What Would it Take to Get YOU out to a Bullseye ("Conventional Pistol" Event?

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...The point is that if you want to be competitive than you need to practice. That goes for any pistol discipline. I see a lot of people in this thread with the attitude that "If I cant just pick up any gun and be competitive my first time out it isnt worth it to me"...

That is only true in part. When I lived in east-central PA, I shot in the William Penn Pistol league, a Bullseye league that has been going since the 1940s and is still in operation with like 10 teams. I would practice some but not every week and I was almost always on the Gold team (top 5 shooters on the team) my last 3 years living there but I did not start out like that--I got better shooting a difficult sport. Occasionally I would go to Lebanon to shoot PPC, never practiced, and would win Master class over half of the time I went. Bullseye was harder and it made me a better shooter in everything else. Think of trying to hit a nickel shooting with one hand @ nearly 17 yards and then shoot PPC where the X ring on a B-27 is big in comparison and you could use two hands on the gun. If I was going to an International match, I practiced hard because the events are hard. Even still I was lucky to be in the top 1/2 of shooters but it made me better. If you have any doubts, look at the 10 ring on a free pistol target and compare that to an 8" -0 on a IDPA target. Every good shooter I knew/know, shoot to improve themselves and much less to win matches. The best ones were striving to shoot personal bests and would much rather do that than win the match.

The purer, the harder the event; usually the fewer rules are required. No one will be called for air gunning in Free Pistol. I don't even know how you could cheat if you were so inclined as, for example, you can't fake a double shot into an Air Pistol target as you only shoot one shot per target, etc. All shooting sports are not created equal any more than all stick and ball sports are the same. You can play baseball or you can play croquet. One will make you work hard to improve and the other can provide an enjoyable afternoon with the spouse. It all comes down to what you want to achieve.
 
If you have any doubts, look at the 10 ring on a free pistol target and compare that to an 8" -0 on a IDPA target.

The big difference being that you don't have to shoot each of those free pistol targets twice in 1/4 of a second, while moving, to be competitive! ;)
 
The big difference being that you don't have to shoot each of those free pistol targets twice in 1/4 of a second, while moving, to be competitive!

As I said, to each his own and it is all about what you want to do and if you want to get better. Not everyone does nor are they required to.

FYI: I am no expert on the subject but it doesn't appear that he is shooting a round every 0.125 seconds.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nftbepOtVVc
 
Saleen322 said:
If you have any doubts, look at the 10 ring on a free pistol target and compare that to an 8" -0 on a IDPA target.

<sigh>...It's beyond me why some insist on suggesting practical shooting events are purely target events. Look, folks, practical shooting is about taking advantage of as much of that 8" as you can in the shortest time possible, and all while each 8" is presented in a new & unique context that you only get 1 unrehearsed whack at. Getting the balance of planning, speed & accuracy right enough to win matches isn't quite as easy as you might think. At any rate, as I mentioned earlier, the "us and them" dichotomy is likely to hurt bullseye participation moreso than IDPA/USPSA participation, so IMO, it'd be best to highlight the complementarity between the 2 forms of shooting, rather than the differences.



The big difference being that you don't have to shoot each of those free pistol targets twice in 1/4 of a second, while moving, to be competitive!
Saleen322 said:
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FYI: I am no expert on the subject but it doesn't appear that he is shooting a round every 0.125 seconds.....

1/4 = 0.125 :confused: ;).

Again, each 8" target is presented in it's own unique context. Some shots are pulled off quite quickly - often quicker that 1/4 second - while it pays to slow down for others. It's all about knowing your ability, quickly coming up with a plan, and executing it with your best balance of speed and accuracy.


Old Fuff said:
MrBorland

You didn't mention how much time you took to fire those 2, 25-yard strings, and that could make a lot of difference.
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That said, at most bullseye .22 matches the Sharpshooter and Master class winner usually shoot a clean 100/10 shot score in timed (2/20 seconds/5 shots) and rapid (2/10 seconds/5 shots) fire, and win by breaking ties by the highest x-ring count.

