseye competition. I shot a M52 and a PC 686 in 50 ft. indoor timed Bullseye for many years. I still practice Bullseye in the backyard and greatly enjoy the time.

 

[Sven]

Indoor Bullseye will start just after Thanksgiving. My club does 600 point .22 matches (no NMC) every Thursday through the winter on a 50 foor range. Center fire is on Wednesday night, but I have other commitments. I can shoot 97 or 98 point targets on Timed and Rapid, but have a hard time breaking 90 on Slow Fire. I have my Expert card, but have yet to shoot a Master score. Still a lot of fun!

Plan to head to AZ in Feb. The local club in Mesa shoots a 900 .22 match every Monday on a 25 yard outdoor range. Makes for a nice change of pace.

With all the Bullseye I shoot, I tend to be slow on our Action Pistol matches in the summer. One of these days I'll figure out how to pick up the pace. It's funny watching a Bullseye shooter with his first misfire during action pistol. They tend to want to raise their hand for an alibi!

 

[Budasac]

They should be placing you in your class. I don't recall the class scores off the top of my head, but you should be shooting only against those competitors in your appropriate class. I got my old 1993 rule book out, and the classifications are: Master 95% and above; Expert 90% to 94.99%; Sharpshooter 85% to 89.99%; Marksman 85% and below. Your score of 735 is 81.7% so you would be placed in the marksman class. Until you get quite a bit of experience, most shooters start and spend the first many months or years in Marksman depending on how much time they devote to practice. You are shooting near the top of the Marksman class and should your range have sanctioned shoots you would want to be sure your scores are turned in to the NRA and you build to your official NRA classification, It takes a few match's to get a full NRA classification. With the NRA classification you can travel to other clubs for bullseye shoots and compete within your official class. Bullseye shooting is a lot more challenging than many shooters realize, and the "Foundation for all pistol shooting".

This was just a friendly club match, so no classes. My club does have NRA 2700 matches every other month or so but, this was just a friendly club match. I wanted to try it since I had never shot a center fire match. It was a good experience though. I usually shoot 3 relays a night for the .22 league but the .45 was a little more tiring. I imagine a 2700 would be a long day of shooting (especially if you're not doing well.)

 

[Budasac]

I’m glad you are enjoying that aspect of the shooting sports.


When I got my pistol permit (1972) Bulls eye was about the only thing serious pistol shooters shot at my club. So I joined the indoor league and got some good instruction. We had a couple of pistol champs there and they shared their knowledge.

I did it for about a year and to be honest it bored the heck out of me so with what I had learned I did my own shooting outside the league, and that got me a chance to fire much more. When PPC and bowling pin shooting came out we organized a league and I never made it back to Bulls eye.

I'm sure I would enjoy other shooting sports as well but here in NJ our options are limited when it comes to ranges and competition. I was lucky enough to find a Bullseye Club nearby (15 minutes away) with reasonable membership fees. I originally joined the .22 league because I went to the club on a Tues to shoot and was told it was closed for league night, so I joined the league. I am enjoying it though. It takes a lot of discipline and gives me a reason to shoot other then just making holes.

 

[Budasac]

With all the Bullseye I shoot, I tend to be slow on our Action Pistol matches in the summer. One of these days I'll figure out how to pick up the pace. It's funny watching a Bullseye shooter with his first misfire during action pistol. They tend to want to raise their hand for an alibi!

That's funny, I could see that. I had to "train" myself not to automatically clear a jamb when I started shooting Bullseye.

 

[NYlakesider]

I'm sure I would enjoy other shooting sports as well but here in NJ our options are limited when it comes to ranges and competition. I was lucky enough to find a Bullseye Club nearby (15 minutes away) with reasonable membership fees. I originally joined the .22 league because I went to the club on a Tues to shoot and was told it was closed for league night, so I joined the league. I am enjoying it though. It takes a lot of discipline and gives me a reason to shoot other then just making holes .

You’re definitely on the right track. I was not knocking you or the sport I just wanted more action. Was a NSSA skeet shooter and enjoyed the game. I read a lot of Jeff Coopers work and wanted to concentrate on the more serious uses of hand gunning. Using the skills I learned shooting Bulls eye I morphed more into an action type shooter and do to circumstances I also started carrying a pistol.



To be a little clearer I live in the people’s republic of upstate NY and after 3 years of fighting for my right I finely got a CCWP issued.

Rest assured NY and NJ politicians share many of the same ideas!

 

[Budasac]

You’re definitely on the right track. I was not knocking you or the sport ...

It wasn't taken that way at all. I got into Bullseye because that's what's available to me locally. I could shoot steel matches once in a while but I would have to drive over an hour each way to shoot for 15 minutes. Still, I'll probably give that a try as well.

 

[DWFAN]

Ah the good old days. Thousands of rounds down the throat of this old gun. Used to shoot a 285 average. Used to. I can still hit minuet of chipmunk.
DW

 

[Stephanie B]

I began shooting Bullseye this year. I have a 22/45 (5.5" target model) with a red dot. I didn't care for the trigger pull at all; so the disconnector is out (Mk.II bushing) and I installed a Volquartsen sear and trigger.

