Why do you shoot matches?

[TH3180]

I have only been shooting for 2.5 years and shooting matches for about a year in a half. I have shot Burnsville winter league, steel up in Hutchinson, one GSSF match and started shooting IDPA this summer in Faribault. I shoot matches for the fun of organized shooting and let’s face it. It’s as much of a ******** session as a match. I’m not very good, so I am there for the pure entertainment of it. I would rather be ranked in a higher class and be at the bottom of my class then in a lower class and be kicking everyone’s asses. Then again I really don’t care where I am classed because I am there for the experience. Don’t get me wrong it makes me really happy when I do well, but it doesn’t wreck my day when I do badly. I can completely **** the bed and I still come home with a big smile on my face. In hanging around waiting to shoot. I have heard different reasons why other people take the time to shoot these matches. So why do you shoot matches. Why do you take a whole day to shoot for a few minutes in total? Is it to bring home hardware? Is it to rank in the highest class as you can? Is it to learn from other shooters? Is it to get away from the everyday grind for a few hours? Do you shoot matches now for the same reason as when you started? I started shooting matches in Burnsville because I didn’t know anyone else that likes to shoot and to try and get better. I have met some great people doing so.
This is just something I was thinking about after hearing a famous Leo rant the other night at IDPA about people who sandbag.

[Countryfried Frank]

Because I suck at golf.

[45Badger]

Because I suck at golf.

This. And it's fun. It was more fun 10 years ago when I had better eyes, more time, and 20 fewer pounds.

[T.P.F.K.A.M]

Dude, Leo is infamous, not famous.

[XDM45]

I've never shot matches because only person I care about competing against is myself. No need for me to join a league or club to do that. I don't get the camaraderie, conversations, and tips and tricks from people though when I just shoot by myself; so yes, there is something to that at least in a leauge environment.

I'm not the type of person who would use a special tension spring, lighter loads to reduce recoil, and any other number of things which are mainly used in competition. For me, I just use off-the-shelf 230grain .45ACP target ammo. (The only reason I'm not using hollow points for target practice is cost. Maybe reloading would be cheaper over the long haul, especially if I could do hollow points.) Why hollow points? Simple. Those are what's used in self-defense, which is the purpose for why I purchased my weapon of choice.

I would be interested in a real-world-scenario training situations such as bank robbery, home invasion, out in public, car jacking, etc to prepare as best that one can for any given situation. My interests are more security-related / tactical (offense and defense) than they are in competition (against anyone except myself that is).

[SkyRock]

I've never shot matches because only person I care about competing against is myself. No need for me to join a league or club to do that. I don't get the camaraderie, conversations, and tips and tricks from people though when I just shoot by myself; so yes, there is something to that at least in a leauge environment.
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I would be interested in a real-world-scenario training situations such as bank robbery, home invasion, out in public, car jacking, etc to prepare as best that one can for any given situation. My interests are more security-related / tactical (offense and defense) than they are in competition (against anyone except myself that is).

If you look at the history of I.P.S.C., you'll find that it was founded on the principle of, "given a life-threatening situation, what can you do to save yourself, or others you're responsible for?" Granted, it's become a game (and a fun one at that), but that's how it started. IDPA was supposed to be the answer to the gaming in IPSC, but it too, is still a game. But I don't shoot to play. I shoot to learn from others better than me. (Yeah, and that's most of the other shooters, too! )

If you only shoot by yourself, then who is your teacher? For those of us that haven't been in the military, or law enforcement, competition is the nearest we'll come to learning how we'll perform "under stress." (Speaking for myself, I'd like to keep it that way.)

As others can tell you, the matches I run usually have some "learning experience" in them that neither IPSC nor IDPA have.

Don't knock competition until you've done it for awhile.

[SkyRock]

I have only been shooting for 2.5 years and shooting matches for about a year in a half. I have shot Burnsville winter league, steel up in Hutchinson, one GSSF match and started shooting IDPA this summer in Faribault. I shoot matches for the fun of organized shooting and let’s face it. It’s as much of a ******** session as a match. I’m not very good, so I am there for the pure entertainment of it. I would rather be ranked in a higher class and be at the bottom of my class then in a lower class and be kicking everyone’s asses. Then again I really don’t care where I am classed because I am there for the experience. Don’t get me wrong it makes me really happy when I do well, but it doesn’t wreck my day when I do badly. I can completely **** the bed and I still come home with a big smile on my face. In hanging around waiting to shoot. I have heard different reasons why other people take the time to shoot these matches. So why do you shoot matches. Why do you take a whole day to shoot for a few minutes in total? Is it to bring home hardware? Is it to rank in the highest class as you can? Is it to learn from other shooters? Is it to get away from the everyday grind for a few hours? Do you shoot matches now for the same reason as when you started? I started shooting matches in Burnsville because I didn’t know anyone else that likes to shoot and to try and get better. I have met some great people doing so.
This is just something I was thinking about after hearing a famous Leo rant the other night at IDPA about people who sandbag.

