TargetTalk

First time most everything here on Gunnit. I have been shooting most of my life (never had a Red Ryder, I got a Buck instead), most recently with my dad's .22 rifle. I'm going away to college in the fall, and my school has a rifle team. I'd absolutely love to start shooting competitively.

The issue is, I've only standard rifles - none of these fancy "space guns" (as one West Virginia team member phrased it). So I have checked the FAQs, and there's nothing about these rifles in there. From what I've been able to see, most shooters are using Anschütz. Are these the standard rifle for all these competitions? Is there anything better? Do I really need to buy shooting pants/jacket? I've never entered any real hardcore competition, only small stuff at the range (where I generally do fairly well, fun to show up some of the guys with AR type rifles using my little 10/22), and I seem fine with T-shirt/shorts/jeans/whatever really.

I'd find some way to contact the team, and ask them. Is it a fairly competitive team that will be filled by students who already have years of experience in those disciplines? Or is there room for instructing (and loaning kit) to beginners?

Today most experienced adult competitive shooters use a "spacegun", or something fairly similar in wood. Anschutz have been a leading brand for years, but Walther want to change that. Feinwerbau rifles can win too. Would-be Olympians often invest in a Bleikwr or Grunig. The US made Turbo is another option. However, not many shooters start with the fanciest top-of-the range rifle. You need some experience to get the best out of the ergonomic adjustment. A simpler target rifle is not bad at first.

Regarding clothing, it's not a rule, but in competition scores are normalised with clothing. Clothing makes shooting a 12-14lb rifle (a lot heavier than a 10-22) more comfortable, and can prevent back injury. Most beginners will acquire their kit piece by piece, starting with sling glove, and jacket, often buying second-hand.

I'll stick my neck out - and maybe get it chopped off - and suggest as a place to start, purely in terms of equipment (not how to shoot), subject to what you are told locally of course (I am several thousand miles away):

1. an Anschutz 1800 series rifle, preferably one without the sloping fore end e.g. get an 1813 or 1810 stock; there should be some available second-hand, probably more than any other make; check carefully for condition i.e. inspect the rifling, even the human eye can tell you quite a lot, and look at the wear on the pistol grip and butt and fore end, the less the better obviously, also the bluing - if scratched or specked with rust, it will tell you something about the way the rifle has been cared for - or not; look for a privately owned rifle, not an ex-club one; the rifle ought also to come with the correct Anschutz sights, or something better, because these are expensive to buy and a cared-for rifle will not have been robbed of its sights to be sold separately

2. a stiff canvas jacket - makes all the difference, and sling and glove obviously, though no need to get anything too fancy or expensive at this stage; in the UK a new economy jacket costs not much more than £100; also get some kind of padding inside the jacket for the elbow (left, if right handed), perhaps through a shooting cardigan - if you can afford it, Sauer make a very good one - because this will make a lot of difference to your comfort and stability in prone

3. ear defenders, as you really don't want to damage your hearing at your age and, though sub-sonic, a .22 round at close quarters, especially indoors, can still make a very nasty 'crack'.

Just my immediate thoughts and two-penny worth. Good luck.

If you take a look at the targets collegiate athletes shoot in competition it will help you understand why more accurate rifles are used. For example, the ten ring on the USA-50 paper target shot at 50 feet is a dot, not a ring. The specialized clothing, while it may provide some support and reduce pulse seen through the sights, does more to protect the shooter from the rifle and position. The bad news is you have to shop for and learn and shoot in a new discipline to become competitive. The good news is you have to shop for and learn and shoot in a new discipline to become competitive.

It's probably not a bad idea between now and starting college to read up on target shooting and ask as many questions as you can. But maybe hold off on purchasing any equipment until you actually start college and can speak with the people in the college shooting club. As with a lot of hobbies - actually going to a club and speaking to the people there is usually invaluable. Most likely they'll also have some club guns and clothing - they'll deal with new members/beginners every year so they'll be well placed to cater for you. And when you've gotten used to the rifles you may have a good feel for what you'd like to purchase.

For the moment you could try out some prone shooting with your 10/22 using a sling. We have a category of competition where I live for "normal" .22 rifles (ie: not spaceguns) using a sling for support. Shooting jackets and gloves are allowed. I've only recently gotten a proper jacket but I had been using my old motorbike jacket as it had nice pads built into it to make life easier on my elbows. The rifles are typically CZ 452/455/457's, Ruger 10/22s/American/RPR's, Lithgow LA101's, Anschutz 1710/1712/1761's, etc. All normal, magazine fed rfiles with telescopic sights. The target we use is derived from the ISSF standard. You could get yourself a fairly basic sling that attaches to your upper arm and to the stud (if there is one?) on your 10/22 stock for not huge money and give yourself a taste of prone "Olympic" style shooting. It's very addictive and very hard! It makes you appreciate how talented target shooters are when they outshoot you with their aperture sights.

