Nashville Online Handgun Postal Match

Better Late Than Never

2011-10-28T13:11:00.002-05:00

Everyone, so you all know that the postal match has been mothballed for some time. Life has gotten in the way some. I hope to restart it in the near future.

As Halloween is coming up, I'm delighted to say that I have recently had an inquiry from a young man asking about the Zombie Apocalypse contest we had last year. Here is is story:

"My name is Mathew Morrison. I am a senior at Tri County Early College High School in Murphy, NC. As a graduation requirement, each student must complete a project with three parts: research paper, speech, and physical product. For my project, I chose " The Theory of Zombieism" for my topic. I find this to be a very appropriate as little is known about zombies, including the ideal is the possibility of " Zombieism". I discovered your webpage while conducting research and became very interested in the contest you hosted. I thought this could be used as " hands on experience" for my project. After consulting my mentor on the matter, she agreed and encouraged me to enter the contest. It wasn't until I requested more information that I realized the contest had ended in 2010."

I figured, what the heck, so Mathew sent his target in. Since he is in High School, he shot his .177 pellet gun. Pretty good shooting, young man. Thanks for playing along.

February Match Results - The Wheel of Love

2011-04-06T17:01:00.000-05:00

Ahhh, the love was in the air. Sorry it has taken me a while to get the scores up. Work and all....

Class 1 (Rimfire, Iron Sights)

Mr Borland
S&W Model 617, DA, .22LR
Score=106+3x

Mo
Ruger Single Six, SA, .22LR
Score=118+6x

Merle
S&W Model 34, DA, .22LR
Score=3

Mr Borland
S&W Model 617, .22LR
Score=124+3x

Class 2 - No Entries

Class 3 (Centerfire, Iron Sights)

Mr Borland
S&W Model 625, DA, .45ACP
Score=116+2x

Mr Borland
S&W Model 686, DA, .38 spcl
Score 103+1x

Merle
S&W Model 631, DA, .32 H&R Ma
Score=46

Wyatt
MR 73, DA, .38 Spcl
Score=27

Mr Borland
S&W Model K38
Score=165 + 8x

Manfred
Colt Python, DA, .357 Mag
Score=63+1x

Stahlmangc
S&W Model 66, .38spcl DA
Score=128+6x

Stahlmangc
S&W Model 38, .38spcl, DA
Score=59

Class 4 - No Entries

Unlimited Rimfire - No Entries

Unlimited Centerfire - No Entries

The Remora Holster Winners are as follows:

Mr Borland wins Class 3 with his stellar K-38. Highest score of the match.
Mo wins Class 1 (Since Mr Borland can't be the recipient of two prizes)

Guys, I'll send Doc Wesson your email addresses and let him contact you about where to send your prizes. Make sure you let him know the model of gun you plan to use.

Thanks as always to all who participated...especially to Wyatt and Manfred in France.

I'm a little behind for the April match due to work, but I should be able to get something up soon.

Til then, take someone shooting.

Gray

Doc Wesson's Revolver Podcast is HERE!

2011-03-20T18:08:00.001-05:00

Here are the links to both part 1 and part 2 of Doc's revolver podcast. Give it a listen. Then go out and shoot this month's match!

Hour 1

Download Hour #1

Hour 2

Download Hour #2

Or, you could go to Doc's website - The Gun Nation Podcast - and subscribe with either iTunes or Zune.

Feel The Love!

February Match Extended Through March

2011-02-27T15:48:00.001-06:00

Since we have a rich prize purse this match and since Doc Wesson has not yet gotten his revolver podcast out, I thought it best to extend the deadline of The Wheel of Love match to March 31st.

Now get out there and show your wheelguns some love!

Gray

Prizes for the February Match!!!!

2011-02-14T14:45:00.001-06:00

Yes, that's right. Doc Wesson of The Gun Nation Podcast has cast his net and has come up with a prize for the winner of each class for this month's match. Each winner of each class will be given a Remora Holster. In the event of a tie, a random drawing will be taken for the winner of each class. Sorry you can only win one holster if you win more than one class. All decisions about prize winners will be made my yours truly. No substitutions.

For those of you who are familiar with The Gun Nation Podcast, one of Doc's feature reporters is Average Joe. According to Average Joe, this is a very comfortable holster that stays put thanks to the grippy texture of the outside of the holster. Check out Average Joe's review at Average Joe's Handgun Reviews blog.

Remora Holsters can be found at http://www.remoraholsters.com/.

So get out there and start shooting.

Wheel of Love - February 2011 Match

2011-02-10T06:32:00.000-06:00

It's February. There is love in the air. Wheelgun love, that is. Attention all revolver owners, this is the match for you.

This month, Doc Wesson explores his love of the revolver. He asked me to put together a revolver only match to celebrate his latest podcast. How could I refuse?

In association with Doc Wesson of The Gun Nation Podcast, we bring you The Wheel of Love. Revolvers only.

Got it?

DA or SA...or both...Your choice!

NEW: When you submit your target photos, include the gun you used in the photo. We all like to drool over each other's hardware.

Something like this:

Course of Fire:

Download the target:

The Wheel of Love Target Link

7 yards

Strong Hand, Weak Hand & Both Hands
Total of 18 shots

Scoring: The total of all three targets on the page. Sum each target and also sum the number of X's. The revolver cylinder graphic IS one of the rings! If the lead ring of the bullet touches the ring, you get the higher score. (see values to the right)

Maximum score per target is 60 with 6 X, for a total of 180 points and 18 X.
If you have a revolver such as the Ruger Single Six which has two cylinders for different loads (e.g. .22LR and .22WMG) you can enter that gun twice...once with one cylinder, and once with the other. Similarly, if you want to enter one gun shooting .38 special, then the same gun shooting .357 magnum, have at it. (I DO draw the line at splitting hairs of .38 special, .38+P, .38+P+ etc. Sorry.) Just make sure each submission is clearly marked.

If you shoot DA, the entire string of fire (a total of 18 shots per entry) must be DA. If you decide to shoot SA, then shoot the entire entry SA. You CAN, however enter one target shot DA and another target shot SA with the same gun. Please just make sure you clearly mark it SA or DA. No mix and match.

Remember you can enter as many guns in as many classes as you like. (Please refeer to the left margin of the main page to review the "rules" and the classes.)

Email digital photos of the targets to: PostalMatch@gmail.com

Deadline is February 28th.

Good luck to all. Invite your friends to play along.

Gray

Enjoy!

January 2011 Match Results - Mozambique

2011-02-02T13:29:00.000-06:00

Well January has come and gone...quickly. As you can see below, we got a ton of entries this month. Merle...I want to get a look into your gunsafe, cowboy! Actually, I've asked Merle to forward some photos of some of the more ecclectic of his collection.

Great shooting by all. The bad guys don't stand a chance against you guys. Because we had so many entries, and some people were able to use timers and some were not, I decided not to tally the scores. Take a look for yourselves. You should be proud.

Next month's match will be extra special. As you may recall, the Nashville Online Handgun Postal Match is the "official" postal match of The Gun Nation Podcast. Doc Wesson's February podcast will be all about revolvers. Therefore, he and I have decided to dedicate the February match to the art of the wheelgun. No autos, only revolvers!!!! We're calling it "The Wheel of Love". Look for it soon. (Also, from now on, let's include in our target submissions, a photo of the gun used. We all like to drool over other folks' hardware!)

Invite your friends to play along.
Take someone shooting.