You're doing fine, and for the right reasons, IMHO. And I've never seen you "**** the bed."

[rugersol]

Because I suck at golf.

I've told people, when I hit a bad drive, I'd like to whip out a pistol, and "walk" the ball, all the way to the cup ... conversely, I've never fired a bad shot, and wished I could whip out my 9-iron!

[rugersol]

... I've said something very similar, 'bout bowling!

[45Badger]

You're doing fine, and for the right reasons, IMHO. And I've never seen you "**** the bed."

Stick around

[TH3180]

I have only been shooting for 2.5 years and shooting matches for about a year in a half. I have shot Burnsville winter league, steel up in Hutchinson, one GSSF match and started shooting IDPA this summer in Faribault. I shoot matches for the fun of organized shooting and let’s face it. It’s as much of a ******** session as a match. I’m not very good, so I am there for the pure entertainment of it. I would rather be ranked in a higher class and be at the bottom of my class then in a lower class and be kicking everyone’s asses. Then again I really don’t care where I am classed because I am there for the experience. Don’t get me wrong it makes me really happy when I do well, but it doesn’t wreck my day when I do badly. I can completely **** the bed and I still come home with a big smile on my face. In hanging around waiting to shoot. I have heard different reasons why other people take the time to shoot these matches. So why do you shoot matches. Why do you take a whole day to shoot for a few minutes in total? Is it to bring home hardware? Is it to rank in the highest class as you can? Is it to learn from other shooters? Is it to get away from the everyday grind for a few hours? Do you shoot matches now for the same reason as when you started? I started shooting matches in Burnsville because I didn’t know anyone else that likes to shoot and to try and get better. I have met some great people doing so.
This is just something I was thinking about after hearing a famous Leo rant the other night at IDPA about people who sandbag.

You're doing fine, and for the right reasons, IMHO. And I've never seen you "**** the bed."

GLOCK the plates was bad. I thought you were there for that.

You're doing fine, and for the right reasons, IMHO. And I've never seen you "**** the bed."

Stick around

Thanks for signing in today and keeping it real.

[Humphrey Bogart]

shooting in the fresh air and sunshine beats doing it in a basement.

I was mugged a year ago, shot the perp once in the chest and realized every move I made was completely subconscious...I did what I practiced....and because of practice...I didn't freeze, I acted.

I fired 7 rounds, one hit the bad guy (the rest hit his truck)...good thing is that the gun worked perfectly....this year at Oakdale I'm getting some practice clearing jams....that could prove useful in the future.

All 7 shots I fired were with me laying on the ground after I had been knocked down....never expected that.

I'd prefer shooting at a more realistic target but that's not going to happen.

[promod1385]

I shoot for lots of different reasons!

Its practice for the real world in case I ever have to defend myself. At least that's what I told myself when I started.

I like to compete, tha'ts really it for me. I like to push myself and track my progress. I took some chances last week and came up with my first "W" down in Sioux Falls shooting 3gun (1st in Tac Iron, 5th overall). Whoop! Whoop!

Its all about trigger time and I have really been enjoying the past 2 years of shooting gun games. The crowd is a lot more inline with my outlook on life and politics. I shot target archery for about 5 years prior and its a very different group of folks.

[Sammichman]

I,d like to give it a try ,,but I,m not sure what kind of special equipment is needed,,besides a Pistol of some sorts

[XDM45]

Don't knock competition until you've done it for awhile.

I think you may be debating semantics because you are talking about competition differently than I am.

I totally get, understand, and agree with the viewpoint of camaraderie, learning experience, etc, not debating that at all..... which is largely what it sounds like competition shooting is about from your description; and I'm in agreement with that........ What I'm talking about regarding competition is different than that. I'm talking about competition in the whole "winning vs. losing" sense, beating the other people at whatever it is you're doing, getting awards and accolades, status, etc. I'm not into that. I'm into competing against myself, to make myself do better than I have in the previous times, yes, of course..... but I don't care if I shoot better or worse than anyone else (unless it's a self-defense situation).

I guess I could try competition shooting if it's like the latter vs. the former. I do admit that the word "competition" turns me off for the same reason sports do, because I just don't care and am not into it.