Results are in from the inaugural IDPA World Championship held September 21-24, at the Universal Shooting Academy in Frostproof, Florida. There were 387 competitors from 18 different countries. Triple-digit temps, high humidity, rain, and muddy conditions made the 22 challenging stages even more difficult.
Champions were named in each of IDPA’s five divisions, based on elapsed time and penalties for “points dropped”. Robert Vogel topped the field of Standard Service Pistol (SSP) shooters, with a superb 248.29 score — the best score for the match and over 40 points better than any other SSP shooter. Robert was also the High Scoring Law Enforcement competitor. In the video below, Robert demonstrates the skills that carried him to victory in Florida.
In other classes, James McGinty became the first-ever World Champion in the Enhanced Service Pistol (ESP) Division by scoring 283.31 with his STI 2011 9mm. Glenn Shelby, with a score of 299.48, took the Custom Defensive Pistol (CDP) Division shooting his Wilson CQB. Among the wheelgunners, Jerry Miculek shot a modified .45 ACP S&W Model 625 to win the Enhanced Service Revolver (ESR) Division. Miculek hammered through the tough stages during the monsoon-like weather, scoring 411.79. In Standard Service Revolver (SSR) Division, Craig Buckland led the way with a 426.9, using his S&W Model 19. Other notable competitors were: James Myers (Most Accurate Shooter); Tom Yost (Top Senior); and Tierrani Hendrix (High Lady).
Pala, California Multi-Stage Varmint Silhouette Shoot About 24 miles east of Oceanside, California (near the Camp Pendleton Marine base) is the Pala Reservation. On that Native American land you’ll find a Casino Resort, plus an excellent shooting range. The first Sunday of every month, shooters come to Pala for the Varmint Silhouette Match. At five different yardages, ten steel “critter” targets are set as follows: 200 Meters – Field Mice (“pikas”); 300 meters – Crows; 385 meters – Ground Squirrels; 500 meters – Jack Rabbits; 600 yards – Prairie Dogs.
There’s a North County Shootist Association Varmint Silhouette match this Sunday, October 2, 2011. You’ll need an accurate rifle, and 80-100 rounds of ammo. You can shoot either rested prone (F-Class style), from bipod, or from a portable bench with front pedestal and rear bag. Any rifle 6.5 caliber or under is allowed, with no weight restrictions. Muzzle brakes are permitted. There’s a one-hour sight-in period starting at 8:00 am, and the match starts at 9:00 am sharp. The folks at Pala run a tight ship, cycling multiple relays efficiently, so everybody gets to shoot 50 targets (10 each at five different yardages), and the show is usually completed by 1:00 pm. (Then if you want… head over to the Pala Casino for gambling fun, or a spa treatment.) CLICK HERE for Match Info. Your Editor has shot with the folks at Pala, so I can assure any first-time participants that this event is well worth attending. The Fun Factor is very high.
Portrait Photographer Lindsay McCrum’s new book, Chicks with Guns, is drawing welcome attention to the growing number of women who own firearms for target shooting, hunting, personal defense and collecting. [Editor: Over 15 Million American women are packing heat according to Msnbc.com.]
The book’s intent is described this way: “Because gun ownership and shooting cut across class, age, occupation, background and geography in America, guns are resolutely democratic. And the women depicted in ‘Chicks with Guns’ represent this variety. They reside in all regions of the country, come from all levels of society, and participate seriously in diverse shooting activities. From policewomen to hunters, ranchers to competition shooters, the collection of portraits in ‘Chicks with Guns’ defies stereotypes often associated with aspects of the popular culture of both guns and women.”
McCrum’s photographs tell a powerful story, just as these statistics do: Participation by women in target shooting has increased 46.5 percent from 2001 to 2010 and in hunting by 36.6 percent in the same period, according to the National Sporting Goods Association. In an NSSF survey of firearms retailers, 61% of respondents saw an increase in female customers in their store in 2010 over 2009.
Other evidence, too, such as the strong turnouts by women in concealed carry classes nationwide and in NSSF’s First Shots seminars, helps confirm this trend. (First Shots introduces newcomers to target shooting by providing both a classroom overview and supervised live-fire experience.) This is nothing new to the hunting and shooting community, but we think the compelling photographs in “Chicks with Guns” will bring the trend to life for those less familiar with our traditions and our pastimes.
Editor’s Comment: I wouldn’t rush out to buy this book for your coffee-table, though it might make a nice gift for a lady shooter in the family. I’ve looked through the book. The photography is professional, but overall, mostly static and uninspired. I’d give it a B+ grade. This book wouldn’t have received much media attention but for the somewhat controversial subject matter and the catchy title. Still, ‘Chicks with Guns’ presents female shooters in a positive light, and that’s a good thing.
Results are in from the inaugural IDPA World Championship held September 21-24, at the Universal Shooting Academy in Frostproof, Florida. There were 387 competitors from 18 different countries. Triple-digit temps, high humidity, rain, and muddy conditions made the 22 challenging stages even more difficult.
About 24 miles east of Oceanside, California (near the Camp Pendleton Marine base) is the Pala Reservation. On that Native American land you’ll find a Casino Resort, plus an excellent shooting range. The first Sunday of every month, shooters come to Pala for the 