Gray

Class 1 - Rimfire, Iron Sights

Mr Borland
S&W 617 .22LR

Merle

S&W Kit Gun .22LR

Beartooth
GSG 1911 .22LR

StahlmanGC

GSG 1911 .22LR

Merle
Ruger Std Mdl .22LR

Class 2 - Rimfire, Optical Sights

Class 3 - Centerfire, Iron Sights

Merle

S&W Model 36 .38 Spcl

Mr Borland
S&W Model 625 .45 ACP

Merle

CZ52 7.62x25

Merle

CZ82 9mm Makarov

Merle

FN Hi Power P35 9mm

Merle

P38 9mm

Merle

Colt Combat Commander

.45 ACP

Merle

S&W Model 3915 9mm

Merle

Dan Wesson .44 Mag

Beartooth
Sig P220 .45ACP

Merle

S&W Model 625
.45 ACP

Merle

Kongsberg 11.25mm

Bob T

FNP-9 9mm

Merle

S&W Hand Ejector

32 S&W Long

Merle
Mauser M1914 .32 ACP

StahlmanGC
S&W M&P Pro 9mm

Beartooth
Taurus 709 9mm

Merle

Enfield #2 British 38/200

Merle

S&W Model 624

.44 Spcl

StahlmanGC

Browning Hi Power 9mm

Merle
S&W M631

.32H&R Mag

Unlimited Rimfire

Merle
Ruger Mk II .22LR
w/ Red Dot

Unlimited Centerfire

Merle
Dan Wesson 10" .357 Mag
w/ Red Dot

January 2011 Match - Mozambique

2011-01-03T14:37:00.004-06:00

Greetings, everyone. Who can believe that it is already 2011. I hope the holidays were happy and meaningful for all. I also hope that for those of you whom Santa visited, some nice hardware was left under the tree!

To start of the new year, I thought we should move to more "combat accuracy" rather than bullseye accuracy. By this, I mean close is good enough....rather than tight groups. Hopefully for those of us whose eyes are aging some, we can have more fun.

One of the classic combat drills is the so-called Mozambique Drill. Also known as the Failure to Stop Drill, or Failure Drill, the Mozambique Drill is a close-quarter shooting technique in which the shooter fires twice into the torso of a target (known as a double tap to the center of mass), momentarily assesses the hits, then follows them up with a carefully aimed shot to the head of the target. The third shot should be aimed to destroy the brain or, for a more immediate effect, the brain stem, killing the target and preventing the target from retaliating. The drill was added to the modern technique of gunfighting by Jeff Cooper based on the experience of one of his students, Mike Rousseau, while on duty in Mozambique. Rousseau was later killed in action in the Rhodesian War.

Course of Fire for This Month's Match

Please download the target - HERE

The target is a version of the standard IDPA (www.idpa.com) target which has been shrunk to 1/3 size.

Low-Ready Position Front

Rules:

1) Two Hands

2) 3 Yards (Up Close and Personal)

3) There will be three strings designated A, B, C. Each string will start at the low-ready position and as fast as you can safely shoot, fire two to the center of the chest (the circle), then immediately one to the "head" region. Accuracy is important, but so is speed when it comes to stopping the attack. Work on accuracy first, then speed will follow. (Of course follow all rules of your range)

Low-Ready Position Side

4) After each string, MARK THE SHOTS with that string's letter. In the end, there should be a total of 9 shots with 3 marked A, 3 marked B and 3 marked C. (See example below after 2 strings.)

Example of Marked Target

after 2 Strings of Fire

The goal is to have consistent, well placed shots in a short amount of time.

Scoring

Shots in the center and head are worth 5 points, shots in the middle ring are worth 3 points and shots in the outer ring are worth 1 point. A miss is a -5. Therefore, a perfect Mozambique string is worth 15 points. A perfect score for each target (3 strings) is 45 points. (e.g. If you get one in the middle, miss totally on the second and get the last in the head you score 5-5+5=5 points for that string.)

5) Email a photo or scan of each of your targets (remember you can enter as many different guns in as many classes as you want) to postalmatch@gmail.com. Don't forget to put your name, gun, class and score on each entry. If you use a shot timer (see below - Extra Challenge), put down your string times too.

Winner will be determined by best overall score. Ties will be determined by best overall shot placement.
The video below should give you an idea of how it should feel and sound.

Extra Challenge

To add an additional level of measure, for those who are interested and also have the tools...you can add a shot timer to measure the time it takes for you to complete a string. You can then compare your string times. Again, putting bullets on target is priority, but speed is your friend. Shot timers come as stand alone units, but for those who have an iPhone, there are several Apps out there (some are free) that do the same thing. I've provided the links below. In addition there is a video demo of one app for an example.

(Note: I tried all of these with my iPhone 3G. I've read that they may not work well with the iPhone 4 although I have not yet tried them on that platform. Surefire has confirmed that they are working on an upgrade for the iPhone 4)

Surefire Shot Timer (Free)

Free Shot Timer (Formerly Taurus Shot Timer)

IPSC Timer ($4.99)

Shot Timer Pro ($9.99)

Below is a video review of the Surefire shot timer app to give you an idea as to how it functions.
All apps function very similarly.

Since this type of match is new for me/us, let me know what you think. What is good, what could be better etc. I want all participants to enjoy the matches, so I am interested in your feedback and ideas. Email comments, critiques or ideas to: postalmatch@gmail.com

Let's Go Shooting.

Gray

December Match is Cancelled

2010-12-08T11:51:00.006-06:00

In the spirit of the holidays and time with family, I've decided to cancel the match for December. Please enjoy the season of joy with those you love. For those of you who get handguns under the tree, rest assured you will be able to wring them out in January's Match.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all.

Gray

November 2010 Results - Tribute to Project Appleseed

2010-11-30T19:25:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all. We had a lot of entries this month...mostly by Merle who entered every class! Very prolific indeed. Good to see some new faces (???) joining in. I know the holidays and changes in the weather have likely also gotten in the way.

Class 1 (Rimfire, Iron Sights)

Merle

Ruger Super Single Six, .22Mag
Score = 15

Mr Borland
Ruger Mk III, .22LR

Score = 42

StahlmanGC
ATI GSG 1911, .22LR
Score = 37

StahlmanGC

Ruger MkIII 22/45, .22LR

Score = 39

Beartooth
GSG 1911, .22LR
Score = 12

Class 2 (Rimfire, Optical Sights)

Merle
Ruger MkII w/ Red Dot, .22LR
Score = 27

Class 3 (Centerfire, Iron Sights)

Merle
Ruger SA 6 1/2", 32-20 WCF
Score = 23

Beartooth
Colt Combat Commander, 9mm
Score = 15

Class 4 (Centerfire, Optical Sights)

Merle

Dan Wesson w/ Red Dot, .357Mag

Score = 22

Unlimited Rimfire

Merle

TC Bull 10" w/ 1.5-4.5 scope, .22LR
Score = 20

Unlimited Centerfire

Merle
TC Bull Octagon w/ 2-6 scope, 9mm

Score = 20

While MrBorland had the highest score, I think honorable metion needs to go to Merle for his sheer fortitude at the range. I'm working on December's match. At Merle's request, we will go for something that is friendlier to the aging eye...perhaps even a simple bullseye. Anything to get you out shooting those new Christmas toys!

As always, I look forward to your participation. Any suggestions/comments/criticisms are welcome. Invite your friends to join in as well.

Stay safe. Happy holidays to you all. Take a friend shooting.

Gray

October 2010 Match Results - Zombie Apocalypse

2010-11-07T19:09:00.002-06:00

Whew! I think we have beaten them back. You know, however that zombies can reorganize and strike with little warning. Keep your eyes open.

Thanks for all who participated this month. Some new players have joined the ranks. Hopefully, more will follow. Looks like we only had centerfire entries this month so I went and shot some rimfire.

Class 1 - Rimfire/Iron Sights

StahlmanGC
GSG 1911, .22LR
Score=13

StahlmanGC
Ruger MkIII, .22LR
Score=14

Class 3 - Centerfire/Iron Sights

SmokyBaer
Handbuilt 1911, .45ACP
Score=12 Z-Pump is DEAD,
therefore the body shots count

SmokyBaer's Shootin Iron
Sweet!

Blair Ellis
Sig P238 .380
Score = Swiss Cheese

Mike McDonald
S&W M&P 9mm
Score = 14

So I know everyone is waiting for the prizes. SmokyBaer nailed 'em with the best score. Because there were no other rimfire entries (and I am not going to award a prize to myself), I think that Blair Ellis should be inducted into the Zombie Hunter fraternity. Maybe he didn't use the least number of shots, but his fusilade sure had a psychological effect. (Besides, he clearly spent the most money on that shoot)

Thanks for all who played along. Join us for the November match.

Now, go out there and go shooting. And while you are at it, take someone along who has never been shooting and teach them about our sport.

Gray

November 2010 Match - A Tribute To Project Appleseed

2010-11-03T15:48:00.004-05:00

Project Appleseed

Project Appleseed is a program developed by the Revolutionary War Veterans Association whose mission is to teach Americans the heritage and skills of rifle marksmanship of our forefathers. Throughout the country, volunteers teach shooters the tradition of shooting long range in the standing, kneeling/sitting and prone positions. Students learn about the finer points of sight picture, trigger control, body position, and breath control required by all long range shooters. After all, our forefathers could hit a man sized target offhand, with iron sights at 400 yards consistently.

From the Appleseed Project website (http://www.appleseedinfo.org/):

Through Project Appleseed, the Revolutionary War Veterans Association is committed to teaching two things: rifle marksmanship and our early American heritage. We do this for one simple reason, the skill and knowledge of what our founding fathers left to us is eroding in modern America and without deliberate action, they will be lost to ignorance and apathy.

Is there a direct relationship between understanding our country's founding and civic virtue? The answer should anecdotally be quite clear. As our citizens' knowledge of founding principles has declined, so too has our involvement in this government `of, by and for The People'. Instead, our citizens seem all too content to relegate governmental decisions and knowledge to those that have been elected, all the while assuming these officials' abilities and agendas are working on their behalf. We believe that if this trend continues, our country will be left with an expansive gulf between the populace and the government.

Anticipating that our nation would one day find itself in its current plight, John Adams warned:

"Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present Generation to preserve your Freedom! I hope you will make good use of it. If you do not, I shall repent in Heaven, that I ever took half the Pains to preserve it."

Our forebearers committed their lives to eight years of war so that their sacrifices would never require repeating. They would endow us, their posterity, with a republic from which our freedoms would be given enduring life.
In 2009, a survey of basic, adult knowledge of the American Revolution was commissioned by the American Revolution Center (a non-profit organization dedicated to engaging the public in the history and significance of the American Revolution). The results were startling. Eighty-three percent of surveyed adults scored an average of forty-four percent - a failing score. And, yet, some glimmer of hope exists. This same survey revealed that nine in ten Americans agreed that it is important to know the history and principles forged during America's War for Independence. Does this reflect a muted cry for help? Americans seem to grasp the imperative of learning our nation's founding history, yet seem unable to act.

Perhaps the beckoning comfort of couch and television offer an escape to relax in civic complacency. Project Appleseed events are designed to directly counter the average American's living room respite from reality and offer a solution to our nation's paralysis. These two-day, family-friendly clinics encourage civic virtue through the stories of our nation's founding and by cultivating the skills of persistence, focus and determination required for rifle marksmanship. Learning about our heritage while developing marksmanship skills creates the appreciation, expectation and confidence needed to rekindle our civic responsibilities. Through our program, attendees are driven to succeed through perseverance, and subsequently challenged to apply this perseverance and new-found appreciation of our Founders' gifts toward daily involvement in local, state or national government.

John Adams would also write, in reference to the difference between the Revolution, and our War for Independence:

"The Revolution was affected before the War commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people; a change in their religious sentiments of their duties and obligations. This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people, was the real American Revolution."

These ideals were the foundation of this nation, and are instrumental in returning our nation to its former glory. The intention of our founding fathers was obvious; the "Revolution" was to live on in perpetuity. Through Project Appleseed, we strive to remind our fellow Americans of these "revolutionary" ideals, ensuring that the American Revolution lives on to be cared for and appreciated by our posterity.
The Revolutionary War Veterans Association is committed to renewing civic virtue - prioritizing civic responsibility over personal interests and indulgence. We are wholly comprised of volunteers who commit time, resources and passion toward achieving the RWVA mission. As a 501(c)3 organization, we promote civic responsibility through the teaching of colonial history and the American tradition of rifle marksmanship in a safe, non-partisan environment.

Promotional flyer for Project Appleseed.
This one is scaled for 10 yards.
This IS NOT the target for the match

Given that November is both a celebration of Thanksgiving AND is election time, I thought it appropriate to urge all of us to remember the sacrifices made and to be made to maintain our second amendment rights.

This month's match is a tribute to Project Appleseed. I wanted to give you a taste of what the Appleseeders experience (although using a handgun rather than a rifle). To do so, I obtained some promotional material from Project Appleseed which included a sample target scaled for 10 yards, simulating the target picture that one would see at 100, 200 and 300 yards. This was the inspiration for the target this month.

This Month's Match

Course of Fire:

10 yards

2 hands/no rests

All standing

3 shots each target (9 shots total per entry)

Deadline for submission is November 30, midnight

Email scan or photo of each entry to postalmatch@gmail.com

Remember you can enter as many guns in as many classes as you like. Only one target per gun, however. Click the link below, or download from Acrobat to get this month's target.

Target Link

Also, for those of you who have actually participated in an Appleseed event, please post a comment on the blog below about your experience. I would love to know what you thought.

Now get out there, go shooting, and take a friend with you.
Gray

Prize for October Zombie Apocalypse Match

2010-10-17T12:43:00.002-05:00

This month we will be offering a prize to the high scorer in each of the Rimfire and Centerfire divisions. Show your shooting buddies who is the boss when it comes to killing zombies. The official Zombie Hunter patch will compliment your shooting gear. Velcro on the back allows for easy attachment to your gear bag.

In the event of a tie, a random drawing will determine the prize winner.

One patch per winner.

Sorry the Hi Power is NOT included.

October 2010 Match - Zombie Apocalypse

2010-10-04T09:42:00.013-05:00

They are mindless

They are ravenous

They are undeterred

They have only one mission...

to make you one of them

It's that time of year again....the Zombies are running amuck. (They seem to be running amuck in Washington all year long, but that's another story!) I think the massive flooding in the Middle Tennessee area has spawned a particularly ravenous crop. Shooters everywhere have a resposibility to take them out.

Remember, to kill a Zombie, you must get a good head shot! In this match, head shots rule, however body shots can also count. It takes TWO body shots to equal ONE head shot.

The Match:
7 yards
Two Hands
Fire as many rounds as needed to kill them all
Enter as many guns as you can, it's up to you to save our species

Please look to the left, these are the general
rules applicable to all matches.

The Goal:

There are 9 Zombies coming after you....you must kill each one. Scoring will be the total number of shots to kill them all. Therefore, the best/lowest score for killing the Zombies is 9. Hitting the hair does not count...you must hit their head to count as a head shot.

Look at the target carefully and you will also notice a Zombie pumpkin. The Grand Z-Pump, as he is known, actually controls the other Zombies in his squad. If you shoot the Z-Pump with a clean, single head shot, you will disorient the squad. What this means is that they will die with only a single body shot. Think about it...if you can nail Z-Pump, you weaken the entire squad making it easier to kill them. Plan your shots well, however... his power only affects the body shots. If you are so good that you get a head shot on each, Z-Pump's power is nil. Nail him too for extra credit if you have already gotten all others with a head shot. That's a "best score" of 10. Any questions, please email me at postalmatch@gmail.com.

Send a photo or scan of your targets to: postalmatch@gmail.com

Deadline is Halloween - 10/31/10

Save us from the inhumanity!!

Get Zombie Target Here

*** Match Prize ***

This month there will also be a prize awarded. The highest score in each of the Rimfire and Centerfire divisions will be awarded the official Zombie Hunter patch. Quality graphics. Velcro on the back. Show your shooting buddies who is "it" when it comes to zombie hunting.

In the event of a tie, a random drawing will determine the winner.

(Sorry the Browning Hi Power is not included!)

September 2010 Match Results - Size Does Matter

2010-10-04T08:35:00.000-05:00

Another sparse month for participation but some excellent shooting.

Class 1 (Rimfire, Iron)

MrBorland
S&W 617 .22LR
Score = 0.310"

StahlmanGC

Ruger MkIII 22/45 .22LR

Score = 0.354"

StahlmanGC
Ruger Single Six .22LR
Score = 0.410"

StahlmanGC
Ruger Single Six .22Mag
Score = 0.281"

 Class 3 (Centerfire, Iron)

Mr Borland
S&W 686 .38spl
Score = 0.70"

Ok, so next month we will be back to the FUN shooting. Beware the Zombies are coming!!

Until next month.

Gray

August 2010 Match Results - Strengths and Weaknesses

2010-10-03T15:58:00.000-05:00

End of Summer. Lots of other distractions. No wonder there were few entries this month. Once again, raise our glasses to the reigning phenom, MrBorland with another nearly flawless performance. Lots of practice and experience are clearly on his side.

