Steel Challenge for skills development

[GJM]

I have been aware of Steel Challenge for a while, and frankly found it uninteresting. The targets seemed big, there is minimal movement and it seemed awfully repetitive.

In the last few months, my wife and I started shooting official Steel Challenge matches because they were at nearby clubs on days that did not conflict with regular USPSA matches. To our surprise, we really have come to like it, for a few reasons. First, it is a work out on your technical skills — surrender start draws, transitions and accuracy. Second, because it is only five targets per run, it is very intense with every draw, shot and transition critical. Third, by shooting the same stages as everyone else across the country, it is easy to get benchmark data on where your skills are. Fourth, and this is the big one, you MUST shoot with emotional control and figure out how to hit your mental sweet spot, if you are to consistently do well (and consistency is the key to Steel Challenge since you shoot five strings and keep four on every stage). It is also time efficient, since the matches move quickly.

If you haven’t done official Steel Challenge, check it out.

[Doc_Glock]

It looks fun as hell to me. Glad you are enjoying it.

If USPSA is road racing, steel challenge is drag racing.

[Mark D]

Steel Challenge has been my main competitive pistol venue for the past year. I really like it because:

1. It is fairly fast paced (no taping targets between shooters).

2. The round count is high enough (225-260 typically) that I sometimes achieve a breakthrough in the middle of a match when I really start to focus on one particular aspect of my shooting. (E.g., Sight tracking, trigger control, grip, transition, etc). For me, shorter matches don't last long enough for me to get my reps in.

3. Because the matches are always the same, I can compare my performance from match to match, and see improvement (or degradation).

4. And because matches are always the same, I can experiment with equipment (pistols, sights, ammo) and easily track how that effects performance against my personal standards.

I will also echo GJM's comment about emotional control being very important.

I plan to get more involved in USPSA soon, but I will still shoot in Steel Challenge regularly. I encourage everybody to try it.

Edited to add: I shoot carry guns in Production or, occasionally, Carry Optics. There's plenty of folks who shoot rimfire, revolvers, and PCC. At my club, it's a much wider mix of people than you'll see at USPSA or IDPA, and I like that.

[CraigS]

I started SC almost 2 yrs ago and got my wife shooting it too. I think it is by far the easiest way for us newcomers to get started competing. She shot a Buckmark .22 for her first two events when I realized she wouldn't need a holster. Makes it a real low key way to start out for anyone who has never used a holster. The one equipment 'really nice to have' requirement is to have 5 mags for your pistol. If you have a friend who will reload while you shoot, you can get a way w/ maybe just 3. Another advantage is that the SSP or Single Stack guns are at no disadvantage because of mag capacity. Well maybe if you miss a couple, but the standard is 5 shots so even an 8 rnd mag gives you 3 spares if you miss. Well, another equipment requirement for us, when my wife decided she wanted to shoot her Elite II, was another LTT TJIB. As MarkD said, we get a wide range of people. Usually there are a few kids in the 10-14 age range, and there are a lot more women.

[MGW]

Steel challenge rim fire is a great introduction to competing shooting for younger people too. Unfortunately there are no sanctioned matches close to me. There is a steel challenge match about 45 minutes away once a month but it isn’t official and the classes are small. Centerfire iron sights, optics, rim fire iron and optics are the only classes available. And really with 20 to 40 shooters that’s all it supports. Still a good time I just don’t get to make it to the match very often.

[littlejerry]

Agree it's excellent practice with all the reps. Especially if you register twice and shoot two divisions.

Personally I love that the matches are short. The one I go to is typically over by 11:30, and we leave the targets up for an afternoon session, so you still have half a day for normal activities.

[P.E. Kelley]

I love shooting steel (as many of you might know already) but I subscribe to the ever changing stage
design philosophy. While "Shooting the Groove" of the 8 currently used stages is GREAT as a benchmark
for skill improvement, I prefer the fresh challenge of the unknown. Not knowing the "right" order of engagement,
or the benchmark time keeps me working. NOW...I do like to shoot the current 8 as part of a run up to a
bigger event that runs those stages, but I ain't fooling anyone...it is rare for me to practice, I am a show up and
shoot kinda guy.

It does kinda bug me that all too many feel "steel challenge" is (only) a good place to start. Show up
and show us you have a sub 1 second draw for 30+ draws (with hits) and the consistency that my buddy GJM
mentioned was key to placing. Then we can talk about progressing beyond the "good place to start."

[CraigS]

Steel challenge rim fire is a great introduction to competing shooting for younger people too. Unfortunately there are no sanctioned matches close to me. There is a steel challenge match about 45 minutes away once a month but it isn’t official and the classes are small. Centerfire iron sights, optics, rim fire iron and optics are the only classes available. And really with 20 to 40 shooters that’s all it supports. Still a good time I just don’t get to make it to the match very often.

Gregg I'd be making an effort to shoot that match. That is similar to the ones we shoot. Due to the small numbers the actual scoring can't be really fair but it is still a lot of fun. Ours are over by 1PM or so which makes for a nice part of an afternoon for other activities. Also, being unofficial, we can do a few changes. Sometimes one of the long distance plates isn't quite the official distance. One time it was at the official distance but was a large rectangle instead of the 10 inch disc. One day it was super hot and we all decided 4 stages was enough.

[El Cid]

It’s far and away my favorite style of competition. I always shoot with a stock triggered Glock. I use a concealable holster, and when the RO’s permit I shoot from concealment. I use it as training and regularly encourage friends and coworkers to come out.

[Tom Duffy]

I thoroughly enjoy steel challenge. Consistency is certainly the key. I kind of have a set routine of using different guns to stay familiar with what I like to shoot, generally two revolver matches a month and one semi-auto with a red dot. Many problems I've discovered with my equipment and technique would never had surfaced shooting at paper targets from a port.

I'm a solid "C" shooter and "B" looks a long way off, but I generally finish with 5 shots (having a 6 shot revolver helps), while watching many shoot 8 shots in less time. Not sure that's the correct technique they should be learning if they're shooting to practice "real world" skills. One of the aspects of steel challenge that's annoying is the set piece aspect of the stages. There are only 8 possible stages and many participants spend hours practicing each stage and plate order for each stage. A blind person who gets oriented correctly could shoot a perfect score because the targets are always in the exact same place. Better hope the bad guys come at you in "Pendulum" order.