TargetTalk

Hi, i'm a 20 year old male wondering how to get into competetive shooting and how to train for it. I've been shooting with BB guns and .22's since i can remember but would like to try my hand at something more structured. Does anyone have any advice for someone who is not near a gun range but can shoot in the backyard whenever? How to start training, equipment, etc.?
I'm most interested in rapid fire for competition.

The first question is where are you?

Kalispell, in Northwest Montana.

If you really can't get to a range then you will need to build your own. Rapid fire is probably one of the hardest options, especially to try and do at home. For that you really need turning targets or at the minimum some means of timing i.e. red/green lights.

I would suggest you need to get to a range even if you have to travel some way - to see the layout to start with. Ideally learn the basics there so that you can take that with you to your home range. If you can keep frequenting a range then all the better - you will struggle competitively otherwise. I would also be suprised if someone here doesn't know of a range fairly close to you.

Rob.

If you are truly interested in competitive pistol shooting, I would suggest taking time off to train with a coach for several weeks. Everything you learned from shooting BB guns and .22 rifles will hinder you. You have bad habits that will have to be broken. If you can't get face-to-face coaching then get the best training DVD's and books possible.

Montana?

Come February, when the snow is about 15 feet deep and its 120 degrees below zero (kelvin) and the wife is complaining about the cold, take a family vacation to Phoenix.....

time it so you can visit a match or 4 or 5....

how convenient, we have a big pistol match, both international and conventional NRA here 16-20-Feb,
http://www.phoenixrodandgun.org/pistol.htm
http://www.phoenixrodandgun.org/Pistol/ ... d_Conv.htm
http://www.phoenixrodandgun.org/Pistol/ ... d_Intl.htm
we also have a really big high power rifle match on 12-Feb
http://www.geocities.com/washbday/
and there is a smallbore match scheduled for that weekend, they will shoot saturday 11-Feb for sure, I hope to get them to cancel sunday and help run the high power match.

i'm sure there'll be a silhouette match, rifle or pistol, and a cowboy match and a IPSC match somewhere in the state during nearly any weekend one would choose to come.

Then, visit all these matches, walk around, talk to the folks shooting, look at their equipment, ask what is best and where to get it, take some pictures, make some friends... decide what type of competitive shooting you want to get into. (there are only about 500 different fun activities you can do with guns, and that's only counting the legal ones)

Then, go back home, to your home range, if that snow ever melts away, buy all the equipment (you will mail order everything you need and the specialized gun(s) will NOT be stocked at your local dealer, but you'll have to have them shipped to him), set up the targets you need and start shooting!

Olympic Air pistol or rifle you can shoot inside your house (even if its still frozen outside) the other olympic/international pistol events, you can create a way to shoot the right target at the right distance at your local range, buddy's ranch or safe national forest area without too much trouble.

Then, goto the USAShooting matches, you'll have to travel to CO springs or Ft Benning GA, but we all do.... or NRA matches if that's what you prefer.

Also, keep asking questions on these forums and read everything you can find on the subject.

welcome to the sport and good shooting....
good shooting

Poole
http://arizona.rifleshooting.com/

The Whitefish Rifle Club in Whitefish probley cant be too far from you. I think they have pistol leage 2 nights a week there that might be worth checking into. Phone # 406-862-3989 Cord

i'll try and get in touch with the whitefish club. i'd love to go to C. Springs for some tournaments, it's just a matter of it working with my college schedulle.
thanks for the feedback.

If you're in college, you should check out the NRA collegiate shooting program. (Here's a link to their website: http://www.nrahq.com/compete/coldir.asp#sect)
You can shoot international air pistol, free pistol, standard pistol, and possibly sport pistol. Your school does not need to have an official team for you to compete, but you may be able to get some assistance from them if they support any club sports.

Also, I just checked "Shooting Sports USA" (pub by the NRA) and it shows that their are free, standard, and air pistol matches in Billings. Contact is L. Muller, 1120 17th St. W., 59102, ph 406-252-5006, lewm@yrc.org. You should also check the USA Shooting website for their match schedules as I recall seeing some matches scheduled in Idaho.

Lee

If you are a collegiate shooter please look into the University of Utah.

We have regular monthly PTO's and summer and winter NRA bullseye leagues.

We have an excellent coaching staff including Arnie Vitarbo, former olympian and national coach.

Our team consistently makes a showing at the National Collegiate pistol championships.

Scholarships are available.

For more information go to www.upms.org and contact Matt DeLong