Want to get into competition shooting

[deltran]

Hello all,

I've been shooting for a few years now, and am pretty decent at it. I don't mind going to the range and letting loose a few hundred rounds, but I'd like to do something more. Anyone know of any beginner-type competition shoots in the Hampton Roads (VA) area?

Thanks,
Del

 

[Fat Old Guy]

For the most part, there really aren't "beginner" matches. Shooters are classified based on skill and your scores are judged against those with similar skill levels.

The big thing that new shooters worry about when they go to a match is performing. It's normal. You look at the other shooters who are shooting tiny groups or have a draw that is so fast as to be invisible and you think, "What am I doing here?" Don't worry about it.

Shooters, unlike most other athletes, don't mock the new guy whose skills are still developing. Oh, we'll laugh at ourselves. We'll laugh at the Master class shooter who suffers the brain fart and puts 10 rounds into the target next to his. Generally, we don't laugh at the new guys.

Shooters also tend to help each other. Experienced shooters are usually willing to offer advice to new guys. Listen to them all and take away what seems to fit your needs.

So find a match and just jump in.

 

[wantmoresmiths]

I always suggest looking for a local steel shooting league or steel challenge type match. Steel shooting allows you to become familiar with the safety rules followed by the different competitive shooting organizations, and allows you to focus on safety and target transitions, before adding movement. Check out the Steel Challenge web site. STEEL CHALLENGE - USPSA AREA 8. I noticed Blackwater pratical shooters, which I believe is in your area. Contact Info, Chesapeake, VA 23322, Home: (757) 650-3019, Email: [email protected], or Southern VA. Pratical shooters Nelson, VA 24580, Home: (434) 374-5059, Email: [email protected]. Another steel shooting venue is the Ruger rimfire series Ruger® Rimfire Shooting Competitions

Two other sites you should check out are International Defensive Pistol Association and Welcome to USPSA.org - Home of the United States Practical Shooting Association . I always suggest going to a local match and talking with the shooters. Competitive shooters love bringing new blood into the group and will go out of their way to get you started. I noticed the IDPA site lists the VA Commonwealth Cup in their match info section. If you click on the link you will find the contact info for the match director. Give him a call and ask about local clubs in your area.

Just remember to go slow for your first couple of matches, and focus on safety. Once you have a few matches under your belt you can concentrate on becoming more competitive.

 

[Smathersfish]

Zombie Shooters Assoc. formed in Eastern North Carolina. Formed for new shooters. Easy to follow stages. Pistol only, rimfire, and 3 gun. I know they shoot in VA. Great bunch and alot of fun. Great gateway drug to USPSA and IPSC. Check their website. Pistol only at The Range in Oxford, NC this weekend near VA border.

 

[pb803]

Del,

some great posts and suggestions.

I just wanted to say, that I am a recent competitive shooter....at 60 years of age.
I have now shot in 6 IDPA matches, 4 or 5 Steel Challenge (rimfire) matches and 2 USPSA/IPSC matches (production class). I am not good by any means, but it is fun, great camaraderie, and I consider it good practice.

For someone who likes to shoot, and obviously you do, if your shooting a couple hundred rounds at the range, it is a natural progression to step up to competition.
I was the same as you, and many others, it just get's old shooting at paper or the plate machine over and over and over.

my suggestions are, go watch a match before you decide to compete. Listen to the new shooters briefing, watch and listen and offer to help....pasting or painting targets is appreciated by all shooters. Offer to help, or stick around after the match and help tear down....and down the road offer to help with set-up.

The most important thing is SAFETY, SAFETY, SAFETY...!!! Always be aware of where that muzzle is pointing.

When you do decide to shoot...just do your thing, don't try and be as fast as the other guys, remember many of the good/fast shooters have been doing this for years. Concentrate on being accurate. So what? if you drop a mag or have a jam...just go with the flow. Consider your matches FUN and don't worry about your times.

you will quickly begin to make new friends and pick up a lot by observation and listening.

Just go.....welcome to the addiction.
pb

 

[Hunterfz6]

For the most part, there really aren't "beginner" matches. Shooters are classified based on skill and your scores are judged against those with similar skill levels.

The big thing that new shooters worry about when they go to a match is performing. It's normal. You look at the other shooters who are shooting tiny groups or have a draw that is so fast as to be invisible and you think, "What am I doing here?" Don't worry about it.

Shooters, unlike most other athletes, don't mock the new guy whose skills are still developing. Oh, we'll laugh at ourselves. We'll laugh at the Master class shooter who suffers the brain fart and puts 10 rounds into the target next to his. Generally, we don't laugh at the new guys.

Shooters also tend to help each other. Experienced shooters are usually willing to offer advice to new guys. Listen to them all and take away what seems to fit your needs.

So find a match and just jump in.

Amen to that. My first competition I did, I did not do very well. There was a guy in my group who is military retired and active police who took me aside and gave me some coaching on my grip, my stance, my follow through. It cost a bit of money, but any serious shooter needs to consider doing them.

 

[ric_in_or]

IDPA -
is a good place to start competitive Pistol shooting

International Defensive Pistol Association - Affiliated Club Contact Information

International Defensive Pistol Association - Affiliated Club Contact Information

International Defensive Pistol Association - Affiliated Club Contact Information

 

[Prof_Fate]

Lots of different competitions out there - find out what is happening in your area and start there.

