2020 2020 TEAM SAFARI

Oct 16-18, 2020 at Logan, NM

The TEAM Safari


This is a team "hike-and-shoot" rifle match for long-range rifle, semi-auto "carbine," and pistols. It will test a 2-man team's ability to locate, range, and engage practical targetry spread in the terrain using both weapons systems. Some of the skills involved include target recognition, ranging, wind doping, ballistic data management, marksmanship under field conditions, non-standard shooting positions, rudimentary trail skills.

You can think of the Team Safari as a Team version of the Steel Safari

This match is much easier physically than the TBTC and is more on-par with the Steel Safari.

RATINGS
What do these ratings mean?
 
   Physical Difficulty: 3 (Moderate)
   Marksmanship Complexity: 6 (Hard)
MATCH OVERVIEW

  • 3-day match
  • 2-man teams
  • 25 total stages (nominal) spread over 3 field courses
  • approx 4 additional discrete stages for pistols and carbine (0-500 yards)
  • No night stage
  • "Steel Safari" RO format: Teams will RO the team behind them on the course
  • ALL TEAMS MUST BRING A RELIABLE STOPWATCH - RECOMMEND a cheap Casio digital watch, or other digital watch, to be worn by one member
  • movement between stations during each field course will not be timed;
  • Rugged desert terrain with natural hazards
  • Locate, range, and engage targets under strict time constraints
  • Local altitude of 4000'
  • Competitors will carry all gear used during the courses of fire
  • Carbine targets: 100 to about 500 yards
  • Rifle targets: generally 150-800 yards
  • Pistol targets: 0-50 yards
  • Unknown, various, and non-standard target sizes
  • Almost all targetry will be reactive armor steel plate
  • Minimum recommended round counts, 180 rifle, 120 carbine, 100 pistol per member. It is suggested to bring 2-3x more carbine and pistol due to shots permitted rounds for possible re-engagements.

TEAM MEMBER 1 - LONG-RANGE RIFLE SHOOTER

TEAM MEMBER 2 - CARBINE SHOOTER

See rules for full equipment specifications.

MATCH NEWS

TEAM SAFARI 2020 RESULTS

Posted By: Zak Smith on October 19, 2020

Congrats to the Team Safari champions, Andy Reinhardt and Collin Fossen. Here are the full results
SCORES 2020 PDF

This was the biggest Team Safari to date, thanks to everyone for helping us have a safe and successful match.

We’ll have the 2021 schedule done and posted by mid Dec. Our goal is to keep the same “weekends” year over year, if you need to make early plans now.

 

2020 TEAM SAFARI

Posted By: Zak Smith on October 5, 2020

At the present time, NM guidelines, dictums, orders, etc, permit outdoor activities provided that participants maintain “social distancing” of 6 feet, and we do not congregate in groups larger than 10 people. Thus, the Team Safari will proceed with just a few changes vs. normal.

These changes will not affect the “Spirit of the match” or the shooting challenges, it will mostly be administrative and lessening the amount of interaction between competitors and competitors/staff.

We will be having a MANDATORY ONLINE BRIEFING FOR NEW TEAM SAFARI SHOOTERS – that is, everyone who has NOT SHOT THE TEAM SAFARI BEFORE MUST ATTEND – this Friday Oct 9th at 6:00PM MTN time on GoToMeeting, OR– we have an additional one on Saturday Oct 10th at 6:00PM MTN if you can’t make the first one. The link will be sent out in a separate email.

We will be re-using the Steel Safari ONLINE verbal briefing because it is 98% the same as the Team Safari briefing. We will go over the differences in the online briefings for new shooters.

Match Format Adjustments: We are consolidating the four assault stages in to either 2 long ones, or 2 long ones and 1 standards.

Here are some of the most important things to know NOW:

1. DO NOT COME IF YOU ARE SICK. SYMPTOMS TO LOOK FOR INCLUDE: Cough, Fever, Body Aches, etc.

2. We will have a temperature-check station on-site on Thursday. People with Temperatures higher than specified by our consulting medical personnel will not be able to compete and will have to leave.

3. It is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED that you take your temperature and monitor your health closely leading up to your departure for SS. It would suck to drive the whole way only to show up with symptoms.

