IRC 2016 - Frostproof

[alfsauve]

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.

[alfsauve]

The USA:



Right off Fl 630.  That the parking lot through the gate.



The Shop.



From under the shed.  RO briefing going on.



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.

[les snyder]

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

[alfsauve]

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.

[alfsauve]

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.

[Sponsor]

[alfsauve]

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.

[Rastus]

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.

[PegLeg45]

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

[billt]

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.