The real game.

Oct. 16, 2010     MDPA Night State Championship

1.      Shooters must have previous experience with MDPA or IDPA day matches.  If you have never shot a night match you should attend one of the Boulder night matches on the weekends prior to the MDPA night match.  Alternatively, an experienced MDPA shooter may talk with the Match Director, John Mingo, to discuss previous training, including practice sessions at night at the Logan range.  In no case will a shooter be permitted to shoot the match without previous night match experience or previous night practice training. 

2.      Each shooter MUST have both a tactical light, to be used "off" the gun, and a "low-light" flashlight used for work behind the firing line, such as loading magazines.  Use of a tactical light behind the firing line will be grounds for disqualification. 

3.      All regular rules will apply with respect to the position of guns, magazines, and concealment.  The tactical light must be positioned in a tactical light holster on the belt, on a clip on the belt or a pocket, or in a pocket.  At the buzzer, the tactical light must be drawn from its position in a holster, belt-clip, etc, while the shooter draws his gun.  The tactical light must be positioned so that the shooter does not "cross" himself with the muzzle of the gun while drawing the tactical light and the gun.  The light itself does not have to be positioned underneath the concealment garment; it may be positioned on the belt in front of the concealment garment. 

4.      The light must be used during all firing and must be held in the hand, in the mouth, or placed in a pocket while reloading during a stage of fire.  

5.      All stages of fire will be conducted with the light in the shooter's hand and the "on" button depressed so that the light is shining.  In no case may the shooter try to engage threat targets by their outline under ambient light.  This is to assure that you "know your target."  No-threat targets will also help to enforce this discipline.  

6.      Regular match safety rules will be observed including keeping the trigger finger out of the trigger guard while reloading, moving without firing, and showing clear.  During the "load and make ready" and the "show clear" processes, the SO will use a low-level flashlight to assist the shooter.  This low level light will be a yellow, blue, or red light so as not to compromise night vision.  All SOs shall bring such a low-level light with them to the match. 

7.      Regular match procedural rules will be in place except that more leeway will be given the shooter when shooting around the weak-hand side of a barricade.  This additional leeway is necessary to allow the shooter to use the tactical light without the light being blocked by the barricade.   Cover penalties, however, will be called if the shooter does not attempt to reasonably use cover to protect himself from the other threat targets while he is currently engaging a particular target. 

8.      NOTE:  If you wish to shoot a gun with an attached tactical light, you may do so, but we cannot guarantee that there will be enough such shooters to be scored as a separate match.  In any event, only shooters using "off-the-gun" tactical lights will be eligible for division and class certificates.  In no case may a shooter draw a tactical light and attach it to the gun's "rail" during a course of fire.  Each shooter, when filling out his/her score-sheet prior to the match, will specify "off-the-gun" or "rail-light" on the score sheet.  Each squad SO will be responsible for seeing that the score-sheets properly reflect the type of light being used, along with the other information such as division and class. 

9.      There will be up to eight challenging stages in the night match.  Bring appropriate clothing in case it rains or snows.