[Why Do Women Use Makeup And Perfume?]

Taking the risk of over-analyzing this funny joke...

Doesn't sound like any of the women in my life!

That's the point. You'd THINK women were ugly and stinky, since they wear makeup. Men (usually) don't, and not too many people complain that men are ugly and should wear makeup, whereas if a woman doesn't wear makeup, it is often considered strange and people (men and women alike) perceive her as being less attractive (uglier). Despite all the achievements mankind has made to equal the rights of men and women, women still seem to have to wear makeup in order to be considered "normal", and not perceived as odd.

The joke is on the masculine-dominant society and its effects on people, women and men. It's more of a joke on men than women, really.

Besides, every man who has been in a serious relationship with a woman knows that you fall in love with the girl lying on the couch in sweat pants and a baggy t-shirt who is wearing no makeup, not the tube-top-wearing war-painted girl she was when you met her in the bar a few months ago.

[Why Do Women Use Makeup And Perfume?]

Why do women wear makeup and use perfume?

Because they are ugly and they smell bad.

Sorry if this has been posted before, just thought it was too funny.

[Heat Vision And Jack]

It's hilarious, one of the funniest clips I've seen. Too bad Fox didn't pick it up. I mailed Fox already. If you like it, you should, too.

Knowledge is power. For real.

[Day By Day]

Don't even get me started on hot things down there ... rolleyes.gif

Yeah, I've seen some footage of Italian Lady shooters... Really nice... shooting. Yeah, shooting.

[Holding One's Breath]

The Marine Corps teaches taking the shot during the ~3 second long natural respiratory pause which automatically happens everytime after each time you exhale.

The only time during a stage I'm conscious of my breathing is when I'm waitin for the beep. I try to time the beep so that it happens during the natural respiratory pause (or, actually unnatural pause because I force my breathing to it).

Like so:

- dry grip

- give the nod that I'm ready (breathe in at the same time)

- are you ready (by the end of this the inhale is completed, exhale begins)

- standby (exhale during this)

- hold the normal amount of air (not holding your breath, just pausing)

- be- (draw)

- -ep (first shot )

[Lightening A Recoilmaster]

Thx Matt, I dunno how I missed that... probably got confused with it saying MAIN spring replacement.

I think the light is too light if you don't have a guard to keep your thumb off the slide.

I'm a real n00b when it comes to recoil springs. I've never heard this before. So what you're saying is many people's thumbs ride the slide in recoil? And it doesn't cause malfunctions because of a heavy(ish) recoil spring? I've never even thought about this, but I would assume the serrations on the slide would tear off some skin from my thumb if it did touch the slide.

And just so I'm clear on this again, L2S, you had a setup with a light replacement spring on a heavy RM? And you definately felt a difference between that and an unmodified heavy RM?

Sorry for being so difficult in understanding everyone, English isn't my mother tongue.

[Lightening A Recoilmaster]

Chuck at Shooter's Connection sells replacement recoil master springs

I browsed around shootersconnection.com and couldn't find any, at least under the name recoilmaster, replacement spring or any such name. Plz post an url if someone finds one.

You can put the light replacement spring and put it on the Heavy RM

Does this in effect make it a light RM? I mean, is the only difference between the light and heavy system that the bigger spring has a different weight, or does the smaller spring have a different weight also?

I'm probably gonna end up buying a complete light RM anyway...

[Lightening A Recoilmaster]

Get the replacement for the light RM.

Just so I'm clear on this, you do mean 'purchase the light RM'? Or get a replacement spring?

The guys at STI have told me they shoot the light RM in 40's.

Anyone in Benosland tried this setup? Possibly with IPSC PF ammo (175ish)?

[Lightening A Recoilmaster]

I have an STI Edge in .40 with the standard RecoilMaster (heavy). While it works flawlessly, I'd really like to try a lighter recoil spring, as it seems to me that recoil feel is a lot better with a lighter spring. I bought a spare heavy RM when I bought the gun, since I read many had had one break.

My question is, can I reduce the power of the RM somehow? Has someone attempted this? I would imagine cutting the spring would do, and also by compressing the spring for a long duration it would lighten..? Which spring should I cut, or should I cut both? Or should I not cut at all? I ask because I know very little about fiddling with springs.

Also, I believe the heavy RM is the equivalent of a 14-15 -pounder standard guide rod setup, am I more or less correct? What is the light RM equivalent of? 8lbs? 10lbs? And furthermore, do you know of anyone who has a light RM in a .40, shooting major?

Thanks guys!

[The Draw]

however if someone is on average .2 seconds faster on the draw then his competitor.....2 seconds times 36 stages at the WS equals 7 seconds.

