This is one of the kinds of articles that I wish were more generally available online. It provides the kind of information which helps people decide that maybe they CAN shoot "competitively", and at the same time it allays qualms that a person is "not good enough" to compete in an organized match.
Starting something new can be intimidating. When that new thing involves firearms and a timer, it can be overwhelming to get involved in if you don’t know where to start. Do not worry, young padawan, I am here to help.
I’ve noticed a trend on local shooting forums where people will add a comment to a thread about a shooting match and say something like “I wish I could do that, but I’m not a good enough shot” or “I need more practice”, or something to that effect. Some of these people have been making the same comments for years. If you want to try competitive shooting, do it. Nobody cares how bad of a shot you are. Chances are, they will all be stuffing magazines, or BSing while you are shooting anyways. As long as you are safe, you will enjoy your time. You will also be surprised how fast you improve.(H/T: GUNWIRE.COM)
Being able to shoot accurately is not necessarily a reason to NOT shoot competitively. Nobody expects you to win every match, and you meet the nicest people on the range.
However, learning to shoot SAFELY is definitely a requirement.
Many gun clubs which sponsor competition matches offer training programs to prepare people to shoot safely. Sometimes, the instructors of these classes also help you to learn to shoot accurately, as well.
As regular readers of COGITO ERGO GEEK know, I teach an "Introduction to USPSA" class monthly at the Albany (Oregon) Rifle and Pistol Club [ARPC]. Participants range from people who have never fired their pistol to experienced shooters who are just looking for "a place to shoot".
We try to weed out folks who don't know how to handle their pistols safely; the club has an "Introduction to Handgun Shooting" class which also occurs monthly, with a minimal fee. However, the "INTRO TO USPSA" class does not incur a charge, and is available to non-members of the club as well as to members.
We want to encourage people to feel comfortable with the rules of USPSA competition, and most especially with the Safety Rules. Toward that goal, we ask (pre-registered) participants to download and read our USPSA SAFETY Training Manual, then complete the 'final test' and turn it in at the beginning of the class.
This is both a 'study guide', and the outline for the first hour of the class. During that class segment, we expand upon the points of the manual and offer real-life experiences to illustrate why and how the safety rules are observed. We also provide illustrations of how even the most experienced competitors can forget the rules of gun safety during the stress of competition. (The point is to emphasize that even in match situations, we all are required to demonstrate gun-handling procedures ... every time ... and Range Officers constantly monitor shooters to ensure the safety of all participants.)
Over the past several years, I've trained literally hundreds of prospective shooters. Fifty percent of them never come back to shoot a match.
Of those who do shoot a match, twenty to thirty percent apparently decide that sport is "not for me". Sometimes it's because they are disqualified from further participation in that particular match, because they have violated a safety rule.
However, about ten percent of those who are disqualified on their first match come back to shoot again. Often, they will elect to-retake the safety training class. This provides them with the opportunity for personal training. Most of those who opt for "remedial" training continue for at least a few more matches, and some are now regular competitors.
2 comments:
In the beginning, the best person to compete against is yourself. Try to better you scores or shoot your first "clean match" (no penalties). After a while you find a niche, be competing against friends you have made in that same niche and laughing about the fun you had.
Getting started in golf would be easier, and there are more places to play.
Post a Comment