Rio Bravo Run ‘N Gun Concept of Operations
SITUATION:
WW3 has kicked off, as predicted, and you are in the middle of it. Every aspect of war after WW2 is still relevant and plus the major technological advances which we though were only possible in video games. You will leave your EMP disabled vehicle, check in with command staff, and leave on your mission with only what you can carry. The route will be a challenging path of dry desert, approximately 7 miles long. Engagement distances of 0 up to 800 yards on rifle and 0 to over 100 yards on pistol. Shotgun, once thought obsolete, is now super relevant with the evolution of drone technology and lethality.
MISSION:
MODERN WARFARE: Testing your skills, equipment, knowledge, and abilities: you will set off on a course to seek and destroy your enemies. Following the rules of engagement, assist fellow soldiers and resistance (RO’s) in 9 challenging missions. Choose your role in five different divisions:
Open/Overall Division: Any rifle from .223 to 30-06 and any pistol from .380 to .44 Magnum.
Heavy Division: Any rifle caliber that usually takes large rifle primers and uses a short or long action magazine. If it fits in an AR-15, it ain’t heavy. Any pistol caliber that takes large pistol primers or is “magnum”. Fowty Short and Weak is not magnum, nor is shooting 38 Special in your 357. If you have questions if your caliber is acceptable, please contact me for approval.
Senior Division: 55 years or older in open or heavy division.
Lady Division: A woman in open or heavy division.
Youth Division: 13 years old and younger. May use .22 Long Rifle pistol and rifle but won’t be enough gun for all stages. Adult supervision required.
DATE AND TIME:
Friday, January 10th - RNG Range Officers
Saturday, January 11th - RNG Competitors
Sunday, January 12th - .22LR “Gun Golf” for everybody!
AOR:
Rio Bravo Ranch - 17211 FM170, Presidio Texas 79845
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:
Run ‘N Gun:
Mandatory safety briefs at 0700 each day of competition. Briefs will start promptly on the back porch of the house, be early. Roll call off roster, then safety instructions. Run orders will be adjusted for no shows. Arrive to start/stop table 10 minutes before your run time to fill out liability waivers and score card. Bring everything you will need on the course.
Once leaving HQ on your run, you are now on your scored run time that factors into overall score. Follow all high visibility flagging and signage. Flags are hung in line of sight of each other. If you are not in sight of a flagging, you are lost, stop and go back to your last flag to pick up the next. There are no shortcuts without flagging and you may wander into an impact area. Caution tape is hung for a reason, do not cross it. Do not go to stage canopies that your flagging does not lead to, that’s not your next stage. Red and white arrow signs will designate hard turns or spurs on the course.
Upon showing a clear rifle to RO's at each stage, you may start your wait time if there is a line to shoot. You are responsible for tracking your wait time. If there is nobody shooting when you arrive then you get no wait time. If you need extra time, it is on your time not RO’s time. Shooters will shoot in the order that they arrive at the stage. Once an RO asks for your wait time, you are back on scored time.
Once up to shoot, RO’s will give instructions and loading commands as the stage design dictates. No time will be given to admin gear or do stage recon. Upon the beep of the shot timer, shooters will perform the stage while strictly adhering to all firearms safety rules. Once finished with the stage, RO’s will record your shoot time on the card and send you on your way. Get your stuff and leave. Do not linger. What RO’s say goes, do not argue.
Repeat the above procedures from stage to stage and so on until back to HQ. Show a clear rifle one more time, then give the RO your score card. You are done, good job! Go recuperate and hang out until dinner and awards. Dinner will be tacos, rice, beans, fixings, bread, and pie. BYOB. Awards will be afterwards, with a prize table donated by sponsors.
22LR Gun Golf:
Mandatory safety brief at 0800 on the back porch of the house. Pick up your score card with assigned tee times at end of brief. Competitors will go out on foot in groups of 2-6 people and keep score for each other. Follow the course flags to each hole. At each hole will be a sign, 1-18. Targets will vary in size and distance as indicated on the score card. Record your number of shots to make the hit on each target for score. Pick up your brass as you finish at each hole. If another group comes up while at a hole, please let them play through. They’re likely faster than you. Turn in your cards at HQ, and leave. If legible, complete, and honest then they will be scored later against everyone else. Results will be emailed out when finished. Winners in Optics and Irons divisions as well as Senior, Youth, and Lady will receive discount codes to future Mystery Operations Events!
COURSE OF FIRE:
Run ‘N Gun:
Stages are subject to change and will have YouTube preview videos posted during the week prior to match. Mystery Operations - YouTube
Shotgun ~ 24 hits, Rifle ~ 59 hits, Pistol ~ 50 hits
Stage 1: “Shotgun Safari” ~18+ hits. Par 180 seconds. Bring your own ammo (#6, #7, or #8 lead birdshot only, 25 round box should be enough for match), may use own shotgun or a Benelli Nova Tactical 12ga stage gun. We will transport your shotgun (put it in a soft case!) to the stages for you, everyone carries ammo from HQ to S1.
Grounded rifle, shotgun loaded to capacity. On the beep, follow the marked trail and engage static steel as they become visible. Finish on the spinner, flipping it over one time.
Leave your shotgun at S1 and continue on course. If you want to make sure you have your own special shotgun ammo when you get to S9, take your ammo with you. Any extra ammo left at S1 will be dumped in a bucket and brought to S9.