Old Fuff - Point well-taken. I shot somewhere between slow- and timed-fire. Just some schmuck who picked up his MkIII and shot a pair of 25 yard targets 1-handed, so I take my result as my baseline. I look forward to the improvement, though. ;)
 
Think of trying to hit a nickel shooting with one hand @ nearly 17 yards...
I could also strive to become proficient whilst hopping on one leg with a dynamically-stabilized handgun. Would it make me a "better shooter"?

I freely admit to know nothing about bullseye. So help me understand the disciplines of bullseye that make one a better shooter, assuming one-handed shooting will rarely be required elsewhere. And thanks!
 
The big difference being that you don't have to shoot each of those free pistol targets twice in 1/4 of a second, while moving, to be competitive!

Originally Posted by Saleen322

FYI: I am no expert on the subject but it doesn't appear that he is shooting a round every 0.125 seconds.....

1/4 = 0.125 :confused: .

0.125 X 2 = 0.250 or 1/4 second

I could also strive to become proficient whilst hopping on one leg with a dynamically-stabilized handgun. Would it make me a "better shooter"?

I don't know if it would either nor do see much purpose in it.
 
so IMO, it'd be best to highlight the complementarity between the 2 forms of shooting, rather than the differences.

Utterly and perfectly true! I pointed out the "twice in 1/4 second" issue to merely reinforce the reality that just about ALL sports have levels of high performance that the advanced practitioner strives to achieve and beat. And approaching the champion's circle in any requires intense commitment, practice, and skill. One is not truly "harder" than the other.

Some sports may be more approachable, more "fun", more entertaining, to the neophyte - or may reward the new shooter with modest but heartening success more readily, but that's not the same thing as really being LESS of a challenge at the levels where competition is fiercest.

Now the focus needed to truly excel in either competition probably precludes a shooter from applying sufficient dedication to two (or more) sports needed to succeed in both, but many do appreciate the idea of being a "well rounded" shooter. That means different things to different people but well rounded shooting ability could certainly be improved by doing the best you can in several disciplines rather than being completely focused on just the one. Of course, we could extend that pretty broadly and say you might not be well-rounded until you can handle everything from a straw and spitball to the 16" guns of the USS Iowa...but most folks draw a line SOMEWHERE! :D


...

As a complete aside and not to further an argument in any way:

I'll suggest that theoretically the "practical" sports (IDPA, USPSA, and so on) are potentially MORE challenging for one simple reason: In bullseye you COULD shoot a perfect score with all "X" hits. It COULD be done. You CAN'T do better than that, ever -- that is THE goal. In the practical sports there really is no unsurpassable "best" that could be humanly achieved. Because the event is scored for shortest time as well as accuracy, there is always a chance that someone could be faster with all "A" or "Down 0" hits than the best you can do. You cannot record a "perfect" score. Only the best anyone DID achieve that day. Of course there are actual physical limits -- if nothing else, competitors are prevented by law from advancing through a stage faster than 670,616,629 mph -- but those physical barriers are so far beyond human capability as to provide no practical horizon.
 
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0.125 X 2 = 0.250 or 1/4 second
Split times of 0.12 - 0.15s are recorded pretty regularly in competition. Not on every target as Mr. Borland says. What you need to do on one target might be completely different from what you need to do on another target. Knowing what and how, and deciding instantly, is part of the challenge of the "go-fast" sports. As is the athleticism to move quickly and smoothly through the stage, to handle your equipment and reloads in the shortest time possible, to deal with courses and props which you've never seen before, and so forth. As a simple marksmanship game, IDPA or USPSA would be unchallenging. Taken as a whole experience there is PLENTY of challenge for the top-flite competitor to overcome.

I'd imagine there are as many USPSA types who mistakenly believe that Bullseye is "easy" because you're just doing the same simple thing over and over and over again -- as there are Bullseye guys who believe USPSA is "easy" because the target rings are large. Neither opinion should stand up to more than a second's worth of scrutiny, but they prevail anyway.
 
