I shoot IDPA at one of our local clubs and hold either a Rifle or a Shotgun side match at the same time, we alternate between rifle and shotgun.

This was the last month for a side match, which was rifle.  The vast majority of shooters used an AR-15 variant of some type, most of them with optics of some sort.

The top 3 shooters though all used small bore iron sighted AK's.......I won the match with my SLR-105A1, my buddy Panzerschreck came in second with his Arsenal SA-M5, and our own VAGunnut came in third with his Romanian SAR-2.

Anyway, I'm just happier than a pig in slop.

Link to the last page of the thread in the VA Hometown forum:

ak47.net/forums/topic.html?b=8&f=24&t=167347&page=15

We had several LE and military guys shooting with us today as well, and several guys who've had some pretty damn good training.

I shot my DSA StG-58A in Battle Rifle, and my Arsenal SLR-105A1 with Barnaul FMJ, and had a little duelin' underfolder action going on with BlackScot, his new Arsenal SAS-M7 no-ban vs. my Yugo M90.

It was a whole lot of fun.  If you get some trigger time in, the AK I think is just as relevant in these competitions as an AR is.

Quoted: Templar how well did the 7.62 AKs do?

Middlin of the road.  The best use of one was by R. Gunnarson who came in 11th out of 33 with a new Arsenal SA-M7A1R that I had sold him a week before.....I came in 13th using my Yugoslavian underfolder, and VAGunnut came in 19th with his home built AKM.

Nope, no Tantals...........couple of Arsenal SLR-105A1's and a couple of Romanian SAR-2's.

Here are the scores.  I didn't do too badly with an iron sighted DSA StG-58A .308 compared to the guys with Carbines either.  

Cavalier IDPA Rifle Side Match 08/28/05
Battle Rifle
Shooter:                 Rifle:       Cal.             Down:     Penalty:   Time:   Score:        

1) T. Orrock       FAL       7.62x51mm        17.50            0               49.83         67.33
2) C. Wendt M14 7.62x51mm       20.00 0 66.42 86.42
3) A. Kothe M1A Scout 7.62x51mm 21.00 0 97.82 118.82

Tactical Rifle/Carbine
Shooter:                 Rifle:       Cal.             Down:     Penalty:   Time:   Score:      
1) T. Orrock AK-74 5.45x39mm 07.00 0 37.75  44.75
2) S. Edwards AK-47 5.56x45mm 02.00 0 43.09  45.09
3) A. Ferranto AK-74 5.45x39mm 05.00 0 40.12  45.12
4) A. Wallace AR-15 5.56x45mm 03.00 0 43.85  46.85
5) A. Ferranto AR-15 5.56x45mm 08.50 0 39.97  48.47
6) P. Ofrias AR-15 5.56x45mm 09.00 0 39.58  48.58
7) S. Tucker AR-15 5.56x45mm 11.50 0 41.86  53.36
8) N. Morton AR-15 5.56x45mm 11.00 0 42.76  53.76
9) T. Rogers AR-15 5.56x45mm 06.00 0 51.52  57.52
10) A. Wallace AK-74 5.45x39mm 08.00 0 53.71  61.71
11) R. Gunnarson AK-47 7.62x39mm 11.08 0 51.32  62.32
12) D. Perkins AR-15 5.56x45mm 03.00 0 62.59  65.59
13) T. Orrock AKS-47 7.62x39mm 26.00 0 40.06  66.06
14) B. Chernault AR-15 5.56x45mm 19.50 0 47.63  67.13
15) A. Burch AR-15 5.56x45mm 14.00 0 56.61  70.61
16) S. Morton AR-15 5.56x45mm 06.50 0 66.08  72.58
17) G. Burcham AR-15 5.56x45mm 10.50 0 63.38  73.88
18) M. Rogers AR-15 5.56x45mm 17.00 0 58.64  75.64
19) A. Ferranto AK-47 7.62x39mm 16.00 0 46.85  78.85
20) R. Levesque AK-74 5.45x39mm 29.00 0 51.17  80.17
21) G. Bruce AR-15 5.56x45mm 14.00 0 70.25  84.25
22) D. Martin AK-47 7.62x39mm 07.00   0 78.58  85.58
23) R. McHaffa Mini-14 5.56x45mm 06.50 0 79.48  85.98
24) A. Drobinski AR-15 5.56x45mm 16.00 0 70.81  86.81
25) J. Austin AR-15 5.56x45mm 31.00 0 55.88  86.88
26) D. Saunders AR-15 5.56x45mm 32.00 0 56.41  88.41
27) E. Jens M1Carbine .30 Carbine 09.50 0 82.65  92.15
28) S. Tougas AR-15 5.56x45mm 30.50 0 63.21  93.71
29) A. Goldsmith AR-15 5.56x45mm 26.00   0 74.86   100.86
30) B. Walker AR-15 5.56x45mm 35.00 0 66.55 101.55
31) R. McFarland2 AKS-47 7.62x39mm 33.00 0 72.81 105.81
32) R. McFarland AKS-47 7.62x39mm 36.00 2FTN 68.13 114.13
33) R. Troxell AK-47 5.56x45mm 37.00 0 83.60 120.60
34) K. Marshall AK-47 7.62x39mm 23.00 0 118.71 141.71

