Target with only a .22 pistol

pdmoderator

New member
Hi, all,

Is there any sort of target competition that someone could do with only a Ruger Slabside?

I own a .45, but it's set up for defense and I don't want to buy another pistol right now.

Thanks,
- pdmoderator
 
I thought you needed at least a .22 and a .45 to do bullseye. Am I wrong?

And do bowling pins go over with a .22 shot?

- pdmoderator
 
Perhaps for 'official' bullseye matches, all I know is our local bullseye club has several folks that compete in local matches using 22 only...

I think he was pulling your leg about bowling pins, normal matches require you to shoot them off the table not just knock them over, requires decent hit with good shot placement to keep them from simply spinning around.
 
Bullseye tournaments are usually devided into: .22, centerfire (which is .32 through .45) and .45 matches. Back in the 1950's I started with an old Colt Target Woodsman with a piece of 3/8" steel rod taped under the barrel to make it more muzzle heavy. We've come a long way since then. Depending on whatever modifications you've made on the .45 it still might be legal to shoot in centerfire and .45 matches. Not the best maybe, but you have to start somewhere.
 
Depending on whatever modifications you've made on the .45 it still might be legal to shoot in centerfire and .45 matches. Not the best maybe, but you have to start somewhere.
It's an HK in variant 7 (DAO trigger) and with PT sights. I could get it converted to variant 1 and put on target sights, I suppose, but I don't like having a manual safety on a defense gun, and DAO is really too heavy for target.

Wouldn't cry over the PT sights, tho. :p

- pdmoderator

(P.S. Egad, this place is more pleasant than the political forums!)
 
Smallbore Bullseye, as in (normally) indoor matches. Some places have 'em, some don't. If you have an Olympic center nearby you're set.

Another possibility...smallbore silhouette.
 
Don't worry about your .45 - Go try some matches with the Ruger. If you REALLY like them then think about a different .45 target pistol.
 
In a perfect world, you're right, Old Fuff. But I've got some family-related constraints that make it more attractive to modify what I've got than to get another. (My wife tolerates X guns in the house, but doesn't want X+1, not for a long while anyway.)

Anywho, you're also right that there is no point worrying about it until I've gone out to some matches!

And there's always IDPA. My Glock 19 will work just fine for that. :D Target is just a heck of a lot more convenient to get to.

- pdmoderator
 
pd, just go do it. Don't argue..just do it. Trust me.


If you get hooked, you wont' have to worry about the wife's gun count...as long as you don't take food off the table, you'l be fine. Sorry, this is going to sound pretty anti-women's lib, but sometimes you just have to do what you want to do, despite their "feelings." She'll get over it.
 
No, I wasn't kidding, at least around here you can run your .22 right next to a loudenboomer .45 whatever in a bowling pin match. They set the pins for the .22 right at the back of the table, pins for the big bores all the way to the front. First clear table wins. Frequently the .22 is victorious.

While formal Bullseye is .22, centerfire, and .45 I'm sure there are infromal matches. Some areas also have rimfire field silhouette matches where you go after little steel rabbits and such in field conditions, kinda like 3-D archery games.
 
There are lots of winter Bullseye leagues (or evening leagues) where your Ruger .22 would be all you need. Outdoor pistol matches often require .22, centerfire, and .45 guns. There are a couple of things to know, however. You can shoot the .45 in the centerfire events too, and most people do. You can also shoot only one stage of a larger match. If you only have a .22 just sign up for the .22 stage.

I haven't shot Bullseye for a couple of years now, but I plan to start up again this winter. I'll be shooting my Ruger Mark II bull barrel if I do.
 
Want to shoot IDPA? Great. If you get into bullseye shooting with the Ruger you'll learn and master basic marksmenship that will soon be reflected in the practical matches. Practice makes perfect (as long as you're doing it right) and it costs a lot less to practice with a .22 then something larger. I know. Been there, done that.
 
You can shoot the first third of a bullseye match with your .22. There are no restrictions that would prevent you from shooting your H&K in the centerfire and .45 sections, but you might want to ook into "targetizing" it a bit for your own comfort. 180 rounds, one handed gets a bit abusive.

See NJ Pistol for matches. Come on out & shoot!!
 
To add to what others have said about Bullseye, sometimes you will find that match organizers will permit .22's to be shot in the centerfire and (less often) the .45 thirds of matches but simply will drop your scores in those from official results. You are essentially 'practicing under match conditions' for those portions of the match. In particular I've seen it permitted for 1800 matches (.22 and CF) because you see enough .32s and similarly light centerfire calibers that fellow shooters don't even notice that you're still shooting rimfire.

Besides, Bullseye is an excellent shooting discipline to get your wife introduced to shooting on some level, or at least more tolerant of it. It is about as violent in initial appearance (and feel) as bowling, does not require much equipment to get started in, and develops the first two things you want any shooter to have - safety-mindedness and ability to hit the target. Bring her along to a match, she'll first be impressed with how boring it is to watch, and then later on how much fun it is to actually shoot the gun instead of watch.
 
You should check to see if any local clubs /ranges have pistol teams/ events. Up my way there are lots of Rimfire Gallery leagues. ( Very similar to bullseye with slow, rapid and timed fire stages on a 50' indoor course.) Also , Silhouette matches usually have a rimfire pistol class. Lastly, we have one club that runs monthly indoor rimfire plate shoots. My point being, rimfire games are pretty popular and diverse. I doubt you'll have to go far to find some once you get to looking.
hth
 
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