Weekend match description
What?
Our weekend 8-stage Steel challenge matches are an opportunity for BTSA club members and shooters from the broader community to compete use all 8 of the official stages. Novice and experience shooters are welcome provided you can safely handle your firearm. Brand new shooters may want to check out a Wednesday night steel event for a more relaxed introduction to the sport
We shoot all of the standard divisions. All scores will be submitted to USPSA. Shooters with current USPSA membership will have all 8 stages count towards their classification.
Where?
BTSA range bays 1,2,3,4,5. Shooters may drop their gear at the top but please park down the road or in the lot as parking at the top is needed for match staff. The main road gate and BTSA gates will be opened at about 8:00 am
When?
Gates open 8am, setup 8:30, mandatory safety briefing 9, lunch break after 4 stages (~noon), tear down ~3:30pm
All shooters must be present for the safety briefing or they will not be allowed to shoot.
Cost?
BTSA members- $10 per gun. Max 2 guns per session
Non-members- $20 per gun. Max 2 guns per session
Juniors (under 18, member and non-member)- 1 gun free per match
How to register?
Registration is through Practiscore. Please search BTSA 8 stage steel and look for the correct date. Shooters need to be registered by 7pm on the Friday before the match so that we can confirm squadding and load the scoring tablets. All participants will need to help score/paint/time.
Who to contact with questions?
Please email steel@btsa.club
Items to bring to the match
- Water
- Food
- Sunscreen
- Hat
- Eye/ear protection (required to participate)
- Lunch
- Timer if you have one
- Gun
- 5+ mags: Please pre-load your magazines at home when possible so that we can begin on time.
- Ammo: 195 rounds minimum for 8 stages for each gun. Experienced shooters should bring ~300. Novice shooters should bring 500.
- Holster: belt holster for any Center fire handguns that fully covers the trigger. No thigh rigs are permitted. New shooters will start from low ready if they are not experienced in holster use.
- Gun belt if drawing from a holster
Match results
Match results will be posted to PractiScore, usually the same night. If you need your results anonymized, please contact the match director well in advance of the match.
First time competitors/new to steel challenge
Please contact steel@btsa.club if you will be coming out for your first steel challenge. When you arrive, please leave all your gear in your vehicle and identify yourself to a match official/person in charge. We will place you on a squad with some experienced competitors to help get you started. We will likely need to split up groups of inexperienced shooters/competitors for both safety and efficiency but will try to keep families together where possible. Please note, when a family member is on the line, they are under the care of the range officer. Please do not distract them from following the RO’s instructions. If the RO is unfamiliar with the operation of your particular firearm, they will ask for assistance as needed. If a shooter would like coaching or advice while you are shooting, please let the RO know and they should be happy to oblige.
A note regarding classifications
Classifications are used to help competitors measure their success against shooter shooting with a similar ability and skill set. A D class production shooter and a Grand Master rimfire rifle open shooter can’t be equally compared. In order to earn a classification, you must be a current USPSA member and complete any 4 stages using one of the recognized equipment divisions. Most equipment will work with the exception of Center fire handguns from low ready.
Rule book
The official steel challenge rule book governs all of our matches please make sure to give it a read through so that you are familiar with the rules, commands, and equipment divisions.
https://scsa.org/rules
Safety
While no one wants to disqualify (DQ) a shooter, safety is our top priority. If you commit a serious safety infraction, as noted in the rules, you will be done shooting for the day. Any scores completed to that point will stand but you will not be able to continue shooting the match. It will be up to the match director’s discretion as to whether you may remain on the range. If you are permitted to remain to watch friends/family shoot, you may not handle any uncased firearms for the remainder of the day. Example of serious, DQ-able, violation include, but are not limited to, Ammo on the safe table, loaded firearms off the firing line, negligent discharge of a firearm, muzzle sweeping yourself or others, picking up a dropped gun, and dropping a loaded gun during a course of fire.
