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As with the other pistol disciplines at DSC,
Bullseye competion has a very strong contingent of shooters.
Probably one of the oldest American forms of handgun competition,
the National Matches held at Camp Perry in Ohio every summer
have competitors from every state in the union attending.
Thousands of competitors meet at their local clubs year around
to practice for these National matches.
DSC's bullseye shooters meet for their league on Thursday
evenings from 7:00 to 9:30pm in the basement of the shotgun
range building.
Some general info regarding Bullseye competition, taken from
the NRA website, follows:
Conventional Pistol Competition
Many individuals become interested in pistol competition;
however, unless they start off with the proper information,
they find it difficult. The cost of equipment is generally
a stumbling block. Many feel that unless they have the best
of everything they cannot compete. This is not true. Most
start with a minimum investment of a .22 caliber rimfire pistol
(autoloader or revolver), spotting scope and stand.
Pistol competition may be fired outdoors or indoors. The course
of fire is basically the same, but the distances are different.
Equipment
Section 3 of the NRA Pistol Rule Book defines authorized equipment
and ammunition. This section is not meant to restrict equipment
but to define limitations.
Pistol Autoloader or revolver? Up until about 30 years ago
the revolver was the one to use. Some competitors still use
a revolver, but the autoloader is now used almost exclusively.
Autoloaders have been developed that are capable of top-notch
accuracy. An autoloader will provide an advantage when firing
timed fire (5 shots in 20 seconds) and rapid fire (5 shots
in 10 seconds) courses.
It should be noted that the standard course of fire is a
"3-gun aggregate." This is fired with .22 caliber
rimfire, center fire, and .45 caliber pistols. However, it
is not necessary that you have 3 different guns. In most tournaments
you may enter and fire only one or more stages of the aggregate.
Many competitors entering complete aggregate only own a .22
and .45 caliber pistol since the .45 caliber may be used for
the center fire stage.
Spotting Scopes:- A spotting scope will
let you see your shots on your target and make sight corrections.
Scopes need a stand for support or some means to mount on
a gun box if used. They come in various price ranges and,
as with all optics, you get what you pay for. Good resolution
is important as you will need to see a .22 caliber hole on
a target at 50 yards if you fire outdoors. A 20X to 30X is
generally used.
Ammunition: Not much can be said about ammunition.
Obviously, you will need the proper ammunition for the pistol
you'll use. Match grade ammunition is available commercially
and costs more than "regular." This is manufactured
under high standards and is more accurate for competitive
shooting. Many competitors hand-load their own ammunition
(except .22 rimfire). This is not only cost effective but
allows for loads to be "customized" for a particular
gun. In many cases, hand-loaded ammunition is more accurate
than commercially produced match grade ammunition. If you
use the hand-load route, be sure to follow all safety precautions.
Accessories: Some of the most common and
useful accessories include:
Sights: All target pistols come with an
adjustable rear sight. This is a must. However, various brands
of adjustable sights are available, some better made than
others. Experience will tell which one is better for you.
Optical and electronic sights are available and currently
allowed in NRA Conventional Pistol competition. Those sights
which project an image upon the target (laser) are not permitted.
These sights are a help to the shooter whose eyesight is "not
what it used to be." They are not recommended for the
new shooter who is still mastering the fundamentals of sight
alignment, which is absolutely necessary for a champion shooter.
Grips: All pistols come with grips. Unfortunately,
these are made for a standard size hand. Since no two people
are identical, it is unlikely that the grips from the factory
will fit properly. Custom grips are available as accessories
and will vary in cost depending on if you want true custom
grips (made exclusively for you) or off-the-shelf.
Shooting Box or Kit: Some means is necessary
to transport your pistol and accessories to and from the range.
This can be as elaborate as a large box which holds everything
to a simple cloth or leather case. The choice will depend
on the type and amount of shooting you do. The box has can
be used for storage at home.
Targets: Rule 18.15(e) in the NRA Conventional
Pistol Rule Book states in part, "it is the competitor's
responsibility to frame the correct target for the specific
match and distance." As a new pistol competitor, you
need to be familiar with what the proper targets are. NRA
official targets are described in Section 4 in the Pistol
Rule Book. Section 7 will give you the targets required for
various courses fired.
Courses of Fire: NRA conventional pistol
competition consists of firing slow, timed, and rapid fire.
This is done at 50 and 25 yards outdoors and almost exclusively
at 50 feet indoors. Generally an outdoor match will consist
of 20 shots, slow fire at 50 yards (two 10-shot strings, 10
minutes per string), 20 shots, timed fire at 25 yards (four
5-shot strings, 20 seconds per string), 20 shots, rapid fire
at 25 yards (four 5-shot strings, 10 seconds per string),
and the National Match Course (10-shots slow fire at 50 yards,
10-shots timed fire (two 5-shot strings), and 10-shot strings
(two 5-shot strings). This match consists of 90 shots for
a possible aggregate total of 900 points. For a 2700 aggregate
this match is fired once with each gun: .22 caliber rimfire,
center fire, and .45 caliber. Many match programs call for
only one or two guns, that is a 900 or 1800 aggregate. Most
indoor tournaments are fired with .22 caliber rimfire only
for a 900 aggregate. However, some indoor matches use all
guns for a complete 2700 aggregate.
Range
SOP
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