Need Advise on Para Shooting

Discussion of the adaptive needs of shooters.

Moderators: pilkguns, m1963, Spencer, Thomas Monto

Post Reply
MGoodman
Posts: 34
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2019 1:40 pm

Need Advise on Para Shooting

Post by MGoodman »

I am thinking of offering Air Rifle and Air Pistol Shooting to Disabled Vets.
I have 40 years experience coaching junior smallbore and air rifle and currently run a junior air rifle club.
I have the equipment necessary. Rifles, Air pistols, scopes, etc.
I have read the rules but find I cannot understand it.
I have shot with a Para Olympic shooter, but his disability was fairly simple, he was paralyzed from the waist down,
so he shot off a table on his wheel chair, shooting prone with elbows on table and offhand with arms off table.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
marty223@charter.net
Bob Foth
Posts: 81
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2004 1:00 am
Location: Colorado Springs, CO

Re: Need Advise on Para Shooting

Post by Bob Foth »

"he shot off a table on his wheel chair, shooting prone with elbows on table and offhand with arms off table."
Sounds like you've got the right basic idea already.
To get started, find whatever it takes to get the rifle or pistol safely pointed at the target and start shooting. You and the athletes can figure out the details that pertain to their individual disabilities from there.
For athletes with upper body disabilities (physically unable to support the rifle), to compete, they will support the weight of the rifle on a spring stand. I have some of the competition legal ones for sale. You can get them started with anything that supports the rifle while allowing them to work fine motor control to shoot.
There is some grant money out there looking for programs and athletes too...
ABerryhill
Posts: 257
Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2015 4:22 pm

Re: Need Advise on Para Shooting

Post by ABerryhill »

If I may add my $.02 on the matter to Bob's excellent advice, sometimes shooters need specific gear adaptations to their guns to help them shoot. While most of my work is 3d printing pistol and rifle grips, I've done some quite specialized pieces for Para shooters. The last time I was at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Bob introduced me to Gracie Hoyt who needed a tiny secondary grip on her rifle. It was the second or third such job I'd done for Bob's Para shooters and I have to say it was some of the most satisfying work I've ever done. If you go over to my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Precision-Targ ... _todo_tour) you can see pics of Gracie and the piece I made for her.

So if you ever come across a shooter who has some special needs I might be able to help with, please reach out via my webpage, PrecisionTargetPistolGrips.com. I love making grips for kids and shooters who can't otherwise participate in our sport.

Andrew

Precision Target Pistol Grips
Post Reply