where to start as a begginer in competitive shooting

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litenite99

New member
as the title implies i have not ever shot or watched a competitive match in person. mostly all i know is what is posted to youtube or other social media, but it looks very interesting to me and i want to get involved. so my question is to the guys with lots of experience. 1. how do i find out what kind of competitions can be found here in louisina 2. as a beginner and in your opinion what sort of competition would be best to start. (i wont say im the best with any sort of firearm but i own all kinds concealed carry guns, service type handguns, 1911, .22 rifles, long range rifle types also) i know this is a broad question but any sort of guidance would be appreciated.
 
It all depends on your skills.
The action type of games are the most entertaining, but are also the most dangerous without the skills to do them safely.
Only you can decide.
http://www.uspsa.org/
http://www.idpa.com/
http://3gunnation.com/
If you're not comfortable with running around rapid firing, then maybe one of the more sedate competitions would be more agreeable.
Something like metallic silhouette, for example.
http://www.ihmsa.org/index1.html
Or a local bullseye match, rifle or pistol.
http://competitions.nra.org/
Or fast shooting without the running and mag changes.
http://steelchallenge.com/
Then there's all the shotgun sports - skeet, trap, sporting clays, five stand.
There's really no end to it.
First see if there's a club in your area that holds matches and what they are and what they offer:
http://nssf.org/
Carry on, I'm all tuckered out now and need a nap. :)
 
jwrowland77 said:
pistol? Rifle?
Click to expand...

+1. And target? run&gun?

Start here:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=236788

Then use Google to find matches in your area.

Some events take a lot of financial investment to get into, and aren't likely to be the best place to start. Events that come to mind here are 3-gun, benchrest rifle, F-class rifle.

The most affordable handgun matches to start with would be Rimfire Steel and GSSF (if you've already got a Glock).

If you're interested in target pistol, you could start shooting Bullseye matches with a .22 to see if you want to stick with it.

The easiest entry into target rifle shooting would be Rimfire Sporter, though matches aren't all that easy to find.

If you're wanting to shoot in a run&gun type match, IDPA would be a good place place to start. I'd definitely skip 3-gun until you've got a solid foundation in either IDPA or USPSA.
 
thanks this is alot of good info.... I'm probably most comfortable and proficient with a handgun. I grew up hunting so i have plenty of experience with a rifle just i guess not much precision shooting, but i am doing my research for the long range game i own a decent tool for the job but as they say its the loose nut behing the gun lol
 
I don't know if you reload or not, but if you don't, now would be a great time to start. Lol. It'll get expensive fast if you don't. Plus it's just more accurate for long range games if you do.
 
i purchased all my reloading equipment over the last couple months i am just getting into the rifle side of it the handgun loading was pretty easy. its slightly more complex for the rifles but not so bad
 
I think handgun competition (IDPA, USPSA, GSSF, etc) would generally present less of a barrier to get started than would rifle.

I compete separately with a pistol (runNgun) and rifle (target), and the amount of gear and financial commitment is higher with the rifle. All my handgun gear fits in a single range bag, whereas going to a rifle match (or just to the practice range) involves several trips to load my car.

And compared to reloading pistol ammo, reloading match-grade rifle ammo is a lot more involved and time consuming, too.
 
Since the OP doesn't give his location, a good first step would be to check with local gun shops for contact info about clubs that share his area(s) of interest, are real competitive shooting clubs, and have access to range facilities that are well maintained and safe. Google might also help in finding ranges and clubs in the locality.

Maybe I am out of line in saying so, but the reality today is that some groups who get together and shoot may not practice good safety or may have an agenda that differs from competitive sports. Most such are harmless except to themselves, others may have goals incompatible with most folks' ideas of good sportsmanship.

Jim
 
Matches

Google NRA Shooting Sports magazine.
It is an online publication. The last few pages of every issue contain an extensive list of every sanctioned match in every discipline throughout the United States with dates and contacts.
Yes...pistol shooting requires less of an investment than any long gun competition.
Bullseye match shooting is the simplest and can be started with a .22 pistol.
One can shoot both Conventional Bullseye or international Bullseye with a .22,
Pete
 
As mentioned above, the easiest entry level sports with a pistol are
Steel Challenge(Speed steel) and GSSF.

Steel Challenge with a 22 pistol is shot from low ready, so no drawing
from a holster. Centerfire is drawn from a holster. Very little movement,
shouldn't be any reloads on the clock. Still gets the adrenaline pumping.

GSSF matches are for Glocks. A little harder to find, there may only
be one in your area in a year. Shot from low ready, easy courses of fire,
chance to win guns and money.

Lots of video online on both sports---
 
thanks for the help everyone i emailed idpa last night they have a match every month about a hour away from my house. Im going to go watch the next one in about two weeks and see what thats all about. i watched some youtube videos of the competitions it looked pretty fun. i dont know if ill be any good since most of the pistol shooting i do is basically standing still at a firing line, but im willing to give it a try. I would really like to try the rimfire sporter competition since i have a perfect rifle for the job but they seem very hard to find.
 
I've done the Steel Challenge, and that's a lot of fun. I competed with a 9mm single stack. Some stages of I missed if have to do a mag change but I was still towards the top of the pack (compliments of Uncle Sam and practice doing mag changes.)
 
litenite99 said:
i dont know if ill be any good since most of the pistol shooting i do is basically standing still at a firing line, but im willing to give it a try.
Click to expand...

You'd be starting pretty much as everyone else has started. Any form of competition is a big step beyond just standing and shooting at your local range, so while you won't be very good at first, it's a great way to greatly improve your skillset.

And don't worry about not being any good at first. Everyone else has been there as well, so they're more concerned about you being safe. Read up on the rules, tell the safety officer you're new, and listen closely to what they tell you.
 
Plus, I know the guys I ran into starting F-Class were extremely helpful when I told them I was new. Huge helps. Just tell them you're new like said, and you'll probably get all kinds of help.
 
Have you ever given thought to muzzleloading bullseye pistol? Ammunition can be quite affordable if your guns are set in a caliber where you can buy your round ball in bulk as buck shot. Also you can cut your own patches buying the material by the yard at Walmart or a fabric store. If you have access to lead cheap enough you could cast your own round ball. The sport is all shot single handed, standing at 25 and 50 yards. There is a division at the Nationals for traditional guns only (originals or replicas of originals) and a division for open or unlimited allowing you to compete with tricked out modified, modernized guns. Very fun, can be a good challenge, and when you're making you're own tools/supplies it can be very rewarding on a personal level. I feel if you pick your supplies out right it can be cheaper than conventional guns. Check out anything on google that has to do with the NMLRA (National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association) and ask me anything about it. I'm happy to help a new shooter to the line.
 
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