New to Competition where and what should I try?

I usually recommend IDPA for new shooters.

Lots will disagree with me.

I find that IDPA has a good community more open and welcoming to new/first time shooters.
There are more rules involved, but so long as you are safe, you may just rack up penalties (no biggy).
I also like that you don't need as much gear. Just the gun, 3 mags (4 preferable), holster, mag carrier, and a button up shirt/vest/jacket for a cover garment.

You can shoot the 9mm or the 40 and have a great time or bring a double action revolver and place 1st in your division (I kid, I kid... but they are not as popular)

/$0.02

Along the lines of IDPA, take a look at IPSC or USPSA. It's in line with IDPA but with less rules and some additional ability to move more freely when shooting with less penalties. It's where I started a few years back and it was a ton of fun at my local range. You'll have fun with any of these depending on what is available in your area.

My first competitive shooting venture was USPSA, and I was hooked immediately. I was amazed at how well I saw some people shoot, and said to myself "I want to shoot like THAT guy." And I was astonished at what the timer did to my brain! Time slowed down, just like being in a car crash; remembering to shoot a certain target got really hard; the adrenaline rush was better than a roller coaster or helo ride... I couldn't get enough.

But here's the main thing: Go out and try it. Or just go and watch a match. I had wanted to go for a couple of years, but kept putting it off. "Get a little better" I told myself. "Don't want to be the worst person there," I said to me. Man, was that stupid. You can't really start getting better until you have a feel for what the game is like to play. And you're delaying fun.

Don't do what I did... just pick one and go. You'll find a lot of friendly people. If 10% are kind of cold or even jerks, just ignore it. There are lots of good folks. Talk to them about the sport. Talk about gear. Talk about how to practice and get better. Ask questions and listen to the answers. (But then ask someone else the same question and listen to the potentially-different answer from them.)

As long as you stay safe and don't break a safety rule, nobody - and I mean nobody, not even professional shooters - will look down on a new shooter. Just find a club and go. Soon. GO!

You like 45LC. Go with cowboy shooting. Check out SASS. Awesome people.

Steel Challenge is a good intro sport which can become a lifetime sport. No movement and no on the clock reloads which simplifies things in the beginning. If you haven't drawn a hot gun out of a holster (heck, you might be LE!) then most clubs are ok with a few matches from the low ready; some have a low ready division.

Gear is simple - gun, holster, mags, ammo; no need even for mag pouches.

Find a club (or clubs), watch a match (SC, IDPA, USPSA, ...), get shooting.

IMO, most noob-friendly competition is GSSF...only catch is, you need a Glock. No movement. No drawing. No reloading on the clock. Lots of prizes given out (both performanced based and random awards). If you already have a Glock or are not against the idea of buying one, check out gssfonline.com and see if there are any matches close enough to you.

I would recommend IDPA for a beginner. It turned out to not be my thing because I don't memorize well. Momma said I never listened I liked USPSA better because it wasn't as restrictive.

Cowboy Acton. I am 70 and still can shoot with the best in my age group.

Most friendly folks you will ever meet.

Competitions all over the country.

And every time you go to the line you will usually shoot your pistols, rifle and shotgun.

With wild bunch you may also use your .45 1911.

USPSA for sure... IDPA has too many rules that leaves a lot of newbies with more procedural penalties than points..

Steel Challenge is best entry level drug. Then move to USPSA. It's rules are easier than IDPA.

I'm in the same boat. I started at idpa. I have done 3 matches now and Midway just left a package on my front step today for me to try 3-gun ( belt, shotgun shell caddies, tube extension, ar mag holder, 45 degree sight for ar, and more mags and holders for my 1911)- parts to make my 1911 more friendly to try uspsa and steel challenge. Also looking at shotguns for sass, already have a 94 and 2 vaquero's ...... Im gonna try them all over the next two months and see which I like best. Idpa is fun though, I like the stock gun idea, let's everyone play " fair"

Steel challenge or similar steel matches (we have lots of steel matches here in PA but very few are actually "Steel Challenge" affiliated) will be a good way to get your feet wet. You will be able to learn the range commands and procedures without having to memorize a stage or move around with your gun. Once you do that a few times, USPSA is next IMO.
IDPA is also an option, but there are many rules for a newbie to learn where in USPSA the only rules you have to worry about are safety related, and you may shoot the stages any way you like.

