Name one thing you learned at your last match...
- Thread starter caz223
- Start date
IPSC match
Shot in my first IPSC match since March on Sunday morning.
(1.) The temperature was over 90 degrees with high humidity by 10:30am. The heat index was around 100. Remember to HYDRATE in hot weather. (The club had jugs of water on 3 of the 5 stages and everybody was taking great care to drink enough -- I didn't see anybody who appeared to be suffering from the heat enough to affect their performance or create safety issues.)
(2.) I've got to slow down a little when engaging targets partially screened by hard cover. In a couple of cases we engaged targets that had only a hit zone the width of the B zone running down the body of the target, with the rest of the target protected by hard cover. In three cases, I got a center A zone hit with my first shot on the target and pulled one just over the line into cover on the second shot. I think it was a trigger control issue rather than being sloppy on the sights.
(3.) I got ahead of myself on transitioning between multiple targets on the last stage and pulled a couple shots into the D zone.
(4.) One of the other competitors noticed that when I was trying to go fast, sometimes my finger broke contact with the trigger as I was resetting the sear for the next shot. I wasn't aware of that at all. I was shooting my duty gun, a DAK Sig, with a L-O-N-G trigger stroke, so that might've had something to do with it.
(5.) Practicing strong hand only and weak hand only shooting is a good idea before any match. The classifier we shot had 12 rounds out of 24 fired with only one hand.
(6.) I did see an experienced master-class shooter using an optically sighted comp gun in one of those funny skeleton comp rigs loose his gun on the draw on the classifier and get a match DQ for a safety violation. He handled it very well and stayed to help RO the other stages. He said he'd never had that happen before, and that it was probably caused by a lapse in concentration while he was trying to go too fast.
Shot in my first IPSC match since March on Sunday morning.
(1.) The temperature was over 90 degrees with high humidity by 10:30am. The heat index was around 100. Remember to HYDRATE in hot weather. (The club had jugs of water on 3 of the 5 stages and everybody was taking great care to drink enough -- I didn't see anybody who appeared to be suffering from the heat enough to affect their performance or create safety issues.)
(2.) I've got to slow down a little when engaging targets partially screened by hard cover. In a couple of cases we engaged targets that had only a hit zone the width of the B zone running down the body of the target, with the rest of the target protected by hard cover. In three cases, I got a center A zone hit with my first shot on the target and pulled one just over the line into cover on the second shot. I think it was a trigger control issue rather than being sloppy on the sights.
(3.) I got ahead of myself on transitioning between multiple targets on the last stage and pulled a couple shots into the D zone.
(4.) One of the other competitors noticed that when I was trying to go fast, sometimes my finger broke contact with the trigger as I was resetting the sear for the next shot. I wasn't aware of that at all. I was shooting my duty gun, a DAK Sig, with a L-O-N-G trigger stroke, so that might've had something to do with it.
(5.) Practicing strong hand only and weak hand only shooting is a good idea before any match. The classifier we shot had 12 rounds out of 24 fired with only one hand.
(6.) I did see an experienced master-class shooter using an optically sighted comp gun in one of those funny skeleton comp rigs loose his gun on the draw on the classifier and get a match DQ for a safety violation. He handled it very well and stayed to help RO the other stages. He said he'd never had that happen before, and that it was probably caused by a lapse in concentration while he was trying to go too fast.
What I learned Sunday:
1) Hold-off changes with time of day.
2)Nobody eats donuts when it's a hundred degrees out.
3) The timer is an evil contraption that renders me brainless instantly.
4) If I'm ever holding hostages and the officer holds his hands up in a surrender position that looks like he's listening to headphones....I'm gonna pee myself.
1) Hold-off changes with time of day.
2)Nobody eats donuts when it's a hundred degrees out.
3) The timer is an evil contraption that renders me brainless instantly.
4) If I'm ever holding hostages and the officer holds his hands up in a surrender position that looks like he's listening to headphones....I'm gonna pee myself.
Geez...I feel like I'm blogging here....
What I learned yesterday:
I've got to spend more time on threat recognition and less time on trigger pulling.
I was exposed to my first IDPA no-shoot target (buff-colored with hands painted on it) after having gotten used to IPSC no-shoot targets (painted white).
I did not do well.
I drew and retreated to cover, dispatching baddies on the way with doubletaps and CRAP!....I killed an innocent bystander because I didn't check for hands. This really bothered me.
I also had a malfunction during my carjacking. Buzzer goes off, I pick up my sidearm from the floor....and the mag falls out!
They let me start over, but I would've been screwed IRL.
What I learned yesterday:
I've got to spend more time on threat recognition and less time on trigger pulling.
I was exposed to my first IDPA no-shoot target (buff-colored with hands painted on it) after having gotten used to IPSC no-shoot targets (painted white).
I did not do well.
I drew and retreated to cover, dispatching baddies on the way with doubletaps and CRAP!....I killed an innocent bystander because I didn't check for hands. This really bothered me.
I also had a malfunction during my carjacking. Buzzer goes off, I pick up my sidearm from the floor....and the mag falls out!
They let me start over, but I would've been screwed IRL.
HiPowering Along
New member
Aw, yea!
Ain't number 6 the beautiful truth?
Well, for only the second match I've shot, the State Match that I just participated in went fairly well. Placed fifth in my division (14 in it), and if I'd just kept my head about me, I'd have placed a tad higher.
Ain't number 6 the beautiful truth?
Well, for only the second match I've shot, the State Match that I just participated in went fairly well. Placed fifth in my division (14 in it), and if I'd just kept my head about me, I'd have placed a tad higher.
- When hitting the reactor targets, make dang sure the hits are as high as you can make them to take advantage of the leverage principle
- And if the bloody reactor target is just standing there smiling at you, don't be ashamed to reload so you can have two shots left in the gun to take out the other swinger that only shows it's face ONCE for two hits!
- Have a simple, large grin on your face when you tell the RO that "that's not a miss - it's a perfect double on the head shot, isn't it???"
- Emergency reloads are OK to drop the empty mag on - if you've kept your head about you and drop the mag when you've shot the 10 in it, you'd better keep retention of the mag if the pipe is still full! If not, the nice RO holds up his left arm and index finger indicating "you bad...., have three seconds..."
- HAVE FUN - I DID!!!
- Slow down just a tad - missing targets isn't good for the score, nor is shooting the bloody things out of order.
- Enjoy the time shooting with others - they'll probably wind up being a friend later on!
- Practice, shoot some more matches, practice, shoot some more matches...and just HAVE FUN!!!
multiple targets
To do good at shooting multiple targets, you need to practice shooting multiple targets. And you need to practice it more frequently than I have this summer . . .
I shot a USPSA Special Classifer match this morning and blew two stages because I went too fast. Trigger jerk and poor follow-through were probably the cause of my problems. I hadn't done much practice on multiple targets the last few months, and I noticed that I just didn't feel smooth at the beginning of the match today.
To do good at shooting multiple targets, you need to practice shooting multiple targets. And you need to practice it more frequently than I have this summer . . .
I shot a USPSA Special Classifer match this morning and blew two stages because I went too fast. Trigger jerk and poor follow-through were probably the cause of my problems. I hadn't done much practice on multiple targets the last few months, and I noticed that I just didn't feel smooth at the beginning of the match today.
What I learned from my last match
was about barrel mirage. I was shooting a CZ 452 17HMR in 96* heat. There was only one relay so my barrel never got cooled down. The last course of fire was a 20 shot slowfire prone. After 10 shots I had 9 shots in the ten ring and one shot in the nine ring. Then my next 10 shots all grouped very nicely to the left about 2 inches. Instead of shooting a 198 or thereabouts I wound up with a very disappointing 186.
was about barrel mirage. I was shooting a CZ 452 17HMR in 96* heat. There was only one relay so my barrel never got cooled down. The last course of fire was a 20 shot slowfire prone. After 10 shots I had 9 shots in the ten ring and one shot in the nine ring. Then my next 10 shots all grouped very nicely to the left about 2 inches. Instead of shooting a 198 or thereabouts I wound up with a very disappointing 186.
follow through
I shot another USPSA special classifier match on Sunday.
(I'm still firmly in the middle of C class in Production)
I had some guys watch me as I shot, and almost all of the misses or "no-shoot" hits I had on any of the stages were on the second round fired when engaging paper targets. I'd usually get an "A" zone hit with my first shot, and then if the subsequent shot wasn't wild it was a "C" and if it was wild, it went into hard cover, or (once) into a "no shoot" or (once) was a clean miss.
Actually, for the most part I shot pretty good (for me). My game is being smooth and accurate because I'm not particularly fast. I did blow one very easy stage just by trying to go too fast. (and I wasn't consciously trying to press for speed -- it just happened).
For the most part I concentrated on smooth trigger manipulation and good follow through. I have to practice more on multiple targets, to work on follow through on multiple shots, and to smooth my target-to-target transitions a little bit. Today flowed fairly well, for the most part, but there is room for improvement.
I REALLY like shooting classifiers . . . .
I shot another USPSA special classifier match on Sunday.
(I'm still firmly in the middle of C class in Production)
I had some guys watch me as I shot, and almost all of the misses or "no-shoot" hits I had on any of the stages were on the second round fired when engaging paper targets. I'd usually get an "A" zone hit with my first shot, and then if the subsequent shot wasn't wild it was a "C" and if it was wild, it went into hard cover, or (once) into a "no shoot" or (once) was a clean miss.
Actually, for the most part I shot pretty good (for me). My game is being smooth and accurate because I'm not particularly fast. I did blow one very easy stage just by trying to go too fast. (and I wasn't consciously trying to press for speed -- it just happened).
For the most part I concentrated on smooth trigger manipulation and good follow through. I have to practice more on multiple targets, to work on follow through on multiple shots, and to smooth my target-to-target transitions a little bit. Today flowed fairly well, for the most part, but there is room for improvement.
I REALLY like shooting classifiers . . . .
tanksoldier
New member
Don't even think about smirking at the 5'-nothing middle aged lady who brings a 1911-style 10mm to the IDPA shoot.
Sure enough, she knew what she was up to. Thank God her gun's in a different class than my 226.
Sure enough, she knew what she was up to. Thank God her gun's in a different class than my 226.
As an RO you can never take your eyes off anyone on the range at any time.
(Had a newer shooter behind me, preparing to come to line by drawing and inserting a magazine, I happened to turn around and caught him before he racked the pistol)
(short day's shooting for that GUY!)
(Had a newer shooter behind me, preparing to come to line by drawing and inserting a magazine, I happened to turn around and caught him before he racked the pistol)
(short day's shooting for that GUY!)
1. I need to make sure to count my shots. I was shooting L-10 for the first time today, and I hit a popper that triggered 2 disappearing targets with the last round in my mag. I transitioned to the DTs and...click!
2. The scrimping and saving that I did for 4 months of layaway to get my new Wilson pistol was worth every penny. I've only had it for a week and I was only able to get out to the range once with it before the match and shoot 100 rounds. Even with that little experience I still did very well. That gun's got me looking good, and I'm only gonna get better as I use it.
3. There's never one right way to shoot a stage. We had a very complex stage today with a fence with the portholes and targets on both ends. For the brave souls among us, all targets could just barely be hit through one of the three available ports. I chose discretion over valor.
4. Most important thing I learned today, don't wear a brand new , unbroken-in pair of undies. They were riding up on my junk all day!
2. The scrimping and saving that I did for 4 months of layaway to get my new Wilson pistol was worth every penny. I've only had it for a week and I was only able to get out to the range once with it before the match and shoot 100 rounds. Even with that little experience I still did very well. That gun's got me looking good, and I'm only gonna get better as I use it.
3. There's never one right way to shoot a stage. We had a very complex stage today with a fence with the portholes and targets on both ends. For the brave souls among us, all targets could just barely be hit through one of the three available ports. I chose discretion over valor.
4. Most important thing I learned today, don't wear a brand new , unbroken-in pair of undies. They were riding up on my junk all day!
Valor all the way baby! The better part of discretion is valor. The better part of valor is cleaning and lubing you gun before the match so you don't have FTE!
That's right, I did not clean my CZ for two months; it in not the round count but how long the gunk sits that effects performance.
That's right, I did not clean my CZ for two months; it in not the round count but how long the gunk sits that effects performance.RH & Glock,
You guys should have seen my re-shoot on "shoot for lunch". Dick gave me a few tips and I was able to make round count in 46 while clearing a misfeed!
Very valuable tip (at least for me): The strong hand creates the sight picture, but the weak does the aiming.
You guys should have seen my re-shoot on "shoot for lunch". Dick gave me a few tips and I was able to make round count in 46 while clearing a misfeed!
Very valuable tip (at least for me): The strong hand creates the sight picture, but the weak does the aiming.
To my surprise, Glocks actually do jam. I don't shoot a Glock, but I saw a Glock 17 jam time after time during different stages. In fact, a top speed shooter's Glock (don't know what model) jammed as well. But, for me the thing I learned was...SLOW DOWN. Easier said than done.
speed?
I discovered that if I am at a match, and I'm in a squad with a bunch of shooters who are significantly faster than I am (which is nearly everybody . . ) after watching them shoot, I UNCONSCIOUSLY shoot faster, without making an attempt to do so. In fact, I shoot faster even after telling myself to "slow down".
Unfortunately, "shooting faster" is not the same as "hitting better" . . . .
I discovered that if I am at a match, and I'm in a squad with a bunch of shooters who are significantly faster than I am (which is nearly everybody . . ) after watching them shoot, I UNCONSCIOUSLY shoot faster, without making an attempt to do so. In fact, I shoot faster even after telling myself to "slow down".
Unfortunately, "shooting faster" is not the same as "hitting better" . . . .
OneInTheChamber
New member
You can't miss fast enough.
Practice strong and weak hand only. You can really tell the guys that do and the ones that don't.
Practice reloads endlessly. That's one of my biggest advantages. The fresh one is the gun before the empty is on the ground.
Practice clearing a malfunction. Something about lying down on your back while reaching around a barricade with your weak hand only makes malfunctions due to limp wristing a possiblity. Learn to clear it.
When the stage says one hand only, even for reloading, never, ever let the slide forward. I had to use the rear sight and a barricade to rack the slide (cringe).
Practice strong and weak hand only. You can really tell the guys that do and the ones that don't.
Practice reloads endlessly. That's one of my biggest advantages. The fresh one is the gun before the empty is on the ground.
Practice clearing a malfunction. Something about lying down on your back while reaching around a barricade with your weak hand only makes malfunctions due to limp wristing a possiblity. Learn to clear it.
When the stage says one hand only, even for reloading, never, ever let the slide forward. I had to use the rear sight and a barricade to rack the slide (cringe).
If you're going to shoot at a club you've never been to before, try to get the info sooner than the day before the match. Otherwise you may find a deserted shooting range and find out the next day that the match was cancelled. It's ok, though, because I was going to shoot my first 100 reloads, and I shot them at the range instead and discovered I'm doing something wrong because about 20% of them didn't feed. I'd have embarassed myself terribly judo-chopping the mag floorplate every other round throughout five stages in front of a bunch of guys I don't know.
Glenn E. Meyer
New member
Usually shoot IDPA but one of our local venues shut down. Thus, I shot my first IPSC type match.
It was loads of fun.
1. Don't try to shoot faster as the guys with ray guns can do it so much faster.
2. If there are 18 targets in one stage, be sure not to forget one. Duh - did that twice and saw others do it.
3. Old knees don't run fast, so don't bother to kill yourself
4. Have fun and don't get tied up in millisecond planning if you aren't into that.
Differences in the two.
1. IDPA - kind of realistic but obviously not the real world - good hits, reasonable cover are fun to do.
2. IPSC, no cover, a nice emphasis on practicing fast hits - so it is good practice for that skill. Airgunning the stages weakens the validity of a tactical training scenario. It is more about hits, sights and trigger.
I use one of my carry guns - a Glock 19 as my goal is to shoot well with it.
Since I have done a lot of FOF for a plain old dude - I don't think I will learn bad habits that will get me killed - a claim in some gun publications.
I regard the matches as great fun and trigger time practice for component skills.
I feel good the rest of the day after a match - even if tired. Very cathartic and I always have met the nicest folks. One thing about South Texas is that the group is very diversive in all dimensions and that is a great thing. To sound hokey, it makes me feel good about humanity in general, esp. when I read some of the raving we see on gun lists with hidden ethnic agendas. Sigh.
It was loads of fun.
1. Don't try to shoot faster as the guys with ray guns can do it so much faster.
2. If there are 18 targets in one stage, be sure not to forget one. Duh - did that twice and saw others do it.
3. Old knees don't run fast, so don't bother to kill yourself
4. Have fun and don't get tied up in millisecond planning if you aren't into that.
Differences in the two.
1. IDPA - kind of realistic but obviously not the real world - good hits, reasonable cover are fun to do.
2. IPSC, no cover, a nice emphasis on practicing fast hits - so it is good practice for that skill. Airgunning the stages weakens the validity of a tactical training scenario. It is more about hits, sights and trigger.
I use one of my carry guns - a Glock 19 as my goal is to shoot well with it.
Since I have done a lot of FOF for a plain old dude - I don't think I will learn bad habits that will get me killed - a claim in some gun publications.
I regard the matches as great fun and trigger time practice for component skills.
I feel good the rest of the day after a match - even if tired. Very cathartic and I always have met the nicest folks. One thing about South Texas is that the group is very diversive in all dimensions and that is a great thing. To sound hokey, it makes me feel good about humanity in general, esp. when I read some of the raving we see on gun lists with hidden ethnic agendas. Sigh.