Negligent Discharges

In the approximately nine years I've been playing gun games, I've seen a few DQ's for safety reasons. (The percentage of DQs to shooters is actually quite minuscule.) These are typically 180° violations, or negligent discharges when reloading or moving. In the interest of full disclosure, my own DQ was for a dropped gun. There's a reason for the strict safety rules in USPSA and IDPA and a reason all gun handling happens under the watchful eye of a safety officer. Thanks to those strict rules, the sports have an excellent safety record. Even experienced competitors make mistakes, and when it happens, it's only right that they are done for the day. It hurts, but if your brain isn't fully engaged, it could hurt even more more.

What brings this to mind? Recently, for the second time in about two years I witnessed a negligent discharge, up close. Neither was during a sanctioned match. The first time was when I arrived at the range as an acquaintance was leaving. He knew I was fan of SIG Sauer guns, and wanted to show me a SIG he had with him. We stood at the back of his pickup truck, he uncased the gun and went through his clearing routine; rack the slide, then drop the mag and pull the trigger. The round went right into the bed of his truck. Fortunately, I was very aware of his muzzle and had positioned myself to his side. This man is a very experienced shooter and retired federal law enforcement. 

The most recent occurrence was at another shooting club. I was standing at my car going through the gear I was going to need for shooting that day. Suddenly I heard what sounded like a gun shot, though the sound was somewhat muted. There was a bit of commotion two vehicles over, where I saw two men looking through the cab of their truck. I later heard bits of a conversation regarding "lowering the hammer on a 1911." 

Both of these events occurred at a gun club, but away from the firing line. Both events occurred at the gun owner's vehicle. Both shooters were showing the gun to someone or (apparently) otherwise distracted by another person. I've often remarked that one of the reasons I dislike "gun free zones" and gun shows is that people are fiddling with guns in their cars. There are times when I need to remove a firearm from my belt while in a vehicle. I strive to be attentive and undistracted when I find myself doing that.

Firearms are tools. In fact, they are relatively simple tools. And those four rules work pretty well. 

A Year of Shooting IDPA

Even though I had dabbled in IDPA a few years ago, I’d switched to shooting USPSA matches almost exclusively for a few years. Regular readers may have noticed that my focus was on the IDPA game this year. At a match last Spring I was asked, "What brings you over to the dark side?" My quick answer was it was simply a desire to shoot more. It so happens that local IDPA matches fit my schedule better than the local USPSA events. There are also multiple weekday and weekend options for IDPA matches locally.

After a couple of matches I decided to shoot IDPA exclusively this year in order to concentrate on one set of rules. As I thought about it more, and shot many more matches over the summer, I found a renewed enjoyment in competitive shooting. Even though both organizations promote very similar handgun shooting sports, their focus is quite different.

I took up shooting for self defense reasons, my interest in competitive shooting came later. The IDPA founders intended IDPA to be self defense oriented, but I recognize it is still a game, a way to test skills while having fun. There are rules, there’s a timer, there's a score, and thankfully the "threats" don't shoot back. The rules, however imperfect, are intended to apply some defensive fundamentals in a way that can be standardized for competition. It appears that USPSA might be feeling the pressure to attract defensive shooters to their sport as well as they’ve now added a provisional division for "Carry Optics".

IDPA also updated their rulebook this past year, making some changes that helped attract me back to the sport. The rules on reloading your gun on the move became a bit more reasonable. The new Back Up Gun (BUG) and Compact Carry Pistol (CCP) divisions offer options to shoot different guns in the matches. (And provided an excuse to buy a new gun.) The equipment needs in general are much less intense than USPSA. If I have a new gun I want to shoot, three magazine and two mag carriers are just about all I need. I do like the option to be able to compete "as I carry." I will admit, that I usually play IDPA with a full size gun in an OWB Kydex holster and a custom fit concealment vest, rather than my day-to-day carry gun, IWB holster and untucked shirt. However I do plan to shoot in both CCP and BUG divisions in the coming year.

I managed to get to twenty-two local IDPA matches this year. That included weekend matches at Cavalier and Rivanna, as well as weekday matches at Black Creek and Colonial Shooting Academy. I often didn't feel like driving to the weekday matches after a day at work, or I probably would have shot even more.

After a few months, I'd gotten accustomed to the IDPA rules, and kept the cover and reload differences, and the rule against "air gunning" well in mind. It was a little longer before I stopped trying to "run 'n gun" and concentrated on getting the hits. It wasn't a bad season. Rivanna runs a year-long "Top 10" competition, and I managed three Top 10 finishes, ending up 12th overall at the end of the season. I never expected to make the cut, but still it was a bit of a motivator, even if it was a fluke.

I've already marked up my calendar with some regional IDPA matches in 2016 that I might try to attend in addition to local matches. I am still hoping my schedule will allow me to get to the local USPSA match from time to time. In the meantime, for my interests, and schedule, IDPA provides the game I am looking for. If that’s the “dark side” so be it.

Cedar Mountain Practice Match

On Saturday morning, three friends and I headed out to a local practical pistol "practice match." The monthly sessions at Cedar Mountain Youths are a chance to get in some practice with your pistol and at the same time help raise funds for the youth programs at Cedar Mountain.

I enjoy these gatherings for the chance to shoot, and as a great way to introduce others to competitive pistol in a low-pressure environment. Last year, my friend Greg got his introduction to the sport here, and this weekend we took two other friends who were experienced shooters, but had not participated in competitive matches. This year the Cedar Mountain events are even more low pressure, as the hits on the targets are recorded and the score sheets are yours to take, but the results are not tabulated or posted online. It's all for your own information.

The six stages set up were fairly simple, only two involved movement, and only one with a required reload. There were stages with quick close shots and others with longer, tight shots with "no-shoot" targets in the way. The skills tested were the same you might come across in more formal match. Despite their simplicity, the stages were interesting even for the experienced shooters in attendance. And since the practice "match" is not scored, it's a great time to push yourself in ways you might not want to when shooting for a score. Our squad even had time for some shooters to who wished to try a stage twice; for example to see the difference between shooting on the move or while stationary.

We started shooting around 9:00AM were done shooting and had the props put away by 11:30. On our drive home, it was apparent that the two new participants were hooked. (Actually, I do not recall a time when I had a first-time shooter or competitor who was not hooked after the first match.) I shared info on the many sanctioned USPSA and IDPA matches in the area, and I expect I might see some of these guys at other matches soon.

If you want to introduce friends to practical pistol, or are just looking for a chance to practice on stage setups that your local range doesn't permit, the CMYI monthly practical pistol practice might be the ticket. Of course, there's the fun of being on the range for a few hours of shooting with good people too! The normal schedule for the event will be the 2nd Saturday of the month through the Summer and Fall. Conveniently this doesn't conflict with other matches I might attend, so I expect to take advantage of the practice opportunities often.

