USPSA Action Shooting – Lighting the Fire

I enjoy going to the range, but I have to admit that I’m looking for more.  It’s not to say that I blast out a hole in the dead center of my target at twenty five yards with no stray holes.  Nope it takes me a while to even blast out hole at 10 yards and even then it is slightly off center – down and to the left.  Yeah, I know I’m squeezing my hand and not just my trigger finger.

In spite of all the hiccups and bad habits that I need to work out by standing in one spot and concentrating on one target I need something to engage my mind and my body.  Enter USPSA Action Shooting.

I’ve known for a while know that these matches occur just minutes away from my home at the Tucson Rifle Club.  However, I have been intimidated to join in coming up with every excuse in the book.  Most notably, that I’m too inexperienced and too much of a newbie to take on such a challenge.

Rubbish!!!  OK I say that now.  Hopefully though if I share my experience more of you will see how fun and welcoming shooting sports can be for all skill levels!

At SHOT Show, I mingled with two Babes With Bullets instructors – Debbie Ferns and Lisa Munson.  Debbie is camp director, hosts the camp webisode series hosted at the Outdoor channel and wrote the book Babes with Bullets.  Lisa is a 13 time USPSA National Handgun Champion and has been a member of several World Gold Teams representing the United States in handgun competitions internationally.   Deb and Lisa encouraged me to attend a USPSA match they were both shooting in that weekend at the Tucson Rifle Club.  With such an invitation – how does one refuse?

I showed up at 7:30 AM and signed in.  A participant introduced himself (let’s call him Tony) and showed me where to go.  When I got to where the match was being held, I stayed up by the tables watching the guys set up.   Tony said “You are not going to see anything from up there, why not come down and see what is going on?” 

There were five different stages being set up.  Each one just a bit different – testing your ability to move, obtain your target and shoot around cover in various degrees.  All the shooters were helping with the setup, walking through the stages lining up their shots and making adjustments to the position of the targets.  Once everyone was satisfied, the course is nailed down.

Tony looked at my shoes and said “Why did you wear those?”  I was wearing slip ons with no socks, and while not the worse shoes in the world for the range (though pretty close) – they were definitely not appropriate for action shooting. I explained that I was just a spectator today, that I didn’t even bring my gun - to which he replied “What!  You came to a gun range without your gun!  Well, we will get you set up.  Someone will loan you equipment!”

And it is that kind of enthusiasm I encountered the rest of the day.  These folks welcome new shooters and will literally give you the gun out of their holster to get you started.

Soon after, Lisa and Deb arrived.  Both ladies explained their equipment as the got ready for the match.  The basics requirements are at least a 9mm gun, a tactical belt, a holster, and a magazine pouch.  The holster goes on your dominant hip, and your magazine pouch on the opposite hip.  It should go without saying ear and eye protection is a must.  You should also dress comfortably, but appropriately.  Most shooters were wearing jeans or khakis (belt loops help hold up that holster belt) and high collar shirts.  Many were wearing ball caps as well.

New shooters are paired with experienced USPSA members for their first match.  Also, shooters are ranked by both by know-how and by the type of gun they are using so that you are competing with peers.  In Deb and Lisa’s squad there was a young man, about 10 years old I’m guessing, shooting his first match with his dad.  Everyone went out of their way to make sure he understood what he needed to do and that he was feeling comfortable.  When it was his turn to shoot, he was allowed to use his .22 pistol and his dad walked him through the stage.  He did a fantastic job!

Watching the shooters go through the stages was pretty amazing.  You had the weekend enthusiast all the way up to world class shooters.  Everyone was focused, keen on safety, and most importantly having a blast.

The match would go on for a few more hours, but I had to run.  Even though I couldn’t stay long, I made up my mind that Action Shooting was something I was going to at least attempt.  When I got home, I thanked Deb for the invitation – then she gave me an offer only a crazy person would refuse.  All I had to do was to meet her out at the range the Tuesday before the next match and she would teach me the basics so I would be able to participate!

I will continue to blog my experience - but in the meantime, why don't you learn some more about USPSA and shooting sports?

USPSA Website: http://www.uspsa.org/