Match preference

I may be joining a club that will enable me to run some outdoor matches again. I have run 2700's in the past but wonder if I could choose 2 - 1800's a day for a weekend. So 4 1800's over two days with of course a morning and afternoon relay each day. With a provided lunch on the grill. 

Would that be more favorable? 10 firing points available. My thinking is getting 40 people an opportunity for a nice outdoor match vs 20? 



This is in Wisconsin likely be May and August or whatever works to compliment other area matches. 

Thanks!

1800's suck! Might not suck if NRA/CMP started an 1780 club or something. Really stinks hammering out a great 22 and awesome CF match and then having to call it quits. I never travel more than 100 miles for an 1800. Just not worth it. Ok done blabbing.....
Jon

I love the question and voted for 2700's and run both days. Having said that my local club has run 1800's for years due to limited capacity on the line and a desire to get as many folks into the match as possible. We are expanding our line positions and are transitioning to 2700's going forward but your point is well taken and needs to be part of the consideration. I applaud your efforts and wish you great success.

We have 2 clubs in Missouri that have Bullseye matches.  Pioneer has an outdoor 2700 shot on Sunday usually April thorugh October.  Pioneer does offer indoor winter matches but I won't drive 2-3 hours one way just for an 1800. The other is Arnold which has an outdoor 2700 on both Friday and Saturday.  If you shoot both days only your Friday score is for match awards but both scores are submitted for classification.  Never shot both days at Arnold but at least it is an opition.

Thanks for stepping up and running some matches!  As you know from before; you can't please everyone so I'd suggest finding the best option that fits your time and the majority of your supporting shooters!     

So, if you run 2700's for one or even 2 days then you will attract the more dedicated shooters that want to shoot the Grand Agg.  And there is always the option for allowing shooters to shoot .22 all the way, or some shooters to shoot only .22 and/or CF and  other shooters could fill in as slots open up on the CF or .45 Aggregates.  Since you have only 10 spaces, this would maximize the options for shooters to schedule and shoot.  It just becomes a matter of scheduling and assigning positions / Aggs. 

Most people will drive further to attend a 2700, locals can opt for open slots on individual Aggs. 

By the time you set up the range and targets for a 900, having an 1800 is not much more work and a 2700 just makes it a full day.  

I run 2700's and the .22 Agg is usually full, but some people only want to shoot .22 or .22 and CF so I have people fill in on other Aggs all the time. 

CR

Match Directors are rarer than shooters, so you are a wonderful person. Without match directors the sport collapses.

Being a pagan, I don't care whether a match is Saturday or Sunday. It takes me an hour and half to drive to the Bullseye matches in my area, one North, and one South. That is too much driving for two days, and I am not interested in staying the night. I do not come back the second day at Regionals. It is not worth the drive to shoot 45ACP in the morning. Nor am I going to shoot iron sighted revolvers, which is occasionally on the second day's schedule, when I can't see the irons and the target at the same time.

Shooters here in Ohio are enjoying shooting 3 gun 1800’s
So those that want to shoot .45 can. 
It is a much quicker match and still get enough trigger time to make it worth while. 
We have one range shooting on Saturday 
And others on Sundays. 
When the weather gets better it’s mostly 2700 outdoors.

I have to drive 3+ hrs one way to shoot 2700s or 1800s and really enjoy it. I don't enjoy the long drive, shooting, then driving home because, I'm getting older and need a day or so to recuperate. Really like the summer 2700s, although I don't mind 1800s in the winter, not much else going on for a retired fart that likes to shoot indoor also. I also like shooting 10 meter in my garage now, but nowhere to compete except postal matches. It's a blast to shoot precision, plan on doing it into my 90s, with my Makers help.
  Stan

maybe the 2700 shooters (record setters those with all the toys guns ammo) could shoot one day, and those who like to shoot but can't due a long day, and those just starting out might want to shoot a 1800 in the early or late relay on one day.

I've got a wife and young kids who don't want me to burn a whole weekend away from them. So given those choices, I'd prefer to shoot a 2700 all in one day. That said, what I'd really prefer would be a 3-gun 900 (3xNMCs) or if not that, a 3-gun 1800 (maybe Slow, Timed, and Rapid and skip the NMCs?).

I agree with running the matches so they fit your lifestyle.

+1 on making sure this will work for you long term.  At the moment, you are the single thing that will be making these matches happen!  I used to run a junior program and tried to do everything myself, only lasted about 2.5 years before burning out, and what I was trying to build fell apart.  It would probably be a good idea to try to find/craft/train/bribe someone to be your Assistant/Back-up/Partner in crime!

A suggestion to possibly help folks shoot more.  If you decide on two days of 1800s, how about allowing people to sign up for individual relays?  Encourage your locals to take up the open slots on later relays.  I don't believe it will be amazingly popular to spend the night to get the last 900 in, but it would give your locals some extra opportunities.  This will be immensely more admin work for you, but it's a thought I've had that I haven't seen around much.

I don't know how big your population is for your matches, but you might also want to start small and build from there.  This will likely gain you more BOD support in the long run by not tying up the range too much and being able to show growth.  Start with some 1800s just one day a month, build your chops for running the matches, and then expand from there based on the what your vision is and the wants of your shooters.  I don't know the history, but I bet the Canton regional started with someone that sounds a lot like you right now!

Good luck and have fun!

We started the Long Lake Black Bear Annual Championship with ten turning targets at 25 yards, shooting a short course 2700.  We decided to hold a full 2700 on each day Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  The first year we had 5 competitors, Over the years we grew to near 30 competitors and found Friday was popular.  Somewhere along the way, we added cover over the firing points.  We expanded with the addition of fifty yards and an additional bank of ten targets.  At the same time, we dropped Sunday from our schedule, keeping Friday.  One of the reasons we dropped Sunday, was to keep from closing the range to other shooting for a full weekend.

For us, sanctioning is important, since it allows non-residents to bring handguns into the state.  But, although we did sanction as a Registered Match at least one year, we settled on Approved Matches to allow for more of us being able to shoot in it.  By opting for Approved, we are giving up the opportunity to set NRA records, but we do keep track of LLBBAC records and judging from the scores, our location must be challenging, since we don't seem to be quite reaching any NRA records, anyway.  Approved Match scores still count toward classification.

Having the match run for two days has a benefit in that some of our competitors will shoot 3-gun one of the days and .22-only the other.

CR,Where is the range that you run your matches located and what day do ya'll shoot?
Thanks,
John Harvey

Sir Walter Gun Club of Raleigh (Creedmoor location for range) shoots the 4th Saturday, March through October.  (For 2021, the July match will the 5th Saturday to accommodate the nationals.)  Only 20 positions so pre-registration is recommended, we generally wind up with a waiting list.  I will begin taking reservations for 2021 matches early February.  

In North Carolina, Asheville club shoots 1st Saturday, Charlotte 2nd Saturday, Durham 3rd Sunday and SWGC the 4th Saturday.  All are 2700 one day formats.  All are 50 yd / 25 yd turning target ranges.  Durham has the largest available bullseye range and hosts the NC Regional and State Matches, generally May and October, but check the Durham Pistol and Rifle Club website for details / specific dates.  Asheville is pretty cool, with a manual target turning system for the 25 yard lines.  

CR