Have you ever watched three-gunners on YouTube and thought, “Damn, that looks awesome. I want to do that!” But then immediately realized that you either suck or have no idea where to start?
Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Getting into competition shooting can be very intimidating for many shooters, especially when they try to compare themselves to masters and grand masters of the sport. The good news is that I have gone down this path before and can help you on your journey. Where to start, how to start, and much more will be revealed to you in this article. So read on, and allow me to enlighten you on the subject.
Competitive Shooting
As its name implies, the first type is all about precision. Matches like NRA Bullseye, CMP National Games, and old-school NRA High-Power are all about placing a few carefully aimed rounds at distant, small targets.
These are incredibly humbling matches for most shooters – especially those accustomed to informally plinking relatively large steel targets on a gun range. They often require specific attire and firearms while restricting certain accessories and shooting techniques.
For example, bullseye pistol matches require the shooter to fire off-hand, meaning with just one hand. They consist of a slow and rapid-fire segment, though the second isn’t what most people would call rapid nowadays.
But arguably, the single most important part of participating in these matches, and all shooting matches, is to be safe and follow all instructions and commands given. And I can’t stress this enough but don’t feel like you can’t ask questions. All range safety officers (RSOs) that I’ve encountered were more than happy to help new shooters.
That said, showing up for a big match without any experience is a bad idea. A better one is to search for local ranges near you and go to a practice match. Ideally, show up early and ask a ton of questions. If you’re unsure what equipment you’re missing or what will give you the best bang for your buck as a brand-new competitor, these people will eagerly point you in the right direction.
For new shooters, I heavily recommend they attend and compete in these matches prior to faster-paced matches like Three-Gun or IPSC. Speed follows accuracy; once you can confidently hit your target with whatever firearm you’re using, then you can work on doing so more quickly.
Most shooters that I’ve advised to do this end up becoming much more proficient marksmen in a relatively short time. Because if we’re being totally honest, most people who blast steel or paper at a gun range aren’t measuring their groups afterward – especially if they’re shooting a handgun.
If you jump into a three-gun match and try to run-and-gun, you can’t miss fast enough to win. Plus, if you’re unfamiliar with your equipment, it’s very easy to create an unsafe environment for the shooters around you. This is a surefire way to get disqualified (DQ’d) and thrown out of a match. After all, while this might be a game, you’re still using a deadly weapon to compete. Act accordingly.
Shooting Fast
Regarding speed-based competitions, these are your IPSC, IDPA, Three-Gun, Steel Challenge and USPSA matches. These are tough matches that push shooters to not only hit targets in a hurry but also manipulate and reload guns while moving. That sounds easy, but try to double-load a shotgun while running and out of breath. It will feel like you’re playing the board game Operation while cross-eyed and drunk. Yeah, it’s that tough.
That’s because these competitions are more about shaving time off of the most time-consuming aspects of operating a firearm than slow, precise shots. Yes, shooting fast is a must to be competitive at higher levels, but being able to reload a shotgun, in particular, is what separates the rock stars from the groupies.
Some associations like IDPA are more martial than gamey, meaning you need to run “realistic” gear for competition. This is because IDPA, in particular, was formed around the concept of training for concealed carry applications. The reason I have realistic quotes is that most competitors in IDPA still game the system in some regard. If you don’t believe me, check out how many shooters in IDPA matches (especially local ones) wear a fishing or photographer’s vest to conceal their handguns rather than what they would normally wear on the street.
Still, it’s good practice to draw from concealment, even if it’s not exactly what a shooter would wear on a daily basis.
Despite being more advanced competitions—at least in terms of mechanics involved—competitions like three-gun matches are still all about fundamentals: breath, sights, and trigger. That’s why I personally stress getting involved in bullseye and high-power matches before moving to faster-paced disciplines.