Transitioning into international-style shooting

[brhsfrench]

I am a junior shooter trying to transition into precision shooting so I can continue to college shooting in the next few years. I have a very limited budget, and my rifle and gear will likely be secondhand. Any tips, money-saving tricks,or advice would be very much appreciated!

[jhmartin]

Tell us what you shoot now?
What are you transitioning from?

Age?

Area you live now.

[coaching]

One thing to do is to get on USA Shooting's site and find Int'l matches in the area within driving distance. Then, try to make it to a couple to see what they are using and how the match is run. Talk to people about gear and where and how to get some of it then go from there. Good luck. Don in Oregon

[brhsfrench]

I currently shoot a Crosman CH2009 in JROTC 3PAR, I'm in my junior year of high school, and I live in Florida.

[jhmartin]

First, if you have collegiate shooting aspirations start budgeting for >>two<< guns.
Your first should be an Air Rifle ... talk to your JROTC instructor and let him know you want to shoot precision next year (or sooner) ... you have to get into that.
(BTW ... how tall - what weight are you? --- get on a few of the gear manufacturer websites and download one of their measurement pages so you can get an idea of the sizes you'll need ... or at a 3PAR match, ask some of the precision shooters your size what sizes they have ... maybe try some on)

You also need smallbore experience. Your 3-P Air will help there and you will be able to use all your gear.
(BTW - what are your 3PAR scores now?)

Start looking on this website's Buy & Sell area.
(There's are two FWB700s on the site for sale now.)
START SAVING your money as when used guns come up for sale you'll want to jump on one you want quickly (and I mean within hours of being posted on the site).
Rough guess:
Airgun $1800-$2600
Smallbore $2400-$3500 (and up)
(no, this is not a cheap sport)
(Oh, hey --- male of female?)

Then Practice:
Airgun ... OK... play the 3-P game while you are still in HS, but also start training for 60 shot standing.
Smallbore ... begin with 3x20 (order= K-P-S <not the CMP P-S-K>) ... (wow! ... this gun moves a lot when you fire it!!!) and then also prepare for 3x40 ... you have to train for that length ...

Compete: Nationals are at Ft Benning - see schedule on USA Shooting website ... if you are not a member, join - required to compete at Nats. If you want the Collegiate coaches to start looking at you, you need to be there ... this summer! Compete in both events.

Grades: A Collegiate coach these days cannot risk a shooter being academically ineligible. Take the SAT & ACTs as many times as you need to to get up to where the schools can give you some sort of academic scholarship. The are really no full-rides in rifle (well ... except at the service academies)
Good grades matter maybe more than your shooting skills.

Get on the school's rifle webpages and start filling out their "new recruit" forms .... you may have to search a bit for them ... maybe under a "More" tab. Get on the NCAA Eligibility center and make sure you have the core classes required in H.S. to be on an NCAA team. Sign up there and get your number (Maybe even do this before you fill out the schools recruit pages ... some of them want that number.

There's a lot more to cover, but these are the basic steps to get going on .... now.

Since you've started, ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS HERE ---- many folks will help you out

[brhsfrench]

First, if you have collegiate shooting aspirations start budgeting for >>two<< guns.
Your first should be an Air Rifle ... talk to your JROTC instructor and let him know you want to shoot precision next year (or sooner) ... you have to get into that.
(BTW ... how tall - what weight are you? --- get on a few of the gear manufacturer websites and download one of their measurement pages so you can get an idea of the sizes you'll need ... or at a 3PAR match, ask some of the precision shooters your size what sizes they have ... maybe try some on)

You also need smallbore experience. Your 3-P Air will help there and you will be able to use all your gear.
(BTW - what are your 3PAR scores now?)

Start looking on this website's Buy & Sell area.
(There's are two FWB700s on the site for sale now.)
START SAVING your money as when used guns come up for sale you'll want to jump on one you want quickly (and I mean within hours of being posted on the site).
Rough guess:
Airgun $1800-$2600
Smallbore $2400-$3500 (and up)
(no, this is not a cheap sport)
(Oh, hey --- male of female?)

Then Practice:
Airgun ... OK... play the 3-P game while you are still in HS, but also start training for 60 shot standing.
Smallbore ... begin with 3x20 (order= K-P-S <not the CMP P-S-K>) ... (wow! ... this gun moves a lot when you fire it!!!) and then also prepare for 3x40 ... you have to train for that length ...

Compete: Nationals are at Ft Benning - see schedule on USA Shooting website ... if you are not a member, join - required to compete at Nats. If you want the Collegiate coaches to start looking at you, you need to be there ... this summer! Compete in both events.

Grades: A Collegiate coach these days cannot risk a shooter being academically ineligible. Take the SAT & ACTs as many times as you need to to get up to where the schools can give you some sort of academic scholarship. The are really no full-rides in rifle (well ... except at the service academies)
Good grades matter maybe more than your shooting skills.

Get on the school's rifle webpages and start filling out their "new recruit" forms .... you may have to search a bit for them ... maybe under a "More" tab. Get on the NCAA Eligibility center and make sure you have the core classes required in H.S. to be on an NCAA team. Sign up there and get your number (Maybe even do this before you fill out the schools recruit pages ... some of them want that number.

There's a lot more to cover, but these are the basic steps to get going on .... now.

Since you've started, ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS HERE ---- many folks will help you out

I'm a male shooter 145lbs, 5'8". I'm currently shooting in the 240s in 3x10 sporter. My academics are in order, 4.0 GPA and 1460 SAT. The service academies are my first choices, by the way (Go Navy, Beat Army!)

Thank you so much for the advice, this is all extremely helpful!

[jhmartin]

The service academies are my first choices, by the way (Go Navy, Beat Army!)

Oh, OK .... I'll forgive you for that.
(My daughter is asst coach for Army!)

Get on the service academies websites and look for recruiting guides and email the head coaches
They can chat with you and guide all the "extra" activities, forms and processes you must do.

Navy = https://navysports.com/index.aspx?path=rifle
Army = https://goarmywestpoint.com/index.aspx?path=rifle
Air Force = https://goairforcefalcons.com/index.aspx?path=rifle
Coast Guard = http://uscgasports.com/sports/rifle/index

Chat with them about a visit

[brhsfrench]

Thank you so much for this, I'll be sure to use all of this!