Calamity Jane

Heya Jane...awesome videos! What software do you need to create that? I thought I was the lone ranger...right-handed shooter and left-eye dominant. Do you turn your head slightly to the right? ~Nanci~ My son gets all the credit for my movie making. We sent him to a YMCA camp last summer and he learned a lot about producing a video. We use Adobe Premier to make our videos because that is the program he learned at camp. However, Microsoft has a movie maker that will work also. So we use a firewire to download the video into the computer, make the video, and then post it on Google image. Pretty fun stuff when you've got a 14 year old doing all the work Nope I don't turn my head to the right. I bring the gun to my left eye. The scotch tape on the right eye makes this a lot easier to do. A little dry fire and this becomes natural. I actually had some people try to tell me that I should train my right eye to be dominant. I don't agree with this. I am what I am and that is left eye dominant. I don't have the tape anymore with my open gun, but I am still shooting with my left eye. Jane That's, uh, "hubby Dave's fault", right??? Yep the hubby! He's too busy to read this right now...but when he does...I'm sure he will post. Can you believe he actually tried to show me how to clean the 550? He actually thinks I'm going to clean it! He even made me take notes on how to do it You're talking about a woman who didn't change the oil in her car for 2 years!! OK I was in college at the time and I didn't know any better. I love him

Live Fire Temp 50 degrees Sunny sky Group shoot (60) Single shot draw (40) Double tap draw (40) Moove and Groove (60) 15 yard steel (20) Reloads (40) Total rounds 260 We've been having some bad weather here in Indiana so having a sunny day to shoot today was a real blessing. Today's practice focus was really to just shoot and observe. I'm still getting to know my gun. I used a "V" formation target structure. I set up one target at 25 yards, 2 targets right and left at 15 yards and 2 targets right and left a 10 yards. This allows me to do a bunch of stuff without moving the targets. Group shoot Shot 4 round groups at all distances. Also included in this was strong hand at 15 yards and weak hand at 10 yards. Single shot draws Draw to all distances Double tap draw Draw to all distances, 2 shots Moove and Groove Draw to 25 yard target, reload, move down center of V and engage 10 yard and 15 yard targets on the move. 15 yard steel We have some home made poppers that are 6 inches wide and about 30 inches tall. Draw and sweep the 4 poppers. Reloads Draw to 10 yard target and reload. I was running in the 1.40's today. It was akward. I couldn't get the smooth groove I had when I hit that 1.23. What I learned I'm still shooting N350. In the next couple of weeks I want to run some 3N38 loads through my gun. I think there may be a better load out there for me. I can shoot what I've got, but I think there may be more to improve on. I need to find out. I was shooting Moove and Groove having a great time...because that's how I like to shoot. Then I had a light bulb moment and realized that I was spraying brass all over the range!!! At that moment I was truly conflicted. The shooter in me wanted to move and groove, the reloader in me wanted to find every piece of brass. I actually thought about how I could shoot it so my brass would fly to the same place. This is not good. Stage design and strategy based on brass recovery. What am I turning into? It's all Dave's fault! Going to a match this weekend. Taking my coveralls because it may snow! I'm going to focus on shooting well which means shooting what I can see. If I'm slower than the other folks....Oh well. I need to find my own speed and see where I'm at. I can only do that if I shoot what I can see. I better clarify that statement. On the practice range I'm all for pushing it to the max to see where I'm at BUT in competition I believe you should shoot only what you can see. That's just MHO. Want to post some live fire video soon. I also want to show me trying to do a 1 second reload in dry fire...it's pretty funny.

I was expecting this. This is not abnormal for her condition. Hang in there.

IMO the barricade had nothing to do with it. You missed steel and that was the difference. When I miss steel it is ALWAYS because my focus was on the steel and not the front sight. For me shooting steel requires and extra hard focus on the front sight. I really enjoy watching video of you with your buddies. It always makes me smile.

