It's that time of year again! This is my seventh year posting, hopefully we get some new eyes on it this year or some of you that wanted to take the class in past years but couldn't will be able to make it. The format is a little different this year so please read below even if you've read this post in past years.
I always see a couple of "I want to try competitive shooting" threads on the forum here so let's get more new blood into the sport! I never really wandered down to the competitive shooting forums here on NES until I stumbled upon this class at my club 8 years ago and got hooked on the action shooting sports. With that in mind I have posted this announcement here in "General" for the past couple of years so it would be seen by a lot of folks who hadn't even thought about getting into competitive shooting. We've had a good number of NES members through the class since I started posting it here and hopefully the trend will continue this year!
Once a year Hopkinton Sportsmans does an Introduction to USPSA class at the club. If you've ever thought about trying your hand at "action" pistol competition this class will teach you everything you need to know to be safe and comfortable at your first match. We have changed the format this year and it will now be a one day class. You'll still get all the important info but we decided to cut some of the extra/repetitive stuff and basic live fire session out of the class. We're hoping that the single day format will make it easier for some who want to take the class but can't make the full weekend investment.
The class will be on Saturday April 13th and covers all the range commands, procedures, safety rules, scoring, etc, and includes a simulated match that is run just like the real thing. Lunch (pizza) is included in the class fee (even shorter money, now just $50). We will also be giving each student who completes the class a voucher for 1 free USPSA match at Hopkinton ($25 value) just to make sure people get fully addicted to the sport . After taking this class you will be 100% comfortable walking up to the registration table at your first match, whether it's at Hopkinton or another club.
We will be using Practiscore for registration again this year (CLICK HERE TO REGISTER). You will still need to snail mail over a check/MO for the fee to complete registration. Feel free to post here or PM me with questions. If independent reviews are your thing then there are some comments from students in a previous thread that you can check out. Some additional info can be found on our team site.
Some FAQ on the course:
Q: "How good do I need to be with a firearm to take this class?"
A: This is not an introduction to handguns class. You don't need to be a crack shot but you do need to be comfortable with the operation of your gun. Safety is the #1 priority, we don't care if you hit any of the targets but you do need to keep the rounds on the range and operate the gun in a safe manner at all times.
Q: "What do I need to have for the class"
A: You need a safe and functional handgun or pistol caliber carbine rifle, at least 3 magazines (or speedloaders of some kind for revo), a holster that fully covers the trigger (preferably OWB), a sturdy belt to hold it all together, and 200 rounds of ammo. Eye and ear protection is mandatory, just like you should be wearing anytime you go to the range. Some loaner gear is available on a first come first served basis.
Q: "What kind of gun can I use"
A: USPSA has division for just about any modern handgun from 9mm - .45 or pistol caliber carbine rifle. For handguns something in the mid to full size range works best.
Q: "How is this different from other action pistol sports?"
A: The most common sport to USPSA is IDPA, and many shoot in both types of matches. IDPA tries to focus on more "real world defensive" scenarios and tactics, USPSA is just about having fun and challenging yourself.
As usual I'll include a slightly self-deprecating video of me at the first match I shot after taking the class many moons ago:
View: https://youtu.be/SKmW10-bV1c
And another after I'd been shooting matches for a little bit:
View: https://youtu.be/4KtOXlyzza8
Hope to see some of you at the class,
Peter
I always see a couple of "I want to try competitive shooting" threads on the forum here so let's get more new blood into the sport! I never really wandered down to the competitive shooting forums here on NES until I stumbled upon this class at my club 8 years ago and got hooked on the action shooting sports. With that in mind I have posted this announcement here in "General" for the past couple of years so it would be seen by a lot of folks who hadn't even thought about getting into competitive shooting. We've had a good number of NES members through the class since I started posting it here and hopefully the trend will continue this year!
Once a year Hopkinton Sportsmans does an Introduction to USPSA class at the club. If you've ever thought about trying your hand at "action" pistol competition this class will teach you everything you need to know to be safe and comfortable at your first match. We have changed the format this year and it will now be a one day class. You'll still get all the important info but we decided to cut some of the extra/repetitive stuff and basic live fire session out of the class. We're hoping that the single day format will make it easier for some who want to take the class but can't make the full weekend investment.
The class will be on Saturday April 13th and covers all the range commands, procedures, safety rules, scoring, etc, and includes a simulated match that is run just like the real thing. Lunch (pizza) is included in the class fee (even shorter money, now just $50). We will also be giving each student who completes the class a voucher for 1 free USPSA match at Hopkinton ($25 value) just to make sure people get fully addicted to the sport . After taking this class you will be 100% comfortable walking up to the registration table at your first match, whether it's at Hopkinton or another club.
We will be using Practiscore for registration again this year (CLICK HERE TO REGISTER). You will still need to snail mail over a check/MO for the fee to complete registration. Feel free to post here or PM me with questions. If independent reviews are your thing then there are some comments from students in a previous thread that you can check out. Some additional info can be found on our team site.
Some FAQ on the course:
Q: "How good do I need to be with a firearm to take this class?"
A: This is not an introduction to handguns class. You don't need to be a crack shot but you do need to be comfortable with the operation of your gun. Safety is the #1 priority, we don't care if you hit any of the targets but you do need to keep the rounds on the range and operate the gun in a safe manner at all times.
Q: "What do I need to have for the class"
A: You need a safe and functional handgun or pistol caliber carbine rifle, at least 3 magazines (or speedloaders of some kind for revo), a holster that fully covers the trigger (preferably OWB), a sturdy belt to hold it all together, and 200 rounds of ammo. Eye and ear protection is mandatory, just like you should be wearing anytime you go to the range. Some loaner gear is available on a first come first served basis.
Q: "What kind of gun can I use"
A: USPSA has division for just about any modern handgun from 9mm - .45 or pistol caliber carbine rifle. For handguns something in the mid to full size range works best.
Q: "How is this different from other action pistol sports?"
A: The most common sport to USPSA is IDPA, and many shoot in both types of matches. IDPA tries to focus on more "real world defensive" scenarios and tactics, USPSA is just about having fun and challenging yourself.
As usual I'll include a slightly self-deprecating video of me at the first match I shot after taking the class many moons ago:
View: https://youtu.be/SKmW10-bV1c
And another after I'd been shooting matches for a little bit:
View: https://youtu.be/4KtOXlyzza8
Hope to see some of you at the class,
Peter
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