e-Postal Handgun Match "Speed Kills!"

This month's e-Postal handgun match "Speed Kills!" is a real challenge. The object is to Shoot each of the five targets on the target page three times for a total of fifteen shots for score, then add as many bonus points as you can, based on how long it takes you to shoot all fifteen shots.

This will require a shot timer or a stop watch, and someone to help you with the timing. If you don't have a timer, or access to one, you can still enter and will be scored separately from the shooters adding bonus points. More on that below.

This "Speed Kills!" e-Postal match has four classes. Depending on the number of entries, sub-classes may also be recognized.

TARGET: The same target is used in all classes. It is five separate targets all printed on a single 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper.

The target can be downloaded from here:

"Speed Kills!" Target

It is an Adobe Acrobat PDF file.

CLASS ONE: Rim fire. Any rimfire handgun with no more than a 12" barrel, any sight.

CLASS TWO: Center fire. Any centerfire (non-revolver) handgun with no more than a 12" barrel, any sight.

CLASS THREE: Revolver. Any revolver with no more than a 12" barrel, any sight.

CLASS FOUR: "Fast Times". Any handgun with no more than a 12" barrel, any sight. All class four entries must have ALL fifteen shots touching, or inside the outer 4 ring or better. Scoring for this class is entirely on total time for the three shot strings of five shots per string.

No paint ball guns or shotguns!

DISTANCE - All Classes: 25 feet, or Ten yards, which ever is available at your range.

START POSITION: Start at a "Low Ready" position, or as close to it as you can manage. Basically that means standing, holding the gun in front of you with the muzzle pointed down at approximately a 30 to 45 degree angle. If you have a shooting bench or table in front of you, rest the muzzle on the bench.

SHOOTING POSITION: Standing, un-supported, off-hand, one or two hands on gun permitted.

PROCEDURE: When given the signal to commence firing by your timer, raise the gun and fire five shots, one at each bull. You should shoot as quickly as you can comfortably and safely shoot. If your range limits you to one shot a second, as some do, try for that.

I want to stress that this is not a "Take all the time you want" event. We are looking for accuracy combined with a reasonably brisk rate of fire.

Keep safety in mind at all times, and do NOT try to shoot faster than you can shoot with a reasonable degree of accuracy.

You cannot deliberately shoot at the same bull twice in the string of five shots. If you have a flyer wander over into another target, make up for it in the next shot string if you can.

Record your time for the five shots. Re-load, if needed, and shoot your second string of five shots in the same way. Record your time for your second string of five shots. Repeat once more, for your last five shots, and record your time.

You should now have three shots into each of the five targets on the master target sheet, and you should have written down the times for each shot string.

SCORING: Touching the black counts as a hit. Each small target has a perfect score of 30 points, times 5 small targets, for a score of 150. Only three shots can be counted in each small target, even if you hit it more than three times.

To calculate bonus points:

1. Add together the three shot string times.
2. Drop the digits to the right of the decimal point to make it an integer.
3. Subtract the time from 40 to get your bonus points.

For example:

1st. string time: 7.54 seconds
2nd. string time: 6.11 seconds
3rd. string time: 4.77 seconds

Total string time: 18.41

Drop the fractional part to get 18 seconds.

Subtract 18 from 40 to get 22 bonus points.

Add the bonus points to the score from the targets to get your total score.

Ties will be decided based on the fastest total time.

If you are unable to arrange for timing of your shots, mark your target as "Untimed".

You can shoot the match more than once if you don't like your score and want to try again. We want to see just how well you can do!

Mark your individual scores for each small target, total target score, individual shot string times, total time, total bonus points, total score, and the name you want to use when listed in the results on the target with a legible felt pen, along with the class and type of gun used. Don't write your name on the target, only the name you want to appear in the results, as your target may get posted on Mr. Completely.

STRATEGY: Accuracy first, without wasting too much time between shots!

ALTERNATE ENTRIES: If for whatever reason you cannot shoot the match in the manner described, shoot it anyway and send in your entry, but be sure to tell me what you did so I can include that info in the results.

MULTIPLE ENTRIES: You can enter more than once, in fact, it is encouraged. Shoot everything you own, and everything you can borrow! Take a buddy to the range, get him entered, then borrow his gun and enter that! The only restriction is that you can only enter once for any given gun, in any individual Class. You can enter class four with a gun that you have also entered in one of the other classes.

Different calibers in the same gun count as one gun. For example, .38SPL and .357MAG are considered as one, as would be .44SPL and .44MAG. Different guns of the same caliber and barrel length can be entered. A .22 conversion on a .45 frame counts as a second gun, so you can take off the conversion and shoot the .45 too.

PRIZES: Nope, it's just for the fun of it and the bragging rights!

SUBMITTING YOUR ENTRY: Take a digital photo of, (or scan) your targets, and email the picture, along with:

1. Your score for each small target.*
2. Your total target score.*
3. Individual shot string times.
4. Total time.
5. Bonus points*
6. Total score including bonus points.*
7. The name(s) you want used when we post the results
8. Gun description - Brand, model, semi-auto, revolver, caliber, barrel length, and type of sights.
9. Class: Class One, Class Two, Class Three, or Class Four.
10. Anything interesting or unique about your entry that other shooters might enjoy hearing about.

Note: Items marked with * not needed for Class Four.

Email it all to b l o g (at) w h i d b e y (dot) c o m

Please put "Speed Kills Entry" in the email title so it goes into the correct mailbox!

If you can't scan or send target pictures, send everything else to me in an email, and we'll arrange for either fax or snail mail for the targets.

If you have a blog or a website, you can post the target pictures on your site, then email me the rest of the information (items 1 through 9 above) excluding the pictures.

Be sure to include the URL for your website pictures.

This works well, saves some email bandwidth, and helps to publicise the matches.

The rules are subject to revision as needed, should the need arise.

All entries must be received by Midnight on Monday, May 29th, and results will be posted within seven days, or less.

If you have any questions, leave the question in the comments to this post, or send me an email, or both.

be safe, and have fun!!