looking for something fun to do w/ my new guns.  want to get into some pistol competitions, but i don't know much about them whatsoever.  I have an HK USP 9mm and a Springfield armory mil-spec 1911.  can anyone tell me what kind of competition these guns qualify for, and where around here they do them?  thanks!

The North Carolina Police Pistol League shoots mainly around the Triangle, but goes statewide.  Nothing fancy to the course or to the equipment.  We like to see new shooters come on out and have fun, and for non LEOs we have a civilian class.  Right now that is a small class, and I would like to see more civilian shooters join up.  No egos, just a bunch of folks getting out to shoot and have fun.  

The website, ncpolicepistolleague.com, can fill you in for more information.

Our first match is this wednesday at the Durham Co. Range.  

Your USP would be permitted for the duty match, and your SA would work in the Distinguished match.  Be sure to have 3 mags minimum for the duty match, and you would need 4 mags minimum for the distinguished.  Holsters/ mag pouches- as long as it is safe and holds the gun.  So shooting with an open top rig is okay.

We shoot on the B-27 targets, from 3 to 25 yards.  The matches are more of a test of marksmanship than anything, no running and gunning.  

We also have two side matches, which have been more competitive than the other two.  A shotgun and rifle match.  The shotgun match consists of 10 rounds of slugs, and the rifle match consists of 20 rounds.  The AR is king of that match, only caveat is that optical sights are verboten.  

If memory serves me, the first match for any new shooter is free.  By all means, the more folks shooting the better.  

the Sir Walter Gun Club in Raleigh has IPSC matches once a month and I'm pretty sure you can use just about anything to shoot with.

Some further reading if you want shoot IPSC.
www.ipsc.org/
www.uspsa.org/

You're well equiped for IDPA matches provided you have an acceptable holster and two mag pouches.

The old list from http://www.actionvillepracticalshooters.org/

1st  Weekend of the month
SATURDAY
Sir Walter: IPSC, 12PM        http://www.sirwaltergunclub.com
Clinton NC: IDPA                                                              Fred
SUNDAY
Oxford, NC: IDPA, 12PM       http://users.gloryroad.net/~idpa

2nd  Weekend of the month
SATURDAY
Range 14 IPSC, 9AM                           http://www.range14.com
Trigger Time: IDPA, 10AM          http://www.trigger-time.com
Raleigh: IDPA, 4:30PM                          http://www.pdhsc.com
SUNDAY
Oxford, NC: IDPA, 12PM       http://users.gloryroad.net/~idpa

3rd  Weekend of the month
SATURDAY
FPSA: USPSA, 10AM                         http://swartout.com/fpsa
SUNDAY
Ant Hill: USPSA, 12PM                  Timberlake [email protected]
Oxford, NC: 3 Gun, 12PM      http://users.gloryroad.net/~idpa
Blackwater, USPSA, 10AM  http://www.blackwateripsc.exis.net
Statesville, USPSA, 12PM    Paul Hendrix  [email protected]

4th  Weekend of the month
SATURDAY
Trigger Time: 3 Gun, 10AM        http://www.trigger-time.com
Greenville, Fun match, 10AM               [email protected]
B&R: USPSA, 8:30AM               R. Weigel  [email protected]