It’s really the new trend in shooting, and this coverage is positive. Unfortunately, my club will never run matches like this because it involves drawing from holsters and running with guns, two things which traditional shooters believe is unsafe. Yet clubs and ranges all over the country are running these matches safely.
I’ve done only a few of these matches myself, and while they were a lot of fun, the main thing that keeps me from returning is the amount of time spent sitting around watching other people shoot, which to me is like watching grass grow. Not many clubs in the area are running these, and they are crowded matches. I suspect if our club ever took up some of these newer sports, I’d be more of a Steel Challenge guy than an IPSC/IDPA guy, but I’d like to be able to shoot a match every once in a while without having to go to Central Jersey, which are the closest sanctioned matches.
The latest thing I’m considering starting is Field Target, which is one new sport our club is doing, and looks interesting. Something I should try, I think.
If you go regularly it stops being ‘stand around watching others shoot’ and starts becoming hang out with your friends for the day with some shooting thrown in. When you know everyone and can take part in some good-natured ribbing, it’s a lot more fun.
I second what Jeff said… I’ve met some really great people shooting USPSA. In the mean time, feel free to drag yourself to central jersey on the 4th Sunday of each month and shoot:
http://www.obcats.com/
or on the 2nd Sunday:
http://www.cjuspsa.org/