HeadHunter's Snub Journey

[HeadHunter]

Being a revolver aficionado in general, and snub revolvers in particular, I get tired of hearing that "snubs aren't accurate" and "aren't good for anything." So I decided this year to get really tuned up and shoot as much IDPA as I can with a snub just to see how far the snub can go as a shooting tool. That Bones character is stiff competition for me, so I will have to get as on top of my game as I can.

The gun I have been using is a 2" Model 10-7. I've been shooting it at the local IDPA clubs for quite a while and done pretty well but I have been slacking off on my practice. A good thing is that I enjoy dry fire, so I don't mind doing it regularly. I also recently inherited a bunch of .22LR ammo so I can get in plenty of trigger time with my 317, in addition to my centerfire practice.

So my game plan is to:

1) Shoot at least one, if not two, local IDPA club matches per month. When possible, I will get down to the Steel Challenge match at Griffin as well.

2) Get in at least 3 more Sanctioned matches before the Nationals. I'm signed up for the Alabama this month, which will punch my ticket for the Nationals, but I want to shoot the Southern Regional and Summer Sizzler also. If I can, I'll shoot the Carolina Cup, which is always a great match.

3) Dry fire daily with a variety of the dry fire drills I have created.

4) Live fire at least once per week with dot drills and standard exercises, plus two scenario based COF.

5) Live fire one of former National Standards every other month.

6) Shoot the Classifier on the months I don't shoot a Nat Standards.

7) Teach two J-frame snub classes between now and the Nationals because I learn a lot from teaching them. Academic and intellectual rigor are good for me.

We'll see how far I can take this. I won GA SSR in 2008 with a 3" Model 10 so it should be interesting.

[HeadHunter]

I actually started yesterday by shooting the Cherokee Gun Club IDPA match. I felt pretty good about how I shot it but I had an unusual malfunction that hurt me timewise. No dropped head shots so the dry fire I have been doing is showing results.

After the match, I did a new ball and dummy drill on Protargets' dots. At the Rogers School last year, we had pretty good results using alternating ball and dummy vis-a-vis random B&D, so I set up the drill with 3 live and 3 dummy in the gun. First is dummy. One dummy and one live on each of the upper row at 3 yards. Then same setup on middle row using Strong Hand Only. Finally, the bottom row using Weak Hand Only.

Then I shot some groups at 3 yards with a High Standard Sentinel snub. It has a crummy trigger so going back to a K-frame trigger pull is great afterwards.

I like to shoot some short standard or dot drill after a match to get me back into good trigger manipulation before I leave the range.

[Bill Nesbitt]

Do you have any problems doing reloads with the short ejector rod? Keep us posted on your experiment. Sounds like fun.

[HeadHunter]

No, no problems with the Model 10. Really big difference between a carbon steel gun and a stainless gun. I shot a Model 64 for the last stage and it heated so much more than the Model 10 despite using the same ammunition.

I stole your avatar idea.

Edited April 6, 2010 by HeadHunter

[Flexmoney]

Good luck. Claude. Keep us posted.

[HeadHunter]

Scores for the weekend match were posted. Once again, I was fourth overall.

Based on my points down, I think I will work on decreasing my split and transition times.

Edited April 7, 2010 by HeadHunter

[HeadHunter]

It appears that I won the 2010 Alabama State IDPA Championship in Stock Service Revolver Division.

I was very fortunate to be on a squad with some excellent shooters. Tom Carpenter, Morgan Allen, et al. Their counsel on negotiating the stages was instrumental.

My video is

.

[HeadHunter]

Well, I have been a little slack about keeping up the diary.

Since last, I've shot three matches with snubs; two with my Model 10 and one with a 642.

Video is really helping me analyze my performance. My shooting is pretty good, but moving from position to position, I am underwhelmed by how I do it. Have to work on that.

Had a really good videographer at a couple of matches. Some is here

I also shot a BUG match with my 642. That turned out fairly well. I was third overall and second in BUG. The guy who beat me in BUG was using a Glock 26.

I am relocating my dryfire range at home to make it more convenient to use and a better variety of targets. Also getting to the range more now that the weather is improving.