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Last Updated: Aug 28, 2009 - 10:45:21 AM |
The match is over, and finals are available (for USPSA members
).
Sorry, I'm not aware of any other website where the results can be
accessed without using the login ID and password provided to members by
USPSA. The assumption may be that if you're not a member of USPSA, you
probably aren't all that interested in knowing who won.
However, I can tell you that Limited Division was won by Ted Fuente (23 competitors), Open Division was won by USPSA PresidentMichael Voigt (42 competitors), and Tactical Division was won by Taran Butler
(77 competitors). A total of 142 competitors signed up, payed their
money, and completed the match. There was one Match Disqualification
(DQ) in Open Division, and four DQs in Tactical Division.
DIVISIONS:
We'll be talking a lot about equipment, so it's important to know the differences between the divisions.
RIFLES:
Rifle Open Division allows Optical Sights, Compensators, Ports, Bipods and modifications.
Tactical Rifle Division allows no more than ONE Optical Sight, some compensators, some modifications.
There is no "Limited Division" in the ISPC Rifle rule book, so we'll assume the Standard Division rules apply: No Optical Sights, some compensators, some modifications.
SHOTGUNS:
Shotgun Open Division allows 11 round capacity, use of speed-loaders, compensators ports, Optical sights, bipods, modifications to the gun.
Shotgun Tactical Division
is not defined by the IPSC rule book, so we'll assume Standard Division
applies: maximum nine round capacity, some modifications allowed.
Shotgun Limited Division
is not defined by the IPSC rule book, so we'll assume Production
Division applies: production-run guns only, very limited external
modifications allowed and only internal modifications "to improve
accuracy, reliability and function".
Pistols:
USPSA
rules are provided, ISPC rules need not be relied on. Since this is a
USPSA match, IPSC rules are only referenced where USPSA rules are not
available.
Pistol Open Division allows 170mm magazines, Optical sights, compensators, modifications.
Pistol Tactical Division is not defined, we'll assume Limited Division rules apply.
Pistol Limited Division allows only 140mm magazines, limited modifications.
You
will note there are a lot of assumptions in the above definitions, so
please take these comments as a guide and not as gospel. They serve to
emphasize that while Multi-Gun attempts to combine elements of all
three firearm types, they don't mesh seamlessly. The links identifying
the firearm types will lead you to the applicable rule books for each
type. The Multi-Gun rule book is a good attempt to unify them, but it doesn't answer all of your questions either.
Essentially,
you are using three guns. If any gun falls within the definition of
Open Division, you will be shooting Open in competition for ALL guns
even if your other guns are less ... exotic.
As you read this
article you will see that there is still a lot I haven't learned about
Multi-Gun competition, and I do invite comments and corrections.
One
of the things I don't know is whether Limited Division or Tactical
Division is more "allowing". Here's another assumption: based on the
RIFLE definitions, it appears that TACTICAL division allows more than
LIMITED division (one optical sight vs no optical sights), so we'll
assume that Limited Division is the most no-frills division.
I could be wrong. I often am.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
I
spent a lot of time working, and therefore missed the opportunity to
film some of the stages. Those stages which I did film are represented
on my personal photo/video gallery.
The
important thing, to me, is that I learned a lot about Multi-Gun
Competition while I was functioning as a spectral spectator (I ghosted
from stage to stage) during the match.
GUN HANDLING:
The
mechanics of transferring from one firearm to another is often awkward,
and occasionally scarey for someone who has spent over 20 years in IPSC
Pistol competition. The rules in single-gun/pistol matches are that (a)
you NEVER leave a loaded firearm unattended, and (b) you don't handle a
firearm without the close supervision of a Range Officer, other than in
the immediate vicinity of a Safety Area.
(a) In Multi-Gun
competition, it is assumed that you will frequently deposit one firearm
in a "box", either loaded (with the safety on) or empty while you move
downrange to pick up another firearm as you continue to engage targets.
The firearm left behind is considered to be "abandoned", and this is
the normal course of events when more than one firearm is required to
be used on a single stage.
(b) During the match, I saw
competitors unbagging both rifles and shotguns, moving them from cars
to the range, or from bags to standing rifle racks, while the Range
Officers were distracted by the need to monitor competitors who were
actively engaging targets on the stage.
Intellectually, I
realized that all of the above actions were being performed in a safe
manner; believe me, I watched the competitors who were NOT shooting as
closely as I watched those who were. I never saw anyone treat a firearm
disrespectfully or carelessly.
Still, it went against all of the
instincts I've cultivated in 23 years of IPSC competition, and I
discovered that I was often somewhat nervous about this unmonitored
gun-handling.
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In
IPSC (pistol only) competition, competitors are not allowed to even
remove their pistol from the trunk of their car and place it in their
holster. It's a basic safety rule, the violation of which will result
in a Match Disqualification -- which means you are not allowed to
compete in the match.
In Multi-Gun competition, removing uncased
rifles and shotguns from your car, and unsupervised unbagging to move
them to the rifle rack are treated as commonly accepted practices.
