RICHMOND HOT SHOTS USPSA PISTOL (5 SEPT 2010)

[sargenv]

Um, I was wondering about that.. that is what EZ Winscore has you classified as Ray... are we not M like it says? (ok, I just looked, you don't even have enough classifiers to get classified, likely a typo, updated in the database).

We had 100 shooters... 2 dq's.. unknown by me what for... Our squad (#3) had 21 shooters and about 6 reshoots due to prop/range equipment failure on Stage 5 and also a few reshoots due to stage not reset correctly on stage 4. When I left, there were about 15 scoresheets outstanding..

[BerKim]

100? Wow!

[zfields]

I am shooting a Nighthawk Predator.

Actually, the jam issue is a magazine/boolit thing. My Wilson Combat mags will not digest plated SWC's. And on that very first stage, I borrowed, 5 each, Chip McCormick 10-rounders from another shooter to try out.

Even worst than my Wilson Combat 10-rounders!!

Once the leaf spring was corrected in my pistol, my Wilson Combat 8-round ETM's took me the rest of the way. Not completely perfect, but definitely not as many jams as before.

Like I said, the answer is to switch to the good ole, reliable, Round Nose boolits.

Lord willing, my next match should be much cleaner.

In Christ: Raymond

Yikes, well glad the issue got worked out!
Im with ya on sticking to RN though, might not be the pretiest paper punch, but Ill take no jams in trade!

[sargenv]

I have often thought that if everyone showed up to a Richmond match that was a regular that I have shot with at least once in the last three years, I figure we would have a match that would top out at 130 shooters give or take a few. Yesterday seemed to be a perfect storm.. the funny thing to me is that there were so many Production shooters and 21 of them were unclassified..

[Inkman]

I have often thought that if everyone showed up to a Richmond match that was a regular that I have shot with at least once in the last three years, I figure we would have a match that would top out at 130 shooters give or take a few. Yesterday seemed to be a perfect storm.. the funny thing to me is that there were so many Production shooters and 21 of them were unclassified..

LOL. Saw the scores and was 100 shooters?!?! Lemme see what SS looked like (salivating)......4 shooters

But yeah, Production and Limited, man o man. Sounds like it was a good match i missed.

Al

[RaymondMillbrae]

Like I stated before, it made me smile to see such a great crowd of shooters.

I saw a person (name withheld) that was completely RAGGING about the large outcome, and how long the "darned match" was going to take.

Sad...just sad!!

How else is our great American tradition going to thrive, and the Richmond R&GC going to continue growing for the next generation?

If you're a Scrooge, keep your "Ba Huumbugg" at home, and quit spreading your damaging, contaminating, attitude.

I also left at around 1620 hours, and there were still 15 score sheets out there.

Glad I was part of this large crowd.

In Christ: Raymond

[TMC]

I saw a person (name withheld) that was completely RAGGING about the large outcome, and how long the "darned match" was going to take.

Sad...just sad!!

How else is our great American tradition going to thrive, and the Richmond R&GC going to continue growing for the next generation?

If you're a Scrooge, keep your "Ba Huumbugg" at home, and quit spreading your damaging, contaminating, attitude.

I also left at around 1620 hours, and there were still 15 score sheets out there.

Glad I was part of this large crowd.

In Christ: Raymond

I don't have to remain nameless

Its not the number of shooters its the time it takes for all of us to shoot and then for the poor score keeper to stay and make sure scoring is done. Its called Match Management. If the match does not end at a reasonable time then the next time fewer people will show up.

What needs to be considered when we have good weather and/or a major match coming up is to make sure all the stages will be close to the total time to shoot. Meaning, from the time one shooter starts until the next shooter starts needs to be as close as possible. The stage designers needs to think how long it will take the average person to shoot the stage and how long it will take to reset it. Things like the number of targets, length of movement, distance to targets (will the whole squad have the walk 40 yards to the end of the bay to reset?) and will moving targets be easy to reset, will they be reliable etc. We had 6 reshoots on Stage 5, if each one only took 5 minutes that still adds 1/2 hour. Chris builds great stages, I admire is comitment to the sport and contribution to the club, his stages are always really fun to shoot but in summer when historically we've had 80+ shooters the MD need to remind the stage builders to keep the stages easy and quick to reset so the squads don't back up. Squad 2 waited about an hour for us on stage 5 because we waited for Squad 4 to finish.

Just my .02

[MustangGreg66]

I don't have to remain nameless

Its not the number of shooters its the time it takes for all of us to shoot and then for the poor score keeper to stay and make sure scoring is done. Its called Match Management. If the match does not end at a reasonable time then the next time fewer people will show up.

What needs to be considered when we have good weather and/or a major match coming up is to make sure all the stages will be close to the total time to shoot. Meaning, from the time one shooter starts until the next shooter starts needs to be as close as possible. The stage designers needs to think how long it will take the average person to shoot the stage and how long it will take to reset it. Things like the number of targets, length of movement, distance to targets (will the whole squad have the walk 40 yards to the end of the bay to reset?) and will moving targets be easy to reset, will they be reliable etc. We had 6 reshoots on Stage 5, if each one only took 5 minutes that still adds 1/2 hour. Chris builds great stages, I admire is comitment to the sport and contribution to the club, his stages are always really fun to shoot but in summer when historically we've had 80+ shooters the MD need to remind the stage builders to keep the stages easy and quick to reset so the squads don't back up. Squad 2 waited about an hour for us on stage 5 because we waited for Squad 4 to finish.

Just my .02

Yeah, Raymond is right though. I saw the crowded parking lot and thought oh man, this is going to be a full day. Got to the range and there were people everywhere, but I didn't have any negative connotation of the experience until I heard people grumbling about how many people there were and how late the day was going to go. Usually on match day I have the whole day dedicated to the match, or at least nothing else going on until around dinner time. I can understand that other have things to do, but that's just where I'm coming from.

