GSSF Noob

[Gio]

My local club is hosting a GSSF match in a few weeks. I've never shot one before, but since it's so close, I'm interested in trying to win some Glocks. How do the prizes typically work? Does the top shooter in each division win a gun or is it a random prize table? If you enter multiple divisions, can you win multiple guns or do they limit you to only one? Thanks!

[LittleLebowski]

Talk about a ringer, good luck :D

[GJM]

Ping Gabe. We also have some forum members intimately familiar with GSSF details.

[jlw]

In the amateur categories, the winner of each division wins a pistol with second and third earning cash prizes. There are also plenty of randomly drawn prizes.

At the master level, I think only one pistol is awarded for the top overall.

They will publish preliminary results within a day or two of the match, and then the results become final in 30 days.

Be sure to check your score sheets and verify your scores. I had one instance in which my score was incorrect in the published results, and I was able to get it fixed.

I shot GSSF for four years, and for two of them, I won enough that I had to pay income taxes on my winnings.

After you win three times, you get bumped to master. If you are a paid shooter or already a master or higher in some of the action shooting sports you can’t shoot amateur.

Unfortunately, two of the matches in GA no longer take place, and the last few years there has always been a date conflict with anything close enough to attend.

[Mr_White]

Gio, let me send you some info when I get back home. I have something written up somewhere (though I'm sure you can find your way through the competition no problem.) The short version on prizes is that you'll only be able to win one gun per match, because you'll be in Master Class right out of the gate due to your existing USPSA classification.

[Gio]

In the amateur categories, the winner of each division wins a pistol with second and third earning cash prizes. There are also plenty of randomly drawn prizes.

At the master level, I think only one pistol is awarded for the top overall.

They will publish preliminary results within a day or two of the match, and then the results become final in 30 days.

Be sure to check your score sheets and verify your scores. I had one instance in which my score was incorrect in the published results, and I was able to get it fixed.

I shot GSSF for four years, and for two of them, I won enough that I had to pay income taxes on my winnings.

After you win three times, you get bumped to master. If you are a paid shooter or already a master or higher in some of the action shooting sports you can’t shoot amateur.

Unfortunately, two of the matches in GA no longer take place, and the last few years there has always been a date conflict with anything close enough to attend.

Thanks! I will be classified as master. So if I shoot the competition division, the unlimited division, and the stock division, does each one give out a pistol for first place or will they cut me off if I win one? I’m trying to figure out if it’s worth signing up for multiple divisions or just pick one.

Mr_White edit: I just saw you responded as I was responding. Thanks!

[T Smith]

(Rules and criteria deleted) I type slowly...



Many of the serious master-class shooters will enter as many divisions as possible. (I think it's seven.) There's a rule known as "share the wealth" that limits each master-class shooter to one gun he/she can win per match. As long as at least ten master-class shooters, a pistol is awarded to the one with the high score. If that person has already won a pistol in another division, the prize goes to the next highest score. If all the available divisions have at least ten masters shooting, as many as eight of these folks can go home with a Glock.

[jlw]

Thanks! I will be classified as master. So if I shoot the competition division, the unlimited division, and the stock division, does each one give out a pistol for first place or will they cut me off if I win one? I’m trying to figure out if it’s worth signing up for multiple divisions or just pick one.

@Mr_White (https://pistol-forum.com/member.php?u=314) edit: I just saw you responded as I was responding. Thanks!

I'll defer to Gabe on the master level prize stuff. I bumped to master in the last match that I shot, but I haven't been able to shoot since then.

[Mr_White]

Gio, actually I think what I have written up is way more basic than anything you need - it was for when I had inexperienced competition shooters joining the GSSF team I captained. The only thing I think you should know (and you probably do already) is that the scoring system in GSSF is vastly more punitive for inaccuracy than USPSA. More than IDPA too. The true target throughout the entirety of the match is an 8" circle. You need to shoot the center of every target with every shot. Shooting clean is the way to get the best score you can.

If you get a malfunction, don't clear it and continue - they'll give you a reshoot unless you keep having them.

Do not fire extra/make-up shots on paper targets, or run yourself out of ammo on the plate rack and leave plates standing (reloading on the clock and continuing to fire is not allowed.) The are big penalties for both of those.

The more divisions you enter, the more likely you'll win a gun, due to the share the wealth rule. Up to you how many you want to do. Master Stock and Competition are your best bets to win a gun because they pretty much always have enough entrants/Masters that a gun is up as a prize. Some of the other divisions sometimes don't get enough and then the prize is not a gun. That varies - it depends on the match.

Good luck. If you shoot the sights, you won't need it though. ;)

[spinmove_]

“I’m a competition noob, I swear!” -Gio


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[spinmove_]

Basically what Gabe already said. I get way more enjoyment out of USPSA now, but GSSF is still a grin. Go, you’ll have fun.

I’ve got a GSSF coupon or two I should probably use up. I also wouldn’t mind winning another Glock or two.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jlw]

A few other notes:

Some of this may be dated as it has been a few years since I have shot a match.

-The GSSF squad system is apparently written in a language that only a few people on earth understand. When it is followed correctly, matches runs smoothly. When it's not, be prepared for a massive bog.

-I tried to shoot matches early on Sunday mornings. The crowds were usually lighter, and the match crew generally had some sort of a system worked out by that time.

