USPSA Area 1 Championships Tri-County Gun Club, Sherwood, Oregon.

Our entry in the Revolver Class, 9 entries, was James Austin who finished 2nd with 89.56%.

In Limited 10 Class – 36 Entries – Scott Scheitzach finished 4th Overall with 78.04%

James Austin and Scott Scheitzach, two of Gig Harbor Sportsman’s Club’s most prolific competitive shooters are still making it a point to be where the action is. This time it was the Tri-County Gun Club in Sherwood, OR. The Area 1 competition is a semi-finals for the USPSA Nationals held each fall in cities around the US. Area 1 takes in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. Once a year competitors from all of these states come to an Area Championship Match that determines who goes to Nationals held during the fall of the following year. Those of you that read these pages remember that last year James Austin qualified to go to Atlanta, GA. In the fall of 2008, which is only a few months away.

This year’s match was held in Sherwood, OR and was comprised of 12 stages of fire. Scott entered the Limited 10 Class, the same basic guns as in Limited Class, but shooters are limited to 10 rounds per magazine, plus one in the chamber to start. This class was well contested with 36 guns vying for top honors. In true James Austin tradition, James ran a revolver, and in his class were 9 entries. In each of the stages the shooter with the most match points wins the stage, and is awarded 100% of the possible points for the stage. Succeeding shooters are awarded a smaller percentage of the total according to how many match points they got. 12 stages of fire. It’s going to be a busy day. Stage 1 was named “Skipping Dinner”. Scott was 6th on this stage in Limited 10 with 81.23%. James was 6th in this stage with his revolver. Keep in mind now, Scott competed against 35 other guns and James against 8 others. Stage 2 was named “Flat Foot”. Scott managed 4th with 66.44% and James won his stage with his revolver with 100%. Stage 3 was named “Ring-a-ding”. Scott shooting Limited 10 finished 12th with 64.42% and James shooting his Revolver ended up 2nd with 87.62%. Stage 4 “Hat Trick” found Scott finishing #2 with 93.66% of the stage points and James collected 63.01% in 4th place. Stage 5 “No Second Place Winner” found Scott in 14th place with 66.8% and James winning the Revolver Class with 100%. Stage 6 “Squint When You Say That” found Scott in 7th place with 81.89% and James winning his class with 100%. Stage 7 “Twinkle Toes” saw Scott finish 10th with 65.31% and James slipping to 3rd with 68.37%. Stage 8 “Chuck’s 50yd Standards” saw Scott finishing 9th with 61.48% and James staying at 3rd with 74.72%. Stage 9 “House Calls” found Scott finishing 3rd with 83.25% and James also finishing 3rd with his Revolver with a very similar 85.68%. Stage 10 was named the Miracle Mile, and it probably was starting to feel like it would take a miracle to compete for another mile. For this mile though Scott finished the Limited 10 class in 15th place with 56.05% and James finished 3rd with 69.70%. We’re getting close to the home stretch now folks. Stage 11 was named “Not the Dummy!!” and Scott finished the Limited 10 contest with 67.02%. James won the Revolver Class with 100%. And Finally Stage 12 called “Card Draw” which saw Scott finish 5th with 94.97% and again James won the Revolver Class with 100%. I hope you have noticed how close the competition in each class was.

Even though James or Scott might have finished a class down several places, the scores were still high indicating that the competition was close and the differences in results were sometimes totally insignificant. By the time a shooter gets competitive at this level everyone is good and it takes total commitment to get a good result. To repeat the final placings, Scott Scheitzach finished the Limited 10 Class 4th Overall out of 36 guns. Fantastic!! Scott’s final score was 78.04% of the winners match score. James Austin, in a Revolver Class of 9 guns finished 2nd with a percentage of 89.56%. Outstanding!! Scott and James, Well Done!! James is scheduled to go to Atlanta, GA. For the 2008 USPSA Nationals Competition this fall. Scott is on a roll now and will be competing in more big matches and we’ll just have to follow his progress to see where he ends up.

Way to go Shooters!.

