Sports With Rules

[ktyler]

After shooting a recent local "tactical" match I have really come to like shooting sports that; have walk throughs that are written out so all understand what is being asked, established rules that are applied equally to all shooters and rules that govern course design.

This not a jab at the larger established "out law" matches. It is more about me venting about a bad experience. Lawdawg and I both left with a very sour taste in our mouths. Its too bad some hate IPSC so much they don't try to take the good from it to help improve their matchs.

When I kept hearing these "Tactical guys" tell me IPSC has too many rules I asked them for an explanation. The responses I got were not well thought out. Most common was they didn't like all the penalties in IPSC shooting. I started to explain the reason but within a few words realized I need to save my breath. Trying to tell them most of the rules are for safety or to ensure that each shooters gets a chance at the same course of fire would have fell on deaf ears.

Like IPSC courses, each course of fire at this match presented a differnt problem to be solved. The funnest thing I saw at this match occured on a free style field course (the only one). None of them knew how to shoot the course. They expected the course designer (me) to tell them exaxtly how to shot it step by step. I looked at them and told them, "here is the start box, on the signal engage all the targets as they become visable while you use cover". The blank stares where priceless. I mentioned to one of the IPSC bashers, "No IPSC shooter would have to be told how to run his gun through a course of fire".

OK the rant is over and I feel a little better. Will I go back and shoot this match again.....maybe. Does it have a place in the shooting sports? Sure some like shooting it and it makes me appericiate the rules we share in our more organized shooting sports.

I almost feel better......I think some Jameson on the rocks might help the mental scars heal.

Ktyler

[et45]

I have been trying to get our MD to affiliate with either USPSA or IDPA,(I don't care which one at this point) just so we will have a set of rules to go by.I get irked every time somebodys gun craps out and they reshoot the stage after they fix it or borrow another gun.The worst call we had though was when the timer did not pick up a shooters last shot and the RO gave him the option to reshoot or let it stand.BTW that guy beat me that day by something like 2 tenths of a point.