How To Get Started In Any Competitive Shooting Discipline

We often get questions from readers about different topics and we publish them from time-to-time. Here’s one we received about how to find quality information about different shooting disciplines.

Q. I subscribe to the digital magazine, but don’t understand about 90 percent of what I’m looking at. Is there a resource for learning what the various shooting events are all about? I’m thinking in terms of basics like typical equipment, range, eligibility, protocol, scoring, locations, frequency, etc. I would be interested in getting into some kind of competitive shooting, but including NRA-sanctioned events there must be fifty different kinds of competitions. It’s hard to figure out even where to begin.

A. We recommend that your first step in the learning process to be reading the articles published to the SSUSA website daily, like the one you are reading right now. You can easily find facts on the discipline you are interested in by using the handy search functionality that is built-in each page. Touch (or click) the magnifying glass icon in the upper-right corner of the page, type in your search and prepare to be blown away by knowledge overload. You will find plenty of articles with lots of in-depth information on topics like high power, smallbore rifle, air gun, precision pistol, shotgun, handloading, the mental game and more.

Additionally, the NRA Competitive Shooting Division’s website is another great online resource. Here you will find brief, yet informative descriptions on all of NRA’s recognized shooting disciplines, as well as contact information for each discipline to ask any specific questions you may develop over the course of your browsing. For general questions you can e-mail comphelp@nrahq.org, or call 1-877-672-6282 anytime, and staff will get back to you shortly. 

In addition to the information on the website, you may simply want to Google the various shooting disciplines and what equipment you need for each. Online forums, like the precision shooting one at AccurateShooter.com, are also a great way to learn from those who are active in the sport. The competitive shooting community is unique and inviting—full of individuals who are eager to help new shooters into the sport they love.

To help you decide which discipline most interests you, we also recommend that you visit a local gun club and watch a match. There is nothing quite like being there in-person to hear the exclamations of shooters who break a club record by one X, or seeing someone break 25 clay birds in a row, to help you decide which discipline you would like to try. For a list of events near you, you can check out Coming Events—a schedule of competitive shooting events held throughout the country.

And, here’s a few more NRA websites that will help you along the way.

• NRA Competitive Shooting FAQ page for tips on how to navigate the website.
• NRA Education and Training’s Marksmanship Qualification Program is a training program where you set your own pace.
• Find a local gun club with NRA activities near you.