Distinguished pistol vs NRA master

First topic message reminder :

I really never understood the idea of chasing the DP badge. Chasing this badge from what I gather entails driving long distances and hoping that enough shooters turn out to warrant a leg award. A time requirement is thrown in to not allow someone to earn the award too soon. I guess the wait time adds some kind of value to the award. Why bother with that when you can chase master and HM without the time constraints?  It's not that I think making master won't take a lot of time, but it will be there waiting on you as soon as you can make it. Making it doesn't require a time speed bump and is independent of what your competitors score was  Even when you do wait out the award, you are coming back to NRA bullseye.

I was distinguished and P-100 before making Master. The USAR gave me the gun and ball ammo. Jon got the wad cutter ammo.

Seeing the last two Montana EIC winners the last two years, each winning with a 220, makes me look at MA and HM shooters with higher regard than newer distinguished.

It's much more competitive in my region.

Since you still need a hard leg to win your badge, it's likely those 220 shooters have a long way to go to earn a hard leg.  It will sort itself out that way.

What is a hard leg?

You need to score 8 or 10 points in a match

9.2.9 Awarding of Distinguished Badges

The CMP awards the Distinguished Pistol Shot Badge or the Distinguished

Rifleman Badge when a Civilian competitor earns 30 or more points with the firearm concerned and has earned at least one eight or ten-point award.



To win an 8 point award the shooter would have to be the top non-distinguished competitor over 250 in a match that has 16-35 shooters.  In order for there to be a 10 point leg, there would need to be over 35 non-distinguished competitors.

The more competitors, the higher the cut generally is so I think the rules do a pretty good job of keeping the integrity of the distinguished badge even if there are guys out there that stole a leg here or there.

Rob Kovach wrote:It's much more competitive in my region.

Since you still need a hard leg to win your badge, it's likely those 220 shooters have a long way to go to earn a hard leg.  It will sort itself out that way.

the CMP even put out a stat showing how many people had point and how many become distinguished its a small percentage that actually earn the badge.    

i don't have my badge but have multiple hard legs... if i didn't have to travel out of state for matches i think i would have it.    I respect anyone who has earned the badge or in the future earns the badge.   No matter the rule changes. Chasing those points still puts you against other top shooters.

And>>>>>


 All Civilian competitors who earn a medal in a National Trophy Individual
Match receive ten points. 

^^^^and historically that's the easiest way to earn a hard leg ^^^^
If the new changes really do get more people to shoot leg matches, then you might start seeing more people earning an 8 point hard leg at a match close to home.

We will have to wait and see!

Until recently I had never heard of a "hard leg". Some thought about it shows just how this game has changed. Competition in ball matches were always well attended. The regionals and state matches all had enough shooters were used,not necessarily needed  but still they used 2, possibly for ease of handling by line officers.

At any rate this puts the change in stark contrast loss of shooters. e old curmudgeons have a tendencey to see it as it was.

Loss of leadership at the club level is a major factor....in my opinion. Successful shooting clubs usually have that one person whose company people enjoy. New shooters are drawn to them and they make the rookies feel not just welcome but needed.
Strong leaders!

Another 2 bits worth.

Ron Habegger