I recently shot my favorite match, The Pin Shoot in Central Lake, Michigan. Some 150 gunners attended. It was the 30th anniversary of the event. It began in 1975 when Richard Davis invited some 26 friends to shoot bowling pins off simple tables. It was written up in gun magazines, and the following year it was opened to police officers everywhere. I was there and loved it, and have been shooting it ever since. Originally called the Second Chance Shoot, named after Richard’s company which manufactured the concealed body armor he pioneered, it ran through 1998. In 2017, it was reincarnated as The Pin Shoot and has been running annually ever since. I can proudly say I’ve been to 29 of the 30, all but the seminal one.
For the last couple of years, the Shoot has been generously sponsored by Springfield Armory, and their brand predominates among the dozens and dozens of guns that fill the prize tables.
There are events for semi-automatic pistols and for revolvers. Shotgun events with 00 or larger buckshot, or slugs. Pistol-caliber carbine and rifle caliber carbine. They even provide sighted-in Ruger 10/22 scoped rifles and S&W ten-shot K-22 revolvers for rimfire events. You can enter two- and three-person teams. The local Lions Club cooks delicious hot lunches which are included in your entry fee. The venue is in the center of a beautiful lakes region spring and summer vacation zone: bring the whole family.
Info at www.pinshoot.com.
There are lessons to be learned in the heat of this friendly competition, and we may just discuss some of those in future blog entries here.
One of the lessons: bring backups for everything! I had shotguns on shotguns, pistol after pistol, but only one PCC. What failed spectacularly? The PCC of course. Still the most fun you can legally have with your clothes on.
Awesome shoot, I always wanted to make it to that one, but so far no go. I do still own my Second Chance vest from the early 70’s and even watched Richard shoot himself with his on as a demonstration.
Working on trying to make the shoot next year.
Fun, Fun, Fun!!!
‘One of the lessons: bring backups for everything! I had shotguns on shotguns, pistol after pistol, but only one PCC. What failed spectacularly? The PCC of course.’
‘A man had two string to his bow – the bow broke’ Old Irish Saying 🙂
It looks like it was a bit damp. We could use some rain down here.
Looks like a blast!
We had another great time at The Pin Shoot this year. My 20 year old son won one of the JP PCCrifles and 3 Springfields. Amazing match and cannot wait until next year! Great seeing you Mas!
Thx. Mas. Always great to see you every year. So hard to explain the shoot to others but you do a fine job.
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