What is a reasonable score?

First topic message reminder :

Today is the first day in two years that I brought actual NRA targets to the range.  Until now, I've been bringing either targets so I could calculate my group size, and then targets with a single 1 1/2" black bull, nothing else.

Next step was to look up how to score the NRA targets - hopefully I did this right, anything touching or inside the 10 ring gets 10 points, and so on for the 9, 8, 7, and whatever other rings.  Take 10 shots, do the math, and there will be a total ranging from 0 to 100.

My question here, is to ask how well "average" shooters do.  If someone gets a score of 60, 70, 80, 90, or whatever, when does it start to be considered "good".  This is for average people, who just enjoy bullseye shooting.  It's not for world record holder champions.  


As a side thought, I would think 90% of how well someone does is determined by their personal ability, and maybe 5% by the equipment they use, and maybe another 5% based on the ammunition.   .....which implies spending a lot of money on the best gun or the best ammunition is NOT worthwhile until someone gets "good enough" for that to matter.  For someone scoring 70 on a target, that's probably not worthwhile.  If they score 80, maybe - not sure.  I'd guess that once they score over 90, that is the time to start looking at the equipment.  Any thoughts?

Don't worry about your's, or anyone else's, rankings. If you leave the range happy with what you did, your in good shape. I shoot master scores with my 22 yet I'm ranked a marksman (goes to show you where my 45 scores are!) practice and enjoy the time you spend doing it. That's my outlook anyway.

Thank you!  Yes, wonderful place.  I've read, and re-read, and re-re-read almost anything I could find on how to do better.  Every year I go back there, and find things I forgot, or things I mis-understood.

mikemyers wrote:Thanks for posting all the above, especially the basic information.  That did answer my question, different distances.  I didn't realize there were different targets.  How much of the shooting is done with the NRA B-2 target?

I will stop asking questions.  You guys are way, way over my head.  I'll do the best I can with what I have now, and at the club I belong to, Hollywood Rifle and Pistol Club (http://www.hrpclub.info/index.html).  That's my photo on the home page.  I understand far more about photography than I will ever understand about bullseye competition, but my goal is to get "reasonably good" at bullseye shooting.  I will read the rest of the information on the NRA page.

It seems like most of you guys are "Expert", "Master", and "High Master".  From the ratings listed in the user information, most people here are in those categories.  I'm sure if I get classified, it would be Marksman.  I keep improving, but I've got a long ways to go.

I started off a Marksman and worked my way thru the classes. There is nothing wrong with that. If you have the determination, physical ability and endurance, you won't stay in the Marksman class long.

Thanks, 243winxb.  I was looking at a B-4 target earlier.  That's different.  What you posted makes the difference very clear.

I'm off to find a listing of all the Bullseye targets, and what they're used for - or are these the only two?

Long ago, someone told me B-4....



Added later - went to the HRPC website and found what they use:
TARGETS:  NRA B-8    

I haven't really thought that much about all this until now.  All I used to care about was group size, and I made my own targets.

Thanks!!!

If your range has 50 yards pistol facilities you'll want:

B-6 50 Yard Slow Fire (and B-6(C) repair center)
B-8 25 Yard Timed and Rapid (and B-8(C) repair center)

(You could just get the B-8, B-8(C) and B-6(C) and use the B-6(C) on the B-8 for 50 yard SF)


If your range is 25 yards only:

B-16 25 Yard Slow Fire
B-8 25 Yard Timed and Rapid (and B-8(C) repair center)


If your range is 50 feet:

B-2 50 Foot Slow Fire
B-3 50 Foot Timed and Rapid


If your range is 20 yards:

B-4 20 Yard Slow Fire
B-5 20 Yard Timed and Rapid


You'll also want pasters (or masking tape) and cardboard to fit the the target frames.

Thanks.  I'm thoroughly confusabobbled right now.  Like I said, I've only been shooting for all these years for group size, and with the M-41 at 15 yards, that is now between 2" and 2.5" groups.  

For some reason I got a M-4 target, which I combined with my own target with a 1 inch grid to calculate CEP.  I never messed with the math for scoring targets until a few days ago.

I just looked up the targets on the HRPC website, and it says B-8.  I printed one out:
    http://www.1bad69.com/ruger/bullseyepistoltargets.pdf
...and it's huge.  Maybe I printed it wrong, but the 10 ring is well over 3".

I will get or print one each of the ones you've described, so I have some idea of what it will be like if I get into an NRA competition

At the Hollywood Rifle and Pistol Club range I can shoot at 15, 25, or 50 yards.  Since I've just been going for group size, to keep things consistent, I always have shot at 15 yards.  Makes it easy to compare targets over time.


I'm pretty sure this will eventually make perfect sense to me, but right now the only thing I know for sure is my group size at 15 yards, which has been coming down over the years and is now approaching two inches.  Lots more to learn.

(I'll probably learn this a lot faster, if I sign up for an NRA match, and learn by doing what I'm told.)

No, you printed it correctly. The 10 ring on the B-8 and B-6 is 3.36". That's why you can use the B-6(C) repair center on the B-8 target. You just shoot at a different cadence at different distances.

As Carey said before, you have 10 minutes to shoot 10 shots at 50 yards and either 10 or 20 seconds for five shots at 25.

Yes, it would make much more sense either watching; or better yet, participating in a match. It looks like there is a pistol match at your club this Sunday. It's not clear from the website what format but you might want to go and watch. The do mention that a modified Bukllseye match is available (whatever that means).

Thanks, Wile.  I was planning on going to the "Old Shooter's Match" the following Sunday, but I have to be up in Fellsmere for a week.  I will definitely sign up for a match here when I return.  The only match I competed in was maybe three years ago, and I just did what I was told, and enjoyed the shooting.

I'll print out ten or twenty of the B-8 target, and go back to the range Tuesday.  


......which will be another thing to learn, how to adjust the Matchdot II sight for 25 and 50 yards.  I guess I need to sight those in as well.  I hadn't really thought of that until now...

Sounds like you need to develop a good training plan. Find the instructions for developing a shot process on this forum, and download the USMC "red book". Use their plan, and train at 25 yds.

Most of the indoor ranges I shot at for competition have 25 yards and use the B16 The 50 foot B2 target is very difficult. Unfortunately my club only has 50 feet for indoor shooting. Keep asking questions, that's how you learn! Understand some of us my have high classifications but were were all Marksman at one time!

davekp wrote:Sounds like you need to develop a good training plan. Find the instructions for developing a shot process on this forum, and download the USMC "red book". Use their plan, and train at 25 yds.

+1 Don't just go out and shoot without a plan/objectives, sure it's fun but, you might be developing bad habits without realizing it.  Base your plan on what makes a good shot.  Focus on what you did when you got that X and repeat it.  You will discover quickly that this sport is 95% mental.

If your range is shorter than 25 yds, reduce the practice targets in the USMC workbook.

Here a link to the USMC workbook/training tool:
https://www.bullseyeforum.net/t5966-usmc-pistol-team-workbook

Great intro info on bullseye:
http://www.bullseyepistol.com/

The AMU Pistol Marksmanship Guide is a good resource for the basics including: Mental Discipline, Diet and Exercise.
http://www.bullseyepistol.com/chapterf.htm

- Dave