2007 USPSA Multi-gun Nationals - Post Match Reports

[No.343]

I'm pretty new to 3-gun, but I felt that the match was much more challenging for us lefties. It was great shooting with all the guys in Squad 11.

Javier - or whatever my name is on this stage.

[Larry LeBeau]

[

Well I tweeked My right Knee on the stage where you started behind the car with your rifle, hands on tire. Last stage of the match was stage 7 where you shoot shotgun for 8 targets on the right 6 targets on the left and two targets from a really low port on the left. As I dropped into the port, My knee, which was pleanty tight from the tweek the day before said "POP you weasle"!! I screamed like a little girl, and I know I got one ( speed of pain) of the two birds..the last one they told me I got! Wish it had been a bar stool! Anyway it didn't change anything in My scores as it was the LAST two shots of the match for me! KURTM

[Larry LeBeau]

Back to Kurt Millers comment about squilling like a little girl I think like bleeding it is also a BIG step toward the healing process. PSI'll figure out this computer stuff sooner or later

[LadyinBlue]

I'm pretty new to 3-gun, but I felt that the match was much more challenging for us lefties.

I 2nd that! This was only my third 3-gun match so my expectations were not fully developed. I think that if it is not an advantage to the left-handed shooter to shoot the stage right-to-left then why not set it up that way. For example, stage 2...Swinging Birds, the published stage description is somewhat different from the actual stage that was setup to shoot. The written drawing shows the start X far to the right so most shooters (including lefties) would start shooting the targets on the right then go left. The wall was actually straight across and the start X was on the left. This was perfect for right-handed shooters to move across the stage running and reloading while facing forward. Lefties, on the other hand, were forced to run and reload backwards from left-to-right across the stage when a simple change of placing an additional X on the right hand side of the stage would have allowed us to run forward from right-to-left. This stage was biased for right-handed shooters and forced left-handed shooters to concentrate more on the safety of not falling than on on shooting.

[TRUBL]

What did I like: At the match...organization of the USSA staff and RO's was great. Facilities were fantastic. Food was good too!! I stayed in Owasso, and would recommend that area to stay in. The shooters!!! And squad 6 rocked!!! See'n some of the RO's I used to work with at other nationals when I was an RO. Goin 4 for 4 on the steel on stage 11. Individual stage challenge.

What I put up with: The heat....I'm a northern boy, had a cold and was comin in from 60 degree temps. My shooting sucked......was slow the first day, and not as good as that on the second day.

What I would change: Considering that 11 stages took the top shooters no more than 30 seconds to complete....I would say that 11 of the 12 stages in the match were pretty much speed shoots for 3 gun. More longer range shooting for the rifle....100yds could have been done there, they almost had it on stage 1. 24 round shotgun stages, the shotgun is about reloading in 3 gun. Just those 2 changes would have made for more 40 or 50 second stages. Is there a place for speed shoots? heck yes, I love a good hoser stage or 2 or even 3.....not 11 of them with 1 long range stage. A more balanced match should be the goal, after all.....it is 'The Nationals'

Bottom Line: I had a good time.....got to talk with all my outlaw 3 gunner' friends. Overall.....it was trigger time and the staff did a great job. Hat's off to a well run 3 gun Match.

[TDean]

Looking at USPSA's website, only Pistol score are up. What about aggregate?

[TRUBL]

I am not sure.....but I believe that with the new "multi gun" format......there really is no longer a rifle, shotgun, pistol match and aggregate. All the stages that you see are the ones that were shot.

1) all 3 guns

2) shotgun

3) shotgun

4) rifle/shotgun

5) pistol/rifle

6) pistol/shotgun

7) shotgun

8) rifle/pistol

9) shotgun/pistol

10) pistol

11) rifle

12) rifle

Tim

[Chris Conley]

I'm pretty new to 3-gun, but I felt that the match was much more challenging for us lefties. It was great shooting with all the guys in Squad 11.

Javier - or whatever my name is on this stage.

Great shooting with you also Javier. Hope to see you again in the future.

Chris C.

[wgnoyes]

I am not sure.....but I believe that with the new "multi gun" format......there really is no longer a rifle, shotgun, pistol match and aggregate. All the stages that you see are the ones that were shot.

That's correct. Multigun (which actually isn't so new) is scored, uploaded, and displayed as a pistol match.

[Wakal]

Now that I have had some time to reflect, here are my thoughts on the match:

Plus:

Nicest bunch of RO's around. I even had to call Ray Hirst back to properly score the no-shoot I, ahem, earned (although Bill Powe could be heard all the way in town, shortly after I called Ray back...just "making sure" Ray got the score correct...'tis nice to have friends ).

Amazing facility that looks nice now, and will be just incredible when complete (and the grass grows). The decent Holiday Inn (not the smash-n-grab stinkfest Holiday Inn/Match Hotel) was only four miles down the road, right next to a bunch of restaraunts. On both points (plus the nearby airport), this range beats Bend and Berry into a mudhole, and then walks both dry.

The portajohns were cleaned daily. Excellent

The stages ran on time (or usually, early). Well done! Now if only we could have all shot Sunday's single stage at 1500 Saturday (when we were all done shooting that day's six stages)...

Minus:

While targets were moved, what few walls were there didn't seem to have moved much from the last match. With a professional staff, that isn't very...professional. Don't just move the targets, move the walls too.

The stages did not use the available space. All of the rifle stages but one were poorly disguised pistol stages. When you have deep bays, back those walls all the way and give us some 50-75 yard shots.

Some of the stages were gamed...poorly. The slug stage is a prime example...they carefully built a box on top of the car with what looked to be the intent of making folks go to the front and the back to engage all targets. Only...the box was too short and too far back to do any good as a vision barier for anyone taller than 4'11". Good idea, poor execution.

SAFE AREAS NEED TO BE ON EVERY STAGE. Period. Build some rifle racks too.

Make a policy and stick to it. The big example here is POG/POM (personally owned golfcarts, personally owned mules). One whiney "oh, I have a pinched nerve" talked to the right person, while one "has huge knee and ankle scars to prove extensive surgery" talked to everyone else. One got to ride around on their Mule, and the one with the scars...didn't. Speaking of Mules and golf carts, if no competitor gets to drive theirs around, then neither do the range employees who are ONLY shooting the match. Parity and equality...or as the San Angelo crowd is fond of saying, give us ONE RULE and we will follow it as written.

Very little shotgun reloading. As wags here are fond of noticing, pistol is speed, rifle is accuracy, and shotgun is reloading. Except for this match, where almost all stages were pure speed shoots. If West Texas (of all places) can figure out 30 round shotgun courses, surely a BIG professional range staff can handle something like that. Since this is a three gun/multigun match, each weapon should have about the same round count. Besides, shotgun shells are heavy and no one wants to carry them home

Alex

Edited October 15, 2007 by Wakal