---------------

I very much enjoyed GSSF when the matches ran smoothly. While there are some variations in the courses of fire from match to match, overall, the results are repeatable and directly measurable as compared to the action shooting sports.

There were shooters I couldn't touch in an IDPA match whom I would beat by 20 seconds or more in GSSF. It's about a balance of speed and accuracy and not a track and field event.

[gtae07]

FWIW:

Having now shot and RO'ed at the match in question, the scoring, stages, squadding, and "flow" of the match make a whole lot more sense. I still don't have a great grasp of the divisions or how the overall rankings work, and I don't know how well I've really done by comparison (though I certainly don't expect to have won anything), but I will say we had a lot of fun and met a lot of interesting people. Most importantly, my wife had fun too!

If I'm adding my score up right, I got a 105.17 in Civilian 19.

I'm thinking more seriously of investing in a "real" shot timer (vs a phone app) and a few more target stands of my own. It's not just to practice for this event, but I think as a benchmark it might be really useful and might give me a better prep for next year.


Things I learned:

- Entering more divisions isn't the huge pain in the rear I expected it to be. I didn't realize that you'd shoot all of yours consecutively at each stage; if I had, I'd have entered another division or two instead of just one.

- I think a lot of my recent practice with slow fire helped my accuracy, but I felt like my transitions weren't smooth and I definitely need to work on longer distances.

- RO'ing was really, really interesting. I'd never done it before, but the guys on the lane I was assigned to were on the ball and trained me on the timing side. I learned a lot from doing that, and they gave me a lot of constructive advice. We had a couple of "pucker" moments with some new shooters. What really threw me was when I got back from lunch break on Saturday, and I got put in as "traffic cop" for the entire bay of four lanes, watching all four to make sure everything was good to go hot or cold. That was a real eye-opener--my head was on a swivel trying to watch all four lanes, keep track and make sure everyone had their weapons safed and stowed before calling cold. I still wound up having to give some "corrective advice" to a couple of shooters regarding muzzle and trigger discipline. It's amazing how mentally draining that is. The other guys said I was doing a good job, at least, and though I still probably need some more supervised experience, working as an RO is something I think I could start doing at local matches, and we definitely both plan to do it again if they hold one here next year.

-

[jlw]

FWIW:


If I'm adding my score up right, I got a 105.17 in Civilian 19.

There are some variations to the courses of fire depending upon the circumstances of the particular range. For example, the range for the old Knoxville match had a unique circumstance that required two 25 yard targets on the 5-to-Glock stage. The Civilian winner there was usually in the 70s. At a place like Morganton, the times are typically much faster with the Civilian winner being in the low 60s or high 50s.

Depending on the number of shooters, they will award random prizes; so, even people that don't place will often win someting.

[Gio]

The match was this weekend and the preliminary results just came out. It looks like I managed the high overall score in the whole match for the match meister award.

Thanks to all for the tips. I ended up shooting unlimited (g34 gen5), competition (g34 gen5), and stock (19M). I shot them back to back to back and used the unlimited runs first to “warm up” and get a feel for the pacing of the stage, then shot the competition and stock divisions.

[Artemas2]

The match was this weekend and the preliminary results just came out. It looks like I managed the high overall score in the whole match for the match meister award.

Thanks to all for the tips. I ended up shooting unlimited (g34 gen5), competition (g34 gen5), and stock (19M). I shot them back to back to back and used the unlimited runs first to “warm up” and get a feel for the pacing of the stage, then shot the competition and stock divisions.

I had to sneak a peek at the scores, that is a smoking time!

One thing I really enjoy about GSSF is the ability to see the scores from around the country, it looks you have some talented marksmen in GA!

[ST911]

Late to the thread, but for the knowledge base. I've done GSSF and won some guns. My .02:

Practice the stages. They're published and repeatable. If you can't set up the stage you can practice the specific tasks.
If you're on the threshold of a Master rating anywhere, go shoot GSSF first and win some guns.
If you qualify for the Guardian division, look at past matches at the same location and see if you should shoot that or Amateur. One may be historically easier to win, and the players can be the same each year.
Shooters matter more than the divisions. In the smaller or less competitive matches, you may not think yourself competitive in a certain division but the shooters may not be as good as elsewhere.
The more competitive folks will shoot multiple divisions. Gather intel from past matches as you decide what you'll do.
Shoot your weak divisions as warm-up for your stronger. Use the same gun across eligible divisions if able. If you shoot both days, save a warm-up division for each day. Even if non-competitive, you might win a random prize.
Rule enforcement can vary. ROs are human.
Scores results can be slow. Be patient.
Support the local club if they're selling food or trinkets. It's a lot of work to put those on. Especially if it's kids.
If you win, prize guns options are limited and the wait is long.
If you win, staff at GSSF is great at helping you wait and patient with status checks. Especially Jessica.

[Mr_White]

The match was this weekend and the preliminary results just came out. It looks like I managed the high overall score in the whole match for the match meister award.

Thanks to all for the tips. I ended up shooting unlimited (g34 gen5), competition (g34 gen5), and stock (19M). I shot them back to back to back and used the unlimited runs first to “warm up” and get a feel for the pacing of the stage, then shot the competition and stock divisions.

Outstanding shooting Gio! Congratulations and great job!