Fredericksburg Monster Match

The monthly USPSA match held by Fredericksburg Practical Shooters was a "Monster Match." Not only were there fitting stage themes for the Halloween season, the stages were "monster" in size. Six stages, averaging around 50 rounds each, made for a fun and tiring day of shooting.

The match directors put together some interesting stages for this special match. This wasn't a matter of standing and hitting a bunch of targets from a single spot, the stages were just like normal USPSA field courses, but bigger. A lot bigger. The course of fire were a combination of paper targets and falling steel. I believe the smallest number of targets on a stage was 17, but each target on that stage required 3 hits per target.

Stage 5 - The Mummy

Stage planning was very important in this match. That went especially for folks shooting in limited capacity divisions like Production and Single Stack. The stages had a barrel or two placed on the course of fire for staging extra mags, which could be retrieved either from the belt or the barrels. I admittedly went into a couple stages with a not quite firm plan in my head for the final targets in the course. That really only burned me once when I skipped a target and earned Failure to Engage (FTE) and miss penalties. (I couldn't convince the RO to give me credit for engaging another target twice.) I heard from other shooters who also ran past targets without engaging them.

While I've shot more than this number of rounds in a day of training on more than one occasion, shooting 50 rounds in a single string lasting under a minute was a new experience. I found that I had to concentrate even more on my grip as the day wore on. I also found myself going a bit too fast at times, perhaps subconsciously trying to speed through the already long course.

Stage 6 - Nightmare On Elm Street

The weather was certainly a factor in the match and a topic of discussion all day. It was a classic cold and windy fall day. The sun came out only for brief moments, though cloud cover was the order of the day. It wasn't unusual for a shooter, about to start his run, to be delayed by a sudden gust of wind that would knock over the steel targets, and often more than once before the starting beep. As someone remarked, "All the targets are moving targets today."

This match format proved to be very popular as many shooters travelled from out of the area to participate. I followed a truck with Delaware tags into the range, and was told that someone had come from all the way from Tennessee for the fun. Everyone I shot with or talked to afterwards seemed to have a great time.

Stage 3 - Casper The Friendly Ghost

I was moderately pleased with my own shooting, though I certainly wasn't shooting my best. Besides the aforementioned FTE, I earned a few misses by putting my shot through the edge of a wall before it hit the target. In a defensive situation, shots through a wall might count, but in this game they do not. Despite the final scores, it was an exceptionally fun match. It was surprising just how much the challenge changes by doubling or even tripling the number of shots in a stage, compared to what is typically seen at a "normal" match.

The match ran smoothly, at least from the competitors' point of view. It was a long day on the range, but still a much shorter day than I had feared it might turn out to be. Shooting started about 8:00AM and we finished a little after 2:00PM. With most folks staying to pitch in, the stages were broken down and everything put into the storage containers before 3:00.

The match directors are to be congratulated for putting together a challenging and exceptionally fun match. It was clear to me that a lot of thought was put into designing the match and providing the shooters more than just an excuse to throw a lot of lead downrange. Of course, thanks also to all the folks who worked to put it on the ground too. I certainly wouldn't want to shoot a "monster match" every month, but I look forward to doing it again. I was tired and more than a bit sore by the time I got home. Even so, I hope this turns into an annual event.

Note: Click the pics to see them full size. The panoramic format doesn't preview well. Also, one of guys on the squad posted a compilation video of some of us shooting the match that you can watch here.

September Cavalier USPSA Match

Saturday morning I headed to the Cavalier Rifle and Pistol club for the monthly USPSA match put on by the Greater Richmond Blasters. I had not even touched my gun, other than to clean it, since the Fredericksburg match two weeks ago, so I was really looking forward to shooting again.

I was glad to see the "facilities" arriving ahead of me.

Our squad started on the classifier, "Can You Count?" I've shot this classifier before with a really good time, but on this run I fumbled the second reload and dropped the mag. That bummed me a bit since my reloads are typically pretty smooth and consistent.

That classifier out of the way, we moved on to the four fun field courses. Stage 2 started with the shooter seated and facing down range. After engaging a couple of targets, you ran up a ramp and engaged more targets from atop a platform. Returning to ground level, there were more targets before the final three hidden behind an inclined platform. You had to climb and perch on the incline to shoot the last targets. During my walkthroughs, I stumbled twice going up the first ramp, but perched perfectly onto the second. During the actual run, the first platform was handled without issue, but I had to catch myself on the second, but still managed an 8th place out of 24 finish on the stage.

Stage 3 was another seated start, this time facing up range. After standing and turning, the shooter headed into a circular course of fire with small, and low, ports to shoot through. Upon entering the free fire zone you had to make a sharp left turn and get into a tight corner to shoot the targets through the first port. The course ended with the shooter dropping to knees and shooting from another tight corner. It was a very interesting and fun stage. I finished the stage in 6th place, as I would for the next two stages as well.

Stage 4 was a quick shoot with seven stationary targets and two swingers activated by a stomp plate. The shooting area was limited to a 2"x4" area. The two swingers were weighted differently so one swung faster, and for longer, than the other. Some shooters opted to hit the stomp plate starting the swingers first, step back to engage the stationary targets, then return to the slowing swingers. I opted to shoot the outer four targets, then move to the stomp plate and engage the final three. The swingers were still moving, but I got my hits.

The final stage was a "typical" USPSA field course with targets on both sides of a winding path. I did spend some time before shooting trying to decide exactly from where I wanted to engage the paper and steel targets and when to do my reloads. There were lots of options, some of which would require slide lock reloads, or ending the stage with an empty gun. The layout did force the shooter into a couple of corners. I opted to take a couple longer shots in the interest of managing reloads, even though the targets would be closer later from the forced positions, and was pleased with my run.

This month the organizers opted to have five stages, four field courses and a classifier, instead of the usuals six stages, with one bay holding two. In my opinion this worked out quite well. I am happy to settle for a lower round count to avoid the backups that so often happen with the doubled up stages. We were done shooting before 1:00PM.

I was quite happy with my shooting on this day. In reviewing the videos, I felt a lot of my movement looked sluggish, but I still finished 7th out of 24 Production shooters. I had no misses or hits on no-shoot targets, and even hit one-for-one on all the steel. It's the simple things that make for a good match.

I enjoyed the Cavalier match very much. The atmosphere is relaxed and the stages are always interesting. On top of that, the drive is easy and the half day match leaves plenty of time to do other fun stuff later in the day (or simply relax and recover.)

September USPA at Fredericksburg

On Saturday morning I volunteered to help set up the USPSA match held by the Fredericksburg Practical Shooters. They're trying something new at the club this year. The set up crew can optionally shoot the match Saturday afternoon, which is an enticing offer. There's the downside of having labored all morning before shooting, but it also leaves Sunday open for other activities. Besides preferring to devote Sunday to family matters, I prefer a day to recover from shooting before returning to work on Monday. Although when I saw the weekend weather prediction on Friday I was questioning my decision. There was a predicted 14 degree cooling on Sunday, which I think in actuality ended up closer to a 20 degree differential.