4. Everyone on-site will be required to maintain SOCIAL DISTANCING of 6 feet at all times. This is for safety and to prevent us from being shut down in case the guidelines in NM are not relaxed and L.E. stops by. The 6′ rule will be enforced at all times with the exception of people who have traveled together the whole trip, and those people are to not have close contact with others.

5. Check-in will be mostly “virtual” or electronic with minimal interaction on-site. We will provide the waivers for you to complete and deposit on-site.

6. We will not have a regular SHOOTERS MEETING– it will be VIRTUAL. Prior to the SS, Jimmy and I will put together the Match Briefing Packet and a video and/or audio recording of the normal briefing and send these out via email. It will be your responsibility to understand this material. Present questions BEFORE THE MATCH via PHONE or EMAIL. This way we can eliminate more on-site 1:1 interaction.

7. Please limit groupings to 10 people or less at all times to comply with NM orders.

REGISTRATION STATUS.

Registration is now kind of a mess, with everything on hold, checks not cashed immediately due to potential cancellation, etc. Please bear with us to get this straightened out. Here is the current status”

1. Those who currently have a CONFIRMED/PAID status are good to go.

2. Those who have sent funds but have not yet been marked PAID please check with me ASAP to make sure we have not received your funds.

3. At this point, please bring cash if you haven’t paid yet.

4. WE WILL NOT BE DOING ANY ON-SITE REGISTRATIONS. So register online if you want to come.

5. The last day we can receive and log-in payments before we head to the SS site is Friday Oct 9. Let’s get payments squared away ASAP, it’ll make it easier for everyone in the long term.

We are also looking for a couple more “Course Starters”–please contact Jimmy or I if you’re interested. You can’t be a “course starter” and a competitor, though you’ll have plenty of time to shoot for fun on-site as a staff member.

THERE WILL BE MORE INFORMATION COMING – STAY TUNED.

 

COVID19 IMPACT TO 2020 COMPETITION DYNAMICS SEASON

Posted By: Zak Smith on March 28, 2020

5/19/2020 UPDATE — ALL MATCHES ARE “ON” — WITH A FEW PROCEDURAL CHANGES.

— ORIGINAL POST —

Here is the impact of the COVID19 situation to the 2020 Competition Dynamics season (all four matches):

1. No matches are cancelled or rescheduled “YET.” We will not run a match if the COVID19 situation has not substantially resolved and the “stay at home” orders that are present in many states (including our home state) have been lifted.

2. We will make a final determination for each match NO LATER THAN one month before the match would occur.

3. If a match cannot take place at its normally-scheduled dates, we will attempt to reschedule later in the year, depending on the public health outlook and all other schedule considerations. IE, we will try to reschedule a match if we think it can work.

4. Processing of all registrations is suspended (effective 3-4 weeks ago). That means we will not approve/accept registrations, accept checks, deposit checks already sent, etc until some resolution is in place.

5. We will hold or destroy, at your request, all checks that have been sent/received and NOT YET DEPOSITED. Of those that we logged in but had not yet deposited, I have downgraded your online registration to “SLOT GRANTED”.

6. Of those who sent checks that were deposited and are marked as “CONFIRMED/PAID”, you have several options:

a) wait to see what happens; OR
b) have us write you a check, now or if/when we have to cancel; OR
c) in the case that a match is ultimately cancelled, we can roll your registration into any future CD event (eg, 2021 season)

We are happy to do any of those, or make other reasonable arrangements.

I would ask that you consider option (c) because it would help us cover fixed, sunk losses for 2020, such as insurance, that we can absorb through 2021. If this is the case, we will leave your “CONFIRMED/PAID” registration in place in the 2020 match database and use that as a key to future credit.

Please do not send a request for a refund check UNLESS you can confirm you’re still marked as “CONFIRMED/PAID” — AND — your bank shows the check has cleared. I have been holding checks for the last about 3-4 weeks as the situation has gotten hotter.

Please send refund requests with your name, match name (SS, BOTC, SAC, TS), and registration number.

Thank you and if you have any questions, please contact us.
– Zak & Jimmy

 
SPONSORS
LOCATION OF MATCH SITE
GPS coordinates for the parking area / front range:
UTM 13 S 645794 E / 3904352 N (Lat/Lon: 35* 16.409' N / 103*23.823' W)

Lodging is available in Logan.
LINK TO LOGAN LODGING INFO.
Match staff will be staying at the Budget Inn Express.

