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I’m starting my first season of USPSA with a practice seasion this Saturday. My first match is February 9th. The club I am a member of holds monthly matches from Feb-Nov.
I’m really excited for this. I’ve only previously done standing/sitting handgun and rifles matches, never anything with movement. I do train with some movement currently and previously I was in the Army.
Being a police officer, I’m inclined to stick to equipment which closely mimics that which I use at work to maintain proper muscle memory. Besides that, any other tips from those of you who’ve been shooting matches for awhile?
I’m starting my first season of USPSA with a practice seasion this Saturday. My first match is February 9th. The club I am a member of holds monthly matches from Feb-Nov.
I’m really excited for this. I’ve only previously done standing/sitting handgun and rifles matches, never anything with movement. I do train with some movement currently and previously I was in the Army.
Being a police officer, I’m inclined to stick to equipment which closely mimics that which I use at work to maintain proper muscle memory. Besides that, any other tips from those of you who’ve been shooting matches for awhile?
good luck with that, I have never done any of that type of shooting, but it could be real fun.
Your 1st time, will be the most interesting, and you will be the most nervous. My friend prepared me by telling me that lots of people get disqualified on their 1st night for safety violations. If the weapon is not pointed exactly down range the entire time as you shifting targets and reloading and moving, you can get sent home. Also, if the trigger finger is near the trigger while moving, you will get a DQ.
My friend even got DQ'd once for that. I have seen it happen to others. I got faster after that 1st time because I was so worried about this.
I’m starting my first season of USPSA with a practice seasion this Saturday. My first match is February 9th. The club I am a member of holds monthly matches from Feb-Nov.
I’m really excited for this. I’ve only previously done standing/sitting handgun and rifles matches, never anything with movement. I do train with some movement currently and previously I was in the Army.
Being a police officer, I’m inclined to stick to equipment which closely mimics that which I use at work to maintain proper muscle memory. Besides that, any other tips from those of you who’ve been shooting matches for awhile?
Airborneguy, longtime competitive shooter here. Numerous disciplines, but I’ve competed in IPSC/USPSA since 1984.
First match, make sure you let the match director know that you are new. They should pair you up with an experienced shooter to show you the ropes. If they don’t offer to do that, ask them to do that. There will be a lot going on, and an experienced shooter can help you make sense of it.
When you get to the range, DON’T take your gun out of the bag and holster it at your car. Find a match official and ask them what the proper procedure is. Guns can only be handled on the firing line or in a safe area, and it’s easy for newbies to make a mistake here.
You will see lots of shooters shooting VERY fast. You need to disavow yourself of any ideas that you will be doing that too. Your goal should be safe shooting, and accurate shooting. The speed will come with time, but it’s incredibly embarrassing to get a match disqualification your first time out because you thought you could go as fast as the experienced shooters.
DON’T go out and buy a bunch of gear. Shoot what you have. It’s really easy for a new shooter to get caught up in the excitement of this new game, to go out and buy a bunch of stuff that they think is appropriate, but in fact is just horrible. Spend some time observing what the experienced shooters are using. Ask them about their gear. You will save yourself a lot of money in the long run. Oh, and one more thing. If you can buy it at Bass Proo, Cabelas, or your local sporting goods store, it’s probably not what you want.
Help out on your squad. Paste targets. Pick brass. Help out however you can. There is a lot of stuff going on that needs to be done, and you need to do your part.
The following isn’t a dig at you, it’s just something that I’ve experenced over more than 30 years of shooting this game. I started shooting in 1984 in San Diego. We would regularly get law enforcement (regular Cops and SWAT), and military (usually Marines, but a fair number of SEALS as well) that would come and shoot with us. A lot of them had the attitude of “I carry a gun for a living. I’m going to clean up in this competition.” And in every case, 100% of the time, they’d have their a$$e$ handed to them. It’s not that they couldn’t shoot, it’s just that the civilian competition shooters are generally SO much better. Police and military (even SWAT and SEALS) need to have a very broad skill set, much more than just shooting. For the civilian competition shooter, it’s all they do.
The problem with the above is that so many of these guys would be embarrassed and never come back. Much better were the guys that realized their skills were crap, and they need to improve. If the stuck it out, they would generally progress to become excellent shooters. My advice? Don’t even mention your law enforcement and military background, and don’t go in with the attitude that your experience will prepare for USPSA competition (it won’t). If you want to learn, the action pistol games are THE BEST way to learn to be a good shooter.
Your 1st time, will be the most interesting, and you will be the most nervous. My friend prepared me by telling me that lots of people get disqualified on their 1st night for safety violations. If the weapon is not pointed exactly down range the entire time as you shifting targets and reloading and moving, you can get sent home.
Not true. Study up on the “180” rule.
Quote:
Also, if the trigger finger is near the trigger while moving, you will get a DQ.
My friend even got DQ'd once for that. I have seen it happen to others. I got faster after that 1st time because I was so worried about this.
Not necessarily true (sometimes, but not always). And never for a finger being “near” the trigger. A finger is either on the trigger, or it’s not.
Not necessarily true (sometimes, but not always). And never for a finger being “near” the trigger. A finger is either on the trigger, or it’s not.