Class 1 (Rimfire, Iron)

Mr Borland

S&W 617 .22LR

Score = 177

StahlmanGC
GSG 1911 .22LR
Score = 170

StahlmanGC
Ruger MkIII 22/45 .22LR
Score = 176

Class 3 (Centerfire, Iron)

StahlmanGC
S&W M&P 9mm
Score = 153

Get ready for the September match. More basic skills testing.

Invite your friends to play along - http://www.postalmatch.blogspot.com/

Remember we are now the official postal match of The Gun Nation Podcast. Tune in to Doc Wesson for some informative and entertaining discussion about firearms.

Take someone shooting.

Gray

Size Does Matter - September 2010 Match

2010-09-11T09:16:00.000-05:00

We've been busy here with the end of summer. I'm sure kids getting back in school, finishing up summer vacations and working are all keeping folks busy...BUT, it's still no excuse not to get out there and shoot. Sorry for the slight delay in posting this month's match, but better late than never.

Keeping with the marksmanship/basic skills theme, this month's match will test your ability to hit the target with precision. We are looking for small, minimal, miniscule group size. That's right, accuracy is the key.

Course of fire

There are two bullseyes on this month's target.

10 yards

5 shots each bullseye - One hand, Two hand, Strong, Weak or Both - YOUR CHOICE
(No rests however)

Measure the smallest OUTSIDE measurement of the closest 3 shots on each bull. (Let's all measure in inches rather than millimeters.) You are looking for the tightest 3 shots out of 5 on each bull.
Write down the measurement for each. The tightest group of the two is your best for that target.
Tightest group overall wins.

Click Here for Target

Remember, enter as many classes, and as many guns per class as you like. Take a photo of your target (or scan it if you must) and send it with all of the identifying information to: postalmatch@gmail.com. By the way, why don't you take the photo of the target with your gun in the picture too...we like to see what people are shooting.

Have fun. Be safe.

Strengths & Weaknesses - August 2010 Match

2010-08-08T12:19:00.000-05:00

We're back! Sorry for being a week late. Work after a vacation always is busy.

I have some VERY cool news. I was contacted by Doc Wesson - host of The Gun Nation Podcast a few weeks ago. (This is one of my favorite gun related podcasts mixing Doc's southern wisdom, his knowledge and experience with a variety of shooting, the Average Joe Handgun Review segments, and his scientific background.) It seems that Doc has always wanted to add a Postal Match to his offerings, and he has graciously asked if I would do this for him. How could I refuse? Being affiliated with Doc and his podcast will certainly increase our exposure and shooting draw. A bigger audience may also give us an opportunity to offer prizes and such. More to come. I am looking forward to a long relationship.

Gray

Now on to the match for this month. Recent matches have had fun themes and I hope all have enjoyed them. This month it's back to basics of accuracy, trigger control, sight picture and steady hands. We are going to work both of your hands, together and separately - and at a couple of distances.

August 2010 Target Example

Download Target Here

Rules of Engagement:

You will be shooting at BOTH 5 yards and 10 yards

3 shots per target (a total of 18 shots)

Weak Hand Only for the top targets

Both Hands for the middle targets

Strong Hand Only for the bottom targets

Maximum score is 180
(6 targets x 3 shots each x 10 points max)

Remember you can enter as many different guns in as many different classes as you like.
(You just can't enter the same gun twice)

Deadline is August 31st.
Email your target scan/photos to: PostalMatch@gmail.com

Also, don't forget to visit The Gun Nation Podcast. Download episodes from the site or from iTunes. I think you will enjoy it.

You're Welcome!

2010-08-07T14:28:00.000-05:00

June 2010 Results - Shooting for Flood Relief.

2010-07-29T20:01:00.000-05:00

Thank You To Everyone!!!

I wanted to thank all participants for playing along this month. There were a total of 8 targets submitted this month. That by itself is $80 for the flood relief efforts of Hands on Nashville. Great shooting everyone. As you can see, Mr Borland had a perfect trifecta with three perfect scores. To celebrate, he was kind enough to make an additional $20 donation, AND he asked that I direct the money for the T-shirt prize to the donation as well. That's another $20. That makes a total donation of $120. Because I think Hands on Nashville is such a worthy group, I've decided to double our donation to a total of $240. I'll be sending the check off soon. I'm every little bit will be greatly appreciated.

Here are the targets for June.

Class 1 - Rimfire/Iron Sights

Mr Borland TrueBlueSam

S&W 617, .22LR Ruger Single Six - .22LR

Score = 30 Score 13

Marilyn Gray

Ruger Single Six - .22LR Ruger Mark III 22/45RP, .22LR

Score= -36 Score = 28

Class 2 - Rimfire/Optical Sights

Mr Borland
Ruger Mk III, .22LR with Ultradot

Score = 30

Class 3 - Centerfire/Iron Sights

Merle Mr Borland

S&W 3913, 9mm S&W 686, .38spcl
Score = 20 Score = 30

Gray

Browning Hi Power, 9mm

Score = 28

Again, Hands On Nashville is a volunteer organizing group that has been instrumental in getting Nashville flood victime back on their feet. They can always use a hand. For more information go to http://www.hon.org/.

I'm working on the return of the postal match for August. Thanks for the sabattical for July. We went to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Parks. Wow. What jaw dropping beauty. Here's a couple of photos for your admiration.

See you in August.
Gray - Nashville Online Handgun Postal Match

The Tour de France July Fun Match - Just for Practice

2010-07-14T15:04:00.000-05:00

This will not be an official match since many of us are out of town, but in honor of my favorite annual sporting event, I thought those of you who are still around would like a little practice.

2 Hands

7 Yards

15 Shots

Yellow, Green or Polkadot Jersey = 10 Points

All others = 5 Points

Only one hit per jersey allowed

Maximum Score = 90

Kudos to those who shoot the jerseys of the top five finishing teams in the tour!

You may have to go hunting for the answer.

Download the target here: TARGET
Shoot the target
Send it in to postalmatch@gmail.com
Deadline is June 30th

July News - Sorry No Match This Month - Will Be Back For August

2010-07-08T08:06:00.000-05:00

Thanks to all who participated in the June fundraising match. I still have not finished up the post, but I wanted to particularly thank MrBorland who not only submitted three targets, but also donated an extra $20 to the cause, AND (since he was the winner this month) asked that the T-Shirt cost also go to the cause. That's a total of $70 to the cause from MrBorland. Thanks so much.

With Wimbledon, the world cup, the Tour de France, and an upcoming vacation, I am going to take a month off for the match to regroup. I think a lot of people are on vacation etc as well.

There Will Be NO Match For July

Be ready to start shooting again in August.

For those who just need a new target to shoot at, however, I am putting the finishing touches on a FUN target to commemorate the Tour de France (My favorite sport). I'll post the target shortly. Just for fun and practice, although if you shoot it, why not email it to me so we can show everyone how you did.

Gray

June 2010 - Shooting For Nashville Flood Relief

2010-06-02T19:52:00.031-05:00

Epic!

That is the only word I can use to describe the recent Nashville and middle Tennessee, South West Kentucky, and Northern Mississippi flooding. Nearly 20" of rain in 48 hours in the Nashville area. The Cumberland River crested at nearly 52'. Creeks turned into rivers, rivers turned into lakes, and lakes turned into....well you get the idea. Twenty one people lost their lives in Tennessee. Many lost their businesses. Hundreds lost their homes. Everyone lost Opryland Hotel and the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. It is estimated that Davidson County alone suffered $1.5 billion in damage and loss.

True to Tennessee, however, was the massive outpouring of assistance for one another. They don't call this the Volunteer State for nothing. Sports stars pitched in demo'ing houses. Country music stars gave of their time and money, even when many lost much or all of their equipment. I think the most interesting observation was the minimal play on the national media this disaster got. Why? In my opinion it's pretty simple. There was little if any turmoil. There were no people begging the powers that be for help. There was no significant "blaming someone else" for their loss. There was little looting and crime (I think only 6 arrests for petty theft). What we did see was neighbor helping neighbor. Strangers helping each other. Everyone working hard to get their lives back on track. It was, and is inspiring.

