Shooting Sports for the Family(Competitive & Recreational)

    Hunting and self defense are the most widely publicized reasons for firearms ownership.  But, there are many other shooting sports, each with unique challenges and specialized equipment requirements.  Some events are informal with locally defined rules and done for fun without formal scorekeeping.  Others have highly detailed rules and requirements so that competitors from around the United States or even at the International level can compare their athletic skills against the records of competitors throughout the world.  Of course, many people collect guns for their historical, technical, or artistic merits and seldom shoot any of their guns.
    The Second Amendment does not make the right to keep and bear arms contingent upon their being "suitable for hunting" or any other specific use.
 

    Here are short descriptions of some of the many shooting sports taking place in the U.S. today, and also a Utah point of contact for some of them.  Schedules for some events are provided.

  Contact the sponsor before travelling to attend any events. Schedules often change.

Popular Shooting Sports
(click on link here or scroll down for description, points of contact and schedules)
 Biathlon | Conventional Pistol | Smallbore Pistol | Practical Pistol Events | Conventional Smallbore Rifle | Conventional Highpower Rifle | International Rifle | Shotgun Events | Metallic Silhouette | Benchrest Shooting | Historical Shooting Events | Living History Events | Airgun Shooting Events  | Gun Collecting

Biathlon (A Winter Olympic Sport)
Click here for an article on Biathlon. from the Salt Lake Tribune, December 28, 1998

    This combines elements of cross country skiing with smallbore rifle shooting.  In 2002 athletes from around the world will be competing at the Soldier Hollow facility in Summit County.  Scoring is a combination of points for time and shooting accuracy.  This is a very demanding sport requiring vigorous exertion for skiing and then relaxation and the ability to stop almost all muscle action for the shooting.
Point of Contact-
Craig  CJohnson@pblutah.com

Conventional Pistol
    Usually fired outdoors at ranges of 25 and 50 yards at paper "bullseye" targets.  Revolvers or semi-automatic pistols are used, with semi-automatics dominating most matches.  Metallic sights are most common although some matches permit use of optical sights (telescopes or even laser types).  The most popular calibers are .22 rimfire, .38 Special, and .45 automatic.  A shooter may use only a couple of guns or may acquire a dozen or more searching for a combination of action, sights, trigger pull and caliber that will add a few more points to their score. Shooters may have a few hundred to several thousand dollars invested in each pistol.
    Some matches have separate phases for each of these calibers then combine the score to judge overall skill with a variety of different arms.  Matches have separate phases of slow, timed, or rapid fire testing the athlete’s ability to aim and fire a specific number of rounds in a limited time, including reloading.
    The better shooters will fire thousands of rounds in practice, and often take up reloading ammunition to reduce the cost of practice or search for a load that will work best in their gun.  Shooters participate in different "classifications" so that beginners compete against each other and "masters" with a history of winning matches compete in another group.  As with most other outdoor shooting competition it is mainly scheduled during months with moderate weather conditions.
Point of Contact-
Matt- (801) 582-0462  delong@physics.utah.edu

Smallbore Pistol
    Similar to conventional pistol, but fired with .22 rimfire revolvers or semi-automatics.  This is mainly an indoor sport, fired at a range of 50 feet.  While indoor ranges can be used year-round, this is most often a sport scheduled in the winter when outdoor ranges are not usable.
Point of Contact-
Matt- (801) 582-0462  delong@physics.utah.edu

Conventional Smallbore Rifle
    This is mainly an indoor sport, fired on 50 foot ranges, and at one time was very popular in High Schools and Colleges, often with some support from ROTC or JROTC units.  Military reserve centers and many high schools built prior to the 1960s included rifle ranges.  Most of the school ranges have been closed due to excessive fears aboutt environmental regulations and paranoia about security of guns and ammunition.
    Targets are paper bullseyes, with the maximum score of 10 points coming from hitting a circle less than the diameter of the bullet.  Matches include firing from prone (lying down), kneeling, and standing positions, and sometimes sitting as well.  Specific rules govern each position and details of jackets or accessories that can be used.  Match sponsors will specify if sights are limited to metallic sights or if telescopes are allowed.
    Rifles are usually bolt action single-shots with very heavy barrels and bulky stocks with adjustable features to allow precise adjustment to the shooter’s needs in each of the different positions.  A few rifles are built using actions 50 years old but updated with new barrels, stocks, sights, etc, while other shooters invest in the latest technological innovations.  A beginner can get started with a used rifle and metallic sights for a few hundred dollars, but those competing on the national or international level will have invested several thousand dollars on rifles and accessories.
    In addition to the indoor competition, conventional smallbore rifle matches are also fired at 50 yards outdoors with proportionately larger targets.  Here the shooters’ challenge is increased by the need to compensate for the effect of wind on the light 40 grain lead bullets.
Point of Contact-
Donna  (801) 798-6444
Utah State Rifle & Pistol Association  See their site for full schedules and locations
http://www.usrpa.org/SmallBore/smallbore.html

