ErichF

Understood. I'll remember never to ask you a rules question in the future so you aren't inconvenienced.

Ah, see not knowing any better myself, I might have done the same thing. Maybe a clarification by the RO during the stage briefing could have prevented this?

I was responding to the OP. I didn't notice the 600yd requirement in a later post. So, excuse the heck out of me... I do like the wireless camera idea though. Even a decent "nanny cam" can be had for less than $150.

Walmart sells a cheapy 20X50 with a basic tripod base for $50.

I just shot a match that allowed 10 in the mag and 1 in the chamber at start. So, I'd load one mag to 11, and that was what I loaded with in the start box. All my other mags were loaded to 10. Bear in mind this was not a sanctioned rule book USPSA match, but an informal "fun shoot" based on USPSA/NRA action pistol. Was this identified during the match briefing?

That was the original question, but the conversation did evolve. My comments were basically to the few who thought that going to a match with no prize table was a waste of their time and resources. I counter that with my thinking that the difference in wasted time shouldn't be solely based in the existence of a prize pool. I do agree with this point. Given multiple options, I would go for the one that might have some more "gravy". In fact, I have decided to go to one event here in FL over another, equally distant match because they happen to have a new XDm 5.25 in a raffle ticket drawing. All else being equal, I'm going to the gravy, sure. Nothing you said specifically warranted that statement I made. My apologies if you thought so. I have been a contest director in my other "hobby" for 6 years, and the worst part of organizing the contest was begging vendors for the free stuff to give away. In some cases, vendors were very generous, but overall it's a pain. What makes that worse is I get folks, when asking about the event, the first question is, "what's in the raffle?" I suppose it more relates to how much you are willing to spend based on what the distant matches offer. The prize pool shouldn't be a primary determining factor in whether or not you spend that kind of money, in my opinion. I have made a yearly trip to a National Championship (another hobby from shooting) for five of the past six years from FL to Indiana. Each time I came back with a National Championship trophy and nothing but credit card bills on top of it. In addition to that event, I also drove to Nashville once or twice a year, Huntsville, etc. All for nothing more than a shot at some wood and a great time with friends. To your question, if I'm planning on a cross-country trip to a match or contest, I've made the decision to go well ahead of even knowing what the prize pool is, just purely due to planning and logistics. Free beer coozies and extra mags don't make a dent in such a financial plan. Likewise, if I'm looking at the match calendar for central FL, and I see two otherwise equal events where one has a great shot at a high-dollar piece of hardware...I'm not going to BS you I'd go to that one. All, don't take my comments as critical or harsh. I have limited time to write a post sometimes, so I go for the quick bullet that may come off as so, unintentionally. Ya'll have a great weekend! Erich

Hah, glad to see I'm not the only one. Shot a match last weekend where I had to cut around the end of a wall. Behind the wall were three targets, the left most one a no-shoot covering 1/2 the target. I engaged the right target, and something in my head made me bypass the center, and engage the hostage taker. The other part of my mind said, "ok right to left complete, lower weapon, finger off trigger." RO made the "IF you are finished..." I felt weird, looked at the target field, and saw the center one with no holes in it. I quickly raised and made a nice double tap in the middle of the A zone. Luckily I hadn't unloaded yet, but it did cost me about 3-4 seconds of delay.

This is a perfectly reasonable list of priorities and expectations. Personally, I would put #5 and #3 up front. Being a Chief, I would expect you to have thicker skin than this. What's condescending is for some hot shot to show up at a contest with the attitude "where's the free stuff?" NO ONE suggested that a match should not have any prizes at all. Please use quotes and not paraphrases. If a match has give-aways, I said that's gravy. It shouldn't be the primary reason for one to go and participate.

