DarthMuffin

With just a week left before the match we have only a couple of slots left. If you want one contact us and sign up soon. The match is shaping up great and looks to be a good one.

We have worked through the waiting list and have about 10 slots free now! Go to the area1championship.com site and register as normal. Good luck!

No, we don't have a match ammo supplier. We are recommending that you ship your ammo to your hotel (this isn't Vegas, I don't expect them to bend you over). If you need an FFL, I would contact http://www.ranch-home.com/kennewick/ in Kennewick. They are a match sponsor and I'm sure will be happy to help. Oh well. I'll probably have to withdraw, then. We can't ship from Alaska, and I don't dare risk untested ammunition, if I can even find enough of it locally. For your case, I would contact either Ranch and Home (linked above) or Talos Tactical (http://www.talostactical.com/) and see if you can buy factory ammo of your choice from them and have it held for pickup. I imagine either one would be happy to do that. Ranch and Home is more of a big box store, but a match sponsor. They may even be able to bring it to the match as one of our club works there. Talos is a local gun store that's always been good to work with and have reasonable prices. May be easier to get personal treatment there.

No, we don't have a match ammo supplier. We are recommending that you ship your ammo to your hotel (this isn't Vegas, I don't expect them to bend you over). If you need an FFL, I would contact http://www.ranch-home.com/kennewick/ in Kennewick. They are a match sponsor and I'm sure will be happy to help.

An update on the waiting list, posted on our facebook page: "Staff notifications went out earlier in the week with confirmation / commitments at about 75% complete. Anyone that is registered but not paid will be getting notified this weekend that they need to pay within the next 10 days or the slot will be released to someone on the waiting list. Those still on the staff consideration list will not be released until the staff list is more complete; hopefully in the next couple weeks. There has been some cleanup of registration (duplicates, a few drops, that sort of thing) so some of the waitlist slots will be approved this weekend. The match is sitting at 439 registered, 392 approved, 68 unpaid. Some of those unpaid are staff awaiting confirmation. That leaves 47 on the waitlist/pending."

I'd go for the Richland Red Lion, the Hampton, or the Richland M Hotel and Conference center. All are 15-20 minutes drive from the range and have restaurants within walking distance. Hampton is the newest, and right on the river. Shiloh and Days Inn are just a few blocks farther. Really anything in Kennewick or Pasco is only 15 more minutes away, so if you can swing a good deal in one of those cities don't rule it out. We don't have a hotel picked for our visiting ROs yet, and awards will be at the range.

Thanks for the input guys, I will definitely point that out at our next meeting and see what I can do to get them to commit to an early payment deadline and waiting list processing. I know the registration and payment system was partially driven by what tech we had to work with. We weren't really in a position to set up an online registration and payment system on our own, so this was the path of least resistance and allowed us to focus on other things (like stage design and props, putting in a 13th bay, a chrono bay, and irrigation which is all but done!). On the plus side we have been using Practiscore for about a year now and just invested in a half-dozen Nooks for scoring (were using a mish-mash of tablets, phones, etc). They are working out well so more will be on the way for the match. I heard about some Practiscore problems last year and I'm confident we have the experience to avoid that. Oh, and it'll be good to see another Tanfoglio at the match :-)

Here's the info I could find for you guys (I'm just an RO and the web site guy, not MD or anything like that), more as I have it: The reserve spots are for sponsor slots and for the Juniors. We probably have more set aside than we need, so the extra will be given up to waiting list people. The waiting list isn't posted anywhere publicly (yet?), but we do have one. Right now they're working out staff assignments and staffing levels, from there they will start asking for payment. There is no payment deadline yet. This is kind of breaking new ground as there's no guidelines or precedent to follow but payment will obviously have to be due in time to notify waiting list people. Cha-lee, I'm curious what were the problems that happened last year so that maybe I can push to help avoid them? I didn't do A1 last year but our "upper management" did and are working with the Utah team to learn and make it better. Feel free to PM me if you feel it would cause ill-will posting publicly. Some other info I can give: 12 stages plus chrono, 11 person squads. Each squad will shoot a half day Friday and Saturday (5 stages plus a break each day) and a short 3-stage day on Sunday.

One last reminder bump -- Online (only) registration open at 11/3 8AM PST for Area 1 members. http://area1championship.com

It won't let me edit the first post, so some more updates: Registration will open 11/3 for Area 1 Members. 12/1 for others. Most info is at the http://area1championship.com page (round/stage count, costs, etc), and also on our facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/uspsa2014area1

Since I haven't seen it posted here yet, I thought I would give up the details I know for your planning use: 2014 Area 1 championships will be held in Benton City, WA at the Rattlesnake Mountain Shooting Facility by the Eastern Washington Practical Shooters club. Date has been set at the third weekend in May, 2014 (14th or 15th through 18th). 12 stages plus Chrono. Price will be similar to this year and registration will be open for Area 1 members towards the end of this year, opening up probably in March for others. Some web sites to keep an eye out on: http://area1championship.com/ (as soon as we can get control of it) http://www.ewpsa.org/ (local USPSA club) https://www.facebook.com/pages/Eastern-Washington-Practical-Shooters-Association/106584939369485?fref=ts (club Facebook page) http://www.tcsa.info/ (shooting range info) https://maps.google.com/?ll=46.347372,-119.470482&spn=0.008887,0.021136&t=h&z=16 (location of the range) About the range and area: The range is near the Tri-Cities, Washington (Richland, Pasco, Kennewick). Richland is closest at a 15-20 minute drive, although it's only 10 more minutes to the others. The area is desert, 540 feet altitude at the range. Typical May weather would be 70-80's and clear. Wind is common, but anything can happen (Spring in the Northwest...) Drive time is 3.5-4 hours from Portland, 4ish from Seattle, 2.5 from Spokane. Pasco is the closest airport. More details posted as we get them. Hope to see you there!

We've still got plenty of room, match is only about half full! Stage descriptions and entry form are at the link above. April is beautiful on this side of the state, come on over. There will be trophies and a random draw prize table. This is a USPSA sanctioned level II match with dedicated stage ROs. We just made a bunch of new wall sections and are getting the range in top shape for you. If you haven't been here you will love our great facilities (it's more than adequate for Area 1, which we may bid on some day soon).

I use G3 mag pouches (like http://sturm-miltec....hescatalog.html but bought them elsewhere) with the top flap cut off. I think they cost me $3!

OK, anyone who was at the LPR awards knows why, but can I propose a new rule? Acceptance speeches are fixed time, 120 seconds using a shot timer. "Extra words" are a procedural which affects your score ;-) Seriously though, congrats to the winners and special thanks to the ROs (who all started early, worked through lunch, and stayed late) for the great match.

Mobil 1 15W50 with about 30% Mobil 1 ATF. Settled on 30% because that's about the max you can add before it starts to smell too much like ATF (pew). Slide glide on lugs, rails, and heavy wear areas.