Short intro class for people who have never played the game and want to understand it

[fatdog]

We have about 200 members at one of my gun clubs but only about a dozen are active in our USPSA matches at present and the rest of our shooters come from the other clubs in the area.

But, we know we have a lot of new people who are interested but just a little intimidated by it for one reason or another, and we usually find this is simply because they don't understand it.

Every 3-5 years we run this class and it usually attracts a dozen students and turns half of them into USPSA competitors at some point.

Just sharing the formula if the concept fits somebody's scenario.

As we explain it:



When: Sunday, March 26th, 2023, 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.

Where: Heritage Rifle & Pistol club, pistol bays 1 & 3

Who may register and attend: Any HRPC member and their guest
Cost: $0.00, this is a free class, but registration before the event is required

How to register: email XXXXXXX and confirm
you are planning to attend, also let us know as soon as possible if
you register but need to drop out. We have a limited number of slots
available for this class.

Gear required:

Semi-automatic pistol, caliber 9x19mm or greater
At least 3 magazines
Belt holster for your specific gun, worn on your dominant side that
fully covers the trigger guard of the pistol
At least two belt mounted magazine carriers for your magazines, worn
on your non dominant side
The eye and ear protection always required for the range

Ammo: Minimum 50 but suggested 100 rounds.

Our goal for this class is to give you a good understanding of matches
and to make you fully prepared to shoot your first match.

We want to make your first match experience one where you arrive
comfortable and confident you know what you need to do and how it will
unfold.

What we will do during the class

Discuss the sport and familiarize you with the important rules of the
game, including all our safety procedures for a match

Discuss equipment and ammo choices, divisions in the sport, and scoring

Discuss the operating procedures of a match. We will spend time on
the range commands that are used, how you are required to respond to
these instructions by the range officer when it is your turn to shoot.

Discuss other elements of match etiquette, scoring, pasting and
helping in match operations that are expected of every competitor

Together participate in a stage “walk through” which is what we always
do as a group before shooting a stage to ensure we understand it and
have a plan for how to shoot that stage.

Stage demonstration, your instructors will shoot a small short
representative stage that has been set up specifically for the class

Debrief from the instructors on how they shot the stage, what
considerations they had in how they shot it, and any mistakes they
know they made in that demonstration, specifically in terms of
maximizing their score

You get to try it.

Each student will get one or more chances to
shoot the same demonstration stage under the close supervision of your
instructors

Q&A period for all students
Tear down the demonstration stage as a group and store it away, class dismissed.

This is our teaching stage

[Jim Watson]

Friends and I are recruiting prospects for a similar "Introduction to Competition" session at the local club.

Tell them how to do it
Show them how to do it
Let them do it in a controlled noncompetitive space.

[fatdog]

USPSA grew out of a desire to improve practical pistol craft (Jeff Cooper and others)

Many rules but... the important ones are:
Don't point the gun at yoursef or anyone else.
Don't point the gun past the 180 degree line
Don't have your finger in the trigger guard unless you are engaging targets
IE when you are drawing/reloading/clearing malfunctions.
follow all directions of the Range Officer
You may not be in possession of a loaded gun except under the supervision of the RO while shooting a stage.
Gun must stay in the holster/bag with the hammer/striker down unless you are under supervision of RO or in Safe Area.
No handing Ammo in a safe area.

DQ:
AD (bullet hits with in 10 feet of you or over the berm)
Gun fires while reloading or clearing a jam
Poiting gun past the 180 line.

Explain the whole dropped gun thing

Fundamental principal DVC Diligentia, Vis, Celeritas
Accuracy, Power, Speed balance
Power Factor= Bullet Weigh (grains) * Velocity(FPS)/1000
Major vs Minor factors into scoring to reward more power
Major =165 or better EG 200 gr 40S&W @ 825 FPS
Minor=125 or better EG 124 gr 9mm @ 1010

Divisions:
Open
9mm minimum
Anything goes
Major/Minor
Mag Lengh restriction

Limited
.40 cal or better to make major (exception for .357sig)
No Optics
Major/Minor
Mag Length Restriction

Limited Optics (Provisonal)
Optic
Minor Scoring
Single Action OK
Mag Length Restricton

Carry Optics
Optics only
Only Double or Double Single or Strker Fired
Minor
Mag Length Restriction

Prodiction
Iron Sights
10 rounds
Limited modifications
Must Fit Box

PCC
Minor only
No restriction on mags

Single Stack (1911)
Major Minor
Major =8 +1
Minor = 10 +1
Must Fit box

Revoler
Major Minor
Major =6
Minor =8

Targets
USPSA
Scoring
Major A 5 C 4 D 2
Minor A 5 C 3 D 1

Classic Target
Major 5 4 2
Minor 5 3 1

Steel (can't shoot under 7 yards.)
Popper 5pts Recognize power
Must fall to score
Mni Popper 5pts
Must fall to score
Steel Plates 5pts
If hit and don't fall reshoot.
Scoring:
Stage points == points for all A hits on stage.
Hit Factor Scoring points shot on stage/time= Ht factr

Your Match point = Your hit factr/Higest hit factor in you division* stage ponts
Example:
100 stage (10 targes 2 hits per target 5pts each A) highest HF gets all stage points
You shot 85 ppoint in 12 sec HF 6.66 Match Points 100
I shot 80 points in 15 sec HF 5.33 Match Points 80

ComsStock = shoot as much as you want
Virginia Count = Fixed number of shots penalties for extra shots or etra hits.

Standard Penalty is 2x max scoring hit 10 PTS
Penalties for No Shoots, Misses, Extra Shots, Extra Hits Foot outside shooting areas while shooting, Failure to Shoot at a target

Discuss the operating procedures of a match.
Sign up in advance (online)
Arrive early
Check in and get squadded
Shoot Match
Afterwards help tear down

Discuss other elements of match etiquette, scoring, pasting and helping in match operations that are expected of every competitor

Help paste and reset
Help Tear down.
Help RO (once you know how)
Help Score (one you know how)

We will spend time on the range commands that are used, how you are required to respond to these instructions by the range officer when it is your turn to shoot.
When its your turn to shoot
Come to the start position and wait instructios from the RO
RO will tell "to make ready"
You will load the gun and assume the start poition (as specified by the course description.
RO Will "ask are you ready" (not response required unless you aren't, if not answer no)
RO Will say "Stand by"
Will hear beep... Draw firearm (if pistol) start shoot shooting stage,
When you seem finished
The RO will ask "if you are finished unload, and show clear"
IF you are...then do so, if not keep shootng.
If you show clear The RO will "say hammer down."
Pull the trigger on an empty gun while pointing the gun down range (safe direction)
The RO will instruct you to "holster or flag for PCC"
This will complete the course of fire.
IF you hear the RO say stop.
Do So.. point the gun safely doen range and wait for instructions.

Talk about course description and parts of it....


Together participate in a stage “walk through” which is what we always do as a group before shooting a stage to insure we understand it and have a plan for how to shoot that stage.

Stage demonstration, your instructors will shoot a small short representative stage that has been set up specifically for the class

Debrief from the instructors on how they shot the stage, what considerations they had in how they shot it, and any mistakes they know they made in that demonstration, specifically in terms of maximizing their score

You get to try it. Each student will get one or more chances to shoot the same demonstration stage under the close supervision of your instructors

Q&A period for all students

Tear down the demonstration stage as a group and store it away, class dismissed