The Charity

I was particularly struck by the rapid response of the group Hands On Nashville. Hands On Nashville is a local organization, and was founded in 1991. Their mission is to organize volunteers to help our community. During the floods, Hands On Nashville worked hand in hand with more visible organizations such as the American Red Cross and Second Harvest Food Bank to provide assistance to those affected.

It is in honor of all of those affected by the flooding, and particularly to highlight the works of Hands On Nashville, that this month's match will be a charity fundraiser to support the work of Hands On Nashville.

For every target submitted, I will personally give Hands On Nashville $10 on behalf of the Nashville Online Handgun Postal Match.

It is my hope that all participants can find it in their heart (and bank account) to match or exceed my donation. Please give generously if you can. Of course you can still play along with the postal match without making a donation, but anything you might be able to give is most appreciated to support the efforts of Hands On Nashville to continue to help with flood recovery, and to further their volunteer mission in the future.

Please click the Paypal or Gunpal donate button and give what you can.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Match

Click Here To Download The Flood Relief Target

Rules:

Distance - 7 yards

Grip - Two Hands, No rest

No maximum number of rounds, but there is a 7 round minimum

The idea is to hit each raindrop (a total of 7) with the least number of shots. If you hit each drop once, your maximum score would be 30.

Any miss equals -1

Because the outlines are so wide, you must place your shots so that the majority of the hole (the lead ring is what counts) lies within the drop outline. If you hit two drops with one shot, you must pick only one to count. It's probably best to pick the higher point count. Remeber that greater than 50% of the shot must lie within the black outline. Unless you are shooting .50 caliber, it is unlikely to be an issue. In the event of a tie in score, the shooter with the highest percentage of shots fully in the drop outline will be deemed the winner.

See the scoring example at the right to get an idea.

Match deadline is midnight on June 30th

Email a photo or scan of your targets to postalmatch@gmail.com.

Remember that this is for charity. I know time and ammunition are expensive, but do what you can to make this fundraiser a success. Please enter as many guns per class, and as many classes as you can. Also, ask your friends to participate. Even better, post the following flyer at your local gun range/store etc. to get people to play along.

Match Flyer

As an added incentive, if you are the highest scorer (to be determined by me), you will also be given a commemorative Nashville Flood T-Shirt from NashvilleFloodTees.com. Your choice of style, color and size. Make sure you include your mailing address, shirt choice, size and color with your entry. If you would rather, I can apply the cost of the shirt ($20) to your donation to the cause instead.

I hope you enjoy this match. Have fun. Be safe. Introduce someone to shooting.

Gray

May 2010 Results

2010-06-01T07:20:00.000-05:00

This match meant a lot to me. I take my hat off to all those who have served, or who are serving in our military forces. I particularly owe a debt of gratitude to those whose lives were taken in the line of duty, and to all of the families left behind.

This month's match was quite interesting. Merle must have tried to empty his gun safe, entering six different weapons. Very cool. Paula, thanks for playing. Keep at it. Billll, thanks for mentoring Paula. Mr Borland continues to dominate in the accuracy department.

Class 1 - RF with Iron Sights

Mr Borland Merle

S&W Model 617, .22LR Ruger Std Model, .22LR

Score=140 Score=16 (at 25ft)

Billll Gray

Ruger Mk I, .22LR S&W Model 41, .22LR

Score=51 Score=80

Marilyn Bob

Ruger Single Six, .22LR Ruger Single Six, .22LR

Score=2 Score=51

Paula

Ruger Mk I, .22LR

Score=8

Class 3 - CF with Iron Sights

Mr Borland Gray

S&W K38, .357 S&W M&P Pro, 9mm

Score=125 Score=85

Merle Merle

Ruger Speed Six, 9mm S&W M3913, 9mm

Score=41 (At 25 ft) Score=21 (At 25 ft)

Merle Merle

P38, 9mm CZ82, (9mm Makarov)

Score=40 (At 25 ft) Score=20 (At 25 ft)

Merle

British Enfield, 380/200

Score=27

By the way, I had never heard of some of Merle's guns. Looks like many are vintage. Here are some example photos that I dug up. Neat.

CZ-82 S&W M3913

Ruger Speed Six Walther P-38

British Enfield

2010 Cumulative Winners

Thanks again for playing along. Look for the June match. It will be a charity fundraiser to support Hands On Nashville, a local volunteer organizing group that was instrumental in getting help to those that needed it during Nashville's recent floods.

April 2010 Results - Don't Tread on Me

2010-05-02T12:52:00.009-05:00

For me this was much harder that I thought it would be. So many choices messed with my eyes. Clearly not so hard for others. MrBorland is amazing - perfect score. Well done. Mo, you were nearly perfect too...that is until you forgot to sign your return. Ouch. Sorry Marilyn, but you owe the taxman some jack! Billll, thanks for mentioning the match on your blog. Also, I would like to thank Rob Robideau of the Personal Armament Podcast (one of my favorites) for talking about our postal match on two of his podcasts. There is also a permanent link on his website to this postal match and that of Mr. Completely.

Class 1 (Rimfire, Iron Sights)

Ruger Single Six, .22LR

Tax Credit = $4.85

(Penalties: Did not sign -$1,

Removed 10th shot -$0.10)

Paul Henry
Browning Buckmark, .22LR
Tax Credit = $5.11

Marilyn
Ruger Single Six, .22LR
Tax Owed = $0.30
(Penalty - Did not sign return)

Bob
Ruger Single Six, .22LR
Tax Credit = $0.25

Billll

Ruger Mark I, .22LR

Tax Credit = $1.25

True Blue Sam

Ruger Single Six, .22LR

Tax Credit = $2.20

Class 2 (Rimfire, Nonmagnified Optics)

Class 3 (Centerfire, Iron Sights)

MrBorland
S&W Model 686
Tax Credit = $6.00

Gray
S&W M&P Pro, 9mm
Tax Credit = $4.06

Class 4 (Centerfire, Nonmagnified Optics)
Unlimited Rimfire

Unlimited Centerfire

Gray

S&W Model 66 with Laser Grip, .38spcl

Tax Credit = $4.51

Please keep playing. Also, encourage your friends to play along. Everyone is welcome. Any comments or suggestions can be emailed to postalmatch@gmail.com. Go to http://www.postalmatch.blogspot.com/ for the May match. I encourage you to visit the blogs and sites of the others who have been playing along.

Stay safe. Have fun. Introduce a friend to shooting.

Gray

Here are the monthly winners for 2010 thus far:

May 2010 Match - Remember

2010-05-02T09:37:00.010-05:00

5/2/2010 9am - To all in Middle Tennessee, Kentucky, and Northern Mississippi:

I hope that the flooding and rain has not harmed you greatly. We were caught in the I24 fllood yesterday, but were able to turn around and get off the roadway before we were washed away. Epic.

I tried to think of some clever theme for May, but let's all face it...the events, holidays, festivals, and trite ideas associated with May all pale when compared to remembering our fallen troops on Memorial Day. I have never been a member of the armed forces. I cannot imagine the sacrifices our men and women (and their families) of the armed forces have made, are making, and will make in the name of protecting our freedoms, our ideals, and our way of life. I can, however, tell you that all those who have served, who are serving, or who plan to serve in the armed forces of the United States of America get my utmost respect and admiration. My heartfelt appreciation is all I can really give.

Thank You.

A shooting match seems somewhat fitting if we are talking about honoring Memorial Day. Let's face it, the 2nd amendment is what allows us to enjoy shooting sports. The 2nd amendment would not have been possible but for the past, present and future sacrifices of our military.

Click Here To Download May's Target

This month's match will blend of all the skills we have worked on thus far - two hands, strong hand, weak hand and distance.

Example -><- Example

Instructions:

10 yards
Three (3) shots TWO HANDS on Large Star
Three (3) shots STRONG HAND on Small Star on the RIGHT

Three (3) shots WEAK HAND on Small Star on the LEFT

Max Score = 180

Submit a scan or digital photo of your target(s) to postalmatch@gmail.com no later than midnight, May 31st. Remember to put your name, gun/ammo used, score, and class on each target. Enter as many different guns per class, and as many classes as you want.

