rvb
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Posts posted by rvb
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Guess I need to study up and maybe practice...
I'm going to be gone on vacation all week prior... I think if I don't get to practice no one else should be allowed to practice either...
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keep it up!
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...has to hurt in this game because of the mobility factor. Some do it quite well for their size but imagine how well they would do without it. Even they would admit that.
Yup. I've recognized this as something that will hold me back from advancing farther in my shooting. They say admitting it is the first step...
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Having just come back from Area 5, and working the IN match next weekend, it's going to be a hard sell to the wife, but I am interested. Don't count me yet, but I'm gonna try.... might have to swing by the flower shop on the way home tonight...
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I was curious if during the practice the competitors were seriously time limited, or just ammo limited? Was their much dry-firing going on?
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rvb
in Range Diary
Just finished going through my mags. I loaded a couple rounds into each and then eased the breech against the back of the round, and let it slide home. Two of the mags nosedived enough to cause jams that looked just like my Area 5 vid. Just as in the vid, the slide closed on the tap part of the tap/rack or with light pressure on the back of the slide. For now I've pulled those mags out of the rotation. I ordered all new factory mag springs from brownells (yes, via the site here). The trick is going to be finding time to test-fire w/ the new springs before the IN Sectional. Might toss in a recoil spring w/ another 1-lb weight to be safe...
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If you want fast drying use "flat" paints. The best stuff I have ever used is automotive header paint. It's bucks up but it is dry almost as soon as it hits the metal.
primers seem to work well, too.
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I'll echo the others saying what a great match it was.
The work on the facilities was top notch. From what I saw everything seemed to go to smoothly from registration to lunch to the shooting schedule. The stages were challenging with lots of options. The staff did a great job. Kudos to everyone involved.
And a big Thank you! to the sponsors!
-rvb
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rvb
in Range Diary
2010 Area 5:
http://www.youtube.com/mdhoser#p/a/u/0/v8MLOtKmlfo
6th in PD, 2nd Master.
Shot 87.5% of the match points. Not wonderful, but an improvement as late.
Had FIVE MIKES. 
What the Crap?! I'm ok with one of those. That bitch was fast. I took my two shots quick and got on with it. Started the match on Stage 8. I was the first shooter. it was a HORRIBLE way to begin. In vid above it begins at 2:15. First 5 shots were all good, although a little slow. Then on the next array I took 11 rounds for 6 required, and SLOW. Next array was ok, but then the gun decided not to feed... after activating a set of movers. Hit the swinger but all that was left of the clam shell was the top 1/2 of the head at ~10 yds... took 2A on it, but slow. On the final array I had two more jams. On vid it looks like I just did an extra reload on one of those short-feeds, but I think it fed real slow so I said to hell with that mag... 47 seconds. The match was out the window and it was just 8am...
Following stage I was still flustered. Threw two un-called mikes. On stage 10 I decided I needed to get back into it. I took it conservative, but got all my hits [and finished 6th on that stage!].
I got back into it and shot the next 6 well, but stage 5 bit me hard. I let non-shooting crap get into my head. I was making ready and it was realized my score sheet was lost. I knew I handed it in [and my sticker was gone] so we had to get that squared away. I rushed my second make ready and was trying to remember my plan sitting on the pot (yea, the stage was "Latrine Swing"). I messed up my plan, mis-timed the movers, and had two mikes. I was seriously pissed... at myself for not having the brains to ask to shuffle down a couple shooters and get ready again, or at least ask for time... I blame heat/hunger/tiredness/stupidity...
I had some water and some fruit and a protein bar and got my head back into it and shot the last two solid. I was surprised I ended up placing as well as I did. I wasn't expecting a top 15 by 9am.
So... about the shooting...
I seem to have improved the problem with my grip. I shot empty 3 or 4 times (a couple by plan) and each time the gun locked back, so I seem to be off the controls. I had a failure to feed on a SLR on stage 2.
I felt a lack of confidence shooting on the move. I think it shows on the vid. I thought I had been doing much better at it recently, including the last local match where I was really aggressive on the move, but I was timid this weekend.