The setup crew got started at 7:00AM loading target stands and poppers onto the trailer. We benefited from the reuse of walls and fault lines left in place from last weekend's Area 8 Championship match. Six stages and a Classifier were in place by about 10:30AM. We took a break to relax and get geared up while the match directors did the final target placement and review. By the time we fired the first shot a little after 11:00AM we were already feeling the effect of the heat.

I did get videos of most of my stages, which are linked in the following descriptions, for those interested. As fair warning I recently discovered that YouTube had chosen "Comedy" as the default category for my shooting videos. (That's just mean.) Stage 1, "Gravity" was a quick course with targets engaged from both ends of a wall. Shots from either end required a significant lean but were not too difficult. I didn't get into the position I wanted at the end, and needed to adjust my footing several times.

The next stage, "The Hollow" was an interesting course with the free-fire zone being a cross-shaped area. One had to be extremely cognizant of muzzle direction with retreating, and unfortunately there were a couple DQ's due to breaking the 180. There was a swinging target whose activation popper I hit early in the run, figuring the swinger would have slowed by the time I engaged the target. In fact, it had completely stopped when I got to the right wing of the course, which was good for a couple of A hits, but caused me momentary confusion wondering "Where's the swinger?"

Stage 3, "The Outsider" was a "running" stage, set up in the large bay at the range. There were long sprints between shooting positions, but also a fun "shoot on the move" finish on the last leg. Stage 4 was the Classifier 13-07, "Double Deal." The shooter starts seated, holding a pair of "playing cards," with the loaded gun on the table. Quick and close range shots were required.

Stage 5, "Pet," featured the "tank" mockup from the Area 8 match. The shooter stands inside the three walls, with the empty gun and all reloads coming from a shelf. All the targets are engaged from small side ports or through the small "gun barrels" coming from the front. All the views are extremely restricted. Adding to the challenge, when I leaned forward to see through the shooting ports, my sweat, which was flowing freely by this point, ran directly into my eyes, which burned and made seeing clearly quite difficult and caused a lot of blinking on my part. Still, a fun and out-of-the-ordinary stage.

"Walk the Line" was the stage that the setup crew was talking about with some angst all morning. The shooter's weak hand was tethered to a cable that was strung behind the shooting area, forcing the entire stage to be shot strong hand only. The paper and falling popper targets were not all that close either. In order to reload, you had to step backwards out of the shooting area to gain enough slack to use your support hand to do the reload. Since my reloads were not planned but done when I hit slide lock, this added confusion causing a bit of backtracking. Despite the unusual challenge, I was actually looking forward to this stage. I surprised myself on this one, hitting the steel on the first or second shot, and earning just two misses, one of which was on the swinging target.

The final and seventh stage, "Judith", was another table start, with an unloaded gun. The 15 targets were easily grouped into 3 groups of 10 shots, which meant slide lock reloads for Production shooters, though all done on the move. At the end of my run, the timer read 3.8 seconds, which was obviously an error, so I earned a range equipment malfunction reshoot. On the second run, I made a last minute change to my plan, which in theory, would have avoided the slide lock reloads. Unfortunately, an extra shot threw out that new plan, which wasn't well-embedded in my head. I had a noticeably slower start getting up and around the table as well. Looking at the posted scores, I apparently had a no-shoot hit I didn't know about. In any event, I got to shoot that much more, and that's not a bad thing.

Despite the oppressive heat this was an excellent match. I felt really good about most of the stages. Apparently many other shooters did so too, as my overall finish was lower than I expected. Match Directors Alan and Clay made good use of the Area 8 props left on the ground to create a challenging and fun match. I am sure even those who shot the championship found new challenges and excitement too. My friend Greg successfully shot his first USPSA match and I think he's hooked.

It was indeed a long day. We spent over 9 hours on the range, in the sun, and I was quite exhausted when I got home. After a shower and a beer, I found myself taking a rare, but welcome nap. Though I was a bit envious of those shooting in the substantially cooler weather on Sunday, I was also quite thankful for that day of rest before returning to work on Monday.

Labor Day Range Time

On Monday morning I met a friend at the range for early morning shooting practice. I hadn't been shooting for a few weeks, and my intention to hit the range over the weekend never materialized into action. Greg is a newer shooter who's looking to start shooting USPSA matches and was hoping to do a little more than stand and shoot at a single target. We setup a few USPSA cardboard targets, as well as a couple of shooting boxes, and got to work.

Taking turns running the timer, we spent the morning running different drills. Even in practice, the sound of the beep, and knowing the clock is running can have an adverse affect on your shooting. We started out simple; shooting pairs on just one target at various distances. We also spent some time working on quick draws, with a repeatable grip, putting a single shot on target from close up. For a short time we worked on movement between two shooting boxes. We even tortured ourselves with the shot calling drill from the Steve Anderson class.

Greg specifically wanted to work on multiple targets from 15 yards and beyond, so we spent much of our time doing that. I eventually added in the challenge of no-shoot targets. First covering up one side of a target, then adding a second white target so that only the central A zone was showing. We started out shooting at two target arrays, eventually moving to three, the last target in the the array being the restricted one. I found it very interesting that I shot a lot of A-C combos on the first two targets, but consistently avoided the no-shoots and hit double Alphas on the last. And more often than not, those two Alpha hits were in a very tight group. I obviously concentrated on the sight alignment and trigger press much more intently on that target, even though I felt like I was not rushing on the open targets. It was a very enlightening exercise.

I would have liked to have worked on that drill more, but unfortunately we soon had a return visit from the range officer on duty. He had come by earlier, watched us shoot for a bit, and then left. I assumed we were not getting any "you are shooting too fast" warnings. But on his second visit we were admonished. After a few minutes trying to ascertain the definition of "too fast" we learned that when we were shooting just two targets we were fine, but when we added the third target to the drill, even though the shooting pace was the same, we were now in the "out of control" zone with six shots in a string. Someday, just maybe, we'll get that private range where the rules are static, understandable, and logical.

Despite the reprimand, it was an exceptionally enjoyable morning. When the 2 hour practice was over,  I had only put about 100 rounds down range. Sharing advice with Greg also was a great way to review my own habits. In fact, this turned out to be one of the most beneficial practices I've done in a while, despite the low round count. It's always a thrill to help introduce another shooter to the sport. In addition, it forced me to concentrate on the basics. I'm also excited to be bringing a new shooter to his first USPSA match this coming weekend!

The early morning session left plenty of time for yard work, followed by a few hours of sitting around the pool with friends. It was a fitting way to mark the unofficial end of Summer.

