CZ52GUY

We hosted a Steel Challenge Regional last year with a "Leatherslap" Side Match. Sevigny won it with his open gun with times in the low .8's. The better local shooters got into the .9's...COF was 5 attempts at an 8" steel plate from 7yds. I was busy compiling scores but went out the next day with a G19 in a Comp-Tac paddle and got to .89-.91. My personal best is .86, I'm comfortable with 1.1's to 1.2's to start a scenario with a target which can be engaged from the starting box in the 7-10yd distance range. I've routinely do what I call "hyper-speed" practice both live-fire and dry-fire (Airsoft too). I do it for HG draws and mount drills with SG/Carbine (PB for long gun is .42 buzzer to bang which I've done more than once...I figure I should be under .50 with long gun for up close targets). The value of these drills for me is less about the "Marshall Dillon" factor than it is about training my mind to go faster. You have to be careful not to overdue it (at least that's been my experience) because it can encourage sloppiness and excess "excitability". However, doing some "hyper-speed" and then running a few scenarios seems to get the old brain chugging at a good clip and I find my target recognition/transitions/reloads, etc. all go a bit quicker...it's like tuning the neural pathways. One factor on the draw in particular I discovered through video analysis is "buzzer recognition". National Geographic Channel had an interesting Fight Science episode with some Special Forces types and a Krav Maga practitioner did a disarm by getting inside the OODA loop of a perp (simulated exercise) that had him covered at arms length using a one hand hold. They said the average human reaction time to a threat condition was .25 seconds. The Operator had the HG out of his face before the "perp-actor" could press the trigger. Time from initial movement to contact with the HG was .12. Similarly, buzzer recognition times can significantly influence net draw results. My hands probably aren't that fast but I can routinely run airsoft draws (even out of an IWB) in the .90 + or - a hundredth because my buzzer recognition is pretty good...slowing the speed down to 1/4 normal and then doing individual frame advances I see my hands start to move from a surrender position in about .12 - .14 (this isn't syncing up to a predictable start, but with a random delay). Also, some new shooters tend to wait for the buzzer to stop sounding (up to .3) which is a habit to be cleansed from technique. Finally, it's easy to "sync" up to the timer in dry-fire or live-fire...try to set a stretch goal in draw practice of at least .1 faster than you expect to be able to go...over time it can "pull you forward" with better time, and to avoid pointing sloppiness, aim at something small (I typically use a paster about 3/4" square). Good luck! CZ52'

Some general comments: I've had good luck with the KWA GBB (Gas Blow-Back) guns sticking with the Glocks (G17, G23FA, G26FA). Silicon is your friend and you'll find that you need to apply it (similar to break-free with real steel). I had some bad luck with the GBB mag' hitting concrete floor...either some sort of mattress arrangement for slide-lock reloads or stick to a type of retention reload...the mag's are about double the cost of the real thing for KWA compatibles. UTG makes a decent cheap Spring Shotgun (mag' feed, but you get to pump and shoot without need for any gas). I like the ECHO1 Marui clones as an affordable AEG but handle with kid gloves...not 100% rugged, but gets the job done. The plastic reset targets seem to be sensitive inside 4 yards or above 300 FPS (I've broken several). I've made some mesh BB-Traps and printed 8.5x11 targets which work well. The Sticky Targets aren't too bad either but have had some mixed results. pyramidair.com has had the best Green Gas prices (I've gotten for $7.90 per bottle and it's free shipping for an order over $150). I've used AirsoftAtlanta.com for the guns (used to use Depot53.com but they have or soon will be off-line for on-line business). Overall, it's a great way to get some trigger time when the berms freeze. In general I've found with the KWA's that they are slightly larger then real steel and I have to make some minor adjustments to the Holster. I really enjoy indoor SG/Carbine practice with the BB's (as mentioned in another post, FA Airsoft Carbine is about as much fun as you can have without the Tax Stamp ). For those that combine Competition with a bit of "Martial Artist" in your shooting...the ability to do some 360 work can be an interesting change of pace from the 180 range...similarly with low light opportunities pretty much at your discretion. Finally, I've used my video camera, some mid-level video editing software and a decent player to do some super slo-mo analysis which has given me a perspective on my shooting I never had before. Safe shooting, CZ52' p.s. One advantage for the novice or emerging shooter...most have a bit of flinch in their technique...airsoft helps take that out of the equation with enough practice. Going back to slinging real lead into cardboard requires an adjustment, but I'm typically re-calibrated after two or three strings at most.

