Low level marksmen sometimes claim that competition shooting is too restrictive to be useful for tactically minded folks. This misconception is due to misinformation as to what competition shooting can be.

Anyone that has trained in a military or law enforcement environment has seen many more strange. potential “training scar” restrictions enforced in the name of safety than most convoluted and alleged examples given against competition shooting. Worse, most people carrying guns don’t take a class beyond minimum qualification (LEO, military, or CCW) either. Participation in any kind of organized shooting is better than what most people do.

If your practice is based on inflexibility then you are creating habits that you will adhere to in real time. Sadly, there are way more “Range Rangers” flipping out and being inflexible on military and police training ranges than competitive events. Tactics classes (“line dances”) are just as restrictive.

Contrast this to many practical competition formats that often allow shooters to engage targets in any order anywhere on the range. Many times the stage procedure is, “Start here and at the signal engage targets in any order as they appear.” The only restriction is you can’t point your firearm at the RO or others on the range. I think that’s a “restriction” worth adhering to.

Also note that any rule in competition can be changed. Most of the complaints against competition shooting are valid only for specific formats. If USPSA, IDPA or another organization’s rules are too restrictive, you are free to use something else.

Organized shooting can take any format desired. The only restriction is the event designer’s intelligence and ability to set up something worth attending.