You may know it as Bianchi Cup, but Action Pistol is more than just Bianchi. There are local matches, state and regional matches, and of course, Bianchi Cup every May in Columbia MO. There are a bunch of stages, but the most commonly shot are the four seen at Bianchi every year. The Mover, Plates, Practical, and the Barricade. Except for the falling plates, you are shooting at a Tombstone-type target with an 8-inch 10 ring and a 4-inch X-ring. X count decides championships, but if you think it is easy to keep them all in the much larger 10 ring, you are in for a bit of a shock.
The closest targets are shot at 10 yards, the furthest at 50 yards. Blazing speed is not a part of Action Pistol, but the speed requirements are fast enough, that very few people can hold an 8-inch circle shot after shot. So, without going into boring detail about every stage, why should you shoot Action Pistol?
An 8-inch target represents many real-world targets, whether for hunting or defense. If you can’t hold 8 inches in those fields, you may be shooting too fast. The A zone of a USPSA target, let alone the A/C zone, is way too big for anything other than USPSA. Specifically, the A zone on a USPSA target is way too long. That makes it very forgiving of inexpert shooting as the most common shooting error is dumping rounds low through anticipation. Shoot a deer outside of that 8-inch vital zone and you will likely not be eating venison. If you do get your deer, it will be after more shots are fired or some potentially difficult tracking is accomplished. All that time, the deer are suffering, and the meat is being affected by adrenaline. I prefer my dinner to fall over dead after the first shot.
If you are dealing with a homicidal human, which you will be by definition if you are justified in using lethal force, then the fastest way to end the threat to you or others is to get good hits in the vital zone. A shoulder hit or a gut shot will not reliably do the job.
Before 9/11/01, many top law enforcement and military shooters visited Bianchi yearly. They saw the value in the blend of speed and accuracy that Action Pistol offers. Years of deployments made that annual trip impossible for many but with the end of the GWOT in Afghanistan and Iraq, some have started to return. No sport can possibly prepare you for a fight, but of all the pistol sports out there today, Action Pistol has perhaps the most relevant weapons skills. It is also one of the few practical sports that has a possible perfect score. You are not competing against anyone except yourself.
I am slightly embarrassed to admit that I have not yet made Master in the sport. It’s not easy, as I think I have mentioned. The medal pictured was for first place Expert, but in reality was also 2nd place, coming in just behind the High Master who won the Production Optics division. My goal is to make Master next year, but it will likely require that I shoot more matches than I have been able to. In the meantime, I hope to see some of you out there!
Is there a handy website to find local clubs having Action Pistol matches?
Why yes, there is! I thought I had put it in the post, but I see that I did not.
https://www.juliegolob.com/bulletinx
I shot my first NRA Action pistol match this spring. It was great fun. It is unfortunate that there aren’t more events, but they seem to have a participation problem. It does require a well equipped range, and as you said not only is it not easy, I think some of the go fast guys are turned off by what they see as bullseye shooting. I think it is a pretty good mix. The hard part for me was figuring out the barricades. Julie G. had a good segment on that in a recent episode of Shooting USA. I look forward to doing some more of it.
You are certainly correct. There are some specific range requirements that make it a bit challenging to host (though very doable for a decently equipped club and the stages can do double duty for other training as well). Barricades are definitely hard. I have been shooting them without touching them, and though that’s not the most stable, it works for me. Also makes me a better shooter, but if I want to hit high master, I guess I will figure out how to brace on them more effectively. Some are very solid and others whip in the wind.
As far as the go fast types seeing it as bullseye…it might as well be for all the lack of accuracy I see from modern speed competitors. No one sport offers everything, but Action Pistol is a very nice blend. I think Steel challenge and Action Pistol are a great combination for skill development.
I’m a huge fan of Action Pistol. The best part about it is that you can have a team match with your family and friends. It’s a great way to get away from screen time and spend some quality time with loved ones.
That’s great to hear, where do you shoot?