Competitive Shooting: What Kinds of Guns Can You Use?

Who better to answer that question than Team Smith & Wesson's winningest shooters?

posted on October 17, 2022

Team Smith & Wesson's Julie Golob and Jerry Miculek are legends in the shooting sports. He's the fastest shooter in the world. She's one of the winningest women in competitive shooting. Like most competitive shooters, though, what they want more than one more trophy for their own overcrowded mantels is to see you bring home the first one for yours. That's a lot more possible than you might think. After all, everybody starts somewhere and you'll never know how good you could be unless you try!

So what do you need to know to get started in the shooting sports? Well, the first thing you'll want to do is look at the different types of competitions to see what sounds like "you." In addition to all the different kinds of shooting sports to try—which are too many to name here—you'll want to learn about the divisions in each sport. Generally, there are two: open and production.

What's the difference? As you'll see from this terrific video from S&W's GUNSMARTS series, it's almost as simple as it sounds. (The operant word in that sentence is "almost.") A "production" division is basically a competition in which you're shooting a gun that hasn't been modified since it left the manufacturer. An "open" division is one in which you're permitted to bust out all the ballistic bells and whistles. Whether you choose to upgrade or go out of the box, there's a shooting sport (and a gun) for you.  

Latest

Nraam Promo
Nraam Promo

NRA Show Preview: Join Us in Atlanta!

Never been to an NRA Show? Here's what you've been missing!

MidwayUSA Named Official Sponsor of the 2025 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits

Glock, Inc. is the Presenting Sponsor of the Freedom Experience on Saturday, April 26, 2025.

Two Big Wins for Alabama Women

Two turkey Grand Slams and a bouncing Boykin Spaniel helped put these women high on our outstanding outdoor women list!

Marjorie Foster: The First Woman to Win the Sovereign’s Prize

If there is a second place for most famous “shot heard round the world,” it could be the last round to leave Marjorie’s Enfield.

Concealed Carrying and Dating

Tips for dating safety in the age of meeting internet strangers for a date.

Revolvers and the U-Shaped Curve

Is a revolver a good choice for a self-defense gun? Well, maybe, depending on who you are.

Women's Interests



Get the best of NRA Women delivered to your inbox.