MD Notes for MM #4 - February 20, 2016

MD Note Added February  19, 2016

We will be using  muzzle safe points as per IDPA Rules for this match.  The only safe way to have two Squads is if we significantly reduce the normal 180 degree plane down to a much smaller radius.

Here are the rules:

"2.9 Muzzle Safe Points.
2.9.1 If the muzzle of the shooter’s firearm points further up range than a “Muzzle Safe Point” the shooter will be Disqualified from the match. The shooter will be given the command “Stop.” The shooter will stop immediately, place the trigger finger obviously and visibly outside the trigger guard of the firearm, and wait for further instructions from the SO.
2.9.2 There are two types of Muzzle Safe Points used in IDPA. The CoF description will describe which type of muzzle safe point is used or if the two types are used in concert. One or both may be used on a single stage, however if no muzzle safe cones or flags are present on a stage, the default is the 180 rule.
2.9.2.1 A Muzzle Safe Point is a physical and clearly visible marker such as a traffic cone or stake in the ground with a brightly colored flag or marker tape attached."

Please also note to bring at least four mags for your pistol.  You will need four mags on one of the stages.  If you have a shot timer, please bring it, too.  Thank You,

MD Note Added February 18, 2016

Everything is ready for the Match.  All of the targets have been put together and the paperwork and Practiscore stuff processed.   If everyone shows up, we're going to have to shoot in two Squads.  If we have some "no shows" then we might reduce to one large Squad.

Note that The 'Long Shots" stage has been redesigned.  It is now two targets instead of three.  Why?  Well, it's going to make it  a LOT  faster and easier of we don't have to wait on a taper or tapers to go out 35 yards and back.   We have four targets for this stage.  Someone will simply take two taped targets out and  swap them for the "shot" targets.  That way only one person needs to go 70 yards Round  Trip.  The two shot targets will be taped during the next shooter's turn and used to swap out afterwards.

We really, really need to not linger looking for brass.  We can definitely speed up each match if we cut short the Brass Search and get back behind the firing line when the next shooter is prepared to "Load & Make Ready."

The weather looks fine and there hasn't been any precipitation here in The Verde.

Please be on the range no later  than 10 AM.

See You Saturday!   Happy Day & many Cheers, jp

MD Note added February 16, 2016

Well, it took three hours but the cowpies were cleaned up today from our shooting areas.

 Here is what a portion of Bay 2 looked like on February 8th, the day the cattle began to be herded to a different pasture.

 And here is the same area after we finished our task on February 16th.  Luckily, the  hot, dry weather dried out the droppings.

 Here's Bay #1.  I forgot to take a "before" photo.  It was a real mess.

About 15  wheel barrow  loads later,  things look pretty good in the bays.  We did not  clean the entire area, just the shooting areas--so be forewarned!


MD Note added at 4 PM, January 17, 2016

YES!  Larry's runner works!  Larry tested it for the first time Sunday afternoon, January 17 and it passed the test with flying colors.  Since the color contrast between the cardboard target  and the earth is minimal, we put a red "X" on the moving target.  It shows up better in the YouTube video here:

https://youtu.be/-g0hmuoNgeM

Congratulations, Larry!  We are all looking forward to shooting your awesome target on February 20!!

MD Note added @ 9 AM, January 14, 2016.

Many Thanks to Stage Designer Larry Messer for this 3-D video rendition of his Stage Design "My Pal Tueller" for MM Match #4.  https://youtu.be/rLzp3Dw791k

MD Notes added @ 10 AM, January 11, 2016

Club Dues Paid

Thanks to everyone who donated a total of $55 at MM Match #3 on January 9, 2016.  We  used the donations to renew our IDPA Club #633280 membership on January 10.  We felt it was an appropriate time to renew our dues since it was the 4th anniversary of meeting Jeff Brown back in Indiana.  If not for Jeff, Montezuma Marksmen wouldn't even  be an IDPA club!  So it was special to use the donations from the January 9th Match to make this renewal.  Thanks, Jeff!

Range Usage Update

On Monday, January 11, we contacted the US Forest Service Range Technician who works with the Apache Maid Ranch.  Our shooting range is located in what's known as the Beaverhead Flat East Pasture.  The  Range Tech confirmed that cattle are being turned onto this pasture on January 18 and will be there at least until February 2.   As usual, the Range Tech noted that some cattle may be turned into the pasture before January 18 and some may remain after February 2.

We purposely gave the ranching use of our shooting area a wide berth.  That's why the next match isn't scheduled until February 20th. By that time, it's fairly certain there will no longer be any strays wandering around in the Beaverhead Flats East Pasture.  We simply can't take a chance that we would stage a  match and suddenly have a stray bovine meander into our downrange area.  That's why we're waiting so long after the cattle are supposed to be out of that area.  It rarely works out that they all obediently leave on the date written  into the annual Range Management Plan.

Thanks for the match tear down

Ya'll did a wonderful job tearing down and helping pack up the match gear on January 9th.  VERY impressive and gratifying!  It took me about an hour to empty the match truck and stow away the various match gear.  High on the list of making this possible were several things:

1. Helping get the new shorty target stands back in their proper place in the truck
2. Stripping the cardboard off the sticks
3. Sorting out and stowing the rebar properly.
4. Having all hands help pass in various materials in the proper order

We greatly appreciate this new regime of post-match logistics.  Years ago when we began staging matches here in The Verde, it would often take me several hours to unpack and store match gear.  The de-rigging process after the January 9th match was the fastest ever.

THANK YOU!