USPSA vs Action pistol

[n1guess]

I have a guy who i shoot uspsa with that wants me to start shooting action pistol with him. I am always up for a new shooting sport but wanted to get some other people points of view. So my question would be what sport do you think is better(more fun) and why?

thanks

Nick

[Chuck Anderson]

I shoot both. Much more USPSA than AP though. There are a lot more opportunities where I live to do so. I like USPSA for the variety of challenges, the freestyle aspect, the much greater competition (again in my area), and the different physical requirements. I like AP for the same reasons I like GSSF. It's consistent and is an excellent performance measure. I can shoot the same match month after month and compare my performance to decide if I'm improving, doing something stupid or stagnating. AP is also a bit different becuase there is a perfect score, 1920-192x. Anything less and there is something you can improve on. With USPSA there is no real 100%. It's whoever shot the stage best that day. Doesn't mean it couldn't be shot better by someone else, or even the same person the next day. AP will normally consist of no more than 4 stages, 192 rounds. It's very fixed and rigid and there really isn't a lot of differences in the way it's shot. It's just your skill at completing the specific course. I use AP to boost my USPSA scores. The discipline improves my accuracy in USPSA. If I had the time I'd shoot both. If I had to pick one it would be USPSA.

[Action Pistolero]

I'm just the opposite of Chuck. I shoot more A/P than anything else. I can shoot 5 A/P matches a month but only 2 USPSA matches. A/P fits my personality better than USPSA. I'm interested in accuracy more than run and gun. I would shoot a Bullseye match every now and then if one was nearby.

A/P will certainly help your accuracy in USPSA so it can be used as a training tool.

I'm assuming since you are in Shawnee you would be shooting at Pioneer in Bates City. I shoot their regional every year. You won't find a better bunch. This seems to be a trend in the A/P shooting community. There are not very many of us and we all seem to be one big family. I have good friends from all over the world because of my involvement in A/P.

I hate to say it, but my experience with USPSA is just the opposite. I tried to get classified in USPSA but the clubs that I was shooting at were not sending the scores in so I gave up. I meet other USPSA shooters at Steel Challenge matches and they are a great bunch. Just seems to be a problem in my area.

[shred]

Hmm... only one AP club within a two hour drive and last I was there many years ago, they weren't real friendly to newcomers. Must be the bad side of the family tree.

[DWFAN]

I shoot both. I started with IDPA, then AP, then USPSA. I like them all for different reasons. Shooting AP took my IDPA game up a lot. It helped my accuracy tremendously. We have a wide range of competition in our AP club, and usually pretty good competition with the USPSA clubs around too.

Come out and watch the match Saturday (or shoot it). Its a good time, with a great bunch of guys. I mean, they let Chris hang out with us.. how much nicer can we be?

I do wish there were more closer State/regional/sanctioned matches to shoot AP in. I dont know how far Michigans is, but Louisianna is about the closest besides the Cameron cup, Bianchi cup and the regional at Bates City.

There are a few bad apples around in all sports, thats just how it happens.

Edited September 28, 2011 by DWFAN

[Nik Habicht]

While I prefer USPSA, one season of AP did more for my accuracy/shot calling ability than several years of shooting USPSA matches.....

Go, shoot, learn, hang with your buddy, have fun. You're always welcome to come back.....

[Flexmoney]

The best I was ever shooting was when I shot a variety of match styles on a regular basis. Steel Challenge and Action Pistol are especially complementary to the skills used in USPSA.

Plus...if your club runs USPSA, then it can likely run Steel Challenge and NRA Action Pistol too. (just takes somebody to step up and do the work to make the matches happen...which is waaaay easier than running an USPSA match)

[Fenrir]

I simply like doing both, and feel that its a great way doing both to get more practice/match time.

Edited September 28, 2011 by Fenrir

[Poppa Bear]

They just completed a target turning system for our local indoor range, and next week are starting a weekly match that sounds like a combination of Bullseye and PPC. If I understand correctly they will be using a Bullseye COF with the shooter able to use any caliber weapon to shoot at a B-27 silhouette using any stance or grip.

We are looking at most shooters to be Bullseye guys looking for more structured trigger time to improve their accuracy. USPSA guys looking for more structured trigger time with the emphasis on improving accuracy. General members of the range looking for something a bit more challenging than punching paper during open shooting.

