Hand guns are much more “pointable” than rifles. Couple this with people actually moving around stages with loaded pistols, rather than shooting from a static position behind a bench, and the need for stringent precautions is obvious.
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Safety is paramount. For participants, Range Officers and spectators alike. The fact that we’re “only using airguns” makes no difference whatever - the disciplines we use are EXACTLY the same as those which apply to “real” Practical Pistol, using “real” firearms.
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To shoot in a UKPSA (UK Practical Shooting Association) sanctioned match* you will have to both be a member of the Association AND have passed a Basic Safety Course. Courses cover 2 full days and in addition to safety training you’ll receive invaluable instruction in all aspects of PP shooting from a highly qualified and experienced instructor. The qualification (given that you pass!) from these courses is recognised not only by the UKPSA but also the IPSC (International Practical Shooting Confederation). As its name suggests, this is the international body overlooking our sport.
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The course fee is currently £35 and believe me, it’s money well spent. Upcoming courses are usually announced on the Practical Pistol bulletin board.
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I can almost hear you thinking, after reading the above, “I only want to give PP a try, to see whether it’s as good as it looks , so I don’t want to splash out on a course and membership of the UKPSA at this stage”. Well, we recognise this and have a solution - the safety rules are not meant to be a barrier to newcomers wishing to try the sport.
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What we do is use a “buddy” system for new shooters attending matches - you’ll be teamed up with an experienced competitor for the whole day. Your “buddy” will explain where to go, what to do, what NOT to do and generally help with comments and advice. Please note though that the number of new shooters that can be accommodated at a match is limited, for obvious reasons. Again, the Practical Pistol bulletin board is the place to go for information. If, after shooting a couple of matches, you decide to take up the sport then you’ll be expected to attend a basic course within a reasonable time frame.
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What I’d strongly suggest you do before attending a match for the first time is read through a copy of the PP rule book. It’s a weighty tome, but in there you’ll find a lot of useful safety info. You can download it from the net - details in the links section.
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