Successful Area 3 Championship

For those of you that were in thee Grans Island area on August 11-14, 2011, you had the opportunity to see a lot of great shooters competing. In fact, the entries in this year's competition was over 300! At this rate of growth, who knows how many shooters we will see in coming years?

Once again, the Heartland Public Shooting Park pulled out all the stops in trying to put together a safe quality match, and they were also glad to see all the shooters. It was gratifying seeing all of the various license plates show up at the park, and we thank you for coming. We look forward to hosting many more USPSA matches in the future.

One of our local club shooters, Jeremy Millard, once again made a solid showing despite not winning his division. Enjoy this brief video as he attacked the steel, and we look forward to hosting all of you when you come out to shoot with our club.

Successful Classifier Match

We would like to thank everyone that braved the humidity to come out to the Heartland Public Shooting Park on Sunday. We had nearly twenty shooters take part in the match, and there were six fast paced and challenging courses of fire. We will be uploading the scores to the USPSA this week.

The stages that we shot include the following:

• 99-10: Times Two
• 99-33: Raw Deal
• 99-50: Better make Sure
• 99-56: On the Upper Pad II
• 08-03: Six
• 06-03: Can You Count

 We hope to see you guys join us at the park for our next league beginning on June 30.

Second Spring League Completed

We would like to thank everyone that came out to Heartland Public Shooting Park in order to take part in our second Spring league of the year. Over the four week time period, twenty two shooters took part in the league, and everyone who took part should consider themselves a winner.

We would like to congratulate the top five shooters in the league. The top five finishers were as follows:

1. Alex Johnson: 880.5336 points
2. Jeff Riesland: 802.5587 points
3. Greg Palkowitsh: 715.1538 points
4. Stephen Hayes: 662.8347 points 
5. Mike Gehman: 573.2205 points

Our next league begins on June 30th at 6:00pm, and it will run for four weeks. We would like to encourage everyone in Central Nebraska to come our and watch this fast moving and fun sport. No matter what your fitness level, you will have a great time.

Who Takes Part In USPSA?

The first time that you step onto a USPSA range, you may feel somewhat intimidated, especially if your previous experience was in just shooting at paper targets. However, this should be the least of your worries, as our shooters are of all skills, speed levels, ages, health, and fitness levels. We are all out to help each other and have a good time, so we can fit in anyone.

Competitors in USPSA clubs and matches come from every walk of life and socioeconomic level. Some of the career paths that some of the USPSA national members follow include the following: doctors, lawyers, mechanics, engineers, small business owners, pilots, law enforcement personnel, homemakers, students, security officers, ministers, and many others. In fact, it would be hard to find a career that wasn't represented. Many women also take part in the sport, as fifteen percent of the USPSA members are women. Youth are also discovering the sport, as ten percent of the members are under the age of twenty one. However, it is not just the young who are taking part. A large number of USPSA members are either approaching, or have already, retired. The members are also of many different races and religions, as the national bylaws require that membership be open to anyone that can legally own a firearm.

As you can see, there is room for anyone in the sport, and we would be glad to host you at Heartland Public Shooting Park. We look forward to seeing you at our next match.

Divisions in USPSA

With all of the various handguns on the market today, the concept of divisions can be very consuming, especially for those that are new to the sport. This may add to your confusion and nervousness when you first get started, because chances are, everyone will be shooting a different pistol and you want to make sure that you get squadded correctly.

The purpose behind these divisions is to allow you to shoot against other shooters that have similar gear, in order to make things more competitive. For this reason, the USPSA has developed six divisions in the sport. Although there are more details on the rules for each division in the USPSA rulebook, we are going to take a look at the basics for each division. The six divisions are as follows:

1. Production: In this division, everything is scored as minor, so 9mm pistols are not at a disadvantage. The gun needs to be out of the box with no modifications such as magwells or non-factory parts. The maximum magazine size is 10 rounds, and no single action guns are allowed. No race holsters are allowed, and no maginescan be forward of the hip bone.
2. Limited: With this division, some modifications are allowed, with the exception of optics, porting, and compensators. Magazine length is restricted to 140mm.
3. Limited 10: This division is exactly the same as Limited, by the magazine size is limited to 10 rounds. This is a common division for 1911 pistols to shoot in.
4. Single Stack: This division is designed around the standard five inch 1911 pistols. Minor calibers are allowed up to 10 round magazines, whereas major calibers are limited to 8 round magazines. Non race holsters are only allowed.
5. Open: This is the anything goes division, where you will see tweaked out pistols with compensators, optics, special race rig holsters, and many other things to give them an edge over the compensation. Magazines up to 170mm are allowed. This is the Formula One division.
6. Revolver: This is a standard iron sighted wheel gun, and it needs to reload every six shots. There is both a major and minor category.

As you can see, this sport has a way for anyone to be able to have fun and enjoy the gear that they already own while still remaining competitive. We look forward to seeing you at the Heartland Public Shooting Park.

