Defensive Carbine Match 112925
The 5th Saturday of the month (if there is one) is my club's "Defensive Carbine Target Match". Starts at 8am sharp, ends around 11ish. Free to members, turnout has been around 15 people. Last Saturday was the 3rd event since inception back in May. One of the Service Rifle Match shooters Mitch, got it up and running. He shoots a Garand in those matches, BTW.
If anyone in the area wants to go let me know and we'll figure it out. I'll even pay your entry fee. 
Next match is Jan. 31st, 2026.
The match consists of five targets and three stages. Mitch has been running the same format since the beginning and just about all the bugs have been ironed out. He has a pallet of targets someone gave him and we staple new ones after every shooter. First stage is ~5yds, second ~10yds, third 30yds. All stages are timed. Off the black is +1 second. Off the paper/miss is +5. One should have 5 mags and a way to carry them such as belt pouches or tac vest. Everyone runs through once, then those that want to go again with the same or another gun do.
First stage you shoot 3 on one target, 3 on the other, change mag, 2 on one, 2 on the other then 1 and 1, timer stops, drop mag, show clear, walk to stage two.
Second stage is 10 on one target stronghand, change mag, then 10 on other target weakhand, change mag and proceed to third stage. Timer continues to run.
Third stage is 10 on the far target. Any position allowed including prone. Timer stops after last round. This time there was a table/barrier. Last time there was a barrel. I knelt and used the table under my support hand for stage three.
Referring to the pics below, stage one is on the left, stage two is the far right box, then you move left to stage three behind the table. There are a couple barrels stacked at stage two that you aim around.
Since I got the best score last time with my S&W 15-22 I figured I'd give the others a chance and shoot the M-4gery with iron sights. This gun is "mil-spec" with exception of a dot of white nail polish on the front sight post and the MagPul mags I used. PSA "M-4" lower and parts kit, Stoner upper, like-new surplus carry handle/rear sight. I could probably use metal mags since I have them but the MPs have Ranger pulls on them and don't mind being dropped as much. The gun ran flawless with Tula/Wolf steelcase .223. I got that ammo back when it was still .25rd and Russian. About the only issue I had was the cramped hand guard--I'm used to stretching out a little more...
Second run of the day was with the AR-9. Basic PSA U/L build with some fancy parts here and there. No LRBHO. 15?yo Tasco Pro-Point R/GDS 5MOA on a 3/4" riser. Tilts up on target from low-ready perfectly. ACS stock, Hogue grip, slickside 9mm upper (swapped from std. PSA 5.56), PSA EPT breaks about 4.5lbs, home-made stop. linear comp. Magtech steelcase 115gr ran fine with no hickups. No LRBHO adds a tiny bit of time to mag changes but oversize ambi CH and bolt release make that a little easier. I'm probably going to run it at January's Action Steel (this month/next Sat. is the Macatto). About the only "improvement" I can see in the future is a flat trigger group with lower pull weight. Speaking of weight, this gun is like 9lbs with optic --I can see why many are running AR-9s as "large-format" pistols with a brace and tiny red-dot. The ETS 31rd-ers run fine, BTW...
Since we had a number of no-shows Mitch was fine with me running a third gun which was the S&W M&P 15-22. Since my daughter was to be using it the next day, Sunday, at the zombie match, I wanted to make sure it was running fine and it was. Monstrum 1.5x Raven prism with black circle/dot, Hogue grip, home-made handguard extension/stop, cut-down TEMU "B.A.D." lever, linear comp and PSA flat trigger (~3lbs). I neglected to get pics of the targets but they were OK. Since I only have three (working) mags for this gun, I have to load them with desired number of rounds for the stage, then remove mag and re-insert as if I were changing the mag. The issue with my score was that I loaded a mag with 10rds instead of the 12rd mag for the first stage so got +10sec (2 misses) for that.
Mitch handed out these handy-dandy score cards on hard stock to allow for us to maintain a record and I do. It is interesting to see the progression and/or consistency. All the rifles I used have 16" barrels. Up to 18" are allowed.