Equipment problems suck. 4 feed failures in this match. Should have kept tract of the mags, maybe one is getting bad? Recoil spring is new. Gun was cleaned (I actually think that's the problem!
). I hate not having 100% confidence in my equipment... that G34 is looking better and better. 
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Burkett's timing drills are essentially metronome drills... I don't see anyone complaining that they inspire cadence shooting. Rather than shooting with a metronome, you're goal is to BE the metronome, but otherwise there's not much difference. The drill has you shooting 2s splits, 1s splits, 0.5s splits, 0.25s splits. I sometimes add 0.20 for fun. 0.25s splits = 240 bpm.
The timing drills, imo, help speed up the vision since you are going to make the gun go off at the required split, ready or not. So you have to learn to track the FS and to align the sights. I don't see what's being proposed here as more than a variation on Burkett's drill.
Be open to everything that's happening and let us know how it goes.....
-rvb
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rvb
in Range Diary
Shot PD at Angola yesterday....
That was how I want to shoot A5.
It's always good to go into a major having just completed a rock solid practice or local.
Actually kept my head on straight for the classifier, too:
99-62, Bang and Clang. I shot it with A/C on the paper, in 2.82. HF = 9.9291.
I pulled the C transitioning off to the steel. I called it right on the line, and it missed the line by about 1/4".
On one of the short courses, I had a make-up on steel. On the other short course, I smoked the two poppers but put a couple of deltas on paper. A couple of the courses had good oportunities for shooting on the move. I took those as hard as I could, really trying to haul butt. Put up a lot of A/C on target but was happy with how that went. My shooting on the move really helped my times. On the longer courses I was right there with the open guys.
Darin's stage had good practice shooting through ports. Targets were close but spread wide. I was really happy how well I set up on the first target in each port, then hit the second while hustlin to the next target.
Had 4 Ds on the match. No penalties. Shot 83% of the points. I'd have liked that to be higher, but I'm still happy w/ the match.
Did the scores for the first time last night. Should go faster next time (I hope). I figured out the shortcuts when entering scores so I don't have to reach for the mouse so much. Plus I had to import the shooter db and figure out how to upload everything...
-rvb
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rvb
in Range Diary
On Thursday I spent about 2.5 hours at the range, production rig. 500 rounds (250 of 115gr, 250 of 147 ball).
Started off with timing drills. 160 rounds. Things really felt good at this point. Even did an extra 20-round set at .20 splits and all but one were in the A, grouped hand sized(10 yds). I feel like my shot calling and control has improved w/ the irons. I -knew- where every round went...
I moved on to the Double Draw Master. This is where the practice started to go down hill.
(all minor)
1) relaxed: 12 shots, 9A/2C/1D = 52 points.
Then, in retrospect, I let the tension and the "trying" in.
2) surrender: 12 shots, 4A/4C/3D/1M[!] = 35 points.
3) relaxed: 12 shots, 5A/7C = 46 points.
4) surrender: 12 shots 4A/7C/1D = 42 points
On the surface it looks like minor improvement from last time, but I was disappointed and expecting more. Was hoping to be consistently in low 50s. I did a few more sets than that, but they were all lost due to 1) forgetting to clear the timer and 2) needing to adjust the sensitivity on the timer, it was picking up sonic cracks (at one point I thought I had 3 mikes because the timer had 3 extra shots! That added to my frustration.
El-Prez.
I ran this 4 times (actually 6, but I'm an idiot and didn't manage mags well... came up empty a couple times). I decided to focus on points, so the times aren't stellar. Unfortunately, neither were the points.
1) 5.03 -8 = 10.34HF
2) 5.04 -6 = 10.71
3) 4.91 -12= 9.77 [Right target was -10, 3C/1D. The group was nice, just on the C/D line
]4) 4.95 -6 = 10.91 Had a bad reload (1.75, probably an extra .25) This felt like a good relaxed run otherwise, but I let the bad reload stick in my brain.
99-23 Front sight.
Almost embarrassed to put up my numbers. By now I was just pissed at myself. Both times and points suck. Practice was spiraling.
