Shooting
Get Started Shooting
Competitive & Recreational Shooting
Like many outdoor pursuits, sport shooting is truly an equalizer among its participants. This can be evidenced by the wide variety of professional competitors within the sport, whether through the National Sporting Clays Association or summer Olympic Games. Rather than measuring skill in stature or strength, success is shooting sports relies on great mental precision and fine motor skills.
If this stimulating sport sounds like fun to you, you’re in the right place! Getting the right introduction to shooting sports ensures a quality first-time experience that will begin a journey of lifetime enjoyment.
Shooting Sports
The term “shooting sports” actually refers to a collective group of both competitive and recreational activities that can include shotguns, rifles, and handguns. Different disciplines of shooting sports may involve both team and individual competition and can be categorized by equipment, shooting distances, targets, time limits and degrees of athleticism involved.
Begin with the Basics
It’s important to first learn firearm safety that will help you develop the knowledge, skills and attitude that are needed to pursue your shooting interests. A professional shooting facility can offer introductory programs and quality instruction from skilled athletes. Contact your local facility and make an appointment – be sure to let them know you’re a newcomer to the sport. They will provide the right information and instruction to get you started. If you can't find a range, locate a shooting sports retailer near you. A good shooting sports retailer can help get you pointed in the right direction to find firearm safety courses and shooting instruction near you.
Get Started
First Shots for New Shooters Provided by National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF)
The biggest challenge for new shooters is getting started. First Shots makes getting started in shooting very easy — and, best of all, participants that complete the post event survey are rewarded with a coupon to use on their next visit to the host range.
Training & Safety
Firearm Training Student Courses Provided by National Rifle Association (NRA)
The NRA Education and Training Department provides a variety of programs to develop safe, ethical and responsible shooters and instructors.
Where to Shoot
WhereToShoot.org Provided by National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF)
WhereToShoot.org is the web's most comprehensive directory of shooting ranges. The site is updated frequently with range information in every state.
National Shooting Sports Foundation
NSSF is a trade association for the shooting, hunting and firearms industry. Formed in 1961, the National Sports Foundation is a non-for-profit organization with a membership of more than 12,000 manufacturers, distributors, retailers, sportsmen's organizations and publishers.
Conservation
Just like hunters and anglers, shooting sports participants have a much larger impact on conservation than they may realize. Recreational or competitive sport shooters may or may not harvest game, but they still contribute to the future of wildlife when they purchase firearms or ammunition. Target shooting participants have contributed nearly $5.1 billion dollars to conservation through annual state, local and federal taxes.
Sources
NSSF Report: Target Shooting in America 2018