• We are now running on a new, and hopefully much-improved, server. In addition we are also on new forum software. Any move entails a lot of technical details and I suspect we will encounter a few issues as the new server goes live. Please be patient with us. It will be worth it! :) Please help by posting all issues here.
  • The forum will be down for about an hour this weekend for maintenance. I apologize for the inconvenience.
  • If you are having trouble seeing the forum then you may need to clear your browser's DNS cache. Click here for instructions on how to do that
  • Please review the Forum Rules frequently as we are constantly trying to improve the forum for our members and visitors.

USPSA Match in Greenville NC--Saturday, 23 Oct.

Dreamer

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
5,360
Location
Grennsboro NC
There is a USPSA Match at the Pitt County Wildlife Club on the 23rs of October.

http://www.uspsa.org/

http://www.pittcountywildlifeclub.org/


Gates open at 8am. Registration starts at 9am.

IF you're not a member, it's $20 for the day.

You don't need to be a member of PCWC or USPSA to attend or participate in the Match, but you can't get an official USPSA rating unless you are a USPSA member...

Hope to see some of you folks there!
 

Dreamer

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
5,360
Location
Grennsboro NC
Wow... Was this event FUN!!!

Even though I didn't score well on paper, I was happy with my performance. Sure my ties were slow, and that REALLY effected my overall score, but my accuracy was OK, and my movements, transitions, and reloads were all pretty smooth. Just need to work on the speed thing...

There are USPSA/IPSC matches every weekend somewhere in NC. Check out the NC Section webpage, to find a match near where you are. I can HIGHLY recommend these matches. The people are friendly, positive, and very helpful. I got a lot of good advice, and I learned a LOT from watching and talking to some of the top shooters.

Even though I was one of the slowest members of our squad, nobody ever made me feel out of place--quite the opposite. Everyone was very friendly and cordial, and we had a GREAT time with some REALLY challenging courses.

I will be getting a lot more practice, more range time, and a LOT more work on speeding up my transitions, that's for sure. This match was a REAL eye-opener to me about my own skills, and ability to shoot accurately under pressure, and engaging multiple targets.

I'm still processing the event, and have been going over the videos of 3 of the stages I ran, trying to figure out ways to improve my times, and overall performance.

We should get an OCDO contingent to go to some of these matches.
It's a minimal fee (usually around $20) and you need 150-200 rounds of ammo and at least 5 magazines for most matches. You don't need a souped-up full-house "race gun" to participate--there are all sorts of classes that are weighted for your particular gun--revolver, production, limited and of course "open" (for the full-out competition guns)

If you've never shot IPSC or USPSA, I HIGHLY recommend you get to one of these matches SOON. It is a load of fun, you'll learn a lot, and it is a real "reality check" for your perceived skills.

http://www.ncsection.org/

http://www.uspsa.org
 
M

mattwestm

Guest
I'm interested in going to the next match. I've never shot any kind of competitive shooting before. Is there a safety briefing or something I have to attend before I can shoot?
 

elixin77

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2010
Messages
591
Location
Greenville, NC, ,
The next USPSA match is going to be Nov. 27. I'm going to do what I can to make it to that event, and Dreamer had that look in his eye that said he's going to try and make it to that one too. If all 3 of us can show up, that'll be one hell of a day.

I need to make sure I have enough ammo in my stash to cover this and the range day, but I should be fine.
 

Dreamer

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
5,360
Location
Grennsboro NC
First off, you should go to the USPSA website and read through it. That will give you a feel for the "rules of the game" and how they do things on their courses.

Second, be aware that USPSA matches are "cold ranges". You can carry your firearm in a holster all day long, anywhere you go, but it need to be clear and unloaded (no mag in the gun). You can carry loaded mags on your belt though...

The Pitt County match site opens at 8am. Registration opens at 9am. They do brief walkthroughs of all the stages starting at about 10:00, and will also include a safety briefing at that time. If you have ANY questions about policy and procedures, ask them at registration, or have them point to to a Range Safety Officer, who will run down the rules for you.

