TargetTalk

The way I figure it the minimum would be 9 mags so as not to be constantly reloading between stages.I currently have 2 magazines. I could reload my nine mags after my relay was complete. Or am I over thinking the time lines between target scoring, target repairs and the next 10 shot stage and would have time to reload magazines. AS you can tell I am a new BE shooter and yet to shoot in a formal match setting. Just dont want to be fumbling around reloading. Am getting a rule book to see if there is a prep period between stages for reloading or dry firing.

If you get a chance, go out an watch a match first. A lot of your general questions will be answered just looking around and talking to the shooters.

You really only need 2 mags. Everyone reloads mags before going down range to score between strings. You can't load more than 5 rounds for the timed and rapid fire stages anyway.

Watch a match, preview the rules, talk to some shooters and relax.

Here, I'll take it back down in a couple of days.

Xman;

By your thinking you would need 15 preloaded magazines.
You can load 10rds in three magazines for the three long line matches.
You can load only 5rds for the short line matches.(2 rounds of 5 shots each on the target)
Just use two magazines and keep one as a spare just in case.
You have plenty of time.
We usually load them up before going down range to score and change targets.

Clarence

Looks like Cecil beat me to it :)

Perkins in right, but you can easily get by with one magazine as the International shooters do. You have plenty of time to reload. Extra mags offer NO advantage except to the guy selling them to you.

Rover wrote:Perkins in right, but you can easily get by with one magazine as the International shooters do. You have plenty of time to reload. Extra mags offer NO advantage except to the guy selling them to you.

If you have a revolver shooter on the line it is possible to get by with one magazine.

I recommend that you have three.
Two that you load for each target. Load your magazines before you go down and score, and have one set aside with five rounds, that can be picked up quickly, and used for an alabi string, if needed.

Number your magazines so if you develop a persistent alabi issue during the match, you can identify which magazine has the issue, and set it aside. It will also help you develop a shot process that allows you to focus on your shooting, and not messing with things on your bench.

Cecil is right. You need to go to a match, and watch. Second match, shoot next to someone who is willing to show you the ropes.

I started shooting bullseye in November of 2008.
Not wanting to shoot being a newbie talked with the pistol director and was the line safety officer for the Arizona state pistol championships here in phoenix.
Best thing I ever done.
Go watch a complete match first or get involved without shooting and learn the ropes.
Makes it a whole lot easier to get started.

Clarence

You need 3 for sure.

I had an alibi during the timed fire stage of a team match. You are only allowed 1 alibi per match and during the alibi I had a failure to feed, I dropped the mag and cleared my gun picked up the 3'rd mag and got off the last 2 shots, a 10 and an 8. We won the team match by 3 points.

- Dave

I buy quality mags, all my 45 mags are from Tripp Research and I always buy 5 with every gun. Since I have more than a few 1911's I have more than the 18 mags you need (@ 5 rounds a mag) to load for a 900 and yes I use them. BUT I'd never spend the >$700 they cost just for the convenience for a bullseye match I'd spend the money on ammo for practice!.

- Dave

I think I will get 2 more mags to give me 4 in total. I will number them and shoot as much as I can to make sure they are in good working order with my types of ammo. Just going to a match and watching is problematic...no place around here (Tyler TX) shoots bulleye. I have to buy time at a local indoor store/range to practice. The cloest match is in Whicita FAlls according to Shooting Sports USA in the Jan 2015 issue and that is 4 hours from me.They are running a regional in Sept I think. Will buy a rule book to learn the specifics of range commands, loading sequences, timings etc. I have shot in matches before but all SB rifle and HP rifle until I decided to comes over to the dark side...LOL. I dont mind shooting a pistol match cold with no prior shoulder to shoulder experience in it. I only hope the neighbors on the line will not mind too much. I will continue to ask questions on this forum as I think of them. Will probably shoot open sights straight thru until I come to a decision about optical sights. I wont mind the handicap shooting against dot guns and all the fancy target pistols.

No need to buy a rule book, the NRA and CMP rule books are available on line. As they are rule books, the can sometimes be hard to read and interpret, but in gereral they are OK. There are some things like excessive hits and refire scoring that it is easier to learn by seeing and doing than reading. Just look at the sections mentioned and ask any questions on the list. There will be hundreds of answers and one or more of them have a good chance of being correct :-))

Check out the clubs in the region around you. Some may have bullseye matches but not be listed in the magazine until later this year or some may not at all as the outdoor season in the South generally doesn't get started until March or April. Sign up on the bullseye list http://www.bullseyeforum.net/ and post your question about matches there.

