BillChunn

We will be running five stages: Accelerator, Smoke & Hope, Five To Go, Pendulum and Roundabout. Having shot at HGC when the SC matches first started there last winter, the way they setup the targets is unique. We don't have the $125,000 overhead steel plates over the bays so the hanging magnets, even though they work very, very well is a bit outside our budget at the moment. We used Chris' laser transit to set all the target heights as our range floors go uphill, some of them 2' to 3' from the shooting boxes. All the post length measurements have been recorded in an Excel spreadsheet and the length is marked on the end of every 2x4 so cutting a new one when needed can be done very quickly. For the winter months, all the stands have been anchored with 4 spikes each so hopefully they survive until spring. Thanks everyone for the great suggestions. The painted surveyors markers sound best as some bays require a lawn mower once an a while. Looking forward to Saturday's match and seeing how well the warming tents work. BC

Gary, You sir have more than earned your retirement and that is your choice. It seems as we age, the "track meet" type of stages takes an unrelenting toll on the body. This has always been a transitory sport. People come in and leave on a regular basis. What you will be remember for is what you did when you were "here". The RO duties for Steel Challenge are much, much easier. Especially if the timer is BlueTooth linked to the scoring tablet. All the best, Bill Chunn

We are starting SC matches on November 20th at Oakland County Sportsman's club in Waterford, MI. The matches will be run through the winter but the stages have to be torn down during the spring / summer months so other disciplines can use those ranges. My question is how are you marking the target stand locations when the stage is torn down? Since USPSA and IDPA matches are held on the same ranges, the markers cannot induce trip hazards. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Pictures would be even better! Thanks in advance. BC

Thanks to everyone that had suggestions and recommendations. The full set of steel has been ordered and is scheduled to arrive this week along with the warming tents and propane burners. The Oakland County Sportsman's Club Steel Challenge matches will start off with 5 stages that fit on the current bays and will be held the third Saturday of the month. First match is scheduled for November 20th. If we can get everything setup, possibly October 15th. Match schedule will be posted on PractiScore. See you on the range. BC

The velocity of the round is going to cause the bullet to shatter and disperse in a 360 degree pattern. In the fraction of a second that event occurs, the only difference is if the steel moves ever so slightly, it will absorb a portion of the energy. The result is that the splatter doesn't go as far in that 360 degree pattern. If it runs into something, like a mounting hook, then the direction of that splatter will change. I own a "practice set" from shootingtargets7 with the hooks. The club is purchasing the new steel and some committee members voiced concerns of ricochets off those hooks coming back up-range. I know, I know... what is the chance that will occur? Very little.... but it's politics at a very large club and the purchase has to be approved by committee members that don't even shoot SC. The closest they have come is shooting a steel plate suspended on a pair of chains.... There are a couple other clubs in the area that run SC matches. One club has the bolt system and it piles up the splatter exactly as you describe. The plates still move, just not as much as the spring system @broadside72 mentioned or the plates on hooks. The other club's Board of Directors mandated that NO metal protrude from the plate face. That club made their own targets and created the mounting system on the back. This was also the club that required a wooden 2" x 6" board be mounted above each piece of steel so it would stop (or at least slow down) a round that hit the very top edge of the target and skipped off. What is being considered is adding a spring to the bolt hanging system so the plate will move. It would be fitted to a slightly longer bolt. Thanks to all for the suggestions. The proposal goes in front of the committee on Wednesday the 8th. BC

Saturday of Labor Day weekend will be a 5 stage match in preparation for the Area 5 Championship starting the following weekend. The stage designs are up on PractiScore. Round count is 132. Registration opens tomorrow, August 27, 2021 @ 9:00 AM BC

Checking for a set of lightly (lol) used targets that must be AR500 or above. Need the complete set of targets / bases / hangers for all eight stages. Since up-range splatter coming off the hook mounts is a concern, the targets must have the bolt mounting system or could be converted to that system. Thanks, BC

