adad,
We could either start off simple and get to know each other, all participate in an official activity or do a combination.
Simple is either target or something like the tin can alley at Chabot or another range (Los Altos?). I believe it is the third Saturday of the month that 15 or 20 lanes of one of Chabot's 50 yard, 35 station ranges is set up for BYO plinking. That is where I took out my daughter's pager with my Ruger MK512.
Responding to the IDPA query requires a somewhat roundabout response.
Most ranges are pretty tightly controlled for action pistol use. Most will not even allow rapid fire (1 to 2 sec per shot) or double taps, though RANash says San Leandro is okay with it. Concord requires all persons using the action range go through a two day, $20, session that includes an official match.
Chabot is the only location I am aware of with an active IDPA group and I am not sure what they require. It would be easier to accomodate IPSC style rather than IDPA.
Are you familiar with the difference between IDPA other action pistol events like IPSC and ICORE? (Rhetorical question as no immediate response is expected and I will continue..) IDPA emphasizes real world self defense situations and tactics and requires shooting from a CWS rig.
IPSC, ICORE and the rest use pseudo realistic situations and props such as barriers, walls with doors and windows, barrels, etc., but do not require the shooter to use tactics necessary in real self defense situations. The shooter is considered invulnerable and does not make use of shelter, etc. Would get killed in the real world using the same tactics.
There are several ways we might accomodate both action and target. First is for those interested to show up at a regularly scheduled action pistol or three gun (pistol, military rifle, combat shotgun) match and join the target shooters after the match--usually 1:00 pm or so.
The second is something I will have to investigate further. Richmond does, I beleive, allow general public to practice on the IPSC ranges on Saturday mornings and we could build our own scenarios for practice. I normally practice revolver there on Saturdays, so that would work with me.
The third and most elaborate is to acquire $1,000,000 libility insurance and $200 rental fee to rent out one of Chabot's 50 yard ranges for the day for private use.
Chabot has only trap facilities for shotgun, I would need to check out the availability of facilities at other ranges for public use. Concord's USI has great trap and skeet, Livermore several trap ranges.
I am open for suggestions and comments as to what others prefer as I am probably in the best position to be versitile.
[Edited by Guy B. Meredith on 02-28-2001 at 08:18 PM]