Conventional pistol shooting popularity?

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Georgezilla
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Conventional pistol shooting popularity?

Post by Georgezilla » Thu Dec 30, 2010 7:51 pm

I have been involved in conventional type pistol shooting for a few years now. And by involved in, I mean training with match quality .22s and a DCM legal match 1911 using a one hand hold.

My situation has never allowed me frequent opportunities to practice at the range, so this really hasn't been an issue for me until this past year. The situation I find myself in is that EVERY range within a feasible distance of me only has/allows 15 yard pistol shooting! With that being said, it is obvious there are also no leagues or competitions for bullseye/conventional shooting. If I was interested in shooting IPSC/USPSA, I would be set here where I currently live in SW Texas. Nearly every range offers leagues and hosts events for those disciplines.

Nowadays, shooting at just 15 yards is very easy for me, even with my modest practice time. So now I am feeling a bit frustrated.

I find myself seeking answers to the following questions:

1) I do plan on moving, but will I run into this same situation all over the country?

2) If the situation I am in now is a rarity, where is conventional/bullseye shooting popular? Is it popular in other more northern parts of Texas?

3) Do you think I could gain anymore skill in conventional/bullseye shooting by simply downsizing my target, or does the short distance (15 yards) simply provide to great of a handicap for that to benefit me?

Any info or advice is much appreciated.

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Post by Bullseye » Thu Dec 30, 2010 8:31 pm

The Action style (IDPA/IPSC/USPSA) shooting has gained more popularity over the last 15 years or so over traditional conventional pistol shooting. For many, it's the excitement of "run and gun" or combat style shooting with varying scenarios.

As far as conventional pistol matches in your area the TSRA might be a better place to inquire about Conventional Pistol matches in and around your location. Here is a list of ranges from their website- TSRA Ranges

There are reduced sized targets for conventional pistol shooting at 50 feet but not 15 yards. Fifty feet is equivalent to about seventeen and a half yards. You can benefit from shooting the reduced sized targets because the fundamentals and your technique will show regardless of the distances fired.

There are plenty of indoor ranges that have either 50' or 25 yard distances around the country. Outdoors there's not a lot of problem for pistol distances of 25 and 50 yards but that limits shooting bullseye leagues to relatively good weather. Another great resource is the NRA for leagues and matches in other areas. If you are planning on relocating then checking with them may help you find places that have the style of shooting you enjoy.

Hope this helps.

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Post by Georgezilla » Fri Dec 31, 2010 1:06 am

Thanks for the info, Bullseye. That list is very helpful, hard to believe I was unable to find it seeing as I am a member of the TSRA. It is comforting to know that there are places within Texas that offer the distances I would like. For the time being, I will downsize my targets to try and improve my skill.

I have been considering trying IPSC/USPSA in the limited divisions until my locations allows for regular conventional/bullseye matches. I suppose some experience in competition is better than none, regardless of the discipline it is in. If only the firearm selection in these disciplines was as simple as in bullseye.

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Post by Bullseye » Fri Dec 31, 2010 8:57 am

That's good to hear George. Don't be too hard on yourself the TSRA website isn't the easiest to navigate.

Shooting .22 bullseye on the reduced 50' targets is just as challenging as with the longer targets. You should enjoy that more than if you're using the full sized centers at the shorter distances. Don't concern yourself with being 2.5 yards closer at 15 yards it is not that much of a difference for practice.

I have dabbled a little in IPSC style shooting. I wanted to see what all the excitement was about. I have to admit there is a certain appeal to shooting that discipline. I don't find it very challenging to hit the center of the IPSC targets but my sight alignment and trigger control techniques, learned from bullseye shooting, do carry over well for success in that discipline. One of the variations I've really enjoyed is the Back-up Gun matches (BUG) where one shoots through varying stages using standard carry pistols (with barrels less than 3.5"). In a Bug match, autopistol magazines cannot hold more than six rounds to level the playing field for carry revolvers. To me that is far more realistic than having a wonder gun with 10 extra magazines strewn all about your body.

