September 2011 ear Double-Alpha Members and Subscribers, D We are proud to offer you this new issue of the DAA Zone digital magazine. As always, our thanks go to all who contribute to the content. Without your support it would not be possible. Thank you so much!

The World Shoot is just around the corner and everyone’s preparations are at fever pitch. It sure feels that way here at DAA. Of course, Eli and I will be com- peting in the match, but we also have several exciting DAA projects in the works in Rhodes.

First - we will be making the official match DVD, and it will be our best ever! Unfortunately, it may also well be our last, as DVD sales have dropped off con- siderably in recent years. This is largely due to rampant illegal copying, which greatly reduces sales. To all of you who bought and enjoyed our productions - we thank you. Double-Alpha Zone edited and produced by We are also involved in promoting and selling an exciting new service - the pro- Double-Alpha Academy fessional match photography offered by BitMyJob. This Greek-based company ______will have several professional photographers out on the range, taking top qual- for more information ity pictures of ALL the competitors. These pictures will be available for purchase visit: online, with or without additional super-cool editing effects from www.world- www.doublealpha.biz shootphotos.com

or email us at: And, in addition, we will be launching two new major products at the World [email protected] Shoot, both of which are joint ventures with our partner, CED. ______The first is the amazing new CED7000PRO. A totally new timer which allows Do you have a story to match and Steel Challenge scoring directly on the timer! Upload and download tell? capabilities, full color LCD, IR printing... the list of features goes on and on. You Send us an email! ______can read more about it in this issue of the DAA Zone. And stop by to see the timer at our World Shoot booth.

Our other new item is the all new RangePack Pro backpack - the MOTHER of all custom-made backpacks! You have to check this out in person if you can (samples will be on display at the WS booth). Nothing like this has ever been offered before - it is unparalleled for quality and features. Read more about it in the following pages.

Last week we reached a landmark at DAA: shipping our 10,000th order from our current website shop! We didn’t have much time to stop and celebrate, as we were kept busy with order 10,001, 10,002, and 10,003, coming in hot on its tail... But I do want to take this opportunity to thank our many customers and fellow shooters who choose to trust us for their IPSC needs. We greatly appreci- ate your business and will continue to do our very best for you, our customers.

I wish you all safe travels to Rhodes and look forward to meeting many of you there. Yours sincerely, Saul Kirsch

2 / Double-Alpha Zone / September 2011 3 / Double-Alpha Zone / July 2011 The NEW CED7000PRO Timer

In 2006 CED and DAA introduced the CED7000 Shot Timer, the smallest and by far the most advanced timer of its time. In fact, to this day, the CED7000 still reigns supreme as the best-selling timer on the market.

Over the past two years CED and DAA have again been working together to bring to the shooting community the next stage in Shot Timer evo- lution. Advances in chip and display technologies make it possible to elevate the simple Shot Timer to a complete, comprehensive match & training scoring tool. We are very proud to introduce the all-new CED- 7000PRO.

Of course the CED7000PRO offers all the bells and whistles we have come to expect of a top-of-the-line Shot Timer and so much more:

It offers an ROF (rate of fire) tool that allows you to clock full-auto rates of fire or just gauge how fast you can shoot your semi auto. It offers a shot counter that keeps a record of how many rounds you shoot in a practice session, or in a whole season.

It offers a full color LCD display, a customized quality keypad, alumi- num front casing, and a wide range of accessories. It even provides a “Simple Mode” option to make all these complex tools vanish, leaving only the basic delay and par settings for those who like it “Old School”... Run Timer Like its predecessor, this new timer offers an add-on RF chip to allow Mode radio communications with the CED Big Board and Score Keeper. And if all that weren’t enough – the CED7000PRO is also the very first multilingual timer offering 5 different languages: English, Ger- man, Italian, Spanish and French.

Shot/Session Rate Of Fire Counter (ROF)

4 / Double-Alpha Zone / September 2011 But beyond all these features lies the real magic! The CED7000PRO is a fully functional match computer, allowing you to score and view results directly on the shooting line, and for up to 1,500 competitors! You can create your match on the timer or opt for the easier solution of using the dedicated website, www.ced7000pro.com or WinMSS, to create your match data. You can view stage results, match results, and even verify lists directly on the timer’s color dis- play, or you can upload results from the timer to your PC and view them there, allowing you to The Match Mode print and email them to all. In the “Create New” option, you create a match It is truly a revolutionary product, which will by naming it, adding stages by assigning avail- change the way we shoot and score IPSC and able points to each (and bonus points for disap- USPSA forever! pearing targets, if needed), and enter all par- ticipating shooters. Each shooter is assigned a Wireless IR Printing starting number, placed in a squad, assigned a Division, Category, and Power Factor. By selecting “Run Match”, you choose a stage and a squad to be scored. The timer presents the list of shooters in that squad who have yet to shoot the stage, and shows the RO which shooter is up, who is on deck, and who is in the hole. After the time is recorded and confirmed, the user enters the actual hits on each target by using the scoring buttons on the keypad: A, C, D, M, and P. Each key stroke is confirmed by a prominent visual and a unique sound, so you can keep your eyes on the targets as you walk by and score them . When all hits have been entered, you can use the optional IR printer to print out two copies of the stage verification. Steel Challenge Mode The Steel Challenge Mode The “Steel Challenge” mode works much like the Match Mode in that you can create, run, modify and view results of a Steel Challenge match. The 8 stages of the Steel Challenge are already created for you, and the timer runs you through the 5 strings of each stage (or 4, in the case of Outer Limits), adding up the total and leaving out the slowest run. Of course you can add time penalties as needed while you score.

Upload and Download Uploading and downloading match data is done via the Mini USB, which also doubles as the charging port. Through this port you can also upgrade to the latest timer firmware to ensure that you are al- ways running the newest, best operating system.

€189.00

5 / Double-Alpha Zone / September 2011 CED/DAA RangePack Pro

The new generation of shooting back- packs has arrived, and it is bigger and better than ever! No other comes close!

Competitive Edge Dynamics and Dou- ble Alpha Academy are proud to intro- duce the latest and BEST in this style of range bags!

€189.00

Backpacks have a distinct advantage over traditional shoulder-strap bags as they distribute & balance the weight more evenly, making them more comfortable to carry over long distances (often the case on large IPSC shooting ranges). However, standard run-of-the-mill backpacks don’t really cut it. While they may be comfort- able to carry, most “Tactical” backpacks do not offer the features and design needed by competitive shooters on the range. Further- more, they do not always remain upright when placed on the ground.

The new CED/DAA RangePack Pro is functionally designed by shooting professionals from the ground up specifically for IPSC/USPSA, and IDPA shooters. It is an extra large backpack, chalked full of design features and accessories for the serious shooter.

