Top 4 Tips For Beginner Bullseye Pistol Shooters

by
posted on October 23, 2018
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
bz-shotprocess-3.jpg
Beginning bullseye shooters need only a .22 LR pistol in good repair with good sights, ammunition, and eye and ear protection. Here are four of our top tips for novices to this discipline, the original competitive pistol shooting sport.

4)  Contact your local range. If you have a large or very active range near you, chances are that it has or participates in a bullseye league. Just call or email to inquire, and they'll tell you the when, where and how of joining. Additionally, SSUSA's Coming Events section is an excellent resource you can use to find bullseye matches local to you.

3)  Ask questions. The best sources for information about bullseye pistol shooting are other competitors. It's not just that they don't mind sharing information—they're eager to do so. Shooting is often their passion, and they welcome the opportunity to share it with others. Other good sources are the NRA Precision Pistol rulebook, and the Bullseye-L online forum. The latter is a great place to discuss all aspects of NRA precision pistol shooting.

2)  Exercise safe gun-handling skills. Bullseye is a fun, relaxed sport of good fellowship. The guns are often beautiful, sleek, competitive tools, but they are guns. Others will be patient with you as you learn the ins and outs of bullseye, but no one tolerates dangerous gun handling—nor should they. Observe the basics of safe gun handling, whether on the range or practicing at home.

1)  Don't be intimidated. It's a handicap league. The Pardini-armed world champion in the next lane has no better chance than you do with your beat-up plinker you purchased fourth hand at a gun show. Believe us when we say the pressure's on him. Relax and have fun.


More reading on bullseye pistol shooting:

Latest

Nrapistol Honoraryclub 1
Nrapistol Honoraryclub 1

NRA Honorary Club Recognition Has Returned

NRA announces Honorary Club recognition for Precision Pistol shooters who achieved elite scores from 2018 through 2025 after a six-year pause.

How Volunteers Are The Heartbeat of USPSA

Why volunteers are the backbone of practical shooting and how every contribution fuels the sport’s continued growth.

Turner Parcell Takes HOA at 2026 NSCA East Coast Championship

Team Remington’s Turner Parcell wins HOA with 187/200 at the 2026 NSCA East Coast Championship. Teammate Michael Luongo sweeps 12-Gauge and 20-Gauge events at Hunters Pointe.

Ole Miss Rifle’s Audrey Gogniat Secures Second Consecutive NCAA Air Rifle Title

Audrey Gogniat of Ole Miss defends NCAA air rifle title with a stunning come-from-behind win in the final at Ohio State on Saturday.

RCBS Adds To MatchMaster Precision Case Trimmer Lineup

RCBS adds a .338-caliber pilot and a pilot-free 3-Way Cutter Head to the MatchMaster Precision Case Trimmer, extending the line’s caliber range and speeding up bench workflow.

Kentucky’s Braden Peiser Surges to Win NCAA Smallbore Title

Kentucky’s Braden Peiser wins individual smallbore title at 2026 NCAA Rifle Championship with 466.0 final score at Ohio State’s Covelli Center.

Interests



Get the best of Shooting Sports USA delivered to your inbox.