Bruce Bethell

MATCH HOTEL: Match hotel will be the Candlewood Suites, located at 7501 Madison Avenue, Fort Smith. Local phone number is (479) 424-3800. They are offering great rates for the match. 1 Queen bed studio, $72 per night; 2 Queen bed studio, $80 per night; Queen suit/sleeper sofa, $88 per night. (All rates are +tax). All rooms have full size fridge, kitchenette area. This is a nice property, close to the Range, with lots of good places to eat near by. If you are flying in, it is very close to the airport. We’ve checked with a number of near-by properties, and these are the best rates available. As an added bonus for a few of us, they also offer smoking rooms, somewhat unusual. Call the local number and use the code “Gun Match” for these special rates. Some slots are still available for this match, but let me know ASAP. Bruce

There is a bunch of space when I look at the self squadding module. http://www.uspsa.org/squadding/index.php?action=list&indx=228 Some slots are still available. We are at about 80% capacity. Bruce

You can fly into Fort Smith (FSM) via Dallas on American then American Eagle to Fort Smith. Only other option to Fort Smith is Memphis then Fort Smith on Northwest. Dallas is probably a better connection. The match hotel is the Candlewood Inn and Suites, real close to the airport. However, they don't have ground transportation. We can arrange for someone to pick you up at the airport. Nowthwest Arkansas (XNA) has a little better service. It is about an hour and a half or two hours from the Range. Tulsa (TUL) has good service, and it is about 2 to 2 1/2 hours from Fort Smith. If you (or anyone else) wants to ship ammo rather than carry it on a plane, let me know. I'll get you my office address, and you are welcome to ship ammo to me. FYI, slots are still available. We are a little over 60% capacity as of yesterday. Have not received the mail today. One more note about any travel plans. We will make the 100 yard and 300 yard ranges available on Friday to sight in, so long as you work around the Staff shooting on Friday. There will also be a handgun function fire bay open on Friday and throughout the match. Bruce

Stages are final and are posted at www.oldfortgunclub.com. Total round count is 323, and breaks down like this. Handgun, 115; rifle, 122; birdshot (please, 7 1/2 or smaller), 74; slugs, 12. Rifle will go out to 300 yards, shotgun slugs out to 75 or 80 yards. Scoring will be Time Plus. Bruce

As a Level II match, USPSA membership is required. There are still slots available. Bruce

Stages for this match have been approved by the Section Coordinator, and forwarded to NROI for final approval. Round count looks like this: Handgun, 115; Rifle, 108, Birdshot (Please, 7 1/2 or smaller) 73, slugs, 8. Longest rifle shot will be 300 yards, the max our Range can handle. Sight in the shotgun, as you will see some slugs in the 50 to 80 yard range. Our Club has a new website at www.oldfortgunclub.com, with more information. Bruce

The ad for this match is in the current (July/August) issue of Front Sight. Slight typo error in the ad. Competitors will shoot the match on September 29 and 30. The ad says staff will shoot on Oct. 28. In the process of revising last year's ad to this year, the month for staff shoot didn't get changed. Staff will actually start shooting on Thursday, September 27, and continue on Friday, September 28. Correction will be published in the next issue. Just to clarify the "official" start of the match on September 27 (assuming set up is completed), a revised match entry form is attached. Bruce 2012 Multigun entry form2.pdf

Deb Pankratz, our MD, has confirmed, TIME PLUS scoring for this match. Some stages have to be adjusted, as Time Plus will not support fixed or par time. A stage on the 300 yard range originally had shooters using the coveted Derringer with flash targets at 300 yards, six seconds par time. Sorry, but that stage has to be changed. Modifications are being made, but the stages all look real fun, and challenging. Nothing that would discourage the first time shooter, but also would provide some fun for the GM Folks. More to come, as more comes to me. Bruce BVD

Available staff will start shooting on Thursday, assuming set up is complete. Friday is also set for staff to shoot the match. If you can't adjust your Sunday conflict, we will accommodate you to shoot part of the match with staff on Friday, then finish with a squad on Saturday, designate someone to go to the prize table for you on Sunday. If you are interested, email me at brucebethell@sbcglobal.net and we'll work out details. Bruce