Hal

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2008 Smith & Wesson International Revolver Championships

An I.C.O.R.E. (International Confederation of Revolver Enthusiasts) Match

June 19, 2008

Our Gig Harbor Sportsman’s Club Representatives are back from the ICORE match recently staged at San Luis Obispo, CA. James Austin, Scott Scheitzach, Ted Austin and Mark Wuesthoff either flew or drove to California and in addition to having a great deal of success, all reported having a great time and enjoying a great match.

This match is open to the world and 232 shooters came from all over the United States to shoot in either Limited Class or Open Class. This year 139 shooters shot in the Limited Division and 93 shooters shot the Open Division.

The winner of the Limited Class was John Bagakis with a total match time of 252.14 seconds over the 12 stages earning 100%, or 1st place. In the Open Division, legendary revolver shooter Jerry Miculek took home the honors, with a total match time of 193.32 seconds and 100% of the Open Divison.

Now it gets interesting. Our Gig Harbor Sportsman’s Club shooters, James Austin, Scott Scheitzach, Ted Austin, and Mark Wuesthoff all shot in the Limited Division. To say they all acquitted themselves well is an understatement. I’ll start with James Austin.

James finished third overall in Limited Division out of 139 shooters. His total match time was 268.72 seconds giving him 93.83% of the winning time. James started the match ranked as an A class shooter, and by virtue of his performance this year has been promoted to Master Level. James’ time of 268.72 seconds for the entire match was only 16.58 seconds behind the Limited Class winner John Bagakis who started the match as a Master. And the good news continues…..

Scott Scheitzach finished 19th Overall in Limited Class with a total match time of 346.62 seconds for 72.74% of the winning time. Scott shot the match as an A Class shooter.

Next was Ted Austin, James’ brother, who finished 74th overall in Limited Class. Ted’s time for the match was 457.52 seconds which earned him 55.11% of the winning time. Ted shot the match with a C class ranking.

Mark Wuesthoff played “Tail-End Charlie” from the Gig Harbor Club with a total match time of 481.54 seconds which landed him in 81st place overall in Limited Class with 52.36% of the winning time. Mark shot the match ranked as a C Class shooter.

Each of our competitors reported that the ICORE match was well run, and that they all had fun. Any match can’t ask for higher praise than that. If you want to see what “GOOD” looks like come out to our club’s Tuesday evening plate matches and watch these guys hammer the plate-racks. Shooters like James, Scott, Ted and Mark are the ones to talk to if you have questions about guns or shooting technique. They have all “Been There and Done That.”!!!!


Hal


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1st Annual Washington State Steel Challenge

Euphrata, Washington

64 shooters

James Austin – 6th Overall – time for match 121.44

Scott Scheitzach – 8th Overall – time for match 123.79


    Since the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) bought the rights to the Steel Challenge, local Steel Challenge matches have been popping up all over the country. Traditionally held each year in Piru, CA. Washington State just had it’s inaugural World Speed Shooting Championship edition, and two of our winningest steel plate shooters entered it and did themselves proud. James Austin and Scott Scheitzach both shot their revolvers in Revolver Limited Class and placed 6th and 8th respectively for the entire match. 64 shooters entered and shot the Steel Challenge stages in Euphrata, WA. this month so placing well required a LOT of Want To and Skill. The match is comprised of 8 stages that make the Steel Challenge the ultimate standards match in the nation, and probably in the world. The stages are named: Smoke and Hope, Five to Go, Accelerator, Outer Limits, Pendulum, Roundabout, Showdown, and Speed Option. All the stages except Outer Limits are run five times with the fastest four times added together to give the shooter his score for the stage. The Outer Limits stage requires movement from one shooting box to another and the times for the fastest three strings of fire are added together for the stage score. Finally, after all the shooters challenge all the stages, the times for all stages are added up and the lowest total time wins the match. For a good look at the layouts and descriptions of the stages just go to www.steelchallenge.com and see what James and Scotty entered and shot.

    James finished the match with a total time of 121.44 secs. Scott’s final time for the match was 123.79. Now, that’s what I call close. Well done James and Scott. Now I suppose you both are going to go to the original Steel Challenge in Piru, CA. and show the world how you do it in Gig Harbor. Between that match and the USPSA Nationals in Atlanta, Ga. this fall, James Austin is going to be busy. Well done guys.

Hal