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NRA Classification

21K views 28 replies 17 participants last post by  Steeveedee 
#1 ·
Just a question for all you NRA shooters.
How long have you been shooting?
What classification have you reached?
The reason for the questions is many new shooters what to shoot Expert or even Master scores right out of the box. As I help new shooters I try to tell them set your goals small and you will progress. Shooting is mostly in your head if you don't have to think when you shoot you will be better off.

To answer my own question I have been shooting a little over 20 years and I'm on the verge of my Master class O so close but yet so far.
 
#2 ·
I have been shooting for about 40 years, got into bulls eye and conventional shooting about 5 years ago. Qualified as Expert with a Ruger Black Hawk .357/.38 and use a MK II Gov Target Mod for the Postal League, I finished 1st last year and am currently in second for our club (about 30-40 shooters total)
 
#3 ·
I would be one of the guilty parties that lilski is referring to, as far as wanting to shoot world class scores as a beginner (and I drive him nutz with it at every opportunity!).
This is my first Bullseye season and my scores have climbed steadily.
I'll finish the year with an average in the low 230's, with my high being a 254. I'll definitely work hard (and practice more) to obtain the next step in classification.
 
#4 ·
Been shooting over fourty years....

Expert in my passions...........bullseye and 4 position.

tinkering with master in bullseye but not yet.

never did qualifications in rimfire benchrest but when I have the patience to do a green meanie without swattin flies half way through, high master although the wind has been tuff lately.

Regards,
Cranky
 
#6 ·
As a pretty "average" shooter I took up the Pistol Qualification challenge early last year. Blew through the Basic Practical, Pro-Marksman, Marksman, levels in one session using my existing abilities.

As soon as I hit Marksman First Class, I had to practice because it brought in something I hadn't bothered to work on, weak-side shooting.

Two to three 1-hour practice sessions for each level moved me through Marksman First, to Sharpshooter, to Expert.

This season, I plan to work to get to the Distinguished Expert level. I'm thinking perhaps a month of practicing diligently a couple of times a week will get me there. The Hunter is wearing a TacSol light barrel this year, which should reduce the fatigue somewhat, especially weak-side offhand.
 
#7 ·
Just so that all know ... within the NRA there is 'classification' and there is 'qualification'.

Classification is related to competitive shooting, and is used not only to measure progress but to squad you with / and have you shoot against competitors at the same skill level as you. This is what the OP was asking about.

Qualification is a non-competitive ranking and award program from the NRA that is currently co-sponsored with Winchester. This is was gascolator is discussing. It's a great program for individuals as well as clubs to give structure to a program, and to acknowledge shooters progression and skill levels. Just about every conceivable discipline is covered in the NRA Qualification program so it's very adaptable.

These programs do share some of the same terms for skill levels (Marksman, Sharpshooter, Expert) and the qualification program also has a Distinguished level that uses the same name as the competitive CMP program. So there is confusion out there.

To find out more about the NRA Qualification program head out to:

http://mqp.nra.org/documents/pdf/education/training/marksmanship/qualbook.pdf

To find out the scores necessary for NRA, USAS or CMP competitive classifications you need to look in the appropriate discipline's rulebook.

I hope this is helpful!
 
#8 ·
I haven't had the chance to do any competitions yet, so I don't have a classification and have only done the self monitored qualification. While I'm a Distinguished Expert in it, I don't expect to automatically go out and earn a Sharpshooter classification right out the gate and expect to have to work at it. Still, the qualification makes me want to earn a classification even more; I just don't have the means to enter at the moment.
 
#12 · (Edited)
The scores needed to earn Distinguished Expert in the NRA Qualification program map over to a very high level Sharpshooter bumping into Expert on the competition classification scales. So you have provided yourself an excellent base from which to enter competition!

You have an excellent attitude regarding competition ... realizing it takes hard work and does not come quickly ... but with that attitude you can go far once you decide to jump on in. And I encourage you to do it ... for me there is nothing quite as fun as shooting a match and hanging around some very fine people that most of the folks that shoot these games happen to be. One of the best aspects for me is that you really are only competing against yourself in the end (if you choose to look at it that way) so some of my best days shooting have not necessarily been my best related placement at the match. Meeting and exceeding personal goals if far more motivating for me than winning my category (but hey, it doesn't hurt to win either!).

But that's me ... folks like my wife couldn't conceive of a more boring way to spend the day! Dang ... and she's a really good shot too ... :(
 
#9 ·
I began competition shooting in the mid 50's in USMC. Was already qualified as Expert with rifle and pistol which got me the chance to interview for the team. I got a real eye opener when selected and began going to civilian matches! Lot of great shooters out there! I quickly got my Master card in High power, but I struggled with pistol and worked my way up from Marksman to Sharpshooter, to Expert, and finally Master. Like a lot of things, you get to the top of your classification only to end up at the bottom of the next level <BFG>.
Got away from shooting for years working overseas than came back into it in the 70's with my X wife. We both ended up with distinguished badges in the 80's.
She is International Distinguished #317, mine is Distinguished Pistol #586
Lots of practice and persistence. I always found solace in the fact that a lot more shooters were going through the same struggles and I don' t know of any other sport where your fiercest competitors were generally quick to offer support and advice if not their own equipment!
I've gone home from many a match having lost by some margin, beating myself up saying, "coulda woulda, shoulda" and vowed to practice harder to fix the problem area/s.
To all new competitors, hang in there. Ask questions of those who are ahead of you. There are a lot of really accomplished shooters that visit this forum on a regular basis and are quick to offer advice or encouragement.
Semper Fi
Old Jarhead
 
#13 ·
Well, I find that the best way to ruin something fun is either to get paid to do it or get into competition against other folks doin' it.

