http://www.sportsmansguide.com/article/ ... 194&sid=73
Shooting Sports Rising In Popularity
By Larry LeBlanc
I do not know if outdoor enthusiasts are aware of it, but shooting sports are increasing in popularity at a very rapid rate.
There are shooting events and activities available for anyone who is interested in firearms. You can be an expert or never held a firearm, but are interested in learning. Your skill level does not matter because you will be welcomed into the ranks of the 21st century shooting clubs.
Let me list just a few of the different types of shooting interests there are in today's world. There are the shotgun sports such as trap, skeet and five stand, then for the modern rifleman there are the bull's-eye events and bench rest. Now when we come to the muzzleloader events, the list would eat up most of the word count of this article. Recently, Cowboy Action Shooting has taken the country by storm and they involve period revolvers, rifles and shotguns and their replicas that were produced in the 19th century, and Cowboy Action Shooting has multiple shooting scenarios.
Steve Vandermolen is shooting from a kneeling position during one event.(pic) (Photos by Larry J. LeBlanc)
Defensive Pistol Shooting
One type of shooting that has evolved more recently is Defensive Pistol Shooting sport. This sport involves modern handgun shooting, setup in the different scenarios that could arise in the modern world, just as the shooting courses of the Cowboy Action Shooting are built around the Wild West days.
The interest in this type of shooting course I am sure is similar to what drives the Cowboy Action shooting, but is augmented by the fact that today Texans (and others) are allowed by law to carry a concealed handgun. To get such a permit, Texas are checked out by the legal entity from stem to stern. We must take and pass an extensive classroom course, and then qualify on a shooting range with a handgun demonstrating that we know the basic operation of the handgun, and that we are proficient enough to hit what we are shooting at on the course prescribed by law.
To give you an idea as to how many Texans are carrying concealed handguns, as of May 7, 2004, there were 240,816 Concealed Handgun License (CHL) holders in the state -- and in case you are wondering, I am one of them.
More Concealed Handgun License Holders
Before some begin to panic about the number of CHL-carrying folks that are walking around with dangerous weapons on them, look at the facts. We are the good guys and that has been checked out by the Department of Public Safety. If a person wants to commit a crime in the state of Texas, they not only have to think about the police officers and private security, but there are over 200,000 honest citizens that they have to worry about, and they do not know who or where they are. Friends, we are an added deterrent to crime by just having a CHL.
As an avid shooter, when Steve Vandermolen, president of the Thunder Tactical Shooters, invited me to one of their weekly events in Texas, I jumped at the chance. The club is an affiliated club of the International Defensive Shooters Association and they abide by strict rules and regulations.
Their mission is to not only increase their proficiency with their handguns, but also to compete against the clock and each other, adding up the score at the end of the match, and seeing who wins. They also compete in matches with other clubs, and in state and national events. Thus, if you are a serious shooter, you can compete just as far as your skill and practice will take you. If you just like to shoot on weekends in a friendly match with some good friends, that too is available.
Men/Women Compete Together
This sport, like many other shooting sports, allows men and women to compete together. Vandermolen and his wife Donna both are active in the sport, and compete against each other as well as the rest of the field. I guess it is like the saying attributed to old Samuel Colt and his revolver of the 1900s, "God created all men, Colt made them equal."
As in any legitimate shooting sport, the first rule is safety. There is a range master at all events and every member of the organization has safety on his or her minds above all that happens on the range. With everyone of that mindset, the event I attended was comfortable and fun.
The handguns used are all out of the box and no major modifications are allowed. There are classes for semi-automatics and revolvers, and in the club meets they compete together.
Steve Vandermolen is reloading during an event. (pic)
Most of the courses require reloading so the semi-automatics have been the favorites because of the ability to drop the clip when empty, inserting a fresh one, release the slide, and you are ready to shoot again. That loading speed is important in a timed meet. Now with the new moon clips and speed loaders for revolvers that release the bullets upon seating in the cylinder, revolvers can now be reloaded as rapidly as the semi-automatics so they are a viable competitive gun if you happen to prefer a wheel gun.
So neighbors, if you are looking for a shooting sport that is practical and will help you improve your ability with the modern handgun, this is a sport to look at.
For more information, I recommend you check out the web page for the International Defensive Pistol Association at idpa.com. The website has all of the information and the clubs that are closest to where you live.
