ihmsa forums

Encore22, I absolutely agree with everything you said. The Internationals is a wonderful social experience and well worth attending if you can work it into your schedule and pocketbook! If OKC were a day's drive away I would be there.

Steve W.

Well, if I was entertaining any thought of attending this years Internationals my trip today to the dentist decided it - $4,000 worth of dental work needed ! What a quandary - guess what wins !

Encore 22 you are spot on with your logic and your support of IHMSA.

From what I read on this forum the WCC is the social event of the year. Do shooters even bring guns? You do whatever it takes to keep silhouette shooting alive and you have found the formula. A few years ago I looked into chartering a plane to go to the Internationals in Ft. Stockton. Now that would have been a hoot. As I sit here typing away, I am wondering if there are any pilots on the east coast that would have a plane to carry a few dedicated shooters to the WCC and the Internationals. If we got too many for a private jet we could charter a regional carrier aircraft for our adventures. Have to turn the fan on, the smoke is getting thick.

Each of my 3 years of playing this game I've tried to visit as many different ranges that I can .this year the ECC ant the INT. we're at the top of my list along with the ga. BB state match. But I'm typing this from a hospital bed recovering from my second different heart valve replacement 1st. Was 19 years ago. Because of recoup and vacation time the ECC is in doubt
But if all goes well I should make the int. my plan to go to my 1st. Int this year is because of what I was told and just reconfirmed on this thread if you only make one int. make the one in Okc. Because Stockton is a hell hole
I guess my ? Is if a lot people don't like/ won't go to Stockton why have it there?

Jackie40X40. I guess we were typing at the same time. I used to take my sons out to Idaho and we really had some good trips. It was an adventure non reving with guns and a load of equipment. We never really shot very good, but had a lot of quality time together. My one son is retiring after 28 years on the police force and I'm hoping to get him back to shooting. I'm sure that will keep me going a little longer.

From what i can remember Ft Stockton has a contract with IHMSA that`s states it has to be held there at least every other year???

The only contract IHMSA had was with Tusco and that ran for 10 years, which has now expired. I had asked about a contract with Ft. Stockton and was told they did not want a contract. Since the first match it 1990 there has been a tremendous improvement in the range and it was all paid for by the county of Pecos. A lot of the work was done by the local lockup and the inmates were happy to work. Ft Stockton has very erratic weather and is a challenge to shoot at. Wind and dust can easily ruin you day. For the 2011 match Ft. Stockton spent a lot of money improving the range. It would be difficult to just up and leave there. They are satisfied with holding matches every other year. Now if they would give us, IHMSA, a break on the motels, I'm sure a lot more would attend.

I agree with encore22 that internationals is a must attend event for me if at all possible, just in case my bias was not previously detectable. Joe and I have shot it since 2010. I don't even mind shooting Ft Stockton. It's a tough range and a dump of a town (not enough bars) but the range is tough for everyone. I only get to shoot 2 days, 3 guns a day, and travel 2 days, whether it be Ft Stockton or OKC. But I've not yet thought on my way home "wow, that was a waste of time and money". It's the social aspect that makes up for lousy conditions, lousy shooting, and 24 hours of driving.

Oh yeah, get well ole95. This is what happens when you take Alabama football too seriously.

Ole95
In April 2005 i had a aortic valve replaced, in July Bev and i were in Fort Stockton. Get well and maybe we'll see you in OKC.
Mugs