1) 2.56/2.43 -8
2) 2.34/2.39 -16
3) 2.61/2.54 -12
Continued on with some groups, a little SHO/WHO, some bill drills.
Was very flustered by the time I left, but I ended on a good note. I did 1/2 dozen or so 7 yd uprange/surrender starts. Best was 1.01. Worst was 1.2. Why couldn't I come even close to that in the rest of practice? Ah, because I wasn't "trying" to go fast, just execute and keep my focus on what I was doing.
Over-all ... a waste of about 350 rounds....
oh well.
Match at Angola this weekend. I get to figure out this score-keeper nonsense (sorry, everyone if it takes me an extra day.)
[Homer Simpson] It's my first day! [/Homer Simpson].
I'm hoping to stick around after the match and get 100 rounds of practice in to get the bad taste of yesterday's practice out of my mouth.
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can you imagine our sport where winners would come home with a big fat check. ... can you in vision making a living shooting,... youngsters who win, get a check that goes towards thier college fund.
Why isn't that happening in Steel Challenge then? It's about as PC as speed shooting can get, even has .22. It's much more TV and spectator friendly, too. Now that it's owned by USPSA, it seems that would be the venue to test these sponsorship theories. If it's not happening there, it won't happen in USPSA.
I just looked at the SC sponsors list (sponsors). Didn't see any non-gun-related sponsors*, except maybe Outdoor Channel, that's border-line.
I'd love to see all those things you mention, too. But it's going to take a culture change. Us changing targets won't do it, I'm afraid. All we do is compromise our sport, and risk alienating those members who participate specifically because of it's defensive roots.
When SC adds a new stage, "Cell Hop," sponsored by Verizon Wireless (stage winner getting a 4-5 digit cash prize), THEN we can talk about it in uspsa...
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* edit: did find a couple of "contributors." Was just looking at the pictures before (how I'm used to reading). Certainly not major sponsorship, though.
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maybe a small-scale local earthquake? You used the garbage disposal?
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Thanks for all the info, fellas. (and thanks Beebs for letting me tag along on your thread).
I came into this thread about 51/49 in favor of the triangle over the german cross hairs. I think now it's about 75/25. Hopefully I can look through a couple before I'm ready to buy (still building the rifle it'll go on. It'll be a while...).
-rvb
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rvb
in Range Diary
Man, you should have said something. I have a large primer system for a 550 just sitting in the drawer.
Thanks Bill, but Dillon took good care of me. Lg primer setup came w/ the press but just hadn't used it until a year or so ago. Hole in the slide for the punch was drilled out of square causing the punch to drag on the tube housing. Fought it for a couple thousand rounds thinking I didn't have something tweaked right. A phone call was all it took once I realized I wasn't the problem [for once].
-rvb
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rvb
in Range Diary
Had a good practice last night. 1hr+15min. was smashing my pars when pushing the mechanics, and felt I was getting all As at my pars. One of those nights you dont want to stop practicing.
Cant wait to have you in the SS world soon
need to get a couple more mag pouches, and do some work on the ones I have. I did get a new large primer slide for my 550 so I can get cranking on some ammo w/o having to manually work the primer system on each round.
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sure, each month each hhf could be adjusted based on the best score posted... That would make all the classes harder to get in to. But with only 1-2 percetile of shooters making GM, would that be a good thing? How small do we want to make the upper classes? What's the goal of the system, and is it not being met?
The only problem currently, imo, with the system (and it's pretty minor) is the disparity between classifiers. Some are relatively "easy" and some you have to wonder if anyone has ever hit 100%. Sometimes moving up in class depends on getting a lucky string of classifier...
As for not automatically moving people down, the reason should be obvious... "gee, there's a big prize-table match coming up... maybe I'll toss a mike on the next couple of classifiers..."
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4moa at 4x. at 100 yds approx. 4"
Thank you.
So what does that mean at 1x? Is it still 4moa, or does the triangle stay fixed and is therefore 16 moa at 1x?
If you zero on the tip, is it still zero'd there for both settings?
I appreciate the feedback. This is on my short-list of scopes I want.
I've been digging through the forum the last few weeks and haven't been able to find those questions answered.
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anyone know the size of the triangle?
thanks,
-rvb
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rvb
in Range Diary
sent my slot to the open nats back to Sedro Woolley today...
sure wish I had unlimited budget and vacation.
maybe someday...
-rvb
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rvb
in Range Diary
I've been trying to identify things I need to work on.
I identified what I think are two key and related items.
I went back to my videos and, sho'nuf, I see these problems have been there for some time.
1) eliminate extra shots
2) lower my grip to not interfere with controls.
These issues absolutely killed my score at the IN SS/PD match. My shot calling has dramatically improved over the last couple years, such that I am now making up not just mikes but Ds, as well as shots that are just barely outside of the A and into NS or hardcover. In itself, an extra shot is no big deal; but coupled with a 10-round array, these extra shots are causing my gun to run dry. ... ok... so what, right? Well, my grip is too high and I interefere w/ the slide lock. I would guess about 6 times during the SS/PD match I ran the gun dry and got the dreaded "click" on the next array, even after reloading the gun. When the gun locks back, my brain realizes I need to do something. The other side of the coin is training my subconscious to know the gun is empty in those situations. But when there are several targets between the makeup and the reload, my feeble brain forgets.
So while I should focus on those details, the real root cause of the problem is needing extra shots to begin with. So that's the goal. No extra shots. Shoot clean, and do it the first time. After all, it takes more time to make it up.
The second issue is currently a problem just because of the slide on the 92 not locking back. But on the 1911 I even sometimes can't keep the safety down (never a problem on the 2011 though). I've been working on lowering the grip lately, and I feel more consistent when I get it right, and I don't feel I have to reach down with the trigger finger.
I think after the majors in June are done I'll switch to SS. That'll force me to fix my grip, and put on extra pressure to not make extra shots...
-rvb
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rvb
in Range Diary
Basically took the weekend off from practice. Too much else going on with the holiday. Did get in 1/2-hr DF last night, but it was late and I wasn't in to it, forcing myself to do it. Couldn't hit one of my baseline pars to save my life. Very tense. Hopefully tonight will go better. Will try to start before midnight....
Did get to the range on Saturday w/ my Dad for about 3 hours. We hadn't shot together in a long time. He brought out a couple of his old revos and I took my carry guns and my SBR'd/silenced 9mm AR. Mainly just shot for groups or rang steel. I did sneek in a little shooting on the move practice w/ the .45.
I shot my best groups yet w/ the snubby 642. at 7 yds I put 3 of 5 on a paster. The other two were w/in 1/2". Shooting the snubby close and fast, I short-stroked the trigger a couple times. I should get back into dryfiring that somewhat regularly.
Hoping I can get an afternoon off this week to practice before A5...
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Does anyone have a list of what the classifier entails?
There are no sanctioned clubs locally but Id be interested to know the details.
idpa.com has the rulebook. classifier description starts on pg 66.
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Had FIVE MIKES. 
What the Crap?! I'm ok with one of those. That bitch was fast. I took my two shots quick and got on with it. 
). I hate not having 100% confidence in my equipment... that G34 is looking better and better. 
pushing the gun down during rapid fire
in Little things I've Noticed
Posted · Edited by rvb
I know this is just more or less "semantics" and "words," but I don't consider what's described above as a "flinch."
I often say a flinch is what happens before the shot breaks. Propper timing is what happens after. Flinching is a result of fear; timing is a result of control.
Merriam-Webster: flinch : to withdraw or shrink from or as if from pain.
I don't think this definition really describes what's happening post-ignition...
As for the part I put in italics, I think if you loaded a mag and said the 5th round is a dummy and made me shoot .15 splits, yea, I might still push the gun down on it... but again out of anticipation/expectation of timing it [post-click], not that I'd have thrown the shot with a flinch.
That said, I agree everyone flinches from time to time. It's kind of a human nature thing that we work to suppress. You can shoot with the idea of not knowing exactly when a shot will break, but ultimately you know that it will.
-rvb