April 2010 Match - Don't Tread On Me

2010-04-01T16:43:00.006-05:00

In "Celebration" of the Tax Season, and our government's insatiable need to tax us into the stone age, I thought a little tax theme would be appropriate. The title of this month's match is Don't Tread On Me. The famed Gadsden flag has been used throughout U.S. history as a symbol of independence.

While not specifically an anti-taxation symbol, it has been used most recently by the Tea Party Movement to symbolize the concept of minimal governmental intervention into our daily lives. Pretty appropriate when we are talking taxes. Here is some better historical information about this very familiar symbol:

The Gadsden Flag

Wikipedia Reference

This Month's Match:

You are trying to shoot yourself to a tax credit. Unfortunately since times are tight, the maximum tax credit you can earn is $6.00. Don't worry, the real IRS will be taking plenty out so you don't have to be scared that our government will be losing money by handing out tax credits to us.

Click the link below to download this month's target

Don't Tread On Me Target

Rules of Engagement:

2 Hands

7 Yards

10 shots total

Only one shot per coin. If you hit a coin twice, it only counts once. If you hit two coins with one shot, you get the higher value. Also, you MUST "sign" your tax return by hitting the IRS symbol. There are no exceptions, so plan your shots wisely.

No signature ... there is a $1.00 penalty. (At least I'm not like the IRS where if you don't sign it is returned AND you get a penalty!) By the way, no signature is the NUMBER ONE error made on tax returns each year. Don't forget to sign your return!

Scoring:

I pulled a bunch of change out of my pocket - much like the government does, and came up with the money to fund the tax credits. I laid it all out on my scanner and - behold - the target was born.

The maximum tax credit you can earn is $6.00. You do this by summing up the coin values. There are pennies ($0.01), nickels ($0.05), dimes ($0.10), quarters ($0.25), and dollars ($1.00). So for us mathematically challenged, the maximum tax credit is obtained by getting all five dollar coins, and all four quarters, and hitting the IRS stamp. Be warned, however, that the IRS will not accept currency from other nations, no matter how friendly. Therefore, if you shoot a euro coin, you must DEDUCT the face value from you total. That's right, if you hit a 10 euro coin you deduct $0.10, and if you hit the 5 euro coin you must deduct $0.05 from your total.

Deadline:
Email a scan or photo of your target to postalmatch@gmail.com by midnight April 30th.

Please, invite your friends to play along. Remember you can enter as many guns in each class as you like. Just make sure you fill out the information for each on each target. The general rules and guidelines can always be found at the bottom of the front page.

Be Safe. Have Fun.
Introduce a friend to shooting.

Gray

March 2010 Results

2010-04-01T16:37:00.002-05:00

Ahhh, the Luck 0' The Irish
I hope everyone had a good time with this one. I find weak hand shooting very hard....just another reason to practice. As you can see below, we have a few new people joining the fun. Thanks for playing along and I hope you continue to find the matches fun. Suggestions are always welcome...email me at postalmatch@gmail.com.

Here are the results for March, 2010 (Order is by submission date):

Class 1 (Rimfire, Iron Sights)

Gray Billll

S&W Model 41 .22LR Ruger Mark I, .22 LR
Score = 35 Score = 34

Paula Mo

Ruger Mark II, .22 LR Ruger Single Six, .22 LR

Score = 11 Score = 48

Bob Marilyn

Ruger Single Six, .22LR Ruger Single Six, .22LR

Score = 33 Score = 7

Fat White Man TrueBlueSam

Ruger Mark III, .22LR Ruger Single Six, .22LR

Score = 36 Score = 22

Class 2 (Rimfire, Optical Sights)

Manfred

Colt .22 with 2X Red Dot, .22LR

Score = 34

Class 3 (Centerfire, Iron Sights)

Gray Merle

S&W M&P Pro 9mm Ruger Speed Six, 9mm

Score = 66 Score = 5

Unlimited Centerfire

Gray

S&W Model 66 Revolver with Laser Grip

Score = 49

Here are the 2010 winners for each class thus far:

Clearly Rimfire is a popular class...cost maybe? Fun...definitely! The Ruger Single Six is by far the favorite this month. I've never heard of a Ruger Speed Six - a revolver in 9mm. Very cool Merle. Also, lots of new players - welcome aboard Mo, Paula, Billl, Merle, Fat White Man and True Blue Sam. Welcome back Manfred all the way from France. Check out Fat White Man at http://www.fatwhiteman.com/ and True Blue Sam at http://www.truebluesam.blogspot.com/. Manfred's blog is at http://viedepassion.blogspot.com/. Great shooting one and all. Thanks again for playing along. Please tell your friends to join in as well. Look for the April postal match to come online soon.

Stay safe and keep shooting.

Introduce a friend to shooting.

Gray

Rule Clarification on Entries

2010-03-19T17:14:00.000-05:00

There have been questions recently about whether or not you can enter more than one gun per class.

YES YOU CAN

(enter as many as you have!!).

All I ask is that you clearly indicate which gun was used on each target so I can make sure everyone gets credit.

Let's go shooting.

Gray

February 2010 Results

2010-03-12T12:07:00.002-06:00

Well I suspect the frigid cold and snow on the ground kept some of us off of the range. Thanks for those who participated.

We have another new player this month. Please welcome Mike (a.k.a. Mr. Completely). As you can see, he is a heck of a shooter. I am honored to have him participate as Mr. Completely likely sets the standard for online postal matches. In fact, I modeled some of my ideas from his site. Please head on over to Mr. Completely to check out his postal matches as well. They always have a challenging match.

Results from the February 2010 match - To Your Heart's Desire.

Class 1 (Rimfire, Iron Sights)

Mr Completely Gray

S&W Model 41 .22LR S&W Model 41 .22LR

Score = 110 Score = 120

Bob Marilyn

Ruger Single 6, .22LR Ruger Single 6, .22LR

Score = 70 Score = 80

Class 2 (Rimfire, Optical Sights)

Mr Completely
High Standard .22LR w/ Red Dot
Score = 115

Class 3 (Centerfire, Iron Sights)

Gray

S&W M&P 9mm

Score = 100

Unlimited Centerfire

Gray
S&W Model 66 Revolver with Laser Grip
Score = 90

"Unlimited Rimfire"

As an added treat Mr Completely also submitted a target using his Jennings J-22. I love oddball firearms.

From Mr Completely's Blog regarding his J-22. (August 2005) Enjoy!

(Score = 35)

Ah yes, the Jennings J-22. I guess it embodies all the things that define a saturday night special! It's small, and light, and unreliable. These features, of course, are offset by a total lack of accuracy! ... I don't even have to think up excuses, they're built in! In spite of all of that, it's a fun little gun to shoot. The prices for these are very low, as .22 auto pistols go, and there's a lot of them around. I was unable to get more that two or three rounds to fire without some sort of a failure. Failure to eject, failure to feed, failure to fire the round, every second or third shot something didn't work.The accuracy is probably on a par with a blunderbuss, but not likely that it's any better than that. By looking at the targets, it was obvious that at ten yards the bullets were often tumbling end over end. Not conducive to accuracy! Sometimes, however, the shot went exactly as aimed, but often as much as six inches off, even from the bench rest. If you ever have to fire a Jennings for self-defense, I would recommend having the muzzle in direct contact with what you are shooting at! With all these faults, why own one of these? Well, if you like doing your own gun work, I think this can be turned into a pretty nice little 22. These were cranked out rapidly to keep costs down, so most machined surfaces are a lot rougher than they should be. A few hours spent polishing and blue-printing one of these little guys could make quite a difference. I'm sure the trigger can be smoothed up considerably. Careful bending and tuning of the feed lips on the magazines can make huge differences in terms of feeding reliability. OK, so you can get it to function reliably, what about the accuracy, or more correctly, the total lack of any?

I suspect that sometimes the bullet, instead of being spun by the rifling, is actually just getting a groove cut into it, and it's spinning (if at all) much slower than is needed to stabilize it in flight. Perhaps a lower velocity round might be the ticket. I think if you find the right ammo, it might not do too badly. Maybe some of those sub-sonic rounds? It should be worth a try. If you feel like playing around with one of these little guys, go for it, and let me know how it works out.

Paraphrasing another blogger, it's probably not much of a back-up gun, but it's still better than a rolled up newspaper........