Another +1 for steel challenge.

You get most of the experience with fewer challenges (i.e. no movement, very little equipment) for the first time out.

Gets you used to the pressure of the timer and people watching while practicing the fundamentals including range commands.

Steel Challenge is my favorite. Love hearing the steel be hit and scoring is easy. You can see a lot of improvement from match to match. Lots of shooting.

No movement means I can shoot with little trouble from my wheelchair.

I also love ICORE. It's for revolvers only and there are a number of clubs throughout CA.

USPSA is also a lot of fun if you like the Run-And-Gun type of shooting.

Heck, it's all fun. Find a local Club, get out and SHOOT.

Another vote for cowboy action shooting. Especially in Texas! Lots of clubs down there! And it gives you a good excuse to get a rifle and shotgun if you don't already have those on hand.

CAS is a very supportive and friendly sport. I have had folks lend me ammo and guns if I have a problem with mine. Some folks are put off by dressing western style, but if you live in Texas you probably look like us anyway.

I just started a thread in this forum, "For Your Entertainment", with a link to a thread in the blackpowder forum where I have a YouTube clip on a recent match, just in case you are unfamiliar with the sport.

I have shot most types of competition. SASS is the most fun. You can be a Cowboy for the fun of it, win or loose. A lot of categories. The most friendly group of people.

I'm in my seventh year of shooting cowboy action. Having a great time and the clubs here are very supportive of new shooters.

It is, like Three Gun, a multigun sport (two revolvers, rifle and shotgun), plus leather and some clothing.


I think Steel Challenge is the best entry level action shooting game for the reasons that others have stated, plus the fact that you can use just about any type of firearm. If you shoot a rimfire, you don't even need a holster.

At the ripe old age of 61 and having never shot competition, I decided to start shooting Precision Pistol (AKA Bullseye). No kneeling, no prone, no sitting, and most importantly no running. I am one of the younger ones on my team, and in the league for that matter.

It's a lot of fun, and more than a little humbling be out shot by 70-80 year olds.

I'm an IDPA Match Director, but I love all kinds of shooting. I think I can be fairly non-biased.

With the equipment you currently have, the easiest possible route is probably USPSA or IDPA. Both are fun, both have rules, both will welcome a new shooter with open arms. Pick whichever you can find close by. Shoot your 9mm or .40S&W and just enjoy yourself for a while before you ever worry about upgrading any gear or really investing your shooting style in either game.

Steel challenge, GSSF, and some of the others are great fun and yes, a lot simpler and old-guy-friendly than IDPA or USPSA, but they also aren't nearly as common in many places. In our area there are probably 10 IDPA or USPSA matches to choose from each weekend, within a 2 hour drive. GSSF is around a couple times a year. Steel challenge seems to be about the same. The others will be a lot less available. (Unless, of course, there happens to be one in your local area in which case, why not?)

SASS ("Cowboy Action") is awesome, but it is also not quite so common to find around you as the others, and the equipment is actually quite a bit more specialized than you'd think. Sure, you can probably show up and borrow somebody elses' guns, but to really get much out of even one match, you're going to be pretty far behind the game if you don't have one of the right kinds of 6-gun, one of the right kinds of lever rifles, and one of the right kinds of shotguns. And the hat, boots, chaps, vest, holsters, and nickname help too! It is a lot of fun and the people are wonderful. It is also very equipment intensive, and that can be a high barrier to casually "getting into" the completion. Compare that to IDPA or USPSA where if you have A handgun, a few spare mags, and a cheap holster and mag pouch you're good to go and could compete for years without feeling a need to buy another piece of gear.

Of course, you also need to consider 3-gun, IMHSA, High-Power, Bullseye, Steel Safari, PPC, and any of a half-dozen other disciplines that just might tickle your fancy.

Often the first thing to ask is "what's around?" "Who's shooting WHAT in my local area?"

Clay pigeons.
Skeet
Trap
Sporting clays.
I bet there is a range within an hour of you right now.
usually you will find a good group of guys that will help you try it out.