NRA has lost sight of Precision Pistol

[Greyman50]

I understand everyone has their own " wants" in shooting, bullseyes or one of combat types. Regardless, any shooter needs a basic foundation, Safety first then all the fundamentals that can not be brushed off as," takes to long". This is the reason for training first in bullseye, then on to whatever you enjoy. Long time friend and I used to shoot pistols and revolvers at up to 250 yards , and no, not a hit on the first shot( sometimes) but lots of fun. We also shot at closer distances at assorted types of targets, lots of fun too. Basics are very important.

 

[BB57]

You cannot miss fast enough to win.

A private range close to where I live used to have tactical matches in the spring - and they may still hold them. I stopped attending and while I was TDY to the twin cities for 8 months I let my membership lapse and never renewed.

I stopped because I got the impression I was discouraging participation. I.e I shot, with a combination of both bullseye practical pistol competition in my past, I shot a lot better than the other shooters who showed up.

I didn't necessarily shoot faster, or that much faster but I got consistent A zone hits and hits win matches.

One particular stage that was set up at a match included two shots on a steel target placed about 80 yards down range to end the stage. Most shooters just popped off two shots to stop the clock and pretty much gave up any hope of scoring. The problem was the target was the bottom 24" of an 8" welding tank upended an mounted on a post. An 8" wide by 24" tall target at 80 yards is not hard to hit, it just takes an extra half second or so to refine the sight alignment and hold the front sight toward the top of the target, so a couple seconds longer, but points for two more solid hits in the stage.

However it occurred to me that from the perspective of someone who doesn't regard pistol shooting at speed as an accuracy sport, shooting against someone who is both fast and accurate is intimidating and sucks the fun out of it. So I quit attending matches before it was just me and maybe two other shooters.

 

[BB57]

Perhaps the best way to measure the NRA's commitment to Precision Pistol is to compare what they have done to strengthen the program compared to what they committed to in their 2013 resolution committing to supporting competition programs.

The problem may be a lack of imagination. The NRA seems to have done nothing to integrate the interests of action pistol with precision pistol nor supported international pistol development programs. There seems to be little outreach or support to develop competitive programs in the Pacific Northwest. A few keep the flame alive but it is flickering for lack of NRA support.

Everyone who watches ice skating sees the exciting stuff on the ice. However up until 1990 those skaters also competed in the compulsory figures portion of the event and until 1947 the compulsory figures counted for 60% of the total score.

Those figures focused on accurate circles and curves as well as edge to edge transition and change of foot transitions. To win the overall completion a skater had to also demonstrate mastery of the core skills.

Good coaches still work with skaters to master those compulsory skills, but the sport lost a lot when skaters no longer had to demonstrate the, in competition.

The same loss has occurred in practical pistol shooting.

 

[rockquarry]

Everyone who watches ice skating sees the exciting stuff on the ice. However up until 1990 those skaters also competed in the compulsory figures portion of the event and until 1947 the compulsory figures counted for 60% of the total score.

Those figures focused on accurate circles and curves as well as edge to edge transition and change of foot transitions. To win the overall completion a skater had to also demonstrate mastery of the core skills.

Good coaches still work with skaters to master those compulsory skills, but the sport lost a lot when skaters no longer had to demonstrate the, in competition.

The same loss has occurred in practical pistol shooting.

I don't know anything about skating, but your point is well made. Very few nowadays with an interest in precision handgun shooting.

 

[SS336]

I still shoot in a winter indoor Bullseye league. First shoot in the early '70's and it's changed a lot. Last year Covid really hurt our league, all our matches were shot at our home range. Kind of a postal league.
It is probably a dying discipline, sad to say. Recruiting young shooters is key, but difficult because of the other more fast paced sports.
Our pistols are much cooler though.

 

[Greyman50]

Working on a Series 70 Govt. Mdl Colt, several trip to range shooting 3 different types of ammo, hand loaded 201 grn KT lead, hand loaded 225 grn JHP, and Federal jacketed SW match, just seeing where different round printed. By chance a real match would use 1911 A-1 match or S&W mdl 25-2 as have not determined which is best for me. Fun trying to find out!

