Matches at 25 V. 50 yards

Hey all, 
I wasn't sure in which category this belonged, so this seemed like the most logical location. 

I have been shooting in a club league for 3 years now. I averaged an 84% this past year, by no means earth shattering. I would really like to shoot a full 2700, but I have never shot at 50yds. My club uses the reduced 25yd slow fire targets. Is it ridiculous to even attempt my first 50yd targets in a match? Brian Zins told me that the 50yd targets are easier to shoot than the reduced 25 yarders, but I think he was just trying to make me feel better  

Any advice would be really appreciated. I want to shoot a 2700, but I also don't want to tank and ruin my confidence. 

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Shoot it! Don't worry about the score. Focus on the process. Whatever the score, just work on improving. You've got to start sometime.

I'd say I'd have to agree with Brian. The 50 foot and twenty-five yard reduced targets are butt kickers compared to the fifty yard target. Don't be afraid to try it. You'll do fine!

Jim

I learned to throw zeroes at Camp Perry. You realize what you need to do to tighten up.
Just don't hit the frames and you'll do fine.

Just go, you'll have fun and make some new friends.  If you've never shot at 50 yards, go up 4 clicks of elevation.  You can readjust after the first target.  Pay attention to your target number and don't cross fire. The 50 yard target is easier. It has the black to the 8 ring, but it looks the same size from the firing line.

Thank you all for the responses. I'll use the 4 clicks as a guideline. Should that be a good estimate for both 22 and 45? Thanks for the tip on crossfire! Atleast it's sf so I'll be able to take my time and be sure I'm on the proper target.

Just make sure to use your sight-in time, if you have any, and take a scope that will let you see .22 holes at 50. That was the first problem to pop up with my cruddy spotting scope. Don't end up using your first official rounds as sighting targets like I did!

The target black at 50 is comfortable to shoot. Your biggest worry is worrying about it.

If you shoot 25 indoors, then your biggest adjustment may be shooting 25 without a familiar backstop. I was surprised to find THAT was harder to get my brain used to the first time I was able to shoot a 50-yd match.

Jwhelan939 wrote:Thank you all for the responses. I'll use the 4 clicks as a guideline. Should that be a good estimate for both 22 and 45?

.45, yes. .22, maybe not. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but the difference between 25 and 50 yards for a .22LR is something like 0.25 inches. I'm not good enough to notice that difference.

I use 3 clicks for .22 and 5 clicks for .45 when going from 25 to 50 yards using a Matchdot 2. Seems like the 50 yard target is not quite twice the size of a 25 yard target, the 25 yard target has the 7 inside where the 50 yard target has the 7 in the white so that helps.

Go and shoot, you'll have a personal best. I guarantee it.

Chances are that if you shoot the 50 like me and Arthir-Itis (88% +/-)  your wobble cancels any sight adjustment. I'd just go shoot the 50 like you did it all the time, confidently. If you see a group after the first 4 shots then make Kentucky windage adjustments. If they're all over the place, just try to keep 'em in the repair center. Then keep 'em in the black. Hone the skill with sight adjustments once you get a reliable group.

50 yd slow fire is far more pleasant that 25 yd reduced targets in my opinion.  I've shot a ton of both.  My home range does not have 50yds, I volunteered to run matches there and missed 50 yd slow fire.  

Just do what you do at 25 yds, only farther away and two to four clicks higher with a 45.  I do not adjust my sights with 22, they have always worked fine at 50yds without adjustment.

Our league just moved to the 25 rd reduced target and the NRA confirmed scores are treated exactly as if shot at the 50 yd.  There was a lot of concern over it.  After 2 matches, our scores are the same as they'd have been at 50.

what would you recommend for iron sight adjustments? i have a springfield range officer with adjustable sights and haven't really had the chance to shoot at a 50 yard target.

Your not shooting at scoring rings, your shooting at the center.

Dave C

Are the reduced 25 yarders the RF/TF?

No a 25 yard reduced slow fire target [B-16] has smaller rings and 7,8,9 and 10 rings are black so that the black diameter is very near the diameter of the black of the the T/F and R/F [B-8] however it is slightly smaller. The B-6 50 yard target and B-8 25 yard target is exactly the same in ring diameters but the 8 ring is black on the 50 yard  B-6 target. Therefore the reduced diameter of the 7 ring is about the same as the 9 ring of the other targets.
 I might add that I have always had a better score shooting the 25 yard [B-16] than the 50 yard [B-8]

Ok I liked that data makes me feel like I might be shooting better when I am shooting outside and not in side at this B-4 target.  Don