Shooting Videos - The "Pole Cam"

Watching other shooters is a great way to learn, but watching yourself is even more beneficial. At just about shooting match, there's always a plethora of video cameras in use. I occasionally use first-person video to analyze my shooting. This viewpoint is limited in usefulness. A handheld video camera, or most often a smart phone, used to record a third-person POV is preferred but still doesn't offer the "big picture." At the recent Cavalier USPSA match I benefited from another option, which I'll dub the "pole cam." My friend Alex had his video camera mounted on a monopod with swivel mount, and a few of the shooters were using it to record each other shooting. Alex asked if I wanted to be recorded, and I eagerly accepted his offer.

With the camera mounted on the monopod, and angled down slightly, it can be raised above the shooter for a birds-eye view of the action. This allows a complete picture, from head to toe, to be captured. This is great of for seeing footwork and body positioning. Even when the course of fire has walls, the camera is easily held over the walls, all the while staying out of the shooter's and RO's way.

This point of view also makes it easy to see an entire course of fire at once, and even if not the entire course of fire, at least the surrounding targets. This is very useful especially when analyzing your movement to the next target. With all the targets in view, it's easy to see how efficiently you got the gun on target, and how you moved through the course of fire. Of course, when things aren't done smoothly, it's quite apparent as well.

During the classifier stage, Alex stood behind me, off to the side, and was able to extend the pole out to my side. This gave a point of view that would have been impossible otherwise. It was great for watching the "turn and draw" movement. Of course, for some of us, having a belly height camera at your side can present a less than flattering profile.

When Alex shared the videos with me, I was very happy he made the offer. Perhaps it's a bit narcissistic to want to watch yourself shoot, but a bit a narcissism is assumed with being a blogger. (And of course, I made my family watch them too.) But most importantly, watching yourself shoot is a great learning tool. There's no hiding mistakes or poor performance from the camera. I spent a lot of time stepping through the videos and making note of the good, as well as the things I need to work on. We all like watching the "pros" shoot, but the way to get better is to watch yourself shoot.

This may not be a new idea to many, but I don't recall seeing folks recording other than from "ground level" in the matches I've been too. Other than having a drone hovering overhead, this may be the most useful tool I come across in some time. I may have to add this to my took kit in the near future. There's still the problem of having to implore another shooter to hold the camera, but I think the offer of returning the favor, and sharing the videos, may be a sufficient bargaining tool.

August Cavalier USPSA Match

Fifty-five degrees. That's what the dashboard thermometer read as I started my drive down towards Montpelier, VA for the Greater Richmond Blasters USPSA match at the Cavalier Rifle and Pistol Club. Hmm, better check the calendar, it is August, correct? The temps did eventually get into the 80's but still, there were no complaints about the weather. I took an even more rural route to the range than I did last month, but got there in about the same time, and avoided any roadway that was wider than two lanes. (And I probably couldn't tell you how I got there.) Some of my squad mates arrived late due to traffic on the abomination that is I-95.

The first stage our squad shot, Stage 5, started with the shooter's hands on the edge of a wall that divided the stage. After engaging some paper targets and steel poppers that were strategically placed behind barrels, you had to retreat back up range, around the wall and engage similar targets from the other side. New shooters were cautioned about muzzle awareness while retreating up range.

Stage 6 had the shooter starting on the left side in mid-bay, and engaging four paper targets while backing up range. The right side of the course consisted of a zig-zagging path downrange, stopping mid-course to push open a door, through which more targets were engaged. A quick squeeze around another wall and the course ended with a quick finish engaging four close range targets.

Stages 1 and 2 shared the end of the club's rifle range. Stage 1 was a quick stage with 4 paper targets engaged from one side of a barricade, then from the opposite side, two forward falling steel poppers and 2 more paper targets. Stage 2 was the classifier, CM-03-11 "El Strong & Weak Pres."

Stage 3 was a simple stage, offering many options of engagement. A barrel stack was positioned at the center of two walls in a wide "V". The barrels partially obscured 5 pepper poppers, along with 6 paper targets with varying amounts of hard and no-shoot covering. A couple of outlying targets on either side were engaged from the start position up range. Most shooters were assured of a standing reload at the barrels — the decisions came mostly with the steel targets — engage some of the steel from near the start position, or from near the barrel, and from what side? For a seemingly simple stage, the options were many.

The final stage we shot was probably the most fun, and quite unusual. The shooter started seated in a chair, facing up range. The unloaded gun, along with all ammunition to be used, was placed on a table behind the shooter. At the start, the shooter rounded the barrels behind him, loaded whatever magazines he needed onto his belt, loaded the gun, and ran the course. My plan had me shooting ten rounds between reloads, which meant shooting to slide lock. All reloads were planned on the move, so that wasn't a time loss issue. My problem came after my first reload, when I had a feed issue and had to run the slide to get the gun back in battery. Fortuitously, I had decided at the last moment to take the time to pick up an extra mag off the table, which I now needed due to losing a round here. The stage finished with five close and fast targets, four of which were mostly obscured behind a barrier, forcing shots over the wall for two and then a drop to the knees to shoot under for the last two.

It was a fun match with some interesting challenges. I didn't shoot as well as I would have liked, finishing 14th out of 28 Production shooters. Still, it was a great time shooting with some old friends, and meeting a few new ones as well. I'm looking forward to next month already. Perhaps I'll even settle on the right country roads for the best route. I've now gone to the Cavalier USPSA match twice, and have not managed to take the same route in either the drive to or from the range. I think I've now found my preferred route to take, so perhaps next month there will be no stress, at least for the drive.

Cavalier USPSA Match

For the second weekend in a row, I headed off to a new (to me) USPSA match. On Saturday I shot the monthly match put on by the Greater Richmond Blasters, at the Cavalier Rifle and Pistol Club in Montpelier, VA. The trip to the range took just over an hour, with most of the drive being on tree-lined country roads. I attended an IDPA match at Cavalier a couple years ago and don't recall the drive being as easy. I'm guessing I had better directions this time.

The first stage we shot consisted of a short winding path past groups of targets, many of which partially covered by white no-shoots. At the end of the path was a Texas Star that was partially obstructed by a wall.

And No-Shoots

Another fun stage started with the shooter's hands on a barrel in the center of the free fire zone, and required moving to both sides of the course at the start to engage targets while leaning around walls. A Y-split in the course tempted the shooter into a corner to engage falling steel. In what was a common theme at the match, even on shorter courses of fire, there were many options on how to engage the targets.

And No-Shoots

The next stage was a long L-shaped course with target arrays strategically placed behind vision barriers. On this course too, the theme of copious no-shoots continued. I succumbed to the allure of the "hoser stage" and ran the course a little too fast. Although I avoided all the penalty targets, I dropped too many shots into C zones.

And No-Shoots

Next up was a fun stage that began with hands on a wall on either side of the course. The stage finished with the shooter taking a knee or squatting to engage the final targets under a wall.

