trouble finding competitions

[stayfit116]

Live in Olympia, dont know anything about competative shooting. Could someone help explain some of the different ones we have in this area and where i might be able to participate.

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[Dmonwai]

What kind of competition are you looking for? Pistol, long gun? Action shooting or more Bulls Eye?

Here in Western Washington you can shoot some kind of competition every weekend all year round. There are USPSA, IDPA, Tactical Rifle, Steel Challenge and 3-Gun matches that I know about. I mostly shoot IDPA, USPSA and Steel Challenge. But there are also Bulls Eye, High Power Long Distance Rifle and Shotgun competitions around too.

 

[stayfit116]

Sorry I should have been more specific mordern handguns are what I want to compete with

 

[RicInOR]

Start here: pbrsc.org Paul Bunyan
Click on Matches at the top

 

[Smitty79]

Search the internet for IDPA and USPSA. Should be able to find something from there.

 

[Dmonwai]

Sorry I should have been more specific mordern handguns are what I want to compete with

Ok, so now decide on on USPSA or IDPA or both.

Lot of differences between the two but the biggest is IDPA (International Defensive Pistol Association) is based of Defensive Handgun use. Guns are allowed minimal modifications and have weight and size restrictions. You also have to wear a "cover garment" while shooting the Course of Fire. A cover garment can be anything long enough like a vest, jacket, long shirt that covers your gun/holster and mag pouches. It has to still cover you gear when you raise your arms out parallel to the floor like you are pretending to be an airplane and your arms are the wings. All Courses of Fire will have an exact way to shoot it and everyone has to shoot it that way. For example, you will start at point A and engage T1, then move to point B and engage T2 and T3 and so on. If there is cover and the Course Description will tell what is cover and what is not, you have to shoot from cover.

In USPSA (United States Practical Shooting Association), its pure competition. Guns with optic sights and compensator's are allowed in the Open Division. In a USPSA Course of Fire you are given a specific area to shoot from. That area will be marked out. As long as you stay in that shooting area, while shooting, you can engage the targets in any order you want, there are no specific target order like in IDPA. You can move outside the shooting area during the course but you are not allowed to fire any shots. There maybe several shooting areas, you engage the targets while in each of those shooting areas. You decide which area and what order to shoot in.

IDPA is easier to get started in. You just show up early enough the morning of a match to attend the New Shooters Meeting/Orientation. The time for the Meeting verys among the different ranges so its best to contact someone at the range/club first. After that you go register for the match and then shoot it.

USPSA requires a "Safety Check" before newbies are allowed to shoot in a match. During the Safety Check they will go over the rules, both Safety and Competition and watch how you draw and fire your gun. You have to make an appointment with someone to get the Safety Check done and you usually cannot get one done the day of the match. The person to contact will depend on which range you want to shoot a match at. But once you get it done, then you don't have to get it done again no matter where you go to shoot a match.

I shoot more IDPA then USPSA and I teach IDPA classes and I'm a Certified IDPA Safety Officer. I shoot IDPA matches all over Western Washington and some in Oregon. I shoot IDPA for the competition, a lot shoot it for just practice or don't care what their score is at the end of the day. I do care what my score is and where I place at the end of the day.

I suggest trying both. Both are a lot of fun and very addictive!!

The closest IDPA matches to Olympia are at the Firearms Academy of Seattle in the Centralia/Onalaska area and at the Paul Bunyan Range in Puyallup. FAS runs their match every 2nd Saturday of the month and PB runs every 4th Saturday of the month. FAS is NOT having a match this month.

I believe the closest USPSA to Olympia is at the Mason County Sportsman's Association range. I've never shot that one but it looks like it the 1st Sunday of each month.

PM me your email and I can send Western Washington IDPA and USPSA schedules that I made up. If you can/want to make the IDPA match at Paul Bunyan in Puyallup on Saturday the 27th, I can help and coach you through your first match.

Damon Mon Wai
My IDPA and USPSA Match Videos - YouTube