This isn't the first time I've heard this argument, and it has always bothered me. I believe this example is misleading. Take into account that I speak for IPSC stages, not for USPSA.

At least in IPSC, we don't actually draw the gun from the holster in condition 1 on every stage. There are a lot of table top starts, condition 2 and 3 starts, gun in box starts and other gimmicks. I think it's fair to say that, at least where I shoot, a minimum of one-third of all stages are not "gun in holster, condition 1" -starts (I have been to several matches where over half the stages were not like this).

And when in fact we DO have a stage with a "holster, cond 1" -start, it's very common to have the first place where you can shoot a target more than a few meters away. The movement doesn't of course remove the benefit provided by a fast draw, but it dramatically reduces it, as most shooters can draw the gun during the first two steps. Based on my numerous years of "big match"-experience, I'd say about a half of "hoster, cond 1" -stages have at least three steps before you can fire the first shot.

What it comes down to is that, in my experience, about one-third of all IPSC stages are such that you CAN actually take the 0,2 seconds you gained on the draw into account. The other stages are simply not holster-starts or they have more or less movement before the draw is completed, reducing or removing the edge provided by a fast draw.

Don't get me wrong, however. I'm not saying that practicing fast draws is useless. Like Jake said, you have to take points from where ever you can. My point is that people often over-emphasize the benefits of a fast draw with the (number of stages x 0,2 seconds) -rationale.

[Friday Flamer!]

I hate everything about the European way of doing business.

I hate to be a pain in the @ss, but you're not pissed off at the European way of doing business, you're pissed off at the Mediterrainean way of doing business. I am too. It's the same as with Mexico (lived there for a while): everyone is so relaxed and laid back that nothing ever gets done. I bet it's the warm climate, it just washes your worries away... OTOH, they seem to have a lot less burnout, stress etc..

[Reloading On The Move]

I'm with spook on this one, but I'm a mere mortal . I just realized that there MAY be a difference between IPSC and USPSA shooters on this one. A lot of european top shooters reload like EG, whereas a lot of american shooters seem to prefer Jake's (or Travis' or..) way. I believe this originates to the fact that in IPSC we have VERY few static reloads, and thus we don't practice them as much. When you look at it, Jake's way is basically a blazing static reload and then haul ass (simplifying a bit of course). A lot of USPSA shooters practice static reloads for classifiers anyway, and that may aid in making Jake's way more efficient for them. Something to think about... FWIW, I prefer EG's (or spook's) way.

[Maybe This Could Be Cool]

What makes you say the match was best for a Limited gun?

I have no idea, but I've heard this one before. I think it was Todd who said he'd rather have his limited gun instead of the open gun on close hoser-type stages. Having never really shot an open gun (more than a dozen rounds at a time), I don't know the differences all that well. The scope obviously loses it's edge as the targets get closer, but I would imagine the comp and fast cycling would still give a benefit... Having said that, however, I have won several stages in all divisions with a Standard (~Limited in USPSA) gun. Incidentally, most have been pretty up-close stages, but also some mid-length (10-15m) steel stages.

[Reloading On The Move]

Every top shooter that I see reloads and then moves,

Every one except the best one . Really, if you've seen Eric shoot, it's very obvious that he DOES reload on the move. He often finishes his reload just before entering a shooting position. It can't be TOO bad a technique...

[Misses Are Ok, For Me]

So many good points here I don't know where to begin.

This question is really two parts. Performance at a match and how do you practice.

I do not believe in "accepting" misses or penalties. I believe in not fearing them in the progression of my skills.

These have the same fundamental thought behind them. Previously I didn't really separate my match performance from my training. After all, as Saul says: Practice makes permanent, not perfect. But I do see why you would maybe want to practice faster so you could start seeing more at that speed, which would eventually carry on to match performance. Along these lines:

However while growing in the sport you eventually have to find out how fast is to fast.

Now I've caught myself thinking in terms of speed, against Flex's advice. Even though I already knew that I should not think in terms of fast/slow and that was emphasized throughout his reply, I just can't seem to shake the concept of speed. It's such a major part of our sport, whether you think about it or not. And I obviously have problems getting rid of the thought. I don't know what kind of mind-emptying Zen-tricks I'd have to use...

Yes Max won a stage with a penalty....but did he win the match?

Would you rather win stages or win matches?

I would rather win matches. Then again I would rather be 4th in the World Shoot than wherever my current skill level is . Humor aside, I hope you see my point that a world-class shooter can be very competetive even with a miss now and then. And also, here's a VERY hypothetical point: If you win every stage, even with a miss in each one, you win the match. Again, very hypothetical, but makes you (or maybe just me) think...

