Category: USPSA

If Clear, Hammer Down, Holster, and Mask Up

On By Tom LindsayIn Competition, Range Officer, USPSA

I finally got my USPSA RO certification renewed, the week before the governor closed down Georgia. So, the matched for the last two months have been cancelled, leaving me to have to settle for dry fire practice in the office.

But finally, the River Bend Gun Club, where I shoot most often, has decided to re-open, and I have volunteered to RO this new match. And given the Most Recent Unpleasantness, we will be subject to a few new rules, which will certainly make things a lot more interesting.

First, squads will be limited to ten people, made up of 8 shooters and 2 ROs. Since RBGC normally has 125 plus shooters, this means there will be a morning run and an evening run, and I and set to shoot in the morning and RO in the afternoon.

Now, at first, all competitors were going to be required to bring and wear a mask, but this requirement has since been relaxed to an encouragement. As a cancer survivor, I wear one all the time when I go out, so I will then, too. We will also be limited to social distancing to no less than 6 feet, and because of this, only two competitors will paste targets and reset the stage, and this will rotate. This minimizes the chance of getting too close to others.

I welcome the return to shooting and I will keep you updated.

Range is Clear

On By Tom LindsayIn Range Officer, USPSA1 Comment

I originally took the USPSA Range Officer course back in 2013, and I acted as an RO in matches, up until The Late Unpleasantness caused me to let my certification lapse.

As it turns out, I could have written the National Range Officer Institute – the NROI – and asked them for an exemption, and re-certified. But, given the amount of time that lapsed, and seeing that there was now a new class of gun being used – Pistol Caliber Carbines, or PCC – I decided I would invest my time and money and take the course again, which I did this past weekend at the River Bend Gun Club in Dawsonville, GA.

The instructor this time was the NROI Director, Troy McManus, and there were 25 of us, altogether, representing a wide range of experience and shooting ability. The first day was all classroom training, going over the rules. The USPSA has doen a lot of editing and revision to the 2020 rulebook, and we went over it from front to back. I’m glad we did, because, honestly, I don’t read it enough.

The second day was all about exercising what we learned, by ROing shooters. Whereas we shot only one stage the first time I took the class, this time there were two stages, and the second stage helped illustrate the kinds of decisions an RO has to make. There were enough tough calls that we all go our turn at it.

As a side note, I shot very well on the two stages, with no mikes, and good times. In fact, just for fun I tried doing head shots on the second stage, and did well. The reason I did better? Obviously it’s because I wasn’t under pressure. I felt confident, and different. I think I learned something there.

Now, I have to pass the test, and I get my certification back, which will be another victory for me.

Farewell to Production

On By Tom LindsayIn Competition, USPSA

When I started shooting USPSA, I shot in Production. Production Division limits guns to 10 rounds per magazine, and all competitors shoot in minor power factor. This means I can shoot 9mm and not be penalized.

The issue with Production, though, is that, for me, the whole stage became all about when I should change magazines – sometimes 3 changes in a stage.  As an example, look at how many changes I make in the top video, versus the bottom one where I shoot Limited.

So as a result, with my fat-boy catcher speed, I was never able able to move fast enough and shoot well enough to get out of D class.

So, I decided at the start of 2019 to switch to Limited, which doesn’t have the number of rounds limited, just the size. With G17 mags and the right extenders, I could fit 22 rounds in if I needed to. Even with my normal extended mags, I can get 19 rounds in, which means usually one mag change per stage.  Now, given that I am still shooting 9mm, I am in minor power factor, which admittedly puts me a disadvantage. But, I managed over the year to shoot well enough to end up in C class, which made to change all worthwhile. I was elated.

And then . . .

Looking at my Production scores one day, I calculated that if I shot a 45 on a Production classifier, I could move up into C class in. Looking at my recent classifiers, and knowing that classifiers are generally designed so that all classifications shoot the same, I thought, why not? Make a good score, and then finally retire from Production.

So, I looked, and the next match had a classifier that required a mag change (well, it was 12 shots, so for Production, it does), so I practiced changing magazines in my office for a couple of weeks, and gave it a try.

Now, as an explanation, not an excuse, I shot the classifier about 5 stages into the match, by which time I was so dadgum pissed off at having to change mags 3 times in a stage, that, true to form, I made a miss on the classifier, and ended up not moving up.

So now, I am now retiring from Production. RIP