# Bullseye Pistol



## Clark2245

This is intended to be a new topic thread for all the Bullseye Pistol shooters out there, and those of you who might be interested in what we do, as a way to answer questions and help everyone improve their shooting skills. I started shooting Bullseye a little over 10 years ago here at Calibers and enjoyed it enough I started shooting at matches around the state as well as the National Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio. I worked my way up to compete in Master class and am a member of the 2600 club. I also have earned the Distinguished Pistol Badge and have most of the points required for the Distinguished Revolver Badge.

At Calibers we keep things in a non competitive format where everyone is just working to improve their own skills, though some do score their targets as a way of measuring their progress. We use 22 caliber pistols and have shooters of all ability levels and beginners are welcome and encouraged. 

Ok, so what is Bullseye Pistol? It is the modern form of the oldest pistol competitions and is a precision shooting sport where we stand in one position and shoot at fairly small targets at a greater distance than you would expect. This really emphasizes the pure fundamentals of shooting which are sight alignment and trigger control. It also forces you to concentrate on what you are doing and put the days problems out of you mind for a while. At Calibers we shoot what is called a national match course which is made up of three targets:

Slow fire: You will fire 10 shots at the target and are given up to 10 minutes to finish. The idea is to take one or maybe two shots each time you raise the gun and make them as good as possible. Most shooters finish in about 4 to 6 minutes. 

Timed Fire: You will shoot two strings of 5 shots each at the target. There will be a time limit of 20 seconds for each 5 shot string.

Rapid Fire: You will shoot two strings of 5 shots each at the target. There will be a time limit of 10 seconds for each 5 shot string.

We meet at Calibers each Thursday evening from 7pm to 8pm and if you can be a few minutes early so we can get started on time it will be appreciated. This is especially true for first time shooters so we can get you spooled up on the details of how things work. If you have any questions feel free to ask them here or talk to any of the guys working at Calibers or myself if I happen to be there at the time. As mentioned before everyone is encouraged to come check us out on Thursday evenings.

Clark Hardesty


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## K4HC

*First Timer*

Clark,

I wanted to thank you (and of course Carl, Kenny and Manny) for the fun experience and introduction to bullseye pistol shooting last night. I'll certainly be back on future Thursday evenings to polish my skills.

I appreciated the extra time you took in making me comfortable and understanding the procedures - and also thanks for the cleaning rod to clear the stuck case.

Chris Thompson


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## Clark2245

You're welcome Chris and I'm glad you enjoyed it. You did quite well especially considering the limitations of the pistol you were using. We're there every Thursday evening so do come shoot with us again.

Clark


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## johnr

Clark,

this sounds like a fun evening, learning to shoot accurately and enjoying the fellowship of meeting new people interested in similar hobbies.

I do have a few questions if you don't mind answering. Other than the range fees, are there any additional cost? If I have a range membership are there any cost for joining the 22 club?

I have a sig 22 mosquito. i don't think it shoots that accruately, even though I can center a bulls eye every now and again. I think most of that is my ability. what is the gun of preference for most of the club members?

Thanks

John


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## Clark2245

Hi John,

Calibers charges a fee of $8 each Thursday evening to cover the range time (they stay open an extra hour for us) and targets. You only need to bring your gun and ammo.

I have not used the Sig Mosquito but I doubt you will be happy with it as a bullseye gun. Common choices for starting are Ruger Mark II or III's in about a 5" length with adjustable sights. The Browning Buckmark has been popular but Carl tells me the newest versions have some plastic parts so I'm not sure what to think of them now. There are some others where the cost might be a little higher. I would suggest you come give it a try some Thursday and take a look at what everyone is using and we can talk about some of the options. Calibers also has at least one Ruger for rent that you could try. 

Clark


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## K4HC

*Qualifications*

Clark,
I picked up a MK III 22/45 with 5-1/2 in Bull Bbl and adjustable sights. May not be the best pistol in the world, but a step up from my old Mk II Standard 4-3/4 in fixed sight pistol. Still needs some trigger work, but it's usable (at least for now).