 

[BE Mike]

View attachment 521042 Working on a Series 70 Govt. Mdl Colt, several trip to range shooting 3 different types of ammo, hand loaded 201 grn KT lead, hand loaded 225 grn JHP, and Federal jacketed SW match, just seeing where different round printed. By chance a real match would use 1911 A-1 match or S&W mdl 25-2 as have not determined which is best for me. Fun trying to find out!

My advice is to use the guns and loads the top shooters use. There is no shame in it and the "big guys" are happy to share.

 

[BB57]

I still shoot in a winter indoor Bullseye league. First shoot in the early '70's and it's changed a lot. Last year Covid really hurt our league, all our matches were shot at our home range. Kind of a postal league.
It is probably a dying discipline, sad to say. Recruiting young shooters is key, but difficult because of the other more fast paced sports.
Our pistols are much cooler though.

I lean more toward the old school.

 

[41 mag Dave]

Bullseye came to dominate pistol competition when it was the only game in town. Todays shooters are looking for a more dynamic shooting experience.

Unfortunately, we seem to think that our discipline is the best. Take a look at how Doug Koenig, Rob Leatham, or Bruce Piat shoot. They are not spraying and praying. In the 90's when Alan Fulford went from Bullseye to NRA Action Pistol he did well, but did not dominate.

We should encourage all disciplines. The stronger all disciplines are, the stronger that shooting community as a whole is.

 

[Iframe32s]

I didn't read through every single posting here, but can definitely relate to your passion and opinion. I'm not usually a quitter, but gave up High Power Service Rifle when confronted with the realization my open sights would have to compete against scopes/optics. Don't understand why they couldn't have had a separate classification...IMHO, some things should just be left alone.

 

[SS336]

I lean more toward the old school.

Nice pistols. My bullseye pistol in the 70's was a M41. Great pistol.
My Hammerli is 26 years old, so kind of old school, in a modern way.
My FIL's pistol in the 70's was a High Standard, my son owns it now. I still shoot it occasionally, still greats it done.

 

[skierd]

I've wanted to join a bullseye league for several years, but wasn't able to until this year for several reasons. League cost, ammo cost and availability, and time. Mostly time, I haven't had a job with a schedule that had consistent nights off every week until a couple months ago, and I'm 38. And it's hard to spend even more time out of the house with a family at home when you're already working 50+ hour weeks.

Firearm availability was never an issue, at least to getting involved.

 

[AJ]

Maybe I should not have a say in this subject but here goes. I never fired a sanctioned Bullseye match, ever. I did qualify Expert in the Corps the seven times I was required to qualify for score. Also I shot the USMC version of an IPSC course of fire several times when working for the Security Force Battalion and shot Expert there too. Both disciplines require dedication and practice to do well in. Nowadays even the USMC is getting away from Bullseye courses of fire to something that is closer to what the Marines will see in combat. Both Bullseye and IPSC (and other courses of fire) come down to sight alignment and trigger control. I enjoy shooting Bullseye and I teach my Grandkids that discipline (the younger ones). The oldest (just got out of the Corps and fired Expert with a rifle twice during his tour) is a bit cocky and Gramps has to remind him from time to time that I can still shoot better than him despite my advanced age. I think for the younger folks shooting steel is more fun and gratifying due to the clang and bang when you hit the steel targets. I think that they are shooting at all ought to make us happy.........better then them playing video games. May help keep our sport alive in some form........Sorry to ramble on like this.

AJ

 

[BE Mike]

I suppose the thing that chaps my hide is the wannabes who put down Precision Pistol Shooting as not being relevant. Some of them do it because they could never muster the determination to even attempt to hit a target with a handgun at distances greater than 10 yards. All I know is my own experience. I started shooting a handgun while learning bullseye, now called Precision Pistol. The basics and safety gun handling I learned there, helped carry me through many other types of handgun qualifications, handgun hunting and other types of handgun match shooting. I had to learn reloading, two-handed shooting, double-action revolver shooting, clearing jams, etc. along the way, but I found the basic marksmanship fundamentals to be the same along the way. I don't have anything against anyone who just wants to be able to hit a man-sized silhouette at short distances, but I don't like the internet commandos who say not to strive to do better.

 

[AJ]

, but I found the basic marksmanship fundamentals to be the same along the way.

This is what I meant when I wrote :"Sight alignment and trigger control......."

AJ