The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Handguns => Topic started by: alfsauve on May 24, 2016, 08:47:25 PM
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Hey in some states, November is anything but Frostproof.
I've mentioned this in other threads, but I couldn't find if I had one entirely devoted to IRC 2016. Here it is. A few months to go, but whomever else is going, here's a place to chronicle your trip and experiences.
IRC is on the East Coast this year. Possibly first time out of CA. I hope there's a good showing. I'm afraid though it may be a dying art form. The Jedi of shooting. None of the Micleks are even up-to-date members of ICORE.
WELL AT LEAST I'm going to part of it. I worked out calendar conflicts so I can drive down Wednesday, rest and reconnoiter Thursday, and shoot ALL DAY Friday. I'll be dead. The last 4-6 stages will be toast, but at least I'll be there.
Our newly formed local ICORE club is holding 6 matches prior to the IRC. They've done 4 classifiers so far and will continue with 1, maybe 2, each month. I may have found the motivation to loose weight. It's not the greatest reason, but it may be my motivation. (Hey, I got my extra class ham radio license just so I could get into the vanity call sign process early. Not a noble reason, but it worked.) If I'm going to shoot 14 stages in one day, I've got to drop 30+ pounds. Not to mention a little, forgive me, a lot of strength and aerobic training wouldn't hurt.
Hope others on DRTV join me.
My newly formed local ICORE
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Alf...if you are not familiar with the range, some aerial shots of the 2015 Area 6 multigun match... if you don't have a jogging stroller type of cart, I would suggest one... much easier to push... pretty good length from end to end, but is all covered... decent motels are at least 1/2 hour from the range...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_q1DjWodl4
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Thanks, Les. I do have a pull cart, the typical fold up kind. I may look for something even easier to push/pull. I'll cut back on all that I normally carry. Guns, ammo, water, chair, towel, bug spray, sun screen.
I also need a better chair. One that's higher up, almost a stool height.
Right now, I'm concentrating on the very basics. Weight, endurance and strength training. Well that and shooting skills. Today is going to mostly be spent at the 50yd line checking gun accuracy and working on my long range shooting. Next month will be mostly Glock month in prep for the River Bend GSSF match in July.
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Your list reminds me of when I was going strong ... before career shifts and fun delays.
Motivation is what we need to make changes in life, and I found that an active shooting schedule was what fired me up the most to lose weight and get in shape ... round is a shape, isn't it?
As I worked with my grip strength I found an exercise that helped me a lot: Start light and work up and down; Take two smooth flat items, and pinch them between your thumb and finger tips; Pinch them and raise them up and down with your arm at full extension; And do this with varying weights, so you can use just one, two, three, or all four fingers. I even did this a couple times with 8" x 8" x 3/8" steel plates that I coated with motor oil, and I left my fingers oily. You want to know where your finger muscles are? Do this, and you will know the next morning :-\
I used to have a bag chair that was a bar stool with arms. It was very stable and strong, and perfect for shooting events, because it was lightweight, easy to set up, and very easy to get in and out of during a long grueling day at the range.
I know I am preaching to the choir, but I'm going to remind everyone of this anyway: If you are looking for a new cart, go with the largest wheels possible. When I built mine everyone else was using 12" and 14". A few even used 8" pneumatic. They gave me strange looks and comments when I used 20". However, there is not a rut in the range that stops me, I don't even notice stones in the gravel, and I can go up and down stairs, curbs, and landscape timbers with ease when others need to get help lifting.
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a lot of us old guys use one of these folding stools from WalMart... just the right height that you can roll forward and not put pressure on your knees to get up
(http://i825.photobucket.com/albums/zz180/LesSnyder/002_zps30549785.jpg) (http://s825.photobucket.com/user/LesSnyder/media/002_zps30549785.jpg.html)
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... just the right height that you can roll forward and not put pressure on your knees to get up
Yeah that's the idea, easy to get in and out of. I can stand through a 5-6 stage match for most of it, but this will be a marathon. I going to get something with arms and a back though. Try it out at the GSSF Match in Dawnsonville GA in July.
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IT'S TIME. IT'S TIME.
