Osage

Getting a lot of questions so I'll try to answer many at once. - Sign-in is at 8am, first shots at 9am, awards ceremony ~4:30pm. - Spectators are welcome. We'll try to have some extra but if they pay in advance they can have a great BBQ lunch too. - There will be plenty of experienced competitive shooters to challenge you but a number of others that don't shoot a lot of competition. You do not have to be classified in IDPA, USPSA, or anything else. - We have purposefully kept the rules to a minimum - just enough to make it fair for everyone but open enough that you can shoot it your way. Simply follow the directions for that particular stage. - You can shoot more than one gun if you'd like (only $15 for a second gun), but you must declare which is your primary (the one that you shoot first on each stage and counts for score). - Over $4000 in prizes so far. You can see our sponsor page (which is not all inclusive) at http://osagecombatives.com/championship-sponsors - There will be awards for top individuals (top three in each division) as well as for top law enforcement agency.

2014 Alabama Police Week Shooting Championship Saturday, May 10th, 2014 Tri-State Gun Club Daleville, Alabama Sign up at www.OsageCombatives.com/ShootingChampionship The match will consist of 10 stages and ~175 rounds fired (plus optional side stages). Designed as a fun yet competitive match, it's suitable for accomplished shooters while still being friendly to those newer to the shooting sports. Proceeds benefit local reserve police officers and the C.O.P.S. (Concerns of Police Survivors) charity. The will be 3 Divisions with at least the top 3 competitors in each division taking home awards: Law Enforcement "On Duty" Law Enforcement "Plain Clothes" Private Citizen Supporter Additional prizes, through random drawing, will be given away and include gear, knives, flashlights, and even a gun or two. Note: I'm the match director for this match. I've been shooting as a master class competitor for a long time and have run some major matches. This is going to be well run, fun, and yet have plenty of opportunities for you to choose how to accomplish each stage or shooting scenario, making it fun yet challenging for all skill levels. Your going to get a BBQ lunch and a t-shirt out of the deal, so for 75 bucks you simply can't beat it. The match will be run IDPA style, minus some of the nit-picky rules that make you groan. So bring out your "duty" type gun and have a great time while supporting an even greater cause. AL Police Week - Shooting Match Announcement.pdf

I'm saying that is Photoshopped! Look how long that barrel is! There's no way. I mean really, who would put a manly gun like that on a flowery sheet and then take a photo of it?

You are assuming that I have always been a pilot, and that I have always been in the Army. You would be ignoring the possibility that I began my military career at the ripe ol' age of 18 in the United States Marine Corps. Oh, Blackhawk instructor pilot.

Oh I realize I can shoot USPSA using what I deem to be correct tactics, etc. But then it's no longer a game as I have absolutely no chance of winning - I do like winning. It would then just be practice in which case I can do it all by myself without having to wait for 10 other people in a squad. I hope nobody thinks I'm knocking USPSA - I'm not. I am exceedingly impressed at the abilities of many of these shooters. Any game that brings lots of people into the shooting sports and wider field of guns is ok in my book. I simply can't work the road as a cop, serve extra duty on SWAT, fly helicopters for the Army, conduct training as a firearms instructor, go to church, spend time with the family, and shoot every discipline of action shooting. I settled on IDPA as it provides the best combination for me.

Sure. The main reason is that I've only go so many rounds and so many magazines on me. I'm in the Army and I am also a patrol officer for a municipality. It might not be so bad in a military capacity where I've likely got a bunch of magazines, but then again if I do run out I'm going to wish I hadn't left a bunch of perfectly good rounds on the battlefield behind me. As a cop, I know that the average gunfight is just a couple of rounds and the likelihood of even needing to reload is slim. However, there are exceptions. If I have to run into an active shooter (or 2 or 3) situation, say in a mall, my round count may be much higher. I've got 2 spares on my duty belt. If I reload every time I get a short break in the chase I will quickly run out of magazines. If I'm working plain clothes, I may only have one spare. Those rounds become that much more important. Aside from that, while I can separate a game from reality, in USPSA it is often advantageous to drop a half empty and load another when you are in the open with several targets still facing you. There is no emphasis on cover or tactics. In a game you know how many targets you have left - in reality you don't. USPSA cares about speed/accuracy/power. If you are trying to win, you must sacrifice a couple of other defensive skills. Again, I know it's a game and not training, but I tend to not gravitate to a game where I MUST compromise certain tactics in order to be competitive. IDPA has plenty of rules that I dislike. The difference is that when I don't like a rule it's normally because I can't do something that I would do, rather than having to do something that I wouldn't do. For repetition, I would rather be restricted from something I would do than encouraged to do something I wouldn't. Like I said, it may not be a big deal for the vast majority of situations. But I can see enough in my life where I don't want to instill that as a habit. I simply feel that since my gaming time is limited I should pick one that best supports my primary goal and that is tactical shooting.

While I generally agree with that sentiment, Massad Ayoob is a very accomplished shooter. I believe he is a 5 division IDPA Master, with many titles to his credit in IDPA and other disciplines. Like him or not, he is one of the preeminent names in the shooter training industry. His statement wasn't USPSA specific either, but a blanket statement. If it had been most any other gun writer's name attached to that statement, I would have simply said, "Yea, whatever. Par for the course."

