PRECISION PISTOL (BULLSEYE) SHOOTING


Bullseye Pistol is a very difficult shooting sport. So difficult, no one in the history of the sport has shot a perfect score in a 2700 point match! The current record is 2680-159x by H.L. Anderson in 1974. It is a mental game and a physical game. The majority of the national champions are either military or ex-military where these folks are afforded the opportunity to practice all the time with unlimited ammo and with great coaches. Does that mean only military trained shooters can win the Nationals? No, civilians have won and certainly anyone who puts in the time and effort has the opportunity to win.
This sport is all about precision shooting with a bit of emphasis on speed in the sustained fire relays (Timed - 5 shots in 20 secs & Rapid - 5 shots in 10 seconds). Depending on which pistol sport you compare it to, a Bullseye target (the scoring area) is smaller than the "10 ring" on their targets and we shoot at 50 ft. indoors and outdoors at 25 and 50 yards, whereas they may shoot at only 20 feet. We aren’t knocking the other shooting sports, they have their challenges too but more in speed and power, not accuracy.
A lot goes into a winning combination in this sport. You have to have good guns that are reliable and accurate. The ammo is critical and most shooters reload their own to help with cost control and quality control. While equipment is very important to achieve high scores, much more of the burden is on the shooter. The best gun in the world isn't going to magically make you a Master or a High Master. For some sort of "scale" to emphasize the importance of the shooter versus the equipment, the shooter contributes 80% to the score and the equipment is 20%.
What motivates Bullseye shooters to compete in a sport where "perfection" has thus far been proven to be impossible?  Prize money is only a token, even at the Nationals level.  Trophies are always nice to have, they are a confirmation of accomplishment and achievement but are seldom issued anymore.  So what is it that drives us so hard to chase the impossible goal? 

Maybe it's just the satisfaction of doing something that most everyone else can't, and of course the FUN!!!

Click below for information on the CRC Wednesday Precision Pistol (Bullseye) League

NEW!!! Click below for information on the 2024 Ohio State Indoor 1800 Pistol Championship

to be held at the CIncinnati Revolver Club, Sunday, April 7, 2024

NEW Video!!! How a Bullseye Match is Run

Click below for information on the 1800 Point Indoor & 2700 Point Outdoor NRA Approved Pistol Matches

SHOOTING A TIMED-FIRE TARGET, AT 25 YARDS, (2) FIVE SHOT STRINGS, 20 SECONDS EACH STRING. TARGETS TURN AUTOMATICALLY.

Click below for more information on Precision Pistol Shooting

  • RUGER MARK IV

    Ruger’s get a bad rap for being one of the least expensive options for new bullseye shooters, but they offer a tremendous amount of value and flexibility. Unlike older bullseye pistols, the Mark III’s receiver is already tapped for a scope mount that is included with the handgun. Additionally, since the pistol is so ubiquitous there are hundreds of available accessories for it.
    The platform’s shortcomings are its somewhat limited accuracy when compared to higher-end target pistols, and its difficult disassembly procedure for the uninitiated. The MKIII has higher tolerances than every other pistol on this list and tends to function with all but the worst ammunition.

  • TYPICAL .22 cal PISTOLS USED IN PRECISION PISTOL

    BROWNING BUCK MARK

    The Browning Buck Mark is a fairly inexpensive way to get into bullseye shooting without holding most shooters back. It may not be as accurate as the purpose-built models from Hammerli or Walther, but it holds tight enough groups that any 10-ring misses are purely shooter error.
    Like every model on this list, the Buck Mark features a fixed barrel, but unlike the rest has a build-in scope rail. The newest models from Browning, dubbed URX feature an ultra-soft finger-grooved grip, which is good for camping guns, but not necessarily for target ones. The Buck Mark has been around for awhile, so finding accessories should be easy enough and the magazines are inexpensive.

  • SMITH & WESSON MODEL 41

    Designed with the same 105 degree grip as the venerable 1911, the Smith & Wesson Model 41 was built for the 1911 lover wanting to try their hand at bullseye shooting. In fact the stock trigger of a Model 41 feels like it belongs on a match-grade rifle or 1911. Just like a 1911 the Model 41 comes with a steep price tag, and rightfully so — it’s a purpose-built target pistol with ultra-tight fitting internals.
    The Model 41 is more accurate than its main competitor, the Ruger MkIII, but at more than double its Price. Older models are just as accurate as modern ones and often times have a better, hand-fitted trigger. So be sure to check pawn shops for 41’s that might have a scuffed exterior to save big bucks on this tack-driver.