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Some sports may be more approachable, more "fun", more entertaining, to the neophyte - or may reward the new shooter with modest but heartening success more readily, but that's not the same thing as really being LESS of a challenge at the levels where competition is fiercest.

Maybe I'm ignoring a facet here that I shouldn't. There is an element in some sports, felt or expressed by some participants, that there is a level of exclusivity to simply participating in their sport, and that may be counted as part of how "hard" their sport is.

Long hours, complex rules and procedures and etiquette, stern and focused (i.e. not welcoming and jolly) participants, perhaps involved in an insular and patriarchal/hierarchical social setting, and even (meant with no prejudice ... I just can't think of a better word) the relative "boredom" of a slow, monotonous exercise -- are all seen as the dues one pays to get to be a participant in this elite discipline.

By the time someone has earned their badges they've showed due deference to the group, respect for the traditions and culture of the sport, and service and persistence and investment of time and funds both to earn the right to be there. A high threshold to buy-in, as it were.

If all that is counted, I could see an argument for one sport being "harder" than another -- as a total experience. There's a level of difficulty in simply participating that contributes to the overall difficulty of participating AND scoring well.
 
Maybe I'm ignoring a facet here that I shouldn't. There is an element in some sports, felt or expressed by some participants, that there is a level of exclusivity to simply participating in their sport, and that may be counted as part of how "hard" their sport is.

Long hours, complex rules and procedures and etiquette, stern and focused (i.e. not welcoming and jolly) participants, perhaps involved in an insular and patriarchal/hierarchical social setting, and even (meant with no prejudice ... I just can't think of a better word) the relative "boredom" of a slow, monotonous exercise -- are all seen as the dues one pays to get to be a participant in this elite discipline.

That may be valid and perhaps you are getting to the core of it. My read on the OP is sort of why don't folks shoot Bullseye and if not, why not.

Bullseye is a simple sport with few rules, three phases shot on two different targets with just three different time limits at set distances. The firearms rules are also pretty straight forward. There are no complicated rules for Procedural Errors (PE), Air Gunning, Failure To Do Right (FTDR), etc.

Just about everyone you meet is friendly (as I stated in a previous post), willing to give advice if asked and it is a good place to look for a used pistol to get started with. The average club match is 60 shots, with a .22 LR, and will take you less than 1 hour (usually closer to 35 minutes) and can handle as many people at a time as firing points. If you tell one of the match folks you are just starting they will almost always offer to have someone coach you through the first match. You can be in and out in 90 minutes or less if that is what you want.

As you said yourself, you believe Practical Matches are harder. Apparently they need complex rules to keep order and even list the most common ways to disqualify someone;
Unsafe firearm handling as defined in the Safety Rules Section.
Receiving more than one FTDR during a single match.
Unsportsmanlike conduct
Violations of the Shooter’s Code of Conduct

I have been shooing some form of Conventional Pistol for about 20 years give or take but I have yet to see someone be disqualified that I was aware of during a match. But it must be common in IDPA as I saw more than one DQ on the sheet just at the Hollidaysburg state match.

We can keep this going but it makes little sense to do so. The OP was asking a question and he got some responses. I try different things but some folks just will not and no one can make them. I guess I don't have what it takes to be one of the elite.
 
That may be valid and perhaps you are getting to the core of it.
Ironically, I was projecting those impressions onto the more rigid traditional sports like bullseye and position rifle shooting (hence the reference to slow, monotonous repetitive exercises)! :) And it just shows how things look to the uninitiated from the outside. If you could see complexity and barriers to entry in IDPA and I could see them in bullseye, that's pretty telling!

Bullseye is a simple sport with few rules, three phases shot on two different targets with just three different time limits at set distances. The firearms rules are also pretty straight forward. There are no complicated rules for Procedural Errors (PE), Air Gunning, Failure To Do Right (FTDR), etc.
Exactly so! And IDPA is a simple sport that says: Use a pistol to stop these simulated threats. Each has it's intricacies and befuddlements, I'm sure.

