Noob from Texas + questions

[jeeptherapy]

Hi y'all - I joined here to learn more & shoot better. I'm a longtime shooter & avid student of tactics, but shot my 1st match a week and a half ago (after being invited by a buddy for like 2 years!). My goal was to not be last, and I beat that by 5 spots. I consider that a wild success! Don't ask how many points I was away from the others - it was a lot! Of course, I had several mikes, and an assortment of A's, B's, C's (yes, and D's), but I also choked a stage & failed to engage 4 targets - don't know where they went! Would have been 10th from the bottom without the FTE points, even if I missed them all! (Total around 60 people shooting)

I'm shooting a Glock 17 with adjustable sights & a soon-to-come trigger job. Only special gear I bought was a DOH holster -mag pouches are my standard CompTac carry gear (from when I carried Glocks - XDm now). Honestly, I don't know where to look to sort out the classes (divisions??). I figured out major vs minor, but the rest of it is still puzzling. Open? Production? Limited? I looked online & only found voluminous rules, not a simple dumbed-down version.

One of the topics I want to figure out is sight picture with my bifocals - can't shoot worth a dang since I got those things. Hoping the article in the new Concealed Carry Magazine will help me. Also ordered Brian's book.

Anyway - see you at the range!

[dapribek]

Honestly, I don't know where to look to sort out the classes (divisions??). I figured out major vs minor, but the rest of it is still puzzling. Open? Production?

One of the topics I want to figure out is sight picture with my bifocals - can't shoot worth a dang since I got those things. Hoping the article in the new Concealed Carry Magazine will help me.

You'll want to shoot Production because all your competitors will be shooting similar guns. I solved my old eye problem this way: I do have bifocals, but the top part of my right lens is ground so I can read my computer, which also makes my pistol's sights crystal clear. I had experimented with trifocals and looking through the bottom lens of my regular bifocals, but both of these methods were too slow. With the top of my right lens ground to this mid-range focus, I just put my glasses on a half hour before a match and I'm good to go. Feel free to email me if you have any questions. Hope this helps.

[CocoBolo]

Welcome, we have all the central Texas shooting on our site http://www.sashooter.com.

I wear no line bifocals but for shooting I have a pair of single vision glasses. I can see the sights well enough with out the reading glasses. When I wore the no lines it was impossible to shoot from a prone position and while we don't do much of that I find I shoot better with the single vision glasses.

After paying gobsmacking amounts of money for glasses for decades I found http://www.39dollarglasses.com Now instead of paying $600 for a pair of no lines with titanium bendable frames after Insurance I get mine for $139.00 send in the insurance and get $125.00 back so the cost is $14.00. My wife was a non believer till I got hers there as well and she says they are the best glasses she ever had. Single vision sun glasses are only $58.00 in metal frame. The regular lenses are like the thin lenses at the eye doctor not the coke bottle lenses. Takes about 10 days to get them.

Edited June 2, 2010 by CocoBolo

[CrankyCrash]

Welcome to the forum.

Here's the link for the 2010 USPSA Combined Rules: http://www.uspsa.org/rules/2010_combined_rules_april_26.pdf

Main USPSA website: http://www.uspsa.org/

Check my signature line for a link to Steve J.'s Practical Shooting in Texas google map ... full of lots of places to shoot in Texas.

Be safe and have fun

[Team Amish 1]

welcome to the forum!!

www.texassouthsection.com has some info and match calendar on it.

a quick and dirty explanation is as follows

Classes (at what level of performance a person competes) from entry to highest level U (Unclassed), D, C, B, A, M(Master), GM (Grandmaster)

Division (what equipment one uses)

* Open (Racegun with red dot, compensator, high capacity, normally major)

* Limited (similar but .40 cal or larger, and without red dot or compensator)

* Limited 10 (same as Limited but only 10 rounds at the start of a stage)

* Singlestack (1911 style pistol with single action trigger, most often in .40 or .45)

* Production (basic pistol, normally in 9mm, starts stages with 10 rounds, always counts minor)

* Revolver (revolver with 6 rounds, in minor or major, depending on power factor)

hope this helps a little

[jeeptherapy]

Thanks for all the advice guys (gals?).

My responses:

-My buddy had me load my G17 mags full (not 10 rounds). Does that mean I was shooting limited minor?

-Dedicated prescription shooting glasses was something I was hoping to avoid. It's not looking like that's avoidable...? (I prefer to shoot a match like I would in the real world, and the odds are when the SHTF I won't have my double-throwdown king daddy high speed shooting glasses on, dontcha think?). I'm going to try shooting with only safety glasses first. I can see ok, but not super distant nor reading. Maybe it will work. Otherwise....dedicated shooting glasses (probably Z87.1+). At least the link CocoBolo sent can save me some coin.

-The guys I shot with were from http://www.alsppc.org/ - decent bunch of guys (and gals!), and they shoot at Austin Rifle Club - fairly close to my house.

