Anyone use a range cart instead of a range bag?

[stringcheese]

I am new to uspsa and will be attending an intro class next week (Apr.23). I dug up a cowboy action cart instead of packing a range bag. I was just wondering of anyone else uses carts?

I have talked 3 family members into shooting with me and 2 are seniors. So, instead of watching them struggle, I figured a cart would make my life easier since I will probably end up carrying their heavy equipment.

Here's a picture:

What do you guys think??

So far I have added a bunch of hooks to hang belts and hold pistols, added my new UpLula, a first aid kit, my suede Brownells 2 pistol range bag, a drink cooler with a spout (blue), 2 cup holders, a small oil bottle, remington dry lube spray, and a golf umbrella that I still need to make a mount for.

I am looking for a decent cup dispenser and have to get a new dowel for any squibs. I will need a bigger umbrella, but the local stores won't have beach umbrellas in stock for another month or two.

When doing searches in the forum I read that uplulas grow legs, that is disappointing to hear, but I tied mine to the cart anyway. Will having my uplula tied to the cart pose a problem at the loading table?

Is there anything else (besides the obvious bug spray, sunscreen, towel, etc.) that I should add to my cart?

Do matches have chairs and shelters set up for every shoot?

thanks

Edited April 17, 2011 by stringcheese

[kmca]

Not quite sure how you're going to carry your guns if your bag only holds 2. Guns must be kept in a bag or in your holster. I use a collapsing wagon when I need to carry gear for more than one or for 3 gun. I think it's rather ambitious to try to carry gear for 4 shooters in one cart. When you say "seniors" what does that mean? Disabilities?

Most places have benches and shade of some kind out here. The benches sometimes get filled with shooter's bags, but I've never heard anyone complain about moving a bag so a shooter could sit.

Not quite sure how you're going to mount that porta-potty...should be interesting

Edited April 17, 2011 by kmca

[stringcheese]

Not quite sure how you're going to carry your guns if your bag only holds 2. Guns must be kept in a bag or in your holster. I use a collapsing wagon when I need to carry gear for more than one or for 3 gun.

Not quite sure how you're going to mount that porta-potty...should be interesting

What if they are inside the box? On a one of the cool pistol hooks? In the holster hanging, with my belt, on the belt hook? What if I screwed some cheap Uncle Mike's holsters onto the tower?

Any of the above?

Two year olds have it figured out! "I'll move my potty in front of the TV so I don't have to miss any of the Care Bears"

[stringcheese]

Pop had neck surgery and Uncle is just old too.

[Glockster35]

Just an idea. Keep your guns in a bag in the bag of your vehicle. When you get to the shoot, holster your guns on yoru belts, and leave them there for the remainder of the match. This is the preferred method. Removing the pistol from the holster during the match must be done (in most cases) in the safe area only (without ammo on your person) or with the assistance of an RO.

Otherwise your cart looks great!

I just built a cart for 3 gun. I bought a jogging stroller and added ATV gun mounts to it. Total investment was just over $100.

[stringcheese]

That was my plan Glockster. It's nice to be able to hang your belt for things like bathroom breaks. Please remember I have never shot uspsa and I am just trying to learn my p's and q's so I don't act like the FNG.

Are magazines loaded at a loading table or while you sit on the bench? I can't imagine approaching a loading table with a cart.

thanks

[TruStreet]

You can load magazines anywhere except the SAFE AREA!

[Glockster35]

Don't expect to see a lot of tables or chairs. You will spend the majority of your time walking back and forth pasting targets. And what I think would be best for all three of you is to read the USPSA/IPSC rule book before going to a match. Make sure you, and your gear follow the rules. Because failure to follow the rules or doing something unsafe will cost you your match fees and make you look silly.

As TruStreet said, you can load magazines anywhere but in the safe area. The safe area is a place for you to work on your gun safely, if you should run into problems.

Think of IPSC as a speed shooting sport, speed+accuracy=win. I haven't shot USPSA/IPSC in many years, I have just come back to competitive shooting. So your best bet would be to study the rule book, attend at least one match, and decide if this is the type of sport you were looking for. It is a lot of fun, but can get terribly expensive, really quick!

Do your part at the match, paste targets after each shooter. Nothing bothers other shooters more than a guy who comes out to shoot, and runs his mouth the entire day, or stands around while everyone else picks up his slack. It doesn't matter your age (unless disabled), wealth or what you do for a living. If you don't paste with the groups I shoot with, you will get called on it quickly, and asked to participate or leave. Sure everyone takes a break here and there, but those who are on breaks more often than not are quickly fingered. Also, You do not need to paste after the shooter just before you, or after yourself. After you have shot, you should follow the RO around, and watch him score your targets (good idea to figure out scoring before the match), that way you can contest if they make a poor call.

Also take other shooters advice. They will likely be a great bunch of shooters, and they will offer you tips to improve your shooting. If you act like you know it all, and don't accept their help you will not become a better shooter in the sport. no one comes out and blows away the competition their first time out. It's goign to be a learning experience and you should look at it as so. Making small mistakes or totally screwing up a stage is acceptable!

Most importantly go out and have a good (yet safe) time.

[stringcheese]

I did shoot CAS, I gave it up a little more than a year ago when I was laid off. I was RO1 and RO2 qualified. I have read the rule book a couple times but still missed some strangly easy points such as the questions I asked here. Most of the points you touched on ring true in CAS as well. This is what makes our sport so wonderful. I am still concerned about the remarks of uplula's growing legs. Which is contradictory to what our sport usually reflects.

In my experience in CAS, if you accidently left you 1st gen Colt SAA redid by Doug Turnbull on the bumper of your truck and drove off, you would find it on your cart the next match.

Do people seriously steal other people's stuff, like an uplula??

[stringcheese]

You can load magazines anywhere except the SAFE AREA!

Thanks! I think I'll bring some chairs too!

[stringcheese]

I just realized I need to add a bag to put spent cases in on the cart.

[CZinSC]

Do people seriously steal other people's stuff, like an uplula??

It probably happens, I just haven't seen or heard of it at the matches I've attended. Regarding an uplula, my guess would be someone was loading on the table, left it, walked away. Next guy comes up, starts loading, uses the Uplula, and gets distracted, then throws it in his bag because he has one and thought it was his. Honest mistake, but still sucks.

[kmca]

First, only handle your gun in a designated safe area or under the direct supervision of a RO, anything else is a DQ...so don't put your gun in your holster from your car trunk.

Second, you can have ammo on your person in the safe area, just don't touch it..DQ.

Third, if you're going to be getting folding chairs, you might consider getting some without arms, it's just easier to get in and out of the chair when you're "dressed".

Fourth, looks like you're going to be needing a much larger cart

[stringcheese]

Ok. When I searched for uplula on this forum the majority of posters told the peroson asking to secure it to his rangebag.

I figure I can stick some chairs where he rifles went on the cart.

Rules were a little looser in CAS, thanks for the heads up on holstering from the trunk. It seems a little excessive to DQ someone for it. Welcome to the big leagues, I guess.

Seriously though, you guys have been a ton of help, thank you.

[Joe4d]

What the heck is an uplula?

[stringcheese]

http://www.google.com/search?client=ms-android-verizon&source=android-home&q=uplula&tbs=vid:1&tbm=vid

[bdpaz]

Ok. When I searched for uplula on this forum the majority of posters told the peroson asking to secure it to his rangebag.

Over half the posts on UpLulas recomend securing them?

I did a cursory search and only found one thread where the securing of UpLulas came up and it was mentioned in 6 out of 55 posts - I don't consider 11% a majority. I can't speak for other locations but I can say that at Rio Salado there is no rampant UpLula thievery. They are small, black, nondescript, and easy to forget. I lost one and since then I make a point to put mine back in my bag after using it, and I have kept this one for many months now. The best reason to tie it to your bag it is so that you don't walk away from it.

[stringcheese]

I cannot seem to reproduce the search through my phone at this instant. But, perhaps I spelled it up lula, not uplula in my initial research?

[stringcheese]

Do people seriously steal other people's stuff, like an uplula??

It probably happens, I just haven't seen or heard of it at the matches I've attended. Regarding an uplula, my guess would be someone was loading on the table, left it, walked away. Next guy comes up, starts loading, uses the Uplula, and gets distracted, then throws it in his bag because he has one and thought it was his. Honest mistake, but still sucks.

Ahh yes, operator error. Now I get it, and it is good to hear!

[lumpygravy]

Not quite sure how you're going to mount that porta-potty...should be interesting

I'm loving the mini-porta-potty

On range carts, I've been thinking of using one as well. In my case, I think I'm fighting a little denial that I'm getting older and that the range bag is pretty heavy to be schlepping around all day.

Like others have said, be sure to know the rules regarding safe handling of your guns while on the range and configure your cart to comply.

[Vlad]

I've gone the exact opposite way. I carry the LEAST amount of gear possible. Gun holstered, mags on belt. and all I drag around is a Maxpedition Jumbo Versipack which despite the "JUMBO" part is not all that large or heavy. It can hold a few boxes of ammo, water, gun oil, small bits like that and weights very little. The big range bag of crap stays in car and more and more at home.

[Pro-Pain]

I asked about contents a few months ago and got a lot of good ideas from here:

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=122607

p.s. does that lid double as a seat too? The first time I looked at it thought it was a portable seat/storage box..

[calishootr]

in my neck ofthe woods ammo nor mags are allowed in the safe area's guns only, newbies get warned once, then thank you foryour donation...we only went to that because people were inthe safe area's checkin the drop free of their mags when they were loaded!!!! yeah only time would tell till we got a KABOOM in a safe area...i know you shot CAS a few yrs back, and admittedly you said CAS was a lil loose in their rules, as i know i have seen a quite a few CAS matches...how about this, before you trot out the mega cart(minus the potty i hope) why not trot on out to a USPSA match and see what people are running with??? get a feel for how much stuff you actually do or dont need(kinda like my cruise to tahiti a few yrs back, i could have left 2 bags home and just run with 3 tank tops and 2 swim trunks an a pair of teva's)

[stringcheese]

I asked about contents a few months ago and got a lot of good ideas from here:

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=122607

p.s. does that lid double as a seat too? The first time I looked at it thought it was a portable seat/storage box..

Yes the lid makes a nice seat! I just found some tripod seats that will go in the rifle racks. Now everyone will have a seat. I'm still searching for a bigger umbrella.

[sfpmb]

I use a creedmor highpower shooting cart. I take my range bag and set it on the seat when we are moving through stages. I use it mainly as a seat that holds my lunch and then a dolly for my bag. Very few (but a few) people use stuff like this for uspsa. Alot of people use this stuff for 3gun. Put what you want on it. You have to be happy. I love mine because on long 6 plus stage days or in hot weather (i have an umbrella attached) it saves me from fatigue and hell I can just sit when I need to between taping and setting.