Topic: Area 1 update?

[Jaggy13]

Haven't heard anything yet. How'd everyone do?

[Jr Evancic]

here you go buddy...

https://practiscore.com//match-results/uuid?uuid=218B46D9-EA53-4B3A-96E6-D01703AD4CC1

looks like a ton of big wigs were there.... 

[junkie]

Looks Like Evans got 3rd in B SS way to go. Tim and I had a good match, better than the last Area match. Cody got bumped to Open for a Glock tail. Tim got dropped to minor cause of my reloads. Dennis shot real good. All in all a great time was had by the 4 of us. The stages were very straight forward with very few long shots. Most stages were above 24 rds so we got to shoot alot, footwork and transitions seemed to be the key in this one for Tim and I.

[SinisterRob]

Outstanding match! I heard most ever shooters for an area match.

Finished 18th in Production at 78%. 4 B shooters ahead of me.

[ekuo]

Total registered was 432 shooters, which according to Dave Thomas (Executive Officer for USPSA) is the record for any Area match, and the first to break the 400 mark.  After all was said and done, I think the final tally was 414 shooters.  Great turn out, most likely due to the proximity of Area 2 and beautiful location to vacation in.   We had all kinds of weather, ranging from cool and overcast on Weds when Staff started shooting to sudden T-storm down pours on Thurs afternoon when the Super Squad was trying to finish up.  Then had warming temps Fri-Sun, with a few dust devils on Friday that wrecked havoc on the Chrono Station and sent a couple hundred scores sheets and a few targets swirling up into the air into the next county.   But all in all, good weather, and beats heck out of going to S. Utah in June or July.  Though I am a few shades darker on my face and arms from the sun.  Also got worked running shooters back to back from 0745 to 1800 hrs on Fri/Sat and then Sunday from 0745 to 1330.  I think we ran 30 squads of 10-12 shooters per squad thru my stage.  With only 2 RO's. 

I came in 15th in SS (out of 50 or 51) at 69% of Max Michel, and was 3rd B as Junkie said.  I made a few sloppy mistakes (trying to keep up with a M-class SS shooter in my squad...) that cost me either time or points, but overall satisfied with how I did.  I'd like to think that I might have been able to finish a place or two higher had I not been sloppy, but probably wouldn't have done better than 3rd C given who placed 1st and 2nd C.

The match itself was a hoser match.  90% of the targets were within 10 yds, and I think we only had a few targets that were out to 15-17 yds.  None were farther than that.  So this was a match where speed was everything.  Footwork, reloads, stage planning and shooting on the move needed to be spot on to do well, and my two Mikes were due to shooting on the fly and both were 1/8 to 1/4" inside a hardcover. 

For me, 2012 Area 1 was more the match experience working as an RO.  Learned a bunch, picked up some tips and tricks, and added to my knowledge of being an RO.  Had to make some tough calls, got bullied by a few shooters who were on the other end of those calls (including one the size of a Polar Bear), but the RM backed my calls and we moved on.  Learned an important lesson:  never pass up the opportunity to keep your mouth shut.  Make the call, cite the rule, then don't get sucked into an argument because all you're doing is giving them ammo to arbitrate.  Less said is better.   

Unfortunately I was the RO that noticed the Glock Tail on Cody's Glock, and had to bump him to Open.  But at least we gave him an opportunity to go load his mags to capacity...  But on the plus side, I got to RO Phil Strader (current USPSA President), Lisa Munson, and Julie Golob.  I watched Max Michel and Travis Tomasie shoot a few stages, but didn't get to RO them as they shot it on Thursday with Staff. 

[Nealio]

I thought you could put a Beavertail on a Glock. Is that one in particular illegal?

[Jaggy13]

So was Cody shooting production?
Shouldn't he get bumped to limited minor?
Isn't the grip mod legal for limited? Sorry not near my rule book at the moment and am sure you made the right call just curious is all.

[junkie]

You get bumped to open if you do not meet the standards in your declared division. Forgot to mention that we got to watch Max and Travis shoot their last stage. I talked to them for a bit after they shot. I also got to fondle the new 1911 Max. I want one even more now.

[junkie]

Outstanding match! I heard most ever shooters for an area match.

Finished 18th in Production at 78%. 4 B shooters ahead of me.

Nice shooting Rob what squad were you on?

[ida83704]

Make the call, cite the rule, then don't get sucked into an argument because all you're doing is giving them ammo to arbitrate.  Less said is better.   

I had a similar experiance a few years ago.

My take away is....make the call, cite the rule and if they don't like it inform them they can further the discussion with the Match Director.


tempers flare less this way, plus it does not disrupt the rest of the squad's shooting experiance.

[ekuo]

So was Cody shooting production?
Shouldn't he get bumped to limited minor?
Isn't the grip mod legal for limited? Sorry not near my rule book at the moment and am sure you made the right call just curious is all.

He was shooting Production.  I thought he was shooting Limited when he first put his gun on the table, but then when he pulled out a standard G17/34 mag my heart sank because at that point I knew he was shooting Production.  Appendix D4, Rule 22 specifically prohibits any addition or removal of material which changes the factory profile or adds functions such as a beavertail or thumb rest. 

Had we caught that Glock Tail prior to him shooting his first stage he could have changed to Limited division and shot with it.  Unfortunately that slipped past the first two Stages he already shot (bad RO, no biscuit).  Like Junkie said, you go to Open if the gun fails to meet the requirements of Production division such as the beavertail, or if you load more than the prescribed ammo capacity, weight, not fit the box, incorrect mag pouch placement, etc...  It's a bummer for sure. 

The irony is the Gen 4 Glocks have a backstrap that pretty much adds a beavertail. And that is legal because it came from the factory that way.  But after market add ons like the Glock Tail or Grip Force adapter put you in Open.  Even a brass Slug Plug or painting the magwell opening moves you out of Production and into Open. 

[Nealio]

Had we caught that Glock Tail prior to him shooting his first stage he could have changed to Limited division and shot with it. 

Ok now it makes sense

[luvmy45]

Thanks for the nice recap Ekuo... that looked like a great match, I would have loved to seen Max shooting the single stack, couldn't figure out why so many of the heavies were shooting the single stack till I realized the SS Nats are this weekend.

[ekuo]

In 2011, Max Michel set a record by winning Open Division at all eight Area Championships then going on to winning Open Nationals.    I'm not sure if his goal in 2012 is to do the same in Single Stack, but so far he's won SS Division at Area 6 and Area 1, so I guess we'll see if he continues his streak at SS Nationals this weekend. 

[motosapiens]

Thanks for the great write-up evans. That must have been very educational and fun to RO a big match like that. I sent in an RO app for nationals this year. Fingers crossed I can go and learn something, maybe even get into the other half of the week on the waiting list.

[Bob H]

Great work guys, sounds like it was fun.

[SinisterRob]

Nice shooting Rob what squad were you on?

I shot with my Dad on Squad 7 that shot Friday and Saturday mornings. I definately thought the mornings where a good choice. The afternoons got a little warm and pretty windy.