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Post by stork » Fri Dec 31, 2010 1:12 pm

Georgzilla & Bullseye,

My biggest reason for NOT trying any other pistol disciplines is the paranoia I have about destroying the little trigger control I have now.

It looks like a fun time, but I got into Bullseye to improve my marksmanship with a pistol. The only other disciplines that interested me were pistol silhouette and International style. silhouette is all but completely gone around here and I can't tell you how far I would have to drive to find someone shooting International. Its bad enough in ND even with Bullseye. There are only 3 ranges in the state that actively shoot BE. Bismarck, Fargo, and Valley City.

I would love to have the opportunity to shoot a BE match every weekend, but have to settle for one/month...in the good months. We have a beautiful new 16 point-50 meter range here in Bismarck. I volunteer as the Range Officer on pistol night from Nov-Apr. The most shooters I have had on one night so far is 8 and I've had a lot of nights with only 4. Now I know from past years that number jumps up a lot in Jan & Feb but I find it very frustrating when people bitch & moan about not having a place to shoot and then don't take the effort to practice when they can.

The only bright spot is that I have no problem finding space to shoot. On the down side I had shoulder surgery in November and the therapy Nazi won't let me lift a pistol until sometime in January. Oh well maybe the forced lack of practice will make me concentrate a bit more on delivering every shot better when I can start again.

I work 1 or 2 evenings a week in a local sporting goods store and am frustrated to no end with the lack of knowledge by some of the clerks/experts that are peddling guns. In a lot of the cases they know 10% of what the uneducated buyer knows and don't care to learn any more than that. I caught one of them selling 357 Magnum ammo to a person he had just sold a 357 Sig to. After the customer left (with the correct ammo) I went into detail about the ammo error he had made, the glazed look in his eyes told me he would be best suited in the janitorial department without access to any strong chemicals. Depressing to say he is one of their higher volume sales people. Good salesman, he can sell ice to an Eskimo, but lousy product knowledge.

Enough ranting...

Happy New Year Everyone
Bullseye, thanks for providing this gentleman/gentlewoman's forum for us to share our knowledge (little that it is-in my case) and frustrations.

Stork
"A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government.” – George Washington

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Post by Georgezilla » Fri Dec 31, 2010 2:14 pm

That BUG style matches sound very fun. There is one division in USPSA called '"single stack" which I am considering trying. In single stack, competitors must use a somewhat basic 1911 limited to 8 rounds for major PF. Competitors may also use their single stack 1911s in the USPSA limited-10 division.

Stork, I am sorry to hear about your shoulder. I hope it is healing nicely and that you start enjoying shooting again in January. It is good that you are following your therapists advice though. I am not sure what time of the month you had your surgery in, or what part of January they told you that you could start shooting, but 2 - 4 months is a very quick recovery time for shoulder surgery. If your shoulder is indeed feeling better in such a short period, that is excellent.

In regards to big-box stores, lack of sales person knowledge seems to just be the nature of the beast. I will admit that If I am at a big box store and I need assistance with product knowledge I usually don't even bother asking the sales staff for assistance.

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Post by Bullseye » Fri Dec 31, 2010 3:40 pm

Sometimes you just have to look around for a good match. We have a bunch of leagues in my area but sometimes that means putting in some driving time to get to one. Bullseye leagues usually run at least once a week with at least one monthly registered match for the NRA stats folks.

Unfortunately shoulder, neck, back, and elbow surgery goes with the age thing. I know lots of folks who've had surgery and recovered well. The big thing is not doing something too soon and re-injuring yourself. It is easy to do as you feel much better before your body is physically ready for the additional strain. Even though you can start shooting in January don't be surprised if it takes longer to really regain your old stamina and form. I wish you a speedy recovery.

I know what you mean about the lack of quality service at many gun stores. Many times I have to bite my tongue when I hear some of the things shopkeepers say to their customers. It's easy to sound like a "know-it-all" in a store and usually the management doesn't take too well to being embarrassed in front of their customers. If I overhear something really wrong, or unsafe, I'll find a diplomatic way to inject a correction. On the range, all I have to do is put some shots downrange and suddenly I get a lot of attention from folks seeking advice. Many times I spend more time helping others than I do shooting at the range. Needless to say I like to go at times when there's little or no one there if I really want to put in some quality target time - Easy to do when you have the keys to the candy store.

