Topics in this edition:
- Score Sheets
- Barney Pistol
- Standards
- Moving target
- Swinger w/o activator
- All head shots
- First Aid
- Remaining matches
Score Sheets
First, after many years of using the Dallas-area IDPA scoresheet, we FINALLY figured out how to edit the raw XLS file to customize the sheet to our own needs. The original, native XLS was locked in an obscure manner and did not work well with our copy of Apache Open Office.
Anyway, here is the new and improved score sheet, showing the current Divisions and pertinent data fields. These paper score sheets work great. We will ALWAYS be using paper score sheets. This time around, we did get our Android tablet working correctly and all the Stages and Practiscore Match Registration have been sync'd to the tablet. So, the actual transfer of the paper data to the tablet will be the way we do it this time around. Hopefully, Practiscore will automatically email you the results once we have entered the data. At least, that's the way it is "supposed" to work.
Barney Pistol
As you hopefully know by now, you will be using the Mayberry Police Department-issued revolver and ammo to shoot "The Barney Bullet" Stage. This levels the playing field for all the participants.The first and only time we shot this stage earlier this year, we allowed participants to BYOR. That didn't work well at all and gave some participants an unfair advantage while handicapping others.
You will be using an older Ruger GP100 4-inch barrel revolver with a fiber front sight and a lightened spring. The target shows how this pistol hits at 10 yards--which will be the distance of your target. You may shoot the pistol either SA or DA. The round used is a 147-grain Hi-Tec coated RNFB bullet over 3.5 grains of Titegroup and an OAL of 1.50 with Federal Match Grade primers. It barely, barely makes IDPA Power Factor of 105. The pistol weighs two pounds, eight ounces so it's a real boat anchor and recoil is minimal. It will be placed in the same gun box we used for "The Texas Good Ol' Boy" Stage last week.
Except for the one "flyer" the group at 10 yards would have been 1.5 inches. As it was, the group measured 3-inches so you should be more than capable of hitting a head shot at 10 yards. Good Luck!
Standards Stages
As you've probably deduced by now, each of our matches includes on Standards Stage. Standards Stages are not required in Tier 1 matches but they ARE required in all other, higher level matches. We long ago figured it was a good idea to include a Standards Stage in each and every Match.This week's Standards Stage will probably "mess with your head." That's the whole point of Standards Stages. Why make them easy? That's pointless. In last week's "Wicked Standards" Stage, 80% of the total match Points Down were notched in that one single Stage. Bill Orr liked it so much he declared he's going to use it in the 2016 Snake River Championship. This one's gonna be a real toughie, especially since all the targets are going to be wearing t-shirts!
And bear in mind I don't design stages that are easy for me to shoot. Nope. We finished last in last week's Wicked Standards and it certainly won't surprise us if we finish last in this week's Standards Stage as well.
Moving Target
Ah, how we love moving targets! However, the trouble with moving targets is that they are generally very complex, costly, difficult to store, and difficult to calibrate fairly for all shooters. Those are the main reasons you don't see moving targets very often except in Tier II and higher matches. It just isn't practical to go to all the trouble to set up a moving target in a local Tier I match.
And that's why we often shoot the "He's Got Fluffy Stage." Because it isn't complex, costly, or difficult to store or calibrate. It's easy-peasy. We first shot this stage in January 2012 at the Atlanta, Indiana, IDPA Club. It was not a moving target stage then. All the targets were static. However, it didn't take us long to modify it into its current incarnation. (The one shown here lives in Arizona. We have a similar one rigged for Idaho.) For more information about how Fluffy works, see this blog post:
Swinger w/o Activator
So, you may have been wondering how the heck we're going to launch a swinger with an activator? Wonder no more. A Squad Member is the activator for this Stage prop. The shooter is facing uprange at P1. At the buzzer, the shooter turns, then draws and engages the swinger. At the buzzer, the Squad Member simply pulls a rope and drops a prop stick and activates the swinger. In this manner, the swinger if fully operative by the time the shooter draws and begins to fire.In this manner, there is no need for the shooter to engage a popper to pull out the prop stick. It makes it somewhat easier to shoot the swinger, especially when only head shots count on the swinger. Remember, this is a disappearing target so there is no FTN applicable.
