Area 1 Championship

[UW Mitch]

Many many many big thanks to the Match Officials and the ROs who suffered in the heat for three days. And to my squadmates who helped tape. I watched Michael Voigt shoot a little bit (I've never met him before, so he's like a "celebrity" to me). I was impressed that he was out there taping with everyone else (as it should be I suppose).

Kyle, sorry Kaye didn't find her umbrella. Hopefully it turns up or some of the Sherwood staff finds it later. She really was a trooper out there for 12 stages. I've got video of her on Stage 9 with the door. It was impressive that even though she could barely lift the breeching tool, she was still going for it! I hope that she changes her mind about not shooting USPSA anymore.

I've got the videos on my YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/user/UWMitch

There's me, Cel, and Albert and then videos for:

Stage 1-5

Stage 6 & 7

Stage 9

Stage 10

Stage 11 & 12

skipped videoing on Stage 8 because it would've been relatively boring, and I was HOT HOT HOT by the end of Saturday. It was really great meeting folks from BEForum that I hadn't met before, and seeing familiar faces I haven't seen in a while.

Thanks!

Mitch

Edited July 1, 2008 by UW Mitch

[Tim Egan]

I've been coming up with ways to modify our local clubs door to make it a poor mans breaching door, and to reduce the physical aspect of opening it. I think it would be easy to add a couple small loops to the back side to slide a 3/8" dowel thru, which oughta shear pretty easy.

I thought the stage was fun, but i broke the pin on my first try.

Homie says the pins used were the easiest ones to break - they had the biggest holes in the center.

I'd hate to try the door with 3 of the hardest pins!!!!

Edited July 1, 2008 by Tim Egan

[XRe]

I'd hate to try the door with 3 of the hardest pins!!!!

If you go to the BTI website, there's videos of the pros going through the doors - and even they have to take a couple of hard hits at doors simulating two locks... yowza... rattles my teeth to watch 'em!!!

[HoMiE]

I'd hate to try the door with 3 of the hardest pins!!!!

If you go to the BTI website, there's videos of the pros going through the doors - and even they have to take a couple of hard hits at doors simulating two locks... yowza... rattles my teeth to watch 'em!!!

I did try it with 3 pins, no friggin way. Take about rattle, after 3 swings I was tired. Then Craiger tried it and 4 swings from him it finally broke through.

[XRe]

Some thoughts on the door... and fitness... http://re-gun.blogspot.com/2008/07/into-breach.html

Thanks again for driving the camera, Mitch

[outerlimits]

Blog post and video from the match up here: http://re-gun.blogspot.com/2008/07/match-r...ampionship.html

I put some thoughts on stage 9 at the end, based on conversations I had with some folks at the match - hope they're taken informatively/constructively, as they're intended

Again, a fine match, well run, huge prize table, good squad to shoot with... looking forward to attending next year, too (assuming fuel prices don't make airfare beyond ridiculous by next year ) !!!

dave-can't get your video within your blog to appear in a browser...what's the markup?

[XRe]

you can search for davere1 on YouTube, too, and find it.... Don't know why you can't see the embeded version, though - seems to show up fine on this end...

[HoMiE]

Some thoughts on the door... and fitness... http://re-gun.blogspot.com/2008/07/into-breach.html

Thanks again for driving the camera, Mitch

No problem, nice explanation on the technique to getting through door. I think some of the big guys who tried to just use their arms, found out you needed to use your legs and hips as well.

I have to agree, too many people were hitting the door low and not square to the strike plate. You should of seen the off-strike marks on the door when the match was over. I also observed some were too far back and not enough follow through on the extension. Or they were too close and they did not get enough momentum on the ram. I think the key was to DRIVE the ram THROUGH the door. Once you got the door open, drop the ram. A lot of people carried the ram up the to table where the gun was placed.

Shooting the stage...well that's a whole other topic.

Edited July 1, 2008 by HoMiE

[UW Mitch]

Dave, the video on your blog page is great! I like the walk through before you shoot the stage and the scoring summary that goes with it. SWEET!

~Mitch

[n2ipsc]

...And a huge thanks to Floyd Shoemaker and Roger Schmidt for coming over Sunday morning after their stages were finished and running the last two squads for us...

And Gary Tallis who ran Stage 6 all weekend with me...