Conventional Highpower Rifle
    This competition is centered around "Service Rifle" matches requiring use of military rifles of the current type or a recent type.  While members from military teams may use service rifles capable of full-automatic fire, civilian shooters are limited to variants of the service rifle made to only fire as semi-automatics.  The most popular rifles include the M16 series rifles in 5.56mm or .223 caliber (usually the AR-15 made by Colt or a number of imitators), and the M14 series rifles in 7.62 NATO or .308 Winchester,(almost exclusively commercial copies).  Some shooters still use the WW2 era M1 Garand rifle in .30-06 or .308 caliber.  Competition is fired outdoors at ranges starting at 100 yards with other phases at 300 yards, 500 yards, and when range facilities permit up to 1000 yards (over half a mile).
    Some events allow use of a "high power rifle" which brings in primarily bolt action rifles in .30-06 or .308 caliber but a variety of others are used by shooters who think they may perform better.   Guns used in both the "service rifle" and "high power rifle" categories receive extensive work to achieve exceptional accuracy.   This often requires new barrels, specially made components with exceptionally fine tolerances, careful fitting of the metal parts to the stock, and special sights capable of extra fine adjustments.  Because of the high pressures involved accurate life of the rifle may be only a few thousand rounds before it requires rework.
    Most shooters reload their own ammunition and conduct extensive trials to determine which combination of bullet, powder, primer, and brass cases performs best in their rifle sometimes with a different load required for each of the distances involved in a match.
    High power shooting competition has been the basis for U.S. military rifle training programs and non-military competitors have been used for training recruits.
    The Civilian Marksmanship and Firearms Safety Program recognizes the value of this type competition to our military readiness, and encourages it through conduct of the National Matches, and by issue or sale of excess material.  Training sessions with the service rifle are conducted at the National Matches each year with junior shooters encouraged to attend to prepare them for military service. One Utah junior shooter (Julia Watson) later enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and won the higest award in national service rifle competition, beating all other military and civilian shooters!  OOHRAH!!
Point of Contact-
Utah State Rifle & Pistol Association  See their site for full schedules and locations

International Rifle
    This is the type of shooting competition seen in the summer Olympic games.  While similar to conventional smallbore rifle and high-power rifle shooting, there are different sets of rules and requirements concerning the distances, target, guns, ammunition, accessories, etc.  However, these standardized rules allow fair competition among competitors from all over the world.
 Smallbore events are fired at 50 meters outdoors, or sometimes on 50 foot indoor ranges where the target is reduced so that the "10 ring" is a dot the size of a pencil lead.
    High-power events are fired at long ranges (300-600 meters) using paper targets.  Some feature a shorter range but are fired at paper targets fastened to a moving target ( a running deer or running wild boar).
 Many events now include electronically scored targets so that observers can see the results of each shot as the match is being fired instead of having to wait until hours after a match to see who won.
    Many shooters participate in both conventional and international type events although sometimes slightly different equipment is required.  Practice and conditioning to be competitive on the national or international level is nearly a full time job.  The U.S. Shooting team has training facilities at Colorado Springs to work with shooters likely to be Olympic level competitors.
(Sponsors, points of contact)

Shotgun Events
    The traditional events are Trap and skeet shooting.  These are fired at ashtray size "clay pigeons" launched at different ranges and angles either singly or in pairs to test a shooter’s skill.  Most times a "round" includes 25 targets with the shooter’s score determined by the number hit.
    A very popular new event is "Sporting Clays" where the shooter moves through a series of spots where different situations are presented to simulate various hunting situations.  Besides being thrown in the air as in bird shooting, some targets are bounced along the ground like rabbits, or in other challenging ways.  Unlike trap or skeet where scores from one locality can be compared to those from another due to standardized conditions, shporting clays events are unique to the facility where the match is held.
Points of Contact-
(Sporting Clays) Michael  Micatjackson@uswest.net

Click here for article on High School Girl's Trapshooting Olympic possibilities from the Salt Lake Tribune, September 14, 2003
Click here for article on Women Trap and Skeet Shooters from the Salt Lake Tribune, November 19, 1999
Click here for artilce on perfect 100 scored at Ogden Gun Club from the Ogden Standard Examiner, October 9, 1999
Click here for article on Trap, Skeet and Sporting Clays experience at Browning from the Ogden Standard Examiner, August 22, 1999

Practical Pistol Events/ Multi-Gun Events
    Designed to be more exciting than traditional bullseye target matches, these feature moving or breaking targets, sometimes bowling pins, or silhouette targets.  Shooters are required to react very quickly, move between firing points, and sometimes fire from both "strong" and "weak" hands and reload their gun several times.  Scores are a combination of hits, number of rounds required, and time.  These events are popular with law enforcement officers and simulate conditions likely to be encountered in their line of work.
    Equipment usually includes semi-automatic pistols, special sights and ammunition tailored to allow quick recovery and firing at the next target
Points of Contact-
Mark (435)723-2563  wakim@utahlinx.com
Rich    meacham@sisna.net

International Defensive Pistol Events
    Similar to above but more oriented to level of concealed carry permit holder using off the shelf guns.
Points of Contact-
Northern Utah Defensive Pistol Association