The 5th Saturday of the month (if there is one) is my club's "Defensive Carbine Target Match". Starts at 8am sharp, ends around 11ish. Free to members, turnout has been around 15 people. Last Saturday was the 3rd event since inception back in May. One of the Service Rifle Match shooters Mitch, got it up and running. He shoots a Garand in those matches, BTW.
If anyone in the area wants to go let me know and we'll figure it out. I'll even pay your entry fee. Next match is Jan. 31st, 2026.The match consists of five targets and three stages. Mitch has been running the same format since the beginning and just about all the bugs have been ironed out. He has a pallet of targets someone gave him and we staple new ones after every shooter. First stage is ~5yds, second ~10yds, third 30yds. All stages are timed. Off the black is +1 second. Off the paper/miss is +5. One should have 5 mags and a way to carry them such as belt pouches or tac vest. Everyone runs through once, then those that want to go again with the same or another gun do.
First stage you shoot 3 on one target, 3 on the other, change mag, 2 on one, 2 on the other then 1 and 1, timer stops, drop mag, show clear, walk to stage two.
Second stage is 10 on one target stronghand, change mag, then 10 on other target weakhand, change mag and proceed to third stage. Timer continues to run.
Third stage is 10 on the far target. Any position allowed including prone. Timer stops after last round. This time there was a table/barrier. Last time there was a barrel. I knelt and used the table under my support hand for stage three.
Referring to the pics below, stage one is on the left, stage two is the far right box, then you move left to stage three behind the table. There are a couple barrels stacked at stage two that you aim around.
Since I got the best score last time with my S&W 15-22
I figured I'd give the others a chance and shoot the M-4gery with iron sights. This gun is "mil-spec" with exception of a dot of white nail polish on the front sight post and the MagPul mags I used. PSA "M-4" lower and parts kit, Stoner upper, like-new surplus carry handle/rear sight. I could probably use metal mags since I have them but the MPs have Ranger pulls on them and don't mind being dropped as much. The gun ran flawless with Tula/Wolf steelcase .223. I got that ammo back when it was still .25rd and Russian. About the only issue I had was the cramped hand guard--I'm used to stretching out a little more... Second run of the day was with the AR-9. Basic PSA U/L build with some fancy parts here and there. No LRBHO. 15?yo Tasco Pro-Point R/GDS 5MOA on a 3/4" riser. Tilts up on target from low-ready perfectly. ACS stock, Hogue grip, slickside 9mm upper (swapped from std. PSA 5.56), PSA EPT breaks about 4.5lbs, home-made stop. linear comp. Magtech steelcase 115gr ran fine with no hickups. No LRBHO adds a tiny bit of time to mag changes but oversize ambi CH and bolt release make that a little easier. I'm probably going to run it at January's Action Steel (this month/next Sat. is the Macatto). About the only "improvement" I can see in the future is a flat trigger group with lower pull weight. Speaking of weight, this gun is like 9lbs with optic
--I can see why many are running AR-9s as "large-format" pistols with a brace and tiny red-dot. The ETS 31rd-ers run fine, BTW... Since we had a number of no-shows
Mitch was fine with me running a third gun which was the S&W M&P 15-22. Since my daughter was to be using it the next day, Sunday, at the zombie match, I wanted to make sure it was running fine and it was. Monstrum 1.5x Raven prism with black circle/dot, Hogue grip, home-made handguard extension/stop, cut-down TEMU "B.A.D." lever, linear comp and PSA flat trigger (~3lbs). I neglected to get pics of the targets but they were OK. Since I only have three (working) mags for this gun, I have to load them with desired number of rounds for the stage, then remove mag and re-insert as if I were changing the mag. The issue with my score was that I loaded a mag with 10rds instead of the 12rd mag for the first stage so got +10sec (2 misses) for that. Mitch handed out these handy-dandy score cards on hard stock to allow for us to maintain a record and I do. It is interesting to see the progression and/or consistency. All the rifles I used have 16" barrels. Up to 18" are allowed.
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