What is IPSC or Practical Shooting?
This is a International Sport that stresses SAFE pistol handling skills in realistic action settings. It is a place for all reputable persons to have a good time and shoot diverse course designs with many different props and targets. Some courses may call for movement from place to place, others may call for firing around walls, through barrels, doorways, windows, hitting moving targets or steel plates that fall when hit and white "no shoot" targets to avoid. Some courses are scenario based and some are just shooting & gun handling exercises. Practical Shooting Is not SWAT, Combat Training or for Rambo types. IT LETS YOU TEST YOUR DEFENSIVE SKILLS IN A SPORTING ATMOSPHERE!
It's all about shooting better.... having Fun !
While we are not in the business of training, IPSC is a sport, You will shoot better just by having people around that shoot well. Example: You could shoot $300.00 worth of ammo (Only 18.5 boxes on 9mm winchester ammo) at the range just plinking at a bullseye target and not be a lot better shot than when you started and $300.00 poorer. Mainly because there was no one to give you pointers and nobody was around that you could watch and pick up training ideas or techniques from. At the matches you will see proper gun grip, proper stance and trigger control and a host of other things that will make you a better shot. By coming and participating in the matches you will learn how to shoot better just by being around folks that shoot well. Isn't the idea that if you are going to shoot, to shoot as well as possible? IPSC style shooting will help you do that.
How
does the Scoring Work?
You are scored on how fast AND how accurate you can complete the courses. You are scored on how many POINTS PER SECOND you can shoot on each course. (Example: Say you shoot 100 points in a course and do it in 20.00 seconds. To find out how many Points Per Second you shot, divide your time by your points. (100 Divided By 20) which calculates that you were shooting 5 points per second. Say another person shoots the same course in only 10 seconds but only scores 50 points. He also would be shooting 5 points per second and would tie you.) The idea is to shoot as many points per second as you can. Everybody is ranked from first place, shooting the highest points per second, to last place shooting the lowest point per second in each gun type division/class for each course. Then all the course are added up to give the overall results, for each division, for the match.
What Type of Equipment do I need to Participate?
YOU CAN USE THE PISTOL YOU HAVE NOW! If you own a 38, 9mm or larger caliber, either a revolver or a semi auto, then you can participate. You will need a holster that covers the trigger guard, an inexpensive nylon holster is ideal. You will also need a belt, a few magazine or speed loader pouches and 2-6 extra magazines or speed loaders depending on what divison you are shooting, Most courses generally average about 20 rounds and you will generally shoot 5-6 different courses at a match. Bring about 100 to a 150 rounds of ammo just to be on the safe side. One of the really exciting & fun aspects about this sport is, that the courses change every month, so it is always new and fresh.
This is a Family Sport?
That's Right, bring
the family. We have people that are seventy plus in the senior
class, that begins at 50 years old and as young as ten in the
junior class. We have several female shooter that shoot on a regular
basis in the female class. The folks at our matches are fantastically
friendly and have a good time making new friends and answering
questions that newcomers have, because we all were newcomers once.
It's fun for the whole family and it's fat free!!! (Just seeing
if you are paying attention)
How do the Classes
& Divisions work?
You will be in a division based on the type of pistol you are using (the divisions are Revolver Division, Production Division which includes box stock Brettas, Glocks, Sigs, Rugers, Sprinfield XD's and most double action guns. Limited Division which is high end, high capacity guns such as STI's,SVI, Para Ordnance and other custom guns usally in 40 caliber. 1911/Single Stack Division designed for single stack 1911's and is limitd to 8 round only magazines. Limited -10 Divison is for any gun( except open div. guns) with no more than ten rounds in the magazine. Then comes the Open Division these guns are the Formula One type guns of the sport, with red dot optics and all kinds of options to make them faster and more accurate.
After determining what division you will be in by the gun you
are shooting, we also classify you by your skill level in one
of the classes in each division (Grand
Master, Master, A, B, C, D or Unclassified) You will be unclassified if you have not shot
before. This makes the match fair in that, You are only grouped
with people in your class, with similar skills and in your division
with similar guns & equipment. So, don't be intimated by all
the gear and gadgets some of the shooters have in the high end
classes. Just enjoy watching them shoot and may be after the match
they might let you bang off a few rounds with their high end equipment.
Do I get Anything If I Come in 1st, 2nd or 3rd my Class/Division?
Less face it, a large percent of the time, You and I are not going to win, its just the way it works. So, come and shoot to have fun shooting and don't worry about winning. For those times you do win we want o helpyou remember that victory and to have something to put up on your "I LOVE ME WALL" (that's where all your ribbons and trophies go). The first place finisher in each class, when there is more than five people in a class gets a SOLID SLIVER COIN. Generally 2nd and third place get either a ribbon or a special pin. if there is not enough peole in your class you may ask to be included in the next class above you to make the three person limit.
