1226 Rand Road Des Plaines, IL 60016 Phone: 847.298.GUNS
Maxon's Combat Shoots
It’s Combat Shoot Season Again! Maxon's Combat Shoots Run on the Second Monday of Every Month.
Winter/Spring 2012
Sun/Mon January 8th & 9th
- Annual Low Light Match
Monday, February 13th
Monday, March 12th
Monday, April 9th
Monday, May 14th
Registration starts at 6:00 pm, and shooting starts at 6:30pm.The cost to compete is $20.
What you need to compete: - a holster that completely covers the trigger guard. Avoid the cheap, flimsy nylon holsters and stick with either a good Kydex or leather holster. - a minimum of 3 magazines or 4 speedloaders. - eye and ear protection. - a reliable handgun ( minimum caliber 9mm / .38 special). - approx. 100 rounds of ammunition or more if time allows us to shoot the courses a second time. - magazine pouches to hold your magazines on your belt.
SAFETY ON THE RANGE
I wanted to touch upon Range Safety for a few minutes. Range safety is everyone’s responsibility.With the influx of first-time shooters, it is important for other shooters to guide them safely through the evening.That means showing the first-time folks where the safety table is for bagging/unbagging the gun, where they can or cannot load their magazines, etc.
When I first started shooting in IPSC, I thought I had safe gun handling skills.Over time, I’ve come to realize how much my safer my gun handling skills have become through participation in the shooting sports.Unfortunately, the media / movies constantly barrages us with many examples of sloppy, unsafe, or just plain dangerous gun handling.No matter whether we are competitive shooters, recreational shooters, or concealed carry permit holders where legal to do so, we must live gun safety at all times.
My focus as a Range official is to watch the gun at all times.I’m your coach who’s watching you to help you become a safer shooter.I’m not watching HOW you are shooting, I’m watching your gun to ensure that it stays pointed in a safe direction at all times.
A safe direction is down range, not pointing at the floor, not the ceiling - but pointing down range.Since your mind is focused on a myriad of things, I’m just focused on your gun and trigger finger.That’s why I sometimes call out the warnings of FINGER! or MUZZLE!It’s to help draw your focus back to something you’re doing with your gun that is potentially unsafe which needs immediate, corrective action.
Learn from the mistakes of others, and avoid actions that can abruptly end your shooting day. When it’s your turn to shoot, after the (Load and ) Make Ready command, Make sure your loaded gun has the appropriate safety applied when in the holster. For Single Action only guns (1911s, etc.) that means Cocked & Locked with manual safety applied
For DA/SA guns (Double Action first shot, subsequent shots SA), you have a choice
In SA mode:Cocked & Locked with manual safety appliedOR In DA mode:Hammer down.
Manual safety optional.A pistol in Single Action mode without a safety applied is considered unsafe.So remember to swipe the safety on or decock your pistol to be in double action mode before you put your gun in the holster.Double Action is considered a safety.Engaging the manual safety in DA mode is redundant.
Avoid SWEEPING yourself.SWEEPING is defined as the muzzle of the gun, loaded or unloaded pointing at some part of your body.
Remember our rules of gun safety?We treat all guns as if they are loaded and we don’t point them at things we’re not willing to destroy.This infraction most frequently occurs during the re-holstering process.Typically clothing gets in the way or the holster collapses and somehow the shooter’s weak hand gets in the path of the muzzle.
Avoid BREAKING THE 180. The 180 is defined as the gun pointing more than 90 degrees from the median intercept of the range.Any pointing of your firearm beyond 90 degrees (left or right or up or down) is considered a 180 break and will earn you a quick trip home.
Over time, these good habits will become ingrained in you.Please take the time to review the attached Combat Shoot Help Sheet and review it with your friend(s) for next month’s match.If you have any further questions, please drop me an email.I’ll be glad to answer them.
Remember that in shooting competitions (or any other non-team oriented sport), you are really competing against yourself. Even though other folks may shoot the courses faster than you, if you feel that you did your best, then pat yourself on the back for doing well.
By joining the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) and obtaining a ranking, you can see how you compare to other shooters of like ability across the nation. USPSA members compete against other members of similar ability - by Division and by Class. Revolver shooters are in Revolver division; B Class shooters against other B Class shooters in their division; C against C; D against D, etc.Go to www.uspsa.org for more information on how to become a member.
Stay safe!
See you in a couple of weeks. Greg & Perry
Intro to Handgun Competition Class:
We have several Intro to Handgun Competition classes scheduled this season as well.The class is open to anyone who is familiar with their firearm and wants to become more proficient with it in a competitive environmen. The fee for the class is $135 plus Maxon's range fees. If you’re interested in taking the class, please let me know as it tends to fill up quickly.I’ll get the dates posted soon.
