• About USA Carry
  • Advertise
  • Contact
DAILY GUNS & AMMO DEALS - CLICK HERE!
USA Carry
  • Home
  • Concealed Carry Resources
    • Concealed Carry Permit Information By State
      • A-E
        • Alabama
        • Alaska
        • American Samoa
        • Arizona
        • Arkansas
        • California
        • Colorado
        • Connecticut
        • Delaware
      • F-J
        • Florida
        • Georgia
        • Guam
        • Hawaii
        • Idaho
        • Illinois
        • Indiana
        • Iowa
      • K-M
        • Kansas
        • Kentucky
        • Louisiana
        • Maine
        • Maryland
        • Massachusetts
        • Michigan
        • Minnesota
        • Mississippi
        • Missouri
        • Montana
      • N-O
        • Nebraska
        • Nevada
        • New Hampshire
        • New Jersey
        • New Mexico
        • New York
        • North Carolina
        • North Dakota
        • Northern Marianas
        • Ohio
        • Oklahoma
        • Oregon
      • P-U
        • Pennsylvania
        • Puerto Rico
        • Rhode Island
        • South Carolina
        • South Dakota
        • Tennessee
        • Texas
        • Utah
      • V-Z
        • Vermont
        • Virgin Islands
        • Virginia
        • Washington
        • Washington D.C.
        • West Virginia
        • Wisconsin
        • Wyoming
    • Concealed Carry Permit Reciprocity Maps
    • Concealed Carry Permit Examples
  • Articles
    • Concealed Carry
    • Gun Reviews
    • Gear Reviews
    • Defensive Gun Use Stories
    • Training
    • CCW For Women
    • General Firearm
    • Open Carry
    • Self-Defense
    • Survival
    • EDC
    • Home Defense
  • Forums
  • Directory
    • Firearm Instructors
    • Gun Ranges
    • Gun Stores
    • Gunsmiths
    • Gun Clubs
  • Giveaway
  • Store
  • Deals
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Concealed Carry Resources
    • Concealed Carry Permit Information By State
      • A-E
        • Alabama
        • Alaska
        • American Samoa
        • Arizona
        • Arkansas
        • California
        • Colorado
        • Connecticut
        • Delaware
      • F-J
        • Florida
        • Georgia
        • Guam
        • Hawaii
        • Idaho
        • Illinois
        • Indiana
        • Iowa
      • K-M
        • Kansas
        • Kentucky
        • Louisiana
        • Maine
        • Maryland
        • Massachusetts
        • Michigan
        • Minnesota
        • Mississippi
        • Missouri
        • Montana
      • N-O
        • Nebraska
        • Nevada
        • New Hampshire
        • New Jersey
        • New Mexico
        • New York
        • North Carolina
        • North Dakota
        • Northern Marianas
        • Ohio
        • Oklahoma
        • Oregon
      • P-U
        • Pennsylvania
        • Puerto Rico
        • Rhode Island
        • South Carolina
        • South Dakota
        • Tennessee
        • Texas
        • Utah
      • V-Z
        • Vermont
        • Virgin Islands
        • Virginia
        • Washington
        • Washington D.C.
        • West Virginia
        • Wisconsin
        • Wyoming
    • Concealed Carry Permit Reciprocity Maps
    • Concealed Carry Permit Examples
  • Articles
    • Concealed Carry
    • Gun Reviews
    • Gear Reviews
    • Defensive Gun Use Stories
    • Training
    • CCW For Women
    • General Firearm
    • Open Carry
    • Self-Defense
    • Survival
    • EDC
    • Home Defense
  • Forums
  • Directory
    • Firearm Instructors
    • Gun Ranges
    • Gun Stores
    • Gunsmiths
    • Gun Clubs
  • Giveaway
  • Store
  • Deals
No Result
View All Result
USA Carry
No Result
View All Result
  • DAILY GUNS & AMMO DEALS – CLICK HERE!
Home Articles

Want To Try Competitive Shooting? 3 Easy Shooting Sports To Get Into

Sam Hoober by Sam Hoober
January 1, 2020
in Articles, General Firearm, Training
Reading Time: 3 mins read
Want To Try Competitive Shooting? 3 Easy Shooting Sports To Get Into

Using competitive shooting as a training aid or training component is an old saw. People have been doing it for decades, so there’s no use in talking about it as a concept. We also won’t waste time on the “sport vs. street” trope; anything that improves marksmanship improves your ability to defend yourself with a gun.

Instead, let’s talk about what kind to get into for the total beginner.

While it would be great to get the same rig as, say, a Robbie Leatham, Doug Koenig, Jerry Miculek, Mike Seeklander or whomever else you could name, the reality is:

A. You probably can’t afford the same competition rig that professional shooters are provided with by their sponsors and

B. it would be a waste for the novice.

So, what are some competitive events that you can get into for not too much money, and that are more geared for basic skills? Good question, and here are a few.

Glock Shooting Sports Foundation

The Glock Shooting Sports Foundation, or GSSF, is a competitive shooting sport that was launched by exactly who you think it was. You shoot for score with – shocker! – Glock pistols. Events take place nationwide, including indoor and outdoor events.

Typically, you’ll shoot five stages, with ten rounds per stage. One box of ammo.

It’s relatively cheap. Membership in the GSSF is $35 per year, and match fees are usually quite reasonable. You need a Glock to compete, but the good news is that A LOT of GSSF matches are staged at gun store/ranges, so you can usually rent one instead of buying one.

Glock matches are entirely shot from low-ready and are really more about basic marksmanship than defensive shooting, but anything that improves your marksmanship is still good for you.

