Sportsman's Team Challenge

[BigDave]

Does anyone know of any sights for the STC and can someone also give an overview of the type of competition it is???

[benos]

Dave,

I don't know of any web sites - maybe someone will come up with one.

Unfortunately, I think the match is on the way out. I know they moved the location last year, from FL to TX, and did not have it covered by the ESPN sports network like had been done every year previously. Big mistake. The match format was designed for TV appeal, and the big buck players that sponsored it - Chevy Truck - need the TV coverage to even begin to justify pouring big bucks into it. In addition, to shoot the match, you must have 3 guys who live relatively close to each other, have a nice wad of cash in the bank to afford all the gear/training expenses (it makes IPSC look like shooting marbles), and who can actually stand each other long enough to train and compete as a team.

So, you need three guys, each with state at least one state of the art .22 rifle, 12 ga. shotgun, and pistol - either center fire or .22. The (National Championship) match consists of 3 separate shotgun courses, 50 targets each, in which all 3 must shoot some sort of a shotgun; one rifle stage in which all 3 must shoot a .22 rifle, a "combo" event in which, basically, one guy shoots a rilfe and the other two shoot .22 pistols; and then one pistol only stage where one guy shoots a .22 and the other two shoot center fires.

I used to travel with a minimum of 5 fully tuned guns... it was a logistical nightmare. Really, for me the only fun part was busting all those clays. And if I wasn't sponsored, I could have never even have dreamed of training like we did. So, you can see why I said I think it's on its way out.

be

[BrianH]

For what it's worth, Brian, your shooting was beautiful!

I taped, I believe, the first match...S&W beating SA in the pistol event at the end (at least that's how the show made it look).

I must have watched it 20-30 times.  I guess they (and you) were right.  A fun match to watch.

[benos]

Thanks Brian.

Shooting on a team, at 35 yd, 4" plates, to win the match, was definitely more pressure than could be considered fun, by a long shot.

[old shooter]

The Nationals for the Sportsman Team Challange were held 2 weeks ago in San Antonio.  If you get the chance, enter.....It is one of the most fun matches I have ever shot.  However, BE is right...It is hard finding 2 others that you can get along with.  It is a match that you can shoot even as "older" age aproaches.  After several years, my team mates dumped me because I lived too far away(they say).  there are several regional matches you can attend.  Last years match was shown on American Shooter, and 2003 Nationals will be shown on TNN (I think) with Realtree camo as the main sponsor.