Nope, no VEPR's....this really isn't VEPR country around here, lots of Arsenal Inc's and Romanians, and some home built stuff.

The guy shooting the M1 Carbine usually comes out with the most tricked out BS crap on his rifles, and usually it malfunctions.

I was really happy to see him show up with a wood stocked military surplus M1 Carbine that hadn't been messed with.  He did really well, didn't drop many shots, took his time, and had fun.  And.....his little Carbine just kept ticking with no problems.  Old School kicked some butt too.  

In fairness, if VAGunnut hadn't had bronchitis he probably would have kicked my ass, but I know he wasn't feeling well and it probably affected his game some.  Reallistically, the top three of us in Carbine were almost at a draw in our shooting that day.

When I made my run with the SLR-105A1, one of the guys who usually dominates both IDPA and the side matches (who's also a LEO), expressed and interest in taking a second look at the AK, since he's an AR guy.  

Hopefully I'm spreading the word about the goodness that is the Darkside.  

So what is the longer distance for yours?

Most of our plate matches are 75-100yds for about 15-20 plates of each color clustered together. Darned heavy too; 5.56 needs a high hit and 62gr is clearly better odds than 55gr. And hurrying with stock AK irons, I have this bad habit of sighting from a front post bracket instead of the post, so paint (and optics) is my friend.

Quoted: So what is the longer distance for yours? Most of our plate matches are 75-100yds for about 15-20 plates of each color clustered together. Darned heavy too; 5.56 needs a high hit and 62gr is clearly better odds than 55gr. And hurrying with stock AK irons, I have this bad habit of sighting from a front post bracket instead of the post, so paint (and optics) is my friend.

Longest distance we've used, and this was last year, was about 130 yards, but that match had a drop turner on the move starting you off at about 20 yards, then some IDPA targets from behind cover, then some more distance (about 50 yards), then the steel at 130 yards.  That was a great match, but damn near killed me with all the running around, since the SO has to run the match right behind the guy shooting, you run it 40 odd times rather than just once or twice.

Anyway, the range we use now has a bay about 75 yards deep, and the longest shots are usually about 60 yards, but I compinsate for this by making people take a lot of head shots on IDPA targets, after movement sometimes and I'm always trying to get the heart rate and breathing up.

We basically do up close and personal stuff (10-15 yards) and then out to 60 yards or so, all in the same string, with movement and shooting from behind cover, shooting to get to cover, that kind of thing.

Well, we were using steel poppers for some ~ 40 yard shots but we had to stop because some bozo blew right through one and severly dented the other one using 5.56mm M855 with the penetrator in it.  I don't think he knew it would happen, but it did and it kinda screwed it for the rest of us.  

So, for the time being at least, it's IDPA targets only now......

Quoted: How about posting a "Victory Pic" of the three top AK shooters.

I forgot my camera at home, or else you'd have it.  The top 3 shooters are all members here, including a mod (me), a staff guy (VAGunnut), and a standard issue guy (Panzerschreck).

This was the last standard IDPA match and the last side match of the season for our club.  NExt month will be our Classifier in IDPA and then we're hosting the VA State match, and then we'll have our annual Three Gun match, Rolling Thunder, which I will be damn sure to bring my camera out for.

Because of the (relatively) short distances involved, I mandate head shots on the IDPA targets when we have the rifle side match, which is pretty challenging on the clock under duress even with optics.

Quoted: Maybe the dude with the Mini-14, is using the rifle he uses most . In that case He's smart to use it in comp. Train with what you use and how you use it. Become the best with that you can be. Not trying to be preachy but maybe that's all he can use.

That's exactly what I like to see, people bringing out what they've got in the closet or gun safe for when things go "bump".

We've even had a guy bring out a WWII K-98, and yeah, it took him forever to clear the course, but he hit everything he was shooting at.