Got my gun. What next?

[MissionaryMike]

I'll most likely be attending my first USPSA shoot next Tuesday. I'm very excited about it. I know that I'll probably not be permitted to shoot my first time at a meet, but just in case I can, what all else will I need besides the 3 mags that came with my CZ Shadow?

Also, I haven't officially joined and paid for my USPSA membership yet. Is it advisable that I do that on their website prior to me attending my first match, or can I do that when I arrive there?

Thanks,

MM

[Hi-Power Jack]

You might be able to shoot at first meet - ask - tell them you're new at this.

I wouldn't mention you're not a member of USPSA - they probably would

assume you're not a member, if you're new.

BUT, I'd get to the range and check out the new gun before Tues.

And don't forget, your most important three objectives for your first

shoot are 1. safety

2. safety

3. safety

And, have fun.

[Arlin]

I would suggest getting on the USPSA site and review the rule book. The Safety rules are there and you need to know what they are before getting to the match.

Arlin

[Jadeslade]

Go ahead and join, then read the rules. Then watch some videos on You Tube and dry fire some. Draw and shoot one, then draw and shoot two. Shoot one, reload, shoot one. That will get you started. Walk through the first time. Hit every target twice, steel to fall. Watch the finger in the trigger when you move, and watch the 180, watch sweeping your support hand. That's it. Welcome. DVC

Edited August 3, 2014 by Jadeslade

[MissionaryMike]

Cool, thanks for the input.

What other gear would be considered essential for starting out in production division?

[IronicTwitch]

Check out PowerFactor show on YouTube, I watched their first episodes when I got into USPSA and found them very informative. You can read the rule book and get the basics too. You'll need one more mag to shoot production (i think max round count is 32 per stage in the rule book...but some clubs may design a stage with 32+ just for fun). You could shoot Limited minor, start cocked and locked, and fill your mags if you run into a stage that needs 30+ rounds. I started that way with my 75B.

Edited August 4, 2014 by IronicTwitch

[JodiH]

If you only have 3 mags, you probably will want to shoot Limited. In Production, you can only load 10 rounds per mag and that might not be enough to finish longer courses of fire. You also have a holster and mags pouches, right?

[2MoreChains]

I suppose it depends on the club if they let you shoot as a first timer without some sort of "primer", but at my club we have new folks showing up fairy regularly and we welcome them with open arms. We'll give them a safety briefing then squad them up with some of the more experienced folks to show them the ropes.

As far as gear for Prod, most people in that division will have 4 mags on the belt and one starter mag, or maybe even 5+1 mags. Ear and eye pro, dress for the weather, and bring drinks and snacks to get you thru a 4-6 hr match. Amount of ammo to bring depends on the round count of the match but I usually bring 50% extra just in case I have to reshoot a stage or two. I usually bring ammo home with me. Some gloves for setup/tear down might be a good idea as well.

Hope your first match is a memorable one for you.

[actionshooter38]

For production you will probably need a minimum of 4 mags and preferably 6. Most courses of fire will be 18-32 rounds. You are limited to 10 rounds in production. It is always nice to have an extra mag or two for missed steel or feeding/mag jams. Eye and ear protection. Mag pouches and a production legal holster. Plenty of ammo and a gun bag/case to carry your pistol in to the match. Some extras to consider; hat,water,cooler,snacks,bug spray,sun protection, and a small towel. Most of these are assuming an outdoor range.

Welcome, DVC.

Randy

[CZinSC]

• Read the rules! “I’m new this is my first match” is not a valid excuse for breaking safety rules. If you don’t know the intricacies of the scoring system no one will care, they will explain it to you. If you don’t know safety rules and no one will want to shoot with you.

DO NOT PUT YOUR GUN IN THE HOLSTER AT YOUR CAR. There will be a safe area at the range, use it to handle your gun all you want. NO WHERE else on the range, and that includes the parking lot, are you allowed to handle your gun.

When you register at the range, tell the person you register with that it’s your first match and ask if anyone is interested in showing you the ropes. Odds are there is, and they’ll squad you with them. Listen to what that person tells you!

Walk, don’t run. Unless you’re The Natural, you’re not going to win, so don’t try to. Get the feel for walking around and shooting at targets and reloading.

You have a Shadow, if you want to shoot Production you’re going to need at least 5 mags. If you shoot Limited, the three you have are good to go.

