Frequently
Asked Questions
Q:
Who won the first World Speed Shooting title?
A:
The first Steel Challenge was won in 1981 by John Shaw from Memphis.
Q:
What’s the basic format of the Challenge?
A:
The simple Steel Challenge format of five big steel targets variously
arranged in seven different stages with shooting distances from six to
forty yards has remained unchanged since the 1982 match.
Q:
How is the match scored?
A:
Competitors are timed electronically, from their draw in reaction to the
audible start signal to their last shot on each string of fire. The
competitor’s fastest four times out of five attempts on each stage are
added together for an aggregate score. The lowest total score for all
seven stages in each division wins.
Q:
How fast do the competitors shoot?
A:
The fastest times are shot by Open Division competitors, with winning
times hovering around the 70 second mark. That’s a minute and ten
seconds to draw a lightened, scoped and compensated custom race gun 27
times and hit a total of 135 targets across seven different courses of
fire from 6 to 40 yards. Add some extra miss-recovery shots, and the top
gun racers are actually shooting more than three accurate shots per
second.
Q:
How many rounds are fired during the Steel Challenge?
A:
At least a quarter of a million rounds will be fired during Steel
Challenge Week. About 65,000 rounds will be fired by competitors in the
match itself. Additionally, most shooters bring extra ammunition,
typically firing three to ten rounds on the practice range for every one
they shoot for score.
Q:
Is there prize money for the winners?
A:
The Steel Challenge is the richest Pro-Am pistol shooting match in the
world, with over $260,000 in cash and merchandise prizes. The overall
winner receives a check for $5,000 in addition to stage money and other
prizes.
Q:
How would one characterize the sport of steel shooting?
A:
Think of it as gun racing against the clock, much like auto racing.
Q:
What kind of guns are used?
A:
The Steel Challenge recognizes divisions for many different types of
handguns, and also hosts a shotgun event. Open Division is the fastest,
like Formula One is to auto racing. Highly customized, specialized
pistols with electronic sights and recoil compensators are legal in
Open. Limited is analogous to NASCAR, with rules restricting
modifications to production pistols. There are also divisions for modern
revolvers, stock police-type pistols, .22 rimfires and even
single-action Cowboy guns. “If it’s a handgun, we have a division
for it here at the Steel Challenge,” says Match Director Mike Dalton.
Q:
What calibers are used?
A:
To create a level playing field, 9mm / .38 Special is the minimum
caliber permitted for all divisions except for the .22 rimfire events.
Q:
How many competitors will attend the match?
A:
Over 200 shooters from the United States, Canada and ten other nations
will compete in the 2003 Steel Challenge.
Q:
How popular is steel shooting nationwide?
A:
Shooting sports in general are growing in
popularity. As the STEEL CHALLENGE emerged as the most lucrative shooting match
in the world with a purse of over $260,000 in cash and prizes, the
interest in shooting steel has grown with clubs and ranges around the
country adding steel targets at their facilities. Several companies
specialize in steel target systems for shooting ranges providing
shooters and ranges with a greater variety of products.
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