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AlphaCharis

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6 minutes ago, DukeEB said:

I think it would be hard to do a walk through faster than you do when shooting it.  You were going pretty quick on sunday ;)

Slower walk through while paying more attention is good (unless you are in front of me, then you need to go quick hahaha)

 

 Hehe, thanks!  

 

Ya!  There's some people *ahem* NickBlasta.... who are always in my way haha ;) 

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Nice work.  You are spot on with your rehearsal and live movements.  This will certainly help your execution and therefor help your performance. 

 

I would agree with the others here, and say that walkthroughs should almost always be slower.  Unless you are timing a specific set of segments to try to decide which is faster.  A walkthrough is about proper rehearsal/movement and not timing.   If you are doing it faster than you shoot it, either people like Nick Blasta are dodging out or way like crazy (haha!) or you're not concentrating on the correct aspects.  

 

Chic, make a very good point as well.   Training is way less effective if you are messing up your intended drill because you failed to rehearse it.  Saves ammo and it's still valid practice.  

 

 

 

 

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  • 1 month later...

#drypewpewing

 

3-1-17    45 minutes

 

Warmed up first with slow mo reloads, getting a good grip.  Went through "15 min dry fire" except the two kneeling ones.  DId about 15 reps of of reload to SH, reload to WH.  Practiced shooting moving forward/back, reloading stepping left/right, transitions.

 

Bill Drill, 1.7 seconds, 20 reps

Reloads, 5.9 seconds, 10 reps

Reloads, 5.0 seconds, 25 reps

Draw to first shot, 0.9 seconds, 10 reps

Draw to first shot 1.0 seconds, 10 reps

 

Reflections:  

  • Honest dry fire - less time, higher quality.  
  • Spend some time in marksmanship.

 

Skills to work on:  

  1. Weak hand grip
  2. Consistency in draw - draw to sights aligned

 

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#pewpewing

 

3-12-17    Paul Bunyan

 

This match was totally nothing special - my shooting that is.  I walked away depressed.  Took me almost a week before I made my match video, and my description on it was simply:  "I shot horrible and was thus depressed all week.  Dryfired twice. Felt a little better."  

 

The only stage I kinda was happy with was the second stage, which the video should start at - that was my best stage at 78.93% of a Production M and 6th of 22.

 

Stages - Production

1 - 55.53

2 - 78.93

3 - 74.21

4 - 8.33 (2 mikes on the classifier lol)

5 - 0

6 - 69.67

7 - 55.69

8 - 69.00

 

 

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#pewpewing

 

3-19-17  Marysville, WA

 

I finally had a Production stage win! ....and it was the ONLY stage I didn't record lol

 

Positives and Skills to work on:

  • my mags do NOT like steel case ammo - does not feed correctly when they stick
  • reloads becoming less of a problem, but need to really nail them.  I'm waiting on a reload when I should be shooting
  • getting gun up earlier, and starting to try and be ready as I'm coming into position
  • need to get lower
  • need to work on exits, like really bad

 

(Same Production M was the Production winner as the PB match on 3-12-17)

Production 5th Place, 72.59%  (Overall 41st of 101)

1 - 57.28

2 - 75.23

3 - 75.09

4 - 100

5 - 79.08

6 - 50.78

 

Edited by AlphaCharis
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2017 Area 1 Championship

Production

59th Place of 104

16th B Class of 25

4th Lady of 17

 

Was a great match, but wish I could redo the first two days. I think I said, "What's wrong with me?!" a dozen times. Zeroed my sights on the third day after I nearly zeroed a stage when I thought I was aiming. Groups were about 6 inches left and a little low. The rest of the stages on the last day felt like I was actually shooting!! *sigh*

 

 

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#drypewpewing

 

4-11-17    30 minutes

 

Warm up:  Slo-mo draws, draws at speed.

Slow fire at distance; good trigger presses at speed @ 10 yards.

 

Bill Drill, 1.7 seconds, 10 reps - too fast!  super rusty!