Successful 1911 Shoot

We would like to thank all of the people who came out to shoot in the Centennial 1911 Match, along with all of the volunteers and other workers who made it possible. A special thanks to Mick Reynolds for all of the time that he spent designing the stages and those who were able to set up the stages behind the scenes. All of these things worked together in order to make things run smoothly. Above all, a big thanks to the Heartland Public Shooting Park for being the venue for the event, and we couldn't have done it without all the sponsors.

Despite the scorching temperatures, twenty eight shooters took part in the match, and it was a good mixture of challenging and typical courses, all with a military theme (in honor of the history of the venerable 1911). I am sure a lot of people were surprised by the unique movement and the movable platform that they faced (and who thought they would have to hit a target with softballs in a shooting match?).

Although we consider everyone who took part in the event to be a winner, we would like to issue a special congratulations to the top five shooters in the match:

1. Jeremy Millard: 686.3363 points
2. Jeff Reisland: 663.5419 points
3. Neil Davies: 640.4427 points
4. Chris Walbrecht: 495.8203 points
5. Ryan Dammon: 447.1462 points

We look forward to holding another 1911 match in the future, and we invite you to visit us at the park again.

Heartland Public Shooters featured on 10/11 News

Recently on our local 10/11 news channel, we learned that our local USPSA club was featured on their Web site. We always welcome the opportunity to welcome others to the sport, as well as the chance to show off the first class shooting park that is located in Grand Island, Nebraska.

It you saw the story or are interested in learning more about the sport or what this is all about, please call the Heartland Public Shooting Park at (308)385-5048, or stop by Thursday evening at 6:00pm to check it out. We always welcome those that would like to watch, and no matter how green you are, new shooters are always welcome. We accomodate shooters of all skill levels. If you do decide to come out to watch, bear in mind that the park safety rules require eye and ear protection. We all want to have fun, but safety is always the first priority.

Each week is always different, and we challenge all shooting levels. This is definitely not simply shooting at stationary targets. One thing that you will never hear our shooters say is that the course is boring. We try to design the stages so that something new is available to challenge us each week, and the shooters never know what to expect. We look forward to you joining us at the park, and there is never a charge to watch our matches.

Classifier Match Coming Up

Now that you have started shooting USPSA matches and have received your membership, we all hate to see the "U" on our membership cards. We all want to get classified, but since you need to shoot in six classifiers before we get classified for the first time, it may take you six months or more in order to achieve your first classification.

However, this does not have to be the case, because at our June Fun Shoot on June 26, 2011 at the Heartland Public Shooting Park, we are planning on running the match with all classifiers. Registration begins at noon, and we start shooting at 1:00 pm. This will give you the chance to get classified in a single day. For your initial classification, the USPSA will look at the best four scores out of your first six classifiers, and after this, they will look at your best six out of eight.

Classifiers are important, because when you go to a bigger match, your scores will be ranked against others in your own classification. This allows everyone to have fun and be competitive with others that are of similar skill levels in order to increase everyone's level of fun.

Your classification is figured as a percentage, which compared where you stand against other members of the USPSA. The classifier rankings are as follows:

• Grand Master (GM): 95-100%
• Master (M): 85-94.9%
• A: 75-84.9%
• B: 60-74.9%
• C: 40-59.9%
• D: 2-39.9%

One thing that you need to keep in mind is that just because someone shoots in a lower classification, does not mean anything negative. This just ensures that you are competing against a balanced set of shooters, and this means that all shooters will have the opportunity to be competitive and win prizes. If you are anywhere near Central Nebraska on that date, come out to the park so we can help you get classified. The cost for this shoot is the same as all of our other monthly competitions, $18. We can't wait to have you join us.

Jerry Miculek - Superhuman

There have been times that all of us have been proud of a really good run, but if you ever get the opportunity to see Jerry Miculek shoot in a competition, it will be hard not to have your jaw drop open. This man can fire a revolver faster than most of us can fire a semi-auto pistol. Fortunately, just like most of the people that you will meet in this sport, you will find that he is very down to earth and will take to time to give tips to anyone thta asks for it. He is also among the first to grab the paster to help paste targets. Although Jerry doesn't shoot at our local club, I want to bring him up as an example of the type of people that you will meet in this sport. No matter what their level, everyone jumps in quickly after each stage in order to help you gather brass, reset steel, paste targets, and do whatever is needed in order to keep the match moving along smoothly.

Among the World Records help by Jerry, you will find the following:

• Firing six shots each from ten different .38 revolvers: 17.12 seconds
• Fire six shots, reload, and fire six more shots from single revolver: 2.99 seconds
• Fire eight shots from single revolver on a single target: 1.00 second
• Fore eight shots from single revolver on four targets (two per target): 1.06 seconds

That's right. Those times were not typos. Check him out in action:

First Spring League is Completed

Well, Mother Nature fought us tooth and nail, but were were finally able to complete the first Spring league of the year, and we had quite the turnout. Thirty five shooters took part in this league, but we always have room for more. Despite all of the rain that seemed to fall on Thursday night, after seven weeks we were finally able to get the fourth shoot in.