It's nice, now. I broke 800 in a 900 match last month.

 

[Budasac]

I began shooting Bullseye this year. I have a 22/45 (5.5" target model) with a red dot. I didn't care for the trigger pull at all; so the disconnector is out (Mk.II bushing) and I installed a Volquartsen sear and trigger.

It's nice, now. I broke 800 in a 900 match last month.

Nice. Glad your enjoying it. I started with a 22/45 last year as well. They're nice guns. Mine has the trigger and sear and goodies as well.

I switched to the MKIII Competition model toward the end of last season. This one is bone stock. It needs some work: trigger/sear, grips, and fast fire sight off the top of my head.

 

[David R]

Interesting. When I started in 1987 I drove an hour each way to shoot bullseye matches. I shot rimfire and centerfire indoors and outdoors until about 5 years ago and I got my lead checked.

I love the sport. I have a 45 with a wilsons match grade barrel and bushing fitted to the gun. Its sweet. For my rimfire I shot a Colt Challenger until I bought a High Standard Victor. Next I bought a Browning with an aftermarket barrel and compensater. It was more about centerfire to me.

The last bullseye match I shot I was the only one on the line with iron sights and now they allow dead batteries as an alibi.

This year I plan to shoot sporter rifle instead of pistol.

Thanks for the memories.
David

 

[Engineer1911]

I shoot bullseye matches in Columbia, SC. This year I was fortunate to go to Camp Perry for the National Pistol Championship. I placed in the top 80% of the Marksman Class. The NRA had a statistic that the average shooter's age (excluding Juniors) was 61 (I believe). I'm 66, and the body and my shooting scores are not improving.

22 LR scores have broken 800 about 5 times, CF and 45 scores have not broken 780, but I enjoy the frustration. In one match my second Slow fire score was 93, the next Slow fire target (NMC) was 62, but I keep going back. On the Timed and Rapid fire targets I have shot a dozen 100 point scores, but never in the same match. If I every got everything together for one match with a 45 acp, 815 is a possible score but reality is 740.

Camp Perry was a unique experience, a wonderful time, and a ONCE in a lifetime experience. Each day of the Matches, there were 3 relays (7 AM, 11 AM, 2 PM) with approximately 800 shooters in each relay. The match fees are not cheap.

 

[David R]

When it comes to Bullseye,

"The older I get the better I used to be"

I too can be the youngest at a match and I am 54.

David

 

[keithherrington]

Bitten by the Bullseye Bug

I shot Bullseye on the West Point team from 1974-1978. By the time I graduated I had 20 points towards my Distinguished Badge. I then shot IPSC with a revolver (Model 29) and then a 1911 in 45ACP for the next 28 years. In 2005 I got back into Bullseye shooting in a Weds league at the local range using a Russian IZH35. Things quickly escalated and by 2006 I had gotten my Distinguished badges in Service Pistol and then with Revolver. I'd also become a High Master Indoors with the 22 and an Expert Outdoors with 22 and 45. By 2008 I was a Master Outdoors.

I've spent a lot of $$$ on my guns, going through the IZH, the Walther version of that gun as well as other Walther 22s, a slew of High Standards some with custom barrels and finally this gun:




It's a Marvel 22 unit built on an RRA frame by RRA in 2006. I've been shooting it steadily for the last 6 years and my scores keep going up. I'm not as consistent as I'd like to be but just last week I shot a 878/900 at our weekly Bullseye match. My 45 scores are consistently behind that but this year I have shot over 2580/2700 twice. Not too far to go to achieve the magical 2600, but I've got to average 866 or higher to go High Master outdoors. At 62 I'm not sure I have the time to make it but I'll keep at it until my averages begin to drop precipitously, or it's no longer fun.

My 45 is kind of interesting.



It was originally a pretty typical 45 wadcutter gun with a extended Bomar rib, then a slide mounted red dot sight, and finally the Trijicon RMR (RM01) you see here. It was built by David Sams with a Kart barrel and consistently shoots less than 1.5" at 50 yards with my match ammo. You'll note that it has a magazine well installed. This lengthens the grip frame just enough so that the guns feel much more stable in my hand than it does without it. My hands are large and this makes all the difference in how the gun feels in my hand.

Finally, since 2005 I've been shooting a lot of Bullseye with just revolvers. I started out with a Model 27 like the one shown below, but after a couple of years transitioned to a custom Model 16 converted to 38 Special by Hamilton Bowen. My 22 revolver is a Model 17 in an identical configuration. My 45 was a Model 625-2, but that has now been sold off.




BTW, I have to agree with Engineer1911, Camp Perry is not to be missed if you enjoy Bullseye. I went twice while at West Point, and again in 2006 where I was awarded my Distinguished Badge on stage at the end of the match by the National Champion. He stated, "Gee Sir, you got your first Distinguished points before I was born." Now that was a hoot.