The final bay held both a "speed shoot" and a Classifier. The former consisted of three steel poppers, one of which activated a drop turner and a popup target. Both were disappearing targets, so any misses meant points not earned, but there was no added penalty for the miss. I was first up on this stage, and even though I had seen the action of the targets once during the walkthrough, I was surprised just how much time one had to make the shots once I was behind the gun. I rushed my shots on the first target and found myself waiting for the second target to appear. If I had it to do over, I would have shot the targets in a different order and taken more time for better hits.

The last stage was the Classifier CM 13-02, "Down the Middle." Shooting last this time, I saw lots of folks get hits on the black, so I prepared myself to make carefully aimed shots. And I got decent hits on this one, but a light primer strike on the first shot cost me time for remedial action. Still, this stage saw my best stage finish of the match, placing 4th out of 18. Yet, as in the last match, the high stage finish on the Classifier was still not good enough to help my overall classification. And, that's misfires on the last two Classifiers I've attempted. As of this posting, my gun is in the hands of my friendly neighborhood gunsmith for a long overdue refurbishing.

This was a very fun match. Despite the generous use of no-shoots by the course designers, I walked away from the match with no penalties or misses, and a 9th place finish. I've been hoping to get to the Cavalier USPSA match since they started up last year. I'm glad I finally made it. The match is well-run, fairly close by, and held on a Saturday. A Saturday match is a plus in my book. The (hopefully) temporary suspension of events at Walnut Ridge, a match I enjoyed very much, has left a gap in the calendar. Another Saturday match, even closer to home, is a welcome addition. Next month's match is loaded into my calendar. I look forward to going back to Cavalier soon.

Southern Maryland Practical Shooters Match

I went to Maryland. With a gun. On purpose. I've been hearing good things about the USPSA match put on by the Southern Maryland Practical Shooters in Lexington Park. Despite an already busy weekend, I made the trip across the Potomac on Sunday morning to shoot this match.

The match is held at Sanner's Lake Sportman Club. The match was set up on the static pistol range and in the club's "IDPA bays." In order to keep the match duration down, given the Summer temperatures, the organizers set up three short Classifier stages and three fun field courses. The bays used at Sanner's Lake are small, which limits the length of the courses. However, the course designers make up for that by making use of copious blue barrels and no-shoot targets to limit sight lines and create some tight shots. Those tight shots combined with "up close and personal" targets, forces one to watch speed, and the front sight.

I succumbed to those tight shots on the first stage, "Steely Fields." The short, L-shaped course started off with an extremely close target at starting position. The course finished with movement across the bay shooting both paper targets and steel poppers. The short course was also a bit of a memory stage. Going too fast cost me a couple of misses and even a hit on a no-shoot. Okay, time to settle down.

Next up was "Tunnel Vision." This was another L-shaped course, this time run from front to back of the bay. Again the targets were placed amongst barrel stacks that limited from where they could be engaged. I ran this one much better, with 16 A's and 2 C's, plus the steel, even though my time was purposefully slow.

The next two stages were Classifiers. CM 13-08, "More Disaster Factor" and CM 99-12, "Take Your Choice" where set up back-to-back on the pistol range. Interestingly, I had my best stage finish on "More Disaster Factor," finishing 4th out of 26. Also interesting, my hit factor was still below my current average. A single, inexplicable miss on "Take Your Choice" killed that one for me.

Next up was a field course called "Yard Dog." Most of the targets were set up on one side of the shooting lane, separated by walls, with two targets obscured behind barrels at the end. A tight squeeze  between those barrels and a wall gave access to the final to targets. It was a fun course, and again I was very pleased with my hits, though many folks shot it faster. The club has a shoot house set up in this bay as well, but it was not in use for this match.

The final stage was the popular Classifier CM 99-24 "Front Sight 2." A light strike on the first shot of my second string interrupted me and I came back too fast and pulled a miss. There would be no classification bump from this one either.

Other than the one Classifier stage, all my other stage finishes were in the teens and even 20's, with an overall finish of 13th. My classification average will definitely move a few percentage points backwards, making it harder to finally break into B. But, once I shook off the disappointment, I realized I did have fun shooting the match. And that's what it's really all about. I was also thankful for the foresight of a short match. It was indeed HOT and HUMID! I was packed up and in the car for the drive back to Virginia by 12:30. And boy did that air conditioning feel good.

I did have some unsettled feelings about going into Maryland, where the political leaders do not recognize the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution. However, it occurred to me that our Nation is currently led by a man who sees the entire U.S. Constitution as an obstacle to his own ambitions, so to cross the border into Maryland seemed a minor concession.

If my schedule allows it, I expect I'll go back for some other matches in Southern Maryland. It's an easy drive through the countryside from Fredericksburg, as long as there are no issues on the Nice Bridge. I laughed that the toll on the bridge is paid only when traveling southbound. To my mind it does hurt less to pay to return to Virginia, rather than to pay to enter Maryland.

Cedar Mountain Practice

After a very late evening, with that tiring drive, I got up early on Saturday to head over to the Cedar Mountain Youths range for a practice match. When my alarm sounded in the morning, I thought long and hard about getting up, but I was still looking forward to a morning of shooting, despite being tired.

The match organizer had set up six stages, all loosely based on USPSA Classifiers, with adaptations. This is not a sanctioned USPSA match, and it's strictly for fun and practice. For CM 99-28, "Hillbillton Drill," which calls for steel poppers, the "poppers" were drawn on white no-shoot targets. Missing the popper graphic and hitting the white earned you the penalty. CM 99-56, "On The Upper Pad II" was modified such that we had an easy hit on a Classic USPSA target required in place of the steel. (No steel targets are permitted at Cedar Mountain.) On CM 13-05, "Tick-Tock" and CM-13-06, "Too Close For Comfort," we shot Comstock instead of Virginia Count. Familiar stages such as CM 99-22, "Nuevo El Presidente" and CM 99-08, "Melody Line" were set up no modifications.

I started out shooting the first few stages well, but fatigue eventually started coming into play. I found myself not paying close attention to my front sight, with the resultant poorly aimed shots. At one point I found myself putting two shots on a target instead of the one called for. I sure didn't feel "up to my game."

Nonetheless, it was a fun morning. There were only nine shooters in attendance, so we finished quickly. Those who do not shoot USPSA got a nice introduction to the sport, and I spent more than a little time explaining how the classification system works. Some of us stayed around and shot a couple stages again; it's all good practice. I think I actually shot "Tick Tock" better than I did when it was for score a couple months ago at Walnut Ridge.

The traffic leaving the range was certainly more bearable than the traffic on I-95 the day before. After a shower and short nap, it was time to clean my gun and reload the range bag. The next morning I would be up early again, this time for a USPSA match in Southern MD.

