Welcome to another year of shooting with the Millcreek PSL. 

The Millcreek PSL welcomes you back for another year of shooting.  For 2005, we expect to continue to hold 4 pistol stages in the morning followed by the long gun stages in the afternoons.  There are also four additional skills development matches scheduled during the warmer months as well.

The new and returning Millcreek PSL board members for 2005 are:

Rob Daniels

Jon Espy

John Hartman

Scott Hattrup

Jeff Shelley

JD Smith

Riichiro Suzuki

The roles and responsibilities will be formally assigned at the first full board meeting.

Forty-one shooters came to the December match to challenge themselves against 3 field courses and a classifier – “Six Chickens” (CM03-02).  Assuming they did not miss, they needed 101 rounds to successfully complete all courses of fire that included the Texas Star, flopper, turner, swinger in addition to the numerous steel and paper targets.

All score sheets were accounted for and no DQ’s were recorded.  Congratulations to all the winners of each class.

HOA Open                            Rick Byfield

HOA Limited                         Gary Lawrence

HOA Limited 10                    Mike Eastin

HOA Production                    Jason Morton

HOA Revolver                       **

** There must be at least three shooters in a given class to recognize High-Over-All shooter.

The 2004 attendance was 489 pistol shooters with average of 41 shooters per match.  Final Membership count was 92.

Following the match, the members and their guests celebrated end of the year with a lunch (main courses provided by the club) followed by a raffle and a prize table. 

The big winners of the raffles were:

Clint Ancker – CZ 17HMR Rifle

Joe Roper – CZ75BD

John Aull – Charter Arms Revolver

Special thanks to CZ USA (17HMR & CZ75BD) and Denny’s Guns (Charter Arms Revolver) for allowing the club to purchase these guns at a discount for the raffle.

John Aull was also presented with the 2004 Member of the Year plaque recognizing his two years of service to the club as the Quartermaster.  During his tenure, all range equipment was maintained in good order, timers always had good batteries, and on match days, no one ran out of targets, pasters or other range supplies.

MPSL will begin using the new USPSA rules with the January match.  Here are some key points taken from the Front Sight articles on rule changes:

Safety

5.4.4 – Eye or hearing protection – If you accidentally begin a course of fire without either, or one gets dislodged during a course of fire, you can stop yourself (even if the RO did not notice) and be eligible for a reshoot .

5.4.6 – Eye or hearing protection – The RO is now empowered to prevent you from starting a course of fire if the RO feels that you have inadequate protection.  This means no glasses with ultra small lenses.

Gun Malfunctions

5.7.1 – You may withdraw and return to shoot the stage if a malfunction is detected during the loading phase.  This applies as long as the malfunction is detected before start signal is given. 

5.7.3/5.7.5 –You have up to 2 minutes to get the gun functioning again if it fails during a course of fire.

Also note that you cannot use any tool to rectify the malfunction (per 5.7.1).  Use of any tool, with exception of existing range props, will result in zero (0) score for the stage.

During Standards Exercise, if you have a malfunction that requires you to go to the safe area to repair/replace the gun, you may return to shoot the strings that were not previously attempted for score.

Range Officer

4.5.1 – Tripping of moving targets without authorization (or any other interference with range equipment) can now earn you procedural penalties.

8.1 – Ready Condition – The RO is prohibited from reminding you to load the chamber if you fail to do so upon receiving the command to make ready.

8.2.2 – If no special instructions are given about the start position, the default is facing downrange, standing erect with hands naturally at your side.

8.3.7 – New Range command – “If clear, hammer down, holster.”

8.7.4 – When inspecting a course of fire with your squad, you cannot have anything in your hands that simulates holding or aiming a gun.  No toy gun, magazine, cell phone… There is a procedural penalty with each violation.

9.4.2 – No shoots – There is a maximum of 2 penalties (20 pts) for any no shoot target no matter how many times you shoot it.

US 9.1.4 – If the target does not get pasted between shooters, the shooter reshoots unless it is obvious to the RO which hits belong to the current shooter – i.e., difference between a 9mm and a .45.

