foprange

The Alabama and all USPSA recognized Section matches are points series matches. I am sorry if anyone is put off by this match going limited only. The problem lies with the club that hosts it. Getting help getting this match to happen has been hard. It has fallen onto the shoulders of just a few people who already have more than they can handle. To do this match right, we had to downsize it. Look for an Alabama Open championship later this year... at another range.... with another club. I have had my hand in the match administration of this match every year since 1995 as the MD several times, RM twice, Assistant MD several times, and chief flunky every time. If you have not tried to organize an event for up to 200 shooters, you just can't understand the amount of effort and time that goes into it. Dixie Shooters is now run by three people. We have a good turnout at our club matches, averaging 20+ shooters, but it is rare that anyone is here early to set up, or late to tear down and clean up. What has happened to the cadre of people who used to pitch in and make it happen? Most of the shooters now just want to show up, pay thier money, shoot and go home. The matches are more challengeing than ever with really good stages at each match. The match fees are low at $15. Everyone gets along and fellowships while here at a match. I think it all started when we stopped picking up brass... used to be that when a shooter finished a stage and was walking downrange with the ro calling targets, a few guys would bend over and retrieve his mags and pick up all the brass they can identify as his off the ground and hand them back to him. It was a curtious act that was appriciated by all. We had the same brass picking guys show up hours before the match and help design and set up stages. They were there afterwards to return the range to prematch condition. I am not sure where IPSC is going here in Central Alabama but I am tired. The two guys left who help me are tired. With out fresh faces, the future is looking bleak. We have tried advertising in the newspaper, had reporters write stories on the matches, staffed a table at multiple gun shows, and invited anyone interested in shooting to participate. I know this has run into a rant but I wanted to explain why the Alabama Match is Limited only. Do your part, pick up some brass for another shooter. Jon G DVC

The 2005 Alabama Section Limited Championship match will be held in Birmingham on March 19. Entery fee is $100. Limited Division only division recognised. We have room for another 25 shooters. I know the hour is late for a match annoucement but I would hate for IPSC shooters in the area to miss out on a great match because they did not know about it. We sent all the competitors who shot here last year an email match announcement and I Have recieved entries from around the southeast. We have room for another 25 or so shooters. The match will be a one day shoot with 8 great stages. The match is the same location as the last 10 Alabama Section matches, the FOP Range in Pleasant Grove, just outside B'ham. Why limited only? The host club, Dixie Shooters, has been suffering from a major case of burnout and the guys who put this match together decided that we have to do something to downsize this event from the 10 past year's matches. Limited only will keep a decent prize pool. We are following the Texas Format with the RO's shooting with the squads. This will ease the workload on the RO staff and make it run like a big club match. RO's won't have to burn a vacation day to be able to participate. RO's won't have to run 170+ shooters through the same stage all day. It is not too late to get an entry in. We are accepting match entries until Friday. If you have shot an Alabama Match, you know Dixie Shooters puts together a quality event. The match is 100% payback ofter expenses. If the match fills, we should have about $4000 to give out. I have cut corners to keep match expenses to a minimum, used props we already have, freshened up the props with a little wear and tear on them. The stages, active squad list, match info, hotel info and entry form are posted on the foprangeinc.com site. There is no "Ringy Dingy" or "Sit and Spin" this year. Only wide open freestyle field courses. Round count is 228 rounds. See http://www.foprangeinc.com/2005_al_limted_champ.htm for the web page. Look for the Open and Limited 10/Production/Revolver matches here in Alabama later in the year. Call me, Jon Grigsby at 205-966-3137 cell or 205-744-2600 range, if you need further info.

JL, I just ordered one from Emidio Gaspari. Price was $190 for the unit, $10 for a collator (funnel thing), and $10 FEdEx Ground. I learned that it is caliber specific but an adjustable one in in the works. Gaspari told me that a less expensive model is also being perfected that is made from fiberglass impregnated plastic. The one I have coming is steel. He said that there are 15 or 16 units out in the world that he has sold. He offers a money back garrantee if not happy. For $210, I had to give it a try. Lee and the guys at the range now say I have hit a new high in laziness. I'm telling them that I just want to be more productive, spend less time reloading, more time shooting. Check it out the next time you are at the range.

