TRNinTX

Most vendors had to have their goods shipped ahead of time due to the location. I don't think you can say you got the shaft just because no one on your squad thought about shooting the stage that way. Besides, KC shot it straight up without running and finished 3rd at 95% and Todd did the same and finished 4th.

I wish I could be there, but will be in CA for Steel Challenge that week.

The table will paste directly into Excel where the numbers can be manipulated for comparison purposes. The only improvement would be to include the Stage Percentage also.

I would love to be there, but will be in Montana for Open Nats.

Is that really a good idea?

Does anybody have any info yet? Like everyone else I've got several hundred dollars tied up in airfare,hotel and rent car and have no idea when we are shooting. I guess if we get to Phoenix on Sat we can get to the range to find out when we shoot on Sunday.

BJ usually goes over to practice with Jerry & Kay a couple of times before Steel Challenge. Jerry was working on that stance before last year's Steel Challenge. He claims that it takes less time to get the gun up into his sight line because of a shorter arc. He said he was consistently shooting his best times that way.

Results are up HERE

It looks like a pretty strong field with 8 of the top 10 from last year's Steel Challenge and Doug Koenig all signed up.

Any rule addressing weather conditions would turn match administration into a nightmare. Can you imagine the number of appeals/requests for reshoots based on what a person liked or disliked with the weather? At last year's A6 it started pouring down rain on Sunday, definitely not the same conditions as Friday. Are you going to stop the match until everything dries up?

Zumbo also has a show on the Outdoor Channel. They have some of the best shooting programming available. I have urged them to drop him also.

BJ, Lucie (BJ's girlfriend), Kyle & I spent a long weekend last weekend, but when it was over we all passed the NRA's Basic Instructor Training, Home Firearm Safety, and Basic Pistol Instructors courses. Genghis on this forum was our Training Counselor. The course helps you become a better teacher and helps tremendously in obtaining training insurance.

Jack, You should go ahead and let him shoot. It is a completely different game with it's own set of pressures and challenges. If you are not shooting and just watching John, be prepared for your own case of nerves! Last summer BJ's older brother, Kyle, went with us to California to watch BJ shoot. Right before the first stage Kyle told me he was about ready to go puke in the berm because he was so nervous and couldn't do anything about it.

I have tried to stay out of this discussion since my wife is one of the persons that wrote a letter (it is not one of the published ones) to Dave Thomas. You will find no stronger supporter of the shooting sports than BJ's mom. She agreed that it would be good for me to take a full year off and travel with BJ in 2005. Dave approached us at Area 4 and thanked her for her commments and said that she was not the only person who had commented on the ads by far. As Sharyn and Chuck have already said, it is about being appropriate in our membership publication. I guess I am fast approaching the "grumpy old man age", but I wonder how many of you have shown your wives or girlfriends the ads and asked their opinion. My 3 year old grandaughter watched the Shooting USA program featuring Julie last night and said, "When me grow up, me will shoot on TV like that girl". I would hate to think that she picks up our membership publication at 13 or 14 and were to see one of the ads that have been discussed and I say "Yeah, that's us, that's what we're all about!". I'm not sure that would send a very strong signal of being welcome. And BTW, I don't think "male enhancement" ads belong in the NRA magazines either

The RO cannot determine a shooter's intent. The correct call is a bump to Open just like the rules state. I'm sure most shooters do not intend to break the 180, but that is a DQ and I don't think any ROs would overlook this rule.

Steve Horsemen (aka Steve H on the forum) is the guy to get in contact with...he is the MD. He told me at Area 2 that they were looking at the 3rd weekend in March at Rio. Now...this was very preliminary, so I would get in touch with him to get the skinny on it. I hope they take a good look as I believe this is the same weekend as Derek's Steel Challenge Nationals in Florida.

Ron Francisco shoots left handed

+1 The quickest learning curve is to watch the shooters pick your perfectly designed and constructed stage to pieces.

The problem I see with the PS in its current configuration is very apparent when you look at the Limited Division results. No offense to Mr. Provan but: Manny wins six Area matches, one St/Sec match, and never finishes below 96% in any PS match he shoots, however in the current system he is the 3rd best shooter in USPSA. (Go figure)

Kyle, I would assume since this match is being run with the express consent of Mike & Mike and using their logo, name, etc. that it will be run pretty much the same way. The way it works in CA is: Prize table in order of finish If you shoot in two divisions, you visit the table once for your highest finish. You can take the cash or a prize, not both. Usually the top 10 take the cash, that means 11-20 get the top picks on the table and on down the line. This year I believe that the 50th place prize package was worth around $400. It is a very efficient operation. A numbered list of prizes is distributed before the awards. Five shooters are allowed in the prize room with the next five outside the door. As prizes are picked from the table they are announced in the room where all the contestants are waiting so they can strike those prizes from their list. If you have two or three prize packages highlighted on your list, it makes it very simple to walk in the room and know what is available. Sharyn or someone else who has spoken with Derek recently will probably have a better answer.

Will that mean no equipment divisions? Flex, At the Steel Challenge in CA, there are some nice prizes for the top finishers in each equipment division, however the main prize table is visited in order of finish.

Alan, I also spent most of the year shooting SS, however it will not show up in the records because I registered in L10 for classification purposes, but shot using my SS gear. I also made the step to B in L10 shooting a SS with 8 rnd mags.

Just because the top Practical Shooters don't shoot AP, doesn't mean they can't. The only practical shooters that show in the Open results are Doug and Mike V. I believe that this was only the second year that Phil shot Bianchi and it was Mike Seeklander's first attempt. They finished 3rd and 6th respectively in Metallic. If the Combined Match is a reality and there is a tangible prize, I guarantee that the top practical shooters will practice AP enough to become competitive.

Any rumors as to where the third qualifier match will be held? It's time to start putting together next year's schedule.

Sharyn, From what airport did your flight originate? When we flew to SC on American, we had no markings on our bags out of Dallas, but when we left LA the TSA marked the bag with guns in the same manner you described evidently when it went through their inspection. I didn't see the marking until we claimed our bags in Dallas.