Mental Management Being A Turtle In A Rabbit Paced World I like the story of "The Tortoise and the Hare". The moral of the story is slow and steady wins the race. This has been a tremendously hard lesson for me to learn in my life because I AM A RABBIT! It's fun to live life fast and furious until you can't go anymore. I know because I've done it. I've often told people I have two speeds....full speed and no speed. So this concept of "eating the elephant one bite at a time" is really an exercise in trying to live a turtle's life. It's not easy trying to be a turtle when you're really a rabbit. I've been thinking today about why that is. I've come to this conclusion. To be slow and steady and win the race requires three things: patience, perseverence and faith. My plates are spinning out of control right now and it's a disappointment to me. When things get out of control sometimes I have to stop. I hate stopping because it's easier to keep everything spinning than to let everything fall down and start again. (insert deep sigh) So I'm going to choose to cling to patience, perseverence and faith to make it through this bump in the road. Patience: I may not have met all the goals I wanted to these first two weeks in April, but I am on track with my overall goals. There is still time to develop all I need to develop. The last 2 weeks will not prevent me from achieving my goals. Hang on to big picture thinking and don't get discouraged with the immediate disappointments. Perseverence: Salvage what you can. Make a new plan to fit what is going on with you right now. Don't be rigid. Love yourself, forgive yourself and be flexible. Faith: Believe in what you can not see. I can't see that I'm going to acheive my goals, but I believe that I will. I believe that slow and steady is going to win the race.

graduating from medschool I've not yet begun training in a consistant manner, either dry-fire or at the range. I am joining a local private range, Norfolk County Rifle Range, which would give me a 24hour/day place to train live fire for at least the next year. My next step for dry-fire practice will probably be learning WHAT and HOW to practice, as I don't really know the best drills or how to be efficient or effective with dry-fire training. I'm very open to suggestion on resources in this department, and I still need to look up the the FAQ's for this as well. Overall, I find that I can attain any goal I set and really strive for, within reason. Without any innate or early developed skills as a musician, I don't expect to ever I think you already know what to do. You're going to be doctor. This tells me: you don't like to be told what to do, you like to lead and be in charge, you think you're always right, you're a high achiever, and obviously you have set goals in your life. (that was the ICU nurse in me talking) It sounds like dry fire will most likely give you the biggest "bang for the buck". They are right about Steve Anderson's book (first one) It gives you ideas and direction for putting a dry fire practice together. Other awesome books are Saul Kirsch's book "Thinking Practical Shooting" and also "Perfect Practice" These are must have books. I also would suggest finding a shooting buddy. I know my own personal development has greatly been enhanced by those I shoot and train with. Don't let the classification system define who you are as a shooter. I avoid saying "I'm a X class shooter" I always say I'm becoming a (class higher than I am) shooter. The becoming is more powerful mentally than the arriving. You are on the road to becoming...embrace that.

Thinking of you and your Mom and praying that you have a competent and caring nurse to help you through this difficult time.

That gun is sexy!!

AAHHH Self loathing. Been there and done that. Hang in there! Hope the rant has helped clear your mind.

OK it can be done. Just did 100 rounds in 12 minutes (and that wasn't even trying) 600 in an hour is possible. Naw...I'm not competitive.....just observing the time as I was loading.

WAY TO GO!!!! KEEP IT UP!!! I'm so proud of you!!!! I'm a nurse who takes care of patients that have had the bypass sugery.....it doesn't always go well. SO I'm glad to see you making such positive changes in your life. We need to have a clapping hands icon!! Jane

First of all...Do you do everything fast??? 600 rounds in an hour?? Come on??? I'm sure I won't be able to catch you in reloading. You win. I forgot to tell you all this... Mr. Ball was on his exercise bike this morning while I was reloading and he got off of it in mid workout because he didn't like all the noise I was making with his 550. Apparently I was pulling the handle down too hard making a loud noise that bothered him greatly. Hummmm. Pulling the handle too hard bothers him.....maybe this is the out I've been looking for. Just kidding. There's no turning back. I'm a "reloader". I was judging my gun at 15 yards. The dot stays in the A zone at 15 yards all the way up to .25 splits. So that's flat?? How am I supposed to know what is what....I have NO experience. Glad I have you BE'ers to help me out. You're probably right about the 1 second reload. I probably don't need it, but it's so fun to try...and then ofcourse post it. I'm going to try to record some times at different distances so I can see where I need to work. That will probably be my next trip to the range.