-CrankyCrash: thanks for the links. Now to read through them without falling asleep! Is there a "quick start" version for us noobs?

-Amos: that helps. So classes are skill & I'm a Z- or so. Divisions are equipment & I still am not sure where I fit on that. See question above.

Thanks guys, for the spoon feeding. I'll be contributing hopefully soon.

[calishootr]

yup, you were esentially shooting limited minor, just download em to keep within the production rules, also dontforget about gear placement in single stank and production class's is all gear behindthe hipbone

[CrankyCrash]

Thanks for all the advice guys (gals?).

My responses:

-My buddy had me load my G17 mags full (not 10 rounds). Does that mean I was shooting limited minor?

-Dedicated prescription shooting glasses was something I was hoping to avoid. It's not looking like that's avoidable...? (I prefer to shoot a match like I would in the real world, and the odds are when the SHTF I won't have my double-throwdown king daddy high speed shooting glasses on, dontcha think?). I'm going to try shooting with only safety glasses first. I can see ok, but not super distant nor reading. Maybe it will work. Otherwise....dedicated shooting glasses (probably Z87.1+). At least the link CocoBolo sent can save me some coin.

-The guys I shot with were from http://www.alsppc.org/ - decent bunch of guys (and gals!), and they shoot at Austin Rifle Club - fairly close to my house.

-CrankyCrash: thanks for the links. Now to read through them without falling asleep! Is there a "quick start" version for us noobs?

-Amos: that helps. So classes are skill & I'm a Z- or so. Divisions are equipment & I still am not sure where I fit on that. See question above.

Thanks guys, for the spoon feeding. I'll be contributing hopefully soon.

I know the feeling about needing a quick start guide. Unfortunately, there's not one that I know of. I learned by watching and asking questions at the matches, eventually I had to dig into the rule book.

If you shoot at ALSPPC then you may be close to where I shoot in Copperas Cove and in Temple. If you come to Cove or Temple, look me up, I'm the guy with the USMC Tattoo on his right forearm.

Regarding shooting glasses, I used to wear my everyday prescription glasses while shooting. It worked okay for many years. I understand what you are saying about not wearing shooting glasses on the street. However, how many people also carry a full-size production pistol with a 2# trigger and 3 full-size mags under their shirt? My guess is not too many. In the end, it all boils down to how much money you want to invest and the achieved or perceived advantage it gives you in matches.

Recently, I made an investment and bought a pair of the Rudy Project Rydon Photochromic Red lense prescription glasses. What a difference! Now, even when I dry-fire I put on my Rudy's. They are expensive, I paid about $325 for mine, that's with a discount. However, as a USPSA member you do get a 40% discount.

[CocoBolo]

Hey if you had been at ALSPPC Sunday, I shot the match and Won the Open Division. I just ordered a pair of Rydon's from Rudy's with the Perscription Inserts, I've been shooting for 2 1/2 years with just regular glasses. I'll be sending those to 39DollarGlasses to get the lenses. If you are wearing any of the common plastic perscription lenses they should be ok for shooting in matches. If you are wearing glass lenses that won't work, but you can wear them with a goggle that fits over them.

Lots of new shooters shoot production style guns in Limited to start off. I did it myself. What this does is let you avoid some reloads and in the end you finish the match in the same overall position, but probably don't do as well in the limited division with the minor scoring. I would keep shooting Limited until you build some skill in making reloads and just as importantly reload plans. Its all good.

I'm planning to shoot this Saturday's match, just look for the Orange and White Dream Team Shirts, that will be the Want2Shoot FireArms team, good group of plain ole country boys (men and gals to).

I'd look funny walking around WalMart with my Ear Muffs on, but I always wear my glasses and may wear the Rudy's. If you were in WalMart and a guy walked in with shooting muffs and shooting glasses? I pick on Walmart because after I got my CHL I started to notice things and I've noticed a lot of people packing in WalMart.

[Sarge]

My responses:

-My buddy had me load my G17 mags full (not 10 rounds). Does that mean I was shooting limited minor?

No. It means you were shooting open. As long as you signed up for production you get bumped to open for loading over ten at the start signal. Trust me, I know this!

[jeeptherapy]

My buddy confirmed I was shooting limited minor (he wisely signed me up for limited). I like the idea of staying limited minor until I get my act together, then dropping back to production - this is what he recommended as well & now I understand it.

I'll probably get a pair of dedicated shooting glasses. Some experiments to do first - need to get back out to the range! Won't shoot this weekend or for a few more weekends due to family commitments though.

However, how many people also carry a full-size production pistol with a 2# trigger and 3 full-size mags under their shirt?

I'm pretty darned close! I'm carrying 33 rounds right now (OK, 1 mag in + 1 mag on the belt, 16+1 & 16). But your point is valid.

I don't see me driving to Temple unless I really drink more kool-aide & get hooked. But I'm definitely going back to an ALSPPC sometime. I may go to a IDPA match too sometime, just to see.

Thanks again guys.