To improve your shooting skills or just for fun, you should go to one of many types of shooting competition. Exactly how many people go such events for the target practice? Well, as per the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the number is 19 million plus!
And if you are wondering who organizes such shooting competition, it’s the National Rifle Association (NRA). The competition types are so many that no matter what type of shooting intrigues you most, the NRA have it for you.
Now, before I go any deep explaining the shooting competition types, I would like to remind you that, you should bring your own shooting safety gears like the earmuffs for shooting in such competition.
Types Of Shooting Competitions
Whether you love the handgun completion, rifle shooting completion, or the old-school style shooting that involves lots of smoke, there are definitely competitions for you. So, check out these competitions to improve your shooting skills.
- Shotgun Competitions
Do you like to shot flying targets? I do, and if you are like me you can compete for any of the 3 shotgun shooting categories like skeet, trap, and sporting clays. In skeet shooting, you can shot at the flying clay targets that will be thrown from the opposite direction.
But if you like to shoot in the same direction that you are facing, trap shooting is for you. If you wanna go crazy and shoot at objects flying from various directions, you will love the sporting clay shooting.
- NRA High Power Rifle Competition
If you are rifle shooting enthusiastic and you want to develop your rifle shooting skills, this competition organized by NRA is the perfect spot. You can use any rifles like AR-15, traditional M16 or M14 as well.
From 200 yards to more than 600 yards distance, you can choose whatever you like. For the precise distant shooting, you need crystal clear optic, so bring your own spotting scope. Most of such events deliver the shooting jacket and the gloves, but bring your spotting scope!
- Competition Of Smallbore Rifle
If you are looking for the short-distant rifle competition; like shooting at the 50 yards target, this is for you. You can shoot standing, kneeling, or even prone positions using your .22 rifles.
You don’t need any other equipment but the rifle and shooting gloves. If you become really good at it, consider getting your own spotting scope, jacket, prone position mats, etc.
- NRA Competition Of Conventional Pistol Shooting
If the revolver or pistol is your favorite, consider this competition. They arrange it for both indoor and outdoor shooting matches. For outdoor, the target distance is usually from 25 to 50 yards whereas, for the indoor, the distance is usually 50 feet.
You can choose from different kinds of handguns like .22LR rimfire, .45ACP, centerfire and so on. Not necessarily you have to have them all! All you need is one pistol or revolver to enter into any of these pistol competitions.
- Competition for Action Pistol Shooting
That’s for the pro! But if you want to develop the speed and accuracy of your pistol shooting, you are in the right completion. You will be shooting from a variety of positions and reloading the pistol several times.
You must fire 6 shots per 5seconds. So, speed and accuracy play a great role in this competition. This one will make you prepared for the USPSA. To start with this competition, apart from the pistol, you need a belt, a holster, and magazines carriers.
- IDPA Shooting Competition
Also known as International Defensive Pistol Association events. It helps to teach you to learn about international shooting rules and regulations and the main purpose of this event is to teach you self-defense.
You will face the almost real-life life-threatening situation from which you have to protect yourself. As I mentioned earlier, action pistol shooting will prepare you for the USPSA; which basically stands for the United States Practical Shooting Organization. USPA is the U.S. version of the IDPA.
- Bench Rest Shooting
If you don’t know it already; this type of rifle shooting only happens during the Olympics. So, if you compete here, you can have the same test. But let me tell you something first, this is a very precise rifle shooting.
You can use only the customized and modified rifle here to deliver the most precise and stable shot. The winner is normally decided by a fraction of millimeter! Now, think how precise the shot has to be!
- Black Powder Competition
The NRA arranges this competition as well. This is perfect for those shooters who love long distant target rifle shooting (can be more than 1,000 yards). You will have lots of variations in terms of target types, distance, and position.
To participate in this competition, all you need is a safe black powder rifle. Since it involves a black powder rifle, you should also bring the cleaning gear, patches, and Pyrodex powder. If you choose the really distant shooting, consider bringing the spotting scope as well.
- Silhouette Shooting Competition
In silhouette shooting, you can both hear and see the target every time you score a hit. For its audiovisual feedback, this is really something interesting events for some shooters of particular interest.
You will be shooting at the animal shaped steel targets and you must hit at least one square to knock over your target. If you are completely new in this competition, you can bring a coach too to guide you! Now, watch the beginners guide on silhouette shooting!
- Schuetzen Shooting Competition
You must use pre-historic rifles to participate in this competition. Don’t worry, I am talking about only the style and appearance of the rifles. Just make sure it looks like a civil war era rifle and you are good to go!
You can’t use bolt-action rifles and you have to manually insert the shell.
Summing Up!
Definitely there many other types of shooting competitions out there, but the above mentioned 10 are most popular. Like I said above, if you are really a shooting enthusiastic, these competitions will give you the highest level of satisfaction.
Besides, if you want to know how skilled you are, you must compete with others, right? That’s how you know how you are doing. Entering into such competitions reshape and develop your shooting skill greatly. That goes without saying!