Independence Weekend Run 'n Gun

Though a couple days late for the 4th of July, but still on the holiday weekend, the Fredericksburg Practical Shooters match on Sunday, July 6 was a great way to celebrate our right to bear arms and have some fun at the same time. As I pulled into the range that morning, the dashboard thermometer read 59°. Fifty-nine degrees. In July. In Virginia. The temps eventually rose to near 90°, but the low humidity and a light breeze made for an unseasonably pleasant day.

Our squad started on Stage 6, "Deja Vu All Over Again," which was a fairly straightforward course, and the only field course with no moving targets. It provided a good warmup for the rest of the day. Stage 7, "Yankee Doodle Dandy," started with an unloaded gun picked up from a barrel. Pushing through a swinging bar across the path released a swinging target. Further down the course, shooting a popper activated a drop turner and unlocked a door which the shooter pulled open to reveal the final targets. I forgot a reload and ended the stage with an empty gun, but fortunately no makeup shots were needed. It was a quick and fun stage, and also my highest stage finish at 5th of 30. (First person video here.)

Stage 1, "Down And Dirty" was a very interesting, and challenging, stage. There were two arrays of three targets that were exposed by pulling on a cable. The shooter had to hold the heavy targets up while shooting them, which meant shooting strong or weak hand-only. There was also a stomp plate that activated an upside down target swinging in an opening. The habit of shooting at the top half of the target would lead to D hits instead of C. (It also led to some double-takes from the ROs when scoring.) I didn't finish well on this stage but had a big grin on my face after shooting it. (Video here.)

"Fast and Furious" included six steel poppers, one of which activated a clamshell target, which in turn activated a swinger. Due to some prematurely pasted targets I got a reshoot on this stage. I strayed from my plan slightly on the second run, but still managed a 7th place finish. Stage 3, called "Over the River," began with some long shots on paper and steel, followed by a quick sprint down an L-shaped path. The stage ended with some closer targets, and a swinger activated by another push bar across the path. Some overly fast shooting on the short range targets earned me a couple of D hits but I still managed a 6th place finish on the stage. (Video here.)

Next up was the classifier stage, "Triple Choice," CM99-47. Shot from just 25 feet, the five targets had varying degrees of hard cover, and required three strings of fire; free style, strong hand only, and weak hand only. I had two hits on hard cover, i.e. misses, so no classification boost this time.

The final stage we shot, "Prison Break," included three ports to shoot through, and those ports were obstructed by wooden "bars." The second port had an array of three steel poppers, one of which activated a three target swinger in another barred window that randomly moved two no-shoots in front of the other targets. Taking an extra shot on a target gave me an empty gun at one point, which was followed by a jam, costing me valuable seconds lost to remedial action. Despite that I was pleased that I managed to get into position well to see the various targets through the bars.

Overall, I was quite happy with my shooting on this day. The D hits hurt, and I consider D's to be the same as a miss. The classifier stage and the issues on the last stage notwithstanding, I finished 9th out of 30 in Production, and that field included two Grand Masters. But more importantly, I was felt good about my course execution and movement throughout the day. I've set up a small "field course" in my basement and have been working on target transitions, as well as movement and arriving in position ready to shoot. There's still much that can be improved upon, but was good to see the apparent payoff of those practice hours.

After six hours of standing and walking, interspersed with short sprints through a course of fire, I was bushed. Getting old ain't fun, but those aches and pains are evidence of a great time. All in all, this was a fantastic match. The courses of fire were very interesting and fun to shoot. Kudos to match directors Alan and Clay for coming up with some challenging stages that offered a lot of variety. I think I would actually rank this as one of my favorite days at Fredericksburg. Interesting stages and great weather, what's not to love?

Cedar Mountain Practical Pistol

On Saturday morning my friend Greg and I headed out to the Cedar Mountain Youths pistol match. I was looking forward to a quick morning of enjoyable shooting in a low-pressure match, with a fun group of people. And that's what I had.

This month's match seemed to focus on getting the shooters into some less-than-comfortable shooting positions. On the first stage, there were three targets to be engaged; first while standing, then by dropping down to shoot through a low barrel while kneeling. Stage 2 was shot leaning around both sides of a barricade, with a mandatory reload in the middle.

"Make ready"

Stage 3 was a bit of a memory stage. Two shooting boxes were set out, with eight targets to be engaged, some of which were strategically placed behind barrels so they could only be seen from one or the other position. The next stage was a habit breaker, with four targets and four shooting areas. You had to shoot all four targets, with just one shot each, from each of the four positions. I saw several shooters put two shots on a target from the same spot (and earning penalties.) I had to catch myself several times from firing off that second shot.

Stage 5 put our flexibility to the test again, as well as our shooting skill. Three groups of three targets were to be engaged from three somewhat awkward positions. The first position required kneeling to shoot under a barrier while leaning around the left side of a wall, then moving to shoot though an exceeding small low port, and finally another kneeling position from the right side of the wall. The final course of fire was another stage requiring shooting three different target arrays while moving between three shooting boxes. The first array had two targets, one with partial hard cover. The center array consisted of four simulated steel plates represented by paper plates. The final array paired a close in, wide open target with a more distant, head shot-only target. The stage was a challenging combination of targets that required different focus and speed.

The match was, simply put, a lot of fun. The varied stages were good representations of individual bits and pieces one might encounter at larger sanctioned matches, but on a smaller scale. Getting new shooters interested in practical pistol shooting is one of the benefits of the Cedar Mountain matches. There's no pressure and the courses of fire are challenging, without being intimidating. Besides new shooters, there are folks that just want a chance to do something a little more exciting than what's possible at a "square range." Experienced USPSA shooters can get in some fun practice time too. I always get a kick out of a new shooter experiencing practical shooting competition for the first time. This was Greg's second time trying his hand at practical pistol shooting. On the drive out we talked about kids and college; on the drive home we talked about guns and USPSA Divisions. I think he's hooked.

Fredericksburg Practical Shooters June Match

Last Sunday was the monthly USPSA match held by the Fredericksburg Practical Shooters. This month's match made use of many of the walls and props left up from the VA/MD Sectional Championship Match the club hosted last month. I didn't shoot at that event, so it was good to get to play on some similar stages. In addition to the interesting courses of fire, the weather couldn't have been nicer, with warm temps and occasional cloud cover. There was even a cool breeze later in the afternoon, a pleasure often absent from the Fredericksburg range!

I started the day off on "Red Dawn" which featured targets in either side of a path down the middle of the bay which led to a door. Going through the door activated a swinger to be engaged, along with a few other targets. The final two targets were low and close, but engaged over a wall which hid them from view. (I saw one shooter totally forget those two targets.) There's a first-person video here of that run. Stage 2, "You Don't Know Jack" was a similar set up, engaging targets on either side while moving down range. There was a popper-activated swinger near the end, which I managed to time just right — after hitting the activator and engaging a static target, I swung over to find the swinger right there at it's peak extension. I've also posted a video of the stage here.