We shot a variety of different stages during this league, from short fast stages with no movement to long stages with multiple shooting locations and the need to come up with an effective strategy for attacking the field of fire. We try to make each week challenging but still have a course that people of all skill levels are able to complete. We plan to take the same approach to the rest of our leagues, as we will be having a second Spring league, one in the Summer, and one in the Fall.

We would like to issue congratulations to our top five shooters in the league, as follows:

1. Jeremy Millard: 888.379 points
2. Clinton Wemhoff: 688.5542 points
3. Mick Reynolds: 665.7859 points
4. Travis Dassinger: 590.1196 points
5. Greg Palkowitsh: 574.1825 points

Full results can be found here. As always, you can always find the results from any of our shoots on the Heartland Public Shooting Park Web site on the Action Pistol Shoot Results page. But, no matter where you finish in the standings, as far as we are concerned, finishing the courses makes you a winner in itself.

Basic Look at USPSA Scoring

Sometimes the scoring of the match can seem somewhat confusing. He hear terms such as Alpha, Mike, hit factor, procedural, etc. We are going to try to break down the scoring of the match in a way that is less confusing.

First, the definitions:

• Alpha: Hit in the A range of the target
• Bravo: Hit in the B range of the target
• Charlie: Hit in the C range of the target
• Delta: Hit in the D range of the target
• Mike: Miss
• No Shoot: Hit on a "hostage" or no shoot target
• Procedural: Violations that break the rules of the stage
• Major: Pistol ammo larger than 9mm
• Minor: 9mm ammo

Scoring is slightly different for major and minor shooters. Both types will score 5 points for a hit in the A range, but a major will score 4 points for a hit in B and C range (3 points for minor) and they will also score 2 points for a hit in D range (1 point for minor). The first step is to figure up the raw score by adding up the points for all the targets that you hit. At this point, it is time to figure your deductions. For each miss, no shoot, and procedural, subtract 10 points from your total, and this will determine your final score. Once you have your score, divide that by the time in seconds that it took to complete the stage. This is how you determine your hit factor, or points per second.

That hit factor is important because each stage is scored on a curve. For the final stage points, we only look at the hit factor and the total possible stage points. The actual points on the stage hit do not matter. For example, for a stage with 100 points possible, we have three shooters with a hit factor of 5, 3, and 2.5. The first shooter would get all the stage points or 100. Since the second shooter had a hit factor that was 60% of the winner's hit factor, they would receive 60% of the stage points, or 60 points. As a result, the final stage scoring would be 100, 60, and 50 points. Hopefully this clears up any scoring confusion you may have.

1911 Heartland Centennial Match

We all know that there is a great feeling of pride and history when you wrap your hands around the grips of a 1911 pistol, and on June 4, 2001, you will have the opportunity at the Heartland Public Shooting Park in Grand Island, Nebraska. The park is holding a special Level 1 USPSA match that is limited to 1911 and Limited 10 shooters, and all of the stages have a historical and military feel to them.

Plan on around eight stages and 150 rounds, and we have a place for all skill levels. there will be over $4,000 in prizes, including guns, ammunition, reloading supplies, and other gear. As far as the prizes go, everyone will have a shot at them, as they will be random instead of skills based so that all shooters will have a chance to win something. While you are here, don't forget to buy a ticket for the Springfield 1911 Range Officer .45. Only 500 chances total before they sell out.

The cost for the competition is $50, but with all the prize money and fun that you are gonna have, this is a bargain. However, you need to call the park soon in order to get signed up, as the field is limited to the first 80 to sign up. Registration starts at 8:00am, and lead starts flying at 9:00. We hope to see you there.

Win a 1911!!!

There is something about the iconic 1911 model pistol that seems to get everyone's blood pumping. Maybe it the history, maybe it's the fact that it was the preferred military pistol for many years, or maybe it just looks really cool. As a part of the Centennial 1911 Competition that will be held at the Heartland Public Shooting Park in Grand Island, Nebraska, we are holding a raffle for a brand new Springfield 1911 Range Officer.45 pistol. This is a real beauty, and one that will look great in your collection.

For tickets, simply stop by the clubhouse at the park or call 308-385-5048. Your chances for winning are very good, as we are limiting entries to 500 tickets. The cost of the tickets are $10 each, or 10 tickets for $50, and you do not need to be present to win. Good luck, and we hope to see you out there.

What Is Practical Shooting?

Practical shooting is a fast paced and fun way to expand your shooting knowledge, and it is a great way to push your skills to a new level. We have competitors of all ages, from those that are retired to those that have just graduated school, and of all skill levels, from fast and accurate top shooters to those that are happy to finish the course. This truly is a sport for anyone, and we welcome new shooters and will do what it takes to make you feel comfortable.

As a part of this sport, you will take part in a number of different stages, and you will run through these courses pushing your speed and accuracy to the limit. Sometimes you will face paper targets, moving targets, steel targets, no shoot "hostages," or some variation of these. No two stages will ever be the same, and every time you shoot with us, we will throw new challenges your way. Once you give it a try, it will be hard to go back to just a regular paper target on the line.

Keep checking back to see what our club is up to, and we look forward to shooting with you.

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