Don't have a final decision, but I am ordering more hi cap mags for my 9mm. Deb will make the final call. We tried Time Plus for the first time at our last local Multi gun match, and it seemed to work well. No complaints, and the match went a lot faster. Our Local Stats Officer (my secretary, who scores local matches) liked it a lot. USPSA still has a couple of bugs to work out on the Time Plus MG scoring program, but they say they are working on it. You might want to get the .40 cleaned into a "Like New" status, just in case. Bruce

I know you've been waiting for this post, and the dates for the Arkansas Section Multi Gun championship match are now set. Finally. You can now work around these dates to plan weddings, anniversaries, birth of your first born child, and other not-so-important events. September 29 and 30, 2012. Old Fort Gun Club in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Entry form is, I hope, attached, with some details. Ten exciting stages, with lots of gun mix, and of course some surprises. Debby Pankratz is again our Match Director, and she is working hard with the design staff to create a memorable match. This match grows every year, with more interest from vendors for the Prize Table. We've had a couple more vendors who have heard about this match, and have contacted us with request to be a part of the program. More details will be posted here as they become available, but it is time to put this match on you "Must Do" list. Bruce 2012 Multigun entry form1.pdf

I think results are attached. They were sent out to shooters today. September 28, 29 and 30, 2012, for next year's AR Section Multi Gun Match. Start planning now, we are. And thansk for all the kind remarks, pics and vids. Bruce MG Match results.pdf

Results are finished, tweaked for a few corrections. Will get them into a readable and sendable format in the morning. Will go out to all shooters by email in the morning, and I'll also post them here. Glad folks enjoyed the match, and we all appreciate the nice remarks here. Looking ahead, we will probably run this match the last weekend of September next year. Bruce

MATCH UPDATE: SLOTS: Still some slots available, but we are getting close to full. MATCH SPONSOR: DPMS is on board as a Match Sponsor. They are sending two complete guns that will find a new home after the match. One will be used as a Prop Gun to start a stage, so everyone will get a little hands on with one of their better platforms. After the match, the Prop Gun will go to some lucky shooter by random draw among all competitors. Our Thanks! to James Darst and DPMS. HEAVY METAL: As of today, we only have two entries in Heavy Metal. Rules for a USPSA Level II match require at least five scored shooters to recognize a Division. If we don't have enough be next week, we will have to eliminate HM as a Division. SQUADING: If you have not signed up for a squad, please do so soon with the USPSA self-squadding. Anyone not on a squad the week before the match will be put where ever there is room. This will be a fun match with a great prize table. Get your slot reserved soon. Bruce

I checked with the Hotel today (9/28/2011). They still have rooms available at the special rate. Call the hotel direct at (479) 424-3800. Use the code "Gun Match" for the special rates. If you have problems with the clerks, ask for Jeanie in Sales Department. Long time professional relationship with her, and she will take care of you. Great property, and as close to the Range as you can get and still have running water. They are Holiday Inn associated, so if you have 'points' with HI, you can use them there. I've mentioned this before, but just a reminder. If you are flying to the match, and don't want to mess with ammo on the airlines, send me an email at brucebethell@sbcglobal.net. I'll give you my office shipping address to send ammo, we'll have it available to you at sign-in. This match is starting to approach the max number of shooters, so get your entry in soon. Bruce

Ten stages, 300 rounds. Stages have been approved and are attached, I think. This match is starting to fill up, so get your entry in soon. If you are flying to the match, carrying ammo on the airlines is a pain. If you want to ship ammo in advance, send me a PM and I'll give you my shipping address. No problem, your ammo will be available at sign in. Bruce Final MG stages approved.pdf

Answer a few questions above. SHOTGUN CAPACITY: USPSA rules, Limited and Tactical shotgun, load limit is 8+1. Open Class is 10+1. The RO's will keep count of your shots between re-load. If you go BANG more than 9 times without a reload, you get put into Open Class for the entire match. A plug in the tube is not required, just be careful when loading if you have more than 8+1 capacity. Personally, if I had a tube that held more than 8, I'd plug it to be on the safe side. In the heat of the battle, I don't want to slow down and count re-loads. SCORING: The good news from USPSA. The scoring program has finally been adjusted to eliminate the San Angelo Method, where you assigned penalty points for minor rifle and handgun. Scoring under the San Angelo Method was a necessity for several years, but was honestly a PITA for the stats team. Also made your scores look strange, with all those penalties for minor, especially rifle, since .223 is always minor (mostly). With the new scoring program, we will enter your rifle or handgun as major or minor. Shotgun is always scored major. The score sheets will designate handgun or rifle targets, and the program will know whether to score them major or minor for each shooter. Eliminates the phantom penalty on the scores. Also much easier on the stats team. A well needed, and well appreciated, improvement by USPSA. NOTE ABOUT HANDGUN CAPACITY: Especially new Multi gun shooters. Remember that Production and Limited 10 Classes are not recognized in Multi gun matches. That means that, even if you are shooting your 9mm, load that 140 mm mag to the hilt. Power factor and caliber are taken into consideration, but not mag capacity, so stack it up till it won't take no more. STAGES: NROI staff required a little tweaking to the stages. We hope to get that finished and approved before the National Handgun Match starts in a couple weeks, because all the staff will be busy with that program. Stages will be posted here, and emailed to all entered shooters, when they are approved. We are about at the halfway point in entries, so get yours in soon to reserve a place. Heavy Metal is still short, so if you want to shoot HM in a recognized Division, get your entry in soon. If we don't get enough HM to recognize the Division, we'll let all registered shooters know in enough time to change to another Division. Let us know, either here or at contact info posted earlier, if you have any more questions. Bruce

Arkansas Section Multi gun Championship match in 2012 will likely be September 29 and 30. Bruce

Problem has been fixed. Apparently, a new employee at the desk didn't know to turn the page to the second list of special rate offers. I've talked to the Candlewood Suites folks, and our special rates are now front page. Just be sure to call the property direct at (479) 424-3800, not the toll free reservation number. As we get closer to match date, emails will go out to registered shooters with a map covering the hotel and the Range, not to mention other information. NOTE TO HEAVY METAL SHOOTERS: Look at the earlier post about making a Division out of Heavy Metal. As of today, we only have two paid entries who want to shoot HM. If you want to shoot the high power stuff, get your entry in soon. Bruce

Thanks for rattling my cage. I confirmed the Match Hotel today. Candlewood Suites has offered a great deal for the Match. Same place we have used for the past couple of years, and a really nice property close to the Range. All the rooms have full size fridge, kitchen equipped. For those few of us left, they offer some smoking rooms. Rates they have provided are single Queen room, $72; Double Queen room, $80; suite with 1 Queen plus a sleeper sofa for $89. They are Holiday Inn affiliate, so you can use points if you have them available. Address is 7501 Madison Avenue, Fort Smith, AR 72903. Just off Phoenix Avenue, close to lots of good eating places, Wal Mart Super Center, other places of interest. Call them direct at (479) 424-3800, tell them the Rate Code is Gun Match, to get this special deal. Bruce

Heavy Metal update. Note my post above about what it takes to make a Division out of Heavy Metal. As of today, only two shooters have sent in paid entries for HM. Several folks have indicated they might shoot HM, but I don't want to leave the confirmed shooters hanging. We try to accommodate everyone, but if we can't make a Division of HM, I want to let people know well in advance so they can gear up for another plan. Bruce

Mike Gibson at MGM Targets is providing Flash Targets for the 300 yard range. Basically a stage I RO'd with Jay Worden at Clark Range near Shreveport a few years ago when they last held the National MG match there. Flash targets at 100, 200 and 300 yards. Timed fire. Will make this stage go a lot quicker than the last few years. Includes one mandatory reload. Cheryl, I think Mike is on the 'Unsquaded' list. If he has not received a PIN, he can probably use his USPSA PIN number to get on a squad. If you have a problem, email me at brucebethell@sbcglobal.net, and we'll fix it. Or maybe he is waiting for your squad to be full Look forward to seeing you all again. Bruce

Max slug distance will probably be 25 yards or less. Bruce

Stages have been finalized and sent to the Arkansas Section Coordinator for final review, then to USPSA for final approval. They will be posted here soon. Ten stages, and the 302 total round count looks like this: Handgun, 105; rifle, 110; Birdshot, 82; slugs, 5. Longest rifle shot is 300 yards, the max our Range will accommodate. The good news is that you'll see two prop guns. The even better news is both are new to our matches. I've dredged the Arkansas River, and still can't find the derringer from last year. One of the hammers on the Coach Gun was a little loose, so one of the CRO's (Clay won't admit it, but...) fixed it with some LockTite and a welding rod. Shaping up into another fun match. Bruce