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US Steel Nationals Recap
Demo Speed…….Couldn’t pull it off this year. Thats an inside story for my students on steel. I recommend you come learn it though I didn’t execute this time.
I ended up on the podium for Limited due to the fact they pull out Production separate. Otherwise I wouldn’t have made it as Max shot a 90 with a striker gun. My goal used to be to break 100 with irons but I’m better than that now, new goal is 95. Still wouldn’t have won it this year but you aren’t always going to put up your best number. I came in 7th overall with an open score of 92. My goal with a dot is to break 90. That goal needs readjusted as well….85 is probably a realistic goal for me.
The cool thing about steel and also why some love it and some hate it is it’s always the same. The course is the course. You against it. You either do gooder or you do worser. Frustrating in it’s simplicity. Steel is a funny game. So simple yet so hard. Great training in its own right but also pays off in other disciplines like USPSA and even tactical or self defense practice. Quick transitions, quick draw, hand speed, eye speed. All great stuff.
I didn’t have time to put in the work this year and it showed. Last year I had more time than I had ever had to practice and ended up winning the National Title in Irons and also took home Steel Master. (granted BJ and Dave weren’t playing but you can only kick the ass that shows:) No surprise the more work you put in the better your results.
Manny put up a 96 and a 104 respectively. Not bad numbers but he can do and has done better. I got a few rounds of practice in and I know he got less. But we were there throwing down with the best in the biz none the less. We also had a bet for least extra shots in the Open match. I won’t mention the results but lets just say we’ll both enjoy the case of beer I owe him.
Congratulations to Sean Beery of Volusia County Gun Club and Mike Calloway of Schuemann Barrels for executing a great match. Also big thanks to all the range staff and officers. Many of them have been working this match for a long time and they did a fantastic job as usual. The match moved to a new venue this year and everything went great. The range was very nice, lots of improvements since I was there last. I wish the best for them and hope to be back next year putting up better scores. Last but not least thanks to the sponsors, the prize table was amazing! Remember to thank those that support the sport.
On to the next match!
Local Scene
Hi Gang,
It’s has been a while since you have heard from me. Tons of info in this email, please share with those that may be interested.
USPSA
We WILL be having our normal second Sunday match this coming Sunday. I will be out of town but Duane and Andy will be running the match. Thanks to them as always. There will not be Steel Challenge or Practice available at this match.
Sunday November 8
Registration 9
Walkthrough 9:30
Fee $20
6 Stages
We will not have a normal match on the second Sunday December (see below for a match on the 20th)
We may have the January match, maybe not. Its the week before the State Championship. (see below) Will let you know more in the coming month.
3 GUN
We WILL be having our 3 gun match this month. Thanks again to Duane and Andy as I will be out of town. Shocker! We will not have Action Steel or Practice available on this day.
Saturday November 22
Registration 9
Walkthrough 10
Fee $20
5 Stages
We likely will be having the December 3 gun match. It’s a couple days after Christmas so you can bring out your new toys. I’ll be in touch next month with more info. Also we have the A6 3 Gun coming back in March. More to come on that as well.
ZOMBIE MATCH Dec 20th Canceled – Not enough turnout.
CHARITY MATCH
On December 20 in place of the Zombie Match we will be hosting a charity USPSA match. We will shoot stages 1-11 of World Shoot XVII but using USPSA rules. I’ll figure the round count but probably 150 or so.
This will support The Rangers Scholarship Fund and the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. These are two charities that USA supports and we would appreciate your help. Whether you can make the match or not I urge you to consider these in your charitable donations. I have been personally in contact with both organizations and feel confident the maximum amount of money goes to the cause. The cause in this case is helping families or our soldiers.
We will have some raffles and I will see about having pizza and beer or something after the match if there is interest.
Registration 9
Walkthrough 9:30
Fee $25
11 Stages
FLORIDA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
It will be back at USA next year. A little short notice as the club that was supposed to do it changed their mind. However I’ll assemble the A Team and we will put on an outstanding Championship as we always do. I am going to lobby for it to be here for 3 years so we can establish a pattern. Then it can migrate to another club after they have time to formulate a plan.
The match is January 16-18 and registration is already live on MatchSignUp.org. I built a page on our website for the match but haven’t populated it yet. Will have more info up there this week.
FLORIDA OPEN
Back again, awesome as ever. Registration is open for this as well on Match. And much more info will be coming on our site.
STAFF FOR MAJORS
One of my goals for this year is to better handle managing of Staff for matches. I’m thinking about an application process so I can track who I have and who I don’t rather than the free for all I’ve been using. I will be in touch soon with a solution.
CHANGES TO LOCAL MATCHES FOR NEXT YEAR
Here is my current vision but you are the customer and my main goal is to make you happy as well as creating more of you.
