Single best way to improve the Steel Challenge...

[Jaxshooter]

You people forget that this is from an attorney that shoots a revolver.

Mike the 2012 match is down in my part of the country in Frostproof, FL a little southeast of Orlando. Come down and shoot with us in a gun friendly state.

[slidelock1]

Personally, I love the Steel Challenge for many of the same reasons those in this post have stated. I, also, understand those who dislike the repetitiveness of the Challenge. Different strokes, etc. However, I am the director of a pistol club here in Central California and we have been shooting the Challenge for at least 10 years. Currently, we run two different events/month: A Run and Gun, and a Steel Challenge event. The participation in our Run and Gun event has grown every year and is now more than double that of the Challenge, which has shown very limited growth. When I canvassed our Run and Gun shooters as to why more of them didn't also participate in the Challenge, they came up with the following answers: 1. The repetitiveness of the Challenge. 2. The length of time required to shoot the Challenge (even though we shortened it from 5 strings to 4), and offered to shoot six stages (the "regulars wanted all 8). 3. The ammunition expense (even though we offer each shooter an opportunity to shoot rimfire and/or centerfire). 4. Limited overall shooting funds, so they selected the event considered by them to be the most fun. After my informal canvass, and from my perspective, as a club director, I feel that changing stages or having surprise stages will not entice more shooters to the sport and will not have any effect on the overall winners at the big shoots. This event isn't broken, it just appeals to different kinds of shooters.

[Flexmoney]

Personally, I love the Steel Challenge for many of the same reasons those in this post have stated. I, also, understand those who dislike the repetitiveness of the Challenge. Different strokes, etc. However, I am the director of a pistol club here in Central California and we have been shooting the Challenge for at least 10 years. Currently, we run two different events/month: A Run and Gun, and a Steel Challenge event. The participation in our Run and Gun event has grown every year and is now more than double that of the Challenge, which has shown very limited growth. When I canvassed our Run and Gun shooters as to why more of them didn't also participate in the Challenge, they came up with the following answers: 1. The repetitiveness of the Challenge. 2. The length of time required to shoot the Challenge (even though we shortened it from 5 strings to 4), and offered to shoot six stages (the "regulars wanted all 8). 3. The ammunition expense (even though we offer each shooter an opportunity to shoot rimfire and/or centerfire). 4. Limited overall shooting funds, so they selected the event considered by them to be the most fun. After my informal canvass, and from my perspective, as a club director, I feel that changing stages or having surprise stages will not entice more shooters to the sport and will not have any effect on the overall winners at the big shoots. This event isn't broken, it just appeals to different kinds of shooters.

Interesting observations. Thanks for sharing them.

[AzYooper]

I also track my progress using statistics from the SC match. This type of match is perfect for that. If I want to try different techniques for drawing or stance a full eight stage match will give me an idea of how that idea works.

I do not practice each stage 10k times so my hits are not automatic for me. I have to aim. I am to the level now that misses are a big deal and too many can really cost me a match win. This necessity for not missing has translated to better times/scores in USPSA and other steel matches because I am not making up low scores or misses.

[Flexmoney]

For the record, I wanted to run a Major (state/regional) Steel Challenge match when USPSA bought Steel Challenge. I planned to be the first out of the gate...to show support for the program.

They were adamant about running the same 8 stages from the World match. That didn't appeal to me as a Match Director, nor did it really fit in our range. I even asked our Area Director to see if he might be able to talk the powers that be into letting us run 4 of the 8 stages and the rest our own design (I used to have a 3-ring binder full of SC stages). No go.

When we ran the IPSC Nationals match, we had one of the players in bigger SC matches ask us if we'd be willing to run a regional match. Willing? Probably. Able? Not under the current requirements.

[photoracer]

Well they did just that at the recent PA State SC event at York this year. They kept 4 of the current SC stages, Accelerator, Showdown, Smoke & Hope, and 5 To Go and put in 2 retired stages, Pendulum #2 and Perspective, and built 2 new ones called Triad and Move it or Lose It. It leveled the field out some even though guys like Greg Jordan, James McGinty, and David Olhasso still finished on top in their classes. I shoot a lot of different events so new stages don't bother me that much as I'm not that familiar with the regular ones. My club does not have the ability to shoot full SC stages so we have stages that are different every month in our Speed Steel match. Sometimes we mix in SC and RRC stages just to throw everybody off.

[ktm300]

I shoot SC once a month because it helps me in USPSA matches. It is kind of fun but to me not as much as the run and gun stuff. I think it is a great place for people to start in an action pistol sport. When I have a friend that wants to start shooting that is the first match we do.

Am I ever going to build the stages and run 10k times on each one to go to FL. Probably not. Will I shoot it once a month and then think mini poppers at 15 yards look like the side of a barn, yep.

As to changing it I would suggest leave it alone and start another sport. The Pro Am format is a blast.

[Onepocket]

You can change the steel around every match and the better shooter will still win! I bet the people that think its boring are not winning.

[Flexmoney]

You can change the steel around every match and the better shooter will still win! I bet the people that think its boring are not winning.

You'd lose that bet.

[latech15]

You could add walls, props, paper targets, and make the shooting area bigger.......

[outerlimits]

You could add walls, props, paper targets, and make the shooting area bigger.......

They already tried that back in 1990...the trophy challenge. IMHO, it was much more fun than just shooting 5 plates.

[Nimitz]

Hmmmm .... After 19 months in this sport I finally get my first match win 2 weeks ago in a SC match and now I find out that the sport is broken and needs to be fixed since it appears to only reward those who train frequently and can shoot steel accuractly at speed ...

[StraightUp_OG]

I miss Double Trouble and Triple Threat! And to say you can't run those stages in the "Big Show" is crap. They used to run those as one stage back in the day and they were my favorites! I used to love watching the Big dogs try to break the sound barrier!

I agree that it is a little boring and for specialists but it is still fun on occasion. There is no doubt that the 230ish rounds to complete the match is why I primarily shoot Rimfire when I do shoot it. Now that the Big Show is on the other side of the country I won't be shooting the championship anytime soon. :-(

[40S&W]

Practice means ammo. Nice when you have a ammo manufacturers sponsoring you. What about the remainder of the shooters. Can you afford 20-25K rounds of center fire a year? Have you tried getting 20-25k of good reliable .22 ammo this past year? It's more than just practice, it's the cost of ammo (reloading center fire), and the availability of good reliable ..22 ammo at reasonable prices. I'd like to know where I could get cases of CCI SV 40gr. lead round nose or American Eagle HV 40 gr.lead round nose (AE5022) for $250 or less a case? I shoot CCI SV in my S&W Mod 41 and American Eagle (AE5022) in my M&P 15-22. I have not seen American Eagle in 10 months, and CCI SV with limits of 2 bricks at $46.00/brick. So practice, practice with ammo or components you can't get, or pay ridiculous prices for something that is not worth it.

[Ken_Bird]

I didn't know Steel Challenge was broken,

But thanks Just when I was starting to feel like I had accomplished something. Now I find out it is just because I practiced That must be the only way some guy over 50 could end up in the top 10%

And just to act like my self I can add I have never ben to Bianchi...so I would like to offer some changes to that too

Are we having fun yet

Well I am over 50. I shoot almost every weekend. Steel, Three Gun, USPSA. I not in the top 10%. But I am at 67 a damn respectable shooter that if your the least bit off I am right there at your cuff.

[Onepocket]

.40 S&W I feel your pain I was shooting two Steel Challenge matches a month rimfire pistol and rifle. I had not lost a match in two years and had to stop shooting rimfire because of no ammo. I'm only shooting one gun now 9mm because I can find the reloading components. I will start back with rimfire once people stop buying it all up and ripping everyone else off.

[40S&W]

I know in my area the top distributors are selling .22 by the pallet (not case) on a first come basis to certain people they know). That is why it is not making it to other distributors and gun shops. Personally I don't know where those pallet loads go once purchased, but it's not to any place or anyone I know. When you look on the internet those that are selling bricks want $70-$90 a brick, utterly ridiculous.

[jabbermurph]

I know in my area the top distributors are selling .22 by the pallet (not case) on a first come basis to certain people they know). That is why it is not making it to other distributors and gun shops. Personally I don't know where those pallet loads go once purchased, but it's not to any place or anyone I know. When you look on the internet those that are selling bricks want $70-$90 a brick, utterly ridiculous.

Udderly ridiculous, indeed............and have you seen the milk prices lately???

[buckaroo45]

I shoot guns the same way I play golf. I play different courses with a different set of clubs every time. I have some 15 sets of clubs I've collected over the years. I play to a solid 9 handicap on just about any course I play. I'm never bored with hitting the same shot at the same place. Same with my shooting. I'm mostly past being fanatic about competing but still enjoy different equipment and courses. While I can still take $10 off most strangers on a golf course, I can still place ahead of some bottom feeders with my 625(s). I understand Carmoney perfectly. He's not saying anything's broke but it's time to throw a change up. There's a difference between skill and simple repetition. I'm married to one woman. Let me play with different guns and golf clubs.

Ron

[Ranger6]

Our club has run a "Steel Challenge" type match for the last three years. Initially it included all eight stages, however, allowing the members to change things around has been very popular. Currently we fire six stages (two of which are true Steel Challenge) with four stages that are designed by club members. The Steel Challenge stages are rotated so that over a four month period the entire course is fired. The member stages are usually altered to include a variety of challenges similar to a USPSA stage. Some of the member stages are "rifle" which can be longer distances. The rimfire division it has been very attractive to junior shooters and on occasion an entire Boy Scout squad has joined the match.

Overall the matches have enjoyed a lot of support with just about every division (rimfire, USPSA, IDPA, Revolver, & Cowboy) being represented.

Ranger6

South East Idaho Practical Shooters

Steel Challenge Match Director

^{"It's got to be true if it's on the internet. They can't put anything on the internet if it isn't true." A. Lincoln}

[thermobollocks]

What I like the most about it is that roughly every stage is a classifier. Were there a big book of 50 stages, would it be any less boring? I don't think it would. The general idea of a series of speed runs against a handful of steel plates can get tired I imagine. It's kind of chesslike to me -- easy to learn, slow to master.

I really like getting down in my mental weeds and seeing exactly how fast I can hammer at any given target arrangement.

In all, I think SC is a discipline to itself. Some people find handgun-only sports boring after shooting 3-gun, others get burnt out on handgun and go do smallbore silhouette. Making SC like other sports really doesn't solve much to me.

Edit: Though after seeing the '84 video, I'd love to bring back the Flying M

Edited December 9, 2013 by thermobollocks

[danjordan78]

I actually wish that our local club would hold more standard Steel Challenge stages. Part of the fun is knowing how you compare to others and when we only shoot 1 official stage there's not much to compare!

Edited December 21, 2013 by danjordan78