Just about everyone you meet is friendly (as I stated in a previous post), willing to give advice if asked and it is a good place to look for a used pistol to get started with.
Which is a common theme I've heard from every member WITHIN every shooting discipline: "Best folks in the world, everyone's friendly, everyone's willing to lend a hand and want folks to come out and shoot. Will lend guns, lend ammo, do anything to help someone get into it. Etc., etc." But still folks wander why some sports seem to decline and others thrive. And none of our sports gets the attendance we think it should!

As you said yourself, you believe Practical Matches are harder.
I pointed that out as a theoretical limit. I don't actually believe that either discipline is harder than the other from a practical, real world effort standpoint. Only that if you shoot a perfect score, with all "X"s in bullseye you cannot be beaten, merely tied. In the practical sports, someone could ALWAYS be faster.

But if you aren't dedicated and constantly working at either sport, you won't be a top competitor. So in my mind they're equal in that regard.

Apparently they need complex rules to keep order and even list the most common ways to disqualify someone;
Unsafe firearm handling as defined in the Safety Rules Section.
Receiving more than one FTDR during a single match.
Unsportsmanlike conduct
Violations of the Shooter’s Code of Conduct
Well, I'll grant you that the discipline does require a certain level of heightened attentiveness that firing from a fixed point at a static target may not. We do have to have a safety officer in charge of each shooter and only let one shooter fire at a time, per bay. The safety concerns are taken extremely seriously.

And, yes, since the game isn't JUST about shooting marksmanship, there are rules to cover all the other facets of the competition. Movement, reloading, use of cover, and so forth. Considering the number of folks who do participate in these matches nationally and internationally, those rules must not be such burden.

I'd imagine, however, that someone would be booted from a bullseye competition for unsafe firearms handling, repeated rules violations, or cheating just as quickly as they would from an IDPA match. I'd certainly HOPE so, anyway!

I have been shooing some form of Conventional Pistol for about 20 years give or take but I have yet to see someone be disqualified that I was aware of during a match. But it must be common in IDPA as I saw more than one DQ on the sheet just at the Hollidaysburg state match.
Yes. Those were instances of someone creating an unsafe situation. To be frank, they "swept" themselves with their gun's muzzle while moving through a course of fire.

We have such a low tolerance for safety violations that no one who does that is allowed to continue.

How does Conventional pistol handle such things? Or does the simpler, more static, shooting form -- coupled with not having an individual Safety Officer watching each shooter's motions -- mean such things do not "officially" happen at your matches?

I guess I don't have what it takes to be one of the elite.
If you've survived this long in Conventional bullseye shooting, then you've certainly paid your dues as I referenced in post 85, and you indeed are one of the elite! :)
 
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Look, I used to shoot some conventional pistol and still do a little but I have shot 3 and 4 position rifle, prone rifle, service rifle, international pistol, silhouette, PPC, steel plate, and what I started just this September is EIC pistol where I shot my first 3 matches plus some stuff I am sure I forgot about. I was packing up some of my dust collectors and just for memory sake, I put what plaques, trophies, and metals I collected over the years and placed what would fit on the table and snapped this picture before I stored them. I won these awards plus a fair number of matches that paid money, points, a handshake or pat on the back.

Picture of dust collectors here.

I have been a NRA LE firearms instructor in pistol, shotgun, patrol rifle, and long range rifle for about 30 years total and have NRA Instructor certifications for home safety, pistol, rifle and shotgun. I only mention these things to make the point I have fired a couple of shots in my life and I have learned enough about shooting to realize there is a whole lot that I don't know about shooting.

