Steve Anderson
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Posts posted by Steve Anderson
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I've recently begun practicing on long range steel. The immediate feedback confirms what I did right or wrong and helps my body remember how to be accurate at those ranges.
I've been using a 8 or 10 inch plate at 60-75 yds. After that gets dialed in, 40 yds is CAKE.
Good luck.
SA
BTW, at these ranges it's ALL about trigger control.
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That makes sense. the Flex I saw in practice was not the same guy I saw at Penn and Ohio.
Not trying is the same as trying, and not thinking is the same as thinking.
Seeing and shooting...that's the zone.
SA
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Or at least tip up the brim to the "euro bike rider" position from the "aggressive marine" position.
I learned that in practice.
SA
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I had a little scare last night when I saw 20 penalty points on a stage that I didn't remember "earning." A quick call to the range-owner revealed that a swinger that remains visible earns you Mike penalties when you put a pretty pair in the hardcover tape! Doh!
SA
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Dowt...that was a reference to your equipment rant post.
SA
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Kyle has been in the zone lately. He must have some good "tacklin' fuel," very smooth and plenty aggressive.
Master material.
SA
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Yeah, the chronoman jammed my pistol that never jams...go figure. Moneypenny thnks he was riding the slide with his thumb. Ah well, she puts out for me!
SA
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1. Jake, Congrats on the win. I was bummed to win 5 of 8 and lose the match due to a tanked long and short range ports mud fiasco. I had so much trouble running in the mud that I felt I had to shoot fast at the ports to make up, and that was not wise. (BTW I heard you guys snickering in the e-muffs )
2. Great Stages, great facility, great company. Lousy mud on Saturday: Walk to stage, scrape mud off shoes with knife, take one step, have as much mud as before on shoes, finally give up and accept the mud.
3. Shoot off: I entered (and won un-opposed) the production shootoff without firing a shot. I grabbed the docter Beretta on the way out the door cuz I knew moneypenny and jake would be gone, and I wanted to shoot against Uncle Bill Seevers with my uncomped, DA Beretta/docter open gun.
Signed up in open, drew a GM (Steve Martin) on my first run, got spanked. Bill Seevers got beat by the eventual winner, so we faced off in the loser bracket and I squeaked past him by aiming and not missing much. With Bill's speed, the only way to beat him is one shot/one kill, and it worked out.
I faced titandriver's partner?/friend?/wife?/girlfriend?/friend? Carrie and got by her to face Martin again. Got past him this time, and then barely lost to the junior when I lost the dot after the mandatory reload.
What a thrill!
4. Matt, I hope I got some GM-osmosis from you and Steve Martin, it was a blast watching you guys shoot.
5. Chaffin: Hell of an 8 shot 4 target Bill Drill!
6. My wife and her parents came out to watch me on Saturday for the first time ever, and having them watch help me shoot more accurately. My dad-in-law is still bragging to anyone that will listen, and that's pretty cool.
7. Uncle Bill Seevers: Thanks again.
8. Dowter: Do I need a different open gun?
9. Flex: Is ohio ready for two masters next year? Time for the next level of commitment. Team P the E!
More thoughts after I get outta this work nightmare.
SA
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Here's a glock story for ya...when my #1 was out of comission for a trigger spring issue, I borrowed a buddy's G35 to practice for a GSSF match I was entering for fun. (me, a gssf member? sad but true)
I made three A zone had shot hits in a row at 15 yds on in indoor range with that g35, then my smile faded as the thing jammed on shot 4.
When I shot the gssf with the same gun, it jammed again at the 50 ft. line. (fresh clean and slide glide)
I was using sissy loads on a borrowed gun, but my Italianos will cycle anything, anytime. And my single actions at 2.75 lbs put that hinged contraption to shame. A 7lb DA is a small price to pay to get those sweet SAs.
Tell ya what, next match at Rayner's, I'll reshoot with ANY gun and holster Flex wants, and we'll compare scores. If I do better with the (gasp, shudder) Glock, I'll consider switching. I'll bring some 40 minor and shoot the Flexblaster in production, I guess.
(I'm thinking that 18 rd para 9mm from Dale's (forgot which anklebiter was shooting it) would be even better!)
And Kyle, you'd make master with an STI!
SA
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3 qtr, thanks for the kind words, you should see me on a good day.
I hear the opposite of dowter's rant: You're OK, but you'd be great with a real gun...just what 3qtr told me over beers.
I plan to get Great with this one, then maybe I'll be AWESOME with another one.
The confidence thing is true. When I go to the line, I know that pistol is gonna put 'em where the sights look, and spit those empties out all day long.
Equipment matters, but shooters matter more.
SA
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Fast Draws
in Skills
That's my take on it. Every time I see him do it, there's no beep and the time is on the screen, plus he sets up for a good long time, and the target is a huge plate at prox. 12-15 feet.
I will gladly admit if I'm wrong, but the evidence points in my direction, counselor.