(However, I never saw anyone handle an unbagged pistol in the same
manner as they did rifles and shotguns.)
I'm obviously puzzled
by this difference between IPSC (pistol) safety rules and Multi-Gun
rules. As I watched the match I became aware that this multi-gun
competition is a completely different culture with its own rules and
practices even though they are based on IPSC rules.
Perhaps, as
USPSA develops and refines rules for Multi-Gun competition, it can
resolve apparent different standards between Pistol Competition and
Multi-Gun competition gun-handling criteria. Either that, or I will
achieve a better understanding of how Multi-Gun rules address these situations.
I can't say that I was "appalled" or even very much "concerned"
over the apparent dichotemy of standards between the two disciplines.
However, I must say that I was often surprised at the casual acceptance
of different standards.
Emphasis on Equipment Choices (Divisions):
The
second most obvious difference between IPSC (pistol-only) competition
and Multi-Gun competition is the complexity of shooting different
firearm types, and the specific difficulties and priorities of each
type.
I realize this sounds vague, but that "vagueness" covers both sights and reloading techniques.
RIFLES:
Rifle portions of competition are governed by the IPSC Rifle Competition Rules, USPSA Version, January, 2004.
Most
of us who compete in pistol competition reload with either
speed-loaders (Revolver Division) or magazines (pistol Divisions).
When competing with a rifle, most reloading involves changing magazines.
There are exceptions: the Manually Operated Rifle (
MOR)
competition required the competitor to use a non-semi-automatice rifle.
All of the MOR rifles that I saw were "hunting" rifles, requiring the
feeding of individual cartriges into an internal magazine. It would,
apparently, be permissible to use a military rifle such as the 1903-A3
Springfield rifle, which is clip-fed (5 rounds) into an internal
magazine. I didn't see this in the MOR match (which was a separate
four-stage "fun match", conducted the day before the regular match
began). All of the rifles which I saw seemed to be civilian style
bolt-action rifles with telescopic sights. As I didn't have much time
to spend watching the match that day, I didn't get to see all of the
rifles. There may have been military type rifles and iron-sighted
rifles in that match, but I assumed this was not the typical choice for
this less popular sub-sport.
In fact, I didn't see much of the
MOR match, because I was busy working -- "Doing The Jobs That
American's Won't Do" such as sweeping the concrete pads on bays,
setting up sun-shades, etc. But that's another story.
Reloading
is not usually a major problem in a match where the rifle is typically
of the AR-15 type, using 20- or 30-round magazines. I only mention it
to compare it to shotguns, as I will do in a minute.
The important issue for rifles is the choice of
sights to be used.
There
were seven stages out of the 12 in the match which required the use of
rifles. Two of these stages were rifle-only stages. Others paired the
rifle with a pistol, or a shotgun, or both.
The
range to the targets varied from 20 yards to 350 yards. A powerful
scope would be a great advantage when engaging long-range targets, but
a great DISadvantage at short ranges. The rules don't allow competitors
to change equipment between stages: if you start with a ten-power scope
on your rifle, you have to keep that scope mounted for every stage.
But you don't have to USE it on every stage!
I
noticed that rifles typically had a dot-sight (C-more, or some varient)
mounted so that the competitor could cant the rifle about thirty
degrees and bring the dot-sight up to their line of vision. At close
ranges, it provided a great advantage. At long distances, it could
easily be ignored as it didn't interfere with normal gun handling. It
doesn't matter that the rifle is canted, because when the rifle-sight
combination is sighted in correctly the trajectory is the same as if
the rifle were being held upright ... the bullet is still going to rise
and fall with the same ballistic arc. Of course, at the short ranges at
which the dot-sight option is used (under 100 yards), the ballistics of
the bullet is of no more importance that it would be for a pistol at
the same range. The bullet is still rising.
Shotguns:
Shotgun portions of competition are governed by the IPSC Shotgun Competition Rules, USPSA Version, 2004 edition.
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Shotguns are used at ranges of under 50 yards. Nobody use scopes, of course, but a few OPEN Division shooters had dot-sights.
The
choice of action is also not a major issue. Of course, the
over-and-under (or side-by-side) shotguns are not used, because of the
large round-count on each stage.
(There
were seven stages which featured a shotgun. Three of them used the
shotgun only, while the rest used the shotgun in tandem with a rifle, a
pistol, or both. Round counts for the shotgun ranged from eight to 22
rounds with the median count being 18 rounds.)
You would
intuitively think that part of the definition of Division would be the
action; in the case of the Shotgun, whether or not it is an
"automatic". In the actual event, pump-action shotguns seem to be
almost as quickly serviced as 'automatics". I have not found any rules
which define Shotgun Divisions by "action".
The REAL difference
is whether shells must be fed to a shotgun manually (one shell at a
time, which -- depending on the technique, may be slow or fast) or
whether shells may be fed to the gun via a 'tube'.
