I would have to make a 120 mile round trip to shoot a match. And that would be on a once a month basis. I've not shot a match in 7-8 years now. The matches were IDPA.

Our local gun club died from lack of particpation 10 years ago. There was a time we could gather a group of 10 or so to shoot a handgun/rifle combat type course. And that was only about twice a year. It never gained enough interest to keep going.

Murphy

I compete in traditional muzzleloading rifle NMLRA style at the Kate Carpenters Muzzleloaders range on the third Saturday of the month. We shoot offhand with our longrifles either flint or percussion at 25 and 50 yards and from a rest at 100 and sometimes from a rest at 50 at small bulls. But during the NMLRA territorial that is held there all the shooting I do is offhand.

All of this offhand shooting makes shooting at deer in the woods offhand easy as pie.
We also shoot clays with muzzleloading shotguns and have smoothbore matches using round ball.

In the fall at another range we have our annual sillouette match we shoot with our traditional muzzleloaders and round ball only. We shoot at NRA sillouettes at various ranges out to 150 yards and a gong at 200 yards. We shoot offhand at the metal critters. Chickens at 50 yards offhand
Turkey at 75 yards offhand
Ram and pig at 100 yards offhand
Ram at 125 yards offhand
Ram at 150 from off hand or from cross sticks ( man that thing looks small out there)
20 inch gong at 200 cross sticks or offhand.

Last year I cleaned the course, The year before I missed the 100 yard pig.

I shoot at steel better than targets for score.

We have a blast (pun?)

Bob

only has 4 matches a year and they come after their rimfire benchrest matches. On top of that I missed one already.

PS - I thought I should add this... The reason I shoot silhouettes is because the ding and fall (I love that) AND I shoot the matches because I don't have to go reset the targets all by my lonesome. Yes, I work for the match by resetting targets but on my run I don't have to do it. FUN!

--
Sincerely,

Hobie

A fella at work lets me help him run a pistol league for the first 15 weeks of every year. First 10 weeks is a .22 bulseye course with targets shot offhand, open sights at 50 feet. The last 5 weeks is a "combat" match with 32 caliber and larger shot at varying distances, strong and weak side, reload, etc.

Good fun even though my skills and eyesight have declined over the ensuing years.

One of the many things I lack practice in is drawing/presentation. This range will not allow live fire from a holster and there's only so much a fella can do in the bedroom...with regard to handgun practice.

A buddy has been trying to talk me into IDPA/IPSC (don't remember which) but I've been busier than I'd like for too long now. I hope to clear some things off of the docket and start to carve out some time for these things.

Did some checking and it struck me as too redneck paramilitary.

No. I reserve my personal ammo/reloading fund for shooting the way I want to shoot. I can also think of more productive uses for the time and more entertaining uses for the travel.

I don't have anything against competitive shooting at any level, but I do have to say this. I frequently have to take guys who have supposedly been trained, shot 'combat', 'tactical' etc. and then re-train them myself before they can pass a very basic, 'Hits Count!' qualification.

You can do an awful lot to improve your shooting with your head on straight, a couple of boxes of shells and a dirt pile. If you're going to shoot at silhouettes, buy the smallest ones you can find instead of the biggest.

I'll post a basic skills yardstick later if I get time. Wanna really test your skills?

700 Aggregate

I shoot in a weekly 22 pistol falling plate match. It is timed event and the first to get all seven down wins that relay. Lots of fun, very little in the way of prize money, but you do get bragging rights for that weeks.

It has nothing to do with combat or anything other than just a bunch of guys and gals with 22 auto pistols trying to rub the others nose in the dirt. You do have to deal with the basics of proper hold, breath control, sight picture and trigger squeeze and do it all very fast. Ignore the basics and you won't hit many plates.

The range is 50" and the plates are about the size of a package of cigaretts. No trouble to hit in practice, but when the whistle blows and you are shooting against others at the same time, it gets more difficult. Like any competition, it is as much about what is between your ears as what is in your hands.

Hunter Pistol Silhouette, Lever Action Silhouette, Smallbore Silhouette, All NRA matches, usually 1 or 2 Club "fun" Silhouette matches a month and started shooting F Class this year(I'm hooked).

To fat and slow for the speed/run and gun/timed stuff.