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OPSA is a group of men and women that enjoy the wide variety of shooting sports. Our first commitment is to teach safe gun handling. That is our most important goal. Safety briefings are given before the start of each and every match. All shooters and spectators are required to wear both eye and ear protection. If you see anything that might be a safety concern, SAY SOMETHING! Our next goal is to have fun.

OPSA holds four monthly matches at the Sidney Paul Gordon Shooting Range located just north of La Luz, NM (see directions) and hosts special matches during the year. OPSA was the host of the USPSA New Mexico Sectionals for 2002 and holds the New Mexico 3 Gun Championship each year at the beginning of summer. We also host the NRA "Women on Target" and the Eddie Eagle safety program. Many of our members are certified NRA instructors and have helped the Boy Scouts with their shooting merit badge program. Our club is also sanctioned by USPSA (United States Practical Shooting Association) and SASS (Single Action Shooting Society).

USPSA, which is governed by IPSC (International Practical Shooters Confederation), holds its matches on the forth Sunday of each month. The match consists of four stages, one of them being a classifier, the scores of which are submitted to USPSA for the shooter's classification. Twice a year we hold a special four stage classifier on our regularly scheduled match day.

IPSC is a fast paced shooting sport. There are handgun divisions that cover everything from race guns to off the shelf pistols and revolvers. The stages involve engaging targets using cover, on the move, and speed drills. Targets include steel poppers and plates, paper and sometimes moving targets. Everyone is invited to shoot our matches and you don't need to be a member of USPSA to enjoy this sport.

SASS is cowboy action shooting at its finest. Participants dress in late 1800's clothing, strap on their single action shootin' irons and have their trusty rifle and shotgun close at hand. They hold their matches on the first Saturday of each month.

You will find yourself transported back in time with stages that engage targets from the back of your favorite horse (ok, so it's a large, adult sized rocking horse), to coming out of the outhouse with gun's a-blazin'. Everyone is invited to come out and join the fun.

ACTION matches include the use of handguns and shotguns. Action has something to offer for the new shooter as well as the intermediate and advanced shooter. We encourage the use of stock pistols and revolvers and the use of standard holsters. Shotguns usually range from the tactical style to old bird guns. The matches are held on the third Saturday of the month.

The stages are similiar to that of the USPSA style of shooting except that we stress the use of utilizing cover while engaging targets and try to set stages that are more defensive in nature. One stage is usually set up to hone your skills in shooting faster with emphasis on accuracy (speed drills). The courses are not about competition but rather about you learning and improving your own abilities. Everyone is invited to come out and shoot with us.

NRA High Power Rifle matches are held on the second Saturday of each month.

All of the above matches start at 9:00 AM with sign up at 8:30 AM. The courses of fire are set up the afternoon before the match. During the winter, this will be at 4:00 PM. During the summer months, setup is at 5:00 PM. For the matches to work, everyone needs to help with setting up and tearing down the stages. During the match, if everyone pitches in and helps with the pasting of targets and picking up of brass, the match goes smoother and a good time is had by all. The more you contribute, the more you get out of it.