All you really have to do is get the barrel out of the holster, rock the grip back and fire. should remove .4 from anyone's draw if you start with the hand just off the gun. That puts most of us at .5, even with some reaction time. I'll test it soon and let you know. You could also start the timer on your left pocket with your left hand and then start the draw if you just wanna see the .6 on the timer. You probly won't hit anything, the broad side of the barn excluded.
SA
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Warning: possible controversy ahead...
Everybody who is burning out seem to have a few things in common.
1. They reached a plateau that they worked for very hard.
2. The view from the top is another mountain, and dammit those legs are tired and supplies are low.
3. The effort required for the next plateau exceeds the desire to get there, maybe just temporarily.
I've been there before in other areas of life. I built a custom sport truck that was featured in sport truck magazine's reader's section. But to get the feature article would mean a significantly larger investment in time and money, and I just didn't care that much.
My old band was on the verge of more success when the wind shifted and alternative rock was the order of the day. I could have made a few sonic adjustments, but my heart wasn't in it, plus...I hate alt. rock!
Now, I think my problem with shooting is that I want it all right now. The gun cannot hit what the eyes do not see...
All you Burner-outers will either get the itch back after some rest, or you'll find something else to get addicted to. It's not any fun to make yourself go shooting...and it doesn't make you any less of a person to decide you're happy where you're at...or that you're happier gardening or rock climbing.
I've been at this HARD for 6-months and the disparity between physical preparedness and mental state makes me wanna puke time and time again.
But last night, I shot 900 rds in 2.5 hours, and finished up with "groups" on a 10 inch plate at 65 yards and went 10 for 10 with my .22, and then 10 for 10 with my red dot .22 even farther away. (I was in the trees behind the range at this point, and I HAD to use the dot cause I could not see the sights.)
I grinned all the way home.
SA
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It is sobering to shoot a good solid production match and have Bill Nesbitt's name above mine, shooting revolver...very motivating.
I'm here because of production. Plain and simple.
Start with a local pin match, progress to steel, try idpa with a holster bought 10 min. before the first match, do OK, someone says if ya wanna shoot more try this IP-Sick stuff. OK.
The first ipsc course of fire I ever shot ended with three head shot targets behind a wall at arm's length. It took me ten minutes to stop smiling.
Open might be my next move, somebody wants to sell me a gun...I will shoot a little lim 10 with the 40 Beretta next year just to see what major scoring does to my classifier scores.
Limited has little appeal for me, if I'm going hi-cap I want a damn dot and a smokestack to go with it.
SA
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Would you really want the mag on the ground for a 40 ft shot, or is elbows on the ground sufficient?
SA
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I'm the opposite of Kyle. I do well standing and shooting, am still working on movement.
Course, I did find out he's an ex track star....
After my first major match, I'm convinced that classifiers don't mean dinky-doo about big match performance.
SA
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Fast Draws
in Skills
I once heard GSSF matches referred to as the match with no draw, as I beleive it's all from low ready. (could be wrong)
If that's the case, folks telling gssf stories would revert to calling the first shot "the draw" by default.
Munden starts with hand alomost on the gun, and the timer starts when he does. Not the other way around. Impressive, but apples/oranges.
Interesting sidenote. I'm faster from a draw than from low ready. Figure that out...
Current best ever is .79 at 5 yards from surrender. Production rig.
Last night, bianchi plates at 10 yds, 1.28 consistent.
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The reload
in Skills
50 a night, dry: empty gun on target. at the beep, hit the mag button and bring the new mag to just out side the well.
I start with an empty gun for two reasons:
a. I hate picking up mags during a dry fire marathon
b. The mag falling from the gun can divert the eyes to follow it, instead of watching the magwell.
When that gets down to a 1-ish par time, switch to putting the mag into the gun, retaining the slight pause. Turn the par time off for this portion. You don't need or want to "hurry" this, you're already faster. get on target.
You can always try racing stripes on the mag well like Flex for visual help, but my guns are so worn from practice there's a nice silver outline around the opening. Kyle got lots of questions about his mag teeth last weekend...
The first time you see the target THEN hear the mag hit the floor is magical...It took a month of this routine to get there for me. (production, Beretta, no mag-sucker)
SA
Thanks to Matt Burkett, from whom I stole the above modified drill. (Buy the videos!)
BTW Matt, next time you show us a .7 reload, show us the target too. Inquiring minds wanna know!
(Edited by Steve Anderson at 4:57 am on Sep. 24, 2002)
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Matt, any word on the side match? I felt like I had one good run in production...
SA
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Well, here are the lessons learned...
This was my first major match, and I learned plenty.
1. When anyone says, "don't lock it, the keys are in there," extract the keys from the vehicle personally, then lock the vehicle personally. I hold no one responsible, but this should not have happened. What i was most upset about was the fact that I felt so good pulling into the lot that day. We ate at Bob Evans and I couldn't stop smiling that morning wanting to get out there so bad. Then the f'ing keys...