With a new shooter getting to know the match; I hesitate to get into a discussion about the need for more than 2 magazines, trying to continue after an alibi, handling alibi's on refire strings, etc.. Just getting new shooters to understand they have to shoot 5 shot strings, stopping and raising hand to get the review and refire, scoring refire targets and everything else.

For new shooters, don't rush it. Take the alibi, shoot what you can safely and get the experience. I just hate it when people have to go home early for safety violations, etc.

As I have said for the first matches:

IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, PROBLEM, JAM, ALIBI, SQUIB, OR FAIL TO GET ALL YOUR SHOTS OFF, JUST RAISE YOUR HAND AND WAIT FOR ASSISTANCE.

You can pretty much recover from any problems or mishaps except for safety related actions. Just be patient, you don’t have to fire every shot, but make sure every shot fired is a safe one. This will be a very long and exciting day. Do not attempt to clear jams during your strings, even refire strings as a new shooter. You will just get too frustrated and may mis-handle your gun. Be patient, you are starting a new phase of your life called Bullseye Shooting. It will hopefully continue for years and years and today is just the first of many matches. Don’t screw up and cut it short.

I can comment as a relative beginner.

I am just shooting .22 so far and have just two mags at the matches.
This is no problem for me- as others have said there is ample time to reload between each set and all the others are doing the same so there is no holding anyone up.

One thing I do which helps me for .22's- I switch the ammo from the paper box they come in and load into the plastic 100 round boxes (like CCI sv comes in).
For me it is surer to slide back the lid a row (five rounds), and dump those out for a mag reload.
One can do the same in paper boxes but I find it easier with the plastic and worth a couple of minutes at home to swap them over.

I think personally I would find it more distracting/stressful to have a dozen magazines and face reloading all of them or simply having that much gear at the line.
The cadence of the matches is governed by a moment or two while everyone reloads a couple of magazines- where to find the time to reload more?


Also- there is a good deal of good'natured banter that goes on in breaks- don't miss it fooling around with your gear...

CR10X wrote:IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, PROBLEM, JAM, ALIBI, SQUIB, OR FAIL TO GET ALL YOUR SHOTS OFF, JUST RAISE YOUR HAND AND WAIT FOR ASSISTANCE.

Yeah, what Cecil said.

For the relatively inexperienced shooters (well, for everyone, but the inexperienced are the ones that usually don't have this in their toolkit): when you have an alibi, slow down.

Raise your hand.

Wait for the range officer's assistance.

Clear the gun.

Run your ECI through the barrel (make sure there's nothing in there).

Load a fresh mag with 5 fresh rounds. Don't try to top off a mag, or re-use that round that didn't chamber.

Take a deep breath.

Take another.

Then, if you feel ready, indicate that you are ready to continue.

Nobody is going to rush you in making sure that you are operating safely. If they do, politely remind them that you just had something unusual happen, and you are making sure of the safety of yourself and others.

This will A) make sure that you and your firearm are in safe, operable condition; and B) give you time to get your head in the game to shoot 5 Xs on your refire string.

I keep three minimum. Rule 10.11 allows for loading a more rounds even in a refire. Which I have done successfully 2-3 times in with my 208s in RF.

Three total, two to load and shoot , plus a back up.

I have shot many matches with one magazine. I prefer two, though. Never have used three. Gunbox is heavy enough as it is, LOL.

I would say 3 mags minimum but, 4 would be better. Really you only need two but I like to have a backup mag, I have 5-mags per pistol for a 2700 match. More mags means you can preload before the buzzer, pick up brass, or to sit back every now and then.

I have 4 mags for all my guns,
2 local matches try to run the matches as fast as they can, and leave you no time to load,
if you are last back from scoring it makes it very stressful.
Also if I have an alibi, I want a mag ready to go.
But 2 mags can be enough. If thats all you have.

It's simple....you load BEFORE going forward to score.

That's what I do. But, I score quickly and get back quickly too. Still pick up brass. Which reminds me that I have a brass catcher for sale.

Rover
The range rules are you cannot touch equipment when people start down range.
At my elder age I cannot load centerfire mags that fast.
I have to hope for alibis, that are not mine.

I've been at a few ranges like that. One range had a white line drawn that could not be crossed. Frustrating when you can't adjust your scope, write down your score, get more staples, pick up brass, etc. But, everyone else on the line are in the same boat.