However this I did learn in my short experience, anyone who applies sound shooting fundamentals can do most any type of shooting effectively. Bullseye is simple, requires little equipment, and is great for making you better as it shows through performance the importance of sound shooting fundamentals. I am not trying to change the mind of those who know it is practical shooting or nothing; this is just for the benefit of those reading the thread who are looking for helpful advice and may want to try to be better shooters.
 
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That is AWESOME! You've done well and obviously have a lot to give the next generation, too.

However this I did learn in my short experience, anyone who applies sound shooting fundamentals can do most any type of shooting effectively.
True. But learning to apply those fundamentals in the specific way required by varying disciplines is what makes them all so challenging and fun!

Applying them in wildly varying ways and circumstances and at speed is what makes the "practical" versions entertaining to those of us who enjoy that sort of thing.

I am not trying to change the mind of those who know it is practical shooting or nothing
I sincerely hope you don't believe that I am such a one. I've not said that at all, in fact I think I said quite the opposite. All are challenging, equally, and all can be very rewarding.

this is just for the benefit of those reading the thread who are looking for helpful advice and may want to try to be better shooters.
And that is a worthy goal -- for someone who already wants to be that kind of a better shooter.

But do you have suggestions for the OP, who's trying to get more people out to matches? Or to answer ljonwell's point about those who "shouldn't bother?"
 
smallbore pistol silhouette benefits IPSC shooters

I agree with the point made that one of Bullseye's strengths is that it provides an opportunity to hone pistol fundamentals. Any error in form or technique is readily made apparent on the tiny targets. Certainly those fundamentals are applicable to all disciplines, incl. the high speed action games.

At this time of year our IPSC group is challenged by the cold miserable weather. Having to clear snow off the range does not help. Nor do the short days. Since setting up a couple small exercises is about all we can do, the off season takes a toll on our skillset.

Three years ago one of the IPSC guys suggested that we keep ourselves conditioned through the winter by shooting bootleg NRA smallbore handgun metallic silhouette.

To start off we nailed together some 2x4 target stands and some long tables for the firing line (12 can shoot at once). We plasma cut some cheap steel CPTRs. Then secured a supply of wood pallets for the warming fire. We have since saved up match fees to buy NRA cast targets, and we fabbed steel target stands.

Anyhow, this informal handgun sil game is very popular. The match takes very little time to set up, to score, to tear down. If you want to shoot one match, squad up early and you can be in and out in an hour.

We are more than preserving or honing our fundamentals. We are recruiting new shooters, a few of whom gravitate to IPSC.
 
What would it take me? More than what folks would be willing to do I reckon, and more than what would be fair.

The bottom line is that it just doesn't interest me, and I'd rather shoot in other ways. If I had more free time and an abundance of disposable cash, maybe I'd give it a go. As it is now there are other areas that interest me much more than the thought of bullseye ever has.

In fairness, I don't live near a club that does bullseye. But if I did, I still don't think I would be interested in doing it. Maybe not though.

Turn it into a rifle, turn it into XTC, and I'll be there though!
 
I see a parallel here with some other sports:

Road biking is fairly nerdy, and the off-road version cyclocross was never a big deal, at least in the US. Mountain biking became rapidly popular after it was invented in the late 70s because it is more fun and exciting. I don't know the stats, but I'll bet more people have fat-tire bikes than road bikes.

When I first tried it in 1995, whitewater kayaking was just finishing the phase when almost all recreational boaters used 11 foot boats, which were not hugely different in length from the slalom racing boats, so you could at least try running a slalom course and it would be physically possible to make most of the gates. Soon, recreational boats began to be drastically shortened until now I can get into a boat that is shorter than my height (with only minor crushing of my feet), opening up the possibility lots of weird stunts if you are a gymnast (look up "whitewater rodeo" on YouTube) but making impossible the speed of paddling against the current that is needed to make the gates on a slalom course.

Compare the amount of money people are willing to spend per day and equipment on downhill skiing vs. cross-country skiing, and the number of participants (huge, full parking lots at the downhill area vs. a few or a few dozen cars at the XC trailheads.)

