The 2011 Pro-Am Match
& The 1853 Enfield

Shooting USA - The 2011 Pro-Am Match

Shooting USA is in Frost-proof Florida, the new home of the Pro Am.  It’s falling steel, par times, and skins cash on each stage of fire at the only made for TV pistol match. We have full competition coverage.

The original format for the Pro Am goes back almost 20 years, when Yank Price came up with a shooting sport that would work for TV.  Par times and falling steel, so the audience could see what is happening when it happens. Fast forward to 2009 and Phil Strader revives the format with great success. Now it’s time to find the match a new home.  Phil had to look no further than central Florida and Frank Garcia’s Universal Shooting Academy.

The Pro Am is a unique event, with a simple scoring system.  The par times are set on each stage of fire to establish a time limit, from the start time to the last shot allowed.  The shooter’s score is the number of steel targets knocked down in the par time. The amateurs are shooting for prizes according to their target count.  

The Professionals are competing for skins, cash prizes for the top shooter on each stage of fire.  A tie in target count pushes the skin to the next stage, and so on, until a winner takes all the cash that has built up over several stages of fire. There’s nothing else like it for handgun shooters, or for spectators who can see what’s happening as each competitor makes a run on the targets.

Related Links:

Pro Am Website

Americans took up arms against each other in the early 1860s. But one of the most important firearms in the War Between the States came to the fight from Great Britain. It is the Pattern 1853 Enfield Rifle Musket. British gun makers were only too happy to sell to the highest bidder - Union or Confederate.

The Union bought 600,000 copies. The South imported 300,000, before the naval blockades closed the ports to Confederate shipping. The Enfield clearly has a place as one of the important guns in American History.

Julie gives you a series of practice lessons you can do anywhere, without ammo, that will improve your times and your accuracy when you get to the range. 
See the Pro Tip

RCBS Reloading Tip – Kent Sakamoto Demos The Pro 2000 Progressive Press

The Pro 2000 comes with a uni-flow powder measure. The hopper holds up to ½ pound of smokeless powder. Large and small powder metering systems are included for pistol through large rifle charges. Its case activated for powder dispensing. It has 5 stations, with a changeable die plate for quick caliber changes. The empty slot is station # 4. This allows for accessory items such as the lockout die or bullet feeder. The window opening is large enough to accommodate pistol & rifle cartridges. The unit is auto indexed. The black tray is for your bullets and the green trays are for cases and loaded ammunition. The Pro 2000 also comes with the APS Primer strips loading tool and 32 empty APS strips. Strips are color coded for size and types of primer.

Kent: We’re going to demonstrate the Pro 2000, loading 9mm 115 grain bullets, using unique powder, and CCI primers. We’re going to start with filling your powder hoper with powder. Adjusting your desired charge using this metering screw. I’m going to dispense the powder, check it on my scale and adjust the measure.

To begin, insert a loaded APS Primer strip into the press. Insert a case into position one, cycle the handle to size and remove the spent primer. As the handle moves up, the shell is indexed to station two. Push forward at the end of the stroke to insert a new primer. Add a new case into position one. Cycle the handle, the first case is expanded. Add another case and cycle the handle. Case one gets a powder charge. On the next cycle of the handle case one enters position number four. This is the place for an optional lockout die or bullet feeder.

Kent: Insert another case. At this point the first case has reached station five. You’re going to place a bullet on top. We’re going to seat and crimp that bullet and eject the loaded round. Now that you’re familiar with this process, you’re going to add another case, place another bullet. The Pro 2000 auto index has the capacity to lead over 600 rounds an hour.

RCBS Link

The Sentinel Premier is a full size, single stack 1911 in .45 ACP, with all of the STI custom touches.  This would be an excellent choice for competition, duty, or carry as long as you have a way to conceal it. The Sentinel Premier is $1,950  

More Info from STI

The Elektra is the STI option better suited for carry. Think of the Elektra as the Sentinel’s little sister and this one is pink for the ladies, but there is a version with black grips, if you don’t want to be quite so stylish. The Elektra is available in 9mm, or 45 ACP. The Elektra is $1,370.

More Info from STI

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