Black Rifle League "Night Ops" Match
Gun Culture is evolving!
I remember my first competitive shooting match being USPSA, being blown away by the speed of the race guns, and shocked at the fiendish difficulty of the steel contraptions we shot. (polish plate rack) I remember being drawn to a newer “more realistic” shooting sport (IDPA) and watching it turn into USPSA with fishing vests… for some reason. But in the last several years there has been a sea change in the shooting sports community, you can still shoot your $3000 STI with a thumb rest while wearing a jersey, but you can also shoot your AR after crawling through the mud under electrified fencing if you crave something more adventurous!
I’ve seen the new crop of “Practical Rifle”, “Brutality”, and Team matches referred to “Gun Culture 2.0” in some circles. Given the shift from race guns to combat proven platforms, jerseys to chest rigs, and the concept of winning being largely replaced by satisfactory completion of the stage directions; this is certainly a new breed of match which is attracting a motivated and growing community of people who want to challenge themselves and their equipment not to find out how fast they can shoot a stage, but to test themselves against physical and mental duress in challenging conditions such as darkness.
In my neck of the woods, organizations like Custer Sportsman’s and Black Rifle League are leading the way and creating something new, so I was excited to have the opportunity to participate in one of BRL's new “Night Ops” matches.
Preparation: The night before the match I attached and set up my laser. I use a “no shoot” method of zeroing, by aiming up at the sky and adjusting the slaved visible laser to my optic’s zero. This is essentially a much longer range “converging” zero, which works well out to the distances at which you can realistically see an unmagnified target at night.
With the forecast showing rain with the potential for snow, I loosened up the Gore-Tex boonie to fit over the Cry NightCap so that I would be able to keep the noggin dry if I ended up out in a downpour. The NightCap is a game changer compared to the bump helmet (or certainly the skull-crusher), it’s lightweight, adaptable, and small. It has the velcro panels to add a counter balance to it if desired, which helps if you plan to be wearing it for more than a couple hours.
This minimalist setup packs down into a cheap Condor admin pouch not much larger than a stack of magazines that can be easily stowed into a back pack or attached to a molle panel, which means you have the portability to bring NVG with you into the woods in situations where you might not be willing to pack the space or weight of a helmet.
On match day the range closed to the public at 1600, and when the last 2 cars departed we took over and began building our stages in the action bays. The match was limited in duration, having to wait until 1700 for dark yet having to complete NLT 2100 per noise ordnances, so only 3 stages were constructed.
The first stage was a 270 degree bay, and my favorite stage of the night. Start condition was standing in front of a table where both your pistol and rifle were staged cruiser ready (loaded mag inserted, chamber empty). Upon start signal, you grab your pistol and clear a structure to your right, engaging 4 bad guys while not shooting the one wearing a Santa hat (You don’t want to be on the naughty list this close to Christmas!). You then stow your cleared pistol on the table, grab your rifle, and and enter the open area with lighted cones to your left. At each cone you fire 2 shots at a full size steel IPSC target, and fire 2 shots while moving between cones. This required 22 shots to complete, and while make up shots were not allowed penalties accrued for each miss greater than 2. Distance to target ranged from 50 to a little over 60 yards depending on position.
I am very appreciative of my friend for allowing me to film him as he shoots fast so his videos are short!
This was actually the first time I had ever shot my pistol under NODS, and with the red dot turned down it was surprisingly easy. The dot appeared on the target after presentation just like it does in daylight, and clearing the 4 targets in the “house” was quickly accomplished. When I moved to the rifle portion I felt a little lost in the field of lighted cones, and spent too many extra seconds figuring out where I needed to go next. The hits were good though, and while I accumulated 3 misses (all while shooting on the move) I was happy with my performance.
The second and third stages were both your typical USPSA style, snaking through barrels and barricades while engaging 8 - 12 targets with your gun of choice. (I used the rifle) However one stage incorporated a shop light facing into the shooting area to visually block the three targets behind it. The successful strategy there seemed to be either charging the shop light until you could see over it with the NVG and engage the targets behind, or activating a white light to reduce the light differential and regain sight of the targets.
32 people came out to gain experience shooting in the dark, many of them driving an hour or 2 to get there. Almost half used single or dual tube NVG, but those using white light also got a lot out of the experience. I can’t speak highly enough about what Black Rifle League is doing with these matches, and plan on making the trip to do this again before the days get longer and it is no longer an option.
The rapid growth of this community in the face of unconstitutional laws passed by a parasitic ruling elite speaks to the will to pass down the rights and freedoms we inherited from those before us to the next generation. You would be wise to seek out the company of those with the willingness to briefly separate themselves from the internet and challenge themselves physically and mentally in the real world, and I can think of no better place to do so than events like this.
