Thank you all very much for your replies.
I'll be competing in regional NRA events with aspirations of camp perry to achieving grand master
I don't want to get into multiple pistols, so I figure to make the best I can of one platform and just compete in the CF leg. I'm concerned mostly about the 50 slow fire and my current abilities.. and think (uh-oh) I need something
a little less pushy than the .45. Maybe 10mm handloads? (Better BC than 185gr 45s). Either way, that limits me to the 1911.. well, I guess .38s limit me to the 1911 as well..
which leaves the Smith 952 in basically the same diameter.
or euroguns in the smaller diameter .32 cals ..
Am I missing anything?
Hi there, fellow Conventional Pistol shooter!
There are a few things that you need to know prior to competing.
First of all, you need at least TWO guns for competition.
Your Conventional Pistol matches (2700's) are actually three aggregate matches, which are divided into four stages. More on that later.
You MUST shoot a .22. You MUST shoot a .45 ACP. You CAN get a different caliber for the centerfire stage if you wish; most people use their .45's for centerfire and the .45 match.
If you plan on earning your Distinguished medal, you MUST shoot a gun that meets the criteria for The Service Pistol. The guidelines are strict, and can be found under Section 3 of the NRA Pistol Rules. The general idea is that your handgun MUST be either the Pistol, Caliber .45, M1911A1, or the Pistol, Caliber 9x19, M9. And, let me tell you, there is NO give on the published rules--as an example, at Camp Perry this year, I had to change my GRIP PANELS--because they were very slightly oversized!!
As for the wadcutter gun, most folks shoot a highly accurized 1911, specifically tuned for loads like the 200 grain LSWC (HG 68 design), moving at about 800 fps. And make no mistake, you NEED an accurate gun to be competitive.
Consider this: your gun MUST be able of shooting a maximum of a 3" group at 50 YARDS. This is the diameter of the 10 and X ring.
Another caveat--there are a lot of good honest pistolsmiths out there--but a gunsmith that will build bullseye guns is a rarity even among pistolsmiths.
As for preparation, you can start by setting up a bullseye target at 10 yards. I use the B-6 and B-8 target repair centers for practice. Now, practice shooting ONE HANDED ONLY at that distance. You only use one hand in Bullseye shooting, which can have nothing on the hand or wrist. Practice at that distance for a while; when you can shoot consistently within the 10 ring, move the target back in 5 yard increments.
Good luck, and good shooting! You have entered the world of what I believe is the most demanding shooting sport.
I know that clean scores are shot regularly in CAS, IDPA, IPSC, and USPSA shooting. There are shotgunners that can and do break 25 straight.
But since its inception into organized competition, no one--repeat, NO one--has ever shot a clean score in a Bullseye match.