Southwest Florida Practical Shooters: An Action Shooting Club

Outdoor Life IDPA | IPSC | Shooting Sports
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http://www.swfps.com

Great people, great range!

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Extreme GM South Florida Knock Down Steel Match

Southwest Florida Practical Shooters has posted a new item, ‘Extreme GM South
Florida Knock Down Steel Match’

Extreme GM Falling Steel Match (formerly the M-7 Match) 5 falling steel
stages, 1/2 day format, Open, Limited, PCC Recognized, you can shoot 1 or 2
guns, Gun Raffles, Cash & Prizes, Awards banquet immediately following last
shot . sign up www.matchsignup.org, or at the range.

You may view the latest post at
http://www.swfps.com/?p=26391

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I often wish I lived in an area with a larger population for just those reasons posted. But the shooting population is growing, or we’re getting better at getting the word out.

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When I was shooting there I was always shocked at how far people would drive to shoot there, Naples and Tampa and many other areas, but now I have my own space so I plan to make a go of it

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Been doing any competitive shooting since you moved?

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I was never a competitor just worked to improve my own a ability’s

funny how everything you learn or improve makes you see how little you knew or could do compared to what you thought you knew or could do

those sports significantly help enhance reaction/ability, the occasional range shooting might as well be a knitting class in comparison

just because we have a nation of gun owners don’t mean we have a nation of militia ready combatants

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My bad, I though you had said you competed in IDPA awhile back. I agree with the rest of that. Most people would benefit from even a once a month match and some dry fire practice.

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Yes, and USPSA, but local matches for self improvement not sanctioned competitive matches

I keep both memberships active as well, never know when they may be considered credentials for aptitude to own a firearm :headache:

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People don’t know what they don’t know. Maybe made worse because shooting is sometimes “seen” the way manhood is and to question it just isn’t done*. To tell someone that they could use the practice, however nicely, doesn’t always sit well. Too, not everyone can handle just how terrible they are when put to the competition test, and their gear needs to hold up and not all gear will.

I once convinced a friend to attend a local match. I explained to him to just do it safely, get through it, and not even pay attention to score. I set up a short stage on my range for him so that he could see sort of what he was going to see on match day. I told him repeatedly, to just do it safely and get through it, listen to the range commands, yada, yada.

Range day came and I told him again, safety, don’t pay attention to score, range commands, yada, yada. The match progressed and maybe we were on the 3rd stage. He did terribly and instead of just accepting that his skill level wasn’t up to where his mind had convinced him it was, he decided to impress everyone with a show. Understand everyone could see that he was a noob, but he couldn’t see that, his ego wouldn’t allow it. So instead of listening to the range commands he decided to clear his gun by cycling the action and ejecting the fresh round. The slide went forward and he removed the mag’. Then he proved it was empty by firing the freshly inserted round into the berm. Instant disqualification, and he’d been given leeway throughout the match.

My point is that there is a huge difference between shooting at static targets where not even the shooter moves, to shooting at targets that sometimes move and the shooter definitely moves. There is NO hiding in competition and one either decides to get better or withers under the light of truth. I have nothing against Bullseye (I started there), it’s wonderful for teaching basics that one will use throughout ones life, but for teaching shooting with movement it’s useless. Lots of folks never progress past static targets and static shooting positions. Lots of folks also live in a fools paradise where they think that living targets will stand there and allow folks to shoot at them if they’re in the wrong and they are in the right. That’s just not the way things are. “I have a 10 round magazine, that’s enough.”. Well maybe not with movement and suppressive fire but shooting a static target will never point that out. Neither will competition, but it’s a start.

*I read a joke today


I asked my wife if I was the only one she’d ever been with. She answered, “Yes, the others were all nines and tens.”.

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:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

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I really like IDPA but USPSA and Three gun not so much. When I heard there was now IDPA multi gun matches I was stoked then came to find out the local ranges dont even run IDPA matches anymore.

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I liked it more, many more rounds per stage and just straight up GO!

Any idea how local matches fell out of favor?

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That would’ve been fine but they mostly run gamer gear and guns. I prefer using guns closer to my carry/defensive guns and I like IDPA stage set ups more.

It’s weird even USPSA has died out a bit, its mostly long range type shooters now. The three gun matches are booming though from what ive seen so maybe IDPAs limited rule set or the rise of three gun has shifted peoples focus. It’s all speculation though.

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You run what you want, I ran mostly a VP9, ran the piss out of one, love that paddle release, also double stack 45 , full size XD, TSO was my only “competition” pistol , its weight aggravated my hip issues at the time so I sold it

never had any game rig or gear, just my galco belt,cheapo mag holders and work shoes

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I get that but I just prefer IDPA more. The people , gear, stages, etc just clicked with me better. I feel its more of a level playing field for the casual shooter where USPSA was where you ran into a lot of race gear which puts you at a serious disadvantage sometimes. USPSA is also generally a higher class of shooting. If my area wouldve had more limited divisions I mightve stuck with it but everybody likes open or tactical or whatever its called so that’s what most matches revolved around. Just not my thing.

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To my knowledge all the divisions exist no matter if they’re run or not, so by running an unpopular one with fewer participants you stand a better chance of ranking higher :grin:

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I guess I don’t understand. This definitely wouldn’t be the first time I didn’t.

USPSA has many divisions that all shoot together but compete only against themselves. I shoot a PCC and it would appear that I have an advantage but that just isn’t so since I don’t shoot against anyone with a handgun, or they against me. I don’t see the problem. I have had some folks who don’t know how it works comment on it, but once I explained that we’re only shooting together and not competing against each other they understood. It’s that way for all divisions.

Last I knew IDPA wouldn’t allow red dot sights. Without that I’m dead in the water, I can’t see the sights to be competitive.

Same goes for Steel Challenge
 I shoot RFRO or RFPO and it would seem to be an unfair advantage, but I’m not competing against other divisions, just “against” others shooting RFRO or RFPO. I don’t even seeing it as me shooting against them, but me shooting against myself to get better for the zombie hordes. (that’s how I see Steel Challenge, mostly head shots on zombies)

RFRP = rimfire rifle open
RFPO= rimfire pistol open

Both of which means that anything goes more or less.

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CO
Carry Optic

.2. Types of Optics
Optics suitable for this division fall under two categories with different restrictions on how they are
mounted to the firearm.
A. Passive: These include Miniature Red Dot and Reflex sights suitable for concealed carry. They
project or reflect a dot onto the optic. Passive Optics (MRDS) must be attached directly to slide
between rear of slide and ejection port, and may not be mounted to the frame in any way.
B. Active: These are Red or Green LASER sights that project a dot onto the target. Active LASER
sights are permitted to be mounted on the frame of the firearm. Typical locations can be the rail
or the pistol grip. This rule supersedes Rule 8.1.8.(G) found in the 2017 Rulebook.

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They didnt even run alot of that stuff unless it was a huge match. Maybe the amount of participants had a lot to do with it or they chopped the rules. No idea.

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What is the Steel challenge?

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