New Short Range Self Defense Matches - Cedar Ridge Range

[jbmac]

I recently shot a "Short Range" match at Cedar Ridge range near Bulverde Texas. It is approximately half way between Austin and San Antonio. Eric Lamberson organized the match and plans to have another one June 8, 2014. The stages are designed around real world scenarios and in some cases actual shooting incidents. The stages are designed to be shot with typical concealed carry handguns. Eric provided the following description:

SHORT RANGE COURSE OF FIRE MATCH

The short-range course of fire match will follow IDPA principles and will have all targets at no more than 10 yards. Otherwise, it is a regular course of fire, with many stages requiring a reload. A short-range course of fire match makes carry-suitable handguns more competitive.

A shooter must shoot a short-range match with a handgun that meets the IDPA rulebook definition of a back-up gun, .32 caliber or larger. In this case, we permit the semi-auto BUG to be loaded with up to 7 rounds in the magazine plus one round in the chamber and reloads on the clock.

Shooters may use any IDPA-legal belt holster and magazine carrier/speed loader carrier. Shooters may reload from the pocket; however, no drawing from the pocket, a fanny pack, shoulder holster, etc. If in doubt, please ask.

If you do not have a belt holster for your BUG, please bring it in a case. Shooters w/o holsters will begin from the low ready and will have 2.00 seconds added to their time for each string begun from the low ready.

Sign up is between 0900 - 0945hrs; Please make every effort to be on time for signup and don't wait until the last minute.
Set Up: Set up assistance sincerely appreciated. Please arrive at 8:00 a.m or at 9 a.m.

For More Information or Questions:ericlamberson@sensibleselfdefense.com

I shot the match with my Colt Government 380 and my Sig P238 380. I regularly shoot IDPA and this is significantly different in that it is specifically designed for short barreled carry guns. Good training and lots of fun. Directions and info on the range are as follows:

Cedar Ridge Range, 7110 F.M. 1863, Bulverde, Texas 78163

From: San Antonio - Proceed north on US 281 North from downtown, cross under Loop 1604 and proceed approximately 9.5 miles to Exit FM 1863. Exit, turn right, heading east, at approximately 5.5 miles you will come into obvious low water crossing area with limestone cliffs to your left and in front of you. After crossing low water point you will proceed about 1/4 mile around a gentle right hand curve, Cedar Ridge Range entrance gate will be on your right.

From Austin (IH 35 South): Proceed on IH 35 heading south towards San Antonio to Natural Bridge Caverns (Garden Ridge) Exit at Fm 3009. Exit to Fm 3009, turn right proceeding north approximately 12 miles, passing over RR tracks, thru Garden Ridge, past Natural Bridge Caverns to 4 way Stop Signs at junction with FM 1863. Turn left on Fm 1863 and proceed approximately 2.7 miles to obvious, wide low water crossing. 200 yards past crossing is entrance gate to Cedar Ridge Range on your left.

From Boerne (IH 10): Exit IH 10 at Boerne to State Hwy 46, go thru Boerne on Hwy 46 (this is a bit tricky so watch for the turn inside of town) Proceed on Hwy 46 heading east approximately 20 miles to US 281 North. Turn right onto US 281 North heading south approximately 3.5 miles to Exit FM 1863. Exitand turn left, under overpass, heading east. At approximately 5.5 miles you will come into obvious low water crossing area with limestone cliffs to your left and in front of you. After crossing low water point you will proceed about 1/4 mile around a gentle right hand curve, Cedar Ridge Range entrance gate will be on your right.

I AM NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE RANGE AND HAVE NO FINANCIAL INTEREST IN THE MATCHES. I AM PROMOTING THIS BECAUSE IT IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTICE REAL WORLD CONCEALED CARRY/SELF DEFENSE SKILLS AND I WANT TO GENERATE SUPPORT SO THE MATCH WILL BECOME A REGULARLY SCHEDULED EVENT.

[jbmac]

Another Short Range "BUG" style match this Sunday 6/8 at Cedar Ridge Range. Good opportunity to shoot our CC gun.

[Eric Lamberson]

We've been doing the Short Range Match for over a year and I am very pleased at what it has become. You can shoot any pistol, loaded to capacity, that you legitimately carry. If you carry a 50 Desert Eagle then come on out! If you are ever in San Antonio or Austin on the second Sunday of the month please come join us at Cedar ridge.

I wanted to share some comments from one of our regulars that really captured the spirit of the Short Range Match; he said it very well.
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Eric, your short range matches are the best practice for concealed carry license holders outside of expensive courses. Your focus on real world incidents and realistic shooting scenarios using carry-type weapons makes these events invaluable.

IDPA competition has frankly gotten to be a sport first and practice for concealed carry a distant second. As IDPA competitors we tend to focus too much on getting the best score within the rules. The way you would shoot a stage if people were shooting back at you is far different from the way you would shoot that stage to get the best score under current IDPA rules. While I enjoy IDPA competitions myself and have no problem with people who compete in IDPA primarily as a sport, we do tend to get into bad habits such as walking slowly to get zero down hits on targets. When people shoot back, you tend to run faster and shoot one-handed so you don’t get shot. Doing so is going to reduce your IDPA score substantially, but if the main object of the exercise is not to get shot while getting hits on the bad guy, running and shooting one handed are good examples of how to do it. This is not just speculation, since these are things revealed by the work done by different groups that do Airsoft-based force-on-force training such as Suarez International.

Perhaps one day IDPA competition will find a way to calculate into scoring how many hits would happen on a competitor who is walking slowly and shooting two-handed at all times. This could be deducted from the score to make IDPA competition more like the real world, but until IDPA figures a way to do this we have your matches. No caliber restrictions, no rules against RMRs, relaxed but safe rules on holsters, no rules against shooting a particular pistol as long as it is something you carry. Your matches allow us to compete more like the way we actually carry.

While your short range matches are not going to replace formal handgun training courses, or for that matter, IDPA competition for the pure sport of it, they provide additional and I think much needed opportunities for better concealed carry skill set development. They are the cheapest way for law-abiding people with CHL's in the San Antonio/Austin area to practice and sharpen our gun handling skills in the context of simulated real world concealed carry situations. Mark N, 10 Aug 14 Short Range Match