The annual Defensive Pistol Match has always been a staple of the Tactical Conference. All registered attendees are eligible to shoot the match. Competition times are assigned in advance and sent by email, and a list of the full competition schedule will be available at the Conference. Typically the match requires about 40 rounds of ammunition, and every participant’s handgun must be fully concealed.

The pistol match is blind. The course of fire is not published in advance, and it changes every year. We always warn participants not to think of the match as a competition or a “game.” Instead, think of it as a series of defensive problems you’ll be called upon to solve. The Tactical Conference is about defensive shooting, not competition shooting. Those who try to “game” their way through the course of fire are defeating the purpose of the match and denying themselves the defensive training opportunity it was intended to be.

The preliminary rounds take place all day Friday and Saturday. The top finishing contenders will then compete on Sunday afternoon in a final shoot-off to crown the champions. Spectators are encouraged to come and cheer on the finalists. Winners are announced and awards distributed after the shoot-off on Sunday afternoon.