So as I head into this new month I'm looking back at the shooting competitions I've just finished up. First up was the Falling Plates. This is fun and I get to shoot quite a bit as it's three runs at a time. I didn't do great but it didn't matter as this is practice at getting better for other competitions that I'm more interested in. I did impress though as I was competing against guns that were "souped up" and my gun is stock. Sorta like a bicycle racing a motorcycle, you're probably never going to win but if the motorcycle's engine dies half way thru the race than your bicycle has a chance. It was still fun though.
Then I shot at bowling pins again. This time though it was the very tops of bowling pins. Again shooting against the "souped up" guns. I did okay at this one also.
Then comes the competition that I really like. It's the Speed Steel competition. This is the one I really enjoy and am trying to get better at competition wise. It went well. It was a longer shoot and I felt like I'm improving. This particular match is really more about competing with yourself as you aren't shooting against another shooter, you are up there by yourself. Yes you are graded against others in your group (type of gun, i.e. "souped up" vs stock) but the actual shooting of targets is really just you and your gun.
I took a week off as I'd been shooting for a month and had a big shoot coming up at the beginning of June. I would travel across the mountains to attend this shoot. I went with another shooting friend and we stayed with his parents, who are also shooters.
So now we get to the YRPA Yakima ISSA Regional Steel Championship. As I said this was not local as I had to travel about 4-5 hours to get to this one. It was a very different environment both weather and shooters. This is a more professional shoot along with many amateurs, including yours truly. It was great! I did very well for my personal goals and improved over my last steel shoot. It was fun and I've already asked for the time off for next year. I plan on improving even more by the time this rolls around again. And I might even be shooting a rifle in addition to the pistol. I will probably be shooting a "souped up" version of my current pistol though so I can compete at the higher level next time.
Now I have a local steel shoot coming in another week and am ready to keep improving my scores. I will need to start practicing more though. Part of the new plan moving forward will be to try and go out to the range during the week. In the summer the range is open later so I can go after work.
Stay tuned.