IF you shoot Production, at the start, after you make ready and load the gun, you will have to lower the hammer manually. Do this as many times as you can in the comfort of your home with a dummy round or empty chamber before you try it on the range. If you've never done it, it will be unnerving and you might slip and you’ll set the round off, and you’ll be DQ’d. And Yes, you do have to lower the hammer fully, you cannot use the safety, that’s the rule. ( For limited you can use the safety and skip this step ). Once you do this a few times you will get the hang of it. It’s not hard, but give it your UNDIVIDED attention every single time.

Have fun!

[Sarge]

At least 2 more mags, sturdy belt, holster made for the gun, and pouches for the mags unless you want to jam them in your back pockets. Ears, eyes and 150 rounds of ammo. Test fire the gun, read the rule book a little and go to the match.

[MissionaryMike]

Wow, thanks again to all of you taking the time to answer. This is great.

[z40acp]

When time to get mags, go to Greg Cote LLC. Buy the 17 round AFC MecGar mags, they are 24.95 each plus just $6.95 to ship everything. These mags work well and do not need extra strength springs added. When you have time get set up with Shooters Connection through BENOS forum to get the discount. Look in the CZ part of this forum there is a couple of recent threads about holsters and mag holders for CZ Shadows. Shooters Connection will be your cheapest way for a quality set up of your choosing.

[bigarm]

You have gotten some great advice here. Read it and follow it. Most of all JUMP in. It is great fun. My wife and I just started USPSA and 3 gun this year. We had done cowboy action shooting before, but not for 8 years, so it was like being brand new. We made sure we followed the safety rules ( and still this is our most important thing) and just walked through the stages going slow and watching the muzzle of the gun. I even joked with the RO when he was telling the squad to be careful and not go too fast because there was a tricky part. I asked him if we could go REALLY slow! He laughed and said that would be fine. Most of these people will gladly help you. Don't be afraid to ask the RO for help. Most don't mind coaching you through it, although some will wait to be asked. Have fun!

[hercster]

Plus 2 on many of the good things said including going to Greg Cote for excellent pricing and service.

I got started in shooting very late and now shoot in just about all of the disciplines. Safety is priority one, fun is the second and last is to enjoy the fellowship as it's one of the best part of shooting in the organizations.

Last of all might sound like a contradiction but go slowly! Speed will come in time and rushing anything won't work and may make you look and feel foolish. One of my goals is to shoot cleanly, get the hits and try to avoid the inevitable brain cramps. You may be surprised at how the mental element is a major part of the challenge.

[alma]

Like someone else said in your only have 3 magazines then just shoot Limited minor this time until you get mine. Having 18 rounds in the gun might be nice at first anyway sorry you don't have as many reloads to worry about.

Must clubs let you shoot the first time without USPSA membership. Just mark PEN (pending) where it asks for membership number and when you join USPSA will give you credit for the Classifier you shot.

Contact the match director if possible and let him or her know that you will be shooting. Some clubs have a new shooter orientation.

Have fun and good luck!

[Luv2rideWV]

You'll need a holster that covers the trigger guard. If you are lacking equipment, you might want to hold off on making a purchase until you go to a match and actually see what you need. Usually someone won't mind letting a new person borrow mag pouches or some needed item.

Put your pistol in a rug/case (EMPTY!). Get a bag to carry all your stuff in. Show up and tell them you are a new guy. They will probably make you attend a briefing and might hook you up with someone who is more experienced to go with. Put your belt/holster/mag pouches on wherever everyone else is; find the safety area; take your pistol rug to the safety area to play with gun/work on gun/show gun to buddy/HOLSTER GUN; never have ammo at the safety area. Plan on having at least 10% more ammo than what is called for. By the RO's command at the firing line - or - at the safety area are the only places you may handle the gun. Also, USPSA ranges will be cold, so I wouldn't even carry concealed.

Seek out videos and individual instruction from an "old" guy to show you how to safely draw and reload. Learn about the 180 degree rule. Don't sweep any part of your body with the muzzle. Do not put your finger in the trigger well unless sights are on target. Learn how we move while keeping the muzzle downrange. The goal for the first matches are to adhere to the above mentioned rules and have fun! My goal at my first match was to just not get disqualified! Also, do not worry about speed; worry about safety and getting your A's.

[Pinka]

If you know someone that is also shooting, go with them. Take your gun out of it's case in the safe area, put it in your holster, and then dont touch it again until it's your turn to shoot and the RO tells you to "make ready." Dont worry about how you shoot, make sure your finger stays out of the trigger gaurd while moving and reloading, dont break the 180 with your muzzle. Goal for first match is to not make any safety infractions!!!

Have fun everyone will be very supportive.

[sfinney]

Get or borrow a couple more mags if you can. (if not, you can shoot Limited minor; don't let anyone tell you that you HAVE to shoot production - just have fun)

Make sure you have a secure holster rig and mag pouches for 4+magazines.

Shoot the gun, make sure it works... and it shoots to point of aim.

All the rest of the above.

Have fun!

[JAFO]

This probably goes without saying, but it hasn't been mentioned yet. The holster cannot be a cross-draw, shoulder, or thigh holster. If you are active duty LE or MIL, you are allowed to use your duty rig. Along with the fact that it must completely cover the trigger guard, the holster must hold the gun so that the heel of the butt of the gun is above the top edge of your belt, and it must not allow the muzzle to point more than 3 feet behind you while standing (ie, no radical forward cant).

Also, check the Appendix section that corresponds to the Division you will shoot to determine if there are any position requirements. All Divisions require the gun (when measured perpendicular to the grip) to be within 2" from the inside of the belt. Same goes with magazines in their pouches. In Production, the holster and mag pouches must also be positioned behind your hip bones on the belt. Someone will be able to help you figure out positioning for your chosen Division, but you need to show up with a legal holster first.

[NoSteel]

All great support for you so far... If you indicate the region your living I'm sure you may find someone on here that may be able to join you at the range and help you get acquainted.... You'll get more respect / help shooting slowly and safe than you will running in over your head!!! Most of all, have fun and enjoy the people you shoot with!!!

[DreGarciaTAT2]

Looks like you have all the information you need in the posts. But I hope you have a great first match! Be prepared to begin the most addicting hobby you'll ever have. :-)

[Smitty79]

You have lots of good information. I'm going to summarize my experience as a fairly new shooter.

1. Contact the range/match director for the match you want to shoot. Unless you can demonstrate experience with action shooting, the 2 places I usually shoot action matches require a class before you shoot their matches. They do allow non-members to take the classes. The class I took was worth it just by itself. It was fun and made me a better shooter.

2. As you start out, even if you have enough magazines, shoot Limited minor until you are very comfortable, then go to Production with your Shadow. Shooting USPSA for the first time can be confusing. The extra complexity from shooting with very limited ammo capacity will slow down your development. Besides, going through a stage and "hosing" things with 18 round magazines is fun!

3. Blade-Tech OWB holster and a basic twin mag pouch is a good start. You can get these on Amazon for less than $100. My other recommendation for mag pouches are the Ghost 360's that Ben Stoeger sells on his web site. My son shoots a Shadow and he started out with these and loves them. At your first match, Just go with a nice stiff belt. It won't be optimum, but you need to see what people are shooting and get an idea about size before you buy this.

4. Take more than 150 rounds. The match I shoot the most usually has a round count around 130. Since you are going to leave ammo behind when you reload and you are going to miss, take 200 rounds. You will bring 50 or 60 home, but you won't be nervous on the last stage.

5. Watch the early powerfactorshow videos. Here's my list from from an email I sent to someone about to take an action shooting class.

Go to www.powerfactorshow.com.

I would start with Episodes: 1, 2, 5, 7, 11, 13, 16, 17 (IDPA specific, but worth the time), 37. These will go through things you definitely want to know before you go to some kind of action range class. It will let you get more form the class and come up to speed faster.

Others to watch if you have time: 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 19, 20, 21. They are good background for you. But not necessary.

Revolver specific, but interesting 14.

6. If you know someone who shoots the match you want to go to, hook up with them before the match. Get them to look over your gear and talk you though how it's going to run.

7. After watching the powerfactorshow videos, read the rule book. Pay particular attention to the safety rules and the range commands.

[Jaycwebb]

Welcome to the sport; you're going to love it. I just started this year and totally love it.

[MissionaryMike]

Very good information here, folks. Safety will always be my #1 priority, but thank you for all the reminders. I'll definitely read the rule book, more than once if possible, by the time I show up to the match.

I'm getting really excited!