Sorry, but that is how it was being run at the place I went to several times. I went to an indoor range in the Houston area with a few people I know. I would ride with a friend, since I was about 90 min away. That is how it was being run. You would get warned sometimes, but not always DQd.
Airborneguy, longtime competitive shooter here. Numerous disciplines, but I’ve competed in IPSC/USPSA since 1984.
First match, make sure you let the match director know that you are new. They should pair you up with an experienced shooter to show you the ropes. If they don’t offer to do that, ask them to do that. There will be a lot going on, and an experienced shooter can help you make sense of it.
When you get to the range, DON’T take your gun out of the bag and holster it at your car. Find a match official and ask them what the proper procedure is. Guns can only be handled on the firing line or in a safe area, and it’s easy for newbies to make a mistake here.
You will see lots of shooters shooting VERY fast. You need to disavow yourself of any ideas that you will be doing that too. Your goal should be safe shooting, and accurate shooting. The speed will come with time, but it’s incredibly embarrassing to get a match disqualification your first time out because you thought you could go as fast as the experienced shooters.
DON’T go out and buy a bunch of gear. Shoot what you have. It’s really easy for a new shooter to get caught up in the excitement of this new game, to go out and buy a bunch of stuff that they think is appropriate, but in fact is just horrible. Spend some time observing what the experienced shooters are using. Ask them about their gear. You will save yourself a lot of money in the long run. Oh, and one more thing. If you can buy it at Bass Proo, Cabelas, or your local sporting goods store, it’s probably not what you want.
Help out on your squad. Paste targets. Pick brass. Help out however you can. There is a lot of stuff going on that needs to be done, and you need to do your part.
The following isn’t a dig at you, it’s just something that I’ve experenced over more than 30 years of shooting this game. I started shooting in 1984 in San Diego. We would regularly get law enforcement (regular Cops and SWAT), and military (usually Marines, but a fair number of SEALS as well) that would come and shoot with us. A lot of them had the attitude of “I carry a gun for a living. I’m going to clean up in this competition.” And in every case, 100% of the time, they’d have their a$$e$ handed to them. It’s not that they couldn’t shoot, it’s just that the civilian competition shooters are generally SO much better. Police and military (even SWAT and SEALS) need to have a very broad skill set, much more than just shooting. For the civilian competition shooter, it’s all they do.
The problem with the above is that so many of these guys would be embarrassed and never come back. Much better were the guys that realized their skills were crap, and they need to improve. If the stuck it out, they would generally progress to become excellent shooters. My advice? Don’t even mention your law enforcement and military background, and don’t go in with the attitude that your experience will prepare for USPSA competition (it won’t). If you want to learn, the action pistol games are THE BEST way to learn to be a good shooter.
Have fun, you’ll love it!
Thank you! I haven’t been to the matches yet, but most of the shooters will likely be members of the club who already know me and what I do so that cat is out of the bag lol. But they also know that I have always had an all ears attitude when it comes to shooting (well everything in life really). I made a great friend from the range who is a retired firefighter who I hope to pair up with. He knows his stuff and has been shooting these matches ever since our range started holding them.
Thank you for all of the advice. I’m definitely going to adhere to what you’ve said. My goal is to become one of the regulars, maybe even one of the match coordinators for my range.
Sorry, but that is how it was being run at the place I went to several times. I went to an indoor range in the Houston area with a few people I know. I would ride with a friend, since I was about 90 min away. That is how it was being run. You would get warned sometimes, but not always DQd.
If it was a USPSA sanctioned club, they were violating the rules.
Given that I wasn't there, so I have no idea what actually happened. But if what you describe is accurate, a simple discussion with the match director, rule book in hand, should have cleared it right up.
Your 1st time, will be the most interesting, and you will be the most nervous. My friend prepared me by telling me that lots of people get disqualified on their 1st night for safety violations. If the weapon is not pointed exactly down range the entire time as you shifting targets and reloading and moving, you can get sent home. Also, if the trigger finger is near the trigger while moving, you will get a DQ.
My friend even got DQ'd once for that. I have seen it happen to others. I got faster after that 1st time because I was so worried about this.
Truly the best tip I can bring to mind especially for first time competitors (in any type of competition) is to concentrate on being RELAXED. Control the adrenaline.If your walking to the starting station and you're shaking like a dog s****** peach seeds your performance is likely to not end well. Relax. Pat attention to the course of fire orientation and requirement the range masters give. Let it sink in. Be as relaxed as you can and put that nervous energy into being in control. Best advice I can give.
If it was a USPSA sanctioned club, they were violating the rules.
Given that I wasn't there, so I have no idea what actually happened. But if what you describe is accurate, a simple discussion with the match director, rule book in hand, should have cleared it right up.
Well, I was new to it. I went 3 or 4 times. I just wanted to see how I did. In general, I was in the top 40%. I did come in 1st in 1 stage once. I had no idea what the rules were, so I did what I was told.
I just wanted to experiment to see how I did instead of just punching static targets and standing still. I was not that interested in competition.
I have been carrying concealed since 1996. I wanted to try a little more realism.
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