In a scene that would undoubtedly cause hoplophobes around the world to have apoplectic fits, more than a hundred men, women and children entered a crowded Gainesville club on Sunday, January 6, and started shooting. Between 12:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., they fired in excess of 10,000 rounds of live ammunition, most ranging from 9mm to .45ACP. Neither a single death nor even one mere gunshot wound was reported.
Howard Beers and Chester Kingsman designed a challenging match for competitors in Cherokee IDPA’s first monthly contest of the New Year, and a record number of defensive firearm enthusiasts descended on Gainesville, Georgia’s Cherokee Gun Club to partake. The record-attendance 103 handgunners comprised a racially, geographically and socioeconomically diverse group, ranging in age from the early teens to 70+, including at least three women. 10 competed with revolvers, while the vast majority shot semi-automatics. A slew of Safety Officers, set-up/teardown and registration crew members assisted the organizers with running the outdoor match. Temperatures ranged from the high 30s to the mid-50s with no precipitation reported.
The shooters competed over eight courses of fire for fastest time. Total time includes penalties for errors such as hits on non-threat targets, procedural errors, failures to neutralize, and points dropped -- when rounds fall outside targets’ “zero” zones. Caution, hoplophobes: a YouTube video prepared by one of the participants is embedded in this article, linked at the top or to the left.
SSP Master Matt Sirmans (165.11) edged ESP Master Ken Park (166.47) to finish with the best time overall, winning Stages 5 and 8 and the Stock Service Pistol classification. Park won Stages 2, 3 and 4 and the Enhanced Service Pistol classification.
CDP Expert Ken Ellington (201.06) took Stage 1 and the Custom Defensive Pistol classification. SSR Sharpshooter Noah Teal (270.63) topped the Stock Service Revolver classification.
SSP Master Mike Dodrill (173.92) finished second among SSP competitors and third overall, winning Stages 6 and 7. SSP Masters Sal Nappo and Teddy Roberts and SSP Expert Kyle Epps all finished with sub-200 scores. Complete results can be downloaded here.
Cherokee’s next match will be held Sunday, February 2, with registration starting at 11 a.m. New shooters should arrive and be registered by 11:30 a.m. for a required safety briefing, and should preview the IDPA and GADPA websites, particularly the new shooter information and briefing text and video.
As the embedded map indicates, Cherokee Gun Club is located at 1700 Candler Road in Gainesville. See the club’s website for more details.
GADPA, the Greater Atlanta Defensive Pistol Association, is a local chapter of IDPA, and hosts matches on weeknights and weekends at additional ranges throughout metro Atlanta. See GADPA’s online calendar for upcoming events.
Per its website, “the International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) is the governing body of a shooting sport that simulates self-defense scenarios and real life encounters.” The organization was founded in 1996 and now boasts membership of more than 19,000, including members in 51 foreign countries. “The founders developed the sport so that practical gear and practical guns may be used competitively. An interested person can spend a minimal amount on equipment and still be competitive. The main goal is to test the skill and ability of the individual, not equipment or gamesmanship. ‘Competition only’ equipment is not permitted in this sport. The firearms are grouped into five (5) divisions: 1) Custom Defensive Pistol (.45ACP semi-automatics only); 2) Enhanced Service Pistol (9mm (9x19) or larger caliber semi-automatics); 3) Stock Service Pistol (9mm (9x19) or larger caliber double action, double action only, or safe action semi-automatics); 4) Enhanced Service Revolver (.38 caliber or larger double action revolvers); and 5) Stock Service Revolver (.38 caliber or larger double action revolvers). Shooters are then classed by like-skill levels with progression from Novice (NV); to Marksman (MM); to Sharpshooter (SS); to Expert (EX); and, finally, to Master (MA).”
GUNS IDPA, Cherokee, Gainesville, Georgia, sport
GUNS IDPA, Cherokee, Gainesville, Georgia, sport
GUNS IDPA, Cherokee, Gainesville, Georgia, sport
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