Both Bullseye and USPSA are hoping to bring in some new shooters to their respective disciplines from the general membership, and us USPSA shooters who plan to compete in this are looking to improve our game.

[Action Pistolero]

Hmm... only one AP club within a two hour drive and last I was there many years ago, they weren't real friendly to newcomers. Must be the bad side of the family tree.

I know who you are talking about. I attended their state and regional in 2000. They weren't very friendly to me at that time either. Then again, I shot so bad that I just wanted to leave. The next year I won them both and got to know them. They are a different bunch. The best part is that after the match they bring out the class 3 stuff. They can't be all bad.

[n1guess]

Thanks for all the advice guys...my buddy says that action pistols guys are nicer than uspsa guys also....not sure I think it's. The whole ford and chevy thing all over. Hopefully I can go check it out this saturday and see what it is about

[Flexmoney]

Just go shoot. Shooters are nicer than everybody else.

It's all good!

[Action Pistolero]

Thanks for all the advice guys...my buddy says that action pistols guys are nicer than uspsa guys also....not sure I think it's. The whole ford and chevy thing all over. Hopefully I can go check it out this saturday and see what it is about

I arrived in Grain Valley tonight. I'll be out there practicing tomorrow. See ya Sat.

[n1guess]

@Calls Shots

sorry i didnt make it out there i have 4 kids and had to much going on to make it. Chris said he ran into to you out there....sounds like he did ok......also sounds like you need to practice more 1910 out of 1920 but dont be to hard on your self you will get a handled on this shooting thing sooner than later!!!!! LOL way to go that some nice shooting

Edited October 6, 2011 by n1guess

[Action Pistolero]

@Calls Shots

sorry i didnt make it out there i have 4 kids and had to much going on to make it. Chris said he ran into to you out there....sounds like he did ok......also sounds like you need to practice more 1910 out of 1920 but dont be to hard on your self you will get a handled on this shooting thing sooner than later!!!!! LOL way to go that some nice shooting

I don't know if your talking to me but I shot a 1918-171x out of 1920-192x and won the match. Damned 47th shot on the mover got me again.

Chris is a big sandbagger. Luckily, they couldn't find a shot on his target because he would be getting a High Master card.

Sorry you couldn't make it. Maybe next time.

[n1guess]

@Calls Shots

sorry i didnt make it out there i have 4 kids and had to much going on to make it. Chris said he ran into to you out there....sounds like he did ok......also sounds like you need to practice more 1910 out of 1920 but dont be to hard on your self you will get a handled on this shooting thing sooner than later!!!!! LOL way to go that some nice shooting

I don't know if your talking to me but I shot a 1918-171x out of 1920-192x and won the match. Damned 47th shot on the mover got me again.

Chris is a big sandbagger. Luckily, they couldn't find a shot on his target because he would be getting a High Master card.

Sorry you couldn't make it. Maybe next time.

I am going to go out with and try it he says its faster and a lot more fun and he did say he was happy they couldnt find that round...

[Boyd]

I shoot both. Much more USPSA than AP though. There are a lot more opportunities where I live to do so. I like USPSA for the variety of challenges, the freestyle aspect, the much greater competition (again in my area), and the different physical requirements. I like AP for the same reasons I like GSSF. It's consistent and is an excellent performance measure. I can shoot the same match month after month and compare my performance to decide if I'm improving, doing something stupid or stagnating. AP is also a bit different becuase there is a perfect score, 1920-192x. Anything less and there is something you can improve on. With USPSA there is no real 100%. It's whoever shot the stage best that day. Doesn't mean it couldn't be shot better by someone else, or even the same person the next day. AP will normally consist of no more than 4 stages, 192 rounds. It's very fixed and rigid and there really isn't a lot of differences in the way it's shot. It's just your skill at completing the specific course. I use AP to boost my USPSA scores. The discipline improves my accuracy in USPSA. If I had the time I'd shoot both. If I had to pick one it would be USPSA.

Chuck,

Where in Oregon can I find AP?

Thanks

Michael Boyd

[Chuck Anderson]

We'll start up again at Tri-County In January. Second Sunday. They will be Unofficial matches because I'm not real happy with the NRA right now. We'll run the Practical, Falling Plates and Barricade. I run them Jan to May. Maybe all year if my schedule allows.

