Gun suggestions for bowling pin shoot?

[Bigum1969]

I've never seen a bowling pin shot before. Is the object to shoot as many pins as possible in the shortest amount of time?

[AllenM]

well cool I will be using 45 ACP but right now I have a bunch of 230 gr hollow points loaded up I planned on using.
Seems like those should work also....I hope. It's at the next pin shoot at MCF&G that I hope to do my first shoot.

Originally Posted by pinhead56

hmm, somehow I missed this thread previously... right up my alley

I shoot at MCF&G matches with 45 acp 230 grain rainier plated bullets. To really do the job I wouldn't go any less than 357 magnum. Anything 40+ is reasonable. Some guys are shooting 9mm and 38 spl, but the pins have to be moved to the middle of the table. If you hit it square with the 45, you clear it off the table, no problem. The main thing is to hit the pin solidly, otherwise you just knock it over and then it's hell to kick off the table. It always seems to spin and "point" at you so you have a little 3-4 inch target. Just blast it off the table.

[epsylum]

Originally Posted by Bigum1969

I've never seen a bowling pin shot before. Is the object to shoot as many pins as possible in the shortest amount of time?

There are two tables about 7-10 yards from the shooters (each shooter has their own table) with 5 pins each them near the front edge of the table. The first to clear the table by shooting all the pins off their table wins. Knocking them over not only doesn't count, but makes it harder to get the pin off the table as you now have a smaller target to aim at. It you are good, it should only take 5 shots. Most of us aren't though so it gets interesting.

It is sort of like gun drag racing. It doesn't matter how fast or slow you are (there aren't any timers), as long as you are faster than the guy you are currently up against.

[Barry in IN]

That man-on-man part adds a lot to it, I think.
You learn to just worry about your own shooting, but at first you can't help but think about how the other guy is doing. It doesn't help.

[epsylum]

Originally Posted by Barry in IN

That man-on-man part adds a lot to it, I think.
You learn to just worry about your own shooting, but at first you can't help but think about how the other guy is doing. It doesn't help.

+1

I do much better when I just ignore the other guy.

[Mr. Mysterious]

Any other autoloader rounds work for bowling pins? Maybe .40 or .357SIG.

[jimbo-indy]

I sometimes use a fairly warm load in a .40. 180 gr. Rainier flatpoint over a bunch of Longshot, crono's arount 1200 FPS. Works well on pins. Again, you want a big heavy bullet. .357 Sig is trending to the high velocity/low mass group which don't seem to perform. Thats why 45's, and 44's are popular with 40's right behind. 9mm, 38 spl and such just don't have the momentum. The trick, with any bullet is to hit the vertical centerline in the fat part of the pin. Do that with a proper bullet and the pin will go straight back, off the table. Miss your mark with any gun and it will fall over and spin. This makes your follow up shot harder in that you may have a smaller target and pins on their side went to roll in circles, not straight back.
Learn to ignore the other shooter, focus on your sight picture and trigger control. The Range Officer will let you know when it's over. Rushing leads to jerking the trigger. Smooth and accurate will beat fast and jerky every time.
Hope to see you at the next MCFG pin shoot, it's really a fun time and you get to use the time waiting for yur turn to talk to others and see their equipment.

[Bigum1969]

I wonder how a hot loaded 10mm would do? This sounds like a lot of fun.

[epsylum]

Originally Posted by Bigum1969

I wonder how a hot loaded 10mm would do? This sounds like a lot of fun.

Usually pretty well.

One member's .357mag Coonan does a number on those pins.

[Mr. Mysterious]

Bowling pins might be a good excuse to get a .50AE