USPSA folks are a REALLY friendly crowd. They are VERY safety conscious. And they will NOT hesitate to let you know (politely) if you do something wrong.

Remember, these are "family" events, and there are lots of women and even a few children present (and competing!).

Just remember these rules, and you'll be OK:

--NOBODY has a loaded gun unless they are actually running through a course.
--when it's your turn to shoot, DO NOT load your firearm until the RSO tells you to do so.
--At the end of the stage, when you are done firing, drop your mag, and open the action so that the RSO can verify your firearm is clear.
--DO NOT take a firearm out of your holster unless you are actually running a stage. If soeone wants to see your gun, do to a designated "safe area", and you can then do anything you want (short of loading it), including stripping and cleaning it.


If this is your first match, be sure to ask LOTS of questions. Look for a a squad member who is friendly and ask if you can pick their brain. Ask LOTS of questions. Most folks are more than happy to help you with pointers, opinions, and even basic coaching.

And if you are new, have the RSO put your scorecard near the bottom of the stack. That way, you can watch several other people run the stage before you do, and WATCH them carefully. Analyze tactics. Build a strategy. STICK to the plan. And be safe.

You probably won't score high your first time out, but that's OK. Don't worry about your scores, or your times. Just have fun and LEARN. You will get better with practice.

My scores were pitiful (good accuracy, but SLOW times), but that didn't matter because 1) I had a GREAT time running the stages, 2) I met some REALLY cool people who were very friendly and helpful, and 3) you don't get your overall scores until the end of the day anyway.

Don't get hung up on the "pros". They compete ALL THE TIME, and practice for this sport weekly (or even daily). There is NO WAY you're going to be as high-scoring as the top competitors. But the cool thing is, it doesn't matter. Even if you're the slowest person on your squad, people will cheer you on, and congratulate you when you do something well. They will point out ways to improve your scores, and they will offer suggestions for future training and competitions.

Be Safe. Have fun. And don't be shy. USPSA people are, by and large, REALLY friendly and cordial. They will help you learn the game. Just don't be a wall-flower... ;)

BTW, I probably won't be at the November match at PCWC. I'll be in the occupied zone of the PRM spending the holiday with my family... But I will DEFINITELY be at the December match (if there is one...)

And I might be going to the matches in Raleigh too, which are on the FIRST Saturday of each month. Probably not this weekend, but I'll probably be going to the match in Dec, if the weather is nice. There is a match on the 4th Satuday in Havelock as well, but it's the same date at the Pitt County matches, so I may alternate...

The NC Section of USPSA has a good website. Check out their "Your First Match" essay:

http://www.ncsection.org/NewShooter/FirstMatch.htm


If you want to see how they do it at the BIG matches (a State Sectional) you can download a PDF that has diagrams and descriptions of the 9 Stages they used at the 2010 NC Sectionals earlier this year. The Stages we ran at PCWC were challenging, but nowhere nearly this tough...

http://www.ncsection.org/Sectional/Sectional.htm

And just so you know, this guy regularly shoots at PCWC, and is one of the top shooters in NC. Don't let him discourage you--he's CRAZY FAST. Just consider him someone to learn from. I'm glad he wasn't in my squad though... ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhpKcatJd80
 
M

mattwestm

Guest
I'm not really interested in my time score, but I would like to have decent accuracy. I don't have a lot of free time for shooting, but I feel going to a match or two per year would really help with a real-life situation. Shooting non moving paper targets while standing still is great for accuracy shooting, but it doesn't help much with tactics. Do you think going to these matches better prepares you for the worst? How many shots are you expected to put in each target (looks like two from most videos I've seen)?

Some places have some awesome courses where you can hide behind cars, barrels, etc. This allows for a very realistic shooting experience.
 
Last edited:

Dreamer

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
5,360
Location
Grennsboro NC
The next USPSA match is going to be Nov. 27. I'm going to do what I can to make it to that event, and Dreamer had that look in his eye that said he's going to try and make it to that one too. If all 3 of us can show up, that'll be one hell of a day..