Steel Challenge despite my efforts has just not been successful or popular. We will not be holding regular SC matches in 2015. In many cases I will have some stages set up and they will be available for practice during normal match days like usual. I also plan to have local matches in the months preceding the National and World SC matches.
Action Steel is in the same boat. Although I personally think it’s super cool I’m obviously in the minority. So it too, will be suspended. We may have one or two on a limited basis but not regularly.
IDPA
I am considering starting an IDPA club. I must admit however IDPA HQ has not made it easy. We do not have enough local SO’s which are now required even for local matches. And last time I spoke to the AD there were no classes scheduled in central Florida. Frankly they just weren’t helpful in helping me get a new club started.
So that leaves me with a couple choices.
We can start an IDPA ‘like’ match using IDPA rules, targets, etc. Then when we have enough local support and interest I can probably get an instructor to our area for an SO class. Then we would have to have enough folks that wanted to become SO’s in order to run a local match according to the proper rules and then we could affiliate.
Or, we can start the USADPL Universal Shooting Academy Defensive Pistol League. This would be similar to IDPA in the lesser round count, less complexity of target arrangements, defensive gear and divisions, etc. But I could incorporate rules I think more realistic for tactical training or defensive use while keeping the marksmanship requirement and fun factor high. A couple thoughts would be no 10 round limit on mags. And incorporate some Action Steel type stages into the local match. I have many other ideas as well.
But like I said….you’re the customer. I’m interested in opinions. Also please share with any friends who may be more into IDPA or defensive shooting who might be interested. Thanks.
Have a great holiday season if I don’t see you. I’ll have much more info coming…hard to believe the season is about to start again!
Shoot safe.
Fitness and shooting combined
Testing out an event for our upcoming CrossFit / Shooting invitational event.
Training Opportunity
Manny Bragg is holding a 3 day advanced pistol course immediately after the USPSA Nationals at Southern UT Shooting Sports Park, St. George, Utah. This course will be 2 days of our renowned high speed execution of the fundamentals program which will give you the tools and drills to take home and continue your improvement. A bonus third day of stage work on the same stages from the USPSA National Championship! We will have full access to the range! This is an amazing opportunity to train with one of the best shooters and professional trainers around.
When: November 30, October 1 and 2. (Mon-Wed), 2013
Where: Southern UT Shooting Sports Park, St. George, Utah
Fee: $750
Universal ammo is also available to provide ammunition to be shipped for the class.
Email Manny directly for additional questions on anything and to reserve a slot.
Training opportunity (short notice)
We have 2 slots open to a two day class with Manny Bragg after Area 5 in IL.
Class is Monday and Tuesday. Contact Manny directly if you are interested.
MannyBraggUSA@yahoo.com
660.216.4826
Single Stack / Revolver National Championships
So…back from the Single Stack Nationals. One of my favorite matches of the year. If you are a true competitor then this type of match juices you up! Like the old IROC series in NASCAR. Everyone is running essentially the same gun, heads up more or less. Not 5 or more divisions to dilute the competition. If you can hang in the top 10 or 16 at this match you are one hell of a shooter. I was fortunate to pull off my best finish yet with 3rd place behind TGO and Dave Sevigny, pretty solid shooters to say the least. The only slightly embarrassing part is Dave shot minor (unintentionally). Needless to say he shot pretty amazing to go minor and still finish so well, would have won the match had it not been for that.
I’m also proud at my penalty free match. My second National level match with no penalties, last time I did that I won! I shot pretty solid throughout the Single Stack Nationals, I had 2.5 bad stages which didn’t cost me the match but cost me second place for sure. No penalties but a blown reload on one stage and a couple extra shots that cost me extra reloads on other stages. Competition is tight at the top and it only takes a few mistakes to take you out of it.
I throughly enjoyed the match plus we had great weather which is rare for Barry. Thanks to all the crew, staff, RO’s, sponsors that made it all happen. Special thanks to Dave Williams from the Springfield Custom Shop for the amazing 1911 I was fortunate enough to win.
Now for the Revolver Nationals….yeah, I said it, Revolver Nationals. I was already up there so I thought what the heck I’ll give it a shot. I used to shoot a bit of revo back in “the day”. My performance was very poor but with 12 rounds of practice I guess I was expecting too much. To top it off I went minor at chrono. No excuse for that, it’s the first time I’ve ever had that happen. All that said however it was one of the more fun matches I have shot. Some friends and I had a great time entertaining our squad with our comedy of errors.
Two great quotes from the Revo match:
“No, I shot at it….I’m actually that bad!” (after an RO was trying to give an FTE to a squad mate on a wide open 12 yard target. He did shoot at it as we all attested and he was “that bad” :))
“This revolver stuff is fun, I think I’m going to switch to revo full time…..said no one ever!” (from yours truly)
Thanks as well to all the staff, many of the same folks, that made the match happen. I’ll for sure shoot it again if they put it on.
