theWacoKid

I started with a simple 9x19 used open Glock 17. Cmore red dot on a carver mount, good trigger parts, modified grip, magwell, kkm barrel, carver 3 port comp. Initially I just wanted to try shooting steel, but then used it to shoot open USPSA. Minor is a bit of a handicap, but who cares when you're just learning how to shoot open? With the loads below, it ran flawless. Had two failures to extract almost back to back and no other malfunctions before or since. It's a very fun gun. I ran 5.1 gr Longshot under a 115 HAP at 1.145". Nice and very soft. Never chrono'd. I also ran 5.8 gr 3N37 under a 115 HAP at 1.145". Snappier, but still pretty soft. Chrono'd at 1138 fps for pf of 131. Both loads are near or below the starting book loads I believe. Always a Federal SPP as other primers sometimes don't light with the soft striker spring. Use all proper loading practices. With both of these loads the effect of the compensator is very noticeable for me. Easy to back to back in a standard non-comped Glock 17. The Longshot load would function a stock 17 but not a stock 17C.

I realized my shield was allowing the dot to show all the way to the left edge of the glass but blocking it well before it got to the right edge. Very annoying, but I didn't want to ditch the shield. I was able to take a razor blade to the corner of the right side of the shield and a little trimming cleared it up and stopped obscuring the dot on the right side.

Your issues are very familiar to me. The hardest mental challenge of competing is exactly what you are struggling with. It's okay to be results driven and oriented, but if it affects how you feel about yourself and your life there is a problem. I went through this exact problem playing another sport. When I performed poorly, which became frequent, and I was being beaten by others I felt should not beat me and when I was continually making "stupid" mistakes that caused poor results I let it affect how I felt about myself and it would ruin my state of mind for days at a time. This is exactly why I quit the other sport and decided to finally try organized shooting. I am now much more interested in the shooting process and enjoy both tanking stages and running them well. I am still driven by results, but I am 100% content and accepting of sub-par performances. The results do not affect my outlook on myself and my life. This is why shooting has been good for me. You have to realize when you truly have the capability to perform consistently at a high level and under pressure it will come out. Until that happens you are not there and cannot expect it to happen. I promise you will get there easier if you relax, turn it loose, and allow yourself to be content with the outcome before it happens, whether that is a stage/match win or a zero. I hope my ability to be accepting of competitive shooting outcomes can transfer into other arenas of my life where I strive for results. Not only does it enhance performance, but it allows me to be content as a person. If you can't do this with shooting, take a break, experiment somewhere else. Things may change and you may gain a new perspective that will help in the future. At least, this is my personal experience.

Ditto on this. I figure I want to be able to start and reload with any mag so I can do what is optimal for a stage. At the same time I try and save wear and tear on 170's if it's not needed.