Very Cool!! I started using Airsoft last winter (our range frequently closes because of berms frozen solid with ice). I've moved on from the obligatory HG to SG and M4 also (FA Airsoft is about as much fun as you can have without a Tax Stamp ). Love the looks of that Table Top rack with the 1/3 Poppers...can you tell me the overall width? Thanks in advance, CZ52'

From a fat old guy who can usually keep up with the fast young fish in my pond. To amplify what Lurper said, Economy of Motion is both physical and mental. Physically, your speed will improve as you trim the fat out of your technique. Avoid waisted motion. Really work hard on making every point smooth and direct without need for much adjustment (dry-fire, dry-fire, dry-fire). Make your reloads crisp and snap right back up onto target. Pay attention to where your hands are as you navigate a course. The higher your rested ready the better. Mentally, learn to dope the course. Find the most efficient path from shooting position to shooting position. MOST IMPORTANTLY for me, was to get my mind off of a target already engaged. You really can't outquick your brain. No matter how fast your splits, or how fast your feet, if your brain is still on the last target, you're not going to efficiently move through a course of fire to the next engagement opportunity. A lot of guys talk about the hand-eye coordination so that the engagement is instinctive and efficient. Lurper described it as a hard-wire from the eyes to the trigger finger. For me, I think about it slightly different. I see the course in front of me, and it's about subconscious VERIFICATION and execution vs. conscious reaction and execution. Yeah, my eyes see the threat target and the sights, but it's not a conscious act of seeing. It's more recognizing the expected and acting. Verify-bang, bang. Drive the gun with sights up ready to go. I expect we're doing similar things but may describe it in a sligthly different way. My experience...I tried to make myself fast and couldn't. I finally realized that I needed to make myself good, try to avoid being out-shot by my competition, and now I'm reasonably fast. Perspective, patience, diligence...for me shooting is a long term investment, not a quick turnaround day-trade. Good luck, CZ52'

I was on a yo-yo for a while. I was one of the guys that needed to move the needle toward abandon http://www.brianenos.com/pages/words.html#speed, my teacher spent some time with me helping me "let go", and to feel what it was like to really move. My problem, was that I had difficulty moving the needle back to control when I needed to. I went through a period of nearly 6 months where I sort of coasted. I focused on good hits and efficiency, but deliberately tried to avoid pushing. I finally reached the point where I could move the control/abandon needle with purpose, and understand what circumstances called for what setting. I deliberately set up practice stages that made me change speeds. I still have the occasional "stage wrecker" target, but I've also tried to learn some perspective. Like the streak shooter in hoops, you always gotta believe the next shot is going right where it's supposed to. You need to back up that belief with solid technique, but inconsistency can make you doubt your way out of hits you should be able to make. One way I've found to "beat the yo-yo" is to focus on some of the mental conditioning aspects of shooting. I'm a big fan of the OODA loop (Wikipedia has a good reference article), but for practical shooting I've tried to make it more instinctive and running in the background. Boyd's OODA Loop = Observe, Orient, Decide, Act, repeat. For practical shooting I try to make sure that observation is more verification than conscious scanning. Orientation should become more instinctive, like the athlete that instinctively reacts to the situation in front of them and positions their body and limbs to make the play. Decision cycles should be very quick but retaining the capability to alter approach based on conditions in front of you. Act is the skillful execution of technique honed over time, believing that the efforts put in practice will yield the results desired (don't fret during a run, don't gaze at targets wondering if they got hit). Believe in your ability to call the shot and make up the ones that need making up (and only those shots). Get into the repeat mode quickly...believe in your technique, get your hits, and MOVE ON. A stage run while believing (with cause) will be faster and more accurate than one which is pre-programmed (God-forbid you have to make a change mid-course) or a my gosh that last stage really sucked so you crawl through hoping to get hits and are so frazzled you still get a lousy score. You can't believe your way into good technique that has never been acquired, but you sure can doubt your way into a miss that your technique should have got you a perfect hit. My 2 cents...adjusted for inflation Safe shooting, CZ52'

Using your sequience and labels, my teacher calls the 4 step approach "dwelling" (or surveying the sights before engaging the trigger or excessive sight survey prior to trigger press). The 3 step approach he would describe as prepping the trigger. I was tought a five step draw: 1) Positive grip on the gun 2) Clear the holster 3) Support hand meets up with strong hand and gun 4) Push out to present while prepping trigger (generally real prep for me starts about 3/4 of the way out in the push) 5) Sights on, break the shot I dry-fire by aiming at a piece of black target tape about 3/4" square in the HS zone of an IDPA target with a No-shoot overlapping about 1-1.5" of the threat HS. I'm finally getting into the .8's...hope to get into the .7's by the end of the season. Regarding finger indexing on the slide, that's a GOOD HABIT! When I RO, I'm a stickler about the trigger finger being indexed on the slide when not actively engaging a target. I've done some testing from low ready (more accurately ISI rested ready), and there is ZERO difference between pointing and breaking the shot with finger on trigger or starting indexed on slide. Because I've worked hard to point well, pick up the sights well, and appropriately prep the trigger, there is no "tactical" advantage to premature trigger engagement. There is a HUGE safety advantage to staying off the trigger until you are sights on. Good luck, and safe shooting, CZ52'

I think of it as riding vs. driving. When I first start shooting competitively, I was like a bronco rider holding on for dear life. Now I try to have the mind set of a Formula 1 driver. Intense focus, avoid any debris that may be in my path, braking, turning cleanly, shifting smoothly as important as accelerating fast out of the turn and going flat out pedal to the metal on the straitaway. I don't want the gun leading me around by the nose while I'm running from the devil timer. I'm the driver, I go as fast as I safely can and shoot as fast as I safely can. It's just me and the course, the wind in my face, there is nothing else and no-one else to be concerned about. God forbid there is an unauthorized entry into the course when I'm running it, I KNOW I can shut it down. It took me about a year to realize that and really had to re-learn how to shoot and attack a course of fire. Safe shooting, CZ52'

5/23, Night of Personal Bests .86 Open Carry Draw, validated with a .89 1.30 Double Trouble practice string 5.70 Double Trouble practice stage .14 shot-to-shot hammer split (center hit touching pair on the move) Now if my feet and fat hind end would move, I'd be getting somewhere ;-). CZ52'

Hey Buddy, I expect we can find a way to accommodate you running through one of our "Xtreme" courses next visit . I have found that for me, trigger speed and target transitions are based both on "belief", and reaction and adjustment. Trigger speed for me is primarily belief. If I believe I can make the shot, I can reliably get splits in the .18-.20 range 7yds and in...low .2's out to 10 yards depending on how much down-zero is visible and how awkward the body angle is depending on cover used. It's beyond 10yds and/or body position that can slow my splits as the targets move further back. Adjustment comes in when I feel awkward recoil, or a trigger reset that didn't seem to happen normally. Doesn't happen often as a % of shots overall, but reliably at least a couple times during a practice session and I'm trying to make peace with the idea and just deal with it. Target to target transitions are improving for me as my "pointing skills" improve. One advantage of cold weather and a fairly limited indoor season, is that I can focus on dry-fire and get into a decent routine. Some extended draw, rapid-reload, and simple pointing exercises over last winter seemed to have helped. Over time I've gotten better "calibrated" as to the various distances between targets routinely encountered. The other factor for me with target transitions is to remove as much of the "dwelling phenomenon" from my game as possible for shot 1 on any given target. Draw practice, pointing practice, and positive reinforcement during live-fire practice have given me confidence in the sight picture I see, and the mental awareness to go ahead and press the trigger when sights on is verified. I have miles to go before I would be anywhere near the top shooters, but I feel the progress and I'm working hard to mentally capture the "good stuff", so I recognize it during the course of fire. I'm also trying to make peace with the idea that sometimes "stuff happens", and work on improving my reaction time to employ remedial action as may be necessary. All I can say is that it's coming along, and it feels good to be making progress. Safe Shooting, CZ52'