Pin Shooting

Bowling pin shoots are basic as all get-out, in comparison to other competitive shooting events. Clear five pins off a table – by shooting them! – for time. The clock stops when all the pins are on the ground.

There isn’t a national league, but there are a bunch of regional ones or even just single locations that stage bowling pin shoots. There isn’t a championship involved, though winning the Second Chance Pin Shoot comes close.

Good marksmanship is required and under time-stress. It’s cheap, clean fun, and it works on skills you need to win a gunfight, namely being able to place accurate shots quickly.

IDPA

The International Defensive Pistol Association was started because IPSC had become too “gamified,” too obsessed with expensive guns and gear, and too unrealistic. Granted, IDPA matches are run by some folks with mighty fancy gear, but basic competition in the stock divisions – where you compete with production guns – doesn’t require a huge investment in gear.

The typical match usually requires only one box of ammunition, with only a few stages. It’s also practical, in that most stages start for concealment. Like other practical shooting sports, scoring is done by combining time and accuracy, AKA “time over” in that missing the target zone adds “time” to your score. Fastest wins.

You can blow a lot of cash on a competition gun and rig, and some people do, or you can part with not a whole lot and get started. Membership is cheap – $40 per year – match fees are cheap – depends, but usually less than $20 – and, as mentioned, you don’t need a huge amount of gear or ammo to shoot a match.

IDPA is also one of the best shooting sports for drilling concealed carry skills, so it’s definitely worth looking into.

There other competitive shooting events out there that don’t have high barriers for entry. USPSA, NRA Action, and other series can be reasonably entered into in terms of investing in gear and the cost of competing as well.

Tags: gssfidpapin shooting
Previous Post

[FIRST REVIEW] The Ruger-57 5.7x28mm Pistol

Next Post

The Importance of Ammunition Capacity: Law Enforcement versus Civilian Trends

Sam Hoober

Sam Hoober

Sam Hoober is Contributing Editor for Alien Gear Holsters, where he writes about gun accessories, gun safety, open and concealed carry tips. He also contributes a bi-weekly column for Daily Caller. In his free time, Sam enjoys camping, hunting and spending time at the gun range as often as possible.

Related Posts

Maximizing Your Firearms Training: The Benefits of Training Partners and Accountability
Training

Maximizing Your Firearms Training: The Benefits of Training Partners and Accountability

by Ethan Vaughn
March 29, 2023
Retired Police Officer and Burglary Suspect Hospitalized After Exchanging Gunfire
DGU

Retired Police Officer and Burglary Suspect Hospitalized After Exchanging Gunfire

by Sean Holt
March 29, 2023
Armed Bystander Helps Disarm Knife-Wielding Suspect at Las Vegas Mall
DGU

Armed Bystander Helps Disarm Knife-Wielding Suspect at Las Vegas Mall

by Luke McCoy
March 29, 2023
Father Shoots Daughter's Abusive Ex-Boyfriend in Act of Self-Defense
DGU

Father Shoots Daughter’s Abusive Ex-Boyfriend in Act of Self-Defense

by Sean Holt
March 28, 2023
Fatal Shooting at Family Dollar: When Emotions Override Responsibility
DGU

Fatal Shooting at Family Dollar: When Emotions Override Responsibility

by Luke McCoy
March 28, 2023
Next Post
The Importance of Ammunition Capacity: Law Enforcement versus Civilian Trends

The Importance of Ammunition Capacity: Law Enforcement versus Civilian Trends

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Connect with
Login
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Notify of
Connect with
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Please login to comment
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
USA Carry

© 2022 USA Carry LLC

Navigate Site

  • Concealed Carry Resources
  • Articles
  • Forums
  • Directory
  • Giveaway
  • Store
  • Deals

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Concealed Carry Resources
    • Concealed Carry Permit Information By State
      • Alabama
      • Alaska
      • American Samoa
      • Arizona
      • Arkansas
      • California
      • Colorado
      • Connecticut
      • Delaware
      • Florida
      • Georgia
      • Guam
      • Hawaii
      • Idaho
      • Illinois
      • Indiana
      • Iowa
      • Kansas
      • Kentucky
      • Louisiana
      • Maine
      • Maryland
      • Massachusetts
      • Michigan
      • Minnesota
      • Mississippi
      • Missouri
      • Montana
      • Nebraska
      • Nevada
      • New Hampshire
      • New Jersey
      • New Mexico
      • New York
      • North Carolina
      • North Dakota
      • Northern Marianas
      • Ohio
      • Oklahoma
      • Oregon
      • Pennsylvania
      • Puerto Rico
      • Rhode Island
      • South Carolina
      • South Dakota
      • Tennessee
      • Texas
      • Utah
      • Vermont
      • Virgin Islands
      • Virginia
      • Washington
      • Washington D.C.
      • West Virginia
      • Wisconsin
      • Wyoming
    • Concealed Carry Permit Reciprocity Maps
    • Concealed Carry Permit Examples
  • Articles
    • Concealed Carry
    • Reviews
    • Defensive Gun Use Stories
    • Training
    • CCW For Women
    • General Firearm
    • Open Carry
    • Self-Defense
    • Survival
    • EDC
    • Home Defense
  • Forums
  • Directory
    • Firearm Instructors
    • Gun Ranges
    • Gun Stores
    • Gunsmiths
    • Gun Clubs
  • Giveaway
  • Store

© 2022 USA Carry LLC

Popup Button
wpDiscuz
0
0
Join the conversation, please comment.x
()
x
| Reply
You are going to send email to

Move Comment