USPSA match and special 'zombie match' at Talon
Hey guys and gals. My name is John Rasmussen, and I'm one of the owners of Talon Range. I am also the director of competitive marksmanship there, and I, along with my wife and co-match director Carmen, run the competitive shooting matches there. Something we strive to do is to introduce new shooters to the sport, regardless of gender or skill level--we welcome new shooters! If you have ever thought about shooting a match but felt you were too inexperienced, I encourage you to come out and watch, ask questions, and get hooked--the only way to get better is to come out and do it!
Ladies--don't be intimidated by the thought of coming out to a match. You will never meet a friendlier bunch of people. Also, my Wife Carmen is the facilitator for the Tallahassee Chapter of A Girl and A Gun (a women's only shooting league), and we regularly have close to an entire squad of just lady competitors.
I am always available by e-mail, and will always stop what I'm doing at a match to help out a new shooter or answer questions, so come on out!
And now, on to the match announcement!
Greetings everyone!
Saturday November 2nd, Talon Range will host the Tallahassee Practical Shooters' monthly USPSA match. Later in the evening, on the same day, we will be holding a Halloween / Zombie match--scroll all the way to the bottom for details. Here are the match particulars. E-mail me with any questions.
NOTE: With the holidays quickly approaching, let's stop for a minute and think about those less fortunate. Carmen will be accepting non-perishable food donations at registration for The Second Harvest of the Big Bend.
When: Saturday, November 2nd. Stage set up begins at 7:30. Sign up starts at 8:30. Shooters meeting at 9:30, with start of match immediately following. If it looks like we will have heavy / dangerous weather, I will make the go / no-go call as early as possible. We will have access to the range Friday night(s) before the match, and I will be out there around 5:30 setting up stages. If you'd like to come out and help (and it would be appreciated) or want to check out the range, come out and see me!
Where: Talon Range. We are located at the interchange of Interstate 10 and US 90 in Midway, FL at the 192 exit (technically the North East corner).
- From I-10, exit at 192 onto US 90 West. If you are coming from the West on I-10, you will make a left turn onto US 90 and proceed under the interstate to a stop light. If you are coming from the East on I-10, you will immediately come to a stoplight. To the West (left) you will see a Flying J truck stop (cheapest gas in the area, BTW), and to the East (right) will be a service road called Commerce Blvd that winds back towards the interstate. Turn onto Commerce Blvd. and drive .5 miles. Talon Range will be on your right hand side. For those of you with GPS, the coordinates are: N 30* 29.425' by W 84* 25.278'. Our address is 550 Commerce Blvd Midway, FL 32343 (Note the city is Midway FL, not Tallahassee). The road leading into our range is nicely maintained, so for all of you Ferrari owners out there, have no fear of making it down to the range.
What: 6 stage USPSA match. Match entry fee will be $20 ($15 for those under 18). Cash or check are fine-no cards. Our match will consist of 6 challenging courses of fire--five field courses plus one USPSA classifier stage. Total round count will be approximately 155 rounds, assuming you don't miss. Our range was designed for competitive shooting, so expect a real USPSA match--179* ranges, steel--everything you ever wanted in a USPSA match!
Instructions: Talon is a COLD RANGE. No bagging or un-bagging of firearms in the parking lot. Safe areas will be provided and clearly marked. Once you make it onto the range property, there will be signs designating parking and the registration / sign up area. For those who have already been shooting USPSA at Tallahassee Rifle and Pistol Club, we are going to keep sign up as similar as possible. One thing that will change, however; EVERYONE must fill out a Talon Range liability waiver. You can find the waiver here: http://www.talontraininggroup.com/Talon-Range/Talon-Range-Membership-Agreement It's a little lengthy, but it's thorough, and you only have to do it once...ever (unless we revise it). I will have copies at registration, but I encourage you to print it off and complete it beforehand to speed up the registration process. For Talon Range members who have already completed the waiver and have it on file, you will not need to fill out another one (but it has to be THIS waiver, which was revised 06/17/2013). Eye and ear protection are mandatory for both competitors and spectators. Spectators are welcome. We will even have an air conditioned lounge with TV, X-box and cold drinks / snacks for purchase to get your 'spectator' out of the sun for a while.
Our pro shop is fully stocked with ammo (no limits on 9mm), snacks, drinks, sunscreen, etc.
We will have a shooters meeting / safety briefing before the start of the match.
New Shooters: If you have never competed in an organized shooting event--what are you waiting for!? We welcome new shooters, and will do everything we can to accommodate you. USPSA is a safe, fun, family friendly sport open to folks of all ages and skill levels (if you have a child younger than 12 that is interested, please contact me before hand so we can chat). You don't need a whole lot of equipment to start off--a safe and functional handgun in 9mm or larger caliber, a safe holster that covers the trigger guard and attaches to the belt, at least 3 functional magazines (more is better) and magazine holders to carry them, eye and ear protection, and a desire to have fun. Note: You will spend the morning and early afternoon outside, so dress appropriately and use plenty of sunscreen.
If you would like a bit of instruction before competing in your first match, I encourage you to visit the Talon Training web page and check out our 'Introduction to USPSA Shooting' class http://www.talontraininggroup.com/. It will more than adequately prepare you for jumping right into a match. If you are a new shooter and plan on attending the match, please come out early so one of our experienced shooters can fill you in on how everything works.
Thanks, and I hope to see you on the range!
John Rasmussen
Director Of Competitive Marksmanship
ZOMBIE MATCH!
This is the first time we've tried this, but we think you will enjoy it. After the USPSA match, Carmen and I (and whoever else wants to help) will change the stages around a little bit, add some scary Halloween decorations, put up a bunch of zombie targets, and shoot another match in the dark!
When: Saturday November 2nd. Sign up starts at 6pm, and we'll aim for 7pm to start shooting.
What: Zombie match. What else needs to be said? Actually, a bunch--This will be a match shot in the dark. You must have one of the following: A gun-mounted light; or a hand-held flashlight. This match is probably not the place you want to learn how to use your flashlight and gun, so dry-fire at the house with it a little bit before hand.
We will have 3 divisions: 1) Handgun with hand-held flashlight; 2) handgun with gun-mounted light; and 3) carbine with gun-mounted light (AR or something else in .223 or pistol caliber).
The match will be scored like 3-gun, and will be 'time plus.' Meaning that all you have to do is neutralize a target, as opposed to hitting inside a scoring area. Any misses, failure to neutralize or engage a target or procedurals will simply incur a time penalty added to your run. We are fighting off a zombie hoard, so expect lots of headshots / multiple shots to neutralize, etc.
All start positions will be 'low ready.' We did this because we want to encourage all of you to bring out your anti-zombie bed-side gun, and we realize that many of you might not have a holster for a light-bearing gun. So all you need to do is have a gun case to bring your firearm to the line--much like a steel challenge match. Carbines will also start from 'low ready.' If you do not have an open bolt indicator / empty chamber flag, you will need to transport your rifle from stage to stage bagged.
The match will consist of 4 stages, and approximately 120 rounds. There will not be powerfactor scoring, so you can use any handgun chambered in 9mm or larger.
Match cost will be $15.
Costumes: Halloween costumes are highly recommended, but not required. I can assure you, however, that Carmen is making me wear a costume (as is she) so SOME OTHER SHOOTERS HAD BETTER SHARE IN MY MISSERY / EMBARASSMENT!
If you have any questions, please e-mail me.
Thanks, and see you on the range!
John Rasmussen
