Competition Shooting
- Thread starter RangeMaster1
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For me- ZERO long range experience. Had built and shot AR’s at 25 yards indoors only.
Started PRS this February.
There is a fallacy that a beginner can privately practice enough to not be an embarrassment in their first match. Humans learn by being challenged. A weak human avoids such challenges, and so stays weak and ineffective. You remember lessons a lot better when it’s obvious to everyone how poorly you did.
Just go shoot your first match. No need to be self conscious because no one will be paying attention to what you are doing. People may offer you suggestions. You will learn with each match you shoot and your knowledge will build. Watch the good shooters to see what they are doing and ask questions. Don't be afraid to ask to borrow someone's gear. When I shot my first match, my only goal was to be safe and not DQ. I came in second to last out of 119 shooters but, I learned from each match. Add a little practice and you'll get better.
It will be tough the first several matches, but everyone was there once. I shot my first match with generic elevation dope I found online and was terrible. Several years later, now I win local matches and tend to be upper-mid pack at the big 2 day ones when I can attend them.
Be able to shoot decent groups and try to verify your dope to at least some degree. If it's your first match people should be pretty happy to help.
Just be willing to learn and accept that you have skills to work on. The people who seem to never come back are those with a big ego that couldn't take the blow. Challenge yourself, have fun and be safe.
Be able to shoot decent groups and try to verify your dope to at least some degree. If it's your first match people should be pretty happy to help.
Just be willing to learn and accept that you have skills to work on. The people who seem to never come back are those with a big ego that couldn't take the blow. Challenge yourself, have fun and be safe.
competitions (prs, 2-3 gun, uspsa, etc) definitely improved my shooting. one, you get to see good guys doing stuff and learning from them, and/or them providing tips. two, more "practice" is generally a good thing. three, you get to know your guns and gear better and that always helps.
Same here — my first few times I was pretty shaky, but watching guys who are miles better really fired me up to chase after them and keep running it over and over.
You’ll make it — the main thing is having the drive and the interest.
You’ll make it — the main thing is having the drive and the interest.
tldr: "Competent" for PRS-style matches (which is the interest of many if not most people here) means you know how to set your rifle for first-round hits out to 1000-1200 yards and move safely across various props. "Good" is something else altogether.
Sigh. I used to hear it all the time as an NSSA skeet competitor: "I'm not going to compete until I'm good enough."
Here's what "being good" means. The story is around shotgun competition - but it carries into any shooting discipline.
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I had been shooting skeet "for fun" for about 20 years before I joined NSSA and shot my first competition. Most people I shot with up to that point said I was "good." When NSSA competition came to my club via a few NSSA shooters relocating to the area and generating new interest, I finally attended my first shoot with them down in Pinehurst, NC - a historic club run by Annie Oakley back in the 1920 timeframe.
I shot a 96 (out of 100). "Good" by shoot-for-fun-on-Saturday-afternoon standards.
Out of 50ish shooters, I was down in the middle of the pack. Far from top gun and not really close to any class awards.
But the fire was lit. Ten years later, I was buying powder in 8-pound jugs (one each for 12/20, 28, and .410), primers in 5k sleeves, and shot hundreds of pounds at a time.
I achieved AAA classification in all four guns (12/20/28/.410), meaning an average of .985 / .9825 / .980 / .965 or higher respectively.
And I didn't win a damn thing the whole time I was classed there - because my 98-99 percent averages were competing with people whose averages were in the .999+ percent range. A couple of them went entire seasons with 100% (no misses) in 12 or 20 gauge, where a minimum of 1200 and 1000 SCORED targets respectively had to be shot for awards consideration.
I was "competent" the first time I shot NSSA skeet. By the same standard, I was "competent" when I shot my first PRS-style match. But "Good?" Pfft. I remember pulling targets for a little kid who was running hundreds before his voice changed. He was a natural. He had multiple national titles to his name before he was out of his 20s.
"GOOD" (Proficient?) IS A VERY RELATIVE TERM.
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So, once you have a MOA-accuracy-capable rifle and enough skill to set it for (hopefully) first-round hit at any reasonable range given to you, go compete. As long as you're safe and keep a good attitude when you invariably make newbie mistakes, you'll be fine.
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Almost no experience starting out. I bought an MPA rifle (first bolt gun) wanting to do it but I wasn’t confident enough to give it a try. I did some bench shooting at the range and felt ok about that but not good enough to try PRS yet.
About a year and a half later I ended up at my first match. I emailed the local match director and let him know my situation. He added me to his squad and was incredibly helpful the whole day. The squad was great, let me get setup on props before starting the time, and we’re all generally very helpful for a new shooter.
I think I’ve done 7 matches now between last year and this year. I wish I had more time to get to matches but it’s always a great time. I have yet to end up in a squad that isn’t great to shoot with.
Moral of the story here is, just do it. You’ll have a blast.
About a year and a half later I ended up at my first match. I emailed the local match director and let him know my situation. He added me to his squad and was incredibly helpful the whole day. The squad was great, let me get setup on props before starting the time, and we’re all generally very helpful for a new shooter.
I think I’ve done 7 matches now between last year and this year. I wish I had more time to get to matches but it’s always a great time. I have yet to end up in a squad that isn’t great to shoot with.
Moral of the story here is, just do it. You’ll have a blast.
I started at weekly fun shoots. Sucked hard. Moved to steel challenge and USPSA. Still suck, just not as hard. Was lucky enough to squad with Taran a bunch of times and watched how he did stuff. I tried to emulate his moves or lack of them. He’s very minimal in movement. I still suck but not as bad.
Now I added PRS and it’s definitely different. But again, I suck.
But I’m not on the couch and having fun.
Just go shoot man! Anything. Most all competitive shooters will give you the shirts off their backs. Good people.
Good luck!
Now I added PRS and it’s definitely different. But again, I suck.
But I’m not on the couch and having fun.
Just go shoot man! Anything. Most all competitive shooters will give you the shirts off their backs. Good people.
Good luck!
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