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Fourtrax's Range Report


Chris iliff

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Hope your feeling well enough to shoot by this weekend.

Flyin

Thanks, I am hoping I will be fine. I have been to the chiropractor twice so far and have another appointment tomorrow. I am as stiff as a cob and still icing with the frozen peas.

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I couldn't take it any longer. I am stiff and sore but I said the hell with it and shot tonight. 287 rounds, just enough movement to assure myself that I can move and not a bit more. It did hurt a little, but my back is getting better everyday. I just want it better NOW!!!!

Most of my practice was Brian's transition drill. I burned some rounds, but think I learned some stuff. It is a fun drill and you basically set up the El Presidente and shoot 9 shots, left to right, left to right, and left to right, one on each target. Add half a second for anything not an "A". Brian didn't specify what kind of draw so I went with my weakest, surrender. I have an average of 5.62 seconds. That includes an average of 7 runs with two C's on two of them, which required the addition of a half second to those respective runs.

My best runs were after my initial 7. All seeing, no cadence, and I got down to the high 4's. I did not include the fastest as I took the first 7 I did. I did more for fun and tried to ramp it up, but that usually led to crash and burn.

Now I have to PM Brian to get the second part of the drill, .......can't wait!

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I couldn't take it any longer. I am stiff and sore but I said the hell with it and shot tonight. 287 rounds, just enough movement to assure myself that I can move and not a bit more. It did hurt a little, but my back is getting better everyday. I just want it better NOW!!!!

Most of my practice was Brian's transition drill. I burned some rounds, but think I learned some stuff. It is a fun drill and you basically set up the El Presidente and shoot 9 shots, left to right, left to right, and left to right, one on each target. Add half a second for anything not an "A". Brian didn't specify what kind of draw so I went with my weakest, surrender. I have an average of 5.62 seconds. That includes an average of 7 runs with two C's on two of them, which required the addition of a half second to those respective runs.

My best runs were after my initial 7. All seeing, no cadence, and I got down to the high 4's. I did not include the fastest as I took the first 7 I did. I did more for fun and tried to ramp it up, but that usually led to crash and burn.

Now I have to PM Brian to get the second part of the drill, .......can't wait!

It always helped me when I was up doing stuff. Healed alot quicker. Just don't over due it.

Flyin

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sHOT AND WORKED THE INDIANA SECTION TODAY. Squad was one of the best that I ever shot with. I did miss Repete and Joe B. not being there as they had other committments.

The stages were great and you couldn't ask for better. Jake and Aron are top notch and Indiana is lucky to have these two.

If it could go wrong for me at a match then this is the one. For positives, I went 168 at the chrono. This was better than the 164 at area 6 back in April. I had a couple of stages that felt really good and satisfied my own expectations of how I shoot.

I am going to keep doing what I'm doing and eventually I'll work it out. I love this sport!!!

I did drink water or gatorade at every stage (1 bottle) and didn't wiz all day. My advice to anyone will be more water and gatorade consumption at the hot and humid matches.

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Home from the Indiana Section and got to pour over the scores. After the worst match I have ever shot performance wise I had to find out what went wrong.

OK, yes, the heat, but everyone dealt with this, so no excuse. I did feel overwhelmed at times as my RO partner was on a new med and the heat did him in early, but I RO constantly, no excuse.

What it comes down to in my mind, ......

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Home from the Indiana Section and got to pour over the scores. After the worst match I have ever shot performance wise I had to find out what went wrong.

OK, yes, the heat, but everyone dealt with this, so no excuse. I did feel overwhelmed at times as my RO partner was on a new med and the heat did him in early, but I RO constantly, no excuse.

What it comes down to in my mind, ......

Don't worry about it. I can remember when I shot my first match as Master. It was Area 6 and it did help that I was squaded with Ted Puente, Manny Bragg and Henning. I tried to hard and had alot of expectations going into that match. It wasn't a good match to say the least. I just used it as a learning expierence and moved on.

Flyin

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It's been a tuff week with no shooting. I'm still candy assing around thinking about the Indiana match. I did not shoot this weekend or practice all week. This weekend was my 4th anniversary. Anyways, the candy assing ends tonight when I hit the pillow and tomorrow I'll start practicing at my range again. I'm actually fairly excited to do so.

I think part of my funk is that I really, really, really want to do well. I know that it will work itself out and I'll finish most matches where I deserve.

I haven't read Saul Kirsch's book, maybe it is time. I need to really develop a solid training routine. Most times I don't have a plan and just wing it with something I've heard or read about.

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Practiced tonight, 277 rounds. I did transition drills (Brian's drill) and a few of my own. I noticed that the really good guys at the Indiana State match really moved the gun, so I worked on this.

2 plates on my left about 7 yds and the same on my right. I worked on turreting and driving the gun between the arrays. Sometimes I did two on each plate and sometimes I did one on each plate. Since I was working on picking up the tempo on just the transitions the number of rounds on each target wasn't my main concern.

I also worked on entering the postion with the gun held high and then tryed to burn the transition. I think that I really needed this work with my transitions. As mentioned, watching the really good guys, Vogel, Cheely, Keen, Land etc, they are just burning the transitions. I will do more of this. I noticed that I'm just kinda seeing the target, not a specific spot on the target. I will work on that more.

Felt good to shoot, I have been challenged by a new "B" at the Warsaw match this Sunday. Funny, He's been sandbagging for about a year and a half and just ran Big Barricade into the Master range. Ought to be fun!!!!!!

POSITIVES: I didn't use a timer tonight. I wanted to concentrate on the actual movement and get out of my comfort zone. I think this helped me "see" more(without the timer). I don't know why, but that seemed positive to me! :cheers:

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About 270 rounds.

Barricade, 2 plates on left and 2 plates on right. Hands on barricade, buzzer, 2 on each plate, no reload between.

I am working on my grip. Want to get the WH a little tighter. I have noticed that sometimes it's just there. I also wanted to work on moving the gun quicker. I have tended in the past to be lazy? with the gun. I set this up to work on those things and varied my grip and speed with the gun really testing things out.

Of course, after I was done and checked the mail, I got my extended mag button and drilled and tapped mag release from Brownells. I have been waiting for this to match my Gan's Blaster. Now it does and I can do the reload drills without switching my SH grip to get to the button.

POSITIVES: Got my times down and towards the end it felt smoother and the timer was telling me faster, so that's positive.

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Shot the Warsaw match today. Scores aren't posted yet. I was over eager on the first 3 stages, but got control and finished up strong on the last two stages. Probably won't fair well in the overall results, but I learned some things.

1. I need to relax and shoot A's. This doesn't mean slow or fast, this means shoot A's.

2. I shoot better with my plan completely visualized. When I take the time to construct my visualization in the tiniest details, I shoot better.

I really want a video camera. I think I am at the point that I need to see myself and study what I'm doing. Especially right after a match when things are fresh. I don't know what I don't know, understand? I think sometimes I am doing what I know to be right, I want to see myself doing it. You know, I know where reloads are suppose to take place and I would swear that I am doing them right, but the camera doesn't lie. I feel like I am exploding out of positions, the camera doesn't lie. I feel like the gun is up, again the camera doesn't lie.

I finished 1st in Open, and 2nd overall. Damn Andrew Metts, an M in production and high A in limited got me. No matter what division he shoots, I like to compare my results to him. Kinda lets me know if I'm on track, we have been shooting together for several years.

Edited by fourtrax
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Took the comp off the .22 open and cleaned it, what a behotch. I added up the rounds I have shot through it and I'm at 4400. I did a search for Federal Bulk and found some at Cabelas 69.99 for 4 x 525. With taxes and shipping not much of a deal. I ran to Wally world and they were out. So, I went to a local dealer and bought 500 American Eagle for 25. They are identical to and made by Federal, so we will see. Then I got to thinking about that ripping and I ran to another Wally world in a different town and bought 8 x 550 for about 160 with tax.

I didn't realize that Federal packages different for different companies, same looking box, different amount. Glad I shopped around.

It is hotter than a popcorn fart and the humidity is killer. Sad to say that I have not been to my range, I know, I know I'm pussin out. But, I have also been working 10-12 hour days in a hot and humid factory and I am fairly worn out at the end of the day. Plus, I've been working 10 hour Saturdays. I did not shoot the match today in Coloma. I wanted to and planned to but as the work hours kept adding up and I ended up working 10 on Saturday, I decided against shooting.

Hopefully the weather will cool off and I will get to my range (100ft) and get in some good practice.

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Cleaned the .22 blaster, and took the Cmore off. I sighted it in today, I detest that procedure with the Cmore but I'm dialed in now.

I was pushed for time (kids school had open house tonight), so I did some El Presidentes without a timer. Worked on snapping my head and eyes to first target and all the others. With the extended STI mag button on my .22 my reloads now feel just like they do with my Gan's blaster. I'll get some more practice in tomorrow with the timer. I really feel that 4.5s all A's is within my grasp.

I think I could shoot that .22 all day, but I never seem to have enough time on the range. I feel like I am always pushed for time and I hate that when I'm trying to learn and ingrain something.

Notes for reference: Plates for El Presidente, 4'7" center to center on my plates, 4'9" to the top of plates. This puts my plates roughly identical to the top of the A zones of a standard El Presidente.

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Did the El Presidente tonight with the timer. I was happy with the results and managed to get 4 or 5 in a row at 5.70-5.80. I really want a video to see what I'm doing and to find my own wasted movement. I feel smooth and it is hard for me to change something when it feels good to me........I NEED TO SEE WHAT I'M DOING!!!

My splits and transitions are definitely not equal. Splits on the El Presidente in the .19-.22 range, transitions are in the .40-.45 range, double. I have always heard to get the splits and transitions the same, so this is gonna take some work. It is something that I've never even looked at before, but if I want to be a GM someday I better get a handle on it as a lowly A.

Not counting the turn and draw and the reload, there are 4 transitions, T1-T2 twice and T2-T3 twice, we are talking almost a second of time.

My reload feels good and came in around 1.50ish. I know that should be as close to one second as possible. That's a half second right there if I keep working on that.

I also did Brian's transition drill, just to get the eyes moving.

POSITIVES: A 4.5s El Pres is within my power!!!!!!!

Edited to say: Brian answered a post of mine and it has changed my thinking on splits and transitions. Funny, I knew what he was saying, but needed to hear it. Basically, who gives a crap if they are equal,..... just shoot as your vision dictates.

Edited by fourtrax
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Ok, so I've embarked on the 4.5s El Pres quest. Tonight I broke it down and went to the basics. But first let me list my completely dry El Pres run as my baseline. This is the first thing I did after visualizing the drill for a couple moments.

All A's

6.82s

2.24 draw to first shot

1.57 reload

I then started with the turn and draw. I turn to my right and always engage T1 first. So, this is what I practiced, exactly setup like T1 of El Pres. My best was 1.43s and was sloppy/rushed. My wheelhouse was 1.50-1.60s, these felt good and quick, but controlled. When I tried to rush/push the envelope, some fell clear to the 2ish range, most went to 1.70-1.80, but this is where I did record my 1.43. Keeping the gun close during the turn has really helped. I just got to ingrain it more. I did 40.

Next I worked on my reload. One on T3/reload/one on T1. These are in the 1.50-1.60 range. I did around 30 of these and couldn't break 1.50. Getting frustrated, I broke out my popper. It's rectangular and about the height of a mini popper.

At 7 yards with the gun on target I waited for the beep. At the buzzer, one shot reload one shot, trying to get two on the damn thing before it fell. Man, now that was fun. I managed to get 2 on the popper several times, reload around 1.19, it was really fun. Best reload was 1.15, but I missed the popper on the second shot.

I am going to run all my practice around the El Pres until I get my 4.5s. Tonight I ran the El Pres for my baseline only. I will have to think about all the aspects of the drill to better form my sessions. I really liked my practice!!!!

POSITIVES: My fastest reload on the mini popper, 1.15, was a failed drill. I missed after the reload. The times I got the popper twice the reload was consistently 1.18-1.19 and I SAW EVERYTHING!!! This reinforces the axiom, SHOOT ONLY AS FAST AS YOU CAN SEE!!!!!! It will be fast enough, I'm POSITIVE!!!

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Shot at Atlanta, Indiana today. Went fairly well. Those guys are letting anyone who worked the Indiana Section shoot their matches for free the rest of the year. Damn, now that's a deal and only 40 miles away for me.

The stages were a good mix of short, medium, and long. I got to pick RVB's brain on one stage and that helped me out.

I need to look at several stage plans before I settle one. The classifier was a new one, 09-14, calculator says 72%, but that is from my memory of my hits and time and could be off.

I find that my brain is fighting two different things while I'm shooting. I'll get a stage programmed in and then in the middle of it I'll find myself shooting and moving or running and then setting up and shooting. Where I thought I'd be doing one I will be doing the other. It was kind of disconcerting and I have never really had that experience b4. I think it is due to the fact that I'm really questioning things lately, why I do this or that, exactly.

All in all a good day on the range and a fun shoot. I think there were close to 50 shooters and a handful of first timers.

Edited to say: 49 competitors, 6th overall, 3rd open(3 open shooters, ha ha), I cost myself some serious pts with a C,M,NS on one particular target on the stage RVB helped me on. Of course, RVB burned the Production competition down. No one was even close. I can control my shots, so I'm still happy with today. Classifier was spot on so I remembered that correct. I just hope it pushes Brent Roberts aka "Machine Gun Roberts" to "A". I'm calling your sandbagging butt out Roberts. Yeah, 21 A's with 3 charlies on one stage and you beat my time by a couple ticks, that's SANDBAGGING!!!!! I love you man, really good shooting!!

Edited by fourtrax
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Shot at Atlanta, Indiana today. Went fairly well. Those guys are letting anyone who worked the Indiana Section shoot their matches for free the rest of the year. Damn, now that's a deal and only 40 miles away for me.

The stages were a good mix of short, medium, and long. I got to pick RVB's brain on one stage and that helped me out.

I need to look at several stage plans before I settle one. The classifier was a new one, 09-14, calculator says 72%, but that is from my memory of my hits and time and could be off.

I find that my brain is fighting two different things while I'm shooting. I'll get a stage programmed in and then in the middle of it I'll find myself shooting and moving or running and then setting up and shooting. Where I thought I'd be doing one I will be doing the other. It was kind of disconcerting and I have never really had that experience b4. I think it is due to the fact that I'm really questioning things lately, why I do this or that, exactly.

All in all a good day on the range and a fun shoot. I think there were close to 50 shooters and a handful of first timers.

Edited to say: 49 competitors, 6th overall, 3rd open(3 open shooters, ha ha), I cost myself some serious pts with a C,M,NS on one particular target on the stage RVB helped me on. Of course, RVB burned the Production competition down. No one was even close. I can control my shots, so I'm still happy with today. Classifier was spot on so I remembered that correct. I just hope it pushes Brent Roberts aka "Machine Gun Roberts" to "A". I'm calling your sandbagging butt out Roberts. Yeah, 21 A's with 3 charlies on one stage and you beat my time by a couple ticks, that's SANDBAGGING!!!!! I love you man, really good shooting!!

When you go to the line and make ready on field courses you have to have settled on a plan and just run it. A good plan executed well is better than the best plan executed so-so. Pick a plan, burn it in and go with it and don't worry about anything else. You have the marksmanship skills, trust them. Some more effecient movement can be done, and it don't take much to make the difference between winning and not winning. Does your plan fit your game? Is it smooth? Then trust it and let it rip.

Edited by Coach
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Thanks Coach, oh and by the way, you shot one hell of a good match yesterday!

This thing I was talking about is something that has recently crept into my shooting. Everything you said is what USE to happen. But, somehow, this past season since making A I have had this problem. It is getting better and by far Atlanta was a good match for me compared to the last 10 or so.

It all comes down to confidence for me (maybe most people). Barely making A, and I mean barely, caused me to question my own ability. I almost skipped B when I finally made that class, things just started to click for me. My confidence is getting better each match and I am easing in to my new class. Before I made B, I knew that I could beat most of those guys. But making A, I didn't enjoy those same feelings. It's working itself out slowly.

Thanks for the advice, I needed to hear it.

Now I want to translate what Coach said to me so all of you that don't know him will understand. :devil:

Iliff you big pussy, quit whining and just shoot the damn gun. Formulate a damn plan, stick to it, shoot!

Thanks Coach!

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Machine Gun Roberts" to "A". I'm calling your sandbagging butt out Roberts

That hurts , I am not sure if I can sleep tonight now !!!! :roflol: I tried , I won the classifier and it still is only a "B".There was a lot A shooters and 1 M there too. That will knock a high % out and lower percent I bet. :wacko: I should try to practice but what fun would that be.

Brent the sand bagger :devil: (new aka, had the machine gun thing long enough, Thanks John)

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Hey it was a good match wasn't it. I came in a little over 71% on the classifier. You should be closer to that golden 75%. I have a 17 yard zero on my Cmore, which does help me on the longer distance targets, but boy it screwed me on that classifier. At 7 yards all my hits were right below the upper A zone, 1 A the rest B's. I just put the dot in the center of the upper A and didn't give it any thought.

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Thanks Coach, oh and by the way, you shot one hell of a good match yesterday!

This thing I was talking about is something that has recently crept into my shooting. Everything you said is what USE to happen. But, somehow, this past season since making A I have had this problem. It is getting better and by far Atlanta was a good match for me compared to the last 10 or so.

It all comes down to confidence for me (maybe most people). Barely making A, and I mean barely, caused me to question my own ability. I almost skipped B when I finally made that class, things just started to click for me. My confidence is getting better each match and I am easing in to my new class. Before I made B, I knew that I could beat most of those guys. But making A, I didn't enjoy those same feelings. It's working itself out slowly.

Thanks for the advice, I needed to hear it.

Now I want to translate what Coach said to me so all of you that don't know him will understand. :devil:

Iliff you big pussy, quit whining and just shoot the damn gun. Formulate a damn plan, stick to it, shoot!

Thanks Coach!

Thanks. It was my best match of 2010 so far.

Don't doubt. Push forward

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