Locally PPC is popular here, with variations (indoor and shortened outdoor range). Our club has a summer league where you shoot 20 matches and the best 16 are averaged. It's run a lot like a bowling league in that you can 'shoot off' early. Cost is $60 for the season and 60 rounds per match, guns are any 'carry' type guns...as in no optics, 6" max barrel, no porting but trigger work is fine. 686 6" is the 'best' choice but folks shoot all guns/calibers. It's a reason to go shoot, make friends, and gage your progress. My first 4 matches avg's 471, the last 4 519. The best at our club avgs 592 (out of 600) with his 9 and 586 with his snubbie. (He used to shoot nationally and avg 599). Most shoot in the 570s or so.

We have IDPA 6 times a year and other clubs have it too, so you can shoot it very often if you want. Here it's $10/match, lost brass, about 150 rounds.

There are bullseye leagues too, not gotten into that.
A couple of clubs do metal silhouette (100 yard)
Don't know of any steel challenge around here.
I have heard of a club or two that do cowboy action competitions.

I think the hobby is more fun when you have a purpose, like competition, to keep you active and growing. Competing has gotten me into reloading for example.

(our club also hosts round robin trap leagues weekly, groundhog shoots, patrol rifle (think IDPA with an AR), CMP smallbore and occassionally other events. Our Jr Rifle (part of cmp/appleseed/NRA) also competes at camp perry.
A few guys want to start an M1 group with the goal of competing at camp perry next year.

 

[Fat Old Guy]

I think the hobby is more fun when you have a purpose, like competition, to keep you active and growing.

I started off shooting competitively. I was on my NROTC unit's pistol team for a while but other things took priority. Then I shot on the school's team.

After college, I would go shooting from time to time but, like many recreational activities, there was always something that could take precedence. Then a acquaintance told me about a bullseye league in the area. Now I had to go shooting, the guys on my team depended on me, or so I told my wife.

 

[TSQUARED]

Starting with steel challenge shoots to failiarize oneself with competion rules is a great idea. The other diciplines ICORE, USPSA, &IDPA require movement while shooting. Youi can go to the re[pective organization websites and find clubs ihn your area. Alterntively you can check the NRA website for clubs in your area nad check their individual websites for the programes they offer.

 

[H Richard]

I believe the thing you need to do is to first determine what kind of competition you may have an interest in. Then find out what kind of competition is available with your area. Go visit the competitions and see what is involved. Every type of competition has it's own rules. The easiest to get into, but most difficult to excel in is Bullseye, and that is why so few new shooters go into it. It demands precision, not speed and 6" groups. It is slow by most action shooters opinions, but recognized as the "Foundation of all shooting sports".

There are many different type of action shooting:
IDPA
USPSA
Bowling pin
Steel Challenge
Cowboy Action
(I'm sure I missed some others)

International shooting, the shooting that is done for Olympics Is the slower, precision, shooting with both .22 RF and Air pistol. These include Free Pistol, Rapid Fire Pistol, Standard Pistol, Air Pistol.

IHMSA, is International Handgun Metallic Silhouette Assoc. Steel animal targets shot at distances out to 200 meters with centerfire handguns, with rifle calibers as well as handgun calibers, and a 22 RF division with targets out to 100 meters, but smaller targets. The NRA has a Hunters Pistol Silhouette with half size targets out to 100 yards.

All these different shooting sports take different guns, often specialized for the type of shooting.

It unfortunately often rely's of what competitions are available in your vicinity. The NRA Website has a "Place to shoot" locator, but that only includes NRA affiliated clubs.

Good luck and have fun.

 

[Fat Old Guy]

The easiest to get into, but most difficult to excel in is Bullseye, and that is why so few new shooters go into it. It demands precision, not speed and 6" groups. It is slow by most action shooters opinions, but recognized as the "Foundation of all shooting sports".

I've only met one shooter who thought that bullseye was easy. He told me that he had made Master within weeks. He also told me that his 1911 for IPSC was set up to fire on both the press of the trigger and the release. I take all of his claims with a grain of salt.

Bullseye can be very discouraging for new shooters. They'll look at the guy next to them who is grumbling about a 99-8X score and then look at their own target with a score of 72 and wonder "What the heck am I doing here." Part of the joy of bullseye is watching your groups shrink as you master the fundamentals and improve. The time limits are so generous that you have time to focus on those fundamentals.

 

[trulyapostolic]

There's been some very good advice on getting into competition shooting given in this thread. In no way am I trying to be offensive with this response to anyone...
I'd advise you to try Bullseye. There's a reason why it's the foundation for the handgun shooting sports. Only by participating in Bullseye will a shooter truly learn what trigger control is (remember, not being offensive). A good bullseye shooter, in my opinion, can pickup any gun and be competitive with it in a short period of time. But that can't be said about a shooter coming from another discipline into Bullseye. It is true that Bullseye is difficult, but also very rewarding to the shooter. I've shot for 18 years but had not learned how to properly manipulate a trigger until the last 2 years. If you'd like to know more PM me.

 

[ric_in_or]

For lower cost you might look into Ruger Rimfire
a couple of .22's are not terribly expensive and the 22LR is not either.

As I understand, you are not required to own a Ruger to compete.

It will help with all the base skills.




Ruger® Rimfire Shooting Competitions