bowling pin shot placement

wayneinFL · January 9, 2006, 10:13 PM

Going to my first bowling pin match, thursday.

Where do I hit these things to knock them off the table? High? Low? In the middle?

wayneinFL · January 9, 2006, 10:17 PM

Another question, now that I think about it. What caliber is best? I hear 45 works best? I have a small 45, but would like to shoot one of my full size pistols. I have 40 & 10mm. Is the extra knockdown power of the 10mm worth the added recoil and muzzle flip? Is that extra couple of hundred fps going to make much of a difference?

Tim Burke · January 10, 2006, 07:50 AM

I'd shoot at the fat part, with the idea that a solid hit to the center of gravity will be most effective.
But I'm not a pin shooter...

UziAnnie · January 10, 2006, 09:01 PM

I've used my .22 in pin shoots. They usually place the pins on the table acording to the caliber of the gun being used. Closer to the back for small calibers and toward the front for the larger. In our shoots, the pin has to be completely off the table and it can get very frustrating when one starts spinning around and not falling off. Of course, it is funny to the others.

I aim at the center of the pin and hope for the best in the fastest time. In our last shoot everyone got one shot at 25 yards with a S&W 500. I was the only female there and only one other guy hit it besides me. Pin shoots are great fun--hope you enjoy it!!!

otasan · January 10, 2006, 09:44 PM

I am planning a vacation In Evansville, IN.

Where do you shoot pinsin western KY?

Ken O · January 10, 2006, 09:48 PM

Its been a lot of years since I've shot bowling pins... I aimed for the largest part of the pin. As for which gun.... there are different catagoies, like a .22 class, a mid (.38/9mm), large auto, and magnum revolver, your club might have more or less classes. I would take three guns and shoot three classes. The pins are set at the back edge of the table for the .22, in the middle for the auto and mid classes, and at the front for the magnum. The club I shot at timed it when the pin hit the ground, so if you have a low hit and the pin is spinning around on the table you have to try and shoot it off the table. You will have fun.

UziAnnie · January 14, 2006, 01:34 PM

I go to Sport Shooters in Madisonville KY (about 40 miles south of Evansville). Right now there are some ups and downs. The owner is looking to sell the place and the range is open for now but it may close soon.

However, someone is very interested in the place and wants it if he can get the $$$. I hope it does stay open--I love the shoots.
When I win the lottery--har har

I intend to buy it.

VUPDblue · January 14, 2006, 10:53 PM

first of all, who in their right mind vacations in Evansville Indiana...?!

snowtiger308 · January 21, 2006, 04:03 AM

I set up and shoot pin shoots. I shoot the match with a 357 sig or a 45. my 40 works well as well.
shot placement
well I have a lot of time behind a timer calling corections with a live shooter. if the pin is hit in the center in the fat part it will slide strait off the table. if it is hit high it will flip over. if it is hit low it will flip under and the head of the pin will hit where it stood b4 it was hit. if you hit it on the right side it will spin to the right but move to the left. the same is true if you hit it on the left. but in reverse.
I found that if I hit it about 1 in below the neck where the two red or blue lines are, you will usaly flip it off the table even with a 9mm or a lower powered gun. I have shot a match with a p3at which is a 380 and did well. most of getting a pin off a table is in movement if you do not have a high power cal gun. my favorit on a 5 pin is a sig 220 45. on a 7 pin it ould have to be a sig 229 357sig.
good luck to you and keep it safe.

January 9, 2006, 10:13 PM	#1
wayneinFL Senior Member Join Date: December 18, 2004 Posts: 1,944	bowling pin shot placement Going to my first bowling pin match, thursday. Where do I hit these things to knock them off the table? High? Low? In the middle?

January 10, 2006, 07:50 AM	#3
Tim Burke Senior Member Join Date: February 17, 1999 Posts: 551	In theory... I'd shoot at the fat part, with the idea that a solid hit to the center of gravity will be most effective. But I'm not a pin shooter... __________________ TB., NC

January 10, 2006, 09:01 PM	#4
UziAnnie Senior Member Join Date: February 12, 2005 Location: Western Kentucky Posts: 120	I've used my .22 in pin shoots. They usually place the pins on the table acording to the caliber of the gun being used. Closer to the back for small calibers and toward the front for the larger. In our shoots, the pin has to be completely off the table and it can get very frustrating when one starts spinning around and not falling off. Of course, it is funny to the others. I aim at the center of the pin and hope for the best in the fastest time. In our last shoot everyone got one shot at 25 yards with a S&W 500. I was the only female there and only one other guy hit it besides me. Pin shoots are great fun--hope you enjoy it!!! __________________ I am not your typical old librarian!

January 10, 2006, 09:44 PM	#5
otasan Junior member Join Date: April 17, 2005 Location: Hartford, Vermont Posts: 519	Where in W KY? I am planning a vacation In Evansville, IN. Where do you shoot pinsin western KY?

January 14, 2006, 01:34 PM	#7
UziAnnie Senior Member Join Date: February 12, 2005 Location: Western Kentucky Posts: 120	I go to Sport Shooters in Madisonville KY (about 40 miles south of Evansville). Right now there are some ups and downs. The owner is looking to sell the place and the range is open for now but it may close soon. However, someone is very interested in the place and wants it if he can get the $$$. I hope it does stay open--I love the shoots. When I win the lottery--har har I intend to buy it. __________________ I am not your typical old librarian!

January 9, 2006, 10:17 PM	#2
wayneinFL Senior Member Join Date: December 18, 2004 Posts: 1,944	Another question, now that I think about it. What caliber is best? I hear 45 works best? I have a small 45, but would like to shoot one of my full size pistols. I have 40 & 10mm. Is the extra knockdown power of the 10mm worth the added recoil and muzzle flip? Is that extra couple of hundred fps going to make much of a difference?

January 10, 2006, 09:48 PM	#6
Ken O Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2005 Location: Half way between Grayling and Cadillac, Michigan Posts: 353	Its been a lot of years since I've shot bowling pins... I aimed for the largest part of the pin. As for which gun.... there are different catagoies, like a .22 class, a mid (.38/9mm), large auto, and magnum revolver, your club might have more or less classes. I would take three guns and shoot three classes. The pins are set at the back edge of the table for the .22, in the middle for the auto and mid classes, and at the front for the magnum. The club I shot at timed it when the pin hit the ground, so if you have a low hit and the pin is spinning around on the table you have to try and shoot it off the table. You will have fun.

January 14, 2006, 10:53 PM	#8
VUPDblue Senior Member Join Date: December 18, 2005 Location: Central Indiana Posts: 1,981	first of all, who in their right mind vacations in Evansville Indiana...?! __________________ Silencers have NEVER been illegal !

January 21, 2006, 04:03 AM	#9
snowtiger308 Junior Member Join Date: October 16, 2005 Location: Sedro-Woolley, WA Posts: 8	hit the sweet spot I set up and shoot pin shoots. I shoot the match with a 357 sig or a 45. my 40 works well as well. shot placement well I have a lot of time behind a timer calling corections with a live shooter. if the pin is hit in the center in the fat part it will slide strait off the table. if it is hit high it will flip over. if it is hit low it will flip under and the head of the pin will hit where it stood b4 it was hit. if you hit it on the right side it will spin to the right but move to the left. the same is true if you hit it on the left. but in reverse. I found that if I hit it about 1 in below the neck where the two red or blue lines are, you will usaly flip it off the table even with a 9mm or a lower powered gun. I have shot a match with a p3at which is a 380 and did well. most of getting a pin off a table is in movement if you do not have a high power cal gun. my favorit on a 5 pin is a sig 220 45. on a 7 pin it ould have to be a sig 229 357sig. good luck to you and keep it safe.