Match Attendance

[downrange72]

Our USPSA match attendance has been up ~30% consistently all year.
I attributed it to 1) adopting pre-registration* and 2) major match cancellations.

-rvb

* note for riverman, we don’t REQUIRE pre-registration, feel free to come sign up in person.

Same weekend as Riley

 

[crewchief888]

For me, shooting hasn't changed much for this years versus last year. The "season" started a couple months late, and for a month or so squad sizes were cut back. I shoot USPSA, steel challenge, and rimfire falling steel @ wildcat valley, rimfire challenge @ michigan city rifle club, steel challenge @ north porter county.
I spend the winter loading 45acp for my open gun. And stockpiling the 6000 +/- 22lr I use up.
Since covid/ ammo shortage started I've only bought 1000 rds of 22LR.
If I run out of ammo before November my "season" will just end early

 

[Rob377]

I’be had the itch to start getting out to matches again all summer.

It, with the nuttiness going around lately, the idea of running down the stash I have, hour or more on the road and also giving up getting to choke people for the day has made it hard to make it out.

The only one I’ve been able
to do was one of Coach’s carry gun matches. That low-ish round count “shoot n scoot” format is great.

 

[riverman67]

Our USPSA match attendance has been up ~30% consistently all year.
I attributed it to 1) adopting pre-registration* and 2) major match cancellations.

-rvb

* note for riverman, we don’t REQUIRE pre-registration, feel free to come sign up in person. 

I would love to
I'll need to get a pass from Matt and a day off.
Its not looking like the day off will happen for some time

 

[Nolan1984]

Where I shoot, it's ammo availability. I know I can scrounge up enough ammo for a match, but practice ammo is almost non existent. Although, it's funny how much more everyone scrounges for their show clear round that falls on the ground.

 

[Hawkeye7br]

To all concerned,
No flames intended, but please take a lesson from true competitors.....when I (we) find a lot of rimfire ammo that shoots well in one or more guns....I (we) buy a case of 5,000 rounds of it. Sometimes I (we) buy 2 cases = 10,000 rounds of it. If you only buy 200 primers because you only shoot 200 rounds a month....that "just in time" philosophy is crap in actual practice. I don't buy primers 200 at a time...I buy primers at 5,000 at a time. And on a side note.... if you buy 15,000 bullets from one vendor....they will deliver with free shipping, ON A PALLET DELIVERED TO YOUR GARAGE DOOR.

When you find something that works, buy in bulk. Just my .02 Your mileage may vary...

 

[riverman67]

To all concerned,
No flames intended, but please take a lesson from true competitors.....when I (we) find a lot of rimfire ammo that shoots well in one or more guns....I (we) buy a case of 5,000 rounds of it. Sometimes I (we) buy 2 cases = 10,000 rounds of it. If you only buy 200 primers because you only shoot 200 rounds a month....that "just in time" philosophy is crap in actual practice. I don't buy primers 200 at a time...I buy primers at 5,000 at a time. And on a side note.... if you buy 15,000 bullets from one vendor....they will deliver with free shipping, ON A PALLET DELIVERED TO YOUR GARAGE DOOR.

When you find something that works, buy in bulk. Just my .02 Your mileage may vary...

I don't shoot a lot of rimfire, but when I buy it . i usually buy at least 5000 rounds, sometimes 10000. It's less expensive and I don't have to worry about it for awhile.

 

[Hohn]

COVID, ammo shortage and reduced income are likely causes.

For me it’s the 20% pay cut...

 

[Hohn]

To all concerned,
No flames intended, but please take a lesson from true competitors.....when I (we) find a lot of rimfire ammo that shoots well in one or more guns....I (we) buy a case of 5,000 rounds of it. Sometimes I (we) buy 2 cases = 10,000 rounds of it. If you only buy 200 primers because you only shoot 200 rounds a month....that "just in time" philosophy is crap in actual practice. I don't buy primers 200 at a time...I buy primers at 5,000 at a time. And on a side note.... if you buy 15,000 bullets from one vendor....they will deliver with free shipping, ON A PALLET DELIVERED TO YOUR GARAGE DOOR.

When you find something that works, buy in bulk. Just my .02 Your mileage may vary...

This is wisdom right here.^^

 

[ChooterMcGavin1973]

Everyone that I ever attended was fun, and humbling. Report back after and let us know how it was.

Hey guys, I went to my first match today. IDPA at Atlanta.
I went early to help setup and I’m glad I did. Nice to see how everything comes together and good to meet some fellow shooters before getting started.
As for attendance, Practiscore showed 36 shooters of the 60 spots available. I don’t have any point of reference other that the 60 slots, but everyone there said attendance was down.
Anyways, I shot safe, didn’t get DQ’d and was told I could speed up a bit next time to score a little better.
Thanks for the encouragement and advice to jump in! I’m glad I did, and I’ll be passing on the same advice to others!

 

[peterock]

Hey guys, I went to my first match today. IDPA at Atlanta.
I went early to help setup and I’m glad I did. Nice to see how everything comes together and good to meet some fellow shooters before getting started.
As for attendance, Practiscore showed 36 shooters of the 60 spots available. I don’t have any point of reference other that the 60 slots, but everyone there said attendance was down.
Anyways, I shot safe, didn’t get DQ’d and was told I could speed up a bit next time to score a little better.
Thanks for the encouragement and advice to jump in! I’m glad I did, and I’ll be passing on the same advice to others!

What did you think? I thought it was a fun match with a fairly low round count but the turnout was much lower then pre-Covid days.

 

[gregkl]

Hey guys, I went to my first match today. IDPA at Atlanta.
I went early to help setup and I’m glad I did. Nice to see how everything comes together and good to meet some fellow shooters before getting started.
As for attendance, Practiscore showed 36 shooters of the 60 spots available. I don’t have any point of reference other that the 60 slots, but everyone there said attendance was down.
Anyways, I shot safe, didn’t get DQ’d and was told I could speed up a bit next time to score a little better.
Thanks for the encouragement and advice to jump in! I’m glad I did, and I’ll be passing on the same advice to others!

nice! I watched a match there once. Seemed like a good group of people.

 

[ChooterMcGavin1973]

What did you think? I thought it was a fun match with a fairly low round count but the turnout was much lower then pre-Covid days.

I had a blast! I’m able to shoot at home, but being able to move and shoot in multiple directions was amazing!
I thought it was run well and all the SO’s/RO’s were great w answering questions and providing instruction.
Round count seemed fine to me. I think it was estimated at 80 rounds and I didn’t do a final round count but am guessing I was right around 100?
I’m definitely going to go back and am planning on bringing a buddy who wasn’t able to go yesterday.

 

[Jaybird1980]

I had a blast! I’m able to shoot at home, but being able to move and shoot in multiple directions was amazing!
I thought it was run well and all the SO’s/RO’s were great w answering questions and providing instruction.
Round count seemed fine to me. I think it was estimated at 80 rounds and I didn’t do a final round count but am guessing I was right around 100?
I’m definitely going to go back and am planning on bringing a buddy who wasn’t able to go yesterday.

Good to hear. Speed will come with practice and familiarization. IDPA has a lot of things you have to try to remember.

 

[gregkl]

Good to hear. Speed will come with practice and familiarization. IDPA has a lot of things you have to try to remember.

Jaybird, what type of competitions do you mostly do?

 

[Jaybird1980]

Jaybird, what type of competitions do you mostly do?

Uspsa, and Steel Challenge. I've done a few IDPA, and one multigun. I got sick last year and now have some breathing problems, but hopefully can get back to Uspsa. If not maybe try some more IDPA,they always seemed to be a little slower and smaller stages

 

[gregkl]

Uspsa, and Steel Challenge. I've done a few IDPA, and one multigun. I got sick last year and now have some breathing problems, but hopefully can get back to Uspsa. If not maybe try some more IDPA,they always seemed to be a little slower and smaller stages

So between a couple posts you made I can surmise that:

IDPA is harder to understand and possibly follow due to a myriad of rules
IDPA is slower with less round count, where USPSA is faster with higher round counts
USPSA has larger stages, possibly adding to confusion while shooting them
USPSA higher round count could be due to larger stages.

USPSA may not be suited as well to the new and/or casual shooter with a factory pistol like, say a Glock 19?

I'm interested in hearing the pros and cons of each. Usually I just here smack talk about one from the other. Which, while fun and all, doesn't help one decide which one to try.

Sorry about the thread drift...

 

[Jaybird1980]

So between a couple posts you made I can surmise that:

IDPA is harder to understand and possibly follow due to a myriad of rules
IDPA is slower with less round count, where USPSA is faster with higher round counts
USPSA has larger stages, possibly adding to confusion while shooting them
USPSA higher round count could be due to larger stages.

USPSA may not be suited as well to the new and/or casual shooter with a factory pistol like, say a Glock 19?

I'm interested in hearing the pros and cons of each. Usually I just here smack talk about one from the other. Which, while fun and all, doesn't help one decide which one to try.

Sorry about the thread drift...

Uspsa you usually get to shoot the stage as you want, where as idpa usually has a certain order you shoot the stage in. (as the targets present themselves to you) idpa has rules on where to reload, having to retain mags that are not empty, shooting from cover, etc. Uspsa is as fast as you can shoot it.

I started shooting uspsa with a Glock 19, mostly because match days fit my schedule at the time.
I still mainly use a pretty much stock G17, mostly because I know I can take it apart and get it running with tools and spare parts in the range bag, verses carrying a spare pistol.

 

[nad63]

Just reread the OP.
As of right now ammo costs and availability of ammo.
If matches were free this would be the limiting factor.
Covid may have a minor effect, unless there are burdensome restrictions in place.

 

[rvb]

So between a couple posts you made I can surmise that:

IDPA is harder to understand and possibly follow due to a myriad of rules
IDPA is slower with less round count, where USPSA is faster with higher round counts
USPSA has larger stages, possibly adding to confusion while shooting them
USPSA higher round count could be due to larger stages.

USPSA may not be suited as well to the new and/or casual shooter with a factory pistol like, say a Glock 19?

I'm interested in hearing the pros and cons of each. Usually I just here smack talk about one from the other. Which, while fun and all, doesn't help one decide which one to try.

Sorry about the thread drift...

I agree with most of your thoughts except the one in red.
yes, even the “production” division is getting racier in the gear used, but 95% of it comes down to the shooter. I still run a G34 for production and a G35 for limited. A few years back my G34 wasn’t running and I won the IN state production title with a G19. I couldn’t do that today, because I’m out of practice, not because of the gun.

shoot both a few times. Then decide what fits you best. (Though only one let’s you shoot more than one w.o joining)

-rvb

ETA several at our club Uspsa match shoot their carry guns in their carry rigs. Some even register in open so they can keep lights on the guns. ... I don’t even know if you can mount a light in a gun in IDPA, many years ago at least there was no division where that was allowed.