[StaciLyn]

I shoot USPSA on the first and second weekends of each month, the third weekend I get to shoot an A/P match on Saturday and a Steel Challenge on Sunday and the fourth weekend of each month is another USPSA match. I enjoy them all for many reasons but I personally feel that USPSA is more challenging than the others. A shooter friend once told me he shoots A/P and steel challenge because it's great practice for USPSA. I'd have to agree. I also truly enjoy the people at these matches. Shooters are honestly the nicest, most diverse, caring, generous people I've even met. If I had to choose, I'd choose USPSA. Maybe that's because there are more USPSA matches near me, maybe it's because of the way those local matches are ran, maybe it's the shooters I've gotten to know at those matches, probably all of those reasons. I'm just thankful I don't have to choose. My advice to you, shoot as many and as much as you can, have fun and be safe!

[Singlestack]

StaciLyn,

The Action Pistol matches they are refering to is different from the A/P match at River Bend Gun Club. This is what they are talking about:

http://www.nrahq.org/compete/actionpistol.asp

[StaciLyn]

StaciLyn,

The Action Pistol matches they are refering to is different from the A/P match at River Bend Gun Club. This is what they are talking about:

http://www.nrahq.org/compete/actionpistol.asp

Holy Crap! That's a whole new ballgame!

Thanks for clarifying that for me, Singlestack. Wont Gen4_35 (he's going to have to change that name) be surprised to learn we've been shooting THAT once a month for almost a year?!

[Singlestack]

StaciLyn,

The Action Pistol matches they are refering to is different from the A/P match at River Bend Gun Club. This is what they are talking about:

http://www.nrahq.org/compete/actionpistol.asp

Holy Crap! That's a whole new ballgame!

Thanks for clarifying that for me, Singlestack. Wont Gen4_35 (he's going to have to change that name) be surprised to learn we've been shooting THAT once a month for almost a year?!

Yes it is. I have never shot it and I don't know of any A/P matches in our area. The A/P match at RBGC is kinda like USPSA Light.

[StaciLyn]

StaciLyn,

The Action Pistol matches they are refering to is different from the A/P match at River Bend Gun Club. This is what they are talking about:

http://www.nrahq.org/compete/actionpistol.asp

Holy Crap! That's a whole new ballgame!

Thanks for clarifying that for me, Singlestack. Wont Gen4_35 (he's going to have to change that name) be surprised to learn we've been shooting THAT once a month for almost a year?!

Yes it is. I have never shot it and I don't know of any A/P matches in our area. The A/P match at RBGC is kinda like USPSA Light.

"USPSA Light". .... I like that! Describes it perfectly!

See you tomorrow at CGC?

[bofe954]

I'd like to shoot A/P but there doesn't seem to be any around me. I've debated practicing on my own (the range I am at has everything but a running man) and just going to Bianchi but it's a lot of work for one match.

[pskys2]

I've actually shot about as much AP at Bates City as USPSA at MillCreek this year.

Love both and both have a good group of guys, and a few eh?

If you're just shooting and not involved in the politics of running a club, both are fun, challenging, helpful and the fellow competitors are easy to get along with and willing to help each other. Pretty much what I've found at every club I've ever been to, and I've been at this for a while.

As for the actual sports, If you are a serious competitor in either Discipline you will have to approach each a bit differently.

If you are a casual competitor go as many times to either as you can, focus on the front sight and shoot the speed/rhythym that feels right for you.

If one gets into your blood more seriously then you have to adapt.

If you like USPSA then shoot AP as if at a USPSA Match, i.e. you will accept 8's and even 5's to get off all of your shots. But still focus on the best possible hits. The Plates, Mover and Practical are great practice, but shoot the Barricade without using it as support. Approaching AP like this will help your accuracy and smoothness in USPSA.

If you like AP then shoot USPSA in a more deliberate manner, kind of like you should be shooting Production. As a matter of fact those two are probably very close and would translate back and forth very well.

The big thing is to give each try, don't hesitate to ask for tips and do your share (or a bit more) helping tape, setting steel, running the score sheets and timers. Who knows where it will take you.