I'm fortunate in that I have a nice K-D highpower rifle range just 20 minutes down the road. The range goes out to 1200 yards so I can get a little long distance time in too. Usually there's a rifle match once a month so I can keep my skills brushed up with the big bores.

I hope everyone has a nice and prosperous New Year!

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Post by piasashooter » Wed Jan 05, 2011 3:52 am

Bullseye is not to popular in my area. A good amount of the shooters in my league drive a fair distance to participate, one guy drives about 90 miles, I was shocked the first time I heard that. Most of the shooters in our league are about thirty or forty years older than me. We currently have four teams, but I have been told that in the past they usually had around ten teams participating. There doesn't seem to be much of a following from younger shooters with bullseye shooting.

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Post by Hardball » Thu Jan 13, 2011 1:29 am

I have a club range 35-40 minutes drive from me. Nice 50 and 25 yard targets with turning equipment. Up to 30 points. About 5 have broken butts.

Sadly the club has gotten away from regular bullseye. There are only about 3 of us regulars. In fact I can only think of 4 Pistol Distinguished in the area. And one ex Olympian.

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Post by mark II » Mon Jan 24, 2011 11:02 am

You gotta love this sport. Maybe a love hate relationship, love that ten hate that five.
You might think about starting your own league on downsized targets. That way you'll have some competition.
You might be surpised and find enough shooters to start a small league.

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Post by cousin jack » Tue Dec 27, 2011 9:43 am

I guess I'm lucky......

We have a 50' indoor range that was built in 1946 and used until just recently for target rifle competition, 4- position.....

But our range and our club was on its last legs....just four members....and then we found bullseye pistol. We cashed in a CD and bought six Mark III loaners, and advertised that we were starting a "pistol league," and that newbies would be welcome and didn't even need a pistol. Suddenly, almost overnight, we shot up to thirty members or so!

Invariably we saw the same pattern; people would show up, shoot one of our loaners for two or three nights, and then show up with their own MKIII, committed to shooting bullseye. And then it dawned upon us that it was a heckuva lot easier to justify a $300 (Ruger Mark III) commitment to a sport than a $3000 and up (Anschutz target rifle) commitment. Applying the same rigorous logic (!) to our rifle game, we opened up a "light rifle" night at the range, specifically targeted at people who have a 10/22 in their closet (which is just about everybody!). Our range is humming now: a bullseye pistol night, a light rifle night, a target rifle night, and a 4-H Marksmanship night.... we have about forty or so registered members. Bullseye .22lr pistol saved our range and our club, and just in the nick of time.

I guess what I'm trying to say is don't give up if bullseye isn't shot locally.... Scrape up two or three or four shooters, do some creative advertising, make it easy for beginners to try it, and you just might create your own club.

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Post by Hardball » Fri Dec 30, 2011 2:25 am

Cousin Jack
Would that have been Ray W as one of the rifle shooters?

My club needs a boost in competition activities. I have been planning some informal shoots like you describe. Your story will help I am sure. Thanks.

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Post by cousin jack » Fri Dec 30, 2011 10:25 am

The late, great Ray Wheeler was indeed one of our members, only not during the time of the "great troubles." Ray died about four, five years ago. He was a great guy, once you got past his unique personality! And his picture is all over our walls...... Did you shoot against him, Hardball? Prone?

The "light rifle" program is a smash hit. We were very fortunate to get hunting and fishing columnist Jim Huckaby of the Ellensburg Daily Record on-line early, and he published a column about the program. Most of our new members read about it in the local paper and decided to give it a whirl!

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Post by Hardball » Fri Dec 30, 2011 2:38 pm

Prone. In the 1970's Ray was a regular at our State and Regional Prone shoots. Regular winner as well. Great guy.

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