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Value of small match?


Stafford

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One of the local matches I shoot at currently has very low attendance. I shot there at the first of the year and there were 9 total shooters. I signed up there again for this weekend and their numbers are very low again. It's convenient as it is just over an hour to drive and they run a good match. However, there are only 3 in my division and none in my classification.

 

There is another local match 2 hours away that is nearly full with around 80 entries. There are 32 in my division and 4 in my classification. I've never gone there because the other match is an hour closer.

 

It seems as if I attend the small match, then it's live match practice. Whereas, if I attend the larger match, I can make a more realistic judgement of how I did against competition. Is that a correct assessment?

 

 

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I shoot Single Stack and have gotten used to light participation in matches.  For me, it was never about the competition.  I strive to be the best I could be on that day.  Because of the 8 round mags, I only had one makeup shot available on any stage.  I learned early on how to shoot Alpha-Charlies. I learned how to break down stages.  In short, I became a better shooter. I would suggest that you enjoy yourself,  know what you want to get better at and have fun.  It is, after all, a local match where you win bragging rights. If that is not enough, try comparing your performance against someone who is classified above you.

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I'd choose the bigger match. I shoot the match in Pueblo Colorado when I'm not working. It's over 2 hours from the house each way. If you carpool the drive isn't too bad. I drive over 4 hours to shoot for 90 seconds, but I get to trash talk for 8 hours.

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2 minutes ago, PatJones said:

I'd choose the bigger match. I shoot the match in Pueblo Colorado when I'm not working. It's over 2 hours from the house each way. If you carpool the drive isn't too bad. I drive over 4 hours to shoot for 90 seconds, but I get to trash talk for 8 hours.

I’m in Denver this week and was looking up some matches. There is definitely some driving involved for most.

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Are the stages at the big match better and are you winning hoa at the smaller match?  

 

I would pick the match based on stage design.  Say the big match was a hosefest and the little match was technical, where do you think you will learn more? Competition is relative as well. Just cause there are 80 shooters doesn't mean the % of good shooters is any higher. Then again the small match may suck. Mainly I wouldn't base where I shot on participation numbers alone

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Well, what do you want out of the match? Assuming the quality of the matches themselves are approximately equal, do you want to compete and test your skills against a larger crowd, or would you prefer to socialize? That's how I would make my decision.

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After attending level 2 matches for the first time this season, I no longer see level 1 matches as competition to see where I stack and more like places where I can put to the test things I've been working in in practice or learned in training.

 

So I would base my decision on which one has better, more technical stages.

Edited by SGT_Schultz
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i actually like smaller matches. ive never shot a level 2 or 3 because i just dont care. i dont care where i rank, because lets face it,  even if you have several gm titles its not like sponserships are going to magically appear. And as a professional shooter i really doubt id be making more than i am at my current job. 

Shooting is relaxing to me. 

i can still push and train specific things at a smaller match

Most of the matches i shoot there might be one other open shooter.

Most of my buddies at matches are all in other divisions. i think when you apply the concepts of say production shooting to open division you are left with a really strong idea of how to run the stage. 

 

 

 

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A larger match is no guarantee of a better match but it's pretty difficult to put on a good match drawing from a pool of 9 shooters. Designing and building 5-6 good stages takes a good amount of work and a couple of guys doing the bulk of it will soon burn out. Do they set up the day of the match, the day before?

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14 hours ago, Sarge said:

I’m in Denver this week and was looking up some matches. There is definitely some driving involved for most.

I'm the match director for Weld County Practical Shooters, are you registered for my match tomorrow?

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43 minutes ago, PatJones said:

I'm the match director for Weld County Practical Shooters, are you registered for my match tomorrow?

I wish. We come out every year to do home improvement projects for my daughter. No room for gear and no time to use it. 

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I've stopped going to LII and LIII matches.  They are tedious and take way too long to shoot.  I'm sure there are good ones out there, but the ones I've been to could have been designed better.  I'm talking about match design, not stage design.  Why you would allow stage designs that back everyone up is beyond me.  Also, getting up at 5 to make an 8 AM registration, then not finishing before 7:30 PM is fatiguing.

 

Fortunately there are three local clubs with really good LI shoots and great stage design.  At one the MD is our Area Director.  He hates 'sissy' stages and makes you think.  Another, my favorite club, has always had good stage designs.  Some of the stages are lifted straight out of Nationals or LIII.  The third club used to be know as a hose fest, but now offers smaller stages (20-28 rounds) that can be approached a number of ways.  It's fun figuring out the best way to shoot them.  A fourth club only puts on 6-stage SCSA matches.  So I get to shoot a sanctioned match every weekend between Mar and Dec at two of the clubs, and all year rounds (weather permitting) at the other two.

 

I help set up at two of these clubs and I'm always impressed by the attention to detail the designers/builders lavish on their stages.  I really am lucky.  I've been to other clubs, once each, and came away from each thinking 'how boring'.  So if you are lucky enough to have good MDs, thank them after every shoot.  They deserve it.

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I'm spoiled by a great local club that has great matches as well as a great summer weekday league.

 

For me, I'd probably alternate between them. Without knowing the quality of the matches or the competitors it's hard to say what's best. The smaller match may have talent whereas the bigger match may just have a ton of retired guys just getting out for some fresh air. 

 

 

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I like small L1 matches a lot and will never take them for granted, regardless of the competition or number of attendees. I use them to train my processes to get in the hole, on deck and on line and I usually pick one particular technique to focus on to improve and measure under match like conditions. I always film myself from a third person as well as a first-person persepective. Great resources to analyze, evaluate and identify what went well and what I need to work on!

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