You can shoot a modified or stock handgun in different calibers or you can shoot a pistol caliber carbine. With .22 pistol, you don't draw from a holster, you start from low ready. The emphasis is on safety. The only time a gun is out of it's case or a holster is when the shooter is in the box and getting ready to shoot and under the control of the Range Office (RO). There is never more than one gun out in the open and that gun must always be pointed down range. In addition, there is only one gun loaded with ammunition at any time and that is the shooter that is under control of the RO. You can also shoot a .22 rifle or a Pistol Caliber Carbine (PCC). You can shoot irons or a Red Dot Sight in any of the classifications. For points, you are shooting against yourself and against others with the same equipment as you.
Thanks. I'm a long standing member at ARPC and I was considering sending an email to 4EverAgainstTheStream and asking for a little more info but you have nailed it.You can shoot a modified or stock handgun in different calibers or you can shoot a pistol caliber carbine. With .22 pistol, you don't draw from a holster, you start from low ready. The emphasis is on safety. The only time a gun is out of it's case or a holster is when the shooter is in the box and getting ready to shoot and under the control of the Range Office (RO). There is never more than one gun out in the open and that gun must always be pointed down range. In addition, there is only one gun loaded with ammunition at any time and that is the shooter that is under control of the RO. You can also shoot a .22 rifle or a Pistol Caliber Carbine (PCC). You can shoot irons or a Red Dot Sight in any of the classifications. For points, you are shooting against yourself and against others with the same equipment as you.
As far as pointers, the biggest thing is to follow the rules to make sure everyone has a good time. After that, it's about learning the sport and allowing yourself to learn more about shooting. There are a few bumper sticker slogans that actually have some real meaning. Fast is smooth is one of them. The least amount of movement is normally the quickest, and the smoother you move, the better, and faster, you normally are. Another one is "you can't miss fast enough to win". It means that fast doesn't mean squat if you're missing the target and take several tries to hit it. You need to have the patience and discipline to wait until you have the proper sight picture before pressing the trigger. Like spookshack said, the fanciest equipment doesn't make the shooter, but having reliable equipment sure helps!
If you haven't been out to a speed steel match and you're not a member, you'll need to go to the ARPC web site and see who to contact. It'll be on the calendar. You'll find that people at the match are pretty much the same everywhere. Some are talkative and some aren't. You can get as much advice as you ask for. Most people are very encouraging, but also not judgmental at all. If they see you screwing up, in a way that doesn't affect safety, they will probably be cringing because they've done the same thing in the past and hope to not make the same mistake today!
Come out an have a ball. Let the RO know ifyou're a virginit's your first time and they'll let you shoot last so you can watch everyone else in your squad before you shoot. Normal round count is 150 rounds so bring enough ammo. I tend to bring an extra 5 or 10 rounds in case I miss a few times!