The alabama stage design team, Lee and I, have caved in, got out our rule books and straightened out our stages. Thanks for all the input / constructive critisim. Take a look at the stages. I have posted before and after revision stage info - pictures. This match will be a blast to shoot. Make it if you can. Thanks again for the input. The stages are posted here.... http://www.foprangeinc.com/match_book_2004.htm

Thanks for all the input. A revision of stages 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are underway. Look for updated stage descriptions in a day or two with before and after comparisons on the match web site, http://www.foprangeinc.com/match_book_2004.htm. I knew if I asked a question here, I would get plenty of input. Thanks again, Jon G.

ShooterGirl, I had several examples of USPSA approved courses to use as a guide direct from our current classifier book. If it wasn't legal to use, then why have it used for classification purposes for all our members? Take a look at CM 99-37 for an example. This stage goes against your argument for both stage 2 and stage 5. There are several more valid examples of these types of courses in our classification system. Just wondering what everyone thinks about this. I am still in the late planning stages of this match and nothing is carved in stone. If we used the match guidelines from the rulebook for a Section level match, one feild course, two medium courses and three short courses (not more than 9 rounds), everyone would go home pissed off about what a crappy match it was that they just dropped several hundred on shooting. They would not come back. The stages I want to see are fun, challenging to all the shooters, fair, and will get your gun warm shooting them. Shooters leave the stage wanting to have another shot at shooting it again. I want each Section match we do to have at least one item that no one has seen before or done before that everyone can take home to their club matches. The rules we have are the best there is in the practical shooting sports. They still have room for improvement and several of the last changes I have seen are moving towards the fun factor. We shoot IPSC in alabama becuse it is fun. I have been to several major matches around the southeast and could find things that are contrary to our rules but, the stages were fun to shoot, a challenge for all who shot them and I didn't whine because a course designer wanted me to shoot targets in an order or do a reload. Lets have fun.

To clear up one problem with course #4, the targets will be clearly marked with a large stenciled number or letter, from 2 - A, to comply with Rule 4.1.4.

Hi all. Glad to see the interest in the Alabama match. I have been the MD, RM or Match coordinator for this match every year since 1995. I need input on a few things while we are still in the planning stages of putting this match together. Take a look at the stages. I have posted them on the range web site for all to see and maybe prepare a little for. http://www.foprangeinc.com/2004_al_ipsc_champ.htm is the web address for the match page. The issues I want input on are #1, look at stage #4, Four Card Stud. One complaint that I have had is that the No-Shoot targets will not be painted a solid color to differentiate them from the shoot targets. The idea was to make the stage different for each shooter while still being fair to everyone who shot it. It requires the shooter to think while shooting. Novel, huh? We have played around with this type of a stage at our club matches with some sucess. It is funny watching each shooter look at the table for the cards, at the target, then at the table, then at the target, table, target... trying to make his mind up on what he should shoot. While it is fun at a club match, we have never tried it at a major match and I am looking for any pitfalls that may get it booted from a fun match. One idea presented was to make the cards represent targets behind hardcover instead of making them no-shoot targets. Something to take them out of play, make hits on wrong targets hurt some. We have had a stage where the competitor flips one of two cards over to determine shoot and no-shoot targets. The heads of half of the targets were painted red and the other half were painted black. The card you flipped determined the shoot targets. One competitor that year heard the beep, drew and shot half the targets. When he was done, unloaded holstered, the RO pointed out that he had not flipped over any cards and that he now had a 50/50 chance of either doing well or zero'ing the stage. He then flipped a card and zero'ed the stage. Something about requiring a competitor to think after the beep that makes things interesting. We all get programmed during the walk through as to what we are going to do, where to engage what from, etc. that we go on autopilot. I like this stage and want to keep it in the match. Maybe in a little different format but with the same theme. Item #2 is the chronographing of competitors on a random basis. It is done at major matches in some places. It has been done here for the last 5 or 6 years with no problems. We have someone unassociated with the match choose a number between 1 and the highest competitor number in the match. That competitor is the lucky winner of the Chrono drawing. It is totally random. Each competitor has the same chance of having his ammo checked. Any RO may have a competitor's ammo pulled if they believe is may be improperly declared major. We have not seen had any ammo cheating as of yet. As a match adminstrator, reducing the chrono work to just one or a few shooters frees up at least 2 RO's who can now help run stages. The match runs smoother, faster, and the shooters do not seem to mind that the match appeared well staffed. What do you think? This may be a can of worms but input from shooters will help tremendously. This match is for you. This sport is about the shooters, not the events. Any input will be considered and thanks in advance, Jon Grigsby