Anyone Use a Wheelgun for Gun Games?

[625 Shooter]

The bottom line: Competition - call it 'gun games' if you desire - is good; it will build/enhance gun handling skills, speed, and accuracy.

Like old&slow said:
Quote
My son-in-law was in the Army & a police officer. When he became part of the family he started shooting competition with me. He has said several times he never really learned to shoot until he started shoot competition with me.
Unquote

I sort of fall into that group too. Been shooting all my life (well, since a very young age), but improved a LOT after shooting 'gun games.'

ICORE and USPSA have the following classes of shooters: Grand Master, Master, A, B, C, and D.

When I first became classified in both, I was C class (one step up from the bottom!) Fairly quickly, I advanced to B class. And now have my sights set on A class.

Will I ever make Master class? Perhaps not; am nearly 60 years old and not exactly as speedy on the run as I once was. But my skills have vastly improved. (And its great fun to beat a lot of auto loader shooters with my revolvers! He he.)

A "classification" may not mean anything to a lot of people. But I do know my skills have vastly improved.

 

[hangnoose]

MOST IMPORTANT, JUST HAVE FUN

Don't even bother to think about winning when first doing it. My very first score with penalty's was 30 some seconds, lol. With my hands I'm happy to get a clean run under 6 seconds, my best to date is four sec something, and that is pitifully slow compared to many that are in the 2 second ranges. I'm there to learn/ improve & have fun, NOT WIN.

 

[riverrat38]

About 15 years ago, I noticed people shooting pins on one of the bays at the range near my house.
They were a club, and said I could "play" without joining because they needed the money to pay for the range time.
Everyone used an auto, but I was told I could use my revolver.
I was new to center fire shooting, and had bought a 6 inch 686.
I noticed they shoot about 50 rounds or so, and may or may not have cleared the table of the 5 pins. I think there was a 30 second time limit.
I couldn't shoot double action, so I tried single action. I didn't care about the time, but didn't want to have to reload. I was not fast enough for a reload.
The pins have to be hit in the right place to leave the table. A soda can size target at 25 feet, if I remember.
The first time, I got the five pins off the table in just under 10 seconds.
The guy next to me used a couple of reloads, and had the pins spinning on the table, making them harder to hit in the right spot. He timed out. It sounded like a war when others were firing, as there would be up to a hundred rounds fired by two shooters using their .40's and .45's, in the 30 second time limit.
The soda can sized target area's are not too challenging to hit in a couple of seconds, and by taking the time I needed, I usually only fired 5 rounds. My times were always around 10 seconds, and I never got timed out. Totally a different kind of shooting from the rest of the group. I had a lot of fun, but the range went bust after the first year that I was "playing" the game.


Best,
Rick

 

[625 Shooter]

Pins are GREAT.

Here is a video of me at one our shooter vs shooter pin matches:

JLR Pin Match Oct6, 2013 - YouTube

About seven seconds of shooting time. The first pin didn't leave the table so I had to shoot a sixth round. (M625 .45ACP) Definitely not my fastest time but not a bad run either.

Like they say, "Ya can't miss fast enough to win."

A pin weighs three pounds - and they get quite noticeably heavier as they soak up bullets. The pins are placed one foot from the leading edge of the 4'X8' steel topped table and you must knock them off the table in order to win (first shooter who's last pin hits the ground first wins. Pins also get lumpy with bullets and don't roll well. So a good hit is very desirable!

 

[625 Shooter]

... I noticed they shoot about 50 rounds or so, and may or may not have cleared the table of the 5 pins.

...

It sounded like a war when others were firing, as there would be up to a hundred rounds fired by two shooters using their .40's and .45's, in the 30 second time limit.

Mercy!

But then that's why we have classes of shooters; we want everyone to be in a class of shooters with similar shooting abilities.

 

[Cowboy011]

I shot an ICORE match, last weekend. Actually won an ICORE match last weekend.

 

[ACP230]

I shot a Ruger Blackhawk .357 in NRA Hunter's Pistol for a while.
Also, once, a H&R 926 .22. Bad idea, too light, too short in sight radius, and that afternoon I had trouble hitting any of the steel critters.

Later, I shot pins at the old Second Chance Bowling Pin Shoot. I used
a six-inch M57 .41 Magnum for a while. Needed a seventh shot too
often, so went back to the .45 auto. That .41 was the most entertaining of the ones I shot at pins. They left the table in a hurry,
trailing clouds of splinters. Much less action with the .45.

Shot steel plates with the same .41 Magnum, and another with an eight and three eighths inch barrel. That was fun. After shooting pins the
steel plates looked biiiiig and at one match no one could get near me.
Also shot casual steel plate affairs with M19s, M66s, and M15s, all
snub noses.

Fired some PPC type matches with an old Brazilian model 1917 with
the .45 full moon clips. If only I could have shot it as fast, and as well, as I reloaded it.

Shot one IDPA match with a Colt Cobra and .38 reloads. Not something I would do again as it was a hard-recoiling little snot and most of the
recoil went right into my second finger on my right hand. By the end of
match I had target pasters stuck over my finger to take out some of the sting.