When the swinger stops swinging, it is complete hidden behind a Non-Threat target--hence it becomes a disappearing target. The management apparatus of the swinger will be positioned in such as way as to not present any physical hazards as the shooter moves from P1 to P2.
All Head Shots
So, why are we shooting s Stage of ALL head shots? Because it's a danged good exercise!
Most typical IDPA Stages might have one or more head shots here and there now and then. Frankly, Stages with ALL head shots are few and far between. There is nothing in the IDPA rule book that expressly prohibits all head shots in a Stage. Of course, NO head shot can be placed farther than 10 yards from the shooter's position or location. That's an ironclad IDPA rule.
The head area of the IDPA target is 36 square inches (6x6). This is considerably smaller than the area of Center of Mass (50 square inches). Also, as all IDPA shooters know, near misses to the head don't count, whereas near misses to COM only incur one point down.
The head area of the IDPA target is 36 square inches (6x6). This is considerably smaller than the area of Center of Mass (50 square inches). Also, as all IDPA shooters know, near misses to the head don't count, whereas near misses to COM only incur one point down.
So Head Shots are obviously "all or nothing." This puts a lot more pressure on the shooter to get it right. In our Amazombie Ambush Stage, we have two head shots to a swinger (the target moves but you don't) and two head shots each while transitioning between positions (you move but the targets don't). Meanwhile, all the other six targets are going to be placed in such a way as to make the head shots as difficult as possible.
We firmly believe that shooting head shots is one of the best ways to practice. If you miss shooting at COM, you simply take your lumps (AKA: Points Down) and move on. However, head shots are NOT as forgiving. You miss and you got a Mike. And in an 18-head-shot-stage, those Mikes are gonna really add up!
Shooting all head shots really provides a barometer of your shooting skills. If you're doing OK, you're going to do well on this stage, even with all its trickery. If you need more practice, it's definitely going to show once all the dust settles.
Shooting all head shots really provides a barometer of your shooting skills. If you're doing OK, you're going to do well on this stage, even with all its trickery. If you need more practice, it's definitely going to show once all the dust settles.
Target distances will vary from 5 to 10 yards. Good Luck!
First Aid
We have a pretty good First Aid kit that is kept on the tail gate of our truck parked between Bay 1 and Bay 2. We put this kit together from scratch in May of this year and had our Doctor review it for us. Everything is arranged by type and purpose and it is all very easy to find and accessible.One of our biggest safety concerns is what we call "tripping hazards." Falling is not good under any circumstance but falling with a loaded pistol is arguably one of the most frightening types of falls. You are aware that our cover structures have no raised edges. That is done specifically to eliminate a very clear and present tripping hazard danger. We try to go out of our way in all aspects to eliminate various hazards and dangers. If you see anything that you consider unsafe or a hazard in our Stage Designs, PLEASE, PLEASE immediately point it out to me. As much as I try to make everything safe, it is not always possible to see everything from all perspectives.
Remember---we do NOT deliver a pre-match briefing and safety speech. You can read it here:
http://montezumamarkmen.blogspot.com/2015/08/pre-match-briefing-safety-speech.html
Remaining Matches
We will be doing a third match on August 18th. There will be no match on August 25th as we will be camping in Island Park. We will do a final four-stage match on September 1st. Any other matches we do in September or October will be Classifier Matches.
Chances are pretty good that we will go to two Squads for both the August 18th and September 1st Match. We already have five people signed up for August 18th so we're probably going to have to expand the roster from 8 to 12 to make sure you, too, have the opportunity to shoot that match. We would simply put two Stages in each Bay 1 and Bay 2 and then swap bays.
The September 1st Match is going to be a "Best Of" Match. It will consist of Shooters' Favorite Stages from the first three Matches. We can already tell you that "Wicked Standards" will be repeated on September 1st! It remains to be seen which will be the other three stages to be repeated on September 1st.
Depending entirely on your feedback, we will definitely consider staging a series of such small matches again next summer 2016.
Remember, we've moved up the Match Start time to 10 am and, as you know, we like to start right on time. Please come early enough to get your gear ready so we can begin shooting on time.
We appreciate your participation and support! Thank You for reading.
Here is the link to register for MM-SEIPS #3 Match on August 18:
https://clubs.practiscore.com/montezuma-marksmen-seips-3/register
PS--The weather will be clear and dry on August 11.
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