Shooting competitions

[Rex Goliath]

If readers run out of competition shooting videos to watch; be "amused and amazed" by watching the 1930'ish LA County Sheriff's Exhibition Shooting Team...and I thought Herb Parsons giving his Winchester's a workout was fun to watch... http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jDP8BRSEjrA

You can PM to me "only" if you are willing to hold the chalk for me...I am a good shot...really. Trust me.






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[AGoyette]

Navi,
I shoot USPSA. The husband got me into it back in the '80's. Now my girls are getting involved. After taking a break from competing we were looking at getting back into it. We looked at IDPA, and I was interested in it, but the only range that had the matches, was 45 minutes away, they did not have that many people competing so the matches were done pretty quickly. Plus I did not get a good vibe from the range they were being held at. We found a club a lot closer to us that is shooting USPSA. We have been competing with them for almost 2 months now.

Like it has been stated, most clubs are very friendly and helpful. Generally a great group of people. When competing you will see a range of guns from full "race" guns that have been heavily modified to shoot faster to guns fresh off the shelf. The most important factor in competing is to have fun. At the match I was at on Sunday, I have no idea how I was doing. I was just enjoying myself. Unfortunately we did not get to finish the match due to weather (tornados, rain, hail, wind, lightning, tend to disrupt a match! lol ).

First get comfortable with your gun. Then there are lots of things you can do at home to "practice". When practicing, always make sure your gun is unloaded and there is not ammo anywhere near you. You can dry fire your gun while working on your sight picture. Not only will it help smooth out your trigger, it helps you to obtain a quicker sight picture. You can also practice reloads and moving from one shooting position to another. Always making sure your gun is facing "down range" and making sure you do not break the 180. You can also practice drawing from your holster and taking one "shot" (you can download and print USPSA dry firing targets and stick them to the walls). As I said above, when you do this, make sure your gun is empty and there is no ammo around. Safety first!

 

[OKFC05]

Was it difficult to get into?

The hardest part is just showing up at the matches. People obsess about "getting the perfect rig" and "getting good enough to win" BEFORE going to a match. A "perfect rig" is not going to help until you get good. and you aren't going to walk into a serious match and take top honors.
But you will "win" in that you will have fun and probably learn something.

IDPA and Steel Challenge are good places to start with ordinary people using ordinary guns.

IDPA Match Director
USPSA CRO

 

[old&slow]

To steal a line from a shoe company, ' Just Do it'.

I started many many years ago ,, the company I worked for had a Bullseye shooting league. That lead to a Muzzleloading club,, then NRA Action Pistol,, Bowling pins,, IPSC ,,etc. ,,etc.

I was kind of intimidated when I signed up for my first NRA action Pistol State match. When I got there probably about 80% of the people there were poeple I shot with every month at the local matches..

Competition sounds intimidating at first ,, but you will meet some of the nicest , friendliest people ever.

Go watch ,, figure out what equipment you need ,, get your equipment to work right ( the hardest part) and jump in.. You'll wonder Why you didn't do it sooner..

 

[S&WIowegan]

I've been competing in various handgun competitions for 25 years. I didn't get started until I was almost 50 yrs. old.

The only real impediments to getting involved are in your head. Are you extremely sensitive and worried about shooting in front of a group of people? Do you fear you won't live up to your own self image? Can you learn by watching closely how better shooters do the sport? Are you able to approach people and ask for advice or help. Can you translate written or oral instructions into action?

If you can read the paragraph above and say "no problem" you're ready to go shooting. Shooting is no more expensive than lots of other hobbies.

Lastly, will your family be supportive? I don't mean they should come to matches and cheer. Will they be happy for you and your playing with guns?

 

[ivanwi11iams]

I love the conversation in this thread. Thanks for all the tips.

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[webley green]

I shot .22 NRA Smallbore in High School, Trap on for 10 years. Recently tried Bowling Pins at the urging of my shooting partners. I love it. Old timers and youngsters, we all have a good time. Some are very serious about times others like to try different guns and loads, but there isn't cutthroat competition and everyone has a good time. Folks shoot everything from stock .22s, older service revolvers, newer pocket autos to fully tricked out pin guns.

 

[varmint243]

Go to shoots, shoot them, have fun, help out running them if you can.
The best thing I can say about shooting in local competitions and fun shoots is the people I have made friends with along the way.
IMO they are some of the best folks you will meet.
You never know, you may even bring home a swell plastic trophy or two while your at it.
I have finished first, last, and every place in between.
The best thing I have ever won is new friends.

 

[OlympicFox]

My shooting was limited to either my military semi-annual quals or occasional casual range time. I enjoyed it, but frankly it was boring. Seems to me that there's a limit to how much fun I can have punching paper from behind the bench. At first, my solution was to take several guns to the range and make it more fun by simply shooting more guns.

Some of the guys at the range were doing this thing called IDPA. I gave it a try and was quickly addicted to "action pistol" sport.

Now, instead of having the leisure of spending several seconds squeezing off an accurate shot, I have to shoot as fast as I can AND still make the shot accurate.

