TargetTalk

My 1st NRA Air pistol match is coming up, and I'm not sure what I should bring. I have been shooting Bullseye primarily both indoors and outdoors for about 1 1/2 years.

What I have:
Morini 162EI with complete case and standard equipment
Vogel Diablo green tin pellets
Gunbox (2 gun + 3 gun Gun-Ho style)
Spotting Scope in box (small stand that came with it never used in box)
Knobloch glasses + Peltor electronic ears
Misc odds & ends for the typical 2700 or 900 Bullseye Match

How does the match work? Are the targets changed after a certain amount of shots or time? Do the competitors score each other as in bullseye? Any help or recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks.

I'm assuming you're doing a 10M precision AP match ? If so it's normally one or two shots per card, on target changers, but it could be up to 5. Take a stopwatch (1 3/4 hours), gun, pellets, water, and anything else you normally take shooting with you. Most of all have fun and enjoy it !

Rob.

Do most people take a Gun box or just the case the pistol comes with? Do people bring a spotting scope or do they use it separately? Thanks.

arjuna70 wrote:Do most people take a Gun box or just the case the pistol comes with? Do people bring a spotting scope or do they use it separately? Thanks.

Use of scope or not is a question of taste: some use it, some others don't claiming that it influence their way of shooting by concentrating them on their achieved scores.

As Rob says, don't forget water.

For changing the changers, unless electronic targets are used, its up to you to change them after the prescribed number of shots per target.

Its up to you to manage your match within the allowed time. By saying 1h45 (for 60 shots), Rob assumed you are a man, if you are a woman, its 1h15 for 40 shots.

I am a MAN.........:)

The match is the NRA Sectional and 60 shots in the 1hr 45 min time period.

So it sounds like I can just take the Morini with the case it came in and some water and I'm good to go. I can bring a spotting scope and leave it on the table and use it as needed. Leave the big gun box at home. Does that sound good? Do most competitors bring the big gun box or go light?

You might also want to take the instruction book + tools for your Air Pistol, in-case you have to make any adjustments to trigger weight etc in order to get through Equipment Control.

Steve.

The most important thing to bring is a positive attitude and an open mind.

j-team wrote:The most important thing to bring is a positive attitude and an open mind.

Don't worry, I plan on Winning.........I'm pretty good in my basement........:)

(One can always hope......)

I'm shooting one of these tomorrow.

Bring AP, pellets, glasses, pen, NRA card (so you can get your # off it), and match entry & beer money.

I don't know about the NRA matches, but I think you are not allowed a spotting scope for USA Shooting matches.

Good luck!

You're allowed a spotting scope unless electronic targets are in use.

FWIW, most AP shooters travel light. Pistol, pellets, shooting glasses, earplugs, and spotting scope.

You'll shoot 15 NRA 4-bull targets, 1 shot per bull except for sighters. The Newport club has carriers that let you bring back your targets after every shot if you wish - I leave my scope at home. Make sure you have all the appropriate Allen keys, just in case; and again bring water.

I also leave the muffs behind and use plugs only. 8 air pistols on the line don't make very much noise.

At the risk of stating the obvious, make sure your cylinder(s) is full (I've seen guys bring 2 cylinders that between them couldn't get off 60 shots).

Match officials do the scoring. They will also weigh your trigger and make sure your pistol fits in "the box."

PM me with any other questions, and let me know which relay you're on.

I'd leave the gun box at home. I used to take a small pocket scope from Brookstone to make myself sick :)

I bring a gun, pellets, hearing protection, glasses, and the small tool kit that came with the gun in case it fails inspection. As William pointed out, at the Newport Rifle Club last year they used the 4 bull targets that (for me) make it hard to use a scope without moving it all around. I'm pretty sure they allow scopes as per NRA rules.

BTW, I have a case similar to this:
http://www.casesgalore.com/pvctoolcase1.aspx
It doesn't weigh a ton, and fits all my stuff pretty well. Hope to see you there, look for the sad looking shooter on the 11:30 relay shaking his head (there will be several).

Good luck,
Steve.

arjuna70 wrote: How does the match work?

Bring your pistol, two full cylinders of air, pellets, shooting glasses, and the tools needed to adjust your pistol. Spotting scopes are used by some, not all, folks. No over the ankle shoes permitted.

When you check in you'll be asked to fill in the registration card(s), pay the fee, and have your pistol inspected. The Match Director and his helpers will weigh the pistol, weigh the trigger, and put the pistol in the sizing box. After your pistol is checked out and it's OK and your shoes are checked, you'll be sent out to the range. Bring the tools needed to adjust your trigger and the instructions; we typically have one per relay that is too light and the match staff does not know how to adjust your trigger. If you've installed an aftermarket grip bring the factory grip- we've had several aftermarket grips that wouldn't fit in the sizing box.

At 11 minutes before the hour your Preparation Period will begin. You will be given the command “PREPARATION TIME BEGINS NOW”. During the Preparation Time the targets must be visible, facing the shooters. During the Preparation Time the shooters may dry fire and carry out holding and aiming exercises on the firing line. No discharge of propellant gas is permitted during the prep period. The Match Director will read the instructions for the match course of fire.

At 1 minute before the hour the Preparation Period will end and you'll get the "Load" command. On the hour you'll receive the "Start" command. You have one hour and forty-five minutes for unlimited sighters plus sixty shots for record. The NRA B40/4 target is used; it has four bulls and you'll fire one shot per bull on the record targets, as many as you want on the sighter target. You'll be notified when there are ten and five minutes remaining.

Targets are scored by the match staff.

That's the high points. You can download the rule book for more detail from the NRA Web Site.

Thanks again everyone for the helpful and complete information. I'm looking forward to meeting some friendly shooters and getting into air pistol. I will be shooting on Relay 4 at 1:30 pm. I'll take everyone's advise and travel light.

My list will be:
Peltor Ears (more comfortable for me than plugs)
Knobloch glasses
Morini case with full cylinders! and all misc equipment
NG spotting scope
Water
Low top shoes

I appreciate the help, particularly from GOVTMODEL for his detailed and informative post.

I want to thank everyone again for their help. I had a great time at the NRA Sectional in Newport, RI and GOVTMODEL ran an amazing match.

My score was 514 and now I'm eager to try some Olympic Pistol in the future. Thanks again......