View Full Version : New To competition Where Do I start?
I live in Hillsboro TX about an hr south of DFW. Myself and a group of shooters from the area want to get in to some competition but don't know where in the area is good. Can some one make a recommendation? mostly Pistol/AR/Shotties. Just looking to get our feet wet. Tired of shooting at dirt all the time. THANKS!!
theblackknight
04-18-12, 15:46
I'm sure texas has a shooters forum. Those dudes will know the matches that google dosent turn up.
After that, go to IDPA and USPSA's websites/forums to see the games. Then go to brian enos forums. Go watch a local match. You'll be hooked and looking thru couches for change to pay for a Dillon in no time. Plus youll need a underarmor polo shirt with lots of logos, cant shoot good without them.
And never say the word "shotties" again.
...Go watch a local match....
I almost did this my first time, and that would have been a mistake.
Thankfully, the guy I called to confirm the match start time convinced me to bring a gun along, so the first match I saw was also the first one I competed in, with a gun I'd never fired before.
I finished third from last and had a blast.
Great thanks I will try and make it out to a match and watch.
And never say the word "shotties" again.
Wil Co.
Champion Shooter Julie Golob put out a real good book about getting into competition, so i'd recommend checking that out.
"As someone who just got into shooting and is considering shooting sports, this book is invaluable. She gives clear definition to many of the questions I had about the different organizations, type of guns and just about everything I was looking for answers for."
Shoot: Your Guide to Shooting and Competition (http://www.amazon.com/Shoot-Your-Guide-Shooting-Competition/dp/161608698X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1334866003&sr=1-1)
http://www.theoutdoorwire.com/image_archive/2060478.png
Wow great thanks a ton I will pick it up.
bullittmcqueen
04-20-12, 09:22
Great thanks I will try and make it out to a match and watch.
Show up prepared to shoot anyways with ammo at the very least and your firearms if possible. Whatever club you may find, if they are anything like my local club here in GA, most members are MORE than happy to give you personal safety briefings and explain COF's, and let you borrow shooting gear.
At a recent 3 gun match we had a friend come out with us who had never shot competitively before. The RO gave him a 1-on-1 safety brief and let him borrow his shotgun, we all pitched in for ammo and a lifelong shooter was born. He absolutely loved it.
If you're safe and eager, most clubs/ranges would love to have you.
Good luck and good shooting!
Show up prepared to shoot anyways with ammo at the very least and your firearms if possible. Whatever club you may find, if they are anything like my local club here in GA, most members are MORE than happy to give you personal safety briefings and explain COF's, and let you borrow shooting gear.
At a recent 3 gun match we had a friend come out with us who had never shot competitively before. The RO gave him a 1-on-1 safety brief and let him borrow his shotgun, we all pitched in for ammo and a lifelong shooter was born. He absolutely loved it.
If you're safe and eager, most clubs/ranges would love to have you.
Good luck and good shooting!
Ahh man now I wish I was in GA, There are a lot of older shooters here in my area, great guys for shooting but they like a lot of bench-rest work. lol I'm out there rolling on my side shooting under cars. they call me "The Range Ninja." That's why I want to get in to some comps where I won't be the only one running and gunning! :dance3:
Another great way to get started is to watch a couple match videos online, and then recreate some of the courses of fire and practice them with your shooting buddies before you actually compete. Then when you arrive, everything won’t be completely new and foreign. I did this before I started shooting in IDPA matches, and it helped a lot.
You can also get the match rule books online in PDF form, and it’s good to read up on those before you go so you don’t have to try and learn everything there. Obviously you don’t have to know everything before you go, but you will be better off if you at least know some of the rules and are comfortable with how they set up the courses of fire. Hope that helps a little. Good luck!
snakedoctor
04-20-12, 14:09
I'm just gonna be honest with you and let you know that competitive shooting can be very addicting. Also one rule to follow is, Buy Cheap Buy Twice.
Also one rule to follow is, Buy Cheap Buy Twice.
Yeah I have been hearing that. I am Looking at PSA for my AR it gives me what I want with what I can afford. I am looking at Glocks because they can be had used for a great price and with a .22 kit Training (and my kids shooting) will be great. I have an Old faithful Moss 500c 12GA. that I can have some fun with. I want to try and do "something" every other month, or as $$$ is there. With a wife and two kids they get most of the funds. I wish there was a good Gun Store/Range around here I could work for. But sadly I have Walmart for ammo and that's about it.
thanks for all this good info!
Jesse Tischauser
04-23-12, 08:16
Best of the West Gun Range in Liberty Hill, TX and there is a range up in Johnson County too.
Check out DFW Shooters, Texas Gun Talk, and BoomerShooter.com for Texas match info.
kelly neal
04-26-12, 15:08
While I cannot tell you where to start going to matches in your area, I can give you some advice on "how to start:"
1) Have good zeroes on all of your guns including your shotgun. And I don't mean a 50 yard zero zero on your rifle. I mean KNOW where that rifle hits at 5, 25, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, etc. etc.
2) Safety first. You will probably witness some blazing fast shooting and gun handling which is built upon thousands and thousands of repititions. As a beginning competitors, you will NOT be able to emulate that safely. Don't try and go too fast. Build up your skill set slowly and carefully. Watch your trigger finger. Respect the 180.
Jesse Tischauser
04-26-12, 16:59
While I cannot tell you where to start going to matches in your area, I can give you some advice on "how to start:"
1) Have good zeroes on all of your guns including your shotgun. And I don't mean a 50 yard zero zero on your rifle. I mean KNOW where that rifle hits at 5, 25, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, etc. etc.
2) Safety first. You will probably witness some blazing fast shooting and gun handling which is built upon thousands and thousands of repititions. As a beginning competitors, you will NOT be able to emulate that safely. Don't try and go too fast. Build up your skill set slowly and carefully. Watch your trigger finger. Respect the 180.
That is great advice coming from one of the top shooters in the sport!
kelly neal
04-27-12, 12:49
Thanks!
One more observation to share with new 3 gunners:
Don't get intimidated by equipment. Three gunners including myself LOVE gear. You will probably see a lot of fancy gear: shot shell holders/loaders of all stripes, uber fancy rifles, cool open class shotguns, etc etc. Don't worry about it. The more I shoot the more I realize that gear (while it must obviously work) is far less important than the shooter.
Witness Nils or Rob L beating 150 shooters (including those with open pistols) with a single stack or production pistol at a Rio Tuesday Night Steel. Kurt Miller regularly defeats open class rifle shooters using a worn out iron sighted JP. You can't buy your way to success. At the end of the day it is YOU.
If you want to keep competing THEN go for the fancy race gear but when starting, run what you brung, you'll do just fine (as long as it is zeroed!)
Jesse Tischauser
04-30-12, 10:15
Here is a list of the local state level matches that I have been compiling in the 3 Gun Nation forum.
Another great way to help learn the game is through watching videos on YouTube. I know when I first started I watched every video from Team Noveske and Kelly Neal. Those two YouTube channels had me hooked before I ever fired a shot. I now post every video I can on my YouTube and on the TeamStagArms channel do I can help get other new Shooters involved in the addiction.
Big thanks to Jansen Jones and Kelly Neal for those great videos. I still watch everyone of them looking for ways to improve.
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