Jummel Hidrosollo / Special to the Home News

Dale Darland shoots targets at the starting line of one of the courses during the Sin City Shooters contest at Desert Sportsman’s Rifle and Pistol Club.

By Sean Ammerman (contact)

Wed, Dec 3, 2008 (midnight)

The Sunday morning regulars who make up the Sin City Shooters, Las Vegas' official United States Practical Shooting Association club, represent all walks of life.

There are pit bosses, graphic designers, bartenders, and even those who make a living shooting professionally.

They all share a common ground at Desert Sportsman's Rifle & Pistol Club, where their bi-weekly pistol matches go beyond typical indoor shooting.

"Really the reason I got into practical shooting was for the technique," said Brandon Wallace, match director for the Sin City Shooters. "I like hanging out with my friends here. It's always competition, plus I like to push myself."

The Sin City Shooters formed in 1991 to give locals an avenue to compete in sanctioned practical shooting, a sport testing one's ability to shoot rapidly and accurately in obstacle-laden courses. The sport grew out of self-defense training as some targets are stationary while others move or are hidden behind doorways.

About 50 locals come to the matches, held every other Sunday at Desert Sportsman's Rifle & Pistol Club, at 12201 W. Charleston Blvd.

"What you do with a firearm here, it's not like going to a regular shooting range," said Jeffrey Yerger, an advanced competitive shooter. "This is a real skill-set that you build on. You have to incorporate the speed, the accuracy, how you do you reload — there are so many dynamics to it."

The object is to have a balance between speed and aim, but competition always comes second to safety. The No. 1 rule is guns can't be loaded until the range officer gives the go-ahead.

If a shooter has a accidental discharge or fires to the side or behind, he or she is disqualified.

"What you see is disciplined, responsible, gun-owners," said Ray Witham, a shooter of 20 years. "It's very exciting and it's extremely challenging. It's a difficult sport that takes years of dedication to get a real grasp of it."

Witham, who recently returned from the International Practical Shooting Confederation's World Shoot in Indonesia, participates to hone his skills. However, not all of the shooters are master shots.

Brian Dorsey, of Northwest Las Vegas, visited the rage for the first time two months ago.

"Last week they put me in a squad with all the top guys and I was as intimidated as can be," Dorsey said. "I just tried not to embarrass myself and I ended up having a pretty solid day."

Wallace, of Centennial Hills, was introduced to the sport about seven years ago and has slowly moving up the ranks to compete with master level marksmen. As match director, he arrives at the range at 5 a.m. to set up the five stages of targets.

Some are based on standard course designs while Wallace creates others on his own. The stages evoke a training course that could be used by protective agency.

"They say being match director hurts your competition, but I have gotten better," he said. "I know that if I ever need to use it in a real life situation I would be ready."

After an array of passing directors, Wallace took the helm of the group in March with a goal of giving the organization more stability.

"Things got a little shaky for a while but he stepped in and put his blood, sweat and tears into this thing," Witham said. "It's a hard job and he doesn't even get paid for it."

Sean Ammerman can be reached at 990-2661 or sean.ammerman@hbcpub.com.