Luis Leon

RVB, you wrote: - Con: a little difficult to make dryfire just like live fire. The result is most dryfiring is in DA. This makes it seem even easier to shoot on match day (or is this a pro?) I believe its a pro for me I shoot a CZ75b and do a lot of dry firing. Being steady with the DA trigger pull has immensely helped me when shooting in single action in competition. Many shooters forget that the gun is only DA for that first shot ONLY. best regards, Luis Leon

maineshootah, The Dutchess County Pistol Association has a Tuesday Night P.A.L. (Pistol Action League). Its a great venue to practice shooting all year long and between matches. We usually shoot 3 stages of the same COF. Each stage a different way. Great way to spend Tuesday nights, and I have learned so much from all the shooters who attend. Great idea good luck with your venture. best regards, Luis Leon

My buddies and I are all locked in on this match, our collective 3rd. The cadets put on a great match, plus being around all that patriotism is awesome. They also have a great prize table. best regards, Luis Leon

Thats how I felt at last years' 2007 match, I had to wait a long year for redemption on the long-range stage. This year I got 21 of the 24 hits, compared to last year of maybe seven hits on steel. This is a great match and one I sign up for as soon as the applications go out. My buddies and I shot on Saturday on Squad 4. You get to run your AR15 or long gun of choice all day long, whats not to like. Though they did skimp on the mud this year. best regards, Luis Leon

I've been using a Benelli Nova tactical pump with the ghost ring rear sight in 3-gun for about 3 years now. The first year I used it stock, 4 +1. I always got my butt handed to me on the shotgun stages. I added a Tac-Star extension tube and now have 7 +1 in the gun. This shotgun has never hung up or, not shot during a match for any reason. I rack that sucker and shoot, reload, rinse and repeat. I can run with some of the semi-auto shooters. I have a buttstock sidesaddle that holds 5 rounds, have 12 additional rounds on my chest rig, and 7 +1 in the gun, for 25 rounds of 12 gauge goodness. I love racking and rolling with my Benelli Nova. regards, Luis

My buddies and I sent in our applications, this is one sweet match. It will be my third and I hope to do much better on the long-range stage this year. Nice people and a great, sometimes muddy setting. Maybe this year will be drier, I hope not . Counting the days. regards, Luis Leon

It was a great match, I finally got all the mud off my boots today, and was really glad the ride home was in my buddies car. I think the mud really adds character to this match, you just have to step gingerly. The wet muddy conditions made trying to activate that see-saw target on the Indiana Jones stage interesting to say the least. Plus all the geysers and chunks of mud going up from rounds impacting the ground was awesome. My buddies and I will definitely be there next year. We were squad 5 and shot on saturday. regards, Luis

Mike, I know that hot ranges are a rarity as the example I posted happens at only one club. Every other match I've been to has cold range rules. At this club it typically goes like this, if I'm done shooting the COF, and did not go to slide lock, I simply insert a new magazine, and holster my weapon (under the RO's supervision of course). Now, I'm back to 10 +1. I don't touch my weapon again, until on the line at the next COF. For me, the "slide back, show clear, slide forward, hammer down" seem unnecessary, if you have your rudimentary gun-handling skills down, you should be able to holster a hot weapon. Heck, I bet a lot of you are hot right now, and no one is getting hurt. Anytime we have low- no-light COFs, the overhead lights ARE turned on before, the shooter holsters his weapon. If its an outdoor shoot, there are multiple lights handy to illuminate the situation if needed. Ultimately, the shooter is always responsible for the state of his gun. regards, Luis Leon

I think turning on the lights is in order, before clearing the gun, if this was an indoor scenario. Outdoors things are very different. I shoot at club where we are allowed to holster hot, so we don't have the problem of someone inadvertantly putting a shot into the berm, or the ground. And we do shoot alot of night and low-light scenarios. I don't understand the need to clear the weapon after a COF is shot. Every gun is always treated as if its loaded, right? Just apply the safety, decocker or just holster if its a Glock or XD and you are done. You have no business touching your piece again until its your turn at the line at the next stage. My belief is that the show clear, hammer down procedure actually increases the chance of DQs, and accidental discharges. These are just my opinions. regards, Luis Leon

I just wrote an Email to Gary Salman, suggesting the Combat Weapons Team, break out the flamethrowers and clear us a shooting path. I feel for those who are coming from out-of-town. As the Thursday deadline for a go or no-go is very short notice. regards, Luis Leon