I've bought my first "space gun" but am waiting for it to ship to me so like yourself I'm eager to give this type of shooting a go.

I've found this YouTube channel very useful for learning: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCv1fIO ... eGw/videos

And also check out the ISSF YouTube channel and watch past rifle competitions. This should be as boring as hell to watch but if you're interested in shooting you can find yourself hooked! I found myself watching to learn, the guns used, the set-up for each position, the way they have their slings set up, the height of their sights, butt pads, cheek risers, etc. And then get blown away by their accuracy... https://www.youtube.com/user/issfchannel/videos

Get with the club and team, and use their experience to guide you - especially if there is a coach or senior shooter than can share their experience gained from buying the wrong stuff and having to do it twice ... Once you isolate the equipment you want, keep an eye on the Buy/Sell forum here for pieces to start filling out your kit.. Also buying stuff from other club/team members helps a lot, especially when it comes to shipping $$ and being able to see the product.

Stateside you will find better support and parts availability for Anschutz.... and not to start a flame war, but the Turbo owners I have met in the smallbore 3p community, have all sold them in favor of Anschutz.

I competed successfully in college and had a very similar beginning to you. I saw my school had a rifle team via a flyer on the wall and emailed them within 20 minutes. Shooting most of my life, naturally talented, but no experience with "space guns", olympic small-bore or air rifle, and never put on a shooting jacket in my life.

It will depend on the team (NCAA vs Club) as to how open they will be to walk ons and how much the acquisition of gear will fall on the shooter vs. being provided by the team. Clubs are generally more open, but more equipment burden falls on the individual. NCAA is the opposite. I went to an open shoot for my school's team and shot a club rifle, got noticed immediately, and then the coaching staff got me a full kit of borrowed gear and got me off to the races in a hurry with a proper rifle. I was shooting for the Intercollegiate Club National Championship, back when it was at Fort Benning, 6 months after I walked in the door.

To answer some of your questions. Anschutz is by far the most common with a Walther or FWB here and there. Don't think you need the top of the line brand new Anschutz to be competitive. Most rifles in the 18xx series and up will still be competitive in the collegiate scene if they have been well cared for. A high end single shot target rifle, and a full set of clothes is an absolute must if you want to stand any chance of competing in small bore or air rifle. The "jeans and a T-shirt with my 10/22" makes for a nice story, but will be utterly non-competitive against the people you will be on the line with. Though we did used to put our Tenex in Thunderbolt boxes as a joke from time to time :D

Your coaching staff and fellow shooters will be able to help you size things, fit a rifle to you, and teach you the fundamentals of building strong positions. Likely, and I do not mean any offense by this, what you perceive as good shooting right now is not even in the same league as what a practiced small bore shooter can do with a good rifle. I was amazed my first time, but it didn't take me long to play catch up. You'll be competing with and against an upper echelon of precision shooters that will make you a better marksman. None of this is meant to discourage you at all, it's the truth.

I Shoot an Anschutz 1413 from the stone age in a wooden stock. I will never win, because I can't shoot offhand well enough. Old equipment will get it done, space guns get it done with less effort. Gloves and jackets make it a lot easier and I am going to move up buy a good suit soon, because Im an old guy and I can spoil myself..... The clothes REALLY help. If you want to win, it costs a bunch of money to gear up.... If you want to sneak up on it, a second hand rifle, a good glove and a canvas jacket wont break the bank. Same with ammo, i dont shoot junk, but I dont buy tenex either.... Truthfully, I can't shoot well enough to utilize top notch equipment and Im ok with that..... Look hard at the game, few can win. Ask yourself if you NEED to win, or can you live always getting beat and neing satisfied knowing you did your best........

I am not a competitor, I used to go to matches twice a year. I did my best with an Annie 1807, it is the only weapon that I managed to shoot 8s and 9s on prone. So go figure.... Looking back, the reason why I did much better with such a 35 years old rifle is that there is next to nothing with which you can tinker. It is what it is. The subsequent rifle I got was a space gun. I shot horribly, because there were way too many minute adjustments that you can toy with.
I having nothing more to offer, since everyone has already answer your question.