The TEAM SAFARI will be held at the Blue Steel Ranch [BSR], also known as the site of the Steel Safari match. The BSR is located very near to Logan, NM. It is a private ranch turned shooting range, with some of the best geography for field shooting available anywhere.


MATCH SCHEDULE
BLUE STEEL RANCH CLOSED TO SHOOTING WEEK PRIOR TO EVENT
MATCH FRIDAY - SUNDAY

THURSDAY
1400-1700 Optional Sight-in/Check Zero (Front Range)
1700-1715 OPTIONAL QUESTION PERIOD
SHOOTERS MUST CHECK IN BEFORE 1700 THURSDAY. If you cannot check in during this time and attend the shooters' meeting, you must contact the match director privately for other check-in arrangements and to get an offline briefing.

FRIDAY
0715 First teams out must be present at the Front Range.
0730-1700 Shoot scheduled courses

SATURDAY
0715 First teams out must be present at the Front Range.
0730-1700 Shoot scheduled courses

SUNDAY
0730-1400 Shoot scheduled courses
MATCH RULES

SAFETY

This section is the 2017 Competition Dynamics Unified Safety Rules for Shooting

  1. USPSA safety rules are the baseline for safety at this match.
  2. Violation of any safety rule will result in match disqualification (DQ).
  3. The Match Director has the right to disqualify any competitor for Unsportsmanlike Conduct based on his judgement.
  4. Competitors shall practice good muzzle control and firearm safety at all times. Competitors that do not handle their weapons safely will be disqualified from competing further in the match with no refund of match fees.
    1. Do not ever allow the muzzle of your weapons to point at anyone.
    2. Do not load your weapons until directed to do so by a range officer.
    3. Do not put your finger on the trigger until your sights are aligned with your target.
    4. Obey all Range Officer commands immediately.
  5. In addition to the USPSA definition of an Accidental Discharge, the stage RO may call an A.D. using his own judgement, e.g.: if the competitor was clearly not engaging a target. Any round that does not impact within 10 yards of the target the competitor is engaging, or impacts in an unsafe area or direction, is declared to be an AD.
  6. The entire competition area is a "cold range."
    1. No firearms may be loaded at the match site except under the direct command of a RO.
    2. Long-guns shall be kept unloaded in cases or on a designated rack, and carried muzzle up or muzzle down and the action open.
    3. "Sweeping" any person with a weapon's muzzle will result in immediate D.Q.
  7. All firearms must have a functioning safety, subject to verification by an RO at any time. (A pistol that has not had any factory safety devices disabled will be considered to have a safety for the purpose of this rule.)
  8. Any firearm or ammunition deemed by any RO or match staff to be "unsafe" for any reason may not be used in the match until a determination is made by the match director that it may continue.
  9. All firearms must be able to be completely unloaded without firing a round.
  10. Any firearm that can be demonstrated by any RO or match staff to have a hammer/striker that will fall without the trigger being pressed shall be deemed unsafe and may not be used in the match until repaired.
  11. Any rifle slung must have an empty chamber, unless directed by the stage RO.
  12. No person shall consume or be under the influence of alcohol or non-prescription drugs at the match site. Any person found to be impaired and unsafe as a result of legitimate prescription drugs may be directed to stop shooting and requested to leave the range.
  13. Safety glasses and ear protection are required to be worn/used at all times by competitors and spectators when in the vicinity of any weapons being fired.
  14. No person shall place a rifle in such a position that it points at any other person. Find a safe direction if you need to set your rifle down! If you find out there are people passing or downrange, wait until they are clear and then relocate your rifle.
  15. This match may include dynamic shooting in natural terrain. Match staff will communicate what are safe directions to point firearms while shooting, or while waiting. This will typically be presented during a stage or match briefing. The competitor shall note and obey the safe muzzle direction guidelines.
  16. Ammunition must not cause unusual target damage or cause a fire or other safety risk.
    1. No steel jacket or core projectiles
    2. No armor piercing, incendiary, or tracer bullets
    3. Ammunition that must be "fired" to be unloaded once chambered is declared to be unsafe and may not be used in this match.

