Carbine/Handgun Match during SHOT 2016 timeframe?
Hey there M4C bros.
I am the match director for an indoor range in the Las Vegas area which is barely a 10 minute drive from the Sands Convention center.
For the past few years, our establishment has hosted after-hours matches for multiple discipines (IDPA, USPSA, Carbine, etc). Our facility includes a 50 yard bay and 25 yard bay that during normal business hours provide 8 and 14 lanes, respectively, of square-range shooting.
I have taken the duties of match director for the last 18 or so months.
A little background info about myself, I am NOT by any stretch of the imagination a dedicated match shooter. I've only been to a handful of matches from above mentioned disciplines in my life, most of them at our establishment from when they were being run by my predecessors. As such I lack the IDPA/USPA credentials to run a match with that label attatched to it. Not to say that I'm one of the naysayers that look at competition shooting as purely a sport of gaming stages. I'm more of one of the "training class" guys. I've spent a lot of time taking classes from respectable instructors for employing the handgun and carbine for defensive purposes.
When I took over the position, I pulled a page from my immediate predecessor and hosted a monthly match for both carbine and handgun (shooters can run just one or both types of firearms). We do a lot of low-light, shooting from behind cover/concealment, shooting on the move, and a lot of the other hallmarks of both competition and defensive shooting. I wanted to make it as inclusive and accessible as possible to bring in as many people from varying skill levels as possible. I've had sponsored shooters running their USPSA Open guns and former SOF dudes with their high speed LVOA rifles right alongside Father and son who were shooting bone-stock M&P15 and Shield they keep at home for defense. The only equipment requirements I ask of my participants are a holster for their handgun (aside from the usual reqirements of extra mags, ammo, etc). A guy who comes in off the street with his XD-Gear holster is just as welcome as a guy who has his custom kydex rig for his tricked out glock/Light/Optic setup.
Obviously, safety is our highest priority and as such we have a diligent crew of both staff RSOs and Volunteers from the local shooting community (many of them who participate in the many other matches and classes in town) ensuring that people are being safe while still enjoying themselves. We make sure everyone stepping onto the range has a detailed brief before heading onto the range and confer with new shooters to make their intro to this kind of shooting as smooth as possible.
With our two separate ranges we normally offer four courses of fire a night and depending on turnout can run two separate squads for each side to everyone through in a timely manner.
With that out of the way, I am now reaching out to you guys.
We just finished our last match for the year as we don't host one during the Holiday Season.
SHOT Show is coming up and our normal "Third Thursday" schedule would have us shooting the week of the show.
I have been given the nod to consider an alternate date for the match.
I plan on inviting as many people who can bring in guns and ammo to come shoot with us while they're in town for SHOT.
I have a few dates in mind:
Friday January 15 , Saturday January 16 or Sunday January 17- These are before SHOT officially kicks off and save for some pretty exclusive parties, will be clear of any events for the show and is generally when most attendees will be arriving.
Monday, January 18 - Monday will be Industry Day, spent at the range with product demos. However for those who won't be or can't attend that particular activity, I think we can still offer an exciting alternative.
These are the dates that stand out in my mind the most.
For those of you coming in for the show, I'd like input on what you think works best for your schedule, but also an open invitation to attend.
If you have questions, fire away.