Here are the 2010 winners for each class thus far:
               Jan          Feb          Mar          Apr          May          Jun

Cls 1      Bob         Gray
Cls 2          -           Mr. C
Cls 3       Gray        Gray
Cls 4          -               -
URF          -           Mr. C
UCF        Gray        Gray

Keep Playing Along. Practice, Practice Practice!!!!

Make sure you check out the March 2010 match. The theme for March is Luck O' The Irish. As always, please pass this along to your shooting friends and invite them to participate. The more the merrier. Remember that anyone can play along. The email address is postalmatch@gmail.com.

Still Another Active Online Postal Match - Bullseye's Guntalk-Online.com

2010-03-12T11:46:00.000-06:00

Here is another I found. This is for .22 rimfire handguns only. Uses standart NRA targets. This looks like a pretty active match, and I suspect that there are some very serious competitors. Give it a look at Bullseye's Guntalk-Online.Com Postal Match.

Another Online Postal Match - Cheaper Than Dirt

2010-03-07T18:02:00.000-06:00

Brought to you by one of the best online shooting suppliers and Mr. Completely, there is now another postal match online. The Cheaper Than Dirt postal match is a Zombie killing match. See the link below for details. This is a full year match. The deadline is November 29, 2010. This postalmatch DOES have an opportunity for a prize (a $50 gift certificate from Cheaper Than Dirt.)

Cheaper Than Dirt Postal Match

March 2010 Match - Luck O' The Irish

2010-03-02T07:16:00.001-06:00

Ok, so March 17th is St. Patrick's Day. Leprechauns, green beer, pots of gold, and four leaf clovers. For this match we will need to invoke a little Luck O' The Irish as well. This is our first match of 2010 that will be shot WEAK HAND. Yep, use your "dumb paw" to shoot this one. Click the green link below for your target.

MARCH 2010 TARGET

Rules of engagement:

Distance: 7 Yards

Grip: Weak Hand Only

Number of shots: 10

Due Date: 3/31/2010

Only two shots per bullseye. If you hit any part of the green it's 1 point. If you hit any part of the white bullseye it's 5 points. If the Luck O' The Irish is with you and you hit any part of the green center it is 10 points. Maximum score = 100 points. Remember to submit your targets to postalmatch@gmail.com.

Another Slight General Guidelines Change

2010-03-01T07:35:00.001-06:00

Thanks to a suggestion from Mike (a.k.a. Mr Completely), we have changed the classes slightly. Class 2 and 4 will include UNMAGNIFIED OPTICAL SIGHTS (e.g. red dots). Any MAGNIFIED OPTICAL SIGHT will be considered an unlimited class gun. He correctly points out that the advantage really comes from the magnification, not the mere optical sight. These changes are reflected in the general guidelines section of the blog.

Thanks Mike!

Gray

NOTICE!!! Change to February Match Rules

2010-02-11T15:17:00.003-06:00

Ok, so I went out and tried to shoot this month's match. At 10 yards it is WAAAAYYY too hard to see. Therefore, to keep it fun, shoot the February match at 5 YARDS.

Gray

January 2010 Results

2010-02-09T08:14:00.000-06:00

Here are the results for the January 2010 match. Manfred and Wyatt are from France and I welcome them and their friends. I hope you continue to play along.

Gray

Class 3, S&W Model 66 CF Unlimited, S&W Model 66 w/Laser

.38 special .38 special

Score = 99 Score = 98

Manfred

Class 3, S&W Model 610 Class 3, USFA SAA

10mm .45 colt

Score = 91 Score = 74

Wyatt

Class 3, USFA SAA Class 3, S&W Model 610

.45 colt 10mm

Score = 80 Score = 88

Marilyn

Class 1, Ruger Single Six

.22LR

Score = 82

Bob

Class 1, Ruger Single Six

.22LR

Score = 88

Class 1 winner = Bob

Class 3 winner = Gray

CF Unlimited winner = Gray

Great shooting everyone. We will tally the scores each month and declare the 2010 winner of each class at the end of the year. Remember the new 2010 rules - you can enter as many classes as you like, with as many different guns in each class, but only one target per gun. Shoot straight, be safe and have fun.

New Rule for 2010

2010-02-06T18:58:00.000-06:00

In order to make the postal matches more fun and less limiting, I've decided that you can enter as many guns as you want in each class. Only one target per gun please. You can enter as many classes as you want. The more the merrier.

Gray

I found another active online postal match

2010-02-03T12:40:00.000-06:00

Continuing my attempt to ferret out all the online postal matches, I came upon the following link to the Ruger Forum postal matches. Looks like this one is actually active, as compared to some of my other links.

RUGER FORUM

Check it out.
Gray

High Speed Bullets - Caught on Camera

2010-02-01T14:59:00.001-06:00

I just thought these were very, very cool. These are just a small sample of photographs I found on the internet by googling "High Speed Bullet". I just can't stop admiring them

Credits

Andrew Davidhazy

Alan Sailer

David Neff

The Edgerton Center

February 2010 Match - To Your Heart's Desire

2010-02-01T14:32:00.005-06:00

In celebration of Valentine's Day, we have a heart theme. The scoring will take a little strategy as you can see below. The smaller the heart, the more points. Highest score wins. Each heart can only count ONCE, so you had better think about each shot.

Download the target by clicking the RED link below

February 2010 Target

Shoot as many times as you like, but remember that you can only enter once per class.

Email all of your entries to postalmatch@gmail.com no later than February 28th.

Rules:

10 shots

~~10 yards~~ 5 yards, any grip

Scoring:

Each heart only counts ONCE. If you hit one heart twice, or you hit two hearts with one shot, it still only counts once. Think out your strategy.

Small hearts = 20, Medium hearts = 10, Large hearts = 5
Maximum score is 120 points (Three small, 5 medium, 2 large)

January 2010 Match - Happy New Year

2010-01-02T10:17:00.006-06:00

So after a little hiatus, the Online Postal Match is now back in business. Since it really is the "off" season, I suspect most are a little rusty. Therefore, we will start off relatively easy - straightforward bullseye target. Look to the bottom of the page to
review the general match guidelines.

JANUARY 2010 TARGET

Course of fire:

Click the RED LINK above to get January's target.

10 Shots, Two Hands

5 Yards (Up close and personal)

Deadline - January 31st

Make sure you mark each target with your Name, Class, Gun Used, Caliber, and Score. Email a photo or scan of your target to postalmatch@gmail.com.

Welcome to our first international member

2010-01-01T15:25:00.003-06:00

Our little match has gone global - well sort of. I got an email the other day from Manfred who is a shooter in France. He has his own blog at http://viedepassion.blogspot.com/. Manfred and his friends have participated in some postal matches hosted elsewhere. I hope that he and his friends will be able to participate in 2010 with our Online Postal Match contests.

By the way, I've added a link to allow translation of this site into any language. Look to the left column

In addition, I've added some links to some other postal matches I have found on the internet. Some may be more active than others...Mr. Completely hosts probably the most long-lived one. The Tennessee Gun Owners forum site www.tngunowners.com/forums/handguns/ also hosts a monthly handgun postal match. I've participated in both. Check them out.

Enjoy the New Year. We will get started back up in January. The cold weather may entice you to check out one of our local indoor ranges if you usually shoot in the great out of doors.

Gray

I guess Santa thought Mr. Fox must have been a VERY good boy. Bunnies beware!!

2009-12-30T16:54:00.005-06:00

The Online Postal Match is Not Dead

2009-12-21T19:12:00.001-06:00

Everyone, this is to let you know that the Nashville Online Handgun Postal Match is NOT dead. We had little participation in October (Thanks Marilyn and Bob), and I had a big triathlon to do in November. Holidays in December, and .... POOF! .... the year is gone.

The postal match will be resurrected the first of the year. Hard for some to shoot if you shoot outdoors, but it may be a good time to try out some of the local indoor ranges.

Gray

September 2009 Match Results

2009-10-05T08:42:00.001-05:00

Sorry this match was so much harder than the previous.

Coney Island Shooting Gallery
Remember that scoring was based upon how much of the star you were able to shoot out. The more star gone, the higher you ranked.

