Yes, the original plan was to see the Beretta museum only but we got the FULL tour. Really very interesting to see how they solder on sight ribs on shotgun barrels and a whole lot more. As for the frames, we had to go through a metal detector similar to ones at the airport when we left.....
IDPA Italian & European Championships (photos added)
- Thread starter Dragoon
- Start date
Shot 12 out of 14 stages today......and it rained ALL day; often quite heavy. The Italians are very strict on calling cover and I got one procedural for that. I also got one for initiating a reload without being under cover and another for firing a shot without being in the proper position. Otherwise, mostly good hits but the weather slowed my times up a bit. Got quite a few good pictures and I'll post them when I get back. Went out for another huge multi-course meal tonight with lots of wine for all of 25 Euros. Taking it easy tomorrow.....
Well, I’m back home and I think I’m getting over my jet lag. I’ve got a few minutes so I’ll update the thread with some photos.
As I mentioned in the previous post, the day I was scheduled to shoot, it rained all day (quite miserable, actually) The squadding was a bit screwed up (due to late arrivals from traffic on the highway slowed down by the weather) so fellow Calgarian Joe T. (Corp. Punishment here on CGN) and Tom I. from North Carolina decided to make up our own squad. We started on Stage 3 (…..regrettably, I don’t have any photos of Stage 3….).
The Italians are very strict in their ‘Cover’ calls. I got a procedural for it on that stage.
Here is Joe at the beginning of Stage 4. A turn of the steering wheel at the start signal activated a swinging target.
Me later on Stage 4. You can see the rain puddles around my and the SO’s feet.
Tom at the start of the second string on Stage 5.
Me in the last position on Stage 5. The Italians don’t paint open hands on the targets to signify a non-threat. Rather, they either paint a red splotch (as seen in the photo) or attached a red card on the target.
Me on Stage 6. Stage 6 was a Limited Vickers standard exercise requiring all shots to be fired on the move in Tactical Priority. I got a procedural on this stage for initiating a reload before I was completely behind cover (the two stacked barrels just in front of me).
Joe at the beginning of Stage 7. This stage required the shooter to turn over a coloured card on the ‘stand by’ command. There were targets with corresponding colours further down the stage. The target with the colour that matched the card that was turned over (in this case blue) got six rounds while the others got two.
Tom further on Stage 7 engaging the targets with the coloured cards.
Me on Stage 8. Stage 8 was another Limited Vickers standard exercise that required the targets to be engaged from over the top of the barricade and re-engaged from both sides as well.
Tom re-engaging targets from the right side of the barricade on Stage 8.
Joe re-engaging targets from the left side of the barricade on Stage 8.
Me drawing on the start signal on Stage 9.
Tom re-engaging the targets on Stage 9 after finishing a re-load off the shelf behind the barricade.
Me firing ‘weak hand’ before initiating a slide lock re-load and withdrawing on Stage 10.
The Italian National Championship consisted of Stages 1 to 10. Stages 11 to 14 when combined with 1 to 10 made up the European Championship.
Tom waiting for the start signal on Stage 11. On the signal, the table is pushed over which activates a pair of ‘clam shell’ targets.
Me engaging targets after pushing over the table on Stage 11. I got a procedural for engaging a target before going down on a knee and using the table as low cover.
Joe initiating a slide lock re-load before engaging the remaining targets on Stage 11.
Tom engaging a sliding mover at the beginning of Stage 12.
Joe engaging the last pair of targets on Stage 12.
I didn’t get any photos of Stage 13. It was another multi-string standard exercise with positions at 20, 18, 15, 10, 7 and 5 yards. Re-load and movement as well as strong hand and weak hand shooting were part of the skills tested on this stage.
Me on Stage 14. This is kind of a cool photo with the muzzle flash as I’m firing a round.
Joe engaging the last pair of targets using the car as cover on Stage 14.
Every night, Georgio (the Area Coordinator for Italy) had a different restaurant chosen for dinner. (The food was great at all of them) At the left edge of the photo is Silvio, a cop from Bologna. Then there’s me, Claudio (also from Bologna) and Garry from Michigan.
On Saturday Joe, his wife Marge and I drove out to Lake Garda. We had a great lunch at a small restaurant and then explored the ruins of a Roman villa.
On Sunday, we finished up the last two stages. Here is Tom engaging targets from behind cover on Stage 1. I didn’t get any photos of Stage 2
We got a shot of ourselves with the SOs on Stages 1 & 2. Standing on the far right is Ciro (Cyrus in Italian). He’s a very interesting character, having done all sorts of covert security work……
There was a problem with scoring (some missing score sheets) so the final results still aren’t out. However, I crunched the numbers with the interim results and I didn’t place as well as I’d hoped. I came in 7th (out of 12) in my Division/Class (ESP/SS) in the Italian Nationals and 5th (again, out of 12) in my Division/Class for the European Championships. No trophies for me……..
I did win a Tanfoglio in the draw but I chose to not to accept it as I couldn’t bring it back to Canada.
The whole experience was one to remember. I hope to go again next year. And with some practice, hopefully I’ll bring home some hardware then!
As I mentioned in the previous post, the day I was scheduled to shoot, it rained all day (quite miserable, actually) The squadding was a bit screwed up (due to late arrivals from traffic on the highway slowed down by the weather) so fellow Calgarian Joe T. (Corp. Punishment here on CGN) and Tom I. from North Carolina decided to make up our own squad. We started on Stage 3 (…..regrettably, I don’t have any photos of Stage 3….).