[DrShooter]

I had a great time shooting the Match and missed out on being Area 1 Champion in SingleStack by 1 part in 15,501, apparently

I "won" a couple of stages Never done that before.

I won C class Never done that before either, best previous was 5th.

Next year, I'm going back to Limited...where's the emoticon for a buzz saw?

The only stage I practiced for specifically was Chuck's Standards...I tanked that one.

I tried to thank all the ROs and tell them how much I appreciated all the work they were doing. I suppose you can't really know how much work running a match is until you do it yourself, but I'm getting a pretty good vibe.

I had to hit the door twice...I don't believe in "no-knock" raids.

[n2ipsc]

The Portland area is more-or-less devoid...

That what you looking for there Floyd? ...

Almost - you forgot to mention that, other than that, it's a lot like Phoenix in the summer

[kimel]

"we are building an RO cadwe of extwaordinawy magnitude"

Now I need to go watch that movie, again!

And Gary Tallis who ran Stage 6 all weekend with me.

Oh damn! How could I have forgotten Gary! Thanks Gary! (I'm claiming heat stroked memory)

[tomdagadget]

I'd like to add my thanks to the staff and to the shooters for putting up with the heat and long days. The previous week it was 42 and raining!

One of the depressing aspects of matches in this particular day and age is the absence of volunteers. While we had a lot of folks come out and put the match on the ground we could have used several more RO's. On the other hand one of the reasons I keep going in this sport is the willingness of shooters and others to step up and help out in a pinch. Shooters Carol, Becca, Dave, and Ron all did yeoman's work, RO'ing, running side matches, and gathering score sheets. Brianna (my girlfriend) at her 2nd match ever as an "observer" ended up hauling in ice and verifying score sheets for 2 days while her son Kiran got to harass Bruce.

We knew the door was going to be controversial on the way into the match but came up with what we considered to be the most equitable way to handle it. Yes, it would have been nice to have allowed folks a chance to practice on the door but we would have run out of plugs about half way through the match.

Shutting down Saturday before all the squads had finished was a tough call to make but by that time I was tripping over bodies in the Stat Shack. As our illustrious President had mentioned to me in the long ago, just because we can kill off the staff by overworking them doesn't mean we should. That goes for shooters as well. Nothing scarier than a shooter with a gun in his/her hand wending their way through a stage while suffering from heat exhaustion

Fortunately everybody recovered and we managed to post most of the finals around 2 pm and those who stuck around for the finger food, awards, and prize table seemed to have a good time.

Finally, I'd like to thank Norm Bright and Steve Graham for helping me finish tearing down and loading up the stages for the trip back to Albany Monday, and for Mike McCarter for being there, as always!, to help me unload.

Adios!

Tom Chambers

Range Master

2008 A1 Pistol

[bgary]

Brianna (my girlfriend) at her 2nd match ever as an "observer" ended up hauling in ice and verifying score sheets for 2 days while her son Kiran got to harass Bruce.

+1. Brianna was a delight. Special thanks, too, to Mary Fleury (RO), Ramona Capellaro (RO), Becca Siria (shooter), and Miranda Foley (spectator), all of whom were gracious enough to help with stats in their "spare time". And of course, my most heartfelt thanks to the irrepressible Lori Jacobson, who pretty much did all the work so I could wander around and look "busy" <g>

And Kiran? Hey, if you guys ever need a sitter, count me in. Neat kid, I'd hang with him anytime... tell him "la-la-la-la-la" for me

B

[Stuck in C]

Great match! I stand in awe of the RO's and staff who kept going through the heat. My 4th Area 1 and the one I enjoyed the most. I thought the door breach stage was awesome-not something that should be done on every stage but it's that kind of challenge that makes USPSA a hoot. If I wanted to just stand and shoot I'd go back to Bullseye. Mike Voigt shot with our Squad (#33) and I too was impressed that he taped, painted and set steel, and gave friendly advice to a lowly C hacker. Besides which his shooting partner was, uh, easy on the eyes. I hope Kaye finds her umbrella-our squad followed hers and I enjoyed watching her shoot-especially her try at the door. She hit it hard enough to break through but couldn't lift the heavy ram high enough to hit the sweet spot next to the pin. I hope she doesn't give up on USPSA and major matches. We want her to stay in the game.