The backpack is designed to stand upright on its rubberized waterproof base, allowing for easy ac- cess to all its multiple compartments. Starting with the large lockable upper compartment, which includes a detachable 7-pocket magazine holder. Additional pockets spe- cifically designed for a mag-brush, hearing protectors and a bottle of Progrip or to store the combination cable lock. There is even a pocket designed for the multi-purpose plastic utility box that comes included. The structured cover of this upper compartment includes a zippered pocket for papers, business cards, and pens, as well as elastic straps for additional tools and accessories.

6 / Double-Alpha Zone / September 2011 The back panel is designed with dense padding to provide support in all the right places. The thick, densely padded shoulder straps are contoured for the utmost in comfort and function even when packed with 15 or 20 kg of gear.

For those wet rainy days on the range, the backpack includes a rain cover neatly packed away in a con- cealed pocket, always at hand when needed. The rain cover is designed to protect the backpack while being worn by the user giving access to the shoulder straps, even when covered.

The large lower compartment is encased in a hard plas- tic shell, giving the bag strength, rigidity, and structure. This lower compartment can easily be accessed through the large lockable front opening and can hold 500 rounds of ammo plus 2 zippered sleeves, or up to 1000 rounds and 1 pistol sleeve. The compartment is even large enough to contain the CED medium size waterproof case!

Color: Black only Weight: 3.4kg (7.4lbs) excluding accessories 4.9kg (10.8lbs) with all accessories Total Dimensions: 55H x 40W x 32Dcm Bottom Compartment: 19.4H x 32.5W x 25Dcm Top Compartment: 32.5H x 32.5W x 25Dcm

Accessories Included: - A red zippered Pistol Sleeve - A red Universal Pouch - 2.0 Liter Hydration Kit with drinking tube - A Sturdy 3-legged stool with carry pouch - Customized Rain Cover - Multi-Purpose plastic Utility Box - DAA Mag Brush - Cable Combination Lock - Custom External Belt Hanger

7 / Double-Alpha Zone / September 2011 The Goatby Dave Re

veryone seems to have one. I don’t mean a belly button or… certain orifices… It’s a weakness – usually Eone that perpetually harrows you. Any time you see this thing pop up in a match, it tends to eat your lunch, hand you your ass, and laugh at you while it’s doing it. I’m talking about The Goat.

I don’t know exactly where the term “Goat” came from – I’ve tried looking for it… A Google search is a mess. Really, the origins of the term are neither here nor there, as long as we understand the term the same way. For our purposes, The Goat is that one skill that drives you nuts. The one you avoid practicing because it sucks to be so bad at it that you can’t stand working on it. The one that does the most damage to your match scores on a regular basis. The one you want to club the match di- rector over the head with your shooting bag about when you see it show up in a match. The one that makes you want to throw your over the berm about it each time it serves you up a fresh helping of humble pie. Yeah, that one.

“ ...it tends to eat your lunch, hand you your ass, and laugh at you while it’s doing it. I’m talking about The Goat... “

The severity of a Goat is relative, OK? In some senses, it’s more of a mental thing – it’s sometimes what you feel is the weak point, not necessarily what someone else tells you is weakest. And what you think is worst about your might be a skill level that someone else would love to have in their game. But, how you feel about it frequently gives it more power in it’s ability to negatively affect your game.

Remember my suggestion on how to determine what to practice? The Goat is that skill that keeps coming back on that list, taunting you like a third grader with their tongue stuck out.

How do you kill a Goat (and, preferably cook ‘em up and make some cabrito chili, or some other tasty dish)?? You gotta learn to love that animal. I mean really love it, like you love seeing it show up in a match, and look forward to taking it down.

You have to own the fact that you’re going to need to dedicate a good chunk of your practice time to that skill set, whatever it may be, and be diligent about working it it all kinds of ways. As you do the work, you’ll gain confidence in your abilities. Sure, you might still suck at it in practice, at first. That’s OK. There’s a reason why we practice things, right? Slow things down, get very deliberate about executing the skill, whatever it is, and focus on solid, smooth execu- tion. Slowly build up speed on it and stop trying to push on speed as soon as anything with it stops working – back up a step, and keep it solid. If it’s a skill you can dry fire, use dry fire time to hone the rough edges off the skill, so that you can focus your live fire practice around simply executing. 8 / Double-Alpha Zone / September 2011 “ ...The Goat starts to look appetizing when you see it on the “menu” at a match. Now, instead of a fear inspiring, (wo)man-eating trap from hell, it’s a chance to test out the work you’ve done. ... “ Accept that progress on a Goat may be slower than the pace you might be used to on other skills. That’s OK, too – it’s to be expected. Remember that you’ve probably got a little bit of a mental block against the skill, and it takes doing some work to turn that attitude around. As you do the work, though, and the timer and targets start to demonstrate the results of your efforts, you’ll begin to gain confidence, and that’s when things start to get interesting. The Goat starts to look appetizing when you see it on the “menu” at a match. Now, instead of a fear inspiring, (wo)man-eating trap from hell, it’s a chance to test out the work you’ve done. Hey, it might not go perfect the first few times – that’s also OK. Take some notes on how you do, and bring that back to practice. Each time, you’ll notice things getting a little better in a match context, too, if you’ve been diligent in practice. Progress is success. Believe it. Eventually, Mr. Goat will become a strength, and you’ll look forward to running across it in a match – at worst, you won’t even think about it when you see it.

My Goat? Extra shots on steel targets. You can bet that a huge chunk of my practice is dedicate to small paper plates (because they have no audible feedback). Things are getting better in matches with all that work. Not perfect. Better. And “better now” is even better later.

So, put your Goat to work for you, and turn it into the thing you love to work best. Your game will improve by leaps and bounds, guaranteed!

About the author

Dave Re is a US based Grand Master shooter and instructor hail- ing from Austin, Texas, and is the creator of the DR Performance Practice Deck. He operates the http://drperformanceshooting.com website, and the http://re-gun.com blog. When he’s not busy put- ting holes in things, he’s an avid photographer, and enjoys spending time with his wife and three dachshunds. And, he loves cabrito chili!

Dave Re - DR Performance Shooting Performance Shooting Instruction and Coaching Email: [email protected] Web: http://drperformanceshooting.com Phone: 512.771.2431

Practice Decks sold on www.doublealpha.biz

9 / Double-Alpha Zone / September 2011

Double-Alpha Academy and IDC are pleased to in- vite you to participate in our first level III match to be held in Baexem on 9-11 December 2011.

- Registration is via The MOS system, starting from 22nd September 2011 - 12 stages shot in one day +/- 240 rounds - Price is €55, including lunch - Squads and starting times: Squad 1-3 Friday 08:00 9th December Squad 4-6 Saturday 08:00 10th December Squad 7-9 Sunday 08:00 11th December - RO’s and helpers shoot on Thursday, 8th December - Award ceremony will be held on Sunday at approx. 17:30 - Results will be published on line via MOS & IPSC.NL

The address of the range in Baexem is: Scheitsportcentrum IDC Exeaten 5 6095 PD Baexem Nederland

Payment to be made to D.K. Marshall, in Baexem Acount No. 133092429 IBANNo. NL09 RABO 0133 0924 29 BIC. RABONL2U

Indoor heated !