Next, "Gladiator" started with an empty gun and some magazines left on a barrel at the starting position. Additional magazines could be left on other barrels around the course of fire to be retrieved as needed. At the start, you loaded the gun and engaged two distant poppers which activated a swinger and a caused another stationary target to swing into view. About halfway through the stage I went to engage that appearing target, and it wasn't there! The equipment malfunction meant I shot it over again. More "bang for my buck" even though I got off my plan slightly on the second run, which proves the importance of going over the stage in your mind EVERY TIME!

Stage 4 was the Classifier, CM 03-18 "High Standards," requiring both strong and weak hand shots. Even though I had recent successful practice time on those skills, I managed to have two misses on the stage. Despite the frustration of following some good classifier scores with a poor one, which will have an adverse affect my average, it was a fun stage.

"Hanging Gardens Of Babylon" was an interesting setup that seemed to have as many no-shoot targets as scoring targets. The array of white there just to mess with your mind I think. The opposite ends of the course were mirror images, and included a poppers at either end which exposed a couple of drop turners in the center. This forced the shooter to both ends of the course before returning to the center of the stage. It was a fun course, that seemed to go quicker than it does in the video.

Stage 6, "The Graduate," was a large U-shaped course that covered a large part of the bay, requiring the shooter to move quite a bit to hit all the targets. During the Sectional, there was apparently a wall down the center forcing the shooter to travel down both legs of the "U" but for this match, the barricade was gone and we could take a short cut across. At the end of each leg was a bear trap disappearing target which was set in motion by shooting a popper at the opposite leg. It made for good fun trying to hit the distant target and swinging back to score the disappearing target before it was covered by a no-shoot.

The final stage, "Dodgeball" had the shooter running down a central path that had staggered walls intersecting the free fire zone at right angles. This forced you to zigzag back and forth down the path while engaging targets on either side. A steel popper activated a swinger that required, for me, a brief pause while it came into view. The close targets gave an opportunity for some fast shooting on the move, video of which is here. (Yes, I am enjoying the new camera.)

With the exception of the Classifier stage, I was pleased with my shooting. Unlike last week, I had some misses, but still finished 11th out of 31 in the Production division. It was a pleasant Sunday morning, and afternoon, shooting fun and interesting stages, with fun and interesting people.

Mobius ActionCam

For quite some time I've been interested in trying out a hat-mounted camera. One of the problems with many popular cameras is their size and weight. Although the popular cameras are relatively small in size, there's still added weight and bulk attached to your cap or hearing protection. A couple of months ago, a friend told me about the Mobius ActionCam. This is an amazingly small video camera that is popular with the RC model aircraft crowd.

The Mobius ActionCam measures just 1 3/8 x 2 1/2 x 3/4 inches and weighs 1.4 ounces. Videos are stored on a 16GB micro SD card. There are also a number of mounting options available which add slightly to the bulk. I selected the visor mount which makes use of the camera's standard magnetic base. The magnetic base is part of the "Pro Mobius mounting package" which includes a variety of mounts and a wet weather cover. The visor clip and magnet mount combo provide a stable attachment to a ball cap, although I did discover that a fairly tight fitting cap works best.

The camera controls are very simple. There are just three buttons; Power, Mode, and Shutter. Two tiny LCDs are used to indicate status. All configuration is done by editing a text file on your computer. There are also GUI applications for Mac and PC to simplify the configuration process. The Mode button is used to rotate between two video modes and still photography. The video options are 1920 x 1080 HD at 30fps, and 1280 x 720 at 30 or 60fps. There are also narrow and wide field of view settings. Additional options such as motion detection, record on power on, and color editing are available, but untried by me. I have found that 1920x1080 at 30fps, with the narrow FOV setting, works well for the 1st person action shooting videos. 

The biggest issue I have encountered so far in using the Mobius camera is human error — remembering to turn it on before I shoot, and then off when I finish the stage. On numerous occasions I've forgotten to turn the recording off for several minutes, which has led to capturing some interesting, and often humorous post-stage banter. 

I've been very pleased with the Mobius ActionCam so far. When trying to analyze where we can improve our performance in shooting, or just about any sport, being able to watch a video of ourselves in action is an excellent training tool. Unfortunately, getting a squad mate to hold hold a video camera for us is not always convenient. I am typically hesitant to ask, for fear of disrupting another shooter's own preparations. First person video is a good compromise. It's easy to notice things like hesitations, flinching, not having the gun on target when coming into position, or seeing times when I had to look around for the next target. It's also good for showing when you don't do those things! Reviewing the video after a match is just plain fun too and I've enjoyed watching and re-watching the videos following a day of shooting (and forcing my family to do the same.) The camera also makes it very convenient to record your friends' shooting; all you have to do is stand and look in their direction, which is much easier, and more enjoyable, than watching through a view finder.

I've used this camera during my last three matches, and I always get questions about it from other shooters. Folks seem to be intrigued by the device, especially its small size. I do literally forget I'm wearing it at times. For a small lightweight camera to help capture the fun of my shooting activities, Mobius ActionCam is a relatively inexpensive tool that serves the purpose well.

Standing and Shooting

Shooting on the Move

Note: I purchased this Mobius ActionCam myself. No compensation was received for this review. I'm just a satisfied customer sharing my experience. Head shot photo by Paul Begovich.

Range Trip: Trash Run

This week we were able to get in a late afternoon trip to the range for some shooting fun. Most of my recent practice time at the range has been solo, so it was good to have Colleen and a friend along. A steady rain had been falling for much of the day, but we're seldom dissuaded by inclement weather. By the time the car was loaded and we arrived at the range, the rain was reduced to a light mist.

Upon pulling in, we saw right away that the driveways into both pistol ranges were blocked by orange cones. Uh oh, that's not good I thought. Upon closer examination, we saw signs that read, "Pistol range is closed until the trash cans are empty. We are all volunteers." Petty? Perhaps. I've never been a fan of group punishment for the transgressions of a few. (Perhaps that's why I so despise the anti-gun crowd.) The organization does have a rule that you are supposed to take your cardboard trash with you, but a small, lazier crowd ignores that rule. So we emptied the trash can and filled two large bags of trash, mostly cardboard target refuse. The trash can was now empty so we figured we were free to shoot. We did jokingly remark, that according to the posted sign, there was no requirement to actually haul the trash away.

Sanitation engineer duties complete, we finally got set up to shoot. I put up a couple of USPSA targets for myself. Colleen and Checkered Flag set up a couple of the colorful Rob Pincus targets discussed here. I expended about 50 rounds doing my thing, but I kept looking over at the other targets. "Gee, those targets are fun," I remembered. Soon I replaced my target with one of those and we all started doing various fun drills; like calling colors and shooting on the move at the small shapes. I did get in some strong hand and weak hand only shooting too, which is something I hadn't done in quite a while.