Olympic-style archery now has to compete against NFAA, etc, which shoot shorter ranges and use more field-worthy equipment.

In all these cases, varieties of the sport that are more oriented toward hootin' and hollerin' do better than those that rely more on dedication and contemplation (with archery being the weakest example of this thesis). Not to say that people doing SASS, whitewater rodeo or downhill mountain biking can't be dedicated or thinking hard about their sport, but each day is more exciting if it's fast and/or loud, not slow and steady.

Decades ago, how many different pistol events were there? How many are there today?
 
But do you have suggestions for the OP, who's trying to get more people out to matches? Or to answer ljonwell's point about those who "shouldn't bother?"

Sam, I am a numbers guy and I like to deal in measurable terms. One of the matches I make about 2/3 of the time is the Marine Corps League state championship match at the Gap. It was a couple of years since I been there and I think the last time had an attendance of over 170. You run matches and that is a big turnout in this area in my experience. This year, unless I miscounted, there were 208 participants. If anything, it is growing.

Most of the matches I attend I have not seen much change in numbers. However, what has effected Bullseye (and smallbore rifle) is that there are more indoor shoots than outdoor as they are more a winter thing in this area. EPA regulations about lead have ranges scared and some are just closing as it is getting so expensive to upgrade filtration and to a greater degree, they are afraid of being sued so some take the safe route and close down. This is causing fewer club matches to be available. Outdoors, I have not seen much change in the matches I attend or have went to on a regular basis.

The good news is there are starting to be some NRA sanctioned International matches now in PA. It looks like Palmyra is running both the state championship match as well as a Jr. Olympic qualifier. International events are limited to iron sights only so it saves the expense of an optical sight so popular in Conventional. To run international air and free pistol it takes no equipment other than something to hang the targets on plus the lead is low--air very, very little lead and free is low because the pace is so slow. To run standard pistol and international center fire, the same stuff used for Bullseye works. Only rapid fire needs special equipment.

As far as getting people out, Conventional/Bullseye and most International events you can try on your own and get a very real sense of where you are from a skills standpoint. Where practical courses are all different, setting one up yourself may not be practical and you can't compare someone's time in one course to another course somewhere else. In Bullseye or International, you can compare your score to anyone else in the world because the conditions are the same. This also makes it easier to track your progress to see where you are improving and what you need to work more on. For Bullseye, if you have a shot timer, set it for 20 seconds for timed fire, per 5 shots; and 10 seconds for rapid fire, per 5 shots. The link to the rule books below give the details as far as equipment, targets, etc. You can look up scores on the net for any match you want and I think you will find folks with scores below you as well as above so it makes that first match easier. Trying them on your own prevents the anxiety of going in cold so to speak. Good luck.

http://compete.nra.org/official-nra-rule-books.aspx
 
Here in Indianapolis we have an excellent 25 yard indoor range with 20 lanes. Full ventillation/filtration, heated in the winter, cooled in the summer. It's well lighted and can take any caliber up to and including 300 Winchester Magnum. There are no shots per second restrictions and machine guns are allowed.

On tuesday evenings we offer shooting matches with either pistol/revolver or rifle competition.

Shooting classes for new or experianced shooters are also offered as well as a Lady's only class as well as Police qualification/instruction classes.

You can check it out here. http://bgfrange.com/Beech_Grove_Firearms_&_Range/BGF_Range.html
 
Back to the O.P.

I'm just a C-Class action shooter now and was only a 265 avg .22 cal Bullseye shooter 40+ years ago.
I can only relate to what initially brought me into the Bullseye shooting in a local venue weekly "League" format that was a great way to start.

I went to a new range to shoot a .22 rifle I used to hunt jack rabbits with friends. While shooting the rifle, I see pistol shooters with the large Bullseye boxes carefully drilling targets at 25 yds with 1911s and some great looking .22 pistols. I walked over to have a closer look.

The Bullseye shooters invited me over, showed me the equipment and handguns and asked if I'd like to try shooting one. A H.S Victor was sure an amazing pistol to me.