Got up this morning and loaded 200 rounds. Took 300 rounds to the range this afternoon and shot them all. OUCH!!! Does it get easier? Every bullet fired is another one I have to reload. I still haven't adjusted to the pain of that Anyway, this is what I learned today. I did the Burkett timing drills. My gun does not shoot flat with the N350 load. However, the red dot bounces up and down inside the A zone and it returns quickly and consistently. I shoot tighter groups with a firmer grip and a good aggressive stance. I can see .19 splits at 10 yards and get A's consistently. If I push faster (.14, .15, .17 splits) my shots spray and I can't see them. Before I get a lecture on how I shouldn't be shooting .14, .15, .17 splits if I can't see them...let me explain. I think there are two schools of thought on speed. "Let the speed come to you" is probably the most wise and most promoted school of thought. Then there is the not so popular and probably unwise shcool of thought called "push it to the max and see what you can do". I spent several years in the first school before I decided to transfer to the second. Last year I made it a point to just shoot bill drills as fast as I could just to learn what speed looked like. My thought was "You have to shoot fast to learn fast" It helped me learn. So today I pushed it untill I couldn't see it and now I know where the line is. XRE motivated me to see where my reload time was. He posted this super human time and I was curious how close I could get. My best today was a 1.23 reload. That was at 10 yards with an A on the draw and an A following the reload. I think I would like to get to a 1 second reload. I'm going to make that my first reload goal. One thing I know for certain...you can NOT obtain those super speeds if you bring the gun down! More work in dry fire for me. Back to the reloading bench for more ammo.... BTW...Nik....glad you see things like me.

That is INSANELY FAST +1 I'm going to start calling you "The Breeze" (Lynyrd Skynyrd)

Avoid "slowing down". Instead, just let the dot be your speedometer - break the shot when its in the A-zone. If you consistently do that, as soon as the dot is there, you'll be shooting at the quickest pace you are capable... Yeah, but if I do that I'm shooting just a tiny bit faster than my limited gun. Cheely tried to warn me about this. He said that I would be slow at first but the speed would come. I got a little impatient today. Sammy Hagar says it best "I can't drive 55!". I'm impatient for the time when I can really run and gun. I'm hungry for the power, speed and accuracy to come together...sort of like the Lanny circles...for all 3 of those things to be perfectly balanced in my shooting. When the circles line up and are equal it is an intoxicating feeling! I'm craving that. The trouble is I've got more work to do. I need to learn how to walk, trot and canter my throughbred before I take her out for a full gallop. This is a difficult concept for my personality ESPECIALY WHEN EVERYONE ELSE CAN GALLOP! That is one reason this sport is good for me. It forces me to work on areas of myself that are weak. I've got powder. The plan is to get loaded this week and do the Burkett timing drills.

Gone in 60 Seconds If I gave you keys to a very fast car (insert your favorite fast car here) and I instructed you to drive it at 55 mph, would you be able to do it???? Yeah, me neither. When you have something built for speed it's hard not to let her rip. So it isn't that big of a surprise that on my first stage today I got a little carried away. With 300 rounds under my belt and a few weeks of dry fire, I tried to shoot a little too fast. The result was one mike and poor points on my first stage. Things got a little better as I made myself slow down. Shooting fast is fun, but it looses a little of it's luster when the red dot misses the A zone. I'm looking forward to the day when I can deliver power, speed and accuracy. Not there yet. The good news was I shot 5 stages and didn't lose the dot. The dry fire must be working. Great day, great friends, left the range with a big smile on my face What do I need? Slow down, be patient, and shoot more rounds down range.

No can do Z. As much as I like to tease, make fun of, mock...it's all in good fun and with respect. I think he was really having some fun with me and it was HILARIOUS!!!! I will continue to try to convert him...but it may take more time...because he has all his super secret delusions to overcome.

