September E-postal Match

It is our Month to shine. This month's it's The Sentinel's turn to host Mr. Completely's E-postal match. We have several thousand members in VCDL and about twice as many who get the e-mail alerts. I'm hoping for a couple of hundred entries from VCDL supporters in the match this month.

For first time participants: There are no prizes, sponsorships or other compensation involved. This is just a friendly match designed to keep us motivated to get some constructive range time in and to perhaps practice some techniques and disciplines that we may otherwise not try. The only "prize" is bragging rights and following the rules is on the honor system.

Last month, Caleb simulated a steel plate match by hosting a rapid fire match using four inch circles as the targets. A couple of months ago, Sebastian's match simulated metallic silhouette shooting.

In keeping with that context, We decided to do something vaguely "practical shooting-esque" and devise a "paper silhouette" competition.

This will actually involve four separate targets which can be found here (right click and hit "save as" to save it to your computer for later printing). It is a four page pdf file that should be printed out on four separate letter sized sheets of paper. Make your printer margins as small as possible before printing to ensure that the targets are not reduced in size.

The black parts are the "shoot" targets. The gray silhouettes are the "no shoot" targets.

They get progressively more difficult from first to last, but it doesn't really matter what order you shoot them in.

Procedure: Post all four targets on a target backer in whatever configuration fits best for you.

The targets should be placed at 7 yards or as close to that distance as possible.

If your range allows it, start with the firearm holstered. If that is not possible, start in "low ready" (handgun in one or two hands, at waist (or bench) level pointed down at a 45 degree angle). Start with your handgun in the condition you would have it in while holstered when carrying for self-defense.

This match may be fired one or two handed, no artificial supports allowed. From the starting position, as quickly as you can while establishing/maintaining a sight picture, fire 5 shots at the exposed portions of the black silhouettes on each of the four targets while avoiding hitting the gray "no shoot" silhouettes.

Each target should be fired upon 5 times for a total of 20 rounds fired. This is not a timed event but it should be shot as rapidly as your skill level allows for aimed fire. I encourage you to challenge yourself and shoot it several times, trying to get progressively faster each time. Any reloads should be performed as quickly as possible with your available equipment.

No high cap magazines are allowed, only standard capacity. The
intention is to require at least one reload, so if you have any of
those extended, 20 or 30 round mags for your handguns, please don't use
them. If your standard capacity magazine holds 20 rounds or more,
please limit them to 10 rounds in order to require a reload.

Scoring: Each shot that is touching the black silhouette but IS NOT touching any portion of the gray silhouettes is worth 5 points. Any shot touching any portion of the gray silhouette incurs a penalty deduction of 5 points. Any shot in the white that is touching neither silhouette scores zero.

A perfect score would be 25 points per target for a total score of 100.

In close calls, the benefit of the doubt always goes to the shooter.

Tie Breakers:

1. Highest scoring single target.
2. Lowest total number of penalties
3. Lowest number of clean misses
4. If we need more, I'll make them up as I go along

Classes:

1. Production rimfire: Rimfire with iron sights, no more than 6" barrel length, no compensators or other major mods.
2. Open rimfire: Rimfire with optics, long barrels, compensators, etc.
3. Production centerfire: Centerfire with iron sights, no more than 6" barrel length, no compensators or other major mids.
4. Open centerfire: Centerfire with optics, long barrels, compensators etc.
5. Airgun (handguns only, air rifles should be entered as a rifle class).
6. Black Powder Handguns

As usual, a single entrant may enter multiple guns and classes. Different shooters may enter the same gun. A single entrant may not enter the same gun multiple times without a major configuration change (add optics, change barrel, etc. simply changing ammo (i.e. .357 and .38 spl) does not qualify as a major configuration change. You may shoot the match as many times as you like, but please only submit the best scoring entry for each firearm/shooter combo.

There is currently no class for rifles, but if I get enough entries, I'll create one (or more). Rifle shooters should use a distance of 25 yards.

Submit entries No Later Than Midnight, September 29th to blog@vcdl.org with "e-postal entry" in the subject line. If you have the ability, please attach scans/digital photos of your targets to the e-mail. If you don't have the ability to scan/photo the targets, be sure to include the number of hits in the black, the number of no-shoot hits and the score for each target. Also be sure to include the name you want the entry listed under and the URL of your blog or website if you want it linked in the results post.

If there are any questions at all about the match, the rules, the procedures, entry submission or the State of the Union, feel free to post them in comments or e-mail them to us.

Have fun, be safe and good shooting.