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Competitions

Some of these are NRA approved matches and some are not. The matches vary from casual competion to serious. Some take place on private clubs while others are at for-profit ranges. They may be indoors or outdoors. You may or may not need to be a member to participate in a match. You typically need to provide all of your own equipment, although there may be a few matches where ammunition is provied as part of the entry fee. There may even be matches where loaner guns are available. Some matches may require an orientation before the match. It is a good idea to check with a match official before going to a match to make sure you have everything you need, such as the amount of ammunition. Some matches may require a particular kind of gun. When going to a match the first time you should mention you have not participated in this kind of match before. They will make a special effort to ensure it works out for you. You should already be familiar with safe gun handling procedures.

Competition Organizations and Rules for the Matches Listed Below

Competition Organizations and Rules Some of the matches will be run according to national or internations rules. These rules are specified by organizations such as the NRA in America and the ISSF (International Shooting Sports Federation) for the rest of the world.

3 Gun Match

These are some form of pistol, shotgun and rifle matches. They typically involve shooting in a tactical environment. Cowboy Actions Shooting also involves shooting pistols, shotguns, and rifles.

Cowboy Action Shooting

This is a pistol, shotgun and rifle match. If you are a beginner at this you will probably be allowed to shoot what guns you have, within reason, and dress as you want. Cowboy Action Shooting involves reenactment however so there is some emphasis on guns that are correct for the western period and clothing as well. Guns may be original or reproduction. The guns needed in order to be correct are 2 single-action revolvers, a lever actions rifle shooting pistol caliber cartridges, and a double-barrel shotgun or Winchester 1897 pump shotgun.

Rifle

Many rifle competions require a specific type if not a specific model of rifle.

Bench Rest

This competition is for extremely accurate rifles.

Arlington Sportsman's Club
Majors Gun Club (Greenville)

Black Powder

These rifles use black powder or black powder subsitute. They are typically single shot muzzle loading rifles.

Foreign Military

These are rifles that have been used by a foreign military.

High Power

These are centerfire rifles that are capable of hitting targets out to 1,000 yards.

JC Garand Match

These are M1 Garand rifles. There are in "as issued" condition, however that does not mean that they can not be made very accurate with enough money. Rifles of this type are available through the CMP (Civilian Marksmanship Program) (see the Organizations link and then Competitions).

National Match Course

This is a form of high-power shooting.

Palma Match

This is a form of high-power shooting.

Prone Match

This is a form of high-power shooting.

Silhouette

Silhouette shooting is shooting a metal silhouettes of animals. For center fire rifles they can be hundreds of yards away.

Air Rifle

This is shot at close range at very small silhouettes.

Cowboy Lever Action

These rifles should be the same as used for Cowboy Action Shooting.

High Power

Centerfire rifles at fairly long distances.

Smallbore

.22 rifles

Smallbore

.22 rifles

Sniper

Springfield M1903 Match

These are US military bolt action rifles as used during WWI. Rifles of this type are available through the CMP (Civilian Marksmanship Program) (see the Organizations link and then Competitions).

Tactical Match

Fort Wolters Shooting Sports Club (Mineral Wells (west of Fort Worth)), 1,000 yard range

U.S. Service Rifle

These are rifles used by the US military. Not every rifle used by the US military qualifies. Some of the rifles of this type are available through the CMP (Civilian Marksmanship Program) (see the Organizations link and then Competitions).

Varmit/Sporting

These are hunting rifles, although the varmit rifles will be highly accurate.

PISTOL

Some pistol competions require a specific type if not a specific model of pistol.

Action / Steel Plates

Action matches typically involve shooting quickly at multiple targets. Steel plate matches are shot at steel targets. The bullets flatten and fall to the ground after hitting the steel.

Black Powder

These pistols use black powder or black powder subsitute. They are typically single shot muzzle loading pistols.

Bowling Pin

This involves clearing bowling pins from a table by shooting them with a pistol.

Mansfield Fish & Game

Bullseye

This is traditional one-handed shooting at paper targets.

IDPA (International Defensive Pistol Association)

This is action shooting for self-defense purposes.

IPSC (International Practical Shooting Confederation)

This is action shooting for self-defense purposes.

No matches.

Personal Protection

This is action shooting for self-defense purposes. Targets are cardboard silhouettes or photographs.

SILHOUETTE

Silhouette shooting is shooting a metal silhouettes of animals. For center fire pistols they can be hundreds of yards away.

Air Pistol

This is shot at close range at very small silhouettes.

Hunters's

This is shot with hunting style pistols as opposed to target pistols.

Smallbore

.22 pistols

Smallbore Hunters's

This is shot with hunting style .22 pistols as opposed to target pistols.

USPSA (United States Practical Shooting Association)

This is action shooting for self-defense purposes.

SHOTGUN

Skeet

Clay targets are shot from different points along a semi-circle. The targets are launched from traps which are at each end of the semi-circle. The direction of the targets takes them slightly away from the concave side of the semi-circle. Because the targets are shot from different points along a semi-circle the flight angle they make with respect to the shooter varies from nearly directly away to nearly directly toward.

Sporting Clays

Sporting Clays is an attempt to simulate the hunting of birds and rabbits with a shotgun. Rather than use a standard course and clay target sizes the course and target size varies to more closely match hunting conditions. The shooters walk from stand to stand. At each stand the targets are thrown at various angles and heights. Some even roll along the ground to simulate a rabbit.

5-Stand

This is a form of Sporting Clays.

Tactical

This is action shooting for self-defense purposes.

Trap

Clay targets are shot from different points along a short semi-circle. The targets are launched from a trap forward of the concave part of the semi-circle. The direction of the targets takes them mostly away from the shooter, although there is a variation of plus-or-minus 45 degrees. Because the targets are shot from different points along a semi-circle and the flight angle varies with respect to the shooter the targets are shot at different angles from the shooter.