Dave E

[Nuke8401]

Hello all,

Long time troller with a few posts. I have been shooting IDPA for about 5 years, SSP MA from a match bump last year, shooting at the SSP EX level. I have finally decided to put in the dry-fire and live fire practice to improve. Where I'm at? Practice in the past 3 weeks at 20-30 yds distance has greatly improved my ability to hit -0(As) at will. My 20 yd splits are .5 with -0.

On 10 to 15 second stages I am always 2-4 seconds slower, raw time, than the winner. I am stuck in the grove of always slowing down for distance and speeding up for close shots. I have a classifier on the 24 June and hope to greatly improve over my last best time of about 106 seconds. Thinking about shooting some USPSA, production, I shoot a Glock 34. I'm trying to take that "next step"; my practice priority list includes 1. Turn, draw, and shoot times, 2. Strong & weak hand.

The big step changes I recall in my progress over the years have been; 1. Realizing it’s all about me not the gun, 2. Really seeing the sights, 3. Calling shots, 4. Developing the accuracy to hit -0 out to 30 yds almost at will and most recently 5. Feeling like everything is going in slow motion.

What made me decide to post here is the recent flurry of posts concerning “Top-Shot” on this and other forums. The people on this forum are shooters/competitors not ??????? and the quality and respect of the posts is way above the others.

What is the next big step? Right now I feel like I'm driving a U-haul with a governor and am stuck at 55!

Also, I'm not a spring chicken.

David E.

[Nuke8401]

Shot in local gun club IDPA matches on 12th and 13th, came in first in both. Happy with my performance in both, pushed speed on longer shots in second match.

14th (Mon) Dry fire, 30 mins, draws, reloads, turn and draw. Really speeding up on my turn and draw time!

16th(Wed) Dry fire, 45 mins, draws, reloads, turn and draw. Dry fired the IDPA classifier 5 rounds, struggling with stage 3 second reload. Trying to decide if TAC reload and moving (when gun is charged and stowing on the move) to barrel is faster than RWR and moving to barrel.

I have the day off Friday and will live fire both with timer.

Really speeding up on my turn and draw time!

IDPA Classifier next Thursday! My goal is ESP Master <89 secs!!!!!

[Nuke8401]

Local match on Thursday (17th) came in second, about 2 secs back. 2 FTNs, trying to push speed.

18th, dry fire, draws, turn and draws, RWR.

My current draw to first shot is about 1.2, Can get it down to 1.0 if I am sloppy on the shot.

My current turn, draw, shoot time is 1.4 - 1.5.

My RWR is 2 secs flat, better than I thought. My SLR is still about 1.7 - 1.8.

Local match on SAT 19th came in second by 2.5 seconds. This was a combo pistol/22 rifle match. Handicapped by shooting my tube feed Sears and Roebuck semi auto rifle. Had to shoot stages requiring a rifle reload with my pistol. Happy with my pistol shooting.

Today, father’s day, taking it easy, thunderstorms. 4 days to the classifier!

[Nuke8401]

Live fire last night:

Maybe 110 rds at 20 yrds, still at .5 splits to get -0.

RWR were terrible, need to stick with one pair of pants for mag dump in front pocket.

10 yrd strong hand, I can almost point shoot -0 at this distance

7 yrd weak hand, 1.0 second splits -0

Just for fun, 20yrd strong hand, .8 splits, 6 shots, -2

20yrd weak hand, 1.0 splits, 6 shots, -6

Classifier in 2 days. Match in 4.

Plan to DRY-fire tonight and tomorrow with live fire the morning of the classifier.

[Nuke8401]

Ran the classifier on my self at a local range, can't draw from holster so I added in 1.2 for each draw and 1.75 for turn and draw.

First run 96.06 with 14 PTD

Second Run 90.31 with 13 TPD

Classifier tonight! My goal is to break 89.00!

[Nuke8401]

Shot the Classifer last night 101.57, disappointed.

Stage #1: 2.73, 2.67, 2.71, 6.27, 3.14, 5.87, 4.84 with 10 TPD = 33.23

Stage #2: 4.24, 3.14, 10.28(ouch), 5.36 with 8 TPD = 27.02

Stage #3: 14.08, 15.59, 5.74 with 12 TPD = 41.32

Dissappointed in stage 1 all strings, lighting at this range shins right on the guns sights. In prctice I almost point shoot this stage and can usually score in 25 - 27 second range.

Stage 2 El prez time, 10.28, terrible. 8 TPD = terrible!

Stage 3 is 8 seconds better that previos best, still dropped more points than I should.

The stage 3 practice has improved my game overall.

Whats next, try to place 1st as ESP EX in sanctioned match, NH state match?

[Nuke8401]

Shot a 4 stage match today, came in second, didn't stick to my game plan. A swinger which was only visible when verticle between 2 non-threats requiring 3 shots. I shot all 3 shots on one look, should have done 2 and 2. 8TPS total = 4 seconds. Lost the match by 1.2 seconds.

Edited June 27, 2010 by Nuke8401

[Nuke8401]

Shot a mini 3-gun today 6 stages, 2 rifle, I shotgun. I won the match.

I shot my M+P 9 to basically function check it, after my last outing with it months ago when it had light strikes and feeding issues. I think these may have been related to my relods, high primers, OAL too long. Aslo gave it a good cleaning and only lubed the 4 points and barrel bushung. I think the firing pin had lube on it and was possibly cusing the light strikes. Examined fired cases, strike were good.

Want to pactice with the M+P and see if I can shoot it as well as the G34.

[Nuke8401]

Yesterday, 6/28, dry fired the M+P, like the trigger much better than the G34. Chrono'ed some rounds. Very hot, humid and overcast. Seemed to chrono low, will chrono again in normal weather. Read that the NY state math had some PF DQs based on chrono, some discussion that hot humid weather affected the vel.

[Nuke8401]

Live fire with the M+P last night. Just can’t shoot it as accurately of as fast as the G34. It does have the fatter Tritium front sight. Plan to get a .115 WTS and try that. Still plan to shoot the G34 in any real matches.

Club match tonight; goals? Accuracy and no mistakes in COF plan.

[Nuke8401]

Came in second at the club match by almost 20 seconