Diesel Dad is right. We tie up/close down the entire range, so we want to make sure we don't outlast our "reservation." It depends how many shooters we have. Pre-Covid/ammopocalypse, we would fill up all 60 slots with a wait list...and it would run until after lunch. I don't remember ever quite 1500hrs...but they could be some long days. Recently, we've been running 30-40 shooters (if we're lucky) and finish up between 11 and noon.
the reason was we were running out of white paint and had a good stockpile of blue that was sitting around getting old.) We made the big stage on #2 a little tricky...with a window to shoot through (at the hostage taker first), some on the move shots, and one last pesky round one dangerously close to the stop plate.
, as the entire range is closed for hunting season (it is, after all, a Fish and Game Association first and foremost...that happens to have a shooting range). The next match will be one week earlier than the usual fourth Sunday in December: 12/18 (because we didn't figure we'd have a good turn out on Christmas morning 
)
We ran a little longer than expected today, but I think all 35 shooters had a good time. For some reason, the bad guys are wearing blue (
I didn't get any video of stage 4, but it required just a little bit of brainwork too:
View attachment 385011
Just before each string, the RO would "flip" a "coin" (which was actually a fender washer Sharpied red on one side, blue on the other which was shaken in a clear jar...so it wouldn't get lost). Knowing which color fate had chosen for the shooter, he would say, "Shooter ready? Standby...BLUE!" (or red) then hit the timer. The shooter would shoot the appropriate colored targets followed by the stop plate. A procedural penalty would be assigned for shooting the wrong color (which I didn't see happen on my squad). Blue was definitely more fun, because they were grouped closer together.
Stage one was a simple 4 white, 1 red Steel Challenge type set up. I always like to do a simple one for the new folks. It can build confidence just by being simple, plus they get to run the exact same thing 5 times. Also, it demonstrates the idea behind official Steel Challenge, if they want to pursue it.
Stage 3 was the plate rack, as usual (it really is our only option at that location). Also as usual, despite appearing boringly simple...it was humbling, even for some experienced shooters. It's only six plates, no smaller than many of the other round ones we shoot. Being so close together (I guess) just gets in people's heads sometimes.
There will NOT be a match next month
Thank you to everyone who came out and helped. We look forward to seeing you all and more in December!
) it's still a go.
We would love to have you and her, and also her out some time, any time. However...in fairness, I will suggest that a winter match may not be the best first time out for someone who is just "meh on it." You don't want them to have a bad time. It was cold today...and I'm seldom one to complain about the cold. Katie really suffers from the cold...if this was her first one, she may not have had a favorable opinion. Heck, if she wasn't running the darn thing, I bet she wouldn't have shot today. You'll have to judge your wife's tolerance of being out in the cold to make that call. Maybe you need to scope it out yourself a time or two and report back to her
After that...it will be warming up anyway 
With proper PPE (eye and ear protection), yes. Check out my videos in the first post about what to bring and what it looks like. I really think if you come to watch, you'll be kicking yourself for not coming to shoot.
. I did not have my better 3/4 organizing the practiscore side of things, so scores were a little late posting...but I think it all worked. 
Also, a big thanks to shooters who helped out running the tablets when needed as well as set up and tear down. The scores might be individual, but it really is a team effort.No real reason except I like to see what I’m getting into before I sign up. Plus I’m trying to find a nice .22 for this but with DE banning threaded barrels I’m not finding anything that I like enough to buy yet.
8-8:30. That gives plenty of time to sign in and help set up before the 9:00 safety brief. We really really prefer pre-registration on www.practiscore.com . It is free to make an account there...you just need an email address and to come up with a password...easier than MDS
I'll post a link to the match when it opens (one week before the match itself...in this case, the next match is 2/26 and the link will activate 2/19). Actually, it looks like I can go ahead and share the link now...you just won't be able to sign up yet:
pre-registration on practiscore is technically still required.) That also allows us to send out email notifications to everyone registered if there are any last minute changes or cancellations.