Like many shooters in all the venues, these gentlemen's generosity were key factors in my gaining interest and getting involved. The league shoot wasn't set up as a "loners game". It was run almost exactly like a bowling league year round every Wednesday evening under lights.
Don't frown. This format resulted in 5 person 'teams' based on average score totals-- shown on a chalkboard at the club-house. Every team had high, medium and low average shooters who were handicapped until they reached proficient scores. Every time a new league started one member was the R.O. and ensured scores were totalled etc. etc..

This meant "everyone " contributed to the team as long as they progressed or shot really well without handicaps. Good shooters helped/taught newbies on each team. Everyone participated. A monthly supper was scheduled and families invited.

I could go on about the small trophies, gaining of skills and trying out all the various pistols & revolvers being used , etc etc.; but the key element was social to get people involved and actively participating.

I know this isn't practical everywhere for various reasons, but a method of stimulating interest can be found IF that's a goal.

Format was 30 rds at a 25yard slow fire targets. two 5rd strings in each slow, timed and rapid fire.


Sorry I ramble, but it still brings back fond memories 'of people'.
 
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Here in Indy we currently get together on Tuesday evening and we start at 6:00, 6:30 and 7:00pm. You pick the time you want to start.

You don't have to be here every week so if you miss a match that's OK.

We only shoot 30 rounds total because of the problems finding ammo sometimes although some shooters shoot more than one match and more than one caliber/firearm.

It is free style where you shoot any way you want, you just cannot touch or lean against any supporting object.

You may shoot any firearm or caliber you have. You don't need any special equipment, just a firearm and a handful of ammo.

We shoot three targets, 1, NRA B-2 and 2- NRA B-3 and we shoot at 50 ft.
(16.5yds.).

The first run is 10 shots in 10 minutes if you care to use all of it.
The second is 10 shots in 1 minute and the third is 5 shots in 10 seconds which is repeated again for a total of 10 shots.

We do this to encourage fun and fellowship among shooters and to help them shoot better.

If your ever near Indy, stop in and see them.
 
My experiences are very similar. Most of us had families and often they would come along. Weekends are busy, the kids had activities, and you didn't want to tie up the weekends with shooting matches so we always shot on a week night. You tried to pick the night best for most, usually Tuesday or Wednesday. Similar thing on the relays, different times so you could get in and out if you had something going. We rotated range responsibilities but some folks just liked to do it so that was never a problem. There were 4 leagues pretty close to me, the farthest was 45 minutes away. Each was a little different. New shooters or ones that were not comfortable shooting with one hand could use two. Two leagues shot the 30 round National Match (NM) course-.22s only; one shot the NM with .22s and you could go again with a center fire if you wanted. One shot a double, 60 shots with .22, and then if you wanted, a 30 round course center fire course. Most had a big banquet at the end of season and it was great fun.

The Bullseye leagues are great if you want to improve your skills, have limited time to shoot, and still have your weekends open.
 
My brief experience so far is that Allen Fulford explained Bullseye very well:

"In my job as a County Agricultural Agent, I found that I was working many hours and weekends, and the pressure of the job was really getting to me. For many years I was a plinker and I always liked shooting. I wanted to become involved in competitive shooting, so I really picked up the sport as a kind of therapy through a stressful period. When I was out on the range concentrating on my shooting, I put all of my worries out of my mind, and I found that it was a wonderful source of inspiration for the rest of the week. I was able to go back to work and accomplish a whole lot more. Competitive shooting has added years to my life because it has allowed me to relax, enjoy life more, and allow me to get into something that I could set goals, reach those goals, set more goals, and so on. This process of shooting, and the fellowship that goes with it, I'm sure, has added years to my life. If I had to put one thing above all facets of shooting, it would be the fellowship with other shooters. I think that by and far, shooters are some of the best folks in the world."

Supposedly several top level Camp Perry competitors are in my state. I hope to meet them someday.
 
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