Multi-Gun Events
Similar to the "Practical Pistol Events" exceptusing combinations of pistol, rifle and shotgun, sometimes called "3-Gun Events" . International Multi-Gun Association rules are used.
Points of Contact-
Utah Multi-Gun Association

Metallic Silhouette
    A relatively recent type of competition which originated in the southwest .  This involved firing at silhouettes of various types of game at different distances.  Scoring is easy- if the target falls over it counts as a hit.  If it remains standing, it does not.  Chickens and javelinas (wild boars usually called "pigs") are used at shorter ranges.  At long range, the heavier and larger mountain sheep "ram" is used.  Some matches are open only to handguns, others allow rifles.  Rules have evolved trying to make it possible to use regular hunting arms, but as with any set of rules clever participants see how they can modify equipment to their advantage while remaining within the letter of the law.  Despite some modifications becoming popular, hunting arms are quite suitable for the beginner.  These matches are popular family events and the visual scoring makes them fun to watch.
Point of Contact-
Ron- (801) 393-0231

Benchrest Shooting
    This is all about extreme accuracy at long ranges.  Group sizes are measured in hundredths or thousands of an inch. Highly technical details are studied carefully and careful attention is given to even the most tiny aspect.  Rifles are virtually handmade and bear little resemblance to hunting rifles.  They are fired from benches and often innovate new cartridges or bullet designs.
(Sponsors, points of contact)

Historical Shooting Events
     Original or faithful copies of antique guns are used by shooters in the clothing or uniforms of the era.  The term "re-enactor" is sometimes used to describe these shooters. The pioneers with Kentucky rifles, the Mountain Men with Hawken rifles, Civil War soldiers with Springfield muskets, Sharps carbines, or Colt revolvers are often found at these matches.  At some of the Civil War events matches are fired both by individual shooters and by units composed of a dozen or more men.  Paper bullseye targets are used, or breakable targets (clay pigeons or china plates) or wooden poles are cut in half by rifle fire. Some events even include firing muzzle-loading artillery or mortars at targets.
"Cowboy Action Shooting" is a very popular sport with participants in Cowboy attire using old style arms.  Matches often involve moving targets or other features to make it more challenging and also more entertaining for spectators.  This is a very fast growing sport throughout the country.  Many ladies and children participate in the matches or as spectators in period costume.
Points of Contact-
Wahsatch Desperados- http://www.wahsatchshooters.com/wdsass.html
Hat Creek Cattle Company-(Box Edler WIldlife Range)  micatjackson@uswest.net

Living History Events
 Click here for article on "Mountain Man Rendezvous" from the Deseret News, December 5, 1999

   While not primarily "shooting" events these are directly connected with firearms history.  Participants use original or exact copies of the clothing and arms of an era and engage in historically accurate activities.  Through these activities they honor the memory of the Americans engaged in those events, and gain a greater understanding of historical events.
    Sometimes reenactment events include recreation of battles on the original site, or a small sample of a typical engagement.  Safety is a great concern in such events to make sure only blank ammunition is used.  These events reach large numbers of people who might never visit a shooting range.  Participants usually work very diligently to ensure accuracy in uniform details.  They frequently set up encampments to recreate the conditions of the period.
     Reenactment groups often attract a large number of younger enthusiasts and entire families. The insights gained from such activities contribute to a better understanding and appreciation of historic events of earlier times.
     In the Utah area, the annual Labor Day Mountain Man encampments at Fort Bridger, Wyoming, and also in Fort Bueanaventura near Ogden, Utah are well worth the visit. 
Click here for story about move on WW2 depending heavily on suport from reenactors and collectors.

The Utah Civil War Association participates in a number of events each year.
Point of Contact-
Utah Civil War Association-

Airgun Shooting Events
    While some scouting programs use inexpensive "BB" guns to teach safety and marksmanship, serious "airgun" competition is vastly different.  These are precision items, often costing hundreds of dollars, and with finely adjustable sights.  Firing is done on a 10 meter (about 33 foot) range.  Targets and other rules are usually very similar to those in other international shooting competition.
    Airguns are also used on indoor ranges by many of Utah's Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) students to teach safety and marksmanship skills.
Point of Contact-
Centerville Summer Youth Program

Gun Collecting
    Many people enjoy the historic, artistic or technical merits of guns without shooting them.  "Collector" gun shows feature great displays of guns from private collections.  The Utah Gun Collectors Association page includes photos of many of the fine displays.
   Some collectors shoot their guns quite often, others may never shoot them at all. The Utah Gun Collectors Association has two events a year scheduled where members and guests bring guns from their collection and experience shooting historical arms from various eras.  Past events have allowed participants to evaluate the performance of guns including flintlock duelling pistols made in the 1700s, Civil War muskets and revolvers; Colt pistols and Sharps and Winchester rifles from the cowboy era; military arms (including several properly licensed machine guns) used by allies and enemies from WW1, WW2, Korea, and Vietnam wars.  For more information on Utah Gun Collectors events and membership:
 Utah Gun Collectors Association