Name one thing you learned at your last match...

Keep a good eye on the parking area...

If a busload of gorillas show up they're here to jump up and down on you while you're trying to shoot!
Other than that it's the same thing I learned at my first match: Hold tight and favor the X-Ring.
 
In training, you reload the gun when it runs dry - no matter where you are. In IDPA, if you have to move and reload - you need to reload under cover. I dropped an empty mag before I got under cover.

Ah, so what! :D
 
lessons learned

I've shot in two USPSA special classifier matches in the last three weeks.

On the first match, I was able to shoot 4 different guns and shoot 4 classifier stages in each Production Class, Single Stack, Limited 10 and Revolver.

On the second match, I shot 5 classifier stages in Production class.

I've discovered I need to practice engaging multiple targets strong hand only and weak hand only at 10, 12 and 15 yards.

I also need more practice engaging targets partially screen by "no shoot" targets or partially screened by hard cover.

In the first match, I hit 6 "no shoots" (in 16 stages fired)

In the second match, I didn't hit any "no shoots" in 7 stages (of which 5 were classifiers)

And my in-battery reloads are not as fast as my out-of-battery reloads. I'm not sure why, but it's something else to practice.
 
Two things, but I feel the need to mention them both:

1. It's a challenge to remember to use your sights when you're trying to engage multiple tough targets while moving quickly, and using your sights is good.

2. Same rules of target engagement apply to swingers as they do to any other target...as do the basics of calling your shots. Conversely, spray-and-pray works even worse on swingers than it does on other targets. ;)
 
Shooting rimfire bullseye leagues almost exclusively, I found that slow fire was not my friend and I tended to shoot it just like I do timed fire.

This league I switched to an M9 NM pistol to start preparing for Camp Perry.

Everything was reversed. I take close to the whole 10 minutes to shoot slow fire and timed fire is no longer my friend. I now finish timed fire just as the whistle blows to stop.

I've also learned that if all you routinely shoot is rimfire, then centerfire will come as a rude awakening.
 
I went to this year's first NRA silhouette match with a new tang sight on my rifles.

Lesson learned: the match is not the place to experiment with new sights. Don't be surprised if you get the worst score of your life.

There is also probably a lesson to be learned about giving your wife the 100 year old .22 rifle and keeping the brand new rifle with all the goodies on it. The one that I learned is that my wife is some kind of crazy sharpshooter with a Winchester 1906. Somehow I am now a class below her.

On the bright side, though, it was a beautiful day and we had fun.
 
I just did my first USPSA match with a stock Glock 17. I learned that I'm very accurate, but too slow for it to matter. :rolleyes: Oh well, practice will fix that. :D And DANG is USPSA fun!!!
 
age matters

My competition shooting these days is limited to traditional style muzzle loaders. Last match I learned age matters. Bad left shoulder. Cannot even hold the rifle to shoot without much wiggle and pain. Downer. Surgery scheduled. But, after that and recovery, I'll be even older.
 
That those pieces of scrap lumber on the ground are not there just as trip hazards, but as 180 reference points. :o
 
How to win

I learned that if I don't allow myself to shoot any nines, I shoot a lot more tens. I ended up 289 - 6X in a 30 shot match and took high service rifle.
 
I learned that whole PPPPPP thing all over again.

Several stages where I didn't do so well on weren't properly planned. The two stages I did best on (5th overall out of ~106 Production shooters) were properly executed.

I plan to implement a new strategy I learned recently in the next local match and, if it works, will implement it at the next two major matches I go to.
 
Learned at my last ACTS match a few weekends ago that the proper time to open the lens covers and turn on my red dot scope is before the timer goes off, not while I'm running downrange with the rifle tucked under my arm as I fiddle with the scope. :o
 
Shot IDPA for the first time recently and found out two things right off the bat that I suck at...

A. Shooting while moving :eek:
B. Shooting with both eyes open :barf:

And I thought I was pretty good...until I got here.:confused:
 
At my last match I watched another shooter have a meltdown as a result of one bad run. The next run was even worse--as one might have expected and the shooter left the match in an obviously perturbed state.

When you have a bad run or a bad stage consider it an opportunity to practice dealing with adversity, a chance to practice maintaining your composure. Everyone has a bad run now and then, but some shooters let it wreck the whole match for them while others deal with it and move on to the next challenge.
 
Know when your reloads should be taking place (nothing worse than pulling that trigger one or more times after the slide is locked back).

On a lowlight/flashlight stage, memorize the target locations ahead of time (in case your flashlight decides not to work...or just plain sucks).

Reload in front of your face, not in front of your navel.

If you have a plan for a stage, don't leave it in your shooting bag when the buzzer goes off.
 
If you shoot in a contorted on your back position, next to a barrel - an ejected hot 45 ACP round can land in your arm pit, after bouncing off the barrel. :eek:
 
I learned that if there is going to be more than 15 people in a squad I am going home.

Over 20 people per squad at the last match I attented. By the end of the third stage I was ready to leave.
 
Just because you've never seen a high primer on one of your reloads, don't get lazy and decline to check every round. I've never had a high primer, in over ten years of weekly shooting, but had one at the last match, causing a feed failure and costing me two seconds.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top