The Italians are very strict in their ‘Cover’ calls. I got a procedural for it on that stage.
Here is Joe at the beginning of Stage 4. A turn of the steering wheel at the start signal activated a swinging target.
Me later on Stage 4. You can see the rain puddles around my and the SO’s feet.
Tom at the start of the second string on Stage 5.
Me in the last position on Stage 5. The Italians don’t paint open hands on the targets to signify a non-threat. Rather, they either paint a red splotch (as seen in the photo) or attached a red card on the target.
Me on Stage 6. Stage 6 was a Limited Vickers standard exercise requiring all shots to be fired on the move in Tactical Priority. I got a procedural on this stage for initiating a reload before I was completely behind cover (the two stacked barrels just in front of me).
Joe at the beginning of Stage 7. This stage required the shooter to turn over a coloured card on the ‘stand by’ command. There were targets with corresponding colours further down the stage. The target with the colour that matched the card that was turned over (in this case blue) got six rounds while the others got two.
Tom further on Stage 7 engaging the targets with the coloured cards.
Me on Stage 8. Stage 8 was another Limited Vickers standard exercise that required the targets to be engaged from over the top of the barricade and re-engaged from both sides as well.
Tom re-engaging targets from the right side of the barricade on Stage 8.
Joe re-engaging targets from the left side of the barricade on Stage 8.
Me drawing on the start signal on Stage 9.
Tom re-engaging the targets on Stage 9 after finishing a re-load off the shelf behind the barricade.
Me firing ‘weak hand’ before initiating a slide lock re-load and withdrawing on Stage 10.
The Italian National Championship consisted of Stages 1 to 10. Stages 11 to 14 when combined with 1 to 10 made up the European Championship.
Tom waiting for the start signal on Stage 11. On the signal, the table is pushed over which activates a pair of ‘clam shell’ targets.
Me engaging targets after pushing over the table on Stage 11. I got a procedural for engaging a target before going down on a knee and using the table as low cover.
Joe initiating a slide lock re-load before engaging the remaining targets on Stage 11.
Tom engaging a sliding mover at the beginning of Stage 12.
Joe engaging the last pair of targets on Stage 12.
I didn’t get any photos of Stage 13. It was another multi-string standard exercise with positions at 20, 18, 15, 10, 7 and 5 yards. Re-load and movement as well as strong hand and weak hand shooting were part of the skills tested on this stage.
Me on Stage 14. This is kind of a cool photo with the muzzle flash as I’m firing a round.
Joe engaging the last pair of targets using the car as cover on Stage 14.
Every night, Georgio (the Area Coordinator for Italy) had a different restaurant chosen for dinner. (The food was great at all of them) At the left edge of the photo is Silvio, a cop from Bologna. Then there’s me, Claudio (also from Bologna) and Garry from Michigan.
On Saturday Joe, his wife Marge and I drove out to Lake Garda. We had a great lunch at a small restaurant and then explored the ruins of a Roman villa.
On Sunday, we finished up the last two stages. Here is Tom engaging targets from behind cover on Stage 1. I didn’t get any photos of Stage 2
We got a shot of ourselves with the SOs on Stages 1 & 2. Standing on the far right is Ciro (Cyrus in Italian). He’s a very interesting character, having done all sorts of covert security work……
There was a problem with scoring (some missing score sheets) so the final results still aren’t out. However, I crunched the numbers with the interim results and I didn’t place as well as I’d hoped. I came in 7th (out of 12) in my Division/Class (ESP/SS) in the Italian Nationals and 5th (again, out of 12) in my Division/Class for the European Championships. No trophies for me……..
I did win a Tanfoglio in the draw but I chose to not to accept it as I couldn’t bring it back to Canada.
The whole experience was one to remember. I hope to go again next year. And with some practice, hopefully I’ll bring home some hardware then!
Hey Mass,
Remember that time in Italy, when...
Man, were they ever tight on their cover calls. Although, it makes sense. Something to consider.
Speaking of Ciro, I thought it was hilarious that this snake-eater guy was using live ammo as hearing protection! It gave him quite the bad-ass look.
Great pics, thanks for posting. Looks like I made the right call on heading back to the hotel (after just 4 hrs) while the rest stayed around waiting to hear the match results.
Joe
Remember that time in Italy, when...
Man, were they ever tight on their cover calls. Although, it makes sense. Something to consider.
Speaking of Ciro, I thought it was hilarious that this snake-eater guy was using live ammo as hearing protection! It gave him quite the bad-ass look.
Great pics, thanks for posting. Looks like I made the right call on heading back to the hotel (after just 4 hrs) while the rest stayed around waiting to hear the match results.
Joe
I just got the e-mail below from Giorgio Acerboni, the IDPA Area Coordinator for Italy:
JoeT. (Corp Punishment) and I went to last year's match and it was GREAT!
I'm going to try and convince more Alberta Tactical Handgun League members to go this year......
JoeT. (Corp Punishment) and I went to last year's match and it was GREAT!
I'm going to try and convince more Alberta Tactical Handgun League members to go this year......
I'm planning a family trip to Italy august 25th to Sept 8th... going to see if we can delay it by a week so I can fit this in... now convincing the wife that bringing my firearms with us on a family trip may be more difficult than me winning the match...lol... Dragoon, how long for the paper work to be completed and approved??