Contact: Keith Marshall at [email protected] or tel +31620411641 Shoot’n Score It fully integrated with the new CED7000Pro timer Shoot’n Score It (SSI http://shootnscoreit. To import/export scoring and information to/from com) is proud to announce that SSI is now the the timer you must be a organizer of the match first complete shooting web service that (admin or staff role) and then you can select ‘CED fully supports the new revolutionary CED7000 7000PRO’ under the ‘report and score sheet’ sec- PRO Timer for IPSC, USPSA and Steel Challenge tion for the match. matches. Some typical scenarios where you do all or partial For any IPSC, USPSA or Steel Challenge match scoring using the CED7000PRO timer can be; that you organize with SSI you can now export the competitor and stage information to one or In your local club match with a limited set of more timers, shoot and score the individual stag- stages and competitors you download all stages es using the timers and then import the scoring and all competitors to one timer, shoot and score data from the timers back into SSI and generate and then upload the scoring to SSI and generate verifications and results from SSI. the results.

The combination of SSI as a web based match scoring service and the CED7000PRO timer will take match organization to a new level of efficien- cy and ease-of-use and make life at the stats-of- fice easier by reducing the time and effort needed to enter scores and generate results and also re- duce the risk for scoring errors by reducing the need for manual entry of scores. In a larger match where you are running multiple stages and squads you can download all or only a se- lected set of stages (and all competitors). If you do the later you will need to upload each export file to one timer. It is also possible for you to some score stages using the CED7000PRO Timer and score other stages manually.

When you export the scoring from the timer and import this data into SSI you can import a complete or partial scoring of the match. This means that if you have a long running match you can upload scoring at each lunch break to generate verifications etc. When uploading you have a choice of handling duplicate existing score sheets of ‘leave’ (leave score sheet as-is on SSI), ‘overwrite’ (overwrite and replace score sheet on SSI with that from timers) or ‘abort’ (stop import and generate a log message to allow you to manually fix things if needed).

About Shoot’n Score It: SSI is a sport-shooting web (http://shootnscoreit.com) that allows you to organize matches and series online. SSI supports the latest approved rules and match formats for the following ; USPSA, IPSC, PPC, IDPA and Steel Challenge. SSI supports online registration, create your own match shop (take orders for match fees, ammo, t-shirts, lunch etc), define own or use standard stages, self-squadding, pre-filled score sheets/equipment sheets as pdf files, lots of reports (pdf or xls), online scoring, generate results and much more. SSI also integrates all matches online with Facebook and Twitter to make it easy for you to keep track of ongoing or upcoming events. SSI has been in use for almost 2 years and by shooters all over the world. SSI is a completely free service for all shooters and matches.

To start using SSI to organize or compete in a match you can sign-up at http://shootnscoreit.com, to get the latest info about SSI you can visit our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shootn-Score- It/141161779263619 , to view news on matches follow us on twitter http://twitter.com/#!/ShootnScoreIt Asian action air shooting as one at the 5.11 Challenge by Krieger

We headed to the covered area where the reg- istration is and the tables were set for break- he world’s first Action Air IPSC (International fast and lunch. The team contingents from other PracticalT Shooting ) Level 3 competi- Asian countries such as , Singapore tion was held at the OPSA Ranges in Subic Free- and Thailand started arriving and we were ex- port, Philippines. The competition was organized cited to see them, of course. After having lunch, by our very own Joey “Storm” Rivero, who is also the shooters started running courses/stages. The a MILSIMER from the Team Red Wings. It was heat was up when the Magnus Media crew ar- sponsored by Mr. Kevin Chau of TSI-Tactical and rived at the site and interviewed Mr. Joey “Storm” Mr. Anton Cruz of Green Horizon Fortune Trad- Rivero, Kevin Chau of 5.11 Asia, and Team Thai- ing Company. I did not know as well that we had land. Even then, they were surprised because of delegates from some countries in Asia such as the contingents from other countries. After the Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand. We also had day was over, there were players who took their shooters who are from different parts of the coun- time and did not run or were not done with some try who joined and did their best in the shooting stages yet, especially stages 5 and 6. competition. I was surprised how the sport grew so fast. I am not familiar how it goes until I wit- THASA (Thailand Shooters Association) brought nessed it myself. It is similar to real steel; the guys from the number one cable broadcasting only difference is of course, the that the company from their country to film the whole shooters use. It is another level of gun discipline. event. They will broadcast it in their country to I remember Storm told me once, “In this kind of encourage more shooters. Mr. Dusadee Bualert sport, you are competing against yourself”. aka “Foon” of THASA said he was proud and much honored to be part of the challenge. There were Before it started on the 4th of June, I was hang- lots of things to be done and international coop- ing around with Philip Chen, the IPSC Director eration helped them a lot in order to attend 5.11 General of . We had a good chat and he Challenge, he added. They are the pioneers of is a very funny guy. The range officers are al- IPSC in Thailand and have been playing ways happy to be around him. We had a good since year 2000 and formally established THASA laugh and exchange thoughts about the shoot- in 2007 in order to serve as an umbrella organi- ing challenge and what he does in Taiwan. He is zation that will unite the Thai IPSC community a very gentle and funny person. He told me that and shoot as one. They sought help from the real Airsoft in Taiwan started about steel shooters in Thailand to set up the official 15 years ago. He is also a fellow shooter, both classification of the sport. They are well versed real steel and airsoft and enjoys shooting very of the basic principles and the discipline of the much. He said Practical Shooting is good training HKASA as well. Foon said they just practiced for and exercise because you are able to use your less than two months in preparation for the event reflexes and presence of mind. He travels around after they were invited by Mr. Joel Ulep from the globe also whenever there is an IPSC compe- OFAPS. Foon added there was not enough time tition, but he was the range officer on Stage 6 of to prepare for the event and I kept an eye on the competition this time. He hopes that in the their number one guy while covering the event. future, they can hold a competition like this one He is a really good shooter. Mr. Dusadee Bualert in Taiwan and they can field contingent to join and Mr. Chairman, Anon Hongdalud were pleased in future IPSC Action Air competition in another and inspired that they even wanted to hold an countries. Also he mentioned that he likes to see exhibition match to inspire the whole shooting more people join and enjoy practical shooting. community in Thailand before stepping it up into invitational matches/. 14 / Double-Alpha Zone / September 2011 “I would like to invite the Asia’s top shooters to come to Thailand and let them be inspiration to other shoot- ers.” Chairman Anun Hongdalud added. I would like to thank Mr. Dusadee especially when he said that this is not about winning or losing, but bringing us together… “Asia as one”. I ran across Anthony Koo aka “Athlon” from team Singapore. Their team came, but only two of them played. His teammate told me that this event is a breakthrough for Action Air, the first ever Level 3 competition in airsoft practical shooting as an IPSC sanctioned match. “We are proud to be the first Sin- gaporeans to compete in the Level 3 match.” Tham Chee Wah. They have an organization in Singapore called Airsoft Asia that sanctions airsoft practical shooting. The reason why they have only two com- petitors was because they were screened. The rule in their Airsoft organization in Singapore is when you are playing on Level 1 and 2, it is fine and they do not have to get a permit nor compete to get a “go” upon winning, but Level 3 is different.

