Steel Challenge competition shooting is a great way to get started in the pistol shooting sports. It's an excellent place for beginners because the rules and targets are simple, and movement is not a significant factor.

Essential Stage Planning Tips for Competitive Shooters. Five to Go is four 10-inch round steel plate targets set at 5 feet high and each plate is progressively farther than the previous. The stop plate is a quick transition to the right on a 12-inch plate set at 7 yards.

Showdown is a five string stage with two shooting locations. The two shooting locations create a different challenge across the same targets.

Smoke & Hope is close distance fast shooting with fast transitions on large targets.

Accelerator is a good mix of shooting near and far as you transition from the two closest targets to the two farthest before finishing on the center stop plate.

Pendulum is distance shooting across four plates at 18 yards. It requires good sight pictures and transitions.

Speed Option tests shooting at multiple distances and has the farthest stop plate of all the stages.

Roundabout is four 12-inch near and far targets surrounding a 12-inch stop plate.