randychaps

P.S. As much weak hand as possible. I try to shoot 50% weak hand in practice. Makes strong hand and freestyle seem easier. Perception is a great thing.

Shoot at variable distances out to 50 yards or more 1. Learn to see faster 2. Practice as much as possible 3. Shoot more matches 4. Go faster in practice 5. Record and track your times 6. Always work with a timer 7. Practice more

Read Brian's book 1. Learn to see everything faster 2. Dry fire practice 3. Video 4. Transitions and movement 5. Shoot more than you can afford--practice 6. Practice 7. Shoot as many matches as you can Practice

If you can affird it, a super 1050 is an option. Practice taking it apart and putting it back together. Learn how it works. Find its idiosynchosies and adjust. I have two of them can reconfigure for 4 calibers--9mm, 38 super comp, 40 S&W, and 45 ACP. It's the best imho.

You need to practice to see things faster. Shoot only as fast as you can see. You can train your eyes to see faster.

Dillon 1050 all the way!

Thanks, Scott. In no way did this interfere with my shooting pleasure. Awesome match!! Gee, I had to take more shots. Great!! Chaps

Great match, great RO's. Great everything. Just one very very minor complaint and would like others to chime in with their opinion. On stage 1--I think it was shotgun and pistol with two slug targets that had to be engaged twice from within two different fault lines. Normally, the best indicator of a slug hit is sound, sometimes you can see movement of the plate, but sometimes not. I engaged both targets twice with three hits because I could neither discern movement nor sound to indicate a hit. Well, I am required to wear ear protection. And I am not the youngest shooter out there, 56 years old. I don't see why it is so onerous to have the RO call hits. I would agree that calling hi or lo or left and right for missed shots may be inappropriate, but I don 't understand why hit calls are not allowed. A wide variety of factors could affect the ability to "call" a hit from the shooter's perspective--atmospheric conditions, sun angle, wind, other random sounds from the neighboring areas, dealing with recoil, etc. Just interested in other people's opinion. This issue probably resulted in about 15 sec of additional time and would not have changed my position in the least. Just like to know the rationale. Sponsors were awesome!!!! If I can, would definitely shoot next year's match!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Chaps

Denise, just got done with the Johnson 3 Gun. Great match!! I have a request for RM3G. Could you squad me with Sterling White? I know, I know. But he's a bud. Thanks. Chaps Randy Chapman

Denise, great match!! I had to drive 3000+ miles round trip, didn't win any of the really nice prizes, but I would do this again next year!!!! Great stages, all had a cerebral element--my downfall of course. Great range, great ROs, great everything!! Thanks. "Chaps": Randy Chapman

Never mind! I see that the real match results are correct, and that the Idaho web page had "final" results that weren't quite final. Thanks. Fun match! Randy Chapman

I shot the match and had to leave after my last shot. I noticed in the official match results that my scores for stages 1, 9, 10, and 11 are missing. My shooter number was 113 and my USPSA number is FY42206. If anybody who reads this can investigate why so many of my stages are missing, I would appreciate it. I have the yellow copies if the white copies are somehow lost. Probably a simple error, but this gross an error questions match result integrity. I had a great time and the match was well run. Just want to know how I really performed. Thanks Chaps, FY42206.

I have a 5" STI 40 cal Hack-Fu special courtesy of Mig. I use 5.1 gr of N320, OAL of 1.180, mixed brass, decent crimp, and MG CMJ 180s for a power factor of 172. Not too snappy and not too soft. Just right. With enough margin that I sleep through the chrono stage!! Chaps 1 Team Hack-Fu We think we know what we are doing!!

I had all the 1050 feed problems described above until I bolted that mother to a granite wall (figuratively speaking) such that there is no longer any discernable vibration of the base during reloading (actually now mounted to a very heavy duty lab bench upon which I place the heavy bullet cases on to dampen out any movement). A miracle occurred--nary a hickup in reloading over 40,000 40cal S&W rounds over the last month. I have noticed about a 1% to 2% defect rate in upside down primers (I use the Dillon RF100 and its great, what a time saver!). and the casefeeder will ocassionally drop a case upside down (on average about once every 500 rounds or so). I also chucked a primer onto the bench about once every 3000 rounds or so (that is, the case had no primer at the powder stage), but that event had a high correlation with a case that was stuck just a bit in either the resizing die (usually) or the powder die (rarely) causing minor vibration of the top part of the reloader. I also liberally lube the cases with One Shot, then tumble the completed rounds for about ten minutes to clean the lube off. I consider the defect rate acceptable considering how fast you can crank out the rounds. The defect rate is significantly less (about half) than what I experienced using a 650. I also use the KISS to feed the bullets. VERY SWEET! If you can afford it, the 1050 is the way to go. I was ready to ship mine back to Dillon (and had a return code already) when I decided to STRAP IT IN TIGHT. Yes, Mig, Jeff. I am practicing in SECRET. Chaps One

I'd recommend a "tailored" cross-fit style conditioning program. All-around functional and general physical preparedness. Won't bulk you up, but will make you leaner, more flexible, stronger, faster, etc. Cross-fit is at www.crossfit.com. Mostly free advice on general physical conditioning. Chaps 1