Stage 2: “Hasty Training” Rifle Only ~ 10 hits. Par 120 Seconds. Due to the next stages design and requirements, we must test the shooters rifle zero. From standing, rifle loaded and safety engaged, move to the provided tripod (locked height) and use only it to engage five 4 MOA sized plates from right to left and then again left to right for two hits each total. Any shooters who do not pass this stage will be limited to shooting the next stage only when the vehicle is stopped. If the shooter’s rifle zero is in question, there will be a bench and cardboard target available to verify zero. Zero verification is done on run time and at direction of RO’s. Yes, people show up without verifying zeros, don’t be one of them!
Stage 3: “Mechanized Ops” Rifle only ~ 20 hits. Par 180 seconds. Shooters will mount up for a ~300 yard ride in the back of a pickup. With rifle inserted through a port in the rack apparatus, shooters will engage cardboard targets with 2 hits each while moving at a reasonable speed to make hits. The pickup will stop at designated points for shooters to engage steel targets with 1 hit each. Again, Shooters who DNF Stage 2 will be made to shoot the cardboard targets from stationary location on this stage, regardless of zero verification. This is a safety measure and inexcusable.
Stage 4: “Guerilla Warfare” Rifle ~ 12 hits, Pistol ~10 hits. Par 180 seconds. Pistol and rifle loaded, holstered and safeties engaged. Starting with one foot touching the shade structure. On the beep, move to P1, engage rifle targets across the canyon, silhouettes and an alien target getting two hits each. Then clear rifle (leave in place or take with you) and move to position two, drawing pistol and engaging more aliens with two hits each. Unload, clear, and holster pistol.
Stage 5: “Delta Ops” Pistol only ~ 8 hits. Par 120 seconds. Grounded rifle. Pistol and rifle loaded, holstered and safeties engaged. Starting seated on picnic table under the shade structure. On the beep, stand up, draw while moving to P1 and engage three targets with 1 hit each. Keeping pistol drawn, safety engaged and pointed down range, move to P2 and engage three targets with 1 hit each. Keeping pistol drawn, safety engaged and pointed down range, move to P3 and engage one target with 2 hits. Unload, clear, and holster pistol.
Stage 6: “Sniper Ops” Distance rifle only ~ 11 hits. Par 180 seconds. Bring heavy for caliber ammo! Rifle loaded, safety engaged, and shooting aids fully collapsed (undeployed). On beep, attain a suitable shooting position. Shooters will hit 6 plates ranging from 300 to 800 yards once. Between each hit on those 6 plates, come back to a common 200 yard generously sized plate (“Speed Plate” or “SP”) and hit it once before moving on to each further plate. Example shooting order with estimated distances would go: 300y, SP, 400y, SP, 500y, SP, 600y, SP, 700y, SP, 800y. DONE. Unload and clear rifle.
Stage 7: “Black Ops” Rifle ~ 6 hits and pistol ~ 12 hits. This stage is TBD as will examine new options for location.
Stage 8: “Infiltration” Pistol only ~ 30+ hits. Pistol loaded, safety engaged, and holstered. Starting with one foot touching the shade structure. On the beep, move along the marked course, engaging targets with required hits as they become visible. Required Hits: Circles 1 hit, Aliens 2 hits, Spinner flipped one time.
Stage 9: “Drones” Shotgun only ~ 6 hits. Using your own gun (transported by match staff from S1 to S9) or a provided Browning BPS with 26” barrel, engage one static clay and five aerial clay targets. After the beep, engage the static clay for shotgun familiarization. Then 5 static clays will be thrown from the hilltop at a consistent angle, speed, and interval. Once finished, head to HQ. Take your shotgun with you but may stash it at vehicle or airstrip in lieu of carrying all the way to HQ and back.
22LR Gun Golf:
18 Holes on a ~2 mile course. Varying target sizes and distances will be supplied on card. Rifle and pistol only holes. Rifle to 200-300 yards and pistol to 50 yards. Youth may use rifle on pistol holes. Target velocity ammunition highly suggested!
LODGING:
Camping is free and encouraged on the ranch from Thursday night through Saturday night. Campfires controlled in pits are welcome as it will be January. Average high is 68 and average low is 35. It will be really nice during the day for a RNG and cold at night. Dispose of ashes in brush line once fully extinguished.
There are limited VRBO/AirBnB properties in the Presidio and a couple hotels. Three Palms and Reata are the two hotel options. Terlingua, Marfa, and Alpine are all an hour or more away with far more lodging options.
EQUIPMENT:
-A tourniquet is mandatory, other medical supplies highly suggested. Find training for the TQ and first aid. YouTube is a good start but don’t stop there.
-Water, bring more than you need.
-Snacks. The course will be ~8 miles, you’ll need them.
-Pack or load bearing equipment
-Required weapons, ammo, and magazines, see Rules.
-Safe pistol holster
-Proper clothing and footwear.
SAFETY:
Weapons will be completely cold during course and only loaded at RO command during RNG or up to shoot during Gun Golf. We will not transition away from loaded weapons including hot holstering. Weapons will be unloaded before leaving stages, competitor responsibility.
Everyone is a safety officer. RO’s and Competitors must clear the shooting area visually and verbally before starting the shot timer. If anyone may call a ceasefire.
No part of the course is unmarked. If you do not see flagging, you are lost. Go back to the last flagging witnessed and pick up the course from there.
-See Rules for comprehensive match safety regulations.
ADMINISTRATIVE:
-House is limited to Range Officer staff only.
-Use the provided porta-potties.
-Cell phone reception is OK on top of hills. Spotty below.
-See Rules for comprehensive administrative directions.
ADDENDUM: