2007 IDPA Georgia State Championship

2007-10-21T05:01:00Z

This blog post will walk you through the Course of Fire for the 2007 IDPA Georgia State Championship. After shooting the match on Friday, Dave Sevigny (Sevigny Performance) was kind enough to come back on Saturday and shoot the entire match wearing a hat camera. There were a total of 13 stages and 182 shooters in all. Each stage below contains some comments about the stage, the stage description and Dave's video. Click on the stage title to view the stage description from the COF booklet. The match was held at the South River Gun Club on Saturday, October 6th.

Stage 1: Coyotes in the Hen House
Scenario: While visiting your grandfather’s farm, coyotes get into his hen house.
All the targets on this stage were static, but the -3 zone had been trimmed from each target to better represent the coyote.
Sevigny Hatcam Video

Stage 2: Run-a-Muck
Scenario: Things run-a-muck when you happen upon a burglary in progress.
This stage used the PLC controlled Action Target's Runner 120. The runner started 1 second after the buzzer and moved about 30 feet before stopping behind some barrels. Photo. After a 3 second delay, it started moving again, but this time it was pushing another target located on a track placed on the ground. This target had a non-threat attached that made it difficult to revisit the first moving target. Photo.
Sevigny Hatcam Video

Stage 3: Make the Deposit
Scenario: During your daily visit to the bank to make cash deposits, you are attacked by the local street gang.
Here, you start with a briefcase in your weak hand and had to engage at least one of the first two targets while moving to cover. The first two targets were on a PLC controlled slider that moved back and forth behind two 55 gallon drums. Photo1, Photo2
Sevigny Hatcam Video

Stage 4: Planet of the Apes
Scenario: While on safari in Africa, wild apes decide to gang rape you.
The start position on this stage was at bad-breath distance from the first two targets. On the buzzer you had to engage them while retreating to cover. From behind the barricade you had to engage 2 targets that would appear and then disappear from behind double-stacked barrels. Photo
Sevigny Hatcam Video

Stage 5: Airport Ambush
Scenario: While checking your luggage at the airport, terrorists barge in and shoot a security guard. You retrieve his handgun and clean up the mess.
After loading your gun, it and your spare ammo were placed on the chest of a dummy laying behind some barrels (luggage). You dropped to your knees on the signal and picked up your gun to engage the targets. Photo This stage used some new types of targets that were again controlled by a PLC. Two seconds after the buzzer, the first set of targets appeared from behind a non-threat. There was a steel plate behind the non-threat to prevent shoot-through. Photo A few seconds later another set of targets appeared from behind a double-stack of barrels. Photo We had some problems with these targets early in the day, but got the problems resolved and they ran great the rest of the match. This was probably the most challenging stage of the match. Next time, we will allow the targets to present for longer periods of time!
Sevigny Hatcam Video

Stage 6: Standards
Start with 6 rounds, slide-lock reload, 6 more rounds, mandatory reload with retention/tac reload, finish up.
Sevigny Hatcam Video

Stage 7: Tag-a-long
Scenario: Crack heads have just robbed the drug store and plan to eliminate you for being a witness.
Here we used a standard Action Targets runner. The shooter flipped the switch at the buzzer and engaged the targets as he moved down the sidewalk. An additional runner was attached using a bungee cord. This made the third target variable speed. As T1/T2 moved down the cable, the bungee stretched until T3 took off. In this photo you can see T1/T2 with the cord beginning to stretch. It would accelerate and then come to a stop just before the trolley picked it up again and kept it moving. Photo
Sevigny Hatcam Video

Stage 8: Laundry Detail
Scenario: As you go to retrieve your laundry, a gang of bad guys attack you from behind the garage.
After making ready, the shooter picks up the laundry basket with both hands. On the buzzer, you drop the basket and engage the first steel target. Photo (DVC Targets were used) When it falls, the door opens to reveal another. Photo After dropping this target, the clothes line drops to reveal 4 more targets.
Sevigny Hatcam Video

Stage 9: Home at Last
Scenario: You finally arrive home after a 8 hour car trip only to find your home being ransacked by armed goobers.
Starting with your strong hand on the door knob, on the beep you enter the house and rid it of vermin. There were two targets behind soft cover (couch) that only had part of the heads showing. Photo You could shoot through the couch or take the head shots.
Sevigny Hatcam Video

Stage 10: Kidnappers
Scenario: When you arrive home from the movies, your house is being robbed and your child is being kidnapped.
This stage employed a track mover with two targets and a non-threat. Photo Photo While it did not move very fast, you had take care of T1 in a hurry in order to engage the mover before it disappeared. You could engage the mover from cover or while moving to P2. There was some hard cover to deal with on the rest of the targets. Photo Photo
Sevigny Hatcam Video

Stage 11: What-a-Burger
Scenario: As you enter your local fast food restaurant, thugs have shot a customer and plan to serve you the same thing.
The first target on this stage required at least one -0 hit to drop a Popper. Photo This activated an Out-n-Back. After T1 and T2 were taken care of, you had to drag the wounded customer to safety before engaging the remaining targets.
Sevigny Hatcam Video

Stage 12: Poop Hits the Fan
Scenario: Nails in the road have forced you into the ditch, when MS13 gang members decide you are their next victim.
With both hands on the steering wheel, you retrieve your gun from the passenger floorboard when the buzzer goes off. The car was angled at 30 degrees so it was an awkward starting position. Photo The TAC II's (Elite Target Systems) were programmed to give you a couple of seconds to grab you pistol and open the car door. You could choose to engage the targets without opening the door as well.
Sevigny Hatcam Video

Stage 13: Low Places
Scenario: While inspecting vandal damage at your place of business, you meet the villains.
The last stage required you to engage 3 targets from prone. Photo
Sevigny Hatcam Video

We would like to thank all those who attended the match and hope to see you all again next year.

A special thanks goes out to the Safety Officers who worked the match:

Howard Beers
Bob Guidice
Mitchel Causin
Rhett Crutchfield
Claude Werner
Al Hodge
Tom Mulheron
Steve Waller
Luke Dollar
Mike Anderson
Skip Gilmer
Jerry Weatherby
Mike Sexton
Sandy Sexton
Ken Moore
Frank Wright
Rodney Waisner
Eli Colotta
Joe Day
Audrey Day
Joe Peel
Tom Hyde
Gary Byerly
Gil Algier
Terry Candler
Rodney Harris
Jesus Vazquez
Gary Glemboski
Paul Skakum
Mike Brown
Brett Hanus

The scoring crew was
Sandy Hoyle
Angie Hoyle
Karen English
Beth Ahearn
Viki Vasquez
Cheryl Harris

Finally, without the setup crew, this match would never have happened. Thanks to the following people for taking time off to help setup this match.

Brett Hanus
Frank Wright
Howard Beers
Mitch Causin
Paul Skakum
Scott Spinks
Heather Spinks
Jesus Vasquez
Rhett Crutchfield
Steve Waller
Chester Kingsman
Mike Brown
Jerry Weatherby
Mike Anderson
Thomas Lipscomb
Tom Mulheron
Josh Ahearn
and anyone that I have left out!

Sincerely,

-Capel English
Match Director

PLC and Linear Actuator Selection

2006-12-30T16:24:00Z

I researched about a dozen different PLC's and programmable relays. I finally decided on the Crouzet PLC's because they had the best combination of features I was looking for.

Low cost
Many inputs and outputs
Easy to use programming GUI
Powerful programming features
Good tech support that is easy to reach by phone

Crouzet's web site has a complete list of all the different models of the Millenium 3 Programmable Logic Controllers

I chose a 12 vdc version for use with 12 vdc linear actuators. The model number of the PLC shown in our video is 88970045. You can't purchase directly from Crouzet/Schneider Electric, so you have to buy from one of their distributors. Allied Electronics is who I purchased from, but I had to call the local Allied sales office to order them since they did not have these PLC's on their web site. I also use Digikey as a good source for other electronic components, including the plastic box.

Firgelli Automaton is the company that I purchased the linear actuators from. Here again, I searched high and low for the best linear actuator. Price was the biggest deciding factor. I chose speed over force. In other words, you have to give up power in order to get higher speed of activation. The linear activator I chose runs at 2 inches/second with a max force of 28 lbs and has built-in limit switches.

Leave a comment if you have a question.
-Capel

Electronics use in IDPA stages

2006-11-04T15:15:00Z

This blog is where I will post information regarding the use of electronics and other mechanical devices that we have used in our local and sanctioned IDPA matches. Since we have spent a lot of time working on these electronic moving target systems, we feel like what has been learned is worth sharing. While this blog covers ground a lot of experienced IDPA shooters, MD's and course designers already know, the background information is included for the sake of completeness.

Below are a series of videos that walk through our motivation for experimenting with electronics in Course Of Fire (COF) design.

Introduction - An intro to the discussion (2 min)
Moving targets and activation (3 min 48 sec)
Drop and turn targets (2 min 24 sec)
Track runners (2 min 12 sec)
Cable and trolley runners (2 min 3 sec)
Rolling Ball Pop-up Example Video from the 2005 Carolina Cup. It pops up behind the car and is engaged through the front seat windows.
Activation (3 min 21 sec)
Programmable Logic Controllers - PLC's (2 min 33 sec)
PLC demo (1 min 8 sec)
Linear actuator (2 min 29 sec)
Challenges and Conclusion (2 min 22 sec)
Runner with a PLC video (8 min 4 sec) You may need to save this one to your disk before viewing it.
Swinger with linear actuator video (6 min 4 sec) Save this one to your disk as well.

I hope you have found this information interesting and encourage you to consider using something like this in your IDPA courses of fire.

Sincerely,
Capel English

IDPA Weblog

2007 IDPA Georgia State Championship

PLC and Linear Actuator Selection

Electronics use in IDPA stages