Mr. Joey Ulep of OFAPS (Overseas Filipino Airsoft Practical Shooters) has big plans as well. OFAPS is to promote the Airsoft IPSC-style pistol and shooting among Filipinos. The team is composed of Filipino workers and residents of Hong Kong who al- ways look forward to a time-action shooting besides airsoft skirmishes. Its main objective is to represent the Philippines in international matches and compe- titions specifically in Hong Kong. OFAPS Hong Kong League is also the official international chapter and representative of Philippine Airsoft Practical Shooting (PAPS) and IAPS-Philippines in Hong Kong. There are a lot of competitions in Hong Kong and it happens every month. “Filipinos gained the respect of Hong Kong shooters. We proved our worth, and to top it all, we gained their respect.” Mr. Ulep added. I would like to thank Mr. Ulep for taking care of us regarding our transportation especially his teammate, Mr. Allen Salonga.

On the following day of the challenge, most teams ran stages 5 and 6. We were done early and headed to the Subic Convention Center for the awarding. We waited for the PNoy Cup (the real steel IPSC shoot- ing competition) to finish theirs. Most of the winners were from the HKASA (Hong Kong Airsoft Shooting Association). We would like to congratulate them all and of course, the other winners who really did well during the challenge. After the awarding ceremony, we headed to the fellowship venue. Shooters enjoyed the rest of the night and Mr. Rivero, the host called them for their speeches and of course we had a good laugh when he asked the shooters to show us some of their talent. The recently concluded 5.11 Challenge would surely serve as a benchmark for the IPSC and Action Air community not only here, but is other parts of the globe. Most of the participants learned a lot about this competition. They would share it when they go back to their respective countries. Some of them are looking forward to hold Action Air IPSC competitions in the near future and we are looking forward to the plan of THASA to organize another international ac- tion air exhibition in Thailand. We are truly “Asia as One” in this. 15 / Double-Alpha Zone / September 2011 World Shoot by David Thompson ammo tested XVI Front sight magazine Remember that IPSC Production rules strictly limit changes, and that all internal parts must be udging from the presentation they made at theXVI from the pistol’s original manufacturer. recentJ SV European Open, GECO takes their role as official match ammunition producer for World I measured velocity using a CED M2 chronograph. Shoot XVI very seriously. They’re a major spon- All “made minor” but the recoil of each load felt sor for the SV Euro Open, and GECO’s represen- different. The re- coil of the 139 and 154 grain tative at the Open (Heinz Winkler) had first-run loads was noticeable, especially in the polymer- samples of their proposed loads available for test. framed . Front Sight secured small lots of each, which you’ll find tested below. For accuracy testing, I rested each 9mm pistol on leather bags filled with polymer beads. The aver- Winkler made it very clear that the loads on of- age group for all three loads in each pistol floated fer that day were not the final loading, as they be- tween 2 and 3 inches (50 to 75mms) at a had plans to run further tests. However, the loads distance of 20 meters. The best group of the lot supplied to Front Sight should be quite close to happened with the 124 grain FMJ load in the CZ the final product. 75 SP01, producing a five shot cluster just 45mm in size. Since the demands of a World Shoot require far more than the maximum weight of ammunition ignition and functional reliability were 100 one person may carry in their checked bags (5 percent in the three . Examining the inden- kilo- grams/11 pounds), many competitors will tation on each primer I could see that they were be looking hard at GECO’s line. It’s either buy all well struck. GECO, or figure out how to ship ammo from your home country to Greece. A fourth 9mm load that we did not have the op- portunity to test was the 9 x 21mm round. Some GECO is a German firm, part of the larger RUAG countries, such as Italy, forbid the ownership of 9 Ammotec Munitions Manufacturing Group. x 19mm ammunition. GECO provides a 9 x 21mm load with that in mind. 9x19, 9x21 While the 124-grain load produced power factors GECO produces three types of 9X19 for IPSC use: in the high 120’s/low 130s, the 139 grain a 124, 139, and 154-grain FMJ. I checked their generated 137 accuracy and velocity with three of the most com- power factor, and the 154 grain bullet 139. While mon production pistols: a CZ75 SP01, a Glock 17, a lot of competitors on the IPSC match circuit load and a Sphinx Production 3000. All three pistols to a PF of 133 to 135, power factors above 135 were fit- ted with the original factory parts, with generate recoil that starts to be harder to control. some minor detailing and smoothing of parts to improve the feel of the trigger. 16 / Double-Alpha Zone / September 2011 “The 139 and 154 grain versions of the 9mm were especially designed as subsonic IPSC ammuni- tion. However, they may be reduced in velocity even more in the next batch,” said Heinz Win- kler in a post-testing e-mail. “Of course the 124 gr is the most common, but there was a strong wish of the shooters in Europe to shoot heavier bullets with a factor slightly over 125.”

.38 Super The GECO .38 Super load uses a 124 grain FMJ bullet loaded to an overall length of 32.31mm. I tested it in an STI Trubor pistol, where it gener- ated 160.4 power factor. Using a Ransom Rest and inserts supplied by Brownells Inc., this STI grouped five rounds into a 30mm cluster at20 meters. I also chronographed the .38 Super load with two other Open Division pistols: a Tanfoglio “We are limited in length due to the C.I.P. rules,” (PF 155) and an SVI Infinity (PF 157). Again prim- says Winkler, “therefore we are not allowed to of- er ignition and functional reliability were 100%. fer a .40 S&W long. . . .(it) will be the only am- These power factor results mirror what competi- munition which will not be supplied from GECO tors at the SVI Infinity Open in found as official match ammunition at the World Shoot when they tried this ammunition. 2011.” .40 S&W, Standard OAL I strongly suggest that if you are go- ing to use I tested GECO’s .40 S&W 180 grain FMJ at 20 me- the GECO .40 ammunition, that you test your ters using an STI Execu- tive. Using the Ransom pistol with a similar load. Cook up a 180 grain Rest, it produced a 20-meter group 28mm wide FMJ trun- cated cone at 28.52mm OAL with a PF and a PF of 178. In a similar SVI that load gave around 170 and give it a try! 51mm and a PF of 164. Tests in a CZ Tactical Sport showed a PF of 175 What If I Don’t Make Major? and in a Tanfoglio Limited a PF of 169. Primer You will have noted that GECO’s .38 Super am- ignition and functional reliability was 100 % munition generally failed to make major power throughout. factor (160 for inter- national events). GECO has noted this already and will be working with The .40 round has an overall length of 28.52mm. this ammunition so that it will make the required Although it functioned with 100% reliability in all power factor on match day. However, even if it four pistols, those who compete in IPSC events doesn’t, in an IPSC match where the ammunition with 2011 style pistols generally load their .40 is supplied by the organizers, the match ammo is ammunition to a longer overall length (29.50 to deemed to make declared power factor regard- 31mm). less of how feeble it might actually be. For match ammo users, primer ignition and functional reli- ability is the only concern, and the loads present- ed ran 100% in all pistols tested. These loads will be available around Europe and Canada prior to the worlds. It is currently not available in the US, be- cause RUAG Ammo- tec distributes their RWS brand there, however, GECO’s IPSC ammunition should be available in the USA in the future.

Geco open 2011 by ralf k. Jensen September 3rd and 4th the first Geco Open2011 2012 The stages show a lot of diversity (the shooters was held on the outskirts of the scenic town of are challenge on a multitude of shooting capa- Debrecen in Hungary. The match used to be bilities). And as usual the stages typically could called the MFS Open, but after MFS has become be shot in different way, which meant that the part of the RUAG corporation, the name of the shooter has to be creative and think. The stages match needed to change. often tested the shooter by presenting targets relatively close, at medium and medium-long dis- As usual the match was being organized by Vinc- tances, which forced the shooter up and down in ze Zoltan and is definitely one of the best match- shooting speed. Some of the stages demanded es in Europe in my opinion. The match consisted very technical shooting – especially two of the of 16 stages with a total of 320 rounds and this stages were “skill tests” as I call them. One in- year almost 200 shooters were registered for the volved 2 mini poppers placed in front of PTs at match. People came from as far away as Finland approx. 27 meters, while the other used mini- and Israel to compete against each other. targets at 25 meters.

A lot of top shooters from all across Europe had And while there were a lot of bobbers, up/down- come to the match. As usual the biggest division movers, gravity turner, no stage could be de- was Production Division with top shooters like Ed- scribed as being “circus shooting”. Especially the ouardo De Cobos (European Champion Produc- short courses used bobbers activated by poppers tion), Ljubisa Momcilovic, Marian Vysny, Miroslav and mini poppers. With stages like these timing Zapletal just to mention some. Open Division also is essential, so I watched the squad shoot in front attracted strong shooters, and while Eric Grauffel of us while using my stopwatch to time the three wasn’t there the CZ team was strongly represent- essential things you need to know when shoot- ed by Martin Kaminiczek, Robin Sebo and Miro- ing bobbers (release time, shoot time and gone- slav Havliczek. time). Using your stopwatch like this makes it quite easy to decide on the right shooting solu- Standard Division was also very well represented, tion in short courses with activating targets. with 4 of the Top-5 shooters from the European Championship 2010. From the STI Eu- The results: roteam the European Champion in Standard Divi- In Standard STI Euroteam/Team Fiocchi domi- sion Juan Carlos Jaime Diaz (aka “JC”), Grego- nated standard division by finishing 1st, 2nd and ry Midgley and yours truly participated. And of 4th. The winner was JC, followed by yours truly course the Hungarian top shooter Gyorgy Batki (98,1%) and Gyorgy Batki/HUN (94,1%). Grego- from the Blackhawk Team was there as well. ry Midgley finished 4th with 92,4%. In production Serbian top shooter Ljubisa Mom- So how was it? The match was great and so was cilovic took the win with Spains Eduardo de Cobos the weather: It was warm and approx. 29 C. In 2nd (98,1%). 3rd was Miroslav Zapletal (95,0%) Denmark/Sweden where I live our summer has followed by Marian Vysny (94,1%). been horrible: Rain, rain, rain. That makes you really the climate. In Open Martin Kaminicek won convincingly with a 10% lead over team mate Miroslav Havlicek (89,9%) and Petr Pijacek (89,2%). Robin Sebo finished 4th (88,7%).

I already look forward to shooting the Geco Open again next year.

DVC & best regards, Ralf K. Jensen PRACTICE Recognizing the TIME - Saul Kirsch, Double-Alpha Academy options uccessful IPSC shooting is all about making the right tactical choices for you, and shooting each the right wayS for YOU. The first step in deciding the best way to shoot a stage is to recognize all the options. If you do not see the right solution, you certainly cannot choose it. So gathering information is crucial.

“ I sometimes hear midlevel shooters complain that very tactical stages are too difficult to figure out and memorize. I think they are wrong. A confusing tactical stage is an equalizer! Even a midlevel shooter making the effort to prepare well, can excel. If he comes up with a better solution and commits it to memory, he can beat more accomplished shooters..... “

When a stage is complex, the 5 I think they are wrong. A confus- minutes allowed for the walk- ing tactical stage is an equalizer! through, surrounded by 15 other Even a midlevel shooter making shooters elbowing for position, the effort to prepare well, can ex- may not be sufficient. You may cel. If he comes up with a better not have time to locate all the solution and commits it to mem- targets, memorize their positions, ory, he can beat more accom- and consider all the options. And plished shooters. then you still need enough time to run your visualization several or A useful source of information is more times before you are ready a fellow shooter who has already to shoot. shot the stage, and may be willing to share his experience with you. Give yourself more time. Make This can be helpful, but keep in sure you see the complicated mind that another shooter’s solu- stages long before you get there tion may not be the best one for with your squad. This is why you. If he is at a higher or lower the top shooters are always out level than you, what was right for on the range the day before the him may be wrong for you. Also match. Watching the prematch keep in mind that you are his and studying the stages at leisure competitor, and he may be selling can give you a real head start. you a line. Especially if you are at similar levels competing in the As long as the stages are not in same division. use, some match organizers al- low shooters to walk them the Rather than questioning others, day before a match. This is com- you can watch them shoot or walk mon practice in the USPSA, but through. As your squad does its not at most big international IPSC walkthrough on the stage, watch events. Ask in advance if you will your fellow squad members. See have access to the stages. In any what they have in mind for the event, get out to the range the stage. See what options they are day before, even if only to study considering. They may see some- the stages from behind the tape. thing you do not. But here too, re- In this case, keep in mind that member that they may be sand- things will look different when you bagging you! This happens quite are there up front. Targets will be often on the Super Squads, and closer, angles will change, and so can be rather funny. One of the on. Use your stop watch to time shooters sees a good option when activators and record the data. he first looks at the stage, but then he purposely does his walk- I sometimes hear midlevel shoot- through in the other direction, ers complain that very tactical not looking at the solution he has stages are too difficult to figure chosen to shoot. out and memorize.