So you're never going to see my name up there in some sort of shootin' match.

If that's what floats your boat, fine. But you can keep it.
I understand where you are comming from we have 3 times as many people that dont turn in there scores to the NRA than do but they do keep score. So saying that competing is bad is not a very accurate statement. So I guess the 10s of thousands of shooters around the world are making things worse by competing I think not. So in your own words.

If that's what floats your boat, fine. But you can keep it
 
#27 ·
Competition ??



I've been shooting matches since 92. I figure I'm shooting against myself. I usually know when I've made a good shot, lucky shot or got impatient and rushed a shot. Yes I keep score and turn it in. I shoot for fun. The people I shoot with congratulate you when you've done well. The competition helps me judge my performance, shooting with others under the same conditions. :bthumb:
 
#17 ·
1960

I started shooting competively while serving in the Army.Shot well enough to go to the All Army matches and then on to Camp Perry.Made the Master class in one year.The army team at Fort Benning fine tuned my shooting ability and when I discharged from the service I was shooting quite well. I did learn that I am one of those shooters that needs to practice constantly.If I don't practice all the time,my scores suffer. Practice,practice,practice.
 
#18 ·
Gladwell says it take 10,000 hours to master anything, and I think thats probably a pretty good guideline.

I've been shooting religiously all my life. My Dad started me out as soon as I was out of diapers. He was the top smallbore shooter on his high school and college teams and loved shooting bullseye. It was our baseball.

As a kid it was too easy for me, I had too many advantages ( in terms of equipment and coaching) for it to be competitive locally, and I didn't have the discipline or drive to take it seriously and shoot big matches, but I still shot every chance I got and loved every second of it. Mostly because I got to hang out with my Dad, and he didn't push me, nor was he competitive at all and he wanted other things for me besides shooting.

I didn't start shooting highpower competitively until I was 40. My first card was an expert card, at six months I got a Masters card at Perry and then I hit a plateau and shot matches regularly for several years but never really improved very much although I was privileged to shoot and hang out with a lot of the big dogs in the sport.

Lately I've been shooting Bullseye. I don't have a Bullseye card, but my goal is for my first card be a master card. I've been trying to go through the Marine corps pistol manual posted on Zins website for several years but haven't been able to get to the point where I can reliably the clean the rapid fire target slow fire.

Some of the best advice I ever got from the big dogs is

1. Nobody cares what your scores are, the only thing anybody remembers is how you carry yourself.

2. You always have to ask yourself if you're asking yourself the right questions.

Once I took those two lessons to heart, my previously checkered professional career took off like a rocket and I've never been able to get back to shooting like I'd like to, but I still love it, and miss it when I'm not shooting, and have fun with it which is what its really all about.
 
#19 ·
I need to watch the forum more often down in the other rooms

I am Bullseye Master Class, CMP Distinguished. Used to shoot Smallbore Prone before doing Bullseye. Started Bullseye in 1969. Quit for family reasons in 1976 for 20+ years. When I came back, my first match was a 25 yd 1800 for 22 and CF. I used my long kept HS and fired 810. CF was with a 52 and scored 814. Not bad after a 20+ year layoff. Then I had a nice climb in averages over a couple years doing 2700s. 810 became 820 became 830 became 840 became 850 became 860. I seemed to top out at 860s and 870s. Best 2700 ever is 2580. But with recent age increases and lack of practice time, I would consider 850s a good average. In a week there is our first gallery league match. Sectional in March. I hope to be competitive by then.
 
#21 · (Edited)
I started BE shooting in 1975 in sharpshooter class and in 1977 worked my way to Expert class, then I missed about 4 years because I was working the 2ed shift, and in 1985 to Master class and in 1993 Hi Master class. where I'm still at today at 67 years old.

You will find it takes a lot of dedication to become a good shot , few shooters have that much dedication ! and that's OK as long as they are having fun.
 
#22 · (Edited)
I have had some really good scores and then there were a few times when I had a tough time just hitting the floor. Never the less, I always had a good time, learned a few things, taught a few things, but mostly enjoyed good times and friends.
Checked an award I received a few years back and realized that I had achieved Expert.
One final note, I shot my 2nd 100 yesterday on a rapid fire, had 5 or 6 Bulls, ragged hole straddling the 10 / X circle so I settled for a 5/5 score.
 
#28 ·
Been shooting BE since 1975 ,was classfied Master in about 5 years with iron sights. when RDS became popular and installing a aimpoint 2000 ive been shooting High Master ever since with usually a 295 to 293 average over the flowing years.
never shot a 300 but shot three 299 with a 16x being the best!
 
#29 ·
One of my sons and I are shooting at Distinguished Expert level in the light rifle category. He's at 192+/200, I average 195.5+/200, all on A32 targets. Guess we ought to buy some chrome. Not sure what those other qualifications are. Willing to be educated! Must be in a different system? The NRA/Winchester program is the only one I'm familiar with. I was an NRA CFI for Rifle and Shotgun, and was a Merit Badge counselor for about 10 years as a BSA leader, but I let it expire because of travel for business. :( Busy launching rockets into space (I worked on the payloads- the Defense Support Program). :)
 
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