| The lawful
use of firearms is by no means all about self-defense, protection of
lives or property, or combat situations. There are millions of
people who regularly engage is shooting firearms of all types for recreational
purposes.
Whichever firearm or
discipline you with to try the instructors at
GUNPLAY USA can give you a
successful head-start. If you are a hunter, training in any of these
sports will improve your game harvest.
Handguns
Bullseye Pistol
There are a number of
sport shooting venues that use handguns. The granddaddy of all is
Bullseye Pistol, or Conventional Pistol. This course is fired from
25 and 50 yards. The shooter shoots with one hand, fires a specified
number of shots within a certain time frame. This is truly precision
shooting. Visit this
LINK for
detailed information about this popular sport.
International Defensive Pistol
Association matches.
IDPA as a sport is quite
simply the use of practical equipment including full charge
service ammunition to solve simulated “real world” self-defense
scenarios. Shooters competing in IDPA events are required to use
practical handguns and holsters that are truly suitable for
self-defense use. No “competition only” equipment is permitted
in IDPA matches since the main goal is to test the skill and
ability of an individual, not his equipment or gamesmanship.
IDPA is the ideal sport for those who have the desire to learn the
safe and effective use of a handgun in defensive situations and have
a barrel of fun and camaraderie while doing so.
International Practical Shooting
Confederation
IPSC shooters need to
blend accuracy, power, and speed into a winning combination.
Multiple targets, moving targets, targets that react when hit,
penalty targets, or even partially covered targets, obstacles,
movement, competitive strategies, and other techniques are all a
part of IPSC to keep shooters challenged and spectators engaged.
Rifle (Rim-fire and
Big-bore)
The rifle
training/instruction may be divided into two categories, high power
and small bore. These two types may be further subdivided as
follows. High power competition fired with service or match rifles
at 200 to 1000 yards and hunting rifle training designed to help
the hunter develop or improve skill in the use of the chosen rifle.
This training would include range estimation, wind reading and
shooting from field positions.
Small bore rifle (.22
rimfire) training may be divided into small bore competition fired
on targets at 50 and 100 yards and hunting rifle training. Hunting
rifle training is designed to help the hunter hone his skill with
the .22 rimfire.
All rifle training will
provide the student with complete knowledge of the fundamentals of
marksmanship, the basics of zeroing a rifle and the use of firing
positions for both range and field.
Shotgun
There are several shotgun
sport disciplines. Here are some of the more popular.
Skeet. Skeet is a
challenging shotgun-clay target game. There are 25 shots in a
game (singles) and 50 shots in doubles. The shooters take turns
shooting from designated stations at crossing targets. Fun
for men, women and children. This game can be enjoyed with any
shotgun capable of firing two shots in rapid order. An open
choke (skeet or IC) is the most successful. A skeet gun can be
either 12, 16, 20, 28 gauge or a .410 bore. The .410 is not a
suitable fun for a beginner or a child. The 20ga. is preferred
for those shooters.
The orange lines show the path of the targets.
Trap. Trap is
another challenging and fun game for shot-gunners - young or old.
The shooters stand on one of five stations on a semi-circle and
fire at targets traveling away from them at various angles. The
12 gage is the preferred gun for this game. A full or modified
choke is preferred. The basic Trap game is 25 shots fire from a
station 16 years from the trap. A single shot gun can be
successfully used. For Doubles Trap a two shot repeater is
necessary. A pump action, semi-auto or double gun is needed for
doubles. Most trap shooters prefer a 12ga. gun though many are
successful with a 20ga.
A Typical Trap Field
Sporting Clays.
Sporting Clays is a challenging clay target game designed to
simulate field shooting. On a Sporting Clays course, shooters
are presented with a wide variety of targets that duplicate the
flight path of game birds, such as flushing, crossing, incoming
and other angling shots.
Courses are laid out in natural surroundings and typically
include five or 10 shooting "stations" with shooters moving from
one station to the next to complete the course. Each "station"
presents shooters with a different type of shot. At a "grouse
station," for example, shooters might face flushing "birds" that
zip in and out of the trees. At a "decoying duck" station,
incoming targets may float in toward the shooter.
Most courses make use of natural features such as woods and
ponds to create a realistic setting for each type of shot. At
any "station," targets may be thrown as singles, simultaneous
pairs, following pairs (one target right after the other), or
report pairs (the second target launched at the sound of the gun
being fired at the first).
To further challenge shooters, target size may vary from the
standard trap/skeet clay bird to the smaller "midi" and "mini"
targets, or a flat disc shaped "battue" target. There are even
special "rabbit" targets that are thrown on end and skitter
across the ground.
Either a 12ga. or a 20ga. gun is desirable for successful
sporting clays shooting. As there are many doubles targets, a
repeating gun is needed - pump action, semi auto or double.
Much like a golf course, a sporting clays range may cover
several acres. Many shooters use golf or clays karts to save the
long walks between stations. May sporting clays commercial
ranges rent such karts.
A Sporting Clays Station
Five-stand.
Five
Stand is very similar to
Sporting Clays in that a
wide variety of targets are thrown. No two five-stands are
exactly alike and the same facility may be different on your
next visit due to the placement of the target traps. There are five "stands" or stations to shoot
from. There are usually somewhere between 6 and 8 traps that
throw targets. Participants shoot in turn at each of the 5
stands and various combinations of targets are thrown from the
traps. Usually there is a menu card that will advise the shooter
of the sequence of targets. Five Stand is a great way to get a
Sporting Clays like experience in a small amount of space, with
very little walking.
A Five-stand field
GUNPLAY USA can introduce you to
any of these safe, fun, educational shooting disciplines. Give
us at call...
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