What's your favorite Matches and Why

G

g.willikers

New member
Like the title says, for those of us to value going to an organized match or two or three, which ones do you prefer?
Even if you haven't actually participated in any as of yet, but are thinking about it.
And more importantly, Why?
Strictly training ones?
IDPA?
USPSA?
Steel Challenge?
NRA Action Pistol?
PPC?
Bullseye?
Silhouette?
Muzzle Loading?
Shotgun Clay games?
Shotgun Action?
Cowboy?
3 Gun?
Something else entirely?
After going to all the trouble of trying to remember them all, I'd better not just hear crickets chirping.:o
 
Clay Games - my namesake for starters FITASC (which is actually the name of the European Governing body. The game is simply called "Sporting" in Europe)
Followed by English Sporting (which is the majority of sporting here in the US)
Third would be ZZs, also called Helice, only because there aren't many places to shoot it and it can get pricey - but the challenge of it is top of the line.

My old thrashed knees aren't going to let me participate in any "running and gunning" pistol matches............:eek::o
 
I'll start.
Oops, I mean go second.

My favorite organized shooting activities are Steel Challenge, USPSA and Shotgun Action, followed closely by NRA Action Pistol when one can be found.
(Still can't understand why NRA-AP matches seem to have fallen by the wayside especially with all the older competitors still around - no running required).

I like those choices, not only for the quest for speed and accuracy, but the shooting skills they impose and require.
There's always motivation to get smoother and better resulting in better and better gun handling skills.
I figure that's the actual quest, not so much the games themselves.
 
P.S.
My old joints also aren't always conducive to running, either.
On those days, I exercise my longer range shooting skills.
Just have to remember to tell the range officers what I have in mind so they don't run me over.
A way to turn a hindrance into a challenge and benefit.
 
CMP Vintage Rifle Matches, Garand, Springfield, Military, Carbine, and best of all, Vintage Sniper Matches.

Why: You use old pre-Korea, surplus military rifles, as-issued, in-modified, non match rifles.

Its about the shooter not the equipment.

Best of all anyone with a cheap $99 dollar Mosin can compete.
 
Oops, again.
Forgot about the rifle matches.
Most of the places we've lived didn't have them mostly due to the lack of ranges.
.22 rimfire matches were about the best we had.
Even a rifle duffer like me wasn't challenged much with the usual 100 yard ranges or the very scarce 200 yard ones nearby.
Too bad, as skill with a rifle is maybe one of the most important ones of all.
 
i tried 22 silhouette rifle a few years ago, with my little browning 22SA (with scope) and didn't much care for it. haven't tried too many others. tried a few matches of Steel Challenge with my pistols. lots of shooting, lots of draws, but pretty much no moving or shooting from cover.

so i've settled on IDPA. it's always something different, you can use your daily carry gear if you want, good folks turn out, and it rewards a good balance of speed and accuracy. to me, useful things to be good at.
 
I like "practical pistol" matches, as they can test all of the gunhandling skills, while also introducing some stress and situational awareness challenges.
I started shooting USPSA twenty years ago, soon after started shooting IDPA, as well.
I've also dabbled in 3-gun and Steel Challenge, but the price and unavailability of ammo drove me from the first, and maybe the lack of variety from the other.

I've decided that I shoot for fun, and since it rains here more than not, and standing in the rain for six hours, for five minutes of trigger time, is no fun, I've essentially stopped shooting USPSA.
I was much more heavily involved in IDPA -club administration, instructing, etc. - so I've continued with that, and now also shoot a new sport that was introduced in my area, Action Shooting International; but I shoot once or twice a month, rather than the once, or even three times, a week that I used to shoot.