I think I understand what you mean...it can be too "scripted"...and when it doesn't go according to plan, it can be tough to improvise if you aren't comfortable with the concept. I read an article by a real deal operator that talked about "solving one problem at a time". To some extent, I think that can be applied to competition stages also. Take advantage of the walk-through if available, have a high level plan of how you want to tackle the stage, but don't be so stuck on "the plan" to every detail that you can't improvise when you need to. Murphy is often an uninvited guest to a CoF...need to be ready to deal with him too :-). Safe shooting, CZ52'

I'm curious what you like for appropriate terminology. I often struggle with the right vowels and consonants to string together to appropriately express the concepts I'm encountering as I continue on this journey that I expect will never really end. Thanks, CZ52'

Thanks, although in 20-20 hindsight I think it is more accurate to say "divorcing the tempos" vs. divorcing mental from physical. Obviously, physical skill and clarity of the mind are both important and need to be leveraged in a positive way. It's easy to be stuck on one-speed, run-fast shoot-fast, shoot slower move-slower. Separating the tempo while still making mind and body work in tandem (almost like a dance)...that's what I'm after. Safe shooting, CZ52'

Yeah, I'm a new guy to BE but I've been shooting for a while. I hope I can pitch into the learning experience. By way of disclosure, my competition experience is most closely associated with IDPA, so some of my terminology may require translation to those shooting other formats. Living in the Northeast, the practice facilities available are somewhat different during the Winter than the warm weather months. Difficult footing and heavy clothing tends to slow down the pace, but you can still get several rounds down range to stay as sharp as possible. The adversity of cold weather and heavy clothing can have some advantages, especially in keeping the mind sharp. What I found however when the snow melted off the outdoor ranges, was that I had gotten into a "coasting rhythm". Hits were pretty good, I was attacking practice stages efficiently, but not aggressively. As a upper mid-tier shooter, I'd always admired the top shooters when I ran them as an RO, but found their pace to be FRANTIC, and didn't quite understand how they could mentally focus at that speed. I had a mini-breakthrough last weekend. We've been doing some "Xtreme Practice", I'm sure quite tame for some of you, where practice courses are "over-engineered" outside of typical match fare, based on the philosophy that you practice real hard, you can compete easy. Engaging a threat behind a NS at 15 yds, the RO activated the Mover on first shot and I finally saw the Mover nearly in slow motion. My mind had gotten the jump on the Buzzer and sights on and trigger press was easy. It was a fairly narrow window to engage the Mover, because there was a 2nd threat with No Shoot in parallel. Engage the Mover too soon, shoot through penalty on No-Shoot, similarly if you wait too long. I was mentally ahead of the game so I was waiting on the Mover and got clean hits without penalties. I aggressively engaged the rest of the practice CoF with my mind leading instead of my eyes reacting, moving quickly on the outside and engaging targets rapidly, but surprisingly calm on the inside, giving the Master Shooter practice partner all he could handle (he still got me though :-)). Lesson learned, it really is 90% mental once the basic shooting competency is achieved. I hope to build on that in the coming weeks and turn in better match results as well. Safe Shooting, CZ52'