First, a bit of history… The Practical Conditions League started in the spring of 2022 by members of the Huronia Handgun Club. The intention being to have weekly evening meets, or “League Night” where members could shoot a variety of skills based drills and have the occasional match. “Run what ya brung”, and Variety is the name of the game… From shooting the League’s Course of Fire, to celebrating history and various firearms types, makes and models, there was always something new and creative at our PCL “League Night”.
Participants are encouraged to come up with their own drills and share them on League Nights. For example, one particular League Night, members celebrated the 1911 by shooting a course of fire that was designed and published for it all the way back in 1917. It was called “A skirmish Run for Pistols – Being an Improvised Course to Acquaint Green Men with the Action and Operation of the Service Automatic”… A member happened to find the course of fire written by Capt. Roy S. Tinney, published well over one hundred years ago in the magazine “Arms, and the Man”. On another League Night, members honed their rifle skills with a curious 1″ by 1″ steel plate… Participants had eight seconds to drop to the prone and hit the tiny steel plate from 50 meters and beyond to find their limit. The tried and true El Presidente has also been quite popular…
Matches are meant to be safe, simple and efficient to run. The Courses of Fire (CoF) are designed to accommodate basically any firearm and measure a participants level of skill. More often than not, matches and League Nights require only 50 rounds and typically take a couple of hours from start to finish. We hope you can do the same at your club in the same spirit. “Safe, Simple, Fun” – Ernie Reid
The Practical Conditions League (PCL) is an outgrowth of Service Conditions styled shooting events and Police Pistol Combat/Competition, that have been adapted for use at any typical Gun Club within their rules and facilities capability. The League is open for all to be able to participate and enjoy regardless of the firearms or equipment they have. (So long as their firearm and related equipment is legal, safe, and approved for use at their respective Club). The Practical Conditions League itself is meant to be “Open Source”, meaning no memberships with PCL are required to use this material/logo and run your own League Night or Match… Clubs are encouraged to come up with their own PCL Logos, patches and medals as necessary for their events or matches.
The general concept of the Practical Conditions League is to get club members together, safely develop practical marksmanship fundamentals, safe firearms handling skills, and techniques to serve members well both on the range or in the
field. As such, you’ll notice the Rifle Course of Fire was designed with hunting styled rifles in mind. The Handgun Course of Fire was designed to accommodate virtually any pistol/revolver in support of the various disciplines and
competition available in Canada. PCL is also an opportunity to prove both your firearm, and your handling of it, to be safe and reliable. All of which will lend to the participants firearms skills improving and serving as a solid foundation for various other sport shooting disciplines, hunting, and even trapping.
The Practical Conditions League is intended to be open and available to all of your club’s members to participate regardless of skill level so long as they have passed their club level safety course and probationary shoots.
Practical Conditions matches are designed to be safe, simple, and fun. Courses of Fire are published in this manual allowing Members to practice them on their own. At present we have course of fire for Pistol, and Rimfire Rifle/Pistol Caliber Carbine. More will be added as they are developed. Additionally, you can expect a shotgun related course of fire with a focus hon handling and manipulation to be published in the near future.
Courses of Fire are based on “Skills Drills” known as a “Stage” with each stage having a skills theme.
The stages are designed to present a series of exposures – each one representing a short quick window of time to fire the required number of rounds and complete required tasks within that window.
Multiple exposures provide the repetition to create training value. Unless otherwise prescribed, all Stages and Exposures will begin from the Standing Position. Stages are meant to be shot with all shooters on the firing line together. Should the number of shooters exceed the amount of available bays or shooting lanes, then relays can be used. The stage time will start on the signal to fire e.g. shot timer signal, horn, verbal command “START”, or whistle, and will end with the same signal once it stops sounding. Once the second signal is sounded or “STOP” command given, shooters are expected to hold their fire as the exposure has ended…
Each stage requires a certain number of rounds. Each exposure during that stage is meant to represent a scenario. If you make a mistake during an exposure or your firearm malfunctions resulting in the allotted time expiring to complete that stage, then that scenario is over and you cannot make up shots not fired in another exposure. You must bring to the firing line the required number of rounds as is required to shoot in each exposure. you can top up mags or acquire more ammo as necessary between stages after the firing line is cleared and declared safe.
Any shots fired that are not in accordance with the stage conditions; or outside of the allotted par time between signals, must be disallowed and are accounted for by patching or marking out the equal number of shots so fired of the highest value before scoring a target.
For members who are holster certified, each exposure in every pistol match will typically begin from the holster. The Range Officer will give a “Load, make ready” & “holster” command for each stage. It will be the individual competitor’s responsibility to safely and correctly holster his pistol at the end of each exposure time and before the next exposure takes place. An official “Unload show clear” and the clearing of each pistol will take place at the end of each stage prior to scoring and replacing targets in preparation for the next stage.
Club Members who are not holster certified can either shoot from a portable table; or preferably from a low ready position while only using their holster to hold their unloaded handgun between Stages. Some clubs permit members to utilize a holster to hold or carry an unloaded firearm while on the range even though they may not be yet holster certified. As such, only holster certified members will be permitted to holster and draw a loaded firearm.
In all stages, the typical two-handed grip will be used unless the stage conditions specifically call for something different.
Official Matches will consist of the published Courses of Fire for Handguns, and Rimfire Rifles/Pistol Caliber Carbines. There can also be additional skill based stages for all of these firearms that wont be published, but will be included in the competitors score. Awards can be issued for Participants earning 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place with respect to each of the two firearm categories (Handgun/Rifle). As well as overall scores involving all firearms categories.
Outside of scheduled matches, members are able to practice the published Courses of Fire on their own in preparation for matches. On Practical Conditions League evenings, members can participate in a variety of different drills and mock competitions to build skill and camaraderie.
To run your own PCL matches, please check out the leagues Dropbox where printable targets. Courses of fire, and the manual can be found here: http://www.dropbox.com/sh/wb1d50sn48lnxkl/AAAjvGUDFf-1DVCgEgcoL0Zka?dl=0
Red Leaf Rimfire 
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