Crossfit is certainly pull-up centric. Found an easy way to create a nice pull-up/chin-up bar off my deck in my backyard. Measure between two main posts (assumes you can stand up under your deck with some head room+, and cut a metal pipe (I used a 1.5 inch internal diameter pipe--just less than two inches outer diameter) to length. Then use two joist hangers to anchor the bar. Because the joist hangers take a 2by4 (really 1.5 inches, the bar sits snuggly in the j-hangers and will seat firmly with no rotation. Total cost: $12 (at retail). Get the special joist hanger nails. They are perfect for the job. Set the bar so that you can reach it only on tip-toes which will allow a great stretch by just hanging. I have also found that the two inch pipe (wider than your average pull-up bar) is better for developing a great grip (useful for our sport). No, I can't do 100 pull-ups! But I can't do a sub 5 sec El Prez either, but I am working on it. I like the crossfit philosophy of functional training. But, I think their WODs are only for extremely fit, elite athletes. The rest of us must tailor the workouts to our abilities (even half of a WOD is extremely challenging--and pretty much beyond my abilities today). What I like best is that I am usually finished with my workouts in about 20 minutes or less. Beats jogging for an hour, and I think they are correct about the neuro-hormonal response--way more effective. Plan on a very intense session, labored breathing, lactic acid build-up, burning muscles, etc. Try doing 50 burpees (squat thrusts with pushups and jumps). They kill me. Helps in getting on the ground fast to shoot prone, and getting up to run to the next shooting position. I think 18 burpees are roughly equivalent to "sprinting" 400 meters. Chaps 1

I found out about crossfit.com from my brother who is getting his PhD in exercise physiology/sport medicine. He said it was the best site going. The workouts are beyond my level of conditioning and age (52), but I think the philosophy is correct--get in shape to be prepared for anything nature throws at you. Well, in IPSC pistol and three-gun, stages are always being developed to challenge us in new and creative ways. Makes sense to adopt a philosophy of physical conditioning that mirrors the demands of the sport. Not that the sport is all that physically demanding, but the better shape you are in, all other things being equal, the more likely you are to win. Best physical conditioning program seen to date for preparing for "Trooper Class!" Chaps 1

What you need to do is measure a linear distance (not the area). For example, how wide is the A zone? If the A zone on the miniature is 3 inches, then the "representative" distance will be twice a regular-size target (one with an A zone that is 6 inches wide) placed at that distance. It is the ratio of the regular size linear measurement with the same linear measurement of the miniature. It just so happens that if the linear measure is a 2:1 ratio, the area is 4:1. But that isn't the same as measuring distance (linear) to the targets. So, in plain speak. A miniature target at 10 yards appears to be the same size as a regular target at 20 yards (assuming the 2:1 linear ratio applies).

With a little bit of measurement, and a little bit of trigonometry, the distance ratio of the miniature IPSC targets is actually 2:1. The height is 15 inches. The real one is 30 inches. The width of the A-zone is 3 inches. The real one is 6 inches. The 4:1 ratio is the perceived area -- width times height--two dimensional. But distance is strictly one dimensional so the ratio is 6:3 or 30:15 which is 2. So, if you place the miniature target at 5 yards, it will appear the same size as a full-size target at 10 yards. Just a matter of geometry! I wonder how many shooters have been practicing with the miniatures and thinking they were dry firing at (perceived) greater distances? Chaps FY42206 B-Class Limited, A-student Physics/Math!!!

I happen to agree with Overkill. The one thing we (US citizens) have lost over the years is the discipline of the gun. I consider myself a proud member of the American Gun Culture. The American Gun Culture implies a sense of responsibility--especially individual responsibility--for your actions and the consequences they bring. Unfortunately, we continue to litigate ourselves out of disciplined action and continue to make more rules that actually have other unintended consequences. A range should always be considered a hot range, even if the guns are not loaded. A gun should always be considered loaded, even if it isn't--handle accordingly. Safe areas aren't. Just a place to get your gun on, uncased, or repaired. Practice your draws and reloads at home or at the range before the match (or have a place/stage set up to "warm up"). Simple enough. The rules only try to compensate for past mistakes. I wonder what future mistakes we will make under a continually increasing burden of rules. The simpler the rules, the more likely they are to be followed. We need to reinstill the discipline of the gun in the culture, not the blind obedience of a set of rules that lulls us all into a sense of complacency--that we are safe around guns. In summary, I would vote for fewer, but simpler rules. Gun is always loaded. You sweep someone, you DQ. You sweep twice, you don't shoot in the sport for a year. Three strikes and you are out of the game forever. Play with your guns at home. I only want to shoot with people that know how to handle their firearms safely because of their gun disciplineand their inner sense of individual responsibility to protect themselves and others from harm. Randy Chapman Colonel, USAF (retired) Former A-10 pilot (baddest rifleman on the planet--caliber 30mm--definitely MAJOR ++)

I am fairly new to 3-gunning. Just picked up a Rem 1100 CM and love it. Anybody got recommendations on types of slugs for competition? What is a Forester-type slug compared to a sabot-type slug? Are there other categories? What is a good all-around slug for the Rem 1100 for your standard 3-gun match? Also, any recommendations on shot load/size that is most effective for the Rem 1100 in a match? Are there any good books on "Practical Shotgun" comparable to Brian's Beyond the Fundamentals? See you at the range, Chaps