20 / Double-Alpha Zone / September 2011 options

Of course, this is only effective if stage from all angles and direc- he is one of the last on the squad tions. Even if you are already con- to shoot. After all, when you are vinced that it is better to go right, up to shoot for real, you have to look at going left too. Don’t close show all your cards, and run the your mind to other alternatives if stage the best way you know how. you have the time to check them So watch to see what your squad out. Look at every possible angle. members are doing, but don’t rely Once you have come up with a only on them. good plan, run it a couple of times in order to familiarize yourself. Nothing beats match experience Then start over and look at the when it comes to recognizing tac- other options. See how they com- tical options on a stage. Compete pare to your already favored one. as soon and as often as you can. The match experience you gain And most important – don’t be cannot be gained any other way. lazy! When it comes to tactics, If you are a beginner, try to “latch even a very simple stage has op- on” to a more experienced shoot- tions, and one way will be better er, and follow his lead on tactics. than another. When you look at a Ask him questions, and pump stage and think, “It makes no dif- him for information about his ference how I shoot this one,” you way of looking at the stage and are probably missing something. seeing options you do not. Most You are handing your competition top shooters are happy to help a the edge. beginner, especially if he strokes their ego a little. In the next issue, we will discuss how best to choose between the Develop all the good options you options you have identified. see on the stage. Consider the

21 / Double-Alpha Zone / September 2011 in the trenches at Double-alpha academy story by robin taylor, front sight magazine, Sep/Oct 2011

Kirsch has really been able to bring the full weight of his engineering talent and training to bear. AALWIJK, NETHERLANDS — Following the EuropeanW Steel Challenge in June, I thumbed a Make no mistake, Kirsch remains an intense and ride to Waalwijk (pronounced “vall vike”), Neth- committed competitor. What changed are the fi- erlands, with reigning European Steel Challenge nancial underpinnings of his shooting career. For champion Saul Kirsch. Kirsch was kind enough to years Kirsch had the luxury of competing full- put me up for a couple of days, and let me help time, focusing on shooting with a little coaching out on the assembly floor at Double Alpha Acad- and sales thrown in. It’s a history that should emy. make most any shooter outside the US Army Marksmanship Unit envious. If anyplace deserves the title “The Idea Factory,” this is it. Kirsch got into the as a young Olympic rifle competitor, shooting international Just wandering around in the DAA warehouse/of- Air Rifle and Smallbore Rifle events near Tel Aviv, fice, I kept tripping over new ideas in the making Israel. He actually wanted to shoot in- — some of them displayed on computer screens stead, but the range was too far away, so as a as full-color 3D models, others as prototypes, still 12-year-old he shot air rifle instead. Saul was others as a concept Kirsch was batting around good, so good in fact that he won a spot on the over lunch. Junior National Team at age 15. At 18, Kirsch was training with the Israeli Olympic team. In just the last couple of years, DAA has launched a string of successful holsters, timers, ammo “That was pretty much a full-time thing,” says gauges, books, mag pouches and what-not tai- Kirsch. “We’d go the range and shoot in the morn- lored to the international IPSC market. While we ing, then go to sports psychology lectures, gym shooters know him best as a shooter and entre- or study nutrition. . .” preneur, Kirsch’s background is actually in indus- Israel has compulsory military service for men trial engineering. To put it another way, Kirsch is from age 18-21, which tends to derail many Is- an engineer who has been on a long side trip as a raeli athletes’ competitive dreams. After they “do professional athlete. their Army” many struggle to get back to the top of their sport. Kirsch was lucky enough to qualify For 20 years, Kirsch has been competing on a as an “exceptional athlete,” which allowed him to worldwide basis, using the gear we all use, shoot- pick a job within the Israeli Army that was com- ing the , and experiencing the demands of patible with his skills and schedule as an athlete. top-flight competition. It’s only just now that His choice? Shooting instructor. 22 / Double-Alpha Zone / September 2011 “Olympic shooting is so much more difficult men- like the Gaza strip. Ammunition is also tightly tally (than IPSC),” says Kirsch. “You’ve got to be controlled. Reloading is not allowed. Possession focused 100 percent for long periods of time. I’ve of reloading equipment ranks as a serious crime. always felt that was an advantage I had, having “It’s weird,” says Kirsch. “Army officers can’t get come up as an Olympic rifle shooter.” a pistol if they live in the center of the country, far from the conflict areas.” Kirsch never did win that coveted Olympic spot, but he traveled with the team, competing at ma- During the 1980s, Israeli law began recogniz- jor events across Europe. Despite his status as an ing IPSC competition as a legitimate “need” to exceptional athlete, Kirsch was still a soldier, and own a handgun - and once you had a gun per- all Israeli soldiers must carry their mit, you were allowed to carry that gun on your with them wherever they go in Israel. It was that person. It should come as no surprise that IPSC annoying necessity that led him down a different competition suddenly became VERY popular in path. conflict-stricken Israel, with people signing up in the thousands. Many shooters went through the Carrying a full-size M16 slung across your back IPSC qualification courses as a way to get a carry is, at best, awkward. To get around that, Kirsch gun and dropped out of sight soon after, but a applied for a pistol permit, which was compatible healthy percentage caught the IPSC bug. It just with his role as a shooting instructor. If he could made sense. If you were going to carry the gun, get authorized for the pistol, he could carry it on shouldn’t you at least know how to use it? his trips home, and leave the bulky rifle behind. In short order, Kirsch had a CZ-75. Kirsch was studying to get his license as an ath- letic trainer during his army years (a two-year Israeli gun law is a strange thing. For example, course in Israel) and was already on the range a some of the settlements have their own arse- lot. He soon started getting requests to teach ba- nals, which are used in a civil defense capacity sic handgun courses. The concepts lined up well by the civilians living there. When the Israeli with Kirsch’s Olympic background - and it paid intelligence service puts out a warning of a po- well. tential threat, designated civilians living in each settlement man gates, walls, guard towers, and “The gun part was really simple, and it was good the like — like a volunteer fire department. Aside money, especially for a student in university,” from the many missile attacks every year, there says Kirsch. He started teaching frequently. “Af- are ground assaults as well — Kirsch mentioned ter a while I thought I better go check out this an incident that had happened the week before IPSC stuff.” my visit. “Civil guards” (literally doctors, truck drivers, etc.) ride along with police officers, car- It wasn’t long before Kirsch was competing se- rying privately-owned weapons and assisting the riously, first with his CZ, then shooting a Para- officer with his tasks. Ordnance .45 ACP with a dot scope and full-bore 230-grain hardball. Remember, all ammunition in Despite this seemingly pro-gun posture, gun con- Israel must be factory-made, and in those days trol thrives in the Jewish state. Civilians may not (early 90’s), there was nothing else that made own unless they can show a need, yet Major. Kirsch won the Israeli National title with contrary to the American trend, gun ownership that gun, but moved on to a Bul M-5 in Win- gets EASIER the closer you get to “conflict areas” chester 9X23 when they became available. major match in France, and when Saul called Winchester to complain, that conversation led to a sponsorship agreement. Although they’re terri- bly expensive, “to this day that’s what the guys in Israel are using,” says Kirsch. With his ammo cost erased and a job from Bul paying the bills, young Kirsch’s horizons were expanding fast.

Each successive victory expanded his reputation, and with that, increased demand for Kirsch as an instructor. During this time frame, Kirsch began coaching Daphna Makoff, an Israeli philanthro- pist. Makoff in turn brought Kirsch to the atten- tion of the Makoff Reifman Foundation: a private foundation that supported Israeli athletes in non- . The support of Makoff Reifman, combined with his close relationship with Bul, made it possible for Kirsch to begin building his life around his shooting.

“This is really an amateur sport,” says Kirsch. “If you look at the top athletes in , for exam- ple, tennis is all they do. Their entire lives ro- tate around what’s best for their tennis game. In IPSC, there are maybe half a dozen people world- wide that can do that — Grauffel, Max Michel, maybe some of the other US Army team guys. I was lucky, for two years I was able to do that.”

An American attending his own US Nationals “You’ve got to remember that in those days, IPSC commonly spends more than $2,000 on travel, was huge in Israel,” says Kirsch. “We had thou- hotels, rental car, match fees, meals and am- sands of competitors; so many that we had to munition. For a foreign competitor, add another have qualification matches to select who would $500 for airfare, plus an additional factor for lon- compete at the nationals.” ger travel times (more meals, more hotel days). And more days away from work and family. When he left the Army, Kirsch went to college Without the help of the now-defunct Makoff Reif- at the Tel Aviv University (Industrial Engineering) man Foundation, Kirsch would not be where he and continued his shooting/training on the side. is today. Traveling and shooting that much factory ammo was terribly expensive, so Kirsch presented him- “They would approve my schedule, then pay for self to the Israeli pistol maker Bul Transmark. it — literally give me a credit card and ask for the Their M5 pistol parallels the STI/SV 2011 design, receipts,” he says. but the polymer grip portion is not interchange- able. Kirsch describes the gun as being quite like Walk into the upstairs office of Double Alpha, and the Para-Ordnance, only with a polymer frame. the walls around the pool table glisten with first- “I was just looking for sponsorship,” says Kirsch, place trophies won around the world. It’s an im- “but they liked me. What I wanted to do profes- posing reminder of Kirsch’s expertise to anyone sionally lined up well with what they needed.” who comes to visit Double Alpha’s offices in Waal- wijk. Three huge Steel Challenge trophies live in Bul had just bought out Saul’s gunsmith, and they Kirsch’s office, the smaller traveling trophy mak- needed a native English speaker to help with the ing four. He’s a past all-Israel Champion, mem- export market. Saul got his sponsorship, plus a ber of the Dutch Open team, the list of accolades full-time job on graduation. He came on with Bul would run for paragraphs. He has won the Euro- as a combination competitive shooter/engineer/ pean Steel Challenge six times, and over 60 level marketing guy. III matches across Europe.

“I learned so much at Bul,” says Kirsch. “They “For a time it was Eric and me at every match,” taught me about production, about marketing, Kirsch reminisces “Eric always first, but I was a international sales. . . I worked for them full time sure second,” and while today there are others until I moved to Holland in 2001, and then con- that can displace Kirsch in Open Division IPSC, tinued part time from Holland until 2002.” the list is short. Kirsch laughs about his track record on the recent world championships. He While he lived in Israel, a weak lot of Winchester placed 5th at the worlds in 2002, 6th in 2005, 7th 9X23 124-grain silvertips went minor at a in 2008. “If I’m on schedule I’ll be 8th in Greece!”

24 / Double-Alpha Zone / September 2011 Today he’s captain of the STI European Team, “We were amazed at how much space that was,” helping select team members, and appearing laughs Kirsch’s wife Judith. “How would we ever with the team at major events across Europe. fill it?” The garage is big by Dutch standards, but Saul filled it inside a year. Serious Mind Kirsch is nothing if not intense. He can turn that Soon he was renting storage units nearby, and down to be social, but in his professional life, look buying a dedicated company van to haul invento- out. Talking about his life as he munched on a ry and a display to matches. By 2008, the hand- chicken salad at lunch, Saul looked over at me, writing was on the wall. This was going to work. and suddenly the “niceness” dropped away. He bought a two-story warehouse unit near his home, and hired his first employee, Rob Trip. “I don’t do things half-a__,” he said. “When I failed to make the Olympics in 1992, I had to make a A year later Kirsch bought the adjoining unit, decision. It (Olympic Shooting) went from being knocked out the wall separating them, and in- the center of my life to nothing. I later shot only stalled two CNC machines — one of them an four matches in my four years at University, and SUV-sized HAAS 4-axis — to help fabricate details I did that because by representing the school, I of the “Race Master” holster. Today Rob Trip is was exempt from what you’d call P.E.” Kirsch’s logistics manager and “road man,” trav- eling widely with Kirsch. He’s one of three Dutch “I was going that way in IPSC in 2002 after the employees, plus Eli Huttner (business develop- Worlds in South Africa.. I was ready to leave the ment manager, online marketer and web master, sport after giving it my best for years. Then I living in Denmark), and a battery of contractors had the idea of trying to create a business in this who make parts to Double Alpha’s specifications sport, and that led to Double Alpha Academy.” in Israel and elsewhere.

Saul started the retail side of the business offi- cially in 2002, following the World Shoot.

“The plan was for it to be temporary, to learn how to run a business in Holland, then I’d go into something else.”

Saul started contacting his sponsors, getting dealer arrangements so he could sell the gear he’d been using. He carefully avoided any prod- uct that might fall afoul of international arms regulation, focusing entirely on the unregulated “accessories” market.

Without anything like a proper office space, Kirsch used every available nook and cranny in his then rather small house in Eindhoven, in the south of Holland.

“I had plastic boxes in our crawlspace, our ‘zol- dar’ as they call it in Holland,” says Kirsch. “That’s an attic you couldn’t stand up in.”

Kirsch set up a vendor booth at the major match- es within the European Union, driving to them, competing, and vending when he could. Teamed with a sharp website, the effort was successful, and Kirsch’s operation began to expand. The Eu- ropean Union’s lack of *internal* trade barriers played a huge role. Instead of doing reams of im- port and tax paperwork, Kirsch was and is able to display at a match, make sales, and report his sales in Holland.

Kirsch said flatly, “The only way we can survive is the international aspect of the sport. It is simply too small in any single country to make a busi- ness of it. You need to cover a lot of ground.” Soon Double Alpha was overflowing the “zoldar,” and showing enough of a profit that he was able to buy a house with a 10-meter-long garage in Waalwijk, where he lives today. When Kirsch said “I don’t do things half a___,” he wasn’t kidding. Listening to him talk on the phone, he’ll switch from English, to Dutch, to Hebrew all in the same conversation, while working with three computer screens and a smart phone at the same time.

Holster parts arrive on pallets from Israel, rapidly get sorted, matched up with other subassemblies made in Holland or elsewhere, assembled, packaged, and shipped. When things are running smoothly, Kirsch is turning hundreds of holsters a week. The week I was there, parts for his new adjustable mag pouch came in — in four colors. Saul, Rob, and I largely ignored the hundreds of prepped holster parts spread across workbenches and spent the day assembling mag pouches, trying to make that day’s shipping cutoff. They needed to get a pallet out the door headed to the Greek Nationals, and Saul and Rob were headed to the SV Euro Open that weekend.

As we worked, Saul told me “we’re getting to where DAA doesn’t need my name to sell it. A lot of what we’ve been able to do is because of our strategic partnership with CED.”

