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Thread: How to start shooting competitively?

  1. #1
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    How to start shooting competitively?

    So I've decided I want to try out some competitive shooting. Just for fun. Watching some YouTube videos a lot of the 2 gun games look like that would be pretty cool.

    I think 2 gun would be better for me being that I don't have a semi auto shotgun. Just a short barrel Rem 870 that I'm not very proficient with and never use.

    Where do I start? What do I need? I'm pretty sure I have the basics. Good rifles, magnified and red dot optics, good stock of mags and ammo. Good pistols and holsters. Mag carriers and all that.

    I did some googling and didn't really find something that didnt seem writen by someone not selling specific gear.

    Lastly if someone knows of anything around Charlotte I'd be grateful for the tip.

  2. #2
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    Find a match and go shoot it. Take what you have and run it. You'll see what you like, what you don't like and want to change, etc.

  3. #3
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    Call your local ranges and ask if they do any action matches.

    What equipment you need/want will vary. Go minimal in the beginning. Most local matches don't require more than a holster or case.

    Practice failure drills, muzzle discipline, finger discipline and reloading.

    On day of match:
    *Wake up early enough to have time for the nervous poops.

    *Arrive early and let match director know you are new.

    *When you're up, Slow down! You're not winning your first match. Prove to the people watching you that you handle a firearm safely. Take your time, even walk during a stage, constantly being aware of your muzzle and finger.

    *Watch other shooters, see what equipment they have and ask questions. Nobody minds a safe new guy.

    *Help reset targets and any other way you can.

    Do all this and you'll have a good time, learn a few things and even get invited back.
    Last edited by Leaveammoforme; 09-02-15 at 19:27.

  4. #4
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    So it's really just some basic stuff. I guess I was really just over thinking it assuming there was some other processes that had to be handled first.

    Should I maybe go watch one before competing? Just to get an idea of how they run?

  5. #5
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    You can and it definitely won't hurt to watch one first. Downside is you will wish you went ahead and shot the match about halfway through.

  6. #6
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    I strongly recommend shooting a few pistol matches before trying any kind of multigun. Look for a USPSA club and get in touch with the match director. I advise new competitors to shoot Limited, which allows you to pretty much run any gun with iron sights and fill your magazines to full capacity. A safe holster, three mags and two mag pouches and you're good to go. Be prepared to get hooked.

  7. #7
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    I agree with all the advice thus far.

    Find a match, bring your gear, and shoot it. Take your time, and be safe. While your heart will probably be thumping pretty hard waiting for that first starting buzzer, odds are when the match is done you will have made some new friends and had a great time.

  8. #8
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    I think starting with a pistol match would be smart to get my feet wet. I'll look around Charlotte and see what I can find. Do these type of things tend to run year round or just the summer monthes?

  9. #9
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    Bring what you have and go slow, get accurate hits and be SAFE.

    if you go safe and get good hits, you can work in speed later, and will make friends easier than if you get dq'd for a 180!

    I see some guys doing alright with uncle Mikes stuff.

    Try uspsa/IDPA first, and get a feel for it.

  10. #10
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    Going to to basically jump off on what everyone else is saying and say just find a match and go shoot it. More or less how I started off shooting. Just be warned if you want to get competitive you are going to spend some money. Seriously we have joked about when we started off shooting competition that instead of asking if we wanted to shoot the coach should have asked if we wanted to spend 10K. But then over a decade later, many wins, state titles, and several guns later I don't quite complain much, lol.
    But, again, go to the shoots, chances are if you are missing something there is someone there who is more than willing to lend you what you need to shoot. In my experience I have been to exact ONE shoot that when I asked questions not only did I get my answer I got an entire break down of everything, in so much detail that I could not digest it, and I know I am just as bad with new shooters as well, even while handing them a gun, and telling them, or trying to, what to do. Most shooting sports are very open to new shooters, and it is rare that you don't see it. But again, the biggest thing is go and try it.
    "I don't collect guns anymore, I stockpile weapons for ****ing war." Chuck P.

    "Some days you eat the bacon, and other days the bacon eats you." SeriousStudent

    "Don't complain when after killing scores of women and children in a mall, a group of well armed men who train to shoot people like you in the face show up to say hello." WillBrink

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