(See Calendar for Dates & Times)
Steel Challenge Shoots are pistol events, where participants shoot steel plates in various configurations, such as the one pictured below. These events are on the upper pistol range.
Please arrive at the range with ALL FIREARMS UNLOADED and FIREARMS & AMMO PACKED IN SEPARATE CONTAINERS. Then await instructions from the Range Safety Officer (R.S.O), prior to handling your firearms or ammo.
These shoots are on the Last Saturday of each month starting at 9:00 am, from mid spring to late fall (with exceptions in the case of inclement weather). Matches start after the safety briefing & last until participant interest wanes or the R.S.O. decides to end the shoot (typical around noon).
The cost is $15.00 per gun for non-members and $5.00 per gun for members. We emphasize firearms safety and precede each match with a reminder talk/demonstration. Registration starts around 8:30 AM, so it is important to get there early enough to register and set up (we try to have the gate open by 8:30 AM). Participants will need to bring at least 125 rounds of ammunition to complete all stages (Non-Magnum, straight walled pistol calibers only).
It is a speed and accuracy challenge, with a timer starting the shooter and timing the shots. Each missed plate costs the shooter 3 seconds, missed plates can however be shot again so long as the “Stop Plate” hasn’t been shot yet. Low scores are the goal. Every registered shooter fires each of the 5 target stages 5 times. So if you don’t miss any plates each stage will require 25 rounds of ammo. We encourage Non-Club members to join in, where this event is “open to the public”.
Rules:
1. NEVER cover people with your weapon (Regardless of weapon state be aware of your muzzle
& keep it pointed in a safe direction at all times).
2. Absolutely NO loaded firearms, unless you are at the firing line & instructed to load by the R.S.O.
3. Keep finger(s) out of the trigger guard until completely up on target & ready to shoot.
4. Keep finger(s) out of the trigger guard when holstering, drawing from holster & during all reloads.
5. Wear eye and ear protection at all times on the range.
6. All weapon safeties must be engaged when holstering or drawing (including “de-cocker” safety devices).
7. No handling of firearms anywhere but the safe table, or at the firing line when instructed by R.S.O.
8. No ammo at the safe table (including loose ammo in pockets or loaded mags on your person).
9. If you aren’t using a holster, transport your gun in a case, with a chamber flag installed & no ammo in the case or gun.
10. All ammo used should be straight walled, Non-Magnum pistol calibers only. Pistol caliber carbines (PCC) are now permitted in these events. PCCs must be transported to and from the firing line with chamber flags installed.
Procedure:
When it is your turn to shoot:
1. approach the firing line and wait patiently. The R.S.O. will announce that the range is “Going Hot” & will
instruct you to load and make ready.
2. Draw your gun, with fingers out of the trigger guard, load your gun & engage any safeties the weapon has.
(For firearms equipped with a “de-cocker”, “de-cocking” the weapon IS required prior to holstering).
3. Re-holster your gun & assume the surrender position (wrists above your shoulders). The R.S.O. will then say “shooter ready?…stand by” & start the timer. An audible beep from the timer will signal when to draw & begin firing.
4. Draw your gun; be careful not to put your finger in the trigger guard, or disengage any safeties until “up on target”.
5. Shoot the 5 plates remembering to not shoot the stop plate until the other 4 plates have been hit; only go as fast as you safely can, being mindful to keep your muzzle pointed down range at the target area at all times.
6. IF you shoot the gun empty, remove your finger from the trigger guard & with muzzle pointed at target area reload your gun. (remember to reload between each 5 plates “off the clock”, to avoid reloads during a string, to save time & lower your scores!)
7. After you shoot the first string of a stage the timer stops, and you can reload you gun. Where you are off the clock there is no rush, to reload quickly. The score keeper will record the shooters time & any penalties for the string.
8. When the shooter is reloaded and ready to shoot the next string, they they will repeat steps 4 thru 7, 4 more times (once for each of the 5 strings of fire of a given stage).
9. After the stage has been shot all 5 times, the shooter will unload the gun and allow the RSO to inspect the gun is empty.
10. Before re-holstering the empty gun, the shooter will point the gun back at the target area & pull the trigger, or
“de-cock” the gun. (Revolvers are exempt from this step, so long as the hammer is down.)
11. The R.S.O. will instruct the shooter to holster the gun & will announce “the range is safe”
Scoring: The total score for a run will be the shooters raw time plus 3 seconds for each missed plate, not hit prior to hitting the stop plate. Remember for Steel Challenge you may shoot plates you miss until you hit them, so long as you don’t hit the “Stop Plate” first.
There are no prizes awarded, other than the satisfaction of making some smoke & lots of noise, so shoot safely, within you ability & just have fun!