As for being older, having tired eyes, etc., etc. I was 64 when I started shooting action pistol and I frequently beat the 30-40 year olds. It's especially fun to tromp some smart-mouth 35 year old with my 686.

 

[Brassmaster]

Shot many types of competition from the Silhouette boom in the 80s, Cowboy Action, Steel Challenge, etc. But, holding a 1911 without any support and firing at a target 50yards and then timed and rapid fire at 25 yards--all done using one hand, now that is marksmanship skill, not how fast you can shoot or run or how "hi-tech" your equipment is. AKA Bullseye/Conventional Pistol Competition is the real deal for serious pistol marksmanship.

 

[stu1ritter]

Started shooting the 50 foot .22 rifle gallery course in high school in the mid 1950's. Made the 2nd Army pistol team in 1960 and have continued shooting bullseye up until a few years ago. Something about that Grand Senior classification seemed to increase the shake a wee bit too much. Have had to move the target in to 50 feet from 25 yards to get any decent group now but still enjoy it immensely. There is a certain self satisfaction that comes from throwing 10 200 gr. LSWC into one hole, even if only at 50 feet.

 

[kshock]

I shoot NRA Action Pistol (Bianchi Cup), PPC, trap and sporting clays. The hardest part about getting started is talking yourself into trying it. You are intimidated by these "competition shooters" and don't want to look bad. But once you take the dive, you will find that a whole lot of those "competition shooters" are folks just like you, and not necessarily any better. Pick your game and go try it, and keep it in your mind that you are competing against YOU, and everyone else was just competing. If you shoot a 1000 the first time then you strive for 1005 or better the next time. And Viola! suddenly you have become one of those intimidating "competition shooters" ! oh BTW, don't forget to have fun.

 

[David R]

I have shot a lot of bullseye both indoors 50' and out doors 25 & 50 yards
I shoot hunter silhouette every year.
I shoot Sporter rifle which is 50' off hand 22 cal. indoors in the winter
in the summer I shoot a 100 yard and 200 yard off hand rifle match.
I shoot a rimfire match at a local club in the winter.

And of course the internet snubby match!

I just joined the sporter rifle team last week. These were my first 2 shots. It went down hill from there. Every thursday till may.

I love it.

 

[SkipL]

where do you shoot? i just started shooting the practice matches at Pioneer gun club.

 

[Gryff]

If it is pistol matches you are looking at I suggest IDPA. It is as user friendly as any of the national based sports. Equipment is not critical & there are lots of folks who don't take the completion very seriously. It will give you a reason to improve your skills and meet new people.

I have to agree. I shoot USPSA, IDPA, and ICORE. I believe IDPA is the easiest introduction to the action pistol sports because of the limits they place on gear and the designs of the stages. All you need to start is a reliable self-defense type gun, three mags or three speedloaders, a holster, and a carrier for your reloads.

I do advocate taking an "Intro to" course if one is available near you. Nearly everybody fails to realize the stress that the timer and thoughts of an audience puts on you, and can often cause lapses in a focus on safety when moving or reloading.

And whether you take a course or not, I encourage you to do everything during your first match in slow motion. Nobody is going to bag on you for being slow, but you will become quickly unwelcome if you out of control and unsafe. So go slow. Then do it again next match. And the match after. And when you feel like safety is ingrained as the primary instinct, then try going a little faster.

Most people find that shooting competition is a great activity, even if you don't win. You'll find a tremendous satisfaction is you become more instinctively competent with your gun. Draws, reloads, sight acquisition, target transitions, malfunction recoveries...all skills that get honed by the action shooting sports.

There are downsides. You'll spend a lot more of your disposable income on ammo. You'll have a harder time enjoying the slow-fire pace of public ranges. Definitely worth the costs, to me.

 

[fredj338]

I've been shooting in competition in one form or another for that last 25yrs. Currently it's IDPA. I feel it gives me the best practice platform to support my defensive shooting training. You will do more in one match than most in a years worth of flat range, slow fire shooting. Real practice IMO.
The biggest issue with any action shooting is safety. Work at home with an empty gun on your draw & reholster until it is fluid. Doesn't have to be fast, just smooth & safe. Again, empty gun, work on your reloads, smooth is better than fast. Then come to a match. Most clubs welcome new shooters & are very helpful. Watch the exp shooters, just don't try to go as fast. For you, think safe & only hits count. The speed will come. I can teach speed easier than I can teach accuracy.
Our club also offers a half day IDPA class for new guys/gals. This is a great way to break in as everyone is new, so your intimidation factor is less. It is also abbreviated & the instructors can spend individual time with each shooter improving their skill base. I SO about 40 matches a year, see all levels of shooters. I try to help the new guys out as much as possible, but diff to do at a match. In a classroom, you'll get a lot more instruction.

 

[USARMYSPEC4]

Iamivanwilliams, Look at some of your local rod and gun clubs, and check if they have competitions that you do not have to be a member to shoot in. Also look at steel shooting, both static and knockdown. I enjoy steel shooting. Just put it in a Google search.