Personally I thought it was great to have so many people, but it helps to have been on a great squad. Most of the people in my squad were chomping at the bit to help, even toward the end of the day. I'd get a late start heading down range after a person had shot and I'd get to the targets and everything would be reset and taped already. I only had to RO and scorekeep for part of two stages and I did get down there taping and resetting, but I wasn't there doing the whole stage by myself. I found that I could relax and prep myself for shooting when I was on deck and get another walk through, whereas in the past I've been called up as the shooter and still been downrange taping...

You got a point through TMC, about the stages being easy to reset. At least we didn't have any super long gunner stages that would require that 40 yard walk for everyone. But stage 5 did cause some problems. We were the first squad on that stage and when we first went to activate the slider for the preview, it didnt work and got hung up on something... after that though it worked flawlessly for our squad. We had I think 4-5 resets for the swingers, and one or two times they activated early. I think the problem lies in people not realizing that the props need to be set vertically. If they had a 2x4 under them to be set on (as has been done a few times in the past) I think it would work better. Also having someone check over it who knows what they're doing helps a lot. The cables have to be tight, the props vertical, and the paint marks have to line up... not too difficult. We started the day with squad 4 waiting for us to finish I think 4 last shooters. That was probably what slowed down everyone else since I think we didn't have to wait for anyone and I think were the last ones still shooting.

I guess I didn't mind the day because we didn't have to wait much. It really is agrivating when you have to wait 30-45 minutes or even an hour for your squad to begin shooting on the next stage.

[RaymondMillbrae]

We were squad 4.

We started on stage 4 and finished on stage 3. I guess we were the 2nd to last squad to finish.

Our squad was cool, as almost everyone in our squad helped to tape and reset the targets.

Todd...nope...it was not you, brother. It was someone else who was whining, moaning, and groaning.

As for stage design...yeah...I hear you.

I really liked stages 4 and 5. The complexity was outstanding! You don't see many of those type stages often.

I also see your point about setting it up so folks can shoot, reset, and move along quickly. But then again, who would have known the turn-out was going to be so large. (Which was great).

Some things you cannot plan for. And methinks this was one of them.

Bottom line, it was an awesome match, and I hope we keep on getting surprised by huge turn-outs.

Personally, I thought it was a great match, and I didn't really trip on the time it took, as we had kinda figured it would take until 1630 to 1700 ours to complete anyways.

In Christ: Raymond

[sargenv]

I remember grumbling a little when I saw that we were on the signup sheet's page 4!!! but then it really doesn't matter much when you get past 75 shooters.. I'm very happy that all of the stages were about equal in round count. Had stage 5 not been so complex (only had one set of activation or was built just a tad more idiot proof) I think there would not have been the backup we had there.

Back to TMC.. this was and is a constant struggle.. though with the nationals around the corner, more people are going to come out and shoot to ramp up and be ready for a major match.. The Yolo and Reno Crews were there as well as a few from south of Santa Cruz (the MD for instance). It almost felt like a section match.. almost..

[RaymondMillbrae]

You know guys,

let me back-up a moment here and mention something.

I believe (and I may be wrong) that the back-up/bottle neck issue stems from folks not helping to reset the activators, and retape the targets.

Every squad usually has plenty of folks. Once the shooter has shot the stage, everyone should all go down and stand next to a specific target. Once the target is scored, taping/resetting should commence.

I guess in a "perfect world" is should work like that. But then again, there are LAZY SHOOTERS everywhere that do not pull their weight.

I cannot tell you how many times I have finished taping one side of a stage, head back to the shooting box, and find that the other side has not been taped by anyone. ("What the...")?!!

Myself, I try to be there to do something. (Tape, reset activators, paint poppers, something). But in all honesty, I do notice that sometimes there are a specific group of folks (I am familiarizing myself with who they continually are), that never help to reset or tape.

It kinda bumms me out. But then again, I do things because "I" do things, and not because someone tells me to. And if you ever tell...ummm...ASK me to do something, you better be leading by example, or you totally lost my respect!!!

SO...FOR YOU LAZY ONES OUT THERE...WE ARE WATCHING YOU. AND YOU ARE THE REASON STAGES GET BACKED-UP!!!

*whew*

OK, I feel better now.

In Christ: Raymond

PS: I want to add that I see/admire the folks who are "A" and "Master" class shooters, who are down range rubbing elbows with the "Unclassified" and "D" shooters, taping and resetting targets. Kudos to yall. (Yea...I'm watching - and familiarizing myself - with those shooters as well)!!

[sargenv]

I still chalk it up to the 6 reshoots on 5 and the two or three reshoots on 4... Usually in the whole match I would only have 1 reshoot per squad per match..

[RaymondMillbrae]

I still chalk it up to the 6 reshoots on 5 and the two or three reshoots on 4... Usually in the whole match I would only have 1 reshoot per squad per match..

I hear you, Vince-a-rooni.

FYI, one of the DQ's was my buddy.

It was his very first match ever, and the DQ happened on stage 1. (Our squads 3rd stage).

He was standing in the shooting box and removed the pistol to place it on the barrel. He was the next shooter, the pistol was not loaded, and no one was downrange. But he did so without the RO's command to do so.

I believe his nervousness (and thinking about tackling the Texas Star) got to him.

It was clearly a DQable offense. (Nuff said).

And in closing, thanks to everyone who let me pull on their ears in regards to stage design. I am learning "mucho good stuff". Lord willing, yall will be shooting one of my designs soon.

Just be gentle with your comments...I'm thenthitif.

In Christ: Raymond