I'm interested in doing some more formal qualification, at least at the .22 level (not quite ready for the investment in CF and/or .45).

If I understand things correctly, the Remington/NRA Qualifications are honor-based and self-scored (thru Expert, witness requirement for High Expert). Just simply keep records based on the standards/scores as posted on the NRA website.

Conventional Pistol classification however requires participation in formal matches, with scores reported to the NRA, such as those hosted by DPRC, CRPC, Sir Walter Gun Club, etc. Temporary classification (based on Score Book used to record approved matches). Separate classifications for indoor and outdoor matches. Permanent classifcation assigned by NRA after 360 shots (or 4 900 pt courses of fire). Classification updated if warranted based on average of last 360 reported shots for that shooter

I assume that informal league shooting (such as at Calibers on Thursdays) is NOT sufficient for conventional pistol classification.

Do I have that all right?

I may be interested in participating in the DPRC match on the 21st to start my Bullseye classification. Are there generally any problems with last-minute registrations? Do they usually fill all 40 slots?

Thanks for your time, and see you Thursday evening.

Regards,
Chris


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## Clark2245

K4HC said:


> Clark,
> I picked up a MK III 22/45 with 5-1/2 in Bull Bbl and adjustable sights. May not be the best pistol in the world, but a step up from my old Mk II Standard 4-3/4 in fixed sight pistol. Still needs some trigger work, but it's usable (at least for now).


Hi Chris,

Wow, you've been doing some research on bullseye shooting! The Ruger is a good basic gun for bullseye shooting and is used by many competitors around the country. As you noted the trigger usually needs some work to be smooth enough for the precision shooting we do but it isn't hard for a 'smith to solve that problem. Talk to the guys at Calibers and they can give you the name of one they like who I understand does a good job. There is also a "drop in" kit available for the trigger.



K4HC said:


> I'm interested in doing some more formal qualification, at least at the .22 level (not quite ready for the investment in CF and/or .45).
> 
> If I understand things correctly, the Remington/NRA Qualifications are honor-based and self-scored (thru Expert, witness requirement for High Expert). Just simply keep records based on the standards/scores as posted on the NRA website.


The Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program is something we have been thinking of getting involved with so I need to talk to Carl and Kenny and see if they will help with getting things moving. We will probably want to make it part of the program for Thursday evenings so all scoring and record keeping can be done there to keep things simple. It looks like a good program.



K4HC said:


> Conventional Pistol classification however requires participation in formal matches, with scores reported to the NRA, such as those hosted by DPRC, CRPC, Sir Walter Gun Club, etc. Temporary classification (based on Score Book used to record approved matches). Separate classifications for indoor and outdoor matches. Permanent classifcation assigned by NRA after 360 shots (or 4 900 pt courses of fire). Classification updated if warranted based on average of last 360 reported shots for that shooter
> 
> I assume that informal league shooting (such as at Calibers on Thursdays) is NOT sufficient for conventional pistol classification.
> 
> Do I have that all right?


You are correct about the way the formal classifications for bullseye shooting (Conventional Pistol) work and the fact none of the shooting we do at Calibers will count toward them. You have to shoot in a formal match to earn your classification and we have 4 new shooters who have shot in at least one match so far. On Saturday we brought home 3 medals from the North Carolina State Games match at the CRPC range!



K4HC said:


> I may be interested in participating in the DPRC match on the 21st to start my Bullseye classification. Are there generally any problems with last-minute registrations? Do they usually fill all 40 slots?
> 
> Thanks for your time, and see you Thursday evening.
> 
> Regards,
> Chris


The match at the DPRC range this Sunday will have open slots so you can attend if you want to give it a try. If you are going I would like to have a few minutes with you Thursday to fill you in on some things you need to know and we will need you at the range a little early Sunday so we can go over some of the safety rules that we stress in bullseye shooting as well as a few other things that are a little different from the way we run it indoors at Calibers. See you Thursday.

Clark


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## Eric

Very cool!

New member at Calibers and returning to the sport after many years of not shooting. I lived on a farm as a kid and hunted and trapped as a way of life.

I might give this a visit. Sounds like a blast (pun intended). You'll know when I show up. I'll be the guy with the Colt Huntsman.


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## Clark2245

Hi Eric,

By all means come give it a try. I'll be there this evening but will be gone the next two Thursdays while at the Canton Regionals and the National Matches at Camp Perry so someone else will be calling the line those days. Even then we have some experienced shooters who can help you get started so do come when you are ready.

Clark


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## Eric

Well, I didn't make it tonight. I'll get there eventually. Looking forward to it.


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## Clark2245

We're there every Thursday evening. Just come on by when your schedule allows it.


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## Clark2245

*Bullseye Pistol reminder*

Just a reminder that we are there every Thursday evening from 7 - 8 pm to shoot bullseye pistol with 22 caliber pistols. Come on by and check it out and if you decide you like it and are interested there is another entire world out there on the competition side with matches held at several clubs around the state which a few of us travel to. Don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions.


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## fiimeo

*9mm Competitions?*

I know many pistol competitions use the .22's but are there any 9mm pistol competitions. Also are there any good resources for honing accuracy skills and fundamentals of the 9mm pistols?


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## Clark2245

The shooting we do at Calibers is with 22 pistols though in bullseye matches there is a centerfire aggregate where 9mm pistols may be used. Bullseye places great emphasis on sight alignment and trigger control, which are the basis of all accurate shooting, so the skills learned do carry over to other types of shooting in all calibers. Come by some Thursday evening and check it out.

Clark


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## GoldenVolt

Clark,

Thanks for you help last night. It was fun and challenging. I can't wait for warmer weather and a better gun:anim_lol:
I'll try one of Carl's 22/45's next time. What ammo would you recommend,:smt068 Subsonic?

Thanks again.
Greg


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## VanillaGorilla

*Bulls Eye Pistol*

Hey is this something that still takes place? I have been looking for something local to get started in target shooting. How can I get more details about this? My wife and I are members at Calibers and have asked about how to get started in completive target shooting and we were told about a class but not this.

I know they (Calibers) have 2 Ruger Mark III 22/45 to rent and we own a Mark III Target. So if we both wanted to compete the same night would one gun do us or would we need to rent?

And why is it so hard to find any info on completive shooting? Anything else I have ever been into I could find tons of info on. Any info/URLs would be greatly appreciated to point us in the right direction.


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## GoldenVolt

VanillaGorilla said:


> Hey is this something that still takes place? I have been looking for something local to get started in target shooting. How can I get more details about this? My wife and I are members at Calibers and have asked about how to get started in completive target shooting and we were told about a class but not this.
> 
> I know they (Calibers) have 2 Ruger Mark III 22/45 to rent and we own a Mark III Target. So if we both wanted to compete the same night would one gun do us or would we need to rent?
> 
> And why is it so hard to find any info on completive shooting? Anything else I have ever been into I could find tons of info on. Any info/URLs would be greatly appreciated to point us in the right direction.


It's still going on Thursday nights at 7:00PM 
This is more like practicing for competition. It's still $8.00 which will pay for the targets & keep the lights on the extra hour or so.


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## Clark2245

VanillaGorilla said:


> Hey is this something that still takes place? I have been looking for something local to get started in target shooting. How can I get more details about this? My wife and I are members at Calibers and have asked about how to get started in completive target shooting and we were told about a class but not this.
> 
> I know they (Calibers) have 2 Ruger Mark III 22/45 to rent and we own a Mark III Target. So if we both wanted to compete the same night would one gun do us or would we need to rent?
> 
> And why is it so hard to find any info on completive shooting? Anything else I have ever been into I could find tons of info on. Any info/URLs would be greatly appreciated to point us in the right direction.


Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner but I didn't receive a notice there were any new posts to this thread. Usually the system lets me know.

Sometimes when you just mention 'competitive' shooting the guys at Calibers think of the action style shooting they have some classes for but don't always think of our bullseye pistol program. Hopefully they will remember us more often in the future! The bullseye program at Calibers is a training program that you can turn into whatever you want in terms of competition. Some are happy to just shoot on Thursday evenings and have no interest in getting involved in formal competition while others have joined several of us at matches around the state. Strictly your choice where you want to take it but there are very active competition programs at several clubs around the state with outdoor matches held from March through October. We even have an indoor state championship match in February.

Both of you would need a 22 to fire in the Thursday evening program so there should be no problem with each of you using one of the Rugers that are set up and ready to go, or you could use your MkIII and one of these for comparison. They generally don't charge for use of those guns the first few times for our program as they are intended to show how a relatively low cost 22 like the Ruger can be set up for use in bullseye as compared to how it comes out of the box.

My first post in this thread has some info on the course of fire we do and a few other things. The best idea is to come by Thursday evening and give it a try. I can answer any questions and help you get started.

Clark


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## Clark2245

GoldenVolt said:


> Clark,
> 
> Thanks for you help last night. It was fun and challenging. I can't wait for warmer weather and a better gun.
> I'll try one of Carl's 22/45's next time. What ammo would you recommend, Subsonic?
> 
> Thanks again.
> Greg


Hi Greg,

The Rugers will generally do fine with a high velocity ammo and it really comes down to finding one that is reliable and accurate in that gun. Many of those types of ammo have the advantage of being relatively inexpensive also. Many of the other target guns will require standard velocity, with one very popular type being the CCI standard (blue box) that is often sold at Dicks Sporting Goods for about $25 per brick, which is the best price I've seen. Just try a few in your gun and see what it prefers.

Clark


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## MikeM

*Opinions for new Wadcutter gun?*

I am thinking about buying a new 45 acp wadcutter gun with optical mount from either Clark Custom or Les Baer. I would guess that there are still some smiths in the state who build bullseye guns but feel that these two shops probably offer good value for the money and that brand recongition will help resale value at some point in the future.

Do you see an advantage for one or the other?

Do you have anther option I should consider?


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## Clark2245

MikeM said:


> I am thinking about buying a new 45 acp wadcutter gun with optical mount from either Clark Custom or Les Baer. I would guess that there are still some smiths in the state who build bullseye guns but feel that these two shops probably offer good value for the money and that brand recongition will help resale value at some point in the future.
> 
> Do you see an advantage for one or the other?
> 
> Do you have anther option I should consider?


Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner but I have been up at Camp Perry for the National Pistol Matches and just got home last night. Both Clark Custom and Les Baer have good reputations and are able to build a good quality gun for you. Most of the Les Baer wad guns I have seen are set up for a frame mount for the optics, if you are planning on using a dot sight, which can be fine but creates a couple of separate issues. Most significant of those is if you are planning on using a Marvel conversion, a popular choice for a 22, it just will not work with the frame mounted dot sight. You must have the dot on a slide mount to go that route. The slide mounts are considerably more popular among bullseye shooters. If you are getting an open sight gun then this will not be a problem and either type mount can be added later if you want to use a dot sight.

Among those two makes bullseye guns the difference is probably that the Les Baer guns are often in stock at various places and ready for delivery where I believe with Clark Custom you need to send them a base 1911 and they will take a while to work on it. You would need to check with them on the details of how they want to do things.

As another option you can sometimes find used guns in good condition that are reasonably priced. One good place to ask if any are available would be the Bullseye-L list which has recently moved to a Google groups email format and can be found at Bullseye L list | Google Groups . Or perhaps easier is a forum for bullseye shooters which has quite a few members and has an easy sign up link for the email list on the front page. Free forum : Bullseye L List

Hope this helps.

Clark


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