All that said, my preference is for "single stack" matches, either USPSA or IDPA style, limited to 1911-style pistols. I've traveled to Arizona four or five times to shoot the Western States match, shot the Oregon championship for many years, and organized a few such matches at my own club. I hope to shoot nationals before I'm too old or disinterested!
 
we normally have a single stack 45 IDPA match once a year. it's not required you bring out your old 1911, but you are encouraged to do so.

so last year i brought out my old gold cup trophy. first stage, the rear sight pin fails, costing me lots of points down. sigh. i temp fix it with a piece of paperclip, continue on, and do pretty well the remainder of the match as far as accuracy.

so this year i plan to haul out my 1912 vintage 1911 (5 digit SN) and run that for that match. i'll lube it up well and have fun. no way i'll win. small battle sights, 7 lb trigger, and it rattles when you shake it. 105 year old pistol that still works! and parts are still available!
 
g.willikers said:
which ones do you prefer?
Click to expand...

I haven't competed in a little while because my life's priorities have shifted a bit, but my favs were IDPA (revolver) and NRA Higher Power (Service Rifle).

g.willikers said:
And more importantly, Why?
Click to expand...

I like being well-rounded, so action-type shooting with a handgun and 3-position target shooting with a rifle covered my bases nicely. ;)

I like shooting revolvers (and in double action). I shot some USPSA but settled on IDPA because I shoot L-frames best and prefer speed-loader-fed revolvers, and IDPA is the best place for that (I do shoot a semi-auto in IDPA when I need a little wheelgun R&R, though).

I like Service Rifle shooting because 1) it emphasizes the fundamentals, 2) does so off the bench and in three different positions and 3) the gear and ammo are pretty standard.
 
Bullseye and bowling pins(when that still existed). The Queen's Service, poverty and old age got in the way of everything else that doesn't involve all that running and jumping. Game Matches start too early as well.
 
High Power Service Rifle is my favorite.
A combination of precision shooting from several positions of instability. [Standing ,sitting,prone] Firing from the 600 yard line is a special challenge particularly with an infantry style rifle.
 
I shoot what is available in my area.

Sporter Rifle
NRA bullseye pistol, indoors winter, outdoors summer
Silhouettes
The club I just joined has bowling pin matches in the summer. Can't wait.

One club has a 200 yard benchrest, a 3 position military match 200 yards and a 300 yard prone. Each is once a month in the summer.


David
 
USPSA year round

Steel challenge except when it's really cold/rainy

GSSF in the summer

Rimfire challenge, 3 gun and bust a few clays when I get the time

Long range rifle when I need a humility lesson

Black powder when I just want a relaxing afternoon of "BOOM".
 
Personally, I like steel challenge and silhouette,,,

Personally, I like steel challenge and silhouette,,,
Both in rimfire version.

I don't compete formally in either game,,,
But I have faux target sets that I play alone with.

Someday I'll actually go to another steel challenge match,,,
That's if I ever get the urge to be trounced by a 12 year old girl again.

Aarond

.
 
IDPA and USPSA. I am interested in steel challenge matches as well but have yet to attend one.

(I am just an amble and shoot hack contender vs. a run and gun player ;))
 
If there is a timer or a scorecard and a trigger, I like it. :D

IDPA: While I started 3 clubs, don't shoot it anymore.
USPSA (Pistol): Certainly in my top 5. Mostly shoot Production, but lately a bit of PCC
Steel Challenge: When I need a tune up on fundamentals.
Rimfire Challenge: One of my favorites. I like the diversity of the target arrays.
Sporting Clays: My weakness, so I love it.
Action Shotgun matches: A lot of fun, just not as many around as I would like. Ran the Benelli Championship in 2015.
PRS: Love the challenge and the different styles.
Hi-Power: Don't shoot it much anymore, but I should.
F-Class: Good tune up for PRS.
3 Gun: My favorite, but can degrade fundamentals so I do the aforementioned single gun matches.
USPSA rifle: Really like shooting the comstock scoring with AR15s on stages that go from 5 to 400 yards or so.
 
ICORE being I'm the match director and USPSA. Gave up on the steel challenge due to my hearing sucks and can't hear the hits. I have not shot a IDPA match since April 2015. ICORE is great for us old farts not a lot of running
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top