Eventually, we all had gone through the ammo we had brought along. Just in time too, as the heavy rain was approaching again. We policed our brass, along with brass left on the ground by previous shooters. That other shooters often leave their brass behind, also in violation of the rules, is irritating but does mean more for me to trade in! We stuffed our own target trash into the bags and loaded the bags into the car. A quick detour to the nearby "convenience center" completed our range trip.

It was fun couple of hours, despite the unexpected chore. I do worry that if members keep ignoring requests to haul out their trash, the club leadership is going to take more drastic, and punitive, action that will affect even those innocent of violations.

Our range afternoon ended as all good range trips should; musing about the day over some good craft beer and a delicious meal prepared by Colleen.

Walnut Ridge "Rock and Roll" Match

The Walnut Ridge Practical Shooters held their monthly USPSA match this past Saturday. The pleasant drive to the event was made even more enjoyable now that the sun's up early. Even the wildlife was up and about, as I counted deer, fox, turkeys, and a bald eagle among my sightings in the morning. The weather could not have been more pleasant for a morning of shooting,

As the Walnut Ridge match director is inclined to do, good use is made of the bay real estate. Stage 1 was the Classifier CM 13-05 "Tick Tock." This stage requires an unloaded gun table start. A mandatory reload is also made using a magazine from the table. The center top target is partially covered by a no-shoot sitting menacingly (or mockingly if you prefer.) I didn't hit any white, but did pull some of my side target hits into the C zones. It was a fun stage, and interestingly, my best stage finish of the day. Stage 2 "Rush," saw the shooter engaging both steel and paper targets, including the Classifier array, from around walls and through ports.

The next stage was labeled "Floyd" and included a Texas Star and a swinger among the falling steel and paper targets. A last minute change due to a drop turner malfunction added in the fun of a final 7 yard sprint to engage a lone target at point blank range. It was fun to see the may ways folks tried to engage that target on the move. And, yes, even at point blank range an A hit is not guaranteed. (I did get mine). Stage 4 "Halen" had four paper targets on either side with a plate rack and two falling poppers in the center. You had to shoot either the paper or steel, perform a mandatory reload, then engage the remaining array.

The final two stages in the last bay, like last month, were large field courses combined into one set up. In "Zeppelin" you engaged all the steel targets. For the final stage, "Maiden" all the targets were USPSA paper targets. What made these courses interesting, and challenging, were the numerous, and small, ports built into the solid walls through which many of the targets were engaged. In the words of another shooter, "Who gave them wood?' Unlike the popular snow fence walls, where you can see the targets as you come into position, the targets aren't visible through the solid walls, and in this case, were not visible except from very limited points looking through the ports. That the ports required bending, stooping, or even kneeling, added to the challenge. The odd-position shooting played havoc with my accuracy, not to mention my back, especially on the steel run.

Overall, it was a very fun match. And, I had no misses or other penalties for the entire match. That's a win in my book! I always enjoy the way the folks at Walnut Ridge add little twists to the stages to create interesting and challenging courses of fire. I hadn't actually picked up on the naming pattern for the stages until I saw the match results posted that evening. Perhaps my subconscious mind had picked up on it though as I tuned into the 70's satellite radio station for the ride home.

Since this was also Memorial weekend, I thought it especially apropos to find these poppies blooming at the sides of the range berms.

"May the Fourth" USPSA Match

The Fredericksburg Practical Shooters had some Star Wars fun with their "May the Fourth Be With You" match theme. The monthly match was also a special "classifier match," so four standards stages were set up in addition to three field courses. It was a fun match, with very challenging stages. It was also one of those rare days for the infamously hot Fredericksburg range as there was a constant breeze and moderate temperatures.

The first stage our squad shot was Stage 6 "There Is No Try." The course of fire consisted of 10 paper targets, with a few only partially visible in narrow windows. I felt confident going into the stage, ran it well, and felt good at the end. In fact, with 13 A and 7 C hits, it would turn out to be my best run of the day — finishing the stage 6th out of 47 Production shooters. Unfortunately that performance wouldn't be repeated this day.

Next up was the first Classifier of the day, CM 06-06 "Golden Bullet Standards." This is a typical "shoot six, reload, shoot six" stage, requiring the use of both strong and weak hand shooting. In what would turn into the the mantra for the day, I finished by exclaiming, "Aaargh, a Mike." (Hint: Watch the front sight.) Things would get slightly better on the next stage, CM 99-24 "Front Sight 2." No Mikes or Deltas here, but the 5 C hits with 7 A's kept the score down, but still was my second best stage finish. (Hint: Slow down.)

Golden Bullet Standards

Another field course, called "YT-1300" was up next. This course included a stomp plate which activated a slow swinger. The fairly straightforward course required a bit of two-step at the end to engage the last four targets, with some careful stepping off the box while staying inside the free-fire area. Again, a couple of misses and a lot of C hits hurt my overall score. (Hint: Settle the gun when coming into position.) Next up was a newer classifier stage CM 13-03 "Short Sprint Standards." This course has more movement than a typical classifier, with more distance involved too. For the first string shoot six shots on six targets, reload and move to the next box and reengage the targets strong hand only. The second string is similar with shooting weak-hand only after the reload and move. (Hint: Practice weak-hand shooting.)

The next field course, "Sarlacc Pit" had some minimally exposed and distant shots, and an unusual activator. While running to final shooting position, the shooter pushed through a bar across the lane that activated a clamshell target. You had the option of shooting the briefly exposed target on the move, or going for the exposed head-only area from a closer standing position. I had thought to try a shot on the move but experienced an unusual malfunction while reloading when about to hit the activator. As I was watching the magazine go into the magwell, I spied a round popping out of the top of the mag. I came to a stop to remove the magazine and shake out the loose round.

The final stage of the day was CM 03-07, "Riverdale Standards." Three strings, shooting freestyle, strong hand only, and weak hand only, from a close distance, on open targets should have provided a good opportunity to rack up a high score classifier. Alas, it was not to be. If I recall, my misses on this stage were the freestyle shots, not the single-hand shots. (Hint: Don't move off the target too fast.)

Photo Courtesy of P. Begovich

Despite not shooting as well as I would have liked, the match really was a lot of fun. I was very happy with my planning and execution of those plans on the field courses. I felt good getting into position to shoot. I just wasn't paying attention to the sights as well as I should have. It's quite a contrast to last week's Walnut Ridge match when I shot much better. I suspect I'll end up with one classifier score that will help my average, one that will maintain status quo, and two that just won't count. Still, any day on the range beats any day just about anywhere else. (And I have an excuse to hit the practice range more.) Overall, an excellent time was had, and I even met some new friends. Naturally, the beer at the end of the day was a welcome treat as always!