how to get started in competitive shpoting?

mtsfitness

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Wondering how someone gets started in competitive shooting? I'm interested in both pistol and three gun but I have no idea where to start from.. What is are the competitions that's best suited for beginners?

Also, for someone who is just starting out in these sports, do they require certain firearms/ equipment, or can you just run what you have? Do they limit you to 10 round mags or do they allow prebans or such? Also ehat are the ammo requirements usually look like?

Sorry if these questions have been asked before... Did a quick search and couldn't find much.

Thanks alot
 
Go to a range where competitions are held and ask the nice people you meet there.

I met our own Rob Boudrie when we worked for the same company about 20 years ago. He was tracing the outline of a USPS/IPSC target on a foam lunch tray with a plastic knife for another co-worker when I walked by. I recognized it as a target even though I had never seen or heard of IPSC/USPSA. He invited me to the Hopkinton Sportsmen's club where he an several other guys were shooting pistols at steel and cardboard targets, sometimes while on the move. I was immediately hooked and started attending practices there.

We hold USPSA type pistol practice at HSA weekly as do some other local clubs. Harvard has USPSA and IDPA practice and matches. Worcester has IDPA practice and matches.

PM incoming.
 
Where are you located? That will help us knowing how far you are from organized matches.
Hopkinton has held an Intro to USPSA class in the spring also. I believe that a similar class is held at Harvard, maybe May/June time frame. The sanctioning body websites may have info about getting started too.
3 Gun is a bit more involved. Most of the matches are "Outlaw" matches. Rules vary, equipment divisions will be similar, yet have different names.
Go back to pages 8 and 10 in this forum. There are threads started by Jar on page 8 and one started by myself on page 10, that covers a lot of questions on 3 gun. Some of it is dated as far as trends in equipment. Both of the threads are long, there is some back and forth banter that can be skimmed over, but a lot of good info is there.
Brian Enos forums have a great deal of information in the multigun section.
 
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My only advice is search out what your interested in shooting before you go buying stuff.
I tried 3 gun 2 times and the amount of ammo and the distance needed to travel to get to events was just more than I wanted to take on. I went to a club that had a "open " match where new comers where welcomed. There where several shooters willing to let you use equipment. I think it was a push to get 3 gun going at the club. Few years later I wanted to do it again but they no longer held events. I eventually dropped 3 gun interest for the lack of time and place to practice. The 2 clubs local to me would frown on rapid multiple target work..
You can always try other events such as CMP/NRA high power rifle matches, idpa and such.
Cmp/nra is a great way to get your basic rifle skills worked out a,little
http://www.nssf.org/events/featurette/2012/0712.cfm


I can't find any 3 gun matches in Massachusetts ?
 
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My only advice is search out what your interested in shooting before you go buying stuff.
I tried 3 gun 2 times and the amount of ammo and the distance needed to travel to get to events was just more than I wanted to take on. I went to a club that had a "open " match where new comers where welcomed. There where several shooters willing to let you use equipment. I think it was a push to get 3 gun going at the club. Few years later I wanted to do it again but they no longer held events. I eventually dropped 3 gun interest for the lack of time and place to practice. The 2 clubs local to me would frown on rapid multiple target work..
You can always try other events such as CMP/NRA high power rifle matches, idpa and such.
Cmp/nra is a great way to get your basic rifle skills worked out a,little
http://www.nssf.org/events/featurette/2012/0712.cfm

I can't find any 3 gun matches in Massachusetts ?

Monson had two 3 gun matches this season. One in May, one in September. I believe both were posted on this forum. I know the May match was also on Facebook in the New England Action Shooting group.
Monson is planning on at least two 3 gun matches next year.
 
Hmmmmmmm very similar to what I did.


Go to a range where competitions are held and ask the nice people you meet there.

I met our own Rob Boudrie when we worked for the same company about 20 years ago. He was tracing the outline of a USPS/IPSC target on a foam lunch tray with a plastic knife for another co-worker when I walked by. I recognized it as a target even though I had never seen or heard of IPSC/USPSA. He invited me to the Hopkinton Sportsmen's club where he an several other guys were shooting pistols at steel and cardboard targets, sometimes while on the move. I was immediately hooked and started attending practices there.

We hold USPSA type pistol practice at HSA weekly as do some other local clubs. Harvard has USPSA and IDPA practice and matches. Worcester has IDPA practice and matches.

PM incoming.
 
Check your local club calendar to see if they run organized matches. Most places that do will also run practices open to the public where you can learn more than you ever wanted to know about that sport.
 
Steel challenge or pin shoots are not a bad place to start if you have any close by. You can run just about any gear and start from a low ready, reloading isn't huge, no movement. Just show up for a match.
 
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