About Us
This page is dedicated to who we are now and where we came from. We are proud to be a historic club that has served our community for over 100 years here in Tucson, AZ. Our continued mission is to preserve the history and legacy of our club and maintain our facility for future generations.
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Pima Pistol Club hosts matches from a variety of national organizations, promotes personal skills training, and supports a variety of disciplines and styles.
Matches & Competition
Here are some of the organizations that Pima Pistol Club hosts matches for each month. For more detailed information, click on the section you are interested
in and check the calendar for upcoming events.
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Whatever your skill level or interests are,
Pima Pistol Club has something for you to participate in!
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The International Defensive Pistol Association develops shooting sports based on defensive pistol techniques to solve "real world" self defense scenarios.
The United States Practical Shooting Association is the largest competitive shooting organization in the US and uses scenario based stages to test the limits of skill and equipment.
Steel Challenge is a speed shooting competition on steel targets featuring 8 stages that use a variety of target shapes and sizes.
Action Pistol features a variety of stages and is an accuracy driven action shooting sport. Your skill is tested on plate racks and bullseye targets. This match gives you the opportunity to test your speed and accuracy using par times.
2 Gun matches recreate simulated military and tactical scenarios and feature both rifle and pistol along with physically challenging courses of fire.
The course of fire will consist of various sizes of targets and will also include “hostage” style scenarios, partially blocked or hidden targets, diminishing size precision reactive targets.
Steel Workers is a PPC "Outlaw" match that takes speed on steel to a whole new level. Check out the full set of PPC steel targets and bring plenty of ammo!
PCSL is the Practical Competition Shooting League. The PCSL is a new alternative to IDPA and USPSA competition with a unique high-risk, high-reward target that’s optimized for points-per-second scoring.
Rimfire Challenge is the premiere .22 rimfire sport designed for rifle & pistol. This competition is perfect for new competition shooters and experienced competitors alike.
This match is designed to test your skill with your Back Up Gun or Secondary Firearm. From sub-compact to full sized sidearm, the BUG match has a division for you. This is a great match for beginning action pistol competitors!
1967 PPC Match Advertisement
Service
Pima Pistol Club was born with the State of Arizona and has a history of service in Tucson. This document from 1967 shows some of the organizations we served in the past and many we continue to serve to this day: the University of Arizona Varsity Rifle Team, Army ROTC Rifle Team, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, US Border Patrol, US Naval Reserve, US Marine Reserve, Arizona Rangers, Pima County Sheriff's Officers, Arizona Air National Guard, Arizona Army National Guard, Boy Scouts of America, Pima County Sheriff's Auxiliary, Arizona State Rifle & Pistol Association, and more.
History
Legacy. Tradition. Service.
Pima Pistol Club is currently going through photos, documents, interviews, and artifacts to capture and preserve the story of the PPC. Our goal is to honor our past and carry the torch forward for future generations of members.
We will release detailed information as it becomes available, but here is some of what we know about who we are.
Pima Pistol Club originally shared range land in the Starr Pass Area with the Tucson Rifle Club, the University of Arizona Rifle Team, and the Bowman Broken Arrow Archery Club.
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We were organized prior to 1916 and eventually incorporated in 1920. For more than 50 years, our range at Starr Pass was protected by Presidential Executive Order #2295.
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The range was used in co-operation by all three clubs under a collective organization eventually named the Tucson Shooting Association. Together we served members of Law Enforcement, the Military, and people throughout our Tucson community.
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Early Days to 1920
We were recently given a collection of 42 shooting award medals that evidence the journey of one Pima Pistol Club member from 1937 to 1958. His story is very similar to the stories of many of our members over the years.
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In 1937, Eugene Miller started competing as a training supplement to his career in law enforcement. His early award medals evidence the first steps of a novice shooter and
they continue to follow his path to becoming a Master.
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We are thankful to have received these artifacts from our past. When Arizona became a state - Pima Pistol Club was there. When the song 'God Bless America' was introduced - the PPC was there. Through World Wars and Allied Victories - we were there. When the NFL aired its first game on Television - Pima Pistol Club was there.
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The PPC history walks along side Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, John Wayne, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Jackie Robinson, and the All-American Girls Baseball League. We saw the introduction of the Corvette and the birth of the Las Vegas strip.
The Pima Pistol Club is more than a range - it is a part of Arizona.
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1937 to 1958
By the mid 1960, FDR changed the authority of Woodrow Wilson's Executive Order which protected our original range. Our land would eventually be scheduled as the sight for Pima Junior College. This campus is now called Pima Community College West which sits directly on our original range land.
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After action by the Tucson Shooting Association to establish funds to move our historic ranges, the Tucson Rifle Club moved to Three Points under the purview of the Arizona Game & Fish Department.
Pima Pistol Club and the Bowman Archery Club ventured north on to the western foothills of the Santa Catalina mountains where there was little development at the time.
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They purchased land at the bargain price of $7750 from a failed planned community called Lago Del Oro. Lago Del Oro had problems keeping the twin showpiece lakes for their development filled with water. PPC members along with the Bowman archers forged a road through the desert to find the site of our front gate.
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Think of our history the next time you head East on Wilds Road...when you pass Twin Lakes Drive, and turn on Bowman Road, or head farther East to Lago Del Oro Parkway.
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1960s
By 1968, Pima Pistol Club & the Tucson Rifle Club were built at their present locations.
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In an effort to gain publicity for the new range sites, a letter was written to the NRA. We hoped that the American Rifleman magazine would feature the story of our
difficulties and recovery.
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This letter contained a personal appeal to the editor that gives us a glimpse of
how important the Pima Pistol Club, the Tucson Rifle Club, and our overall
community was to Tucson over the years.
"I believe your readers would find a lot of interest in the history of the old ranges...As you know, this involves President Wilson, F.D.R., Pancho Villa, Carl Hayden, and the old records read like a Who's Who of Tucson and Southern Arizona."
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1968
We are currently collecting information on the first few decades after the Pima Pistol Club was built on its present site. If you have any information to share, please contact the club to add to our story.
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We have current members who date back to the early days of the new range and into the 1980s and 1990s. We are working to collect their stories.
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What we do know for now is that we have worked hard on this land for over 50 years to build on our past and move towards the future. We strive to make it better every day working to preserve this legacy we have all built together.
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As the world seems to move closer to us each and every moment, we stand to protect the history and community that has survived for over 100 years here in Tucson.
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1970s to Present
Over 6 days, ILETSB Master Firearms Instructor & DHS Distinguished Weapons Expert John Krupa III and a team of 5 Spartan TTG instructors conducted three separate GSA registered defensive firearms certification courses taught to AZPOST standards for over 50 students - most of which were PPC members.
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Congratulations to PPC VP Dave Burton for shooting the fastest Up/Down drill in the rifle program, and to Cecil Rico for shooting the high qualification in the pistol program. Both Dave and Cecil were awarded additional Super Spartan certifications!
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Way to go Dave and Cecil!
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Dave Burton & Cecil Rico
Awarded Super Spartan Certs
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Eric France has achieved the title of 2023 IDPA World Champion and High Law Enforcement in the iron sights CDP division.
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With Eric's placement at the IDPA World Championships, he has earned Distinguished Master in four separate Divisions -CDP, CCP, SSP, and PCC.
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You may have seen Eric at one of the many PPC weekend matches or Wednesday Action Pistol matches at the club. Congratulations to Eric from everyone at the PPC!
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Eric France - 2023 IDPA World Champion
Regular club member Elias Frangoulis has been burning it up on the competition trail this year. He achieved his goal of becomming the 2023 USPSA Single Stack National Champion!
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In April, he was the overall match winner at the Bluegrass Locap Classic in Kentucky. In May, he won the single stack division at the Northern Arizona Classic in Prescott, AZ. And in August he won single stack at the Berry's Area 1 Championship in Montana.
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Way to represent the PPC Elias! Come out to one of our many club matches and you might just see him in action!
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Elias Frangoulis
2023 USPSA National Champion
The matches at PPC would be impossible to run without the hard work and dedication of so many people putting in time for the benefit of the club and it's members.
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Here is a pic of the July 2023 IDPA set up crew. L to R: Tom Brown, Tim Liddle, Mike Bachman, George Pesina, Tony Wong, & Charlie Helmich, along with match director Dave Burton & Teri Keefe (not pictured).
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Thanks for the help everyone...and to everyone who pitches in to make the PPC matches great!
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2023 IDPA Match Set Up Crew
Looks like John Wick uses the PPC BUG Match to keep his range skills sharp. He showed up to shoot the July 2023 Match!
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If you are looking for a great first step into competitive action pistol shooting or just a fun match, the BUG Match is a great choice. Take a look at the calendar and ask about help getting started with some great people.
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"How good to see you again so soon, Mr. Wick."
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BUG Match Celebrity Sighting
Congratulations to the University of Arizona Wildgats Shooting Team!
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They returned from Talladega, Alabama with 2 first place medals, 2 second place medals, and a third place medal.
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Way to represent!
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2023 Collegiate Nationals
A huge thanks goes out to Luke Nagy, Jon Woods, and all the PPC staff for the continued efforts to clean up our range bays.
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Here is a behind the scenes picture of just some of the work that goes into keeping the ranges free from debris.
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2023 Tumbleweed Tornado
Congratulations to Pima Pistol Club Shooters who participated in the 2023 IDPA South Mountain Showdown Match in Phoenix on January 20 & 21. With over 175 shooters, this was a competitive match.
Way to go!
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ESP - Justin Burke 3rd Master, Xavier Messina 7th Master, Kathy Swan 3rd Marksman, Casey Davis 6th Marksman,
Charlie Helmich 1st Novice
SSP - Dillon Ventzke 1st Master
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CCP - George Pesina 1st Marksman, Eric Espensen 1st Sharpshooter, Brad Louis 4th Expert
CDP - Eric France 1st Master, Jerry D'Amico 5th Expert
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CO - Teri Keefe 9th Expert
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REVO - John France 1st Sharpshooter, Ed Williams 6th Sharpshooter
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2023 Healy Arms
South Mountain Showdown
Congratulations to Pima Pistol Club Shooters who participated in the 2021 IDPA National Championship Match in Colorado on September 24 & 25th. With over 400 shooters, this was a highly competitive match. Way to go!
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Eric France – 18th Overall; 2nd CCP/MA;
3rd High Law Enforcement (1st with iron sights)
John France – 4th PCC/MA; 1st Distinguished Senior
Clarence Banez – 6th CO/EX
Justin Burke – 8th ESP/MA
Kimiko Donahue – 5th High Lady
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2021 IDPA Nationals
Congratulations to all the shooters from Pima Pistol Club who participated in the Valentines Day IDPA Regional Match in Chino, California, February 16, 2020. You all rock!
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Division Champs
Dillon Ventzke – SSP Division Champ and #1 SSP/MA
Hunter Marcuson – CO Division Champ and #1 CO/MA
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Enhanced Service Pistol (ESP)
Brad Louis – #1 ESP/MA, #7 ESP overall
Justin Burke – #3 ESP/EX, #3 ESP overall
Olena Phillips – #2 ESP/MM
Carry Optics (CO)
Cody Shorter – #3 CO/MA and #3 CO overall
Clarence Banez – #4 CO/SS and #10 CO overall
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Compact Carry Pistol (CCP)
Shelly Allen-Tucker – #3 CCP/MM and #10 CCP overall
Distinguished Senior, Brad Louis – #1
Olena Phillips – #3 High Lady
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2021 IDPA Regional Chino, CA
Congratulations to Eric France – High Law Enforcement at the 2019 USPSA HICAP Nationals, PCC Division in Washington, Utah!
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2019 USPSA HiCap Nationals
Congratulations to Elias Frangoulis for being our State IDPA Champion as well as 1st Place CDP Master and Most Accurate!
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2018 IDPA Arizona State Championship
Elias Frangoulis – World Championship Title
Results and ranks of the individual divisions of the IPSC Handgun World Championship 2017 One of Pima Pistol Clubs finest Members.
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All participants to the IPSC World Shoot XVIII are grouped in divisions: Classic, Open, Production, Standard and Revolver.
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The US shooter Elias Frangoulis had a head start in the Classic Division of the IPSC World Championship 2017. In the Classic Division of the IPSC World Cup 2017, US and Philippine shooters dominated.
US-shooter Elias Frangoulis took the lead from Filipino Jeufro Lejano on the 4th day of the match and won the World Championship title. Way to go Elias!
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2017 IPSC World Shoot
