The Pistol Team is part of the Adirondack Foothills Pistol League (AFPL) and competes through the winter months. We shoot what is known as the NRA Gallery course. It is fired indoors with a .22 pistol (generally a semi-auto), and consists of 10 shots slow, 10 shots a little faster, and 10 shots even faster – generally referred to as “slow, timed, and rapid fire”.
There are currently eight teams in the league and the season runs from December until March or early April – half the matches are at Galway, half are away at the other team’s ranges.
The Pistol Team practices on Sunday evenings (people generally start showing up around 6 PM) and matches are on Monday evenings at 8 PM. It currently costs an additional $25 to join the Pistol Team, and match fees are generally 3 or 4 dollars each. There is a big party at the end of the season for shooters and spouses (which is heavily subsidized) and awards and prizes are handed out.
Contrary to popular belief, you do not have to be a good shooter to join the team. Part of our job is to teach you to be a good shooter. There are at least 5 or 6 certified instructors on the Team, and you’ll get lots of help. There are also some good handouts and some formal classroom instructions. Don’t let your inexperience hold you back. If you’re interested in shooting, come on down – meet the people – give it a try. You might find you really like it. And by the way, this is not a male sport – about a third of the team are women.
Just as an aside, the Team is generally pretty successful, finishing at or near the top of the League every year, and placing well in regional and national tournaments.
Come give it a try.