This year we are starting a USPSA club using the 5 bays that were created for IDPA competition at Oakland County Sportsman's Club in Clarkston, Michigan. We have backing from the board of directors to create addition bays. The down side is asking for two bays that are over 40 yards deep for OL and SO just to fit all 8 stages for steel challenge. That's a LOT of real estate to dedicate, even if it can be used for USPSA and IDPA matches. So yes, additional stages that would fit on smaller bays would be a HUGE advantage to existing and start-up clubs that have "USPSA-sized" bays. We are hoping to create a world-class range for these types of competitions with large metal roofed pavilions, electricity and Wi-Fi coverage on each bay so the scoring tablets can be polled from a central building. BC

Carry - Sig P365 USPSA - Sig P320 X5 Legion (CO) BC

From the video and the parts supplied, this looks like a less expensive, fewer parts (2 sear springs, 1 trigger spring and you use one of two provided over travel sleeves) than the GG kit. BC

One of the people on the club's "Safety Committee" pushed for a smoking ban on the outdoor ranges. He said that smoking and vaping impacts everyone's health and got the ban pushed through the committee. They paid for a sign to be made and posted on the fence at the entrance to the range. It's quite entertaining to see that it's never enforced. This is a club that also has a 1.5 mile racetrack with portions of it within 50 feet of the pistol bays. Let's just ignore all those exhaust fumes / carbon monoxide and focus on vaping...... My opinion, don't care... just don't blow it in my face. BC

Welcome and thanks for your service. BC

Message sent. Thanks, BC

Am considering adding the Lok Grips WML to the Legion but GX Products indicated that they do not make holsters for WML's. Red Hill Tactical might have one but I'd prefer the locking mechanism on the GX. Anybody found a good holster for their Legion / WML combination? Pictures if available..... Thanks, BC

"Not wanting to become RO certified has absolutely nothing to do with running the tablet, helping set up pre match, tearing down post match, pasting/resetting...." Congratulations. You just described what every single competitor in this sport is supposed to do. "Who wants to be the guy that has to send the new shooter home as his/her own discretion" Ahhhhh that would be the person that is helping that shooter (and everybody else on the range) stay safe. In Saturday's match a new shooter saw another shooter flip the last round out of his gun and catch it. When he tried that, the round went forward, in front of the muzzle and he swept not only his hand but also his forearm. He went home after loudly complaining that "No one ever told him that". Knowing the rules prevents you from doing things that get you disqualified. And yes, I've witnessed gunshot wounds (plural) at USPSA matches. I certainly hope you never have to.... it's not pretty. "The main reason I said I refuse to get certified is because then you're expected to RO." As @SGT_Schultz has already stated, you can politely decline. "With that being said, I do not necessarily feel comfortable being the only RO for a squad of 8-9 with 2-3 of those being new shooters." At one time we were all new shooters, including you. It might be different at the clubs in your area but around here we try and help new shooters. Most USPSA clubs cater to new shooters as we all know it's those individuals that are the future of this sport. When we see a new face, we walk up and introduce ourselves and ask if they have seen this type of shooting before. It usually leads to some great conversations. Being ignored tends to put people off and they don't come back to an environment that they feel is hostile. "Our local matches down here do an amazing job(most of the time) of making sure squads are well balanced and that matches are ran as smooth as possible. We are far from not having people to run these matches, and the people that do, love it." Until they don't. This is a transitory sport. Match directors, stats people, stage designers, range officers, stage builders and yes, even competitors burn out. When that happens, they leave and find something else to do with their time. The bottom line is this. There are two ways to learn, from your mistakes or seeing other people's mistakes. There is a wealth of knowledge on this forum. People like @Sarge and others that have been around a while and seen a few things happen at not only Level 1 matches but also Level 2 and 3. They know what it takes to execute a "well run match". Everything from NROI trained range officials to target witness marks on the sticks. As others have stated in this thread, taking the NROI Range Officer training made them a better shooter. If you feel that won't help you, then that's your decision. BC