After an 18 month or so hiatus I finally made it to my second match. Was more like shooting a 1st match again with the advantage of knowing what to expect.
For the newbs out there that are thinking of going to a match here are some observations/suggestions.
Apparel:
1) Comfortable and study shoes/boots are a must. I wore my hiking/light backpacking boots. They are comfortable for all day and very sturdy and stable as the range had a rock/gravel base to prevent it from getting muddy. Without that for mud/dirt purposes I would have worn these boots. My feet felt great at the end of the day.
2) Cargo pants, very nice to have. Mine are far from tactical, they are Wrangler cargos from Wal-mart for under $17. Decent sized pockets and the left cargo pocket even has a mag pouch in it. Nice to store that 1st magazine. Also nice to have a big pocket to stuff your brass in.
3) Good belt, t-shirt and an open button up short sleeve shirt as a cover garment. A vest would have been nice for mag stowage but the pants pockets were good enough.
4) Hat or visor, must have. Brass is flying and the glare from the sun can get bad.
Gear:
1) I used an IWB in my first match since that's what I carried. This match I used an OWB, big difference. A high and tight OWB is the way to go for competition, I would not use an IWB in competition again (I do practice on my own with my IWB). I have a Glock17 and used a Glock factory holster. Worked great, high and tight, good retention and easy to draw.
2) For magazine holders I used a fobus paddle double mag holder. It worked fine.
3) Bring at least 3 mags, I would have liked 4 though. Some stages required downloading to 6 rounds and were multiple strings so a 4th mag would have been great. Factory mags only.
4) Eyes and ears. I just used foam plugs and didn’t have a problem with hearing any commands and I used my regular shooting glasses. I like wrap-around yellow lenses, YMMV.
5) I reload so that’s what I used for ammunition. I shot 89 rounds total and brought 150 with me. I came back with slightly more brass than I arrived with so I am happy. Make sure your loads are reliable.
Accessories:
1) A camera is nice to have, my friend had one and took some video.
2) Water was provided, but I brought my own.
3) Snacks
4) Sunscreen
5) General EDC and range stuff (knife, leatherman, range tools, etc.)
6) Bag to keep everything in, small and easy to transport as you go from bay to bay.
7) A good attitude and an open mind.
Some final thoughts:
I shot with two friends in my squad, but by the last stage everyone is pretty friendly and everyone shares an interest in guns, shooting, reloading, etc. The more experienced shooters had some great tips to help me make it through the stages. Definitely some of the best guys I have ever shot with, I learned a lot and had a great time. Now I need to make the time so I can go more frequently.
Other than the extra ammo and some general range gear, the only difference between an everyday and the match were shooting glasses and earplugs and my sunglasses are ANSI rated so you could say all I did was add earplugs and ammo.
It is definitely a run what you brung sport and very newb friendly. My only change for the next match will be to bring 1 more magazine.
For the newbs out there that are thinking of going to a match here are some observations/suggestions.
Apparel:
1) Comfortable and study shoes/boots are a must. I wore my hiking/light backpacking boots. They are comfortable for all day and very sturdy and stable as the range had a rock/gravel base to prevent it from getting muddy. Without that for mud/dirt purposes I would have worn these boots. My feet felt great at the end of the day.
2) Cargo pants, very nice to have. Mine are far from tactical, they are Wrangler cargos from Wal-mart for under $17. Decent sized pockets and the left cargo pocket even has a mag pouch in it. Nice to store that 1st magazine. Also nice to have a big pocket to stuff your brass in.
3) Good belt, t-shirt and an open button up short sleeve shirt as a cover garment. A vest would have been nice for mag stowage but the pants pockets were good enough.
4) Hat or visor, must have. Brass is flying and the glare from the sun can get bad.
Gear:
1) I used an IWB in my first match since that's what I carried. This match I used an OWB, big difference. A high and tight OWB is the way to go for competition, I would not use an IWB in competition again (I do practice on my own with my IWB). I have a Glock17 and used a Glock factory holster. Worked great, high and tight, good retention and easy to draw.
2) For magazine holders I used a fobus paddle double mag holder. It worked fine.
3) Bring at least 3 mags, I would have liked 4 though. Some stages required downloading to 6 rounds and were multiple strings so a 4th mag would have been great. Factory mags only.
4) Eyes and ears. I just used foam plugs and didn’t have a problem with hearing any commands and I used my regular shooting glasses. I like wrap-around yellow lenses, YMMV.
5) I reload so that’s what I used for ammunition. I shot 89 rounds total and brought 150 with me. I came back with slightly more brass than I arrived with so I am happy. Make sure your loads are reliable.
Accessories:
1) A camera is nice to have, my friend had one and took some video.
2) Water was provided, but I brought my own.
3) Snacks
4) Sunscreen
5) General EDC and range stuff (knife, leatherman, range tools, etc.)
6) Bag to keep everything in, small and easy to transport as you go from bay to bay.
7) A good attitude and an open mind.
Some final thoughts:
I shot with two friends in my squad, but by the last stage everyone is pretty friendly and everyone shares an interest in guns, shooting, reloading, etc. The more experienced shooters had some great tips to help me make it through the stages. Definitely some of the best guys I have ever shot with, I learned a lot and had a great time. Now I need to make the time so I can go more frequently.
Other than the extra ammo and some general range gear, the only difference between an everyday and the match were shooting glasses and earplugs and my sunglasses are ANSI rated so you could say all I did was add earplugs and ammo.
It is definitely a run what you brung sport and very newb friendly. My only change for the next match will be to bring 1 more magazine.