Back in 2005, Kirsch had been working on a timer when he ran into Charles Hardy at the American Hand- gunner in Colorado. The two started comparing notes, and realized they were both trying to build the same product. Rather than compete, they partnered, which resulted in the hugely successful CED7000 shot timer.

“That was my first big cash outlay to develop a product,” says Kirsch. “Now DAA is the exclusive CED dis- tributor in Europe, and he is my biggest distributor in the .”

Double Alpha’s business comes roughly 40 percent from the United States, 40 percent from Europe, and 20 percent everywhere else. As he said, the international aspect of the sport is critical. The Idea Factory I can’t over-emphasize the creative power flowing through Saul at Double Alpha. When Kirsch decided to ex- pand into designing and manufacturing his own gear, the spigot on Kirsch’s mind opened full wide.

I led this article off by saying that a visit to Double Alpha is a visit to the Idea Factory. Kirsch has invested heavily in modeling software, and has built the relationships with manufacturers needed to bring his ideas into reality. He and Charles Hardy are designing a new timer, one that will act as a timer, AND let you enter scores, AND upload those scores to a central scoring computer.

Seemingly every time I touched Kirsch with a question, another product idea fell out of his head — something he’d been thinking about for years; like a set of classifiers that diagnoses your strengths and weaknesses, or a stick-on shot counter for your reloading press, or a device to catch and hold 50 rounds of reloaded ammunition for easy insertion into a box. Or cleats. Since Europeans don’t play much , rubber cleats are hard to find. Double Alpha imports Nike Land Sharks and brings cases of them to matches.

Looking ahead, Kirsch sees innovation as Double Alpha’s ticket to growth.

“Anybody can sell stuff,” he says. “Design is what sets us apart.”

IPSC is, and will remain, his primary clientele, but Kirsch is re-activating old contacts from his Olympic Rifle days. He helped develop the Starik Tube, named for his friend Guy Starik, one of the top prone rifle shooters in the world. The Starik tube is a kind of harmonic stabilizer combined with a barrel extension that carries the front sight.

With it, Double Alpha will likely find itself expanding into a whole new world of ideas.

There’s a synergy that happens with Saul being on the road, competing heavily, helping manage the STI Euro team, then bringing the ideas and concepts he finds back to the crew at the Idea Factory for development. What was a “temporary” idea for Saul has “become a proper business” positioned for growth and, dare we say it, greatness. 28 / Double-Alpha Zone / September 2011 29 / Double-Alpha Zone / September 2011 2011 Area 3 Regional Handgun Championship

stages with a high round count and forcing com- For sixty two years, Hornady Manufacturing, petitors out of their comfort zone. “Being able a family owned business has made its home in to (put on or create) a match that is technically Grand Island, Nebraska, manufacturing products challenging for all skill levels, safe and provide an proudly made in the USA. And for the second adrenaline rush, is what I strive for,” said Green- year in a row, Hornady sponsored the 2011 USP- field. “At the end of the day, when competitors SA Area 3 Regional Handgun Championship held walk up to me and say, they never had so much August 11-14, at the Heartland Public Shooting fun shooting terribly, I know I’ve done my job.” Park in Grand Island. Known as the largest, most complete public shooting facility in the Midwest, Open Division, title defender Max Michel, said, Heartland Park is comprised of 420 acres, with “I love the history that surrounds Grand Island, bays that are spectator friendly for ongoing com- NE, where Hornady has been a strong supporting petitions that always attract newcomers to the member to the community, to the firearms indus- growing sport. try and not to mention they are well known for their accurate bullets.” Max added, “As a member Area 3 is the Central Midwest region within the of Team Hornady, whenever I’m in town, I always United States Practical Shooting Association enjoy visiting the plant and conduct a training (USPSA) and one of the eight shooting regions course which many of the employees participate in the country. Area 3 comprises Iowa, Kansas, in, prior to the competition each year.” Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota, drawing over three hundred of the SIG SAUER Team Captain, Michel, would go on to nation’s top pistol competitors eager to compete successfully defend his title with one of his most at this prestigious Level III match. dominating performances of the year winning 11 of the 14 stages. Team Hornady shooter, Nic Neel Since 2010, Match Director, Sherwyn Greenfield finished 2nd place overall at 88.32% and Eddie has overseen the design of the fourteen stage Garcia would round out the top three in the Open match and has built a reputation for creating Division with 87.88% Subscribe Today!

Front Sight has brought out the people, products, and events that drive our sport for more than 20 years. (See sample articles in the DAA Zone.)

We’re the house organ for the U.S. Practical Shooting Association (USPSA), the oldest and largest region in IPSC. We’re based in the United States, but our member/subscibers hail from more than 60 nations. (USPSA welcomes “foreign” member/subscribers, it has no residency or shooting requirements.) Members receive our 80-page magazine every two months, shipped anywhere in a privacy envelope.

www.uspsa.org/front-site-magazine.php LOOK FOR: Front Sight’s European stringers Hanneke Vermeulen and David Thompson at the World Shoot. They’ll be joined by Patrick Sweeney (Guns & Ammo) reporting on the action!

Commenting on how important it is to prepare yourself for a long day of shooting, Max added, “As a com- petitor, it’s key to pace yourself both mentally and physically when shooting fourteen stages in one day, you have to stay hydrated to replenish your energy and keep your focus. The quality of Sherwyn’s stages is some of the best competitors will shoot all year and helps me prepare me for the upcoming IPSC World Shoot in Greece.”

Returning to the Area 3 match this year, now as a member of Team Hornady, Blake Miguez shut out sev- enty one other competitors to win the Limited Division. Noting the stages were more difficult than a normal USPSA match, and had a round count of 400, Miguez said, “Sherwyn’s stage de

Blake Miguez finished 2nd Overall at World Shoot XV and has since come on very strong within the US and abroad. Blake has competed in both Germany and Greece earlier this summer and won both competitions with a commanding lead. He looks to build off of this performance and the experienced gained from the last World Shoot to reach the Standard Division Gold Medal.

Winning the Area 3 Championship this year was no easy task for Miguez however. “The competition in the US is always difficult at any level. I really enjoy battling it out with other National and World Champions, as it makes me stronger every match”, Blake added. He was right as Emanuel Bragg finished 2nd place overall with 96.43% and IPSC World Shoot XV Champion, Travis Tomasie, finishing in 3rd place with 93.30%.

As this amazing competition comes to an end, all competitors pack up and depart for their home towns with a great sense of enjoyment. Whether you were a shooting professional competing to win your Division or just there to have a great time with some buddies, all were challenged with great stage designs and had a blast. Sherwyn and his staff put on one of the best competitions in the country and this year he did not disappoint. We all look forward to what Hornady and the Heartland Shooting Park will have in store for us next year, so be sure to check the USPSA web site for 2012 match dates and put it on your calendar. See you there!

31 / Double-Alpha Zone / September 2011 32 / Double-Alpha Zone / September 2011

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