Very good points here. If there's more of this, keep it coming. So far the stuff that's mostly stuck with me from this thread:

-heighten awareness, improve vision

-practice and match are separate situations (I'm having some problems digesting this one, as per Saul's teachings)

-practice fast to improve vision

-stop thinking "fast" (honestly, I can't seem to do this)

-I'm not alone

L2S, I did start to use double plugs two years back, and it certainly did heighten my awareness. I was prone to blinking before that. Concerning the drill you mentioned: should I even have targets, or just shoot at the berm? I would think having targets might make me WANT to see something... then again if there are no targets, I'm really not getting any feedback... or is that the point, to get the feedback from yourself?

Good stuff guys. Thanks.

[Misses Are Ok, For Me]

Thanks for the insightful replies L2S and BBB.

I know exactly where you are coming from.

I knew there had to be ppl like me on the forums, since I've encoutered numerous shooters with similar issues IRL.

you just need to focus on improving you seeing.

I was aware of this but it's nice to have someone articulate it. Now onto the more difficult issue: how to improve your seeing? I know this has been discussed endlessly on the forums, but I don't recall reading any specific excercises for improving your vision. We all know how to dry-fire and live-fire, but are we working on the less-important things here, such as draw and reload speed? Or is dry and live fire already a good excercise on the speed of vision?

[Misses Are Ok, For Me]

This post drifted from a quote by Jake in this thread

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=32915

My post got so long and drifted that I made it into a new thread.

You cannot shoot at the top level of the game (especially in Open) and have penalties.

I agree, to a certain extent. But I was FRICKING AMAZED when I saw Saul's World Shoot 05 DVD, and it had a stage that the top Open shooters shot in 9ish seconds, I recall. Then Max shot it real fast-like, had a miss, and WON THE STAGE! Sorry for the caps, guys, but I was just blown away. At the top-most level of competition in the biggest event in this sport, you CAN miss fast enough to win. This just goes against everything I've been taught.

That really got me thinking. I'm quick on my feet and also on the trigger. I'm also prone to taking risks, and therefore getting penalties. I've shot some stages extremely fast, almost out of control, and won them. And I have placed high in the stage results with a miss, when I've shot the stage quickly. I did this especially a few years ago.

Then I started to read these forums, and was convinced I had to slow down and always shoot well in control. Also, my shooting peers noticed how I shot, and every single one of them told me to slow down, start shooting 100% clean. So I did. It really wasn't easy, since I'm extremely anxious after the beep (who isn't?). I did feel more in control with my speed, but the "feel" was just awful, as I constantly had to struggle with my mind wanting to go faster. The result: my scores actually dropped. The small increase in points (around 90% to 95%+) didn't compensate for the lost time. In addition, the shooting experience was unpleasant, as I had to shoot far from my natural speed. Again, reading the forums I became convinced, with time, I would start to shoot faster and still get 95%+. Didn't happen. I guess I could have practiced more, but it just didn't feel right, having to struggle with my mind. Just before the biggest match of the year (our nationals) I started to shoot at my natural speed and just forget about everything else. Just shoot how I feel like.

I shot on the edge, like I naturally do. I had a few misses, but the times were very good. I also had several stage wins, some heads above the competition. The result: I placed higher than I've ever placed, only a few percent behind the match winner, and this was the highest level of competition I've ever faced.

Now my long-term-goal is to shoot at my natural speed, where I'm comfortable, and with extensive dry- and live fire bring my shooting skills up to where I don't miss as often as I do now. It may sound stupid but my long-term goal is NOT to start shooting clean, but cleaner. I believe that FOR ME, shooting 100% clean means shooting too slow. I'm not encouraging anyone to do this. I know the general consensus on this forum is the opposite: shoot slowly, in control, and the speed will come with time. I'm going to attack the problem from a different angle.

We come a full circle back to Max, and what he has said, discussed in this post:

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=32552

He states that he doesn't mind if the person gets D's and misses as long as their fast because it's easier to teach accuracy to a fast shooter than it is to get a slow shooter to speed up.

That is how I'm going to attempt to improve. I'm an ISTP, and recognize myself from the description given my Brian on the same post. And I know a few shooting peers who are very alike me and could very well benefit from doing it this way.

I know Max didn't set out to miss on that stage in World Shoot. I believe he missed because he shot at his normal speed. I for one believe Max has thought this out and decided he is better off getting a miss or two in a match, as long as he consistently gets good times and mostly solid runs. I know the previous statement will be misinterpreted in many ways, so I'll emphasize: He doesn't want misses. If he gets one, it's just a by-product of his competition-winning speed. Not that he has misses very often. And again, he WON THE STAGE ANYWAY.

