Handgun Page

Handgun Discipline
Director:

Al Hessel

There are a number of handgun sports. Below is a short description of the most popular:

Bullseye competition:

Named for the round black target usually used - this is a precision shooting event fired from a standing positiion using one hand. The most popular form of bullseye shooting in the US is NRA bullseye shooting, which involves classes for smallbore, center-fire, service and .45-cal pistols. Either a revolver or a semi-automatic may be used in every class other than service pistol.

International or Olympic-style Bullseye Competition:

Sanctioned at the international level by the International Shooting Sports Federation. USA Shooting is the governing body for Olympic competition held in the US. These competitions include all of the elements of NRA bullseye shooting in addition to rapid-fire and free pistol.

Silhouette:

Shooters fire at steel silhouettes of animals placed at a distance of 40 to 100 meters. A typical match consists of 10 shots each of the four silhouette types for a total of 40 rounds. American handgun silhouette competition is sanctioned by the NRA and by the International Handgun Metallic Silhouette Association (IHMSA).

Practical Pistol:

Focused on defensive shooting such as drawing the pistol from the holster, movement, fast target acquisition and multiple targets. NRA Action Pistol and the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) are two of the best known practical pistol sports. Other practical pistol sports include Defensive pistol, bowling pin shooting, and Steel Challenge shooting.