9.9 – Moving targets – Targets that do not show the highest scoring zone at rest are considered disappearing targets.  The turner that presents the target twice before disappearing is now a disappearing target.

More on moving targets – You will not be penalized for not engaging moving targets unless you failed to engage the activating mechanism for the moving targets. 

10.5.14 – Dropped guns may only be retrieved by the RO.  Once the gun is checked, the RO must place it into the owner’s holster or bag. 

10.4.7 – Steel may be engaged from 7 meters (23 feet) if there is a barricade preventing you from getting closer.  If there is nothing impeding the shooter from getting closer, the minimum distance is 8 meters (26 feet). 

Note that the Millcreek Rifle Club also mandates that all steel be set within 15 feet of the berm.   

US Appendix D9

If you are shooting in the Production Division, the rule that the first shot must be a double action has been eliminated. The gun must still not be in a single action mode at start but, you may rack the slide or manually cock the hammer before you take your first shot.

Also, there is an inclusive list of guns for the Production Division that may be found on the USPSA web site.

Finally, for Production and L-10, you may now start with 11 rounds in the magazine to charge your gun.  You must still only have 10 rounds in your magazines when the start signal is given.

For a more complete description, check out the July/August ‘04 and the September/October ‘04 issues of the Front Sight, or the USPSA Rule Book for all the current rules. 

Please also review the Squadding rules put in place in 2004. 

·         Arnie Christiansen, the USPSA Area III Coordinator, attended the match and the meeting and checked out the range facility in November. 

·         Scott Hattrup will act as the Match Director and will be coordinating the event. 

·         The MRC board has confirmed dates for the Area III.  The entire range will be available from Noon on June 30^th through July  3^rd. 

New Shooter Classes

Tommy Herken will be holding new shooter training classes in 2005.  For details, contact Tommy at 913-651-4767 or email  tommyherken@hotmail.com.

Match and Membership Fees

Annual Membership                                               $30

Match Fees                                                               

      Pistol

            Member                                                    $15

            Non-Member                                             $25

      Second Pistol                                                +$10

      Second Pistol (Classifier only)                          +$5

      Pistol + Long Gun                                                

            Member                                                    $25

            Non-Member                                             $35

      Long Gun Only                                                    

            Member                                                    $15

            Non-Member                                             $25

      Late Arrival Fee                                               +$5

The pistol stages need to be ready for a 9:00 walkthrough!  The RO’s setting up the stage need to make sure to give themselves a few minutes to get ready, and join their squad for the walkthrough of the other stages. 

If the RO does not plan to be on site by 7:30 because he/she is planning on a simpler style stage that does not require a full two hours to set up, it is the RO’s responsibility to contact the club secretary in advance.  At some point in the morning, we have to assume that late arrivals are indeed no shows, and seek out  suitable substitutes.

1. Stage set up will start at 7:00 AM and complete by 9:00 AM for pistol stages. It has been suggested that the 200 yd. rifle stage be set up at this same time - just work around the crew setting up the classifier or pistol stage.

2. Two (2) stages will be set up on the 25 yd. range, one (1) stage on the 50 yd. range, and the classifier on the 200 yd. rifle range. This will allow four (4) pistol stages in total. This may change in the future if we're able to split the 25 yd. range with a berm or get the LE range on match days.

3. It is recommended that no stages should be over 32 rounds required in length. Stages set up on the 25 yd. range (when two stages are set up on the same range) should be no more than 24 rounds required in length.

4. Steel should be set within 5 yards. of the side or back berms on all ranges for safety reasons.

5. No shots on steel less than 7 10 meters nor greater than 25 yards. Shooter may take shots at their option greater than 25 yards. Any shots forced to be taken longer than 25 yards. should be on full size paper targets. It's no fun being a new shooter trying to hit steel at long range.

6. IPSC competition is freestyle. With the exception of Standard Exercises, a course of fire may not specify a shooting position or stance (standing, sitting, kneeling, etc.). However , conditions may be created and constructed to compel a competitor into positions or stances required by stage design.

