Almost shot a bowling pin match

[Sarge]

I can see where some would find it interesting or fun but it didn't do a thing for me. Instead I went to a practice pit and well...., practiced. Just very basic new guy stuff. Reloads, draw, etc...

But to get to the point. Can shooting different games actually hurt overall? I shoot steel challenge because we can draw from a holster and it requires fast reloads. I think this comes somewhat close to the skills required in our chosen game.

I know some subscribe to the, "trigger time is what it's all about", line of thought. But it needs to be the right kind of trigger time, no?

Plus they apparently held a CCW class yesterday so I did the right thing and cleaned up the range for them. To the tune of 1000+ once fired 9mm brass. Still nice and shiney and in neat little piles.

[J-Ho]

Man on Man bowling pins matches are a blast. Even just the timed matches are fun. Give it a try sometime.

[h2osport]

Our bowling pin matches are a blast. Don't knock it till you try it. I just have fun shooting. USPSA, 3Gun, Long range practical rifle, Bowling pins, Steel. I like it all.

Randy

[Steve J]

But to get to the point. Can shooting different games actually hurt overall? I shoot steel challenge because we can draw from a holster and it requires fast reloads. I think this comes somewhat close to the skills required in our chosen game.

Are you talking about traditional Steel Challenge? Five static plates. Five runs. Drop your worst time.??? If that requires reloads, then you need to shoot whatever game you can find until you don't need reloads in your steel matches. IOW, yes all shooting will improve your overall skills, ability and performance.

Edited April 5, 2009 by Steve J

[Flexmoney]

Bowling pins looked too tough to hit, huh?

[j1b]

I know some subscribe to the, "trigger time is what it's all about", line of thought. But it needs to be the right kind of trigger time, no?

In my opinion - yes it needs to be the right kind of trigger time.

You have to have goals. Once you know what those goals are you can determine if a specific format helps, hinders, or has no effect on getting to your goals. If your end goal is just to shoot . . . that's the best and easiest goal of all!

Without goals then I suspect any trigger time is good trigger time. You always learn something.

Bowling pin shoots are fun! I haven't shot one in 20 years - but I remember them being an absolute blast! And very accuracy focused! If you didn't hit those pins right they'd roll around on the table and take two or three more shots to knock off!

Jack

[wide45]

Playing the other games can be really good for you.

Bowling pins will make you fast and accurate with full power loads. Doing it Man on Man makes the pressure of an IPSC stage trivial.

Bianchi type action pistol, will really hone your accuracy. Any target you see at an IPSC match will be cake.

You might not enjoy a sport that pushes your abilities. That's your call.

What was there about the pin match that you felt might hurt your abilities?

[Sarge]

But to get to the point. Can shooting different games actually hurt overall? I shoot steel challenge because we can draw from a holster and it requires fast reloads. I think this comes somewhat close to the skills required in our chosen game.

Are you talking about traditional Steel Challenge? Five static plates. Five runs. Drop your worst time.??? If that requires reloads, then you need to shoot whatever game you can find until you don't need reloads in your steel matches. IOW, yes all shooting will improve your overall skills, ability and performance.

Hi Steve I'm what you might call new to the various games. Steel shooting at my club is more like 5 static plates at 5 different stages, shoot each stage 3 times, throw nothing out, Usually 2-3 stages require 1 shot each plate reload 1 each plate again. So maybe that is not traditional steel challenge but it is what I shoot.

[Sarge]

Playing the other games can be really good for you.

Bowling pins will make you fast and accurate with full power loads. Doing it Man on Man makes the pressure of an IPSC stage trivial.

Bianchi type action pistol, will really hone your accuracy. Any target you see at an IPSC match will be cake.

You might not enjoy a sport that pushes your abilities. That's your call.

What was there about the pin match that you felt might hurt your abilities?

I don't have a problem shooting a sport that pushes my abilities. I simply have a problem using valuable components shooting something that does not interest me unless there is something more to be gained than by practicing USPSA.

It sounds like the pin match I saw is not the same as you are describing. I did not watch it all but I saw alot of slow fire, aiming. etc.. Maybe it is just a more casual shoot than you or some of the others are used to . Who knows?