UAV Operations Manager and Chief Pilot http://www.prioria.com

I'm surprised at the number of folks that expect free $hit to justify driving, lodging, and food for a match. That's kind of a ridiculous expectation, if you ask me. I have spent the last six years competing in a different hobby/sport at the National level, and NEVER expected free stuff, even when winning the contest. It was about seeing old friends again, enjoying the hobby, improving my skills, and maybe getting some wood (trophy or plaque) at the end of it all. The 16 hours of driving, hotel stays, food, etc is part of the game. If yer gonna whine about all that, stay home and just shoot in your local matches. If I did all the work to organize and put on a match, and the only thing you cared about was what free $hit you can get out me, I'd tell you to keep your precious self home next time. Door prizes, winner's merchandise, raffles and stuff are all gravy, and are NOT to be expected in honor of you showing up. You want free crap, shoot your way up and get sponsored. Rant off....

I have seen this comment a couple times in this thread. My question is, how does the method of primer impact make a difference in accuracy? Seriously would like to know what is the difference. I shoot an XDm9 4.5 and it's plenty accurate beyond my capability. Is it the slide/frame interface? The added safety interlocks built into striker guns? What?

From the Club Website Calendar: VOLUSIA COUNTY GUN & HUNT CLUB PRACTICAL SHOOTING 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM Oct 22, 2011 USPSA / IPSC Hi all, I wanted to invite everyone to our US Practical Shooting match this weekend repeating the 4th Saturday of the month at the Volusia County Gun & Hunt Club. Anyone with a pistol or revolver of a caliber 9mm or larger may shoot. You will also need a holster that covers the trigger guard and at least two magazine pouches for your spare ammo to reload from. An average stage can run between 12-36 rounds, but we plan to keep it lower for our first match so everyone can enjoy it. To be safe bring 200 rounds of ammo. Please help spread the word out to other shooters that may not have received this email by forwarding it on. We will have 6 stages with walls, doors, cars, moving targets, metal plates, swingers, and plenty of challenging stages to test your shooting. Here's a really informative video of what Practical Shooting is all about ( http://uspsa.com/USPSA_Videos/index.html ) but don't be intimidated by the guns used by the pro's. USPSA has several divisions that allow for ANY type of firearm to compete, each with separate classes so your always shooting against someone of your own speed and ability. I've asked veteran professional pistol shooter, and club member David Pruitt to design some courses of fire for our very first match. I'm sure they'll be fun! Please contact him if you have any questions about this upcoming match. depruitt@aol.com REGISTRATION 8AM-8:45 SAFETY BRIEFING 8:45 AM MATCH STARTS 9:AM Match Director: SEAN BEERY & DAVID PRUITT depruitt@aol.com $ 15 MEMBERS OF VCGHC $ 20 NON-MEMBERS PUBLIC WELCOME Location: 4645 SR 44 NEW SMYRNA BEACH, FLORIDA 32168 http://www.volusiacountygunandhuntclub.com/contact.html Thank you, Sean Beery Director VCGHC 386-717-1394 386-774-6729 fax Location: 4645 SR 44 NEW SMYRNA BEACH, FL.

A great degreaser lots of model aircraft folks use to clean engine parts is to take an old, cheap crock pot filled with green anti-freeze. Boil/Simmer your parts for a couple hours, and they will be nice n purty. This may also remove some types of bluing compounds, so test with a hidden part, first. Erich NOTE: Never use the crock pot for cooking food EVER AGAIN.

In talking with the guy that sets it up today, they will be sanctioned by the USPSA from now on. They were just waiting on their club charter to go through. This will be the last non-sanctioned match they hold, for action pistol anyway. They do not intend to hold IDPA rulebook matches anytime soon. Erich

Yeah, GTR is having one such match this Sunday. I will be entering as my first ever match. I'm also taking their NRA pistol course tomorrow. Gonna be an excellent weekend with my trusty new XDm9. Erich

Excellent, Smithers.... Thanks!

Test post to see if email notifications are ever going to work from this site. please reply if you don't mind. Erich

I would love to, but that weekend is my wife's birthday and our 11th anniversary It looks like my first event will either be an IDPA match in Ocala or a USPSA match in Williston on the 16th.

I just got started in the shooting sports with an XDm 9mm 4.5 and intend to start match shooting in USPSA, IDPA, Steel, and whatever action pistol matches I can get to. I'm hooked