This move from a rural midwest community to one of the largest urban settings has not been good for my hobbies. However, I finally found a SASS group VERY close by, and Sunday I shot my first match in six years.
Good Points:
All clothing and leather still fits.
Guns all worked flawlessly ... unlike their operator.
Ammunition all went BANG without a click or pop.
Single Bad Point:
Having played in several games over the years I forgot one very important SASS specific rule - No movement with a loaded shotgun! Simple way to get a stage DQ.*
Best Point:
As expected, shooting people are great people. Local SASS groups are fun people. Brand new with no contact with anyone, I was welcomed as soon as I stepped out of the car. I felt like I was a part of the group from the very first minute. As the match went on I was filled in on their schedules, past and changes, and plans for the coming year(s). I was even told about the groups near by that others attend, and a leader from another group made sure I knew when they shot and how to get there.
* My foul came on the very first stage. The set was a saloon front wall with two windows flanking the door. Start was in one window where you shot pistols, rifle and two of four shotgun targets. After knocking those two over you move to the second window for the final two shotgun targets.
True to form, I missed with one shot on the first two, but with a reload I hit the standing target with the first shot. Rather than waste the second round into the ground, shuck the round, or even just crack the action, I simply moved to the second window - WRONG!!! Fortunately it was just a stage DQ, and not a match DQ.
USPSA, 3 Gun and IDPA are all very dependent on movement while shooting, and I forgot that SASS is a no movement while shooting.