90 degree transitions x10

Reloads on the move

Turn & Draw

 

Little rusty at everything!!

 

 

 

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#pewpewing

 

Haven't posted in awhile - but I've been shooting!  I think I'm caught up on all my matches now ;)  I've been doing some dryfire, but not as much as I had been.  I started that back up this week, just haven't felt complete without it - and definitely won't make A class this year without it!   

 

4-18-17  

Mt Rainier's Shadow

 

4-23-17    Renton

Match last Sunday, I was 29th overall of 73 shooters and 4th in Production.  Had an awesome time with a FUN squad, as always. :) Made some little mistakes that cost me seconds here and there... I'll need to be a little more serious in my rehearsal.  I have made some gains though, so it's fun to see a little bit of improvement. 

 

In order that I shot, and on the video:

Stage 3 - plate rack stage.  Needed tighter support grip.  Need follow through on target, rushed off a target (the one I thought I miked, but didn't want to make it up because I was going to go to slide lock... ended up a delta).

 

Stage 4- the stage with the wooden walls and two ports and a door.  needed better rehearsal.  also should have gone deep on the leftmost target, don't know why I shot the one through the port first.  Target transitions were chunky.  Aiming was slow.  Didn't follow through on target... rushed to it, then off it by trying to reload too early - two deltas.

 

Stage 5 -  A positive, yay - started shooting earlier - instead of planting and then getting ready and shooting - I had the gun up and was aiming as I was entering.  Negative  - I racked a round out when I reloaded, so went to slide lock early and wasted a bit of time.  Also should have kept walking earlier on the last targets, so I would have been right in front of the last target, ready to shoot,

 

Stage 6 -  the stage with the walls cutting the shooting boxes in half.  Felt like my draw was really conservative.  Needed to move more aggressively around the walls.  I did start leaning out of the first shooting box position as I was finishing up, so that was good.  I somehow bumped a round out of my mag when I went for the reload, so that slowed me down and wasn't ready to shoot when I entered the second box.  And then again, needed to be more aggressive going around the wall.

 

Stage 1 - uprange start, very muddy.  180 transition could have been a bit snappier.  And I really need to do the kick off thing for exits.  My exits are really slow, I need to kick it up several notches and burst out of position, instead of this gradual acceleration.  I rushed off targets TWICE in this stage, getting deltas.  I've been too anxious and not following through.  I'll blame it on not dryfiring as much.... not getting the practice of calling my shots.

 

Stage 2 - classifier.  Too slow on everything.

 

Skills to Work on:

  1. The drop kick run thing for exiting positions
  2. Dryfire:  Good grip out of the holster.  Grip tight!  
  3. Dryfire:  Regain a good index (kept bringing my front sight up low)
  4. More specific in rehearsal/walk-through (try Hwansik's idea of walk-throughs/rehearsal for dryfire as well)

 

I started the first three months this year well with lots of dryfire, but I've been slacking off the past month-ish... now back to it!  Need to git gooder!

 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

#classifier

 

5-2-17  FIRST "A CLASS" CLASSIFIER!

 

I wasn't super impressed with my performance, but it got me a 79.75% classifier score! My first A class score... FINALLY! 

I started with a bad draw, so my paper was a little slow, and my transitions between the two papers needed to be quicker, but I was really happy with my steel! Had fun on this one, and I was really excited once I saw the result lol

 

Skills to focus on in dry fire this week:

+ Back to the basics with a consistent draw & index

+ Make sure I don't let up on a strong support hand grip.  It hasn't been tired or sore so I know I've been cheating myself!

+ Push speed with 90° & 180° transitions - use the timer!

 

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

5/13/17    Classifier Match

 

Got to shoot five classifiers and 1 field course at the match.  Had a really long day, as we shot the whole match with one gun, and then whoever wanted to shoot another gun reshot the match with the other.  Shot from 10 AM - 5 PM.

 

#Open Classification!