Class 1 (Rimfire, Iron Sights)

Bob Parada
Marilyn Shabbick

Class 3 (Centerfire, Iron Sights)

1) Gray Stahlman

2) Jeff Stone

Unlimited Centerfire

Ok so I cheated. I used my wife's S&W Model 66 revolver with laser grips and .38 special wadcutters. I wanted to see if it was even possible to "win". The verdict...no way. I think just like on the midway, this game is rigged to be a loser.

Prizes

Because this turned out so hard, I am going to give all participants a prize. Bob and Marilyn will BOTH get 2 boxes of .22LR bullets each. Jeff will get a box of 50 Blazer Brass 9mm. Thanks for playing. Enjoy!!!!

October 2009 Match - Die Zombie Die

2009-10-01T15:33:00.005-05:00

Die Zombie Die

The Zombies are loose!!! They will eat your brain and turn you into a zombie too. Your job, should you choose to accept it is to kill the zombies. How, you might ask? Well, since zombies are already dead, your basic bludgeoning, drowning, electrocution, or explosion are not effective. Only a HEAD SHOT will have any hope of dispatching one of these bad boys. A little secret, though...sometimes even the perfect head shot is not enough! It seems that some zombies still have a little bit of high functioning brain matter deep in their pathetic skulls. Rumor has it that it can be found deep in their eye sockets. That is the key to truly sending a zombie to meet his maker.

Click Here
For This Month's Target!

Course of Fire

Print out 2 targets for this one (Zombies nearly always come in pairs)
Shoot one zombie at 5 yds and one at 7 yds, one hand or two (whichever gives you the advantage)
5 shots per zombie (a total of 10 rounds per entry)
As always you can enter as many classes as you like, but only one pair of targets per class

Scoring

Max points per zombie - 25,

Max points for match - 50

White head shot counts as 3 points
Red Eye shot counts as 5
You can mix your shots...all at the eyes, all at the head, or whatever you can manage.

Scoring Example

Two shots to the white (2x3=6), one to the red (5), one on the edge of the red (5) and one miss (0) - 16

Send a digital photo or scan of your 2 zombie kills per class entry to postalmatch@gmail.com by
Saturday October 31st, midnight.
If you have any questions, please email me.

Lets wipe them out before they get us.

Happy Halloween!!

Isn't it Ironic?

2009-09-28T20:45:00.000-05:00

I'm a big fan of irony. I found this today and just had to share.

Just a quick update on the Postal Match Blog

2009-09-27T14:16:00.003-05:00

Thanks to all of you who are following this blog and have been participating. Any start up is a slow process, but I think in time things will take off. I'm currently working on the October match, and am also gathering the shooting results for the September match. I am also putting together my review of two outdoor ranges - The Charlie Haffner Memorial Range in Thompson Station, and The Bend of the River shooting center near Cookeville, Tennessee. Stay Tuned.

First, I would like to welcome David Dvorak to the Nashville Online Handgun Postal Match. David runs the Delaware Shooters Forum (http://www.deshooters.com/). He submitted a target for August after I let him know that I linked to his website in my recent post about other online postal matches.

Secondly, If you have ANY friends who are shooters, please invite them to participate. Give them the URL for this blog (http://www.postalmatch.blogspot.com/), and/or give them the site email (postalmatch@gmail.com). The more the merrier. While news and reviews from this site will be focused on the Nashville and Middle Tennessee area, I would love to see this blog blossom in participation.

Also, I would like to try to put together an email list of those shooters particpating now, of those who might participate in the future, or those who simply want to follow along. Everyone, please send me your name, location, and email address to postalmatch@gmail.com so I can compile a list. I promise never to do bad things with your personal information.

Finally, if any of you have input or suggestions as to how to make this project better, please speak up. You can leave a comment at the bottom of each post, or you can email me at postalmatch@gmail.com

See you at the range.
Stay safe.

Gray (aka Postal Matchster)

Gun Range Review #2

2009-09-22T20:44:00.006-05:00

Gun City USA

573 Murfreesboro Road Nashville, TN 37210

615-256-6127

http://www.guncity.net/

Store Hours: Monday-Saturday 10am to 6pm

Range Hours: Monday-Saturday 10am to 5:30pm

The Range

I think this is the oldest indoor range in the Nashville area, perhaps in the state of Tennessee. The range was once a state of the art facility (in the early 60's) but it is really showing it's age and wear. If you look at the photos, and listen to anyone on the local forums, you will understand why people refer to this range as "the DUNGEON".

In the basement of the store, the range has 8 shooting stations and is 50' long. The ventilation system has apparently been replaced in the last year or two, so the air is pretty good. Unfortunately being in the basement, it is usually pretty warm. While the target positioning system is manual and archaeic in its appearance, it works. Each shooting station is actually quite spacious.

The lighting, however is TERRIBLE. I find it very difficult to see the targets well, especially if they are dark. Eye and ear protection is available at no charge. Lane fees are $15 for as long as you want to shoot. You must use their sillouette targets which hang on a coat hanger to their pulley system. You are strictly limited to only shooting at 50' - no closer. Rapid fire is allowed. Policing your brass is expected. They do have a small collection of rental guns.

The Store

While many people have purchased their firearms from Gun City USA throughout history, I think their selection looks pretty sparse. They have a relatively small handgun collection, a little bigger long gun selection. Supplies are also lacking. Prices have reportedly crept up over the years. They do have CCW classes for $150 for the 8 hour course. Ol' Larry behind the counter (with the cross draw 1911) is really a nice fellow once you get to talking to him. Terry, the guy with the prosthetic arm is also affable. Ammo is fairly plentiful, including some oddball calibers, but prices are on the higher end.

The Bottom Line

I would go to the range for a quick fix since it is close to the office and the only one near downtown Nashville, but there are far better facilities out there.

A Tour of Other Online Postal Matches

2009-09-21T21:19:00.007-05:00

While I would love to claim that the online version of the postal match was my idea, I can't. The internet is a terrific venue to modernize the classic Postal Match (where shooters would otherwise mail in their targets and await scoring) and can reach out to more people.

In thinking up this blog site, and doing my Google due diligence, however, I found a handful of other postal match sites. I thought I would share with you the ones I have found.

I encourage you to join up with these other postal matches. The more participation each match gets, the better the whole idea will become.

Mr. Completely looks to be the outright leader in the online postal match world. (Called e-Postal Matches). Each month a different blogger "hosts" the match. Targets and courses of fire are varied and are unique. In looking at the Mr. Completely Archives, there have been a bunch of different shooting tasks with variable number of shots, positions, targets etc.. I have drawn some of my basic rules (such as shooting class) from Mr. Completely's site. Thanks to you!

More locally, the Tennessee Gun Owners website has a monthly handgun shooting match. You will need to look in the "stickies" section of the handgun forum. The targets are standardized (a link to the download is provided in each monthly description.) and each match is 10 shots. Read the rules carefully as there are variations each month. You upload your target to the site by using the forum tools to upload a picture.

By the way, this site is a Tennessee based forum group that is great for networking with Tennessee shooters. There are announcements on local and regional shooting events and meet & greets. Check it out at http://www.tngunowners.com/.

I recently found what looks like a new postal match from the Delaware Shooters Forum Postal Match. It looks like they have just started off, so I don't know how much interest they will generate. The main website for the Delaware Shooters Forum is http://www.deshooters.com/

The Zombie Squad Postal Match looks interesting. Rather than shooting at bullseyes, the Zombie Squad's mission is to kill zombies. They have a very unique target. You can either mail or email your results. The directions to each match are found by clicking this link and looking through the forum for the latest month's entry.

The Zombie Squad's mission is to educate the public about the importance of personal preparedness and self reliance, to increase its readiness to respond to a number of disasters such as Earthquakes, Floods or Zombie Outbreaks. Go to their site http://www.zombiehunters.org/ to learn more.

The Florida Shooters Network Postal Match Forum lists a small number of Postal Matches they have done. While the forum is still alive, it looks like there is not much participation in the matches.

The Postal Match Forum site is an interesting concept which seems to be predominantly focused on long gun and rifle sports. The idea is that forum members upload their own postal matches for the others to participate in. Looking at the dates of the posts, this site looks like it has gone fallow, but it may be a source for some ideas.

If you know of, or come upon any other Online Postal Matches, let me know and I will post them. Send them to me at postalmatch@gmail.com