Tactical Gear at Matches

[ECK]

One reason this used to be common was guys that were coming from the “tactical side” that decided they wanted to play, and they showed up with the gear they already had.

^This. I’ve been seeing an influx of newer shooters coming to our USPSA matches ever since ammo started becoming available again. A handful of them are coming equipped with battle belts. I’m not sure if they are LE or just looking to use their battle belt rig bc that was what they had. Personally I don’t care. However, some of that gear does not follow the USPSA rules unless they are LE’s or MIL running their actual duty gear.

Most common is the use of a tie down strap which is not allowed. Next common issue I see is the use of the QLS clip on their holster which pushes the gun an extra 1/2” out-board, which if they are shooting CO or Prod or SS is probably going to be too far out (Limited, L-10, and Open is fine).

I keep a basic med kit (including tourniquet) strapped to the outside of my range bag.

[ECK]

Something something about a guy at Nationals going to the potty and leaving his rig in the bathroom.

If you’re talking about the 2021 Lo-cap Nats, I was there. Dude goes to the porta-potty and places his belt w/ holstered handgun on the ground in front of the blue room. RO needs to go to the bathroom, finds belt/handgun on the ground, waves the RM over. Dude eventually comes out of the porta-potty and is asked by the RM: “is this yours?”. Dude confirms and is notified that he is DQ’d under 5.2.1.2 and 10.5.1. Dude tells his squad “I got DQ’d for unsafe poopping!”

Ironic that there was a Safety Area about 20 yds away.

[Mark D]

I'm not a serious competitor, so a Safariland ALS is way more practical and versatile than a dedicated competition rig.

[BWT]

Who cares. As long as they’re safe.

They could be military, LE, training for a tactical games match, or whatever.

A guy at one event I was at hooked up a portable fan on his belt and turned it on to cool himself between stages.

Arguably more out of place. But, who cares I just smiled and laughed at the cleverness of it and wondered how useful it was for him.

[Archer1440]

Like a few others commenting here, I too have noticed an influx of new shooters using “tactical” gear at my local USPSA matches. A few are law enforcement officers and some are military. And no doubt some are larpers, too.

We have seen a strong increase in shooters since late December, when our matches averaged about 100 shooters per match, generally twice a month, even in poor weather conditions.

To the best of my knowledge and personal observation, this cohort is warmly welcomed and encouraged to participate. I honestly don’t think that it’s much of a problem at all.

During my over three decades of firearms training I have directly dealt with three separate incidents of a shooter leaving the range with a hole they didn’t arrive with. As someone who keeps a blowout bag nearby at all times when at the range, and have the training to use it, I appreciate their decision to carry such items on their person.

[littlejerry]

There is more than one game out there and it gets expensive to buy gear for each one.

Once I started shoot matches that needed a quality retention holster I began using that for all competition

[Jim Watson]

Who cares. As long as they’re safe.

They could be military, LE, training for a tactical games match, or whatever.

A guy at one event I was at hooked up a portable fan on his belt and turned it on to cool himself between stages.

I don't CARE, just curious.
I recall a Cowboy shooter with some sort of body temperature regulation disorder. He wore a cooling vest laced with tubing. When not shooting he would connect it to a cooler with cold water and circulating pump. Race drivers use that sort of thing.

There is more than one game out there and it gets expensive to buy gear for each one.

Once I started shoot matches that needed a quality retention holster I began using that for all competition

I am kind of an outlier on that myself. I shoot IDPA as well as USPSA. IDPA requires my holster and ammo carriers to be on my pants belt, so I just dress out that way for USPSA, too, instead of an elaborate double belt and hanger rig.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

I agree with that. I have the fancy belt but just hang a JMK holster and pouches for 6 mags on my belt, they work for EDC (when we get it back). Since my times are slow, holster and mag pouch milliseconds are irrelevant. Also I want the motor programming of draw and reloads to be consistently practiced.

In TX, I had one of those cooling scarfs that I would pour cold water on and wrap around my neck and down my chest, under my shirt. Since we had big coolers of ice water at every stage (to avoid folks dropping dead), you could re-soak it. I have seen folks with little electric fans. Not so hot here to worry about that.

[Bergeron]

I see it all, and I don't really think it matters much one way or the other.

I'm usually shooting with my OWB belt & holster setup, but with the gun worn openly, and I stick a couple of old mag pouches on it.

We get military guys shooting in their gear, and the same with law enforcement. For them, I personally think that makes even more sense than shooting in competition-exclusive gear.

Helmets and armor are also relevant for the regular everyday citizen, so I think it makes sense to shoot in that stuff too.

[Trooper224]

Like a few others commenting here, I too have noticed an influx of new shooters using “tactical” gear at my local USPSA matches. A few are law enforcement officers and some are military. And no doubt some are larpers, too.

We have seen a strong increase in shooters since late December, when our matches averaged about 100 shooters per match, generally twice a month, even in poor weather conditions.

To the best of my knowledge and personal observation, this cohort is warmly welcomed and encouraged to participate. I honestly don’t think that it’s much of a problem at all.

During my over three decades of firearms training I have directly dealt with three separate incidents of a shooter leaving the range with a hole they didn’t arrive with. As someone who keeps a blowout bag nearby at all times when at the range, and have the training to use it, I appreciate their decision to carry such items on their person.

There are times when competition shooting seems like LARPING.