I borrowed an open gun, which I shot once last year, to get classified in Open.  I could find the dot if I was looking straight.  Not so much on the leaning or the WEAK HAND. That was funny.  But I'm classified now!  Initial classification was 56.1259% 

 

#PCC Classification

 

 I also borrowed a PCC from a friend to get classified!  Initial classification was 51.5041%  Ouch. 

 

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5-16-17  #pewpewing

 

9th overall of 25, 72.94% of Open Master

  • Last gun I shot was the Open gun, so stage one I was kinda looking at my red fiber and spraying bullets.
  • Messed up reload on classifier.... last time it was 79% this time 70%
  • Been having trigger freeze quite a bit.. not sure what I'm doing
  • under the table stage, NickBlasta told me beforehand that it would be hard to see, so focus.  He was right lol, had to focus after some missed shots
  • shooting through softcover was fun!  Need to pretend it's not there at all

 

 

 

 

5-21-17  #pewpewing

 

I was 3rd Production, 29th of 108 overall.

  • I was pretty happy with the first stage of the day.  I'm getting a little more comfortable with starting to move away from the targets while shooting them.  Still need to get lower and more stable so I can keep shooting without delay.  Tried getting reloads done before entering position, still needs lots of work, but not waiting on my reloads as nearly as I used to be.  Steel shots were really ON today :)
  • 100 yard prone.... sucked.  Need to drop faster.  Need to aim.
  • Zebra paper... need to focus on those a little better and remember that the target is way smaller... like shooting a steel plate or head shot.  I am not aiming appropriately
  • More practice kicking out of leans.  Need to get lower here, too.
  • Need to always through my checklist for walk-through. One stage I didn't locate all my targets and half-way through shooters looked at the round count and realized I was short on targets.... finally saw a target I missed and had to change my stage plan!

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

5/27/17 - 5/28/17

 

2017 Oregon State Championship

Production -14th Place

2nd B Class

High Lady

 

Overall 83 of 222

 

Work on

  • Need to work on getting into awkward positions faster
  • Reloads.  Reloads when facing different angles/when moving.  Reloading before I leave a position
  • Call shots on swingers, and trust my shooting - don't take unneeded pickups
  • Get lower - continue to work on walking with bent legs
  • Find cause for malfunctions when my slide is catching the case (new ejector?)
  • Call shots, don't rush!
  • Grip.  Why is so hard in matches to get this right?  
  • Trigger freeze... bleh... what am I doing?
  • Stop thinking

Positives

  • Getting better at looking at the positives....
  • I'm screwing up less!  I mean... I am continuing to advance in my gun handling fundamentals and shot calling that is helping me to shoot faster and more accurately 
  • No stage plan screw ups!  I mean... I am planning my stages, visualizing them better, and then shooting them according to plan.
  • The stage with the soft cover took me FOREVER to decide on how to shoot it... I finally just made myself pick a plan, decide that it wasn't the "best, most effecient" plan, but it didn't matter - that I was going to execute it as well as I could.  On that stage, ended up 8th Production, 1st B, and 75.75% of stage winner, and 63rd overall of 220 shooters.
  • Staying calm on things that are intimidating to me lol and not screwing up just because I was worried about something.  The drop turner stage, I thought I wasn't going to have enough time to shoot the activator, shoot the mini popper and then shoot the drop turner before it disappeared.  I shot it according to plan with time to spare.  I guess I don't recognize what I'm capable of shooting and just assume I will fail because I'm not a good enough shooter.
  • Clearing malfs.  Getting pretty good with that (unfortunately? lol)

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

#pewpewing  

#dryfire

 

Second Place at Custer - I lost to my B class competition!  Next time.... 