This'tube'
device allows a number of shells (typically either six or eight shells)
to be inserted in a relatively few actions: pull the reloading tube out
of a waist-carrier, align it with the reloading port of the shotgun,
push a lever which shoves the multi-shell load into the shotgun, throw
away the reloading device and continue shooting.
The alternative is 'manual reloading':
The shells are carried in devices strapped around the waist, on the fore-arm, or the buttstock or recievier of the gun.
When
reloading is necessary, the shells are are 'picked up' by hand in
single, double, triple or (at most) four at a time and are fed -- one
at a time -- into the shotgun.
While "Tactical" or "Limited"
shotgunners may swear that they can reload as quickly as "The Open
Guys", in practice this is may often be found not to be true.
If
you use a Speedloader for your Shotgun, you're shooting the match in
Open Division. If you're using "Manual Reloading", you may be competing
in one of the other divisions.
Manual Shotgun Reloading Techniques:
There
are at least three ways to reload a shotgun quickly that I have
learned; I'm sure there are many more. Here are the ways I know of. All
of them assume a right-handed shooter, where it makes a difference.
- left-handed - grab a 'handful' (2 to 4) shells from a waist-carrier and shove them one at a time into the gun
- right-handed
- turn the gun upside down, hold it in the left hand. Allows you to
feed shells with your right hand in a manner similar to (1)
- Shoulder-fed
- put the stock of the gun on your right shoulder and clamp it with
your chin.Grab shells from a waist-carrier (or chest carrier, or
carrier mounted on your fore-arm or on the gun itself) and shove the
shells in one at a time. With practice and perhaps some minor exterior
modification to your gun it will not be necessary (according to Carl
Carbon) to use your fingers to load the shells. Experts who have
modified their shotguns may not have to use their thumbs.
Afficianados say that there are at least five ways to reload a shotgun
manually. I didn't notice them in this match, but I'll bet the other
two ways are interesting also.
For example of shotgun reloading techniques, see the Geek Video Shooting Gallery videos for Stage Eight.
Frangible Targets:
One
of the most attractive things about Multi-Gun competition is the use of
Frangible Targets. These are targets which, when you hit them, they
break up.
Can you say "Clay Pigeons", children? I knew you could.
Clays are used for Shotgun targets, appropriately, but they aren't used in a manner you might expect.
Sure,
sometimes Multi-Gun stages which require a shotgun may sometimes
provide the competitor with an 'arial bird', but it's not the kind of
bird you'll see in a Trap or Skeet or Sporting Clays competition.
Instead,
USPSA provides a see-saw arrangement where, when you knock down a
Pepper Popper, it hits on one end of the see-saw and flips a clay (on
the other end of the see-saw) up into the air. I think they stole the
idea from the Single Action Society, which is already a Multi-Gun
shooting competition (and maybe one that USPSA can learn more from ...
it could happen.)
The bird goes straight up for perhaps 20 or 25
feet, turning over as it rises and falls, and then drops straight back
to the ground. You have perhaps 3 seconds to get the hit. In this
match, Stage Six
("Pigeon Dinner") provides exactly this challenge. In fact, it rewards
the "flying CP" by scoring it "2A" (Two Alpha, or twice the score of an
ordinary A-zone hit, making it worth ten points.)
I was
surprised that the few competitors I watched didn't often take the
flying CP. Instead, they often ignored it. I assume it was because the
time required to take the extra shot, with the subsequent need to
reload, just made it too expensive, tactically speaking.
There are a couple of other ways to present "Frangible Targets" (Clay Pigeons) in a Multi-Gun Match.
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One
way is to use a 'bird stick', which is a term I've just invented and
I'm very proud of it. I don't know what Multi-Gunners call it, so in my
ignorance I'm obliged to create my own terminology.
A 'bird
stick' is a quarter-inch metal rod stuck into the ground, with a ring
welded onto the top of it. The ring is just big enough to hold a Clay
Pigeon vertically, facing the shooter. It is held in place with one or
two rubber bands.
(USPSA Front Sight Editor and Major Match
Money-Man Dave Thomas told me about going to Staples to buy 10,000
rubber bands for this match. A woman in the check-out queue asked him
what he was going to do with all those rubber bands ... which
apparently you have to buy by the pound rather than by count, so Dave
will never know exactly how many rubber bands he actually bought ...
and in the insuing discussion Dave may have recruited another USPSA
member. You never know when or where you're going to meet some one who
wants to go shooting but needs an excuse. Any excuse.)
Another
varient of this 'bird stick' is to put them on a 'swinger' platform,
have it activated so that the one or two or many 'bird sticks' are
waving at you while you are shooting. This is actually almost as
difficult as shooting a 'flying CP'. Robert Wright of R&R Racing makes a lot of steel targets and target stands, and he designed and is marketting this one. Imagine Whirled Peas...
Summary:
Multi-gun competition isn't for everyone.
There
are three times the number of guns to buy, three times the ammunition
to load, and you have to find a club that offers multi-gun matches to
hone your skills.
But as Friend Scott Fague says:
"Three Times The Fun!"
© Copyright 2006 by DOWN RANGE TV
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