March Goal Summary It's the end of the month and time to evaluate where I'm at with my goals. I'd like to start out with some accomplishments for the month. Accomplishments Received my brand new, awesome, sweet, totally cool, open gun Found a workable load to run in my gun (N350) Developed dry fire confidence using the dot Refined one aspect of my draw (thanks again Matt Cheely) Identified the importance of shoulder relaxation Got one shooting glove off of my hand (right hand) Began loading my own loads Plate Rack Evaluation To review my plates are: spiritual, family, work, exercise, and shooting. I use the analogy of plates…because these are the plates I have to keep spinning on a daily basis. These are the things that are most important to me and provide me with the balance I need to live well. I've set goals in each area. I'm only sharing the exercise and shooting goals in my range diary. Exercise Swim (goal 2 x's week) 100% compliant Nordic track ski (goal 4 x's week) 81% compliant Stretching (goals 7 x's week) 71% compliant Pilates (goal 3 x's week) 100% compliant Lifting (goal 2 x's week) 100% compliant Shooting Dry Fire (goal 4 x's week) 100% compliant Live Fire (goal 1 x week) 100% compliant I need to put this data in context. I've said before that I'm eating an elephant one bite at a time. So I've really broken all this up into small bites. For example: when I say Pilates 3 x's a week…that means I'm doing a 10 minute Pilate workout on video. All I have time for is 10 minutes. I figure 10 minutes is better than nothing. The Nordic track…all I have time for is 20 to 30 minutes. Dry fire…that is 30 minutes. I've changed the way I'm lifting because of time. I'm using dumb bells and doing exercises that work multiple parts of the body at one time. For example, I'll do a step up and bicep curl at the same time…then raise the weights above my head for a military press….I've done 3 different muscle groups in one movement. Looking Ahead Here is a list of things I'll be working on in April Load development (3N38 will be the next load to try) MORE ROUNDS DOWN RANGE (need to learn how to shoot my new gun) Record times (draws, splits, bill drill times etc.) Movement work (I'm really looking forward to working on this!!) Add a heart monitor to aerobic workouts (want to make sure I'm getting the most out of my 20-30 min workouts) Increase weights in my lifting (need to purchase some more weights) Re-evaluate my stretching goals (need to either adjust goal or do better) Shooting my first match on Sunday with my new gun. I'm very excited about it. I've shot 3 matches with an open gun. All the guns have been borrowed (thanks to all BTW) But this match will be with MY GUN!!!! I've already got a smile on my face thinking about it. I'm sure the South Central boys will try to wipe that smile off my face.

That is so darn funny!! My poor friend thinks my laughter mocked him! He doesn't know the mocking has just begun!

Oh MY GOSH!!! YOU ARE RIGHT!!!! It is GUNSIGHT!!!! SO sorry...my bad!!

Love the pics of the guns! What fun you will have!!

I have been trying to get a friend of mine to shoot USPSA/IPSC matches. He has always been reluctant because he is more interested in the defensive aspects of shooting. He has taken several Gun Sight Defensive pistol classes. So today, I tried once again to persuade him to come out and try action pistol shooting and this is what he tells me....It goes something like this...."I can't shoot in public because I'm specially trained. I would have to get permission to come out and shoot." At this point I start laughing uncontrollably. He looks at me all serious and says that he truly can't shoot in public because he might expose some super secret gun training that he has received. Again I bust a gut laughing. He says, "You're mocking me with your laughter." I told him I would check out his story and if indeed there was merit to it I would eat the "humble pie". Then I explained to him that there is nothing super secret about pointing a gun at a brown paper target and pulling the trigger. OK so does his story hold water??? For those of you who have taken Gun Sight Courses...is there some super secret gun handling that can't be displayed in public? BTW....I'm only mocking the fact my friend can't shoot in public.....I'm not mocking Gun Sight. I was out in Arizona last year and visited Gun Sight! It is awesome. AND IMO Col Jeff Cooper was to guns what John Wayne was to westerns. I have the greatest admiration and respect for the extraordinary man that he was. The only thing keeping me from a Gun Sight Course is $$$$$$

OK I'll relax and "just do it". It's hard to sort out which details REALLY matter. For example: shoulder tension really matters. BUT perhaps how you find the next plate on the plate rack...not so much. As usual...thanks.

I don't care who you are....that's funny. XRE, When I look at the next plate...1/2 of the plate is inside of the lense of the scope and 1/2 of the plate is on the outside of the rim of the scope. Do my eyes find the plate inside the lense...or go outside the lense? Do you hunt for targets inside the lense when they are close to the target you just engaged? OK I know I'm being very detailed oriented....it's part of my up tight ICU nurse nature.

I have a question. I was dry firing a paper plate rack tonight and the plates are fairly close together. I was trying to move my eyes first and then bring the gun to the plate. However, I wasn't sure whether to look through the cmore lense or around it. To look around it seemed awkward...looking through it made it seem like I was moving my eyes with the gun instead of ahead of the gun. OK How do you shoot a plate rack with a Cmore?