7. Ports, windows, doors, shooting boxes, etc. may be used to direct shooter movement at our club instead of constructing hard walls to meet the intent of Item #6 (IPSC competition is freestyle).

8. Courses of fire shall not require more than nine (9) eight (8) rounds to be fired from any one position, however, course designers may allow other targets to be shot from any one position with the nine (9)  eight (8) rounds, providing that the shot challenges the competitor and that the added targets are also available from another position.

9. Remember - when setting up courses of fire that this is a shooting competition - not a track meet.

Shooter Meeting

1. Sign up for all shooters for pistol stages will be complete by 9:00 AM and the sign up table closed.

2. Shooters meeting will begin at 9:00 AM in the club house.

3. New shooters will be introduced to the membership.

4. Any special announcements will be made.

5. A short safety talk will be conducted.

6. Classifier for that match will be read in detail - this is the "walk through" for the classifier stage.

7. Assembled shooters will be divided into four (4) squads of equal size based on sign in sequence. Exceptions will be made for those wishing to squad together. 

8. Each squad will be given their "range box" with timer, pasters, pins, clip board, etc. that will stay with that squad. These boxes will be returned to "shed" by that squad at the end of the match or turned over to the long gun squads.

9. A board member or board appointee will be assigned to each squad to ensure that he start position and "intent" of the stage is the same for all shooters.

1. At approximately 9:15 AM, all squads will move to the South 25 yd. course of fire for the walk through. The walk throughs will be conducted by the design set up crews for each stage. After the walk through is complete on the South 25 yd. course then the walk throughs will be given for the North 25 yd. and 50 yd. courses of fire.

2. The "pistol director" will assist the design set up crews in course clarification and any safety issues that may be present on the stage. 

1. All squads should move to their designated range and start shooting by 9:30 AM.

2. Each squad will RO's itself.

3. It is expected that all members of the squad work - running timer, picking up brass, scoring targets, pasting targets, set/paint steel, etc.

4. The person running the timer is the RO in charge and is responsible for range safety and scoring of the shooter. This position should be rotated among members of the squad that have range officer experience. Being a "certified" RO is not required.

5. On the 25 yd. range each squad should shoot and then both squads score and paste targets at the same time. The squad RO's must work together to make these stages run as efficient as possible.

6. Shooters arriving after the table has closed should seek out the Club Secretary to obtain score sheets, get assigned to a squad, and additional instructions.

1. All members of the squad should stay together until all members of the squad have completed shooting the stage. If it is the last stage, then the squad should stay together until the stage is torn down and put away all props.

2. Range set up crew should give the last squad any special instructions as to storage of props.

3. Set up crews for the rifle and shot gun should also notify the last squad on stages that will be utilized for rifle and shot gun any special instructions (steel left out, targets left, etc.)

4. The entire squad is expected to assist in tear down and return of all props to the shed or trailer. Those members that are signed up to set up a stage for rifle and shot gun may go ahead and start setting up their stage as soon as the range is available.

1. The rifle and shot gun stages should utilize the 50 yd. and 200 yd. ranges in that they most likely will be the first pistol stages completed. 

2. The 200 yard range can be set up by the rifle set up crew beginning at 7:00 AM until 9:00 AM. Simply work around the classifier set up crew. This will leave only the shotgun stage left to be set up after the pistol match and should allow the long gun shooters to be started shooting much earlier.

3. Long gun stages will run with the same squadding requirements as the pistol stages.

Additional range notes from the Millcreek Rifle Club newsletter.

·         The 200 yard range will only be available from 9AM to 1PM on regular match dates in January, February, March, April, June and July.   We will not have access to set up on the 200 yard range on the other regular match dates.

·         We will have access to the LE range on the regular match dates. 

·         Please also note that no vehicles will be allowed on the 50 yard range until further notice – not even for a minute to set up the course.  If you are setting up on the 50, please plan accordingly.