Match attendance, web sight, what else to fix?

[Hoser]

We try to get the word out. Really we do. Fixing the crappy website helped a little I hope. Some gunshops really look down on IDPA and IPSC. I dont know why. Pueblo IPSC, IDPA and 3-Gun has done the flyer thing and gunshow table thing in the past. Was not that successful.

We are going to try to take some pics and get them up, but a lot of times its hard cause I and most staff guys end up on a timer or a clipboard. I hardly get to enjoy shooting sometimes as I am just trying to keep things moving along safe and steady. Our webmaster has a job that keeps him busy, so we hate to make the site too much of a time hog.

IDPA does indeed push the you dont need a $2K gun to compete. However, please remember there are different divisions in IDPA and IPSC/USPSA. If you go to an IPSC match with your XD, you are *NOT* competing against a pimped out $2-3K optically sighted, 29 round, open class pistola. You would be shooting in Production division, IPSC version of SSP. The current US champ is shooting a almost stock Glock 34, and a G-17 when he shoots outside the US.

The after work or during the week thing is tough. Someone has to set stuff up and take it down. Huge time killer. We shoot Wed afternoon/evening steel matches in Pueblo. I get there around 3:00 and get home well after dark most times. Its a lot of work for 10-15 shooters.

The skills issue should be tested every match. Sometimes its not as evident as some, but they all test a different skill. Not just drawing and blazing away. Its has to be fun and safe above all else. Its a fine line to walk with stage design. Too hard, people wont like it and might not come back. Too easy and the better shooters get bored and dont come back. thats why we try to mix it up. Some skills cant be tested in a match. They have to be done in a class type environment. We try to dance around retention shooting as safely as we can, same with shooting while retreating.

The Sunday thing is a killer for a lot of people. But the scheduling thing is up to the host range, not us. We are there because they let (charge) us. I tried to get a Saturday for IDPA and was told flat out, no. No more matches. Club members dont like the fact matches are there taking up space on their berms.

[Mule]

I had a guy that shoots IPSC tell me that if I did go to a IPSC match, I would be shooting aginst guys w/ $2K guns. That's why I never looked into it.

It is tough to keep it down the middle of the skills.
I was envolved in a large 4x4 club here in Denver. Any time I lead trails or we had our yearly event, it was a challenge to offer everyone something they wanted.

As for ranges. It might be a good idea to talk to the guy that owns the land where the range is East of Brighton. He lets others use the range other than the club. I have his info if you want it, email me. He talked about putting in a combat training range elsewhere on his property. Really nice guy too!

Last Saturday was put together very well, every stage was a different thing and made people think.

Greg

[JohnTRourke]

FNG here
The wife and I both want to get into different games, but it's hard, the whole paranoia will I screw up thing. (although it never turns out that way, it's hard to get over that)
Sundays are tough, but honestly that's the biggest draw day for any range, so I think there is nothing you can do about that.
instead of flyers, work with a local gun store and say "here, with any new pistol bought, give them this coupon" and the coupon is for a free entry fee and has all the information on it.
this costs the gun store owner nothing and adds extra value to their selling so it's a plus for them.
This coupon has all the contact information, etc. website, phone numbers, emails, ask any questions, etc
Boom, you get your name and contact info out there for free and people see it as a value.
You have to take a class????????

oh, get rid of the tactical reload, dumb dumb dumb, it's just not going to happen, and personally I think it kills IPDA. But that's just me and I'm FNG so feel free to ignore me. :-)

[Mule]

Not a four hour thing. From what I saw in other posts it wsa done at one time....
We did the 30 minute Safety class. How not to get into trouble (look like a complete bafoon) - not to shoot someone or get kicked out of the range. Basic rules, commands ect. Very helpfull in telling me what was expected.

I like the idea of the coupon thing, I would have been all over that one.
Greg

[Hoser]

I had a guy that shoots IPSC tell me that if I did go to a IPSC match, I would be shooting aginst guys w/ $2K guns.

He is an idiot and should be beat. I shoot a little IPSC. In fact, I used to be the IPSC section coordinator for the state for a couple of years, was the Pueblo IPSC Club president from 1998-2004, and have been the IPSC State Match Match director three times and shoot IPSC for the Air Force Shooting Team.

There has always been different divisions in IPSC, well after 1993 that is. Thats when red dot scopes, high cap guns and the 38 Super started taking over. Shortly after that, Tactical/Limited Class was born. Now there is Open, Limited, Limited 10, Single Stack, Revolver and Production divisions.

The source for a lot of bad info on IDPA and IPSC is gunstore commandos and gun rags like American Handgunner.

oh, get rid of the tactical reload, dumb dumb dumb, it's just not going to happen, and personally I think it kills IPDA. But that's just me and I'm FNG so feel free to ignore me. :-)

I dont care for it either. We try to leave it up to the shooter to pick his reload when we call for a mandatory reload. Either Tactical or reload with retention. For what its worth, the RWR is always faster and easier.

Your first match is the hardest. You dont know many people, there is so many rules, you dont want to screw up and be laughed at, ect. We all had our first match. Just to help get people out, we dont charge a dime for your first match.

Your ideas for handing out flyers is great. I like the coupon idea. However, it all comes down to time. All of us that run the show are volunteers. Between work, kids, ect, some things just cant get done. Not an excuse, just a reason why sometimes not everything gets done. Now that I am back stateside, I have some time off from the military. Let me put some new flyers together and see if I can start getting them out again.

[JohnTRourke]

[quote="Tom Freeman"]

oh, get rid of the tactical reload, dumb dumb dumb, it's just not going to happen, and personally I think it kills IPDA. But that's just me and I'm FNG so feel free to ignore me. :-)

I dont care for it either. We try to leave it up to the shooter to pick his reload when we call for a mandatory reload. Either Tactical or reload with retention. For what its worth, the RWR is always faster and easier.
quote]

What is a Reload with retention??????

[Hoser]

What is a Reload with retention??????

Take the mag out of the gun, put it in a pocket, and insert a new mag.

Here is a video of Steve Broom doing both. http://www.doublealpha.biz/images/mikael_vieira.jpg Steve had just moved to Pueblo before he died suddenly in early 2005. We competed and practiced together often. He was a good man.

[JohnTRourke]

realizing this is getting off track, why would you put it in your pocket?
IT'S EMPTY
the only thing more useless than an unloaded gun is an empty magazine.
Seriously, this rationale I gotta hear.

[Hoser]

Ahhh grasshopper. You are in need of a rulebook. www.idpa.com has a link to it.

Here is the deal. Empty mags are worthless and can be tossed on the ground. Mags with ammo left in them are required to be retained somehow, just in case you need that ammo later.

So, if you want to do a reload and the mag still has ammo in it, you have a choice. Tac reload or RWR.

If you have a jam, you can ditch the possibly bad mag and ammo.

(in IPSC you just reload whenever you want and do whatever you want with the mag.)

[PaulHyder]

realizing this is getting off track, why would you put it in your pocket?
IT'S EMPTY
the only thing more useless than an unloaded gun is an empty magazine.
Seriously, this rationale I gotta hear.

Gosh I hate to get into the tactical reload discussion but the rule for what to do with an empty magazine if you aren't at slidelock actually is based on logic:

You weren't at slide lock and >chose< to reload. Why on earth would you look at the magazine at all. (The bad guys are elsewhere.)

Of course the early tactical journal discussion ended up pointing out that this rule was part of the set to limit the potential for gaming.
Paul