Steel Challenge Match Start Up

[chaosshooter00]

I have been shooting with the same club for going on two years. This year I was elected president and one of my main priorities is to get our Steel Challenge up and running. I have only shot steel twice ever and was wondering if anyone had inside information on how to run a smooth, safe, fun steel match with little to no experience. All help will be appreciated.

[ziebart]

The first thing to do is get the targets. As for tips, spray paint the ground where the targets go so setup is faster in the morning. Also paint between squads. Stick to standard steel challenge stages. While I like the longer field stages our local club does; many in steel challenge are mobility impaired, or shoot 22lr so the falling targets don't go and that makes issues. Make sure the RO's know all the rules and are on the same page. Nothing is worse than having a first timer with a question and nobody being able to answer it. Sometimes a new shooter won't have enough mags for all strings, ask about this and see if you can have him shoot 2 -3 then have another shooter shoot while the first is stuffing mags. If you've been shooting 2 years of USPSA then most of the stuff will carry over.

[chaosshooter00]

The first thing to do is get the targets. As for tips, spray paint the ground where the targets go so setup is faster in the morning. Also paint between squads. Stick to standard steel challenge stages. While I like the longer field stages our local club does; many in steel challenge are mobility impaired, or shoot 22lr so the falling targets don't go and that makes issues. Make sure the RO's know all the rules and are on the same page. Nothing is worse than having a first timer with a question and nobody being able to answer it. Sometimes a new shooter won't have enough mags for all strings, ask about this and see if you can have him shoot 2 -3 then have another shooter shoot while the first is stuffing mags. If you've been shooting 2 years of USPSA then most of the stuff will carry over.

We have all eight stages of the steel, but have never put one on. We were thinking of doing four stages for the first one and see where we end up. In the future I want to hold a full stage event, but so far haven't gotten any help from Steel Challenge. I'm sure we will, but nothing yet. I need to know if they even accept less than eight scores, etc. Have you put one on before?

[MarkCO]

We ran our first SC match before we affiliated. The courses are fairly easy to set up. If you have room for 8, use the surveyors stakes with the tassles. That way you only have to measure it out once.

You need scoresheets, calculators, clipboards and timers. We do $15 1st gun and $5 for Juniors, Veterans and 2nd guns. You also need 9 shooting boxes besides the steel.

Have you e-mailed your Section Co-Ordinator and/or Area Director for help/input? That is part of their job to help you get started.

[chaosshooter00]

We ran our first SC match before we affiliated. The courses are fairly easy to set up. If you have room for 8, use the surveyors stakes with the tassles. That way you only have to measure it out once.

You need scoresheets, calculators, clipboards and timers. We do $15 1st gun and $5 for Juniors, Veterans and 2nd guns. You also need 9 shooting boxes besides the steel.

Have you e-mailed your Section Co-Ordinator and/or Area Director for help/input? That is part of their job to help you get started.

We affiliated last year and have just been slow to get it up and going. How do I find out who the Section Coordinator or AD is? I checked the site and sent an e-mail to the contact, but haven't heard anything yet. I know more info. is available, just trying to figure out how to get my hands on it. How are your matches going and have you had any pitfalls?

[MarkCO]

We affiliated last year and have just been slow to get it up and going. How do I find out who the Section Coordinator or AD is?

Go here: http://www.uspsa.org/locate-uspsa-clubs.php and enter your state. On the list look for "xxxxx xxxxx Section" which will give you the section contact. Click on one of the 8 Areas on the map and it will take you to a USPSA hosted site for the Area and list your AD, with e-mail as well.

No real pitfalls, but then our staff are seasoned USPSA competitors as well. Matches are going well. We need to do a little marketing to let people know we are here and running SC matches.

[chaosshooter00]

We affiliated last year and have just been slow to get it up and going. How do I find out who the Section Coordinator or AD is?

Go here: http://www.uspsa.org/locate-uspsa-clubs.php and enter your state. On the list look for "xxxxx xxxxx Section" which will give you the section contact. Click on one of the 8 Areas on the map and it will take you to a USPSA hosted site for the Area and list your AD, with e-mail as well.