 

I've been practicing exits and walking lower.  I haven't quite gotten back into the habit of every day dryfire, but have been getting better.  It's easier to get lower and keep my sights steadier as I walk, whereas before I thought I was walking low, but my sights were bouncing all over and on video I looked completely upright.  in practice it's getting better, but it hasn't translated into when I'm actually shooting stages.  With more practice it'll become my new norm!  I've been getting a little better at shooting earlier - that has been happening during matches.  The little improvements have been encouraging and I know I can make greater strides with more dedication in dryfire.  This last update my percentage went up to 70% in Production, so I'm nearing A class.  I am getting a little more consistent, but still have a ways to go before I will be competitive in the next class.

 

 

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  • 1 month later...

#pewpewing

Shot some matches since my last entry:

 

6/6/17 - Mt. Rainier Shadow Production Win, 8th overall of 38

6/11/17 - Paul Bunyan 2nd Production, 21st overall of 86

6/20/17 - Mt. Rainier Shadow Production Win, 13th overall of 39

6/25/17 - Renton NW Challenge 6th Production, 34th overall of 103

7/9/17 - Paul Bunyan 3rd Production, 30th overall of 90

7/16/17 - Marysville Series Match 10th Production, 57th overall of 100 (malfs!)

7/18/17 - Mt. Rainier Shadow 2nd Production, 22nd overall of 37 (malfs!)

7/22/17 - Columbia Cascade Sectional 11th Production, Top Lady, 49th overall of 137

8/1/17 - Mt. Rainier Shadow Series Match 4th Production, 23rd overall of 72

 

#dryfire

Have gotten in about 3 days of dryfire in each of the past two weeks.  Had some really good sessions, and it actually made a difference in the last few matches I've shot.  It shouldn't be a surprise to me that practice helps!  Working on reloading while moving out of a position since I still struggle at clean reloads during matches.  Reloads still aren't blazing fast, but are becoming less of a problem.  I suppose that is an improvement.  Oh, I am doing this weird thing where I toss my arm out to the side when I reload.  I think it may have started when I would reload while running right to left - keeping my muzzle downrange so I wouldn't break the 180.... but I seem to be doing it A LOT, no matter what direction I am going.  It's like my brain always wants my muzzle directly downrange.  So will be working on breaking that habit this week in dryfire.  I am also working on the tips in PPS episode #200 on Trigger Freeze since that had been a problem for me - it has been a lot better the past few matches, but still not undone.

 

#malfs fixed

Turns out all my malfs were from my ammo.  I switched to Federal primers, and I tightened my crimp a bit as the edges were a little rough.  When I had taken my press apart to clean it and tighten things up, I had backed too far off the crimp and it wasn't straightening the bell back out enough - since I am using plated bullets, I didn't want to overcrimp because then everything tumbles horribly past 7 yards.  Haven't had ANY malfunctions since I made the adjustments and switched primers.

 

#diet and exercise

Have been doing some strength training as well a little every day the past three weeks.  Doing squats the past month which have helped with low ports and getting lower while I'm walking.  Have lost five pounds and would like to lose ten more before Nationals.  Drinking more water instead of beer lol and laying off all the foods that make me feel like crap.

 

#most recent match

My last match I felt like my 90 degree transitions were a lot snappier and my grip on the gun, though not consistently perfect, was much tighter.  My first stage of the day was a STAGE WIN :)  and was the 4th fastest time out of 72 overall, my two deltas dropped me down to 9th overall - but at least I called my deltas ;)  

 

 

Edited by AlphaCharis
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  • 3 weeks later...

#pewpewing

 

8/13/2017

 

00:00- 00:17  First stage, dropped one charlie (first shot) and the rest were alphas.  Splits were really slow though.  Also, needed to reahearse more, as I didn't go straight to the target I wanted to start on after the reload and shot it in a different order.  Need to take as much care on a standard or short course as a field course.  My unloaded start and reload were decent, though I still need to practice racking from the front serrations, that will improve my time.

 

00:32  UGGGH... Still flipping my arm to the side on the reload.  What am I doing?

 

00:52  Prone at distance is horrible.  When the target is elevated and I'm looking up at it, I have NO IDEA how to align my sights.  They look super funky to me.  Need to get to the range and live fire practice this.