[h2osport]

Sounds like what you were watching is nothing like the pin matches we shoot. 5 bowling pins set at the front(8') of a 4'x8' table, starting position low ready(grounded on bar), upon start signal remove pins from table as fast as you can. Shoot 3 strings, drop the lowest. It is not slow fire, but aiming is part of it. Heavier bullets the better. We have a special class for 9mm which is 9 pins set at the back of the table and you have to knock them off. For 22 you have to knock them over.

It is a very fast paced shoot. I have seen autoloader shotguns clean the table in 3.?? seconds. I shot my 45 acp to 4.6 seconds avg.

Randy

Edited April 6, 2009 by h2osport

[Jman]

I would love to shoot bowling pin matches (or drills) here at Rio. Against the rules unfortunately. Ricochet problems. If hitting small

reactionary targets with full powered ammo fast doesn't do anything for you, shooting holes in cardboard won't be far behind. Few things in action

pistol are as satisfying as a perfect hit on a pin. Outstanding exercise for anyone developing their technique.

Jim

[Merlin Orr]

Bowling pins are great transition and accuracy tests. A couple of seconds - more time than that - you lose - miss one you lose - hit one a glancing blow and just knock it over -----you lose. Pressure is intense with the man on man format and good competition.

Go for broke runs at the final shootoff between the last two guys standing.....

Love shooting pins with 200+ power factor loads.

[zenmanxxx]

Bowling pins looked too tough to hit, huh?

They can be elusive when shooting against the clock...

[JimmyZip]

Pin matches are cool. Back in the early days when Practical shooting was finding it's way to what it is today these were common and intense. Man on man is intense, much more than just racing a clock. You can hear your competitor shooting, and you have to maintain focus and not give in to watching his pins to see if you are ahead or behind. This is one thing I wish we still had around here. That and the walk and draw, or man on man steel are two things I wish were still part of the average match. Sometimes you could shoot this for an extra fee as a side match. Wish that was still common. First time I ever bet side money on anything was a side pin match. Sure miss it

[zenmanxxx]

Pin matches are cool. Back in the early days when Practical shooting was finding it's way to what it is today these were common and intense. Man on man is intense, much more than just racing a clock. You can hear your competitor shooting, and you have to maintain focus and not give in to watching his pins to see if you are ahead or behind. This is one thing I wish we still had around here. That and the walk and draw, or man on man steel are two things I wish were still part of the average match. Sometimes you could shoot this for an extra fee as a side match. Wish that was still common. First time I ever bet side money on anything was a side pin match. Sure miss it

+1

Forgot the smilie on my previous post though.

We mix our pin shoots up with different formats from month to month. We do Man on Man, against the clock, and three distance (three tables) with SHO, WHO, and your choice, moving to a different position for each table and each grip.

There is a competitive shooting lesson taught to all at the begining of each match. We hope to use pin shooting as an entry level competition for the newer shooters to develope the skills and safe practices to move on to bigger and better matches.

We have great shooters from many disciplines that hone thier skills there....and those dang pins can be elusive no matter what format you shoot....but Man on Man...I totally agree it's great!

[Toolguy]

One thing I miss that you never hear about anymore is the dueling tree. That is a fast man on man event too.

Used to have those a lot as side matches for $2 a go. Winner gets $3, match gets $1.

[J-Ho]

A local club here has a match a few times a year that is a double elimination man on man pin match. Talk about fun!

JimmyM mentioned ricochets. + a whole bunch to that. It's indoors and with the lighting you can see a lot of the bullets, especially the 45's. They bounce around everywhere. I've still got a good scar where I had to dig a bullet out of my shin from a bowling pin match. They started with 4 x 8 plywood but ended up getting a steel table with shielding around the sides. It made all the difference in the world on ricochets. I think they still shoot pins once a week. All this talk about pin shoots is making me want to go shoot a pin match.

[h2osport]

One thing I miss that you never hear about anymore is the dueling tree. That is a fast man on man event too.

Used to have those a lot as side matches for $2 a go. Winner gets $3, match gets $1.

We usually drag out the dueling tree at the end of the shooting season on practice night. No money changes hands, but still a blast. If you get beat by a shooter, then the next time you shoot against that person you get to pick the handicap. You can have the person shoot strong hand only, weak hand only, or anything creative you can think of to even out the competition. We have had 2 SS(1b and 1c class) shoot against an A class open shooter. Open won. We have had shooters equired to load mags down to 6 rounds. Anything is possible when you have shooters ranging from D-A class.

It definatley gets your heart pumpin, and you have to make yourself breathe. It is nothing to go through 3-500 rounds in a night when we have the dueling tree.

Randy

[-JQ-]

Sandman-

I have shot pins (probably at the same local match) it WAS fun...a bit different but still fun. The only bummer was they won't post results on line nor by email...you have to show up the next month to see how you did...WTH?

Maybe someone else has taken over and will do this but this was in 08...MD seemed to be overly proud to be "old school"

YMMV

[38supPat]

FWIW Most of the top guys in the days of old used to shoot the carnival match circuit, which included Steel Challenge, Bianchi Cup, Second Chance Pin shoot, The Masters and Sportsmans Team Challenge to name a few. Barnhart, Enos, Leatham, Ken Tapp, Koenig, Piatt, and more could be found at most if not all of these matches....oddly enough, they did well at all of them despite the huge variety in the courses of fire.

Take from that what you will...

[Flexmoney]

FWIW Most of the top guys in the days of old used to shoot the carnival match circuit, which included Steel Challenge, Bianchi Cup, Second Chance Pin shoot, The Masters and Sportsmans Team Challenge to name a few. Barnhart, Enos, Leatham, Ken Tapp, Koenig, Piatt, and more could be found at most if not all of these matches....oddly enough, they did well at all of them despite the huge variety in the courses of fire.

Take from that what you will...

Just lucky!

[TM262]

One of the indoor ranges around the corner from my house hosted a Pin match for a few months and it was a great deal of fun. Did it hurt my shooting skills? If anything, it helped my shooting skills. Shooting pins might look easy, but it is harder than you think. Try it. If you think it is too easy, try it strong or weak hand only. There is a lot to be gained from those old pins.

[Stony Lane]

You should have stayed and shot. There are some very good pin shooters at MR&P. Shooting pins is not too different from steel plates and they're smaller than the lower "A" zone. Great practice and great fun!

MR&P shoots just the pin heads with .22 pistols, pins at the back of the table with .22 rifles, 9mm from the middle of the table and bigger calibers from the front of the tables (3 tables of 5 pins). At the end of the match, they shoot 5 tables of 5 pins with shotguns.

[Sarge]

You should have stayed and shot. There are some very good pin shooters at MR&P. Shooting pins is not too different from steel plates and they're smaller than the lower "A" zone. Great practice and great fun!

MR&P shoots just the pin heads with .22 pistols, pins at the back of the table with .22 rifles, 9mm from the middle of the table and bigger calibers from the front of the tables (3 tables of 5 pins). At the end of the match, they shoot 5 tables of 5 pins with shotguns.

Did you shoot? I hope you were not the guy shooting 22 rifle at the pin that fell over and faced directly up range. Hit it repeatedly and it just layed there. Maybe I will give it a try one of these days.

[joecichlid]

h2osport, you all shoot the best two out of three runs? Our club shoots best four out of five and no matter what division you shoot the timer doesn't stop until the pins hit the ground. We have one guy that fun a shotgun like Tom Knapp and can usually run a table in 2.7 to 3.0 from the beep to the last pin hitting the ground.

For me shooting pins is a real test of skills, much like USPSA, you see this huge target but you are in reality aiming at a small spot. On bowling pins the true sweet spot is about two inches high and an inch wide. You are shooting at an area not a lot bigger than a 12 ga shotgun shell at 28 feet. For fun we sometimes will shoot actual shotgun shells, empty of course. We will also shoot pin tops, just the bottom part of the pins after the tops are cut off (they move in ways you normally have to have a roll of singles to see), and for .22 events we will sometimes bottle caps from soda bottles. Talk about some hard shooting!! If you have a chance to shoot at a pin match by all means go for it, you can bet your butt it will be fun.

Joe W

See my local clubs web site

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