Competition with revolvers is fun. Hoping to do some more of it
after the "too, too, solid..." snow melts next spring.

 

[UrsaMajor]

My 5" 625 in 45 ACP is my favorite USPSA gun (there will be a change in rules taking effect next year that will allow the 8 shot revolvers in USPSA, but only scored "minor").

I have heard about this rule change, but have not seen it documented anywhere on USPSA.org. Can you provide a reference?

 

[old&slow]

Pins are GREAT.

Here is a video of me at one our shooter vs shooter pin matches:

JLR Pin Match Oct6, 2013 - YouTube


Like they say, "Ya can't miss fast enough to win."

Wow, 625 , it's been years and years since I've shot bowling pins
when did they go to two tiers ? We just had 4 x 8 table with 5 pins. I use a 1911 with FN 230's in auto class. And a 8 3/8" m29 with 245 SWC at about 900 - 950 fps in the revolver class.

Lots of fun times..
I still shoot a lot of auto matches ,,, but using a revolver is a blast..

 

[johnfly45]

I have heard about this rule change, but have not seen it documented anywhere on USPSA.org. Can you provide a reference?

The approval is reported in the Board of Directors minutes for October 8, 2013 (need to log in as a USPSA member to access the minutes).
Hope this helps! John

 

[625 Shooter]

Wow, 625 , it's been years and years since I've shot bowling pins
when did they go to two tiers ? We just had 4 x 8 table with 5 pins. I use a 1911 with FN 230's in auto class. And a 8 3/8" m29 with 245 SWC at about 900 - 950 fps in the revolver class.

Lots of fun times..
I still shoot a lot of auto matches ,,, but using a revolver is a blast..

I'm don't think "they" ever went to two tiers. But we do it frequently.

I started bowling pin matches here circa 2003. We use the same basic rules as the local area steel plate shooting matches - which is shooter vs shooter (NOT against clock); shooters grouped by class (Grand Master, Master, A, B, & C.)

The main table top is a 4'x8' sheet of steel. The upper tier is a 2"x6" board. We have, in the past even added a third tier by placing a 4'x8' sheet of plywood on the table support bars (under the steel table top) for added fun. "Standard" is five pins, but sometimes we add more (as many as nine pins.)

Many, MANY more photos in the photo gallery at Stillwater Firearms Association

Personally, I like shooting pins a bit better than shooting steel. Also love ICORE and USPSA.

 

[ACP230]

Rich Davis, head of Second Chance Body Armor, and of the SC match
had two tier tables built in the late 1980s or early '90s.
Lots of clubs built the same kind shortly afterward.

Since they took up less space, more shooters could be put on the line.
Important for SC as there were as many as 300 shooters there
during some matches.

I still miss that match a lot.

 

[Beruisis]

Nalapombu, I'm in NW Harris County & have shot some of these IPDA matches. I generally shoot them with a 1911 but I'm considering doing same with revolvers. I'm going to shoot my first classifer match out at Impact (West Houston) prolly in January. But I shoot alot & hunt with revolvers. PM me if you want to try some 357/45 ACP revolver shooting sometime.
Beruisis

 

[Matchdirector]

This post brought out the True Breed of Wheel Gunners. We understood what you were saying about the Games. To ACP230 I miss Second Chance as well, what a blast that was just to be there shooting Pins.
Outlaw Steel where you do mandatory reloads is what I can't seem to get enough of here in Cincinnati. I shoot a 617 10 shot 6 inch using Ansac Speed Loaders, and a 586 4 inch using Safariland comp 3's. The one match doesn't separate the auto's from the revolver in rim fire so I compete just to see how many hollow handles I can beat with the revolver. You earn a whole lot more respect when you do and is kinda fun.
Check out what your local clubs have to offer and ask around what guys are shooting and then dive in and get the revolver. That is if they are available.

 

[Matchdirector]

Forgot to add the Pics

You can get the Ansac Speedloaders at Shooters Connection or at 4wheelguns. They are more expensive the the other ones on the market but these work for the competition world. You will be really satisfied. They make the reloading trays as well which are a super deal when you see them. I have more pics if you want to see them just holler.

 

[hangnoose]

BOWLING PINS

At my club pins are no longer free. Calibers/loads that do excessive damage to the pins are not allowed. 357's & 45's are about it, unless downloaded.

 

[Arik]

Some of you guys really need to lighten up on the terminology. Not everyone, especially not new people, know what those competitions are called. I understood what he meant with his explanation. BTW, it's all fun and games. It only becomes serious when someone is throwing lead back at you

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[BILL]

I shoot IDPA with K-Frames. I also shoot a little bit of USPSA, but more IDPA because of what the local clubs shoot.

I shot at Second Chance from 1981 through 1990. That was a trip.

 

[onemanwolfpack]

Here's what I use in the house when the kids get out of line

 

[Matchdirector]

Nerf versus Chiappa

Man that almost looks like a Chiappa revolver. I think Nerf copied!
We converted the Kids stuff into something real useful!