McHenry Shooting Sports

McHenry Shooting Sports is a 501(c)(7) not-for-profit club dedicated to IDPA (International Defensive Pistol Association) and USPSA (United States Practical Shooting Association) competition shooting. They host sanctioned matches twice monthly—IDPA on the second Wednesday, USPSA on the fourth Wednesday—at Northshore Sports Crystal Lake.

Schedule: - IDPA matches: Second Wednesday of each month - USPSA matches: Fourth Wednesday of each month - Setup and sign-in: 5:30 PM - Typical completion: 10:00 PM

Match Format: - 5 stages per match - IDPA: 70-80 rounds - USPSA: 110 rounds

The club has trained over 50 members in certified Safety Officer and Range Officer roles. A certified SO or RO is present on the firing line with every shooter during every match. Their stated philosophy: "We insist that everyone leave one of our matches with exactly the same number of holes with which they arrived."

Key safety protocols: - Cold range operation: Firearms loaded only when directed by SO/RO - Safe Table handling: Firearm unholstering permitted only at Safe Table (muzzle toward wall) or on firing line under SO/RO supervision - Magazine charging: Ammunition forbidden at Safe Table; magazines charged elsewhere - Drop protocol: Never attempt to catch a dropped firearm. Alert SO/RO for assistance.

Disqualification (immediate removal from match) occurs for: - Dropping firearm within or outside stage boundaries and touching it - Drawing while facing uprange - Inadvertent discharge during loading, unloading, reloading, or movement - Discharge in unsafe directions (ceiling, floor, unsafe angles) - Unsafe muzzle direction at any time - Ammunition handling at Safe Table

New shooters must demonstrate prior action pistol experience or completion of a formal training class in: - Safe holster draw technique - Shooting on the move - Re-holstering safely

Qualifying training includes Northshore Sports' Holster Drills class and similar instruction. The club no longer offers New Shooter Orientation but will occasionally allow new shooters who attend orientation to participate in matches if capacity permits.

Match Registration: - Platform: Practiscore (https://practiscore.com/clubs/mchenry_idpa) - Registration opens: 8:00 PM Sunday before match - Registration closes: 8:00 PM Tuesday before match - Approval required before squadding

Club Membership Benefits: - Reduced match fees - Early member pre-registration - Member-only events - Voting rights on club matters - $40 annual (paid July-December) or $25 (paid January-June) - Membership year runs July 1 - June 30

Membership Requirements: - Prior action pistol competition experience OR formal training with holster draw/shoot-on-move - US Citizen or Legal Permanent Resident - Juniors (under 21) require member sponsorship and parental authorization - In-person application at club event required for new members

All matches are sanctioned under IDPA and USPSA rules. Shooters must join the national associations to compete and receive classification. Classification levels—Novice, Marksman, Sharpshooter, Expert, Master—are determined through the IDPA 5X5 25-round classifier.

• •Michael Bailey – President
• •Heath Krier – Secretary & USPSA Match Director
• •Ricky Garza – Treasurer
• •Larry Hall – Director-at-Large & IDPA Match Director
• •Perry Stevens – Director-at-Large
• •Scotty Blakely – Director-at-Large

Standardized commands used at all IDPA/USPSA clubs nationwide: - "Range is hot – eyes and ears" - "Load and make ready" - "Are you ready?" - "Standby" - "If finished, unload and show clear" - "If clear, slide forward" - "Pull the trigger" - "Holster" - "Range is clear"

Safety interventions: - "Finger!" – Keep finger outside trigger guard - "Muzzle!" – Correcting unsafe muzzle drift - "Stop!" – Immediate halt for safety concern

Note: "Muzzle" command is IDPA-specific. USPSA does not use muzzle warnings.