No real pitfalls, but then our staff are seasoned USPSA competitors as well. Matches are going well. We need to do a little marketing to let people know we are here and running SC matches.

I didn't realize that the USPSA and Steel were under the same umbrella, as far as AD's. I sent an e-mail to my Section 2 AD. Thanks for the tip. How deep is your field in juniors? I have the same concern of helping the matches grow and getting the shooter numbers up. Were your Vets amicable to going to Steel or do you run a combo program with different days for each discipline? We really don't have a "home" range do to the usual club difficulties, so we shoot at another clubs home range and don't want to interfere with their schedule, currently one Sat=us, following Sat=them. Two great clubs that work well together.

[MarkCO]

I didn't realize that the USPSA and Steel were under the same umbrella, as far as AD's. I sent an e-mail to my Section 2 AD. Thanks for the tip. How deep is your field in juniors? I have the same concern of helping the matches grow and getting the shooter numbers up. Were your Vets amicable to going to Steel or do you run a combo program with different days for each discipline? We really don't have a "home" range do to the usual club difficulties, so we shoot at another clubs home range and don't want to interfere with their schedule, currently one Sat=us, following Sat=them. Two great clubs that work well together.

USPSA purchased SC, so yes, same organization, different brand.

We have a few juniors, but we have not pushed it much. This summer, we are planning to let Juniors shoot .22 RF rifle for the $5 (gun and ammo supplied) and see if we can get some momentum. We have several vets that prefer SC. We had several out last year that were missing one or two legs and they really enjoyed SC. I am finding that SC is a different group from USPSA shooters. More families, more odd weapons, more seniors.

[chaosshooter00]

I didn't realize that the USPSA and Steel were under the same umbrella, as far as AD's. I sent an e-mail to my Section 2 AD. Thanks for the tip. How deep is your field in juniors? I have the same concern of helping the matches grow and getting the shooter numbers up. Were your Vets amicable to going to Steel or do you run a combo program with different days for each discipline? We really don't have a "home" range do to the usual club difficulties, so we shoot at another clubs home range and don't want to interfere with their schedule, currently one Sat=us, following Sat=them. Two great clubs that work well together.

USPSA purchased SC, so yes, same organization, different brand.

We have a few juniors, but we have not pushed it much. This summer, we are planning to let Juniors shoot .22 RF rifle for the $5 (gun and ammo supplied) and see if we can get some momentum. We have several vets that prefer SC. We had several out last year that were missing one or two legs and they really enjoyed SC. I am finding that SC is a different group from USPSA shooters. More families, more odd weapons, more seniors.

Just talking to different people here and there, there seems to be an actual line between USPSA and Steel shooters. All the guys that I run with shoot USPSA and have aged a little to where they are more for the steel, where the younger guys like USPSA because we're faster of foot. After almost two years I'm still the FNG and young enough to be their kid, so naturally I want to shoot everything, but don't want to alienate anyone. We would like to get the ladies involved, but have no clue as to how. Any ideas?

[MarkCO]

Just talking to different people here and there, there seems to be an actual line between USPSA and Steel shooters. All the guys that I run with shoot USPSA and have aged a little to where they are more for the steel, where the younger guys like USPSA because we're faster of foot. After almost two years I'm still the FNG and young enough to be their kid, so naturally I want to shoot everything, but don't want to alienate anyone. We would like to get the ladies involved, but have no clue as to how. Any ideas?

Ladies...host a ladies only SC. If you can get a local lady to get involved to recruit, all the better. The comments I have received from the "new" ladies, who have not been brought by hubby or boyfriend, center around how they "feel" they are perceived by the "guys on the range." No way I am going to hold a "Sensitivity training for the old farts" as one new lady recomended in order to make the ladies feel more welcome. The only alternative is to have a match for them. Once they are accustomed to the functionality of a match and get some confidence, then they are more prone to fit in with the rest of the shooting demographic. SC is just easier to do this type of match at.