A number of work and personal conflicts have been resolved and I'm on my way. Well, I wanted to leave this afternoon and have all day Thursday to familiarize myself with the range and stages, but looks like I'll be leaving early Thursday and will arrive after lunch. 18 hours behind my ideal schedule, but I'm going.
Got my "high" chair. Have used it at several local matches and at the GA State USPSA. Works well, easy on the knees. Taking 2 backup guns. I shoot a 5" 686, but taking my 4" IDPA gun and a old standby 6" 686. A backup holster and backup speedloader holsters. Got 16 speedloaders. And 1,000 rounds of ammo. That's excessive, but it's 500 rounds of Armscor and 500 rounds of reloads.
They're reworking the final squading to consolidate some small squads, but I was in 3. I shoot all day Friday. Weather could be a tad cooler but I'll take low 80's as a high. Shouldn't be near as bad as the USPSA match was.
Anybody else going, try to find me. Team06, Dave, are you still around? You are your son, who's what 21 now, going? There will be several shooters from my local club there as well.
Updates as I get the chance. I'll only have my phone and iPad so updates may be scarce. For security reasons, the wife doesn't want me to post to FB until I get back. Will try to take lots of pictures and videos.
I know to Les and other competitors, this is routine, but to me it's the biggest thing I've shot in. I wish I could stay for the whole thing, but I'll take a Friday shoot. Only hope the sponsors are set up for Friday, especially Chiappa, the main sponsor, who will have guns to shoot.
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Alf... good luck... I eat dinner with the chrono man most every Wednesday...he smokes Arturo Fuentes La Unica 200 8)
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Good Luck Alf! By now you are in the midst of it, so I hope it is going well.
I've never regretted going to these events. Glad you got it done!
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Alf... good luck... I eat dinner with the chrono man most every Wednesday...he smokes Arturo Fuentes La Unica 200 8)
Wish I had of known. He was super nice and laid back. Not overly officious like some. I had an issue with my ammo and he worked with me to keep me in the game. Tell him thank you from the kid shooting Armscore .38s on late Friday pm.
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I'm back and had a blast. Sorry for not communicating more, but I was super busy and super tired all weekend. Had to work 6am till 8pm Sunday.
I PLACED 2nd CLASSIC class D. YEAH-h-h-h-h-h.
I also Placed 2nd Super Senior in Classic division. YEAH-h-h-h-h.
I was the only GA shooter to bring home some swag. Well, a plaque at least.
My biggest regret is that I could not stay for Saturday and Sunday. Next time, I'm making a whole week of it.
Universal Shooting Academy is neat. Built and owned by master shooter, Frank Garcia, specifically for action pistol/rifle training and competition, it is both in the middle of no-where and at the same time centrally located between Tampa, Orlando and Miami. 25+ pistol bays, a 50yd x 100yd action bay ideal of 3 gun, and a 700yd, going to soon be a 1,000yd rifle range. Right on State Rd 630. Easy to find with the pleasant parking lot featuring a number of large oaks so you can park in the shade.
Friday was mostly RO's, volunteers and a few like me, just shooting on Friday. I did best on the harder courses of fire, but the simpler courses really bit me. I was most proud of stage 13 with the four targets on a track which slide rapidly down over about 30'. I hit the popper and just blasted away at them. Most people waited for them to end their course of travel and then tried to either hit them on the bounce or squeeze extra shots around the hard cover partially obscuring them. On the four targets, I scored 4-As, 2-Bs and 2-Ms, but saved 8 seconds in the process. 13th out of 30 in Classic on that stage.
My worst stage was the Miculek stage (No he wasn't there) which was simply 5 of the 8" plates. Shot through them 5 times. Only best 4 counted. I should have had a final score in the 20's, but ended up with 53.45, second from the bottom. Don't know why I get so rattled on the simpler stages.
Other Highlights:
-Meeting Pat Hogue, his squad was in front of mine.
-Getting to handle the Chiappa revolver and talk to the folks from there.
-Meeting the Australian's. Great bunch.
-Just generally being a part of a "big" competition like this.
-Visiting USA.
-My equipment work well and I felt reasonably prepared.
Disappointments:
-Not being able to stay for the whole thing.
-Not having time to shoot the Chiappa.
-Not meeting Miculek, who has pretty much left ICORE and does mostly 3-gun stuff.
-Not scoring better, which could be helped by shooting over 2 days instead of 1.
-The Armscor ammo, which almost got me penalized. (More on that in the ammo thread, later.)
Busy week, back at work, so I'll post pictures as I get a chance.
Attached is a picture of the plaque that my GA team mates posted.
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The USA:
(https://photos.smugmug.com/International-Revolver/i-DGvsXbg/0/L/IMG_5705-L.jpg)
Right off Fl 630. That the parking lot through the gate.
(https://photos.smugmug.com/International-Revolver/i-qnJh429/0/L/IMG_20161104_120604086-L.jpg)
The Shop.
(https://photos.smugmug.com/International-Revolver/i-2LXsMFq/0/L/IMG_5703-L.jpg)
From under the shed. RO briefing going on.
(https://photos.smugmug.com/International-Revolver/i-T2mqRNq/0/L/IMG_20161103_152102515_HDR-L.jpg)
The midway. About 12 bays on either side. The large tactical bay at the very end. Only bays being used are numbered with the stage numbers. Very well organized. The pole isn't for a flag, but for a WiFi antenna. Safety areas between 3rd bay on either side. Well designed safety areas. Covered and with thick, filled walls on three sides.
(https://photos.smugmug.com/International-Revolver/i-k75dSrf/0/L/IMG_5710-L.jpg)
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did you get a chance to try the hamburger at the Frostbite diner? if not, it's about 1/8 mile north of McDonalds the next time
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did you get a chance to try the hamburger at the Frostbite diner? if not, it's about 1/8 mile north of McDonalds the next time
Sure didn't. Looked up and down the intersection and just proceed on back to Lake Wales.
Maybe next time.
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Let's see if the videos of these two stages will post. Not me shooting.
One is a stage with two disappearing clamshells, one on each side. Very close so it's no sweat getting hits. But the deal is to trust yourself and shoot the popper first, then the downrange stationary target before shooting the clamshell. This shooter didn't do that, but went the safe route, stationary target, popper/activator, then wait for clamshell. This stage was obviously 6 round friendly. Most of the other not so much, which I don't mind. I like the challenge.
This one I enjoyed and didn't do too bad at. Four movers activated by 4 poppers. I shot it this way, except I double tapped the turner on the first turn.
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Followup BAD NEWS
I'm bad and I feel bad about it.
When I registered for IRC I was a Class D shooter. Over the summer I was able to bump up to C. It never occurred to me to change my registration. I never gave it any thought. Been so busy ever since I got back it was just yesterday, I was looking at how to format a Classifier that I perchance looked at my ICORE Classification. My heart sank. Not about not being 2nd place, but about being a phony second place. Officially I should be 6th in C Class Classic.
I've notified ICORE and am attempting to reach the real 2nd Place Division/Class winner. I will gladly forward him the plaque and swag. I hope they understand.
I still have 2nd Place Super Senior in Classic that I can claim.
Hey it was my first "BIG" match where Classification actually mattered.
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Well dang it. You are one standup guy to be posting this though.
Character matters. You have it.
That's more valuable than some performance award.
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Well dang it. You are one standup guy to be posting this though.
Character matters. You have it.
That's more valuable than some performance award.
+10
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This may sound petty. But the thing that bothers me the most about these 3 gun matches, is watching these shooters throw their guns into these plastic barrels, when they move from stage to stage. I get the fact it's all about speed. But you would think these match organizers would line these barrels with foam, or else something soft. Especially at the bottom. Or else design a better container. How hard would it be to throw 4 or 5 old pillows into the bottom on these things?
A lot of these AR's have expensive optics on them. And many of the shotguns have very long, thin extended magazine tubes. It can't be doing them any good having them tossed into these cans over and over again. I can't help but wonder, when I see these extended tube shotguns malfunction, it's because something got bent, or else knocked out of whack. Or else when you see a few of these guys having trouble at long range target stages with their AR's, thinking the red dot or scope got smacked. It doesn't take much.