The Colorado State Shooting Association’s Dedication to Enhancing Competitive Marksmanship

The Colorado State Shooting Association is honored to join the National Rifle Association in protecting our Second Amendment Rights. From legislative support to presenting at gun shows to trying to promote safe handling of firearms, CSSA is dedicated to seeing people out enjoying their Second Amendment Rights and the shooting sports.

One way we at CSSA are trying to generate even more interest in the shooting sports is to show support to our local matches and match directors. As much fun as plinking with friends and family is, we want to help our residents take shooting to the next level: competitive shooting.

Be it with a rifle, pistol, shotgun, muzzleloader or even an air gun, firearms competition is a fun, challenging and rewarding endeavor. The wide range of firearms and equipment recommended for competition is such that almost everyone has at least one firearm that would be sufficient for testing your skills against other marksmen. The equipment that you don’t have can easily be obtained by simply asking another competitor to lend you something. You’ll seldom be denied, and will always be welcomed into the fold. New shooters help keep our programs and organizations interesting and fun while helping them grow.

Sooner or later, most casual marksmen want to know how they’d do against more experienced shooters. Participation in competitions is part of a marksman’s natural progression in shooting sports.

As rewarding as it is for new shooters to get out, it’s even more rewarding for experienced shooters to welcome new competitors. Many veteran competitors are eager to pass their knowledge and techniques along to newcomers. When new shooters succeed, those unofficial “coaches” experience a sense of pride that is difficult to describe.

Many of the reasons newcomers are hesitant to participate in matches are actually just common misconceptions. We would like to put these myths to rest as we look at the most common excuses.

First, competitions are not expensive. I’ve shot NRA Action Pistol at local, Denver-Metro area clubs. NRA approved matches are usually $25.00 or less and our State and Regional Championships are $50.00 or less. When you look at what it costs to go to a local shooting range for practice, you’ll quickly see that competition is not so cost prohibitive. I recently shot the NRA Precision Pistol Colorado State Championships for $25.00. This was an indoor match which was great given the fact that the competition was in February. We shot .22’s. 90 shots! There is no way I would believe that cost is a sufficient barrier.

I host the Colorado State NRA Action Pistol Championships in the high plains of Colorado about 50 miles East of Denver. Not a real far drive. It can be challenging for new shooters, and even experienced competitors, to get two or three days off for a competition. For the Colorado State NRA Action Pistol Championships, we split our days in half with a morning and an afternoon squad. Our squad sizes are kept reasonable so we can keep the shoot moving. Next, we offer our events over 2-3 days. If you can’t make it on a Saturday, then we offer a Thursday or Friday as well. Our goal is to provide our competitors with the opportunity to shoot a State Championship in half a day. We just eliminated another “reason” not to compete.

“I don’t know the rules or how to shoot the match!” This is understandable but we offer classes and organized practice sessions to help new, and even some more experienced competitors, to improve. Many of our more experienced competitors frequently invite “newbies” out for practice sessions where they explain the rules and offer pointers. Remember the fun you had, and how much you learned, when your dad, or whomever taught you to shoot, would take you out to the range when you were young? It’s kind of like that. We offer everything from informal outings to full-blown professional training. When you attend classes or practice sessions, don’t be surprised if you end up walking away with a new belt, holster or some other gear that someone doesn’t use anymore.

The real reason that a lot of people forego competition is that they are afraid of looking inexperienced. They don’t think that they have the skill levels necessary to participate in, let alone win, a match. Nothing could be further from the truth! As an example, remember your junior high school dances? You were so afraid of making a fool of yourself that you stayed huddled together with your friends. Then your first dance, complete with sweaty hands and awkward steps. You were the “cool kid” who danced while everyone stood against the wall. Kind of neat, huh?

I have been competing since 1968 and when people break down and tell me the truth, many say, “I don’t want to embarrass myself because everyone is watching.” As common of an argument as that is, it’s misguided. But everyone feels that way. That’s the cool part. Most new competitors are so afraid of embarrassing themselves that they aren’t watching anyone else. When you shoot poorly, don’t worry. There will be plenty of others to join you in the “should’ve, could’ve, would’ve” group. You’ll know you’ve made it when you think, “just wait until next time!” Believe me, over the course of decades, I’ve shot some horrible scores. I don’t remember them because I’ve put them behind me. But I am no stranger to poor performance in a match. All I can tell you is, “just wait until next time!”

For all of you athletes out there (believe me, competitive shooting is an athletic event), what do you do to prepare for an event? Running, weightlifting and tennis are all good sports that are fairly easy to practice. But shooting? Ah, that’s a little different. There’s ammo, and range fees, driving and time. But I’ll tell you what, if you come out to a match, I will give you the techniques and direct you to the resources that will allow you to get some meaningful practice in. I’ll show you how, for less than $10.00, you can have the facilities to get practice in whenever you want. How’s that as a value for your CSSA and NRA dues?

Seems like we are eliminating a lot of excuses. Let’s eliminate the word “can’t” from our competitive vocabulary. With “can’t” gone, that just leaves “won’t.” So let’s work on getting rid of “won’t” too.

“I never win!” And you never will if you stay on the couch watching TV. Do you know what a couch really is? It’s a coffin without walls. As for me, I’d rather go out and get beat than stay at home and wonder.

And what about winning? Winning is a concept that is molded by your character and personality. Let me ask you this, what would you rather do, go out and shoot a horrible score and win the match or go out and shoot your best score and come in last?

Really, who are you competing against in the first place? Sure, a plaque, trophy or medallion is nice, and a reward of a few bucks can make the drive home and the trip to McDonald’s a little more fun. But really, who are YOU competing against? Be it a big match or practice, I don’t really compete against anyone or anything except that little 4” black dot, the X-ring. Success is what you make of it and how you measure it.

The NRA offers the Marksmanship Qualification Program. This is a fun and challenging way to break into competitive shooting sports. There are instructions on rules, courses of fire, and fun ways to grow and start out. I still shoot many of these courses of fire as they are great building blocks and warm-ups for competition.

We in the shooting sports competitions need you! We as Second Amendment Advocates need you. We as citizens who believe in the right to keep and bear arms need you. And now, the NRA and CSSA are trying to give you a little more in the way of support. Two years ago, I was given the honor to serve as CSSA’s Director of Shooting Sports. My job is to further the shooting sports by offering support and guidance to competitors and match directors. But I can’t do it without you. If you want to become a match director at your local club and host either informal or NRA approved disciplines, then please reach out to me so I can help you, and ultimately help our sport grow. Come on out and get the most out of your NRA and CSSA dues.

My name is Alex Ragulsky. If you have any questions or want some help getting started in competitive shooting, I can be contacted at alex.ragulsky@aol.com. The fun you’ll have and the joy you’ll experience as you embark upon the journey of competitive shooting will be worthwhile. But remember, most people avoid success because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like hard work. It is, but together we can do it. CSSA and the NRA are here for you. Make sure that you use us and get your money’s worth. We expect nothing less from our members.