Originally Posted by
JDB
I've shot a handful of EIC matches with the National Guard, including the All-Army match, AK State match, regionals, and all National Guard matches.
There are 2 main EIC matches for points (one pistol and one rifle), and a bunch of optional side matches.
Can't remember any 1 handed stages in any of the matches (definitely not the EIC pistol). I think the older EIC , match (now a side match) had a stage where you switch to your non-dominant hand around a barricade, but you used both hands on the pistol. Kinda bizarre, but whatever.
The matches are kinda archaic, but not all bad. There's a very high premium on accuracy, with mostly pretty low time pressure. Kinda like how I image PPC to be (never shot it). We have to use retention holsters.
My favorite string of fire is something like 15 yds, 2 10 round mags, draw, fire 5, slide lock reload, fire 5 at the next target, all in 15 seconds. The X ring is maybe 2 in", and 10 ring maybe 3" or so?. So fairly aggressive precision. Other strings are at 25 and 35 yds I think, and seem glacially slow by comparison.
I got my distinguished pistol a couple years ago. Its kinda weird to be treated like some sort of pistol shooting freak in the Army, when I'm really just a middle of the pack shooter our tiny little local USPSA club. I'm probably more accurate than most USPSA shooters, and the EIC rewards that handsomely. But really my heart is in USPSA. I kinda view my purpose at EIC matches as to shoot well, then use that recognition to proselytize for USPSA or IDPA shooting, as most soldiers have no concept of what's possible with a handgun. So its been a good way to get to help build handgun proficiency in the guard.
Anyway, its really rewarding for me, even though the matches themselves are kinda boring.
FWIW, the big guard matches are WAY more competitive then the All-Army. More civilian shooting enthusiasts. Kinda neat. The Air Guard guys do disproportionately well.