R.I.P Dixie Shooters

2007 was the final year for the Dixie Shooters Practical Shooting Club.   Three years ago at the club election, no one wanted to be President, Vice President or Secretary/Treasurer.  That was the day the club died.  Since then, Lee Knobloch, John Blue and I have seen that an IPSC match was held here each month.  Lee has been the defacto President for the last four years and is burned out.  John too is tired of doing all the work.  Seems that everyone wants to shoot practical matches but no one really wants to make the time to see that a club is supported and matches are set up, run, torn down and scored.  It takes time, about five hours on average.   The club championship match was held at the October match and had a turnout of about 15 shooters.  It had a cash payback to the shooters who won.  Regular club matches drew 10 - 12 shooters on any given match date.  In the past they were supported by more than 40 shooters.  It reached the point here where the end did not justify the means. 

We have had a great run with the USPSA.  It is the finest competitive shooting organization on the planet.  Well thought out with safety its highest priority.  IPSC shooters are the safest gun handlers around.  They learned it from the USPSA matches.  We still support the USPSA and are not opposed to another practical shooting club here... only somebody else has to run it.  We're pooped.  For the next few years, we'll see you at the practical matches held at the Steel City Practical Shooters range on Shades Crest Rd in Hoover, at the CASA range in Argo, the Moss Branch Practical Shooters Range in Oxford and at major matches around the southeast.  Thank Lee and John for the hard work they have done for the last few years here. 

Dixie Shooters Club IPSC Matches

            Dixie Shooters was formed in 1996 following a fallout between the members of the Central Alabama Sport Shooters Association (CASSA) and the few people who ran CASSA.  The new club was formed called "Dixie Practical Shooting Club".  Dixie Shooters calls the F.O.P. Range their home range.  The club currently has about 50 members and is  growing.  We see and welcome new faces at every match.  The club president this year is Lee Knobloch.  He is doing  a great job of getting things organized so the club's matches are the best matches put on in the southeast.  To get in touch with him, you can email him baer458@cs.com or call him at 205-744-2600 mornings at the range.   We regularly have IPSC shooters drive in from other states to participate in our matches.  Ask them why they drive 4 to 6 hours to shoot a club match and they will tell you, "the club's matches back home aren't as good as matches put on by Dixie Shooters". 

           Dixie Shooters puts on one match a month, held on the 2nd  Sunday of each month at 12 noon.  The match has a "Classifier" stage with the scores from the "Classifier" stage sent in to USPSA.  By shooting four classifier matches, each shooter becomes "Classified" or ranked based on the average of the four scores compared to the average of everyone in the world who has shot that classifier stage.  USPSA gives each of its IPSC clubs a classifier book that contains several stages for the clubs to choose from to set up for their classifier match.  Each club sends in the results of their shooters who shot the classifier stage. 

          Everyone is welcome at a Dixie Shooter's match.  You do not have to be a member of the Range or Dixie Shooters in order to participate.  The cost is $20 and spouses and kids pay half price with one full price paying spouse or parent.     The stages are comparable to those held at State and Area level matches.  Bring a good handgun, a holster to be worn on your strong side, extra magazines or speed loaders, at least 150 rounds of ammo, and eye and ear protection.  The match starts at 12:30 pm and is over usually by 3:30 pm.  Come a little early if you can and help set up.  If this is your first match, you need to get to the Range about half an hour early and go through a match safety briefing.  One of the RO's will go over the rules involved in shooting IPSC matches and safe gun handling required when at the range.  If you need more information about the matches, call the range at 205-744-2600 and  we can help you.

Send mail to foprange@bellsouth.net with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: November 06, 2007