2. When you get your sh#t together, find a way to put the problems behind you.
I had to load mags during the walk thru, dope while pasting, and generally play catch up. I could have asked for more time, but I had already caused enough problems for my squad. Flex told it right, I had to go to the clubhouse twice in 10 minutes. Shoulda used smoney's gun...but in the second stage, I stared at the flowers for a few minutes to try to relax and did...but at the expense of doping time.
3. Tailgunner really bummed me out. I started out fine, calling hits and getting them, but due to the narrow opening, I couldn't tell that the rounds were hitting the wood on the way out. after, the ro told that one eye closed was the way to go. That stage was a confidence blow I didn't need.
(what I needed was shooter girl telling me "there is only the shooting and you know how to shoot."
4. Dry fire can only take you so far, and cannot replace live fire. I had to fire a mgr. and run a store myself for two weeks right after a week on the beach in florida, and thus had no real trigger time except for club matches in those three weeks. I could have MADE time, but I thought that my dry fire would suffice. wrong.
5. Lunch Breaks are cleansing. I ate with vluc and his crew and wasn't real sociable, but got calmed down OK and shot much better after lunch.
6. Thanks to "Uncle" Bill Seevers. I shot the last half of the match with him and 3qtr cheerleading and he answered every question I had. I still see more shooting problems than movement possibilities and Bill has the experience to reassure my ideas.
7. After this pressure cooker of a match, I'll always have a funny story and will be able to think that no matter what else goes wrong at a match it won't be as bad as TS02.
A question for some vets...were those stages more or less difficult than a typical major match?
3qtr...Intense? Yeah. you gotta P the E. There are no limits except the ones you impose on yourself. I hope I didn't bring you down with my explanation of my
motivation, but you did keep asking me!
Moneypenny: Chill pill is right. I set high standards for myself, and mikes and no shoots are not in my plans. I enjoyed shooting with you, and will try to get some tactical green mags!
Flex: Thanks for everything, except the cat footprints on my hood. Soon as we swap strengths and weaknesses we'll truly be the new L/E.
SA
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Now I get it.
Carl Lewis and the wall...that's a good one.
SA
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Was flipping thru last Sunday and the outdoor games was showing archery...more interesting than the wife's Trading spaces re-runs.
Just before the break they announced the rifle event coming up. Cool!
I was surprised to see Miculek and Koenig shooting .22 rifles for the gold!
I was more surprised at the amount of lead they threw to hit the reactive targets. They seemed to miss more than the guys who shot for silver.
Also interesting: Koenig used a tricked out plasmo-plastic multi colored gizmo laden competition rifle supreme.
Miculek used what appeared to be a 10/22 with a scope.
He won.
Not sure what the distance was, but the targets were small steel droppers of various shapes, with two duelling trees at the end where you could clear yours or unclear your opponents swingers so he has to shoot them again.
Neat stuff. I was waiting for handguns, but no luck.
SA
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Bill,
If you want to punish it, you'll likely get your chance.
(what other sport lets you blow away things you don't like?)
Flex,
I get your drift, but I still think a stage like that tests patience and relaxation. (remember the donut?) It might look like luck, but really is a matter of calming down and getting hits. Since most of us tend to get more uptight at repeated misses (ego ouch) the more we miss the more we'll miss.
We're really being tasked with firing 5 or 8 accurate, fairly slow shots without missing. Realistically we can all do that.
And I don't think 3 guys of developing skill levels will ever all shoot their real skill level at the same time. The mental game prevents it. Even the top GMs have mental issues that can impede performance.
(that's one of the reasons our classifier scores vary so much as we develop)
Maybe I like them because I don't worry about having to find the ultimate strategery to do well. After all, it's only one stage. A whole match like that...I'm right there with ya.
SA
PS, a better shooter could also speed up by smacking the tops right as they come into view. This will be dramatically quicker than the guy who doesn't call his shots and has to wait for falling confirmation.
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Flex,
Your example is a good one, but it assumes that all three shooters will shoot at precisely their skill level...no better or worse.
Brian Enos aint gonna miss, we know that. But he might or might not hammer the first steel multiple times.
You know you shouldn't miss, but you might (after watching Brian's run) decide that you should make up some time on the draw, blow your first shot, then struggle for a sight picture.
Your c-class shooter might have just learned to call his shots and not miss anything.
A stage like this tests our pre-conceived notions of easy or hard shots.
Also, if they are in a row, why couldn't our GM blast all the front ones, then go back and blast all the back ones?
(BTW, I just realized that any time I categorize a shot as easy or hard, I don't shoot my best. They're just shots.)
SA
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I did notice that havng the shoulders up puts the hand closer to the gun.
That's a GOOD thing.
SA
Left hand grip slips
in Handgun Techniques
Posted
You might try some drills from low ready with the perfect grip, just to get used to the feeling.
In my experience, most grip problems originate from the draw. In practice, we do umpteen draws while focusing on THEM, in matches we do one per stage while thinking about the first target or the reload or the strategery or...
I accept that not every draw will be flawless, BUT that I can recover and still shoot well.
Good luck,
SA