[chaosshooter00]

Just talking to different people here and there, there seems to be an actual line between USPSA and Steel shooters. All the guys that I run with shoot USPSA and have aged a little to where they are more for the steel, where the younger guys like USPSA because we're faster of foot. After almost two years I'm still the FNG and young enough to be their kid, so naturally I want to shoot everything, but don't want to alienate anyone. We would like to get the ladies involved, but have no clue as to how. Any ideas?

Ladies...host a ladies only SC. If you can get a local lady to get involved to recruit, all the better. The comments I have received from the "new" ladies, who have not been brought by hubby or boyfriend, center around how they "feel" they are perceived by the "guys on the range." No way I am going to hold a "Sensitivity training for the old farts" as one new lady recomended in order to make the ladies feel more welcome. The only alternative is to have a match for them. Once they are accustomed to the functionality of a match and get some confidence, then they are more prone to fit in with the rest of the shooting demographic. SC is just easier to do this type of match at.

Good to know. Appreciate all the help. See ya around BE.

[Flexmoney]

I wrote the text for this back when I was Match Director for our local Steel match: http://www.pcsirange.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=3:american-steel-plates&layout=blog&Itemid=4&layout=default

It might cover some of your questions.

[ziebart]

I don't run the local match just shot it a few times. They normally have 4 of the regular stages plus 2 "fun" stages. I don't think it is a sanctioned steel challenge match as it is just billed as a steel match. Also they use IDPA divisions, so it is a bit weird but fine for a local club match. I don't think anyone has complained that scores are not sent to some HQ, as long as they can see the scores. As for only having 4 stages, that could be a good idea so the match doesn't take all day to shoot. Even though there is no reset many new shooters won't be ready to shoot when it is their turn. Try and tailor the match to your shooters. Maybe every couple of months have a full 8 stage match.

[chaosshooter00]

I wrote the text for this back when I was Match Director for our local Steel match: http://www.pcsirange.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=3:american-steel-plates&layout=blog&Itemid=4&layout=default

It might cover some of your questions.

Thanks, I like the way that is laid out. Direct and to the point. If you don't mind, I would like to use it as a template for our club. Thanks again.

[chaosshooter00]

I don't run the local match just shot it a few times. They normally have 4 of the regular stages plus 2 "fun" stages. I don't think it is a sanctioned steel challenge match as it is just billed as a steel match. Also they use IDPA divisions, so it is a bit weird but fine for a local club match. I don't think anyone has complained that scores are not sent to some HQ, as long as they can see the scores. As for only having 4 stages, that could be a good idea so the match doesn't take all day to shoot. Even though there is no reset many new shooters won't be ready to shoot when it is their turn. Try and tailor the match to your shooters. Maybe every couple of months have a full 8 stage match.

Appreciate your input. Though you don't have a lot of experience with the steel, did you have a good time? Safety and fun are the two main factors I am going for. Never having been in charge of anything like this, I'm just paranoid that it won't be a success. How were you invited to participate, at the range, e-mail, or website? Just trying to figure the best way to attract new shooters.Thanks

[Flexmoney]

I wrote the text for this back when I was Match Director for our local Steel match: http://www.pcsirange...&layout=default

It might cover some of your questions.

Thanks, I like the way that is laid out. Direct and to the point. If you don't mind, I would like to use it as a template for our club. Thanks again.

You may use it...if you run an officially affiliated Steel Challenge match.

Where are you located? You might have members here that are local to you.

[ziebart]

I have a good time shooting the steel match, don't shoot it as much now as it is the same time as 3gun. I was encouraged to shoot the steel match after my first USPSA match, "it would help your accuracy." I found the USPSA match via google search.

[Zebp45]

I helped get the Steel Challenge matches started at our local club two years ago and they have been a success. The first year we were only able to hold about 5-6 matches on the weekends but after it becoming a success we were able to arrange for a permanent match day each month. THe other thing that we started was Thursday night steel matches. Every Thursday from late April through August we have a three stage match. this has been a huge success, last year drawing 38-40 shooters weekly (even during mid summer when our temps were 105+. We only charge $5 a person because of the crowd and limited daylight we do not allow 2nd guns. In an effort to get more kids involved we let the juniors shoot for free. We usually have 8-12 kids every week.