There will be awards in each Class, of each Division, at the end
of the match for First through Third. (Example: 1st "C"
class shooter in the Production Division, then 2nd "C"
class shooter in production and so on) Most competitors come and
compete for the fun of shooting different courses of fire, the
excitement of competing, the camaraderie of the fellow shooters
in this sport and mostly to hone their pistol skills.
How much does it Cost to Participate in a Match?
You don't have to be a member to participate in the pistol matches. The normal match fee is $20.00 dollars per person. This covers the Silver Coins, and Awards, Targets, Tape, Target Sticks and Stands, Staples & Staplers, Score Sheets, Timers, Dues to the National org. and a host of other expenses that it takes to put on a high caliber match. But We also give a discount to folks that help us set up the stages and tear down the Match afterwards ( Usally Half Price) so ask the Match Director If you can help.
Sound Great! When and Where are these Matches held?
The Double Tap Ranch will sponsor a match every 4th Saturday of each month Starting at 10:00 am. Just a few miles west of Wichita Falls, Texas. (click "Map to Clubs" link above for a map and directions to the Range) It generally takes about 4 hours to finish a Club Match.
What
do I do when I get to the Match?
Go to the Stat Shack
(the trailer) before 10:00am to get signed up, pay your match
fees and sign the release form. The Match Director will introduce
you to a gentleman that will give you a safety check and the safety
rules. (see the Safety page on this web site for the safety rules)
Then just relax, hang around and look at the courses, we will
have a course discription posted at each bay to let you known
what and how you are going to shoot that course. We will general
have 6 courses and you will shoot them all. Talk to any of the
folks around if you have a question about a course. We will host
a shooters meeting that is held just before we begin of each match,
make sure to attend this meeting. After the Shooters Meeting,
We will then assign each person at the match to a "SQUAD" with other shooters, to speed
up the match. We generally have 2 to 3 squads(Squad One, Squad
Two and so on) and will assign a your squad to start on a particular
course. When all shooters have finished that course they move
to the next course as posted on the course signs, as a group.
This being a club we encourage all the members of a squad to help
tape targets, reset the steel targets and such, after the "Range
Officer" with the timer has said "the range is clear".
But not before the RO has come by and scored the target. Continue
helping until your name is announced as being in the "HOLE"
( which means you are two shooters away from it being your turn
to shoot , this is your time to get your gear ready for your turn.
Be ready when it is your turn to shoot). After your turn shooting,
resume helping reset the course for the next shooters. Generally
you have some time when you first come to a new course to look
it over and practice (Without anything in your Hands )the way
you are going to shoot it, before you actually do. Watch other
shooters practicing for ideas on the best way to shoot that course.
Safety is the first Priority always, for all Participants!
You may load magazines anywhere on the range, except the "SAFE AREA" (There will be a sign designating this area), but NO magazines, loaded or unloaded, may be in your gun at any time until your turn to shoot.(when it is your time to shoot, load your gun ONLY when told to by the range officer) There will be NO AMMO handled in the SAFE AREA at any time and the Safe Area is the ONLY place that you may handle your gun, otherwise it must be in your Holster, Gun Rug or Shooting Bag. When in the safe area always keep the muzzle of your gun pointed at the back berm of the Safe Area. When in the safe area you may dry fire your gun and practice reloading with EMPTY magazines, always keeping the muzzle pointed at the back of the berm. There is a 180 degree line and fualt lines designating the safe area .
Will there be matches for other guns?
Yes. Occasionally we will mix in rifle and shotguns in other courses what we call side matches. Usually after the regular match, while the scores are being calculated. Sometimes we will even use small caliber guns like .22 rim fires. Sometimes we hold special 3-GUN matches where you will use all three guns in a match.
Yes, there are 3 other clubs with in an hour drive of Wichita Falls. Duncan OK- 3rd Sunday at 10:00 am , Indian Territory - 1st Sunday and 3rd Saturday . There is an Area 4 Championship The Breckenridge Club holds the Texas State Limited in Sept , the Oklahoma State Limited Championship is in the fall . There are also two national matches one in Tulsa Ok and the Other moves around the country and is held at different times of the year (check the USPSA Web Page at uspsa.org for up to date info) All these large matches attract 200-500 people. These large events have vendors from all over the Untied States that offer discounts on merchandise at the match, and you also get to see new products and techniques.
Yes,
U.S.P.S.A. United States Practical Shooting Association is the
governing body for the United States. The International Practical
Shooting Confederation (I.P.S.C.) is the World Governing Body
and holds a World Shoot Off every three years. We encourage every
member to join USPSA there are many benefits to being a member
of this larger organization. One benefit is USPSA keeps a record
of your classification scores that you can access on the internet
and a Bi-Monthly high quality Magazine called Front Sight.
Any Questions?
Questions... E-mail us at scorch@doubletapranch.comor come to a match and watch and talk to the folks shooting, they are some of the most friendly people around.
Practical Shooting is great Fun to watch and to participate in. It's a good way to develop a higher degree of proficiency in the use of your pistol and a great way to spend a afternoon. Because your Gun Should be Fun!!!!