Having said that about Max, I'd like to bring up Blake Miguez. He's one of the best shooters in the world. Yet he gets misses on a "regular" basis. As I recall a good shooter saying, he shoots "on the edge". Yet he wins competitions. I believe it's a choice of speed for him, and a very good choice at that.

Any thoughts on this? I know I'm really going against the grain here, but it just feels natural.

[Reload Videos]

That is the danger of "over focusing" on static reloads IMO.

I think that people should use the reload that works for the situation and the body type, not just the one that is smokin' when standing flat footed in front of the camera.

Amen. Since I shoot IPSC (as opposed to USPSA), I've dramatically reduced the number of static dry reloads in my dryfire routine, simply because I've noticed that they aren't very commonly found in actual courses of fire. In IPSC (at least here in Scandinavia) we have very few Standard Excercises, and since in IPSC we don't have a Lim-10 -class, static reloads are VERY uncommon (I've seen maybe 5 in the 4 years I've been going to big matches).

Of course I've done a "blazing" static reload and captured it on video so I can watch and admire it and show it to friends . But nowadays when I dryfire, I do a few statics as a warm-up, and then start to do them while moving short distances (2-5 steps) in all directions. And I HAVE noticed I do bring the gun closer in when I do a moving reload.

Here's an idea: start posting moving reload videos as opposed (or in addition) to static ones. We might learn even more.

[Stage Design "flavors"]

V rocks!

I thought zombies would be cooler of the two.

[Optical Properties Of The Eye]

Interesting thread.

Our subconscious process that little information and calculates WHERE that data will be in the next couple hundreths of a second and presents it in the form of "additional" frames.

Dunno if this applies here, but... I read somewhere that the way a batter hits a baseball is by actually "seeing into the future" *insert wierd 70's science fiction music*. The mind is clearly able to calculate additional frames.

[Politically Correct Stage Designs]

but I still think that the more "sport" it is, the easier our recruitment becomes.

That's exactly my point.

[Politically Correct Stage Designs]

How would you feel about mandating the removal of doors, windows, tables, and anything else which gives the impression of a "scenario" and replacing these with abstract skills testing exercised which do not resemble real life gunfighting encounters?

I understand your point. To ME it's a matter of degrees (isn't everything?), and _I_ draw the line between real-life-like props and humanoid targets. And stages named "drug deal gone bad" (an actual stage name in a level III competition).

A long story short, my family and close friends aren't really pro-gun, and I've taken almost every one of them to the range with me. It's been a LOT easier for them to come to grips with the fact that I'm shooting a sport, nothing more, when I've set up steel and classic targets than when I've set up metric targets and have them shoot the "stage".

Anyways, this probably isn't going to change anything, but I just want to share my successful experiences "going against the grain" with the views of my family and friends. A few of them actually reversed their views on guns and one even bought a gun and started shooting with me. I'd like to think because I didn't "scare him off" with a metric target, as I did the first few I took to the range.

Although I've really taken a stand against the metric target, I have to admit I do like it on some fast hoser stages because of it's size, and the fact that when you shoot classic 95% of the time, you CAN'T miss a metric

[Politically Correct Stage Designs]

Slightly drifting here, but hey, it's an old thread.

I'm all for Classic targets. I think that if the number of people offended by the fact that we shoot the Metric target is even one more than the number of people offended when we're shooting the Classic target, it's worth it to ditch the Metric. And I'm pretty sure it's more than one person. I for one have a naive thought that one day some type of action pistol shooting would be an Olympic sport, and I'm POSITIVE that the Metric target does nothing good for action pistol shooting in the eyes of an average person who doesn't own a gun and doesn't think highly of them. Plus I think the Metric target is better because it's smaller and thus increases the sometimes-lost concept of accuracy in our sport. Just my opinion.

Drifting even from my own post... Have you ever wondered why no-shoots are white and scoring targets are brown...?

[Are There Many Top Left Handed Shooters?]

A Norwegian guy named Steinar Haugli is a lefty and a very good shooter. He was 31st in Open in the World Shoot, but I'm guessing he had some problems, because he lost to a lot of european guys who he regularly beats in other competitions. You can find a longish video of him at

www.triggerfreeze.com

There in the Videos-section on the right-hand side there are the Large Downloads. It's the StoneHard in Gothenburg one.

[Cz 75 Tactical Sport]

If you want to read more about cz75 TS, here's a site I found very useful:

http://www.strictlyipsc.com/

In the Gear-section there is a summary on the bottom, as well as loads of tuning info.

I shot the IPSC Standard CZ for three years and IMO, it's a very good gun. I switched to STI because I wanted a lighter gun (I'm not very large/powerful physically) and I had problems with the rear sight breaking (an issue they apparently have fixed for the TS). All in all, it's a great, reliable gun if you're not afraid of a BIG, HEAVY gun.