I thoroughly enjoy competitive shooting but I am going to take a departure from what most here have said. I have shot USPSA and IDPA plenty. I pretty much dropped USPSA for awhile and focused on IDPA (Master class in each division I shoot). I've taken division champ a number of times in sanctioned matches. I went back to USPSA and tried a couple of matches. Great people, some outstanding shooters, but just not for me. While there is plenty to complain about in IDPA, I do like the idea that in theory it is supposed to be reality based. As I am first and foremost tactically oriented (law enforcement guy), I have found that in order to be competitive in USPSA I have to compromise tactically. I do want to use cover, shoot targets as I see them present themselves, and I do not want to leave a string of half-empty magazines on the ground behind me. That generally doesn't make for a winning combination in USPSA. For pure speed and accuracy I like Steel Challenge. So I like the combination of shooting IDPA and Steel Challenge when it comes to handguns. For the record, I do not equate competition with training. At the same time I do not want to build muscle memory for certain habits. Between the two IDPA is the game for me, though I will say that I dislike the new rules even more than the rules they replaced.

My primary concern with the technique is that I would be purposefully moving my trigger finger in the same direction that I would otherwise be pressing the trigger. Perhaps it is more of a concern during reloads with a round still in the chamber, but even during a slide lock reload moving that trigger finger around can lend itself to a negligent discharge. Aside from the safety aspect, I really don't see how it can be much faster - a wash maybe, but not faster. You would have to have some very good dexterity to move your trigger finger aft without also shifting at least your middle finger. Seems that when you move the trigger finger back forward that you would also have to re-position the middle finger to reacquire the same grip. I do realize that by using the thumb one must necessarily shift their grip as well - very few people can positively actuate that mag release with the thumb without shifting - but that's where it is at least a wash. When necessarily rotating the weapon I believe that depressing with the thumb is more positive than straining a trigger finger back to press. No doubt there are a few exceptions. Being that at worst it is a bit slower and less positive, and at best the same speed yet forcing you to manipulate the trigger finger during a reload, I'm reluctant to recommend the technique. I do realize that many lefties have become more adept at the technique. I do however stand by my original statement that I was surprised to see a knowledgeable instructor advocating for the technique and flatly stating that it is faster.

Why would it have merit for a left-handed shooter and not a right-handed shooter, assuming of course that you can put the release on either side you want (as he was talking about an ambidextrous release)?

This is by no means the first time that I have heard of or seen this technique in use, but it is the first time that I have seen an accomplished shooter/trainer advocate for it. I've been shooting for quite a long time and I cannot imagine the technique to actually be faster. I don't see any of the better shooters using the technique but maybe I have just somehow missed it. Do any of you use this technique? I was somewhat surprised when I saw Ayoob plainly stating that it was quicker and a better technique (April 2014 Guns Magazine, Sig P227 article). I personally disagree with the technique being faster or a preferred method.

Thanks for the welcome..... and I'm happy to serve. The match is the 2014 Alabama Police Week Shooting Championship, Saturday May 10th at Tri-State Gun Club in Daleville. www.OsageCombatives.com/ShootingChampionship. Everyone is welcome. It's basically run like an IDPA sanctioned match, just with 3 divisions geared towards LE, so very familiar to any seasoned match shooters.

If that was directed at me, yes, of course. I think I was pretty clear in the post. If it wasn't directed at me, I guess I would still agree. My point was simply that the original question asked about how much "time" was being dedicated to dry fire practice. Many of the responses revolve around that idea as well. Of more importance is that a specific plan is being followed, driven by goal rather than time.

I don't go so much for time as I do for ensuring that I cover certain aspects of dry-fire. 10 reps - 2 hand draw stroke to trigger press 10 reps - Draw to reaction side hand only with trigger press 10 reps - Strong side only draw to trigger press 5 reps - Draw to trigger press, tac reload 10 reps - Begin at slide lock, emergency reload to trigger press 10 reps - Standing to kneeling draw stroke with trigger press This is just one "routine" that I actually have written down. I switch routines and add/subtract based upon weapon type, etc. Sometimes I go very slow to ensure that everything is perfect and sometimes I pick up the pace a little bit. I almost always include some type of movement, even if it is only taking one step left or right while performing the above. I also incorporate "scenarios" into the practice, either in my home or in the garage, such as drawing while seated in a vehicle, etc. Basically, I am not so much driven by time as I am ensuring that I have an outline of what I want to accomplish so that it is not just practice, but purposeful practice.

I've been a frequent visitor to the forums for awhile. I try to limit the number of forums I join (for time's sake). I just dropped one so I guess it's time for another. I'm an Army pilot, police officer (SWAT), and I've been a competitive shooter since the 90's. Mostly 2-gun competitions, IDPA (MA class), and the occasional specialty match that shows up in the area. Along with teaching (mainly LE and a few public courses), I stay pretty busy. I'm also running a LE match (but open to the public) here in Alabama coming up in May. Glad to be here. Hope to contribute a bit and glean a bit.