Fourtrax's Range Report

[rvb]

There's a lesson for everyone in those scores. I went back and double checked, except for my first stage, I slaughtered him on time. Almost a full ten seconds over the match.

Hope you don't mind.... I quoted you here:

http://ingunowners.com/forums/shooting_sports/200999-vickers_and_hackathorn_on_idpa_vickers_scoring-4.html#post2732708

-rvb

[Chris iliff]

Nope, don't mind at all. Thanks, actually. I'm glad someone's reading my posts. I really do believe if I ( we) can temper "wanting to rush" I'd ( we all) would be much better off.

[Chris iliff]

Kinda bummed this week. I've had back problems this week. Started towards the end of Sunday at Riley. I think sitting in the van coming home finished me off.

Went to massage therapist Monday, Chiropractor Wednesday and today. Feels much better.

I didn't get any practice in this week as a result. I do plan on shooting ACC on Sunday. My back feels almost 100% today, i should be fine on Sunday, ACC always has a great match.

In addition, I gave up all soda pop this week! I'm down below 240! Dropped about 4 pounds in the last week.

Edited March 24, 2012 by Chris iliff

[Chris iliff]

Dryfired 30 minutes. Worked on target transitions and reloads. Actually worked up a sweat. Kept my attention on calling each shot an A and snapping eyes. Did several deep practice draws very methodical. Back is stiff and twinged a couple times, but I should be fine tomorrow at ACC. All in all it was a good session and I really enjoyed it after no gun work in 5 days.

Reloaded 200 rounds of ammo.

Edited March 24, 2012 by Chris iliff

[Chris iliff]

Shot ACC this morning. Mongo, I owe you!!

Planned on shooting with my friends and team mates, some I haven't seen all winter, but Mongo had different ideas!! I ended up ROing a squad of people I've never shot with and they were mostly IDPAers and not overly familiar with USPSA. Soooo, long story short, I was a bear with a sore ass for two straight stages!! As it turned out, all the guys were great people ( duh, they are shooters) and everyone worked well pasting and resetting each stage.

Ok, my day didn't start out as I wanted, but what was my plan for ACC? Oh yeah, shoot A's and no penalties. This I can report was perfected!! I'm very happy with my match. In fact, I haven't felt good about a match in awhile. I do not know how I did, but I shot it CLEAN baby and that's what I was setting out to do!! I felt some stages were a little choppy, but overall just minor things here and there. I do feel I sacrificed some time on some stages. Lots of NO SHOOTS on a couple stages and I got my hits. We will see the cost when scores post.

It should be interesting to compare last week at Riley (balls to the wall) to this week at ACC (controlled sight picture).

I did watch an IDPAer shoot a Texas star from like 25 yards. There was an audible GASP when he started his run, but it worked out for him. He CLEANED it neatly!!

I'll post scores when I get them. I had a FUN day!!!

[Chris iliff]

Still stoked about my match. Scores posted and I was 4th in Open. Get this, ready.... I shot 100 A's, 4 B's, 34 C's and 1 D. I had no penalties!!!!!

Why didn't I place higher?

Ok, I really screwed the pooch on a stage. I ran it bass backwards. I talked myself into doing this even though everyone else ran it completely opposite of me. For me it came down to feeling comfortable. Everything flowed better running it the way I did. Targets lined up, nothing felt awkward. It just cost me at least 7 seconds, easy.

There was a classifier and speed shoot in one bay. I got my hits but fumbled reloads on each one. This cost me a tick on the classifier and probably 3-4 seconds on the speed shoot.

I'm not changing my overall game plan for awhile. I liked shooting A's and don't think that hurt me in the least. Gonna do it again on Saturday at Wildcat.

Edited March 27, 2012 by Chris iliff

[rvb]

100 A's, 4 B's, 34 C's and 1 D. I had no penalties!!!!!

AtABoy!

94%! Keep it up!

-rvb

[Chris iliff]

Thanks Ryan! I've done the speed thing for awhile. Now I really want to do the SEEING thing. Just see the shot, each shot. I've slowly convinced myself this is the way forward.

Funny, we all know it, but it's been hard for me to do. Not anymore!! This is my plan moving forward every match.

[Chris iliff]

Excited about Wildcat this weekend. Going into the match with the same mindset. SEE each shot. Aggressively Execute each stage by SEEing each shot.

The answer is SEEING.

[Chris iliff]

Trying to get the most A's is fun. I came up with a neat little variation that might be used with your friends during a match. Most guys do A's and the guy with the most A's win the little bet. I've never liked that because it doesn't take TIME into account. Guy can just shoot all A's and clean your wallet out.

My variation is the stage times have to be within 10% of each other for the stage to count. One guy runs a 10 second stage, other guy has to run the stage between 9 & 11 seconds. Difference in A's is paid to the guy with the most A's. Not necessarily the stage winner.

Oh well, just a thought.

[Chris iliff]

Wildcat was a fun match. Mike on a Virginia count classifier stage. I seen it, so that's good. Gun malf on last stage. Haven't had one of those in years it seems. Gonna have to dig into that. It was a failure to extract. Cost me at least 7 seconds. I've never practiced any type failure drills. Round just didn't extract, next round couldn't feed.

Other stages were good no problems, "A" count was good. My "execute the stage aggressively SEEING" is going good.

It was a fun match with my team mates. The match itself was a little unorganized. Stage description round counts didn't match stages. Some stages had very low round counts, but enough walls, ports and props to support far

more targets.

Other than the malf, I saw every shot, even the MIKE. I'm not happy with it, but feel it is another step forward. I can think of several positives and they all involve my vision while shooting today.

Edited March 31, 2012 by Chris iliff

[Chris iliff]

GREAT news! I talked to Chris Keen and he's coming to my house for a day of instruction. Plus he's going to shoot a local with me here in Indiana. I did something similar last summer, but it was in Ohio at a local there.

This year we will get to spend a day going over stuff at my house and then shoot a local the next day. Chris agreed to take on an additional shooter and Repete Briggs will also be here to train.

I am going to get trained by a GM and also have a Master Open shooter pushing me. Sounds like a crucible of a good time.

My range is small, about 3 people max. I'm going to talk to Chris and see if he'd be interested in other weekends with different students. If its something he'd consider doing I'll let people know. Right now I'm just stoked he's coming and his prices are great. Who knows, maybe my house could be a central training area for Indiana shooters looking for QUALITY Uspsa training with Chris as the GM instructor.

I'll let people know. It's a 3 hour drive one way for Chris. That might prove to be an obstacle with gas prices.

Edited April 2, 2012 by Chris iliff

[Corey]

Sounds like a good time and some good training! I'm hoping to spend some quality time like that with some better shooters this year.

[rvb]

GREAT news! I talked to Chris Keen and he's coming to my house for a day of instruction. Plus he's going to shoot a local with me here in Indiana. I did something similar last summer, but it was in Ohio at a local there.

This year we will get to spend a day going over stuff at my house and then shoot a local the next day. Chris agreed to take on an additional shooter and Repete Briggs will also be here to train.

I am going to get trained by a GM and also have a Master Open shooter pushing me. Sounds like a crucible of a good time.

My range is small, about 3 people max. I'm going to talk to Chris and see if he'd be interested in other weekends with different students. If its something he'd consider doing I'll let people know. Right now I'm just stoked he's coming and his prices are great. Who knows, maybe my house could be a central training area for Indiana shooters looking for QUALITY Uspsa training with Chris as the GM instructor.

I'll let people know. It's a 3 hour drive one way for Chris. That might prove to be an obstacle with gas prices.

Sounds like a great experience, Chris.

I would be interested this summer or fall if it works out....

-rvb

[Chris iliff]

I'll let him know. I'm fairly central in Indiana, about 70 miles straight North of Indy. Mr. Keen is an animal running stages and last years experience was fantastic in Ohio. I learned a lot. This year we will be spending the day shooting and breaking down my game.

I really want to try and match his HF. Set up different scenarios and run them. Have Chris diagnose my problem areas and work on getting me as close as possible to his HF. Something like a gun pickup and load then running to the end of a wall and engaging 3-4 targets.

I am very lucky to have an area to shoot right out my back door. It's not big, but it is a safe place and I've got a home made plate machine. You'd think after 8 years I'd be a GM!!! Lol.

I Dryfired tonight. One shot draws at 10 yards, surrender, SH, WH and transitions. All on plate rack. I then set up a couple walls with a gap between them. Started about middle of wall 15 feet back. Buzzer, run to one end shoot 2 plates, gap 2 plates and then other end 2 plates. I worked it both ways. Got a par of 7 seconds. Fun drill, focused on quickness at buzzer and gun up. Threw som reloads in also. It was a good practice.

I then took gun apart and cleaned it and put in 2 new Aftec springs. I hope this will fix my one malf on Sunday. Who knows, maybe it was a brass problem. I couldn't find the brass that didn't eject so I don't know. I'll test fire tomorrow and we will see.

[Chris iliff]

Sounds like a good time and some good training! I'm hoping to spend some quality time like that with some better shooters this year.

I' ll let Chris know, maybe you and Ryan can get together and do a session. I'm kinda a mimic. It's easier for me to learn seeing someone than just plugging away on my own. Around here (northern Indiana) any one of us can beat the other on any given Sunday, and we all have!! The problem is we are all "A" and "B" shooters very few GM's to buddy with. I think it's worth the $ to have an ass stomping GM hang out a day and help me. If I was rich, I'd have one here every month. I know it isn't a golden ticket, that will only come through my own hard work, but it's a way for me to ensure I'm on the narrow path, so to speak.

[Chris iliff]

Trying to get lined up for the season and Mr. Keen's visit. Just ordered all new springs and followers for my mags from Grams. Also, I got all new springs for my gun and some other goodies from Shooters Connection. Long over due on mag and gun springs. I can be such a procrastinator.

My slogan: Procrastinators Unite......tomorrow.

[OpenDot]

Trying to get lined up for the season and Mr. Keen's visit. Just ordered all new springs and followers for my mags from Grams. Also, I got all new springs for my gun and some other goodies from Shooters Connection. Long over due on mag and gun springs. I can be such a procrastinator.

My slogan: Procrastinators Unite......tomorrow.

Thanks for the reminder I need to do the same to all my mags and got those junk STI followers out of my Mags!!!!

[Chris iliff]

Completely hosed my planning for the weekend. I was going to shoot Warsaw and was looking forward to it until the wife reminded me of our brunch on Sunday. Our church rents a civic center for Easter Sunday and holds an awesome buffet immediately following service. Our whole family goes. So, I'll be doing that with the family. It will be fun and I should go more. Sometimes I wish more ranges would hold Saturday shoots.

[Chris iliff]

Got my stuff. Got the springs and followers in the mags. Got 50 targets and more pasters. Also got an automatic paster thingy. Always wanted one.

Have not touched the gun since the 3rd. That's definitely going to end this week. Got to get the practices in!!

Spent Thursday after work moving my plate machine.

Spent Friday getting my plate machine fixed at a friends house. Still not done, we will finish it through the week. Had to get help from another friend with a Bobcat just to get it out of the range and over there on Thursday.

Spent Saturday cleaning the range. Had three small fires going at one time. Lots of sticks and debris everywhere. End of the day I smelled like a campfire.

It's been a busy 4 days! All gun related at least!

Edited April 8, 2012 by Chris iliff

[colt]

Missed a great match today!!! Sure RePete will post some video.

Brent

[Chris iliff]

Yeah I heard it was a great match. Can't wait for next months!!

Mowed the yard today, it was a miserable wind blowing experience.

Worked on transitions at 25 yards on two 7" plates. Not happy with it but it got better towards the end. I used my .22 racegun. So about 250 rounds down range of good practice/trigger time.

[Chris iliff]

About 20 minutes of dryfire. Did my usual "deep practice". Worked reloads, draw, WH and transitions. Really focused on reloads. I have been getting lazy on them and a bit sloppy. Really got them grooving up in my face box area. They felt good and smooth.

I reloaded about 400 rounds for Ohio State. I had about 100 left from the Florida Open. I usually take 500 to big matches, so that's done.

Next up is a thousand rounds for Chris Keen's class here at my house. I'm very stoked about this opportunity. Having Keen here and Repete Briggs is going to be great!

I'm down to 1 completely full hopper of True Blue powder. I've got 8 pounds of Autocomp that I'm itching to get into. I'm gonna load the True Blue until its gone! I've shot the Autocomp and really like it, kinda puts me in a pickle. I don't know how changing powders will effect my timing. I was thinking that I'd get through May on TB and switch in June. Now with Keen coming I'll shoot it all up, bounce to Autocomp for couple weeks, then back to my TB loads for Ohio State. I'm thinking no big deal.

Gun in hand preps your plan!!

Edited to say: I think I'm going to have to get some more TB. After talking it over with a GM, I better not change a thing until after the Ohio State Match. Good sound advice.

Edited April 11, 2012 by Chris iliff

[Chris iliff]

Got plate rack back and down in the range.... Work! All lifting no bobcat help coming home.

Shot a little .22 with my Nephew. Nothing major just plinking.

Used my 2010 Outback to pull a friends truck out of my range up the hill. Friend shall remain nameless. I told him I wouldn't tell anyone. I, on the other hand, felt very proud of the moment!!!

[Chris iliff]

Sighted in my race .22 today. I detest sighting in Cmores, but I got it done. I then did some transitions at 17 yards last plate at 50 yards. Worked on trigger pull. Trigger on the .22 is pretty stiff, I worked on prepping it and then breaking my shot without disturbing dot.

I'm done with cheap Wally World $1.00 spray paint. Shopped around and paid a little more for a better spray paint. I know it's just paint, but judging by how much I've painted and how much is still in can, plus the WAY better coverage, I'm sticking to it.