PPC Competition

[JoeCaputo]

Back in the early 60's I was really into PPC competition In San Diego County and Southern California. I moved from Escondido California to the San Juan Islands in Washington State in 1976 and I in spite of Being a Sheriff's Department State Certified Firearms Instructor for over 20 years no longer was involved in PPC. I don't even know if PPC Competition is still going on. Back in those days I would shoot my Colt Python that was built for me by Bill Davis who was really into providing PPC shooters with a fantastic revolver. I still have that Python and it performed for me perfectly in so many shoots. It was really something that in the PPC competition you had a string of 24 rounds fired from the 50 yard line and the top shooters would put every round into the 10 ring of the B27 Combat Target. It wasn't unusual for perfect scores to be shot and the contest had to be decided on the X Ring scoring ring which was a small area within the 10 ring. In all my years as a Instructor 35 yards would be the farthest distance shot and most Law Enforcement Agencies would only qualify at 25 yards maximum range. If there are any PPC shooters out there do drop me a line or two.

 

[JimPGov]

Were still here.

 

[Jim Watson]

I haven't shot PPC in years and years but still have my Colt Custom Shop/Don Tedford Python. Several of us here shot Pythons in the days before S&W brought out the L frame guns.
I'm not one of those guys who could hammer the ten ring at 50 yards, best I ever did was 1444x1500. But I was acquainted with Jim Collins, first shooter to clean the 1500.

 

[md2lgyk]

My club in Frederick, MD still holds sanctioned PPC matches several times a year. We had a dedicated PPC range for years, but it is now also used for other things like .22 silhouette.

PPC may be on life support, but it isn't dead yet.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I just sold my Bill Davis Custom PPC gun to another forum member because it wasn't getting much use locally. Mine was built on a S&W M14 and had the heavy round barrel instead of the slab barrel



I seem to remember Paul Crow doing most of the Python work on the guns coming out of the shop...Paul was really an artist with the old Colt Actions

 

[esheato]

I've got a PPC gun but I've never shot the competition before.

 

[Justin]

I've always wanted to try my hand at a PPC match just to see what it's like. I know they still hold some matches in New Mexico.

 

[Jim Watson]

The problem is that PPC is run by the NRA and they have a policy against "civilians" shooting at humanoid targets. You gotta be a cop to get in a regulation PPC match.
No doubt there are some unsanctioned ranges that allow taxpayers.
Back in the 1970s I had one of those Honorary Deputy cards which was enough to admit me in easier times under PMA controls. None of the four of us on the county pistol team were full time LE; the most Authorized Person was an unpaid (but uniformed and armed) auxiliary.

 

[Justin]

Yeah, that was the sticking point last time I looked. Since I'm just a plain citizen, I couldn't participate.

 

[yam476]

I used to attend monthly PPC match in the late 70s. Then went out to work for a private sector for 20 some years. Now, I'm back in law enforcement again for the past 10+ years. I have all the intention to get back to it (even got most of the guns/equipment needed), but no shooting buddies (nobody to motivate me)... yet.

 

[NoAlibi]

IIRC the NRA rules used to allow people who were employed as security guards to shoot in their PPC competitions. Our club had a top competitor that was certified as an employed security guard when in fact he was not. The security company said he was employed by them to have his honors associated with their company.

So, if you are that good or have a friend that will put you on their security company roster you will have an opportunity to shoot NRA PPC if those rules still apply.

Just wondering...when I competed on my PDs pistol team only revolvers were allowed in PPC. Is it true that you can now compete with autos?

 

[Jim Watson]

There are separate divisions for auto and revolver.
I think it would take you about six guns to shoot everything at the nationals.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Yup, you can use autos now. S&W has a specialized version of their 952 just for PPC

 

[Jim Watson]

The PPC 9 predates the 952 and is more accurate. At least the one I saw in a side by side comparison was.