When we first started we only had three bays to use so we would set up and rotate through the 3 stages. After your your third stage you would reset the bays to the next stage and then rotate through the next three stages. We would only shoot 6 of the 8 stages at each match. This past year we were able to construct a fourth bay so now we can do the same rotation with four bays and all 8 stages. What I learned after shooting all 8 stages is that most of our shooters were ready to go after 6, YMMV. So the next month we shot 6 for score and then the guys/kids that wanted to shoot the last two stages consolidated into 2 squads and shot the remaining two stages.

The best advice I can give is to set out permanent markers in your bays for the standard stages. This greatly reduces inital setup and resetting/switching stages during the match. We used some large steel bolts (think 12" long with 2"domed heads) and drove them into the ground for the markers. We then paint them different colors for each stage which are colored cooridinated with the stage diagrams so that anyone is able to setup the stage for matches with little to no instuction. We also had our diagrams laminated and place them in the bays so people know what the stages are for setup/reset. I then created a schedule for which stages would be shot each week that hangs inside our storage building. The first one at the range can start setup and it takes only 15-20 minutes for us to be ready to shoot with the premarked bays.

Also if you are using wood sticks for your target stands be sure and have extras on hand. Seems

[chaosshooter00]

I wrote the text for this back when I was Match Director for our local Steel match: http://www.pcsirange...&layout=default

It might cover some of your questions.

Thanks, I like the way that is laid out. Direct and to the point. If you don't mind, I would like to use it as a template for our club. Thanks again.

You may use it...if you run an officially affiliated Steel Challenge match.

Where are you located? You might have members here that are local to you.

We are going to run affiliated matches. We are shooting in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. At this time we are currently looking at the fourth Sunday as a tentative date. It's not set in stone yet as we don't want to have conflict with any other local clubs.

[chaosshooter00]

I helped get the Steel Challenge matches started at our local club two years ago and they have been a success. The first year we were only able to hold about 5-6 matches on the weekends but after it becoming a success we were able to arrange for a permanent match day each month. THe other thing that we started was Thursday night steel matches. Every Thursday from late April through August we have a three stage match. this has been a huge success, last year drawing 38-40 shooters weekly (even during mid summer when our temps were 105+. We only charge $5 a person because of the crowd and limited daylight we do not allow 2nd guns. In an effort to get more kids involved we let the juniors shoot for free. We usually have 8-12 kids every week.

When we first started we only had three bays to use so we would set up and rotate through the 3 stages. After your your third stage you would reset the bays to the next stage and then rotate through the next three stages. We would only shoot 6 of the 8 stages at each match. This past year we were able to construct a fourth bay so now we can do the same rotation with four bays and all 8 stages. What I learned after shooting all 8 stages is that most of our shooters were ready to go after 6, YMMV. So the next month we shot 6 for score and then the guys/kids that wanted to shoot the last two stages consolidated into 2 squads and shot the remaining two stages.

The best advice I can give is to set out permanent markers in your bays for the standard stages. This greatly reduces inital setup and resetting/switching stages during the match. We used some large steel bolts (think 12" long with 2"domed heads) and drove them into the ground for the markers. We then paint them different colors for each stage which are colored cooridinated with the stage diagrams so that anyone is able to setup the stage for matches with little to no instuction. We also had our diagrams laminated and place them in the bays so people know what the stages are for setup/reset. I then created a schedule for which stages would be shot each week that hangs inside our storage building. The first one at the range can start setup and it takes only 15-20 minutes for us to be ready to shoot with the premarked bays.

Also if you are using wood sticks for your target stands be sure and have extras on hand. Seems

Great info. We had a meeting of the minds and came up with the same ideas. How did you advertise for shooters. We have a handful of local clubs and have been using word of mouth. So far not a lot of feedback. We are looking to put on an exhibition match on the fourth Sunday this month. Your weather sounds a little cooler than Lake Havasu in the summer. Maybe our crew will come visit.