The Metacon bullseye pistol team always has openings for current, new and wait listed members interested in honing their shooting skills, competing with other shooters, visiting other ranges and having a good time. It is a great excuse to get out and shoot. The skills you practice shooting bullseye pistol at any level will help you shoot better in all other shooting disciplines.
The Bullseye team competes each year in the Metropolitan Revolver League of Hartford. The league name is a bit of a misnomer since most competitors are firing semi-auto pistols. There are 12 teams in the league. The season runs from September to April. Each team competes twice with each other team during the season. Once at Metacon and one at the opponent’s range. Metacon matches are held Wednesday evenings. The away matches are Monday through Friday depending on the opponent’s home night. One match is fired each week with a break around the holidays.
The matches follow a relaxed NRA Bullseye Pistol Gallery Course, 3 targets with 10 shots fired on each. The first target is a 50ft NRA B-2 Slow fire target. 10 shots are fired in a 10 minute period. The second and third targets are NRA B-3 Timed and Rapid fire targets. The second target is fired on twice. 5 shots fired in 20 seconds then the remaining 5 shots in another 20 second period. The third target is also fired twice. 5 shots in 10 seconds and again with 5 shots in 10 seconds. The total of the three targets makes up the score for the competitor.
The team score is made up of the top 5 competitors for the evening. If a teammate is having a ‘below average experience’ on a given night his or her score won’t hurt the team. Also with the top 5 targets used for the team score. Any competitor who can’t make it for the night also won’t hurt the team.
The equipment needed is quite minimal. Safety glasses, hearing protection. A .22 caliber pistol or revolver. Both open iron sights and scopes are acceptable and 30 rounds of standard velocity .22 ammo (a few extra in case a re-fire is needed is a good idea). If the match is at Metacon a dollar towards refreshments is requested.
If you are interested, come down to a home match or talk to the pistol director at a meeting.
Useful Links:
Metropolitan Revolver League of Hartford
bullseyepistol.com
Summer League begins the first Tues in June and continues on Tues evenings thru the end of August. It is a great opportunity to brush up on your shooting skills and mingle with fellow club members. Very informal, and inexpensive.
The first course starts at 5:30 sharp. Plan on arriving a little early. For later arrivals, or alternatively, the second course follows the first, usually around 6:30. The match fee is $10 for the entire season to cover the cost of supplies.
All shooters are welcome; both beginners and advanced shooters; members and non-members alike. You are advised to bring a .22 handgun, as well as a centerfire unless you want to use the .22 for both, plus ammo, “eyes” and “ears”. Non-members should be familiar with the Metacon Range Rules which are on our website. Check it out.
GOOD BULLSEYE ADVICE (found on a bullseye forum):
A shooter asked: “Shot at the 25yd line for the first time. I didn’t actually score any of the hits, but generally I averaged about 75% in the Black on a 25yd line repair center. Is that any good for a newbie?”
Who knows? Who cares? … really
That depends on how you feel about the WAY you shot (as opposed to the numerical value of WHAT you shot), and how realistic your expectations are for your own performance.
If your goal in shooting is to become an accomplished marksman, then I would offer these suggestions (others will amplify and add their own opinions):
Shooting is a discipline. You master it by learning the fundamentals (stance, grip/hold, breathing, sight alignment, trigger control) and then mastering yourself
in the consistent execution of those fundamentals. All of that takes time and perfect practice. Practice does not make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect.
When you practice, you are training yourself. Every shot you take teaches your brain something. It is better to shoot 10 or 20 good shots (disciplining yourself to execute the fundamentals correctly) than 100 haphazard ones (the haphazard shots will only reinforce making mistakes.)
Develop a shot plan. Follow it.
Don’t take bad shots, for example, don’t try to make the perfect shot, trust your hold; if you break your shot process, put the gun down and start over, etc. Dry fire, a lot. Call your shots.
When you shoot in a match, there really is no such thing as “competition,” (no one is trying to pin you to the mat, no one is trying to block your shots as in B’Ball, etc.). What is actually taking place is 10 or 20 guys on a line playing a form of simultaneous solitaire. If you are successful in disciplining yourself (focus/concentration, controlling your emotions. Dealing with match pressure, learn how to clear your mind, relax and visualize what you’re going to do, etc.), the end result will be a good score. Your goal is not a “good score,” your goal is to execute the process that leads to making good shots, that just happen to add up to a good score. It’s the process.
HAVE FUN.