 

01:13 - 01:37   CALL MY LAST SHOT AT A POSITION!  I get anxious.  I need to just do one thing at a time and STOP THINKING about the next thing.

 

02:39  Totally didn't have a positive hold on my magazine before pulling it out and FUMBLED my reload BADLY.

 

02:51  Horrible stage plan.  I could have shot this probably four seconds faster if I had taken those two angled targets from either side when I shot the other two.

 

03:30  I flipped my arm to the side again *sigh*  I'm video taping my next dryfire session - need to make my reloads are being done correctly in practice.  Shortly after on this stage, I added an extra reload :(  And I rehearsed this stage a bunch!  I think I needed to go over that one spot several times more.  Rehearse appropriately for the stage. 

 

Looks like I need to keep to my dryfire schedule, most of these issues are from lack of practice.  I'm done with the event I was doing, so now I have some time and mental energy available to practice!  Nationals is only five weeks away!  I did lose three more pounds, so am hoping for another ten pounds before Nationals.      

 

 

 

 

 

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#classifiers

 

Current:  70.9271%

Highest:  71.2865%

 

Getting more consistent and not messing up quite as much.  I used to not shoot ANY classifiers in the 70th percentile and now since April I've shot a 70.3, 79.7, 70.6, 70.8, 73.9, 70, 74.5.  Still messing up and getting a 55, 64 or 68, but am now getting higher percentages more regularly.  A Class isn't too far off :)

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#pewpewing

 

8/20/17    Inland Empire Sectional - Benton City, WA

 

I lost first B Class by ONE match point!  I was kicking myself so hard!  I had a STUPID mike on a tuxedo from pulling off too soon to transition to another target and nicked a no-shoot by one mm.  If I had any ONE less mistake, I would have taken first B.  Ah well, there are no what ifs, there is only what is... I got 7th Production, 2nd B Class, and High Lady.   I was 75.06% of the Production winner, above me in the standings were 1GM, 2 Ms, 2 A class, and 1 B class.  and I beat out 7B's, 3A's an M and some C's and U's.  

 

After I got over the loss, I wasn't too disappointed in my performance.  It was really hot and I was really dragging in the middle of the day when I got overheated, but didn't make any major mistakes because of it.  This was a somewhat difficult match in that nearly EVERY target had a no-shoot on it.  I didn't realize until after the match how mentally draining it was, and how it slowed down the pace of the stages.  I had a great time though at my third Inland Empire Sectional, and appreciate all the work everyone put into the match :)

 

#need to work on

My exits weren't too bad, getting a little snappier out from a standstill, some of my transition between targets were sluggish, shooting sooner still needs a lot of work, and CALLING MY SHOTS... with as much focus on my last shot of an array or right before a reload so I'm not looking somewhere else instead of seeing where I am shooting and hitting no-shoots/hardcover and not even knowing it.  erg  I need some "call it and leave it" live fire practice!!  

 

#upcoming matches

Crazy Croc in Dundee, OR was this last weekend and this coming weekend is the WA State Championship! 

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

#pewpewing

 

8/26/17         Crazy Croc - High round count Outlaw match (time plus) - First Iron-10, High Lady; 30th Overall out of 97 

9/2 - 9/3/17  USPSA Washington State Championship - 10th Production of 37 (78.16%), 3rd B Class, High Lady; 90th overall of 211

 

Getting better at:

Getting into my position, not inching into it as much

Shooting earlier

Programming stage plans

Being more aggressive out of the holster

Getting a good grip on the draw

 

Need to work on:

Calling my shots (always!)

Aiming only as much as I need for close targets (not over-aiming) 

Getting excited and rushing when it feels easy - don't rush!

When I mess up, don't let my pace slow to the leisurely pace... get back in the zone!

Quicker steps

90 & 180 degree transitions

 

 

 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

#pewpewing

 

9/10/17  USPSA Paul Bunyan Series Match - 7th Production, 2nd B Class

 

9/12/17  Mount Rainier Shadow - 2nd Production

This was an evening match so we were only able to shoot 4 stages with the days being so short at the end of summer.  Three of my stages were consistent, with overall percentages being 71.31%, 70.66%, 71.64% of match winners and Production stage wins.  But..... one stage I totally bombed with a Mike/No Shoot (screaming marks the point of me losing the match).  Match was lost by less than 1 match point lol.  The last stage looked awesome with all the MUZZLE FLASH!  Couldn't see my sights however, but got 9th overall. 27A, 6C.

 

 

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9/29/17    Nationals - Day One

 

This was my roughest of the three days of shooting.  I made a few stupid mistakes on every stage.  I hadn't dryfired or shot for a few weeks.  One of my ribs was a little off and couldn't move my right arm, so had spent the last few weeks letting my adjustment hold.  I didn't feel as confident and my grip was horrible.  I'm back on my dryfire schedule and that will correct a lot of the stupid little mistakes that plagued me throughout the match.     

 

Stage 8:  49.47%    Started the day on the prone stage (the one with a carpet).  I SHOULD HAVE reloaded before going down to shoot the poppers, that would have let me avoid any problems.  I thought they would be no problem (wouldn't have been if I calmed down and aimed appropriately) and had ONE popper left standing that I had to reload for.... instead, I shot the popper and then didn't get back on my reload schedule so went to slide lock thinking (erg) I had enough, but forgetting I went to slide lock and only had 10, not 11.  I should have reloaded right after the shooting the low target on my way to the next position, and then reloaded like originally planned.  Get back on reload schedule! so there is no thinking involved, which slows everything down and takes me out of the zone.

 

Stage 9:  63.70%    I tripped coming into the first position.  I wish I had the third person video so I could see what happened, I have no idea what or how I tripped.  The activator sequence went as planned and I was happy about that.  The last target took the most time.  My first shot on the last target I called as a miss, but then second guessed myself and didn't make it up right away, then *looked* at the target to check and did see the miss, then made it up.... wasted like 2 seconds!  Minus those two things, I was happy with this stage!  Trust my shot calling and instincts.  Be confident.  

 

Stage 10a:  55.56%    Didn't make any huge errors could have aimed and shot sooner, and my last reload was fumbled and ended up walking too far and wasting time.

 

Stage 10b:  130.7 PF    Chrono

 

Stage 6:  57.83%    The whole part of this stage started well.  Started falling apart on my last steel of one of the arrays, I must have started looking toward next position and not calling my shot, cause I missed the last popper.  I had already dropped my mag, so used the round in my chamber to shoot it, then finished the reload, but then forgot to rack it.... and wasted time at next position.  And then was rushing and missing and adding a reload... so  many newbie mistakes on Day 1.  Stay calm, it is not wasting time to aim appropriately.  QUESTION:  Is using the round in your chamber with empty magwell considered a DQ since you have not completed the reload as defined (seated magazine) and so are technically still in the process of reloading (a DQable offense)?  It would seem stupid to get disqualified when you are in control of your firearm and where your round is going... but could they DQ you according to the rulebook?

  

Stage 7:  65.21%    This stage went okay, I could have been more aggressive in my movement and I had trigger freeze on the last shot of an array that wasted some time.  But overall it went well, 25A, 5C.  

 

The first 3:30 minutes are the stages 8, 9, 10, 6, 7.

 

 

Edited by AlphaCharis
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QUESTION:  Is using the round in your chamber with empty magwell considered a DQ since you have not completed the reload as defined (seated magazine) and so are technically still in the process of reloading (a DQable offense)?  It would seem stupid to get disqualified when you are in control of your firearm and where your round is going... but could they DQ you according to the rulebook?

 

If you are actively engaging a target in that scenario then its not a DQ offense. Basically you have abandoned the Reload process and resumed engaging targets again, which makes it legal.

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