Prado Running Gun

Here is a short article that I wrote and was recently published in Western Outdoor News in California.  I love to shoot competitively, and and PRG gives everyone that chance.

As the holidays pass, and the thermometer has finally dropped back into the normal range, a lot of people feel that their outdoor activity options are limited.  If you are a fisherman, you might be out throwing big baits at big fish. If you are a gun guy like myself, you might be getting a little tired of heading to the range to shoot at static paper targets week after week.  If so, this is a great time to get involved with some fun match shooting with a club at a local range. 

I’ve been shooting for what seems my entire life.  Over the past couple of years, I have been getting more and more involved with my local club called Prado Running Gun out of Prado Olympic Shooting Park in Chino Hills California.  Conveniently located off of the 91 and 71 freeways, this park offers a wide variety of shooting options for the local enthusiast.  Whether its Skeet or Trap, or long guns and hand guns, they have a variety of options for you, as well as a nice pro shop for all of your ammo and gear needs.  One day a while back, I was looking at local flyers and postings in the pro shop and saw something about Prado Running Gun.  For more information on Prado Olympic Shooting Park, please visit www.shootprado.com.

Prado Running Gun is a fun club that holds monthly matches for all experience levels.  The matches are held on the first Sunday of every month and are a great opportunity to hone your skills, and meet some great fellow enthusiasts drawing from 60-100+ competitors at each event. 

These matches are a lot of fun, and a great way to learn some valuable skills.  Each match opens with a new shooter orientation.  If you are new to shooting, or new to match events, this is the perfect opportunity to learn the rules, and to give you an overview of what is ahead.   Once you are through your orientation, you will be put into a squad, or you can join a squad with your friends.  Each squad has a variety of skill levels.  From very beginner, to expert.  You’ll see everything from right out of the box production model pistols, to some very high tech, high dollar, competition firearms.  Some matches even include shotgun and AR style divisions.

Most of the matches are set up in to five or six stages.  Each stage has a different set of objectives and target arrangements.    Some stages will have as many as 20 targets, ranging from static steel, to paper, to pop ups.  These are all fun and engaging, and it is a great experience to watch how other shooters tackle each of these scenarios differently.  You’ll be prone, kneeling, standing, bent over, and even have some hands up, hostage type scenarios.  On an average Sunday match, you may have the opportunity to fire off close to 200 rounds in a fun, exciting atmosphere.  Much better than standing at a range at 10 yards firing at the same silhouette.  Everyone I have encountered have been very supportive, offer encouragement, and give advice if you’d like.  If you happen to be at the range on one of these weekends, swing on by and check it out.  These are a great group of gun enthusiasts, and you might just make a couple of new friends.   The best part, a match only costs $30 for the day.  Considering this is about the same price as a range fee, it is well worth the experience you will gain from the different scenarios.

Prado Running Gun also now offers a Wednesday Night Steel match the last Wednesday of every month.  These are an evening event shooting into the dark.  They usually start at about 4pm and run through around 8pm.  During these winter months, you are definitely shooting into the dark hours.  It is a lot of fun, and a great way to experience a whole new sense of adventure. For more information on Prado Running Gun, and the monthly matches, please visit www.prg-ipsc.com/site/

Once you get through a match or two, and realize that you are really enjoying yourself, another fun way to be involved is to join the USPSA- United States Practical Shooting Association.  The USPSA is a great way to find other clubs, events, and matches in your area.  When you register for your events with your USPSA number, you will receive a classification after you shoot a classifier.  This classification is how you are ranked at different events, and amongst your peers out in the field.  It is a fun way to help you build upon your skill level.  The more you shoot, the better, and more comfortable you will be with your firearm.  For more information on the United States Practical Shooting Association, please visit WWW.USPSA.ORG.