TEAM DEFINITIONS

This section is the 2017 Competition Dynamics Unified Team Firearms Rules

  1. Each team shall be comprised of two shooters.
  2. One shooter shall be designated the "rifle shooter," and one shooter shall be designated the "carbine shooter."
  3. Targets designated as rifle targets may only be engaged by the rifle shooter, with his rifle.
  4. Targets designated as carbine targets may only be engaged by the carbine shooter, with his carbine.
  5. Each shooter shall shoot the same firearms for the entire match.
  6. For the purposes the preceding rule, the "same firearm" shall be defined by a specific combination of caliber, receiver, barrel, stock, grips, sighting device.
  7. Unless otherwire directed by the stage RO, team members will stay within arms'-reach while shooting on all stages. Every shot fired without team members in this proximity will incur a procedural penalty. Team members may be separated by more distance while on transit legs. For Assault Stages, team members must be within a pace of each other unless otherwise specified. It is strongly recommended that they stay two abreast while engaging targets in the same direction for safety.

Equipment

  1. Rifle
    1. Minimum caliber: .243/6mm
    2. Maximum caliber: 300WM
    3. Maximum muzzle velocity: 3200fps
    4. Ammunition subject to verification by chronograph at any time
    5. Bolt-action is a typical choice, but not required
    6. (This section is the 2017 Competition Dynamics Unified Rifle Definition)
  2. Carbine
    1. Minimum caliber: .223/5.45
    2. Maximum caliber: 300WSM
    3. Loaded cartridge OAL not to exceed 2.90"
    4. Maximum muzzle velocity: 3200fps
    5. Ammunition subject to verification by chronograph at any time
    6. OPEN division carbines are permitted.
    7. Semi-automatic strongly recommended
  3. Pistols
    1. Minimum caliber: 9mm Luger
    2. Maximum muzzle velocity 1500 fps
    3. Maximum caliber .45"
    4. Must be carried in a holster that will retain the pistol during vigorous activity.
    5. Cross-draw holsters and prohibited.
    6. Each team member must carry his holstered pistol on designated stages.
    7. Pistol must be in safe operating condition
    8. Pistol must not exceed USPSA's "Limited" division specifications. No optics, no ports/comps!
  4. When selecting your rifle and carbine choices, keep in mind that the majority of targets will be reactive armor steel plates. If your load does not have enough momentum to cause a hit indication that is detectable by a spotter, your shot will be counted as a miss. For reference, .243 is known to have acceptible target indication for rifle, and .223 is known to have acceptible target indication for carbine targets.
  5. Any shooting accessories may be used provided they are carried by the team during every stage. Accessories include but are not limited to:
    1. bipods, bags, shooting sticks, slings, jackets, gloves, or other shooting support devices
    2. optics such as spotting scopes, binoculars, and range-finders
  6. Teams shall use only one carbine, and only one rifle throughout the match. The carbine shooter shall use only one carbine throughout the match. The rifle shooter shall use one rifle.
  7. Ammunition and magazines may be replenished at any time.
  8. Ammunition that must be "fired" to be unloaded once chambered is declared to be unsafe and may not be used in this match. All firearms must be able to be completely unloaded without firing a round.
  9. In the event a weapon breaks or becomes inoperable during the match, the shooter may substitute a weapon of substantially similar configuration for subsequent stages, subject to approval by the Match Director.
  10. Teams violating Equipment Rules will be subject to scoring and/or monetary penalties. Fines will be assessed if target damage occurs due to: forbidden bullet types (AP, steel, tracer, etc); disallowed calibers; or exceeding the muzzle velocity limits.
  11. In the interest of fairness to all competitors, active night vision devices (night vision optics) are not permitted for use in the night stages.

PENALTIES

  1. There is no penalty for misses besides the potential points not gained by missing.
  2. A failure to engage (FTE) penalty will be assessed for every target not engaged by the time the team moves past the target's shoot position. The team may not back up. The RO determines and has final say if shooter engaged a target or not.
  3. A procedural penalty will be assessed for failure to follow directions on appropriate stages.
  4. Procedural and FTE penalties will cause -5 points to be applied to the stage score per infraction on appropriate stages.
  5. The match director may apply scoring penalties up to full match disqualification for match disruptions caused by competitors or inividuals in their party, on his discretion alone.

Note: rules are subject to change up until the match date.

PROCEED TO REGISTRATION AREA