PANDEMIC 2014....attention tac optics!....May 30th - June 1st

[TRUBL]

Getting ready for this match......read the rules (go figure).

for shotgun......no more than 9 round capacity (8+1)......and that will mean blocking off those longer tubes!!!

for rifle.......mags can only be loaded to 30 rounds.......you can use larger cap, just not loaded up

http://www.zombiesintheheartland.com/rules/

I'll be making a plug for my shotgun today

[MarkCO]

If you have a VersaTube and need a cap: http://www.carbonarms.us/Shotgun-Accessories/Carbon-Arms-VT-cap.html

Drop me a note by tomorrow and I will bring some extras with me.

[TRUBL]

See you there my friend.......should be a fun time!!

[1911-45]

Hey Tim,

Just got this email from Heartland Park:

8. The rules for tactical division shotgun have been modified to follow pre-existing 3-Gun rules for Tactical Division. The new rule reads as follows: "Tactical Division shotguns may be loaded to a MAXIMUM of 9 rounds at the start." This means that you can add ammo to your mag after the start signal. This is a CHANGE from previous rule. This change has not been posted to the website rules as of 5-24-14. But will be updated soon.

[TRUBL]

Yessir!!.....Heard that also from a couple others.....CONFIRMED!!! 9 to start only.

good....no plug

[jeffhughes]

Like anybody got checked....

Fun match, but ROing was way too loose for a match of that size...

[kurtm]

Everyone I talked to thought it was a great match. Great staff, fair R.O.ing and friendly, not a range tyrant among them. Best props I have seen in a long time, challenging targets and yet completable by anyone. I had a blast!!! And so did the Pro shooters I had the pleasure of shooting with. I asked each of them and they all to man and woman said it was a blast. A huge THANK YOU to Hornady and Hornady staff is in order!

And just so you know my son, brother and I shot the match with 9 round shotguns and still faired OK even though you imply capacity was a problem.

Edited June 2, 2014 by kurtm

[MarkCO]

VERY friendly staff! A match that understands "customer service" is getting rarer and the Pandemic 2014 was an example that more matches should follow.

Props and stages were fun as well. Will go back for sure.

[Blaise1]

+1 on what Kurt and Mark said. Awesome, Great and Friendly match.

A huge Thank You to the folks at Hornady, Heartland Shooting Park and the town of Grand Island for an exceptional match.

And another HUGE Thank You to all the sponsors that donated.

This was our second year shooting this match and I can tell you all that this match is responsible for introducing many good people to the sport of 3gun. Congratulations to every one involved with this match for helping grow our sport, and Thank You!

Jeff, if you'd have shot the match you might have realized there was an RO overseeing the Pre Load plus a couple more ROs, scorekeeper, Sqaud Wrangler and other competitors watching the shooting. So yeah I'm pretty sure mag capacity got checked, but you wouldn't have noticed.

[JoeBoboutfitters]

Another good match put on by the Heartland Shooting Range! This year had really good props, AND much longer stages than last year.

Videos from the match:

Joseph:

Jodi:

Myself and 2 others on our squad shot in Amateur (5rounds in the shotgun to start). The RO's and wranglers weren't overly critical about watching loading of shotguns so it could have been possible to sneak extra rounds in the shotguns at the loading table, but it would have been pretty obvious if one Amateur division shooter needed to reload on a stage and another didn't, especially with so many people videotaping.

Personally, I feel if an individual feels the need to cheat then they probably aren't going to be high enough up in the rankings to affect anyone. The top shooters typically shoot with other top shooters and thus the chance of being called out for cheating would be higher. Unless you place in the top 3 then your score really doesn't affect anything with the random-draw prize table.

Edited June 3, 2014 by JoeBoboutfitters

[Bearcave]

This was a really fun match again this year with even better stages. Challenging but doable by all competitors in the time allowed.

There was 93 open division shooters and 85 show scores in results. That is more than most 3 gun matches have. Not all open shooters had all open division firearms. My only open firearm was my pistol and I had my tac shotgun with 12 capacity. Two open division shooters in my squad only had open shotguns and the rest of their gear was tac division.

Open could have been shot with over 9 capacity pump shotgun if a shooters other firearm(s) were open division guns or if they just wanted to shoot open division.. You better confirm what division somebody is shooting before you go pointing fingers. If someone is cheating get the RM and they will be DG'ed, cheaters don't last and people do notice!

[raleck]

I'm with Mark, Kurt, & JoeBob - the stages were awesome and I was totally impressed with the attention to detail! I drove down from Madison, WI and it was completely worth the drive. I shot with the sponsors on Thursday, but as far as I could tell there weren't any issues with anyone cheating or over-loading the shotgun. Everyone of the match staff that I interacted with was very professional and accommodating.

One suggestion I would have had would that the dump barrels for the shotgun be either a) deeper, or at a steeper angle. I had one stage where the RO notified me after that my shotgun was close to being too long for the barrel. Anyone with more than a +7 or so may have had issues.

I know I'll be going back next year! Thanks to Hornady and the Heartland Shooting Park for putting on a great match!

[1911-45]

3rd year I shot this match and it just keeps getting better!

Thank You Bill Starky Heartland Shooting Park is a great facility, " The Col." Range Master , Squad Wrangler Randy and all RO's who make it safe and fun. Thanks to Hornady and my prize bag sponsor Cabelas!

[jeffhughes]

Blaise you don't have to shoot to count. My son shot with a very inexperienced group of shooters, and I counted more than once shooters starting with more than 9 plus one. I don't thing they were intentionally cheating, I just think they were sort of overwhelmed as were some of the ROs.

I think the ROs did the best they could. But I personally stopped a shooter early in a stage when he was allowed to start with no eye pro. I was also swept once(the gun had been cleared) but did not make a big deal about it. I felt like the ROing was a little Ruger Rimfireish. Best of intentions and effort, but sometimes lacking. I understand that next year all CROs will be certified(I don't necessarily think certification makes a good RO, but in some cases does help)

Don't get me wrong, we will be back, it's extremely well organized in most ways. My kid had a ball. I just personally experienced and observed some stuff that would not fly at a lot of matches.

Edited June 2, 2014 by jeffhughes

[Blaise1]

Just an FYI, we did have a young man shooting open with a pump gun on squad 17. I shot open last year just so I didn't have to load my shotgun and this year I shot Am because it required more loading and I felt it was more challenging.

[jeffhughes]

Open was not the case with this shooter, I thought of that and looked at the nook before mentioning it to the wrangler.

[sdhunterman]

We had one guy get checked in our squad. He loaded two at the buzzer and they asked him after how many rounds he started with.

This match was awesome. The wranglers, RO's, RM's, etc were all outstanding. Hornady put on an excellent match and it is one that I will attend in the future.

Edited June 2, 2014 by sdhunterman

[jmnielsen]

Shot this match for the second time and had a blast. Much better stages this year compared to last. Jeffhughes kid actually shot in my squad (squad 12). There were definitely new shooters there but overall I feel the ROs did a great job along with the other staff. Can't wait til next year. Just need to find some local matches to shoot to get more practice in

[chargerarms]

I had a great time there as well. 3rd year and this time the whole family shot and had fun. Plus, I had a pretty good run for this fat boy.

[powercatmd]

+1 on a great match. Have shot this match each of the 3 years it has been hosted, and each year keeps getting better. Will be back for year 4.

[toothandnail]

I know this is an OLD thread but can't seem to find any new ones.

Question, Do they allow RVs to stay on the property? No hook ups needed

From the looks of the place there should be plenty of room, just wondering ? ? ?

I can't find an email or phone number that gets answered.

[Bearcave]

I know this is an OLD thread but can't seem to find any new ones.

Question, Do they allow RVs to stay on the property? No hook ups needed

From the looks of the place there should be plenty of room, just wondering ? ? ?

I can't find an email or phone number that gets answered.

Yes, they have RV pads on the range. Look up Heartland Shooting Park in Grand Island, NE and contact them about getting a spot.

[toothandnail]

Thanks,

Maybe I missed something but the only phone number I found only had recorded info,and email was a "SEND me updates" only no way to send one to them. Also a link to the GI visitors bureau

I'll look check again.

Edited April 11, 2015 by toothandnail

[Bearcave]

Go to the contact us section at bottom of web page and there is a couple of other numbers for parks administrators. The RV pads are in a good place and protected from the Nebraska winds.