First Official Competitive Match

Firearm Training Competitive Shooting
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Hi,
I feel pretty confident, but still open to tips.
Shooting at my first competitive match tomorrow at a sort-of local range, sanctioned by GSSF.
I’ll be shooting my EDC Glock G36, a subcompact single-stack .45 AUTO.

Thanks!!

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Sweet!! I don’t compete firearms a lot, but my hubby was a serious competitor and I’ve compete in other things. Here’s my best:

  • have fun
  • shoot YOUR game. Watch others to learn for later, but don’t radically change what you do based on what you see. You’ve practiced what you’ve practiced and that’s what you’re going to be shooting with, so shoot your game. You’ll do that better than shooting someone else’s game.
  • pick just one, or maybe two, things to be what you focus on for each station… your brain won’t hold more than that center-of-mind so no point cluttering it up. So choose. Maybe front sight focus, or slow is smooth, or trigger squeeze, or stance and breathing.
  • by game day it’s too late to get any faster, more accurate, smoother, younger, taller, or thinner. :grin: so just give what you’ve got with focus and joy
  • take time to calm and focus as you set up on each station… you’ll shoot better and they won’t rush you.
  • after each station make notes on things you want to remember and practice later (then actually go practice them later). If you wait till the end of the match to make notes, you won’t remember everything.
  • ask about anything you don’t understand, people are usually very helpful and friendly at these things, and they want you to be safe and have fun so you’ll come back.
  • be social… great way to find shooting and practice buddies
  • watch other shooters, just don’t let it get in your head… you’re still going to shoot your game.
  • Have FUN!
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Have fun! Don’t stress about being competitive straight out of the gates. Do what you can to find your groove and don’t be afraid to chat up the competition. And have fun!

Did I say have fun? :grin:

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Have a great time and please let us know how it goes!! I haven’t done any competitions, but I’d love to in the future!

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Shooting your first match is awesome !
Your focus should be to shoot the match without getting disqualified. That is the biggest thing I see with new competitors. The first match I shot I told them I had never shot before and they paired me with a instructor who was designated as the “New Guy” squad. He did a great job, answered my questions and kept my finger out of the trigger guard. That has to be the biggest thing is new people putting the finger on the trigger when unloading/loading and holstering.
That is followed by keeping it pointed at the berm.
You’ll do great, just focus on safety. The other competitors will teach you what you will need for your second match.

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Know the rules, relax and enjoy yourself. The more uptight you are about you performance the more likely you are to Get DQ’d.

It is often said that recognition is what separates the professional from the amateur but more than anything it’s the ability to put your emotions in a box and simply execute.

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Wishing you success and confidence.

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@iamteeg, how was it? Did you have FUN?

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Hey, I’ve been so tired lately! I didn’t forget to update everyone, just didn’t have time yet!
Literally on my way to the match, I met up with a guy and traded even-up my S&W Model 66 .357 for a Glock 43X.
Good thing I did; for some reason GSSF classifies only the 42 and 43 for “Pocket Pistol” class. I would have had to shoot my 6-round Glock 36 by swapping mags for 10rds per distance for stock class.
So I took a half hour to test out that method and also my new 43X, and wound up shooting the 43X in the stock division.
My score was 435 out of a possible 500, 10 being the highest score for each shot, 10 rounds each distance, 15 second time limit.
I asked the scorer how my time management was and he said I was within 1-2 seconds each time.

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Nice!! You did great, especially for a first time!
Was it fun? Going to go again?

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Yes! The way the GSSF Indoor league works is its a 3-match series, and you can shoot 2 or 3 matches and they take your best 2 for a total score (don’t remember off the top of my head if it’s averaged or totaled).
Usually it’s a month in between matches but on the same day of the week and time of day.

As a side note, if you are a GSSF member (which you need to be to compete) and you have a 2-year or more membership, you get to buy 1 Glock at blue label (law enforcement) pricing per year. Savings are usually $75-150 off of typical price, and I think I paid $80 for a 3-year membership.
So if you have the “Glock bug” or at least want a couple, that’s the best way to do it.

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I dont know if they’ve got anything happening around here, I’ll have to check. Cant have too many glocks :wink:

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Sounds like you had a good time!

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Congrats, sounds like maybe a bright future ahead.

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There probably is. List of current indoor league matches

Also, most Glock dealers who participate in the Blue Label program also handle GSSF discount firearm purchases. Last I checked the Glock web site’s dealer list/dealer search didn’t come up with anywhere near all of my local participating dealers, so ask around @ shops (May need to ask a manager … lots of “regular salespeople” seem to not be trained on the procedure).

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Sweet! I’ll go check them out!