Yeah, probably can't make that one, but I'll see what I can do... Visiting for a long Thanksgiving weekend full of yummy food, and visiting my granddaughter, or getting all covered in dust and GSR and plowing through $60-70 worth of ammo, while hanging out with 60 or 70 other REALLY cool shooting enthusiasts? That's a tough call...


I need to make sure I have enough ammo in my stash to cover this and the range day, but I should be fine.

For the standard course of fire at PCWC, you'll want to bring about 150 rounds (I brought 200) last time, and used about 130). I would suggest 5 magazines if you're using a semiauto. And a decent holster (active retention not required), and magazine pouches, and a good stout belt.

Plus, you'll want ear and eye protection (goes without saying), appropriate clothing for the weather, comfy but supportive shoes or boots, a hat, and maybe a folding chair and a small cooler (water or juice is nice to have on the range). And I would HIGHLY suggest bringing your cleaning kit, or at the very least a barrel snake, a brush for cleaning out mags, and some lube. I made the mistake of leaving my cleaning kit at home last time, and had to scrounge a mag brush and lube from someone else when I dropped two of my empty mags into a particularly dry and sandy part of Stage 3.

And $20 for the "gate fee". And some extra cash for lunch--apparently, a local church group usually shows up with REALLY good BBQ and other food for lunch...
 
Last edited:
M

mattwestm

Guest
Dreamer: Do you usually shoot your Para or take something else. The only 1911 I have is a Rock Island Armory Compact. Only holds 6 rounds (7 with non-flush mag). I'm thinking I'll take my XD-9 since it holds more rounds and 9mm is a lot cheaper than .45ACP.

If I can't make it to the Nov match, I'll definitely be there in Dec.

Edit: This is a pretty good deal on .45ACP http://www.aimsurplus.com/product.aspx?item=ACCI45FMJ230&groupid=32
Blazer ammo is about the cheapest you can get besides russian, but I've never had any issues with it.
 
Last edited:

Dreamer

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
5,360
Location
Grennsboro NC
Dreamer: Do you usually shoot your Para or take something else. The only 1911 I have is a Rock Island Armory Compact. Only holds 6 rounds (7 with non-flush mag). I'm thinking I'll take my XD-9 since it holds more rounds and 9mm is a lot cheaper than .45ACP.


I shot my Para last weekend, but that is because it 1) holds TWICE the capacity of my Glock 36, and 2) I have 6 mags for it, and only 2 for the Glock...

There were a lot of 1911-style pistols there, to be sure. some in .45acp, some in .38 Super. There were also Glocks, Sigs, XDs, Brownings, a few revolvers, and I even saw one EAA Witness in .40S&W. It's not limited to 1911's at all. You can use ANY gun in pretty much any caliber appropriate for self-defense. (But I wouldn't recommend .380 or centerfire "mouse guns" like .25 or .32. They might not have enough punch to knock down the steel targets...)

Bring what you have. Bring plenty of ammo. And bring at least 5 mags--some courses will require several reloads...

See ya out there, sometime soon!
 

elixin77

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2010
Messages
591
Location
Greenville, NC, ,
Matt, let me know if you are going to make it to the match in Nov. I'm going to passively see if I can make it, but if you can make it, then I'll make sure I have the ammo set aside for the match. Just let me know in advance
 
M

mattwestm

Guest
I might not be able to make the match in November. Ammo money is tight right now. I have two magazines for my XD, but they cost almost $40 each. I'm assuming there won't be a match in December because of Christmas. I'll definitely be at the January match.

Will I be fine with two mags or do I really need more? I wish I had the cash now for another XD. Springfield is giving away three magazines plus the two the gun ships with.
 
M

mattwestm

Guest
Hey Ryan, I'm trying my best to attend the match in November. I'm getting ready to order a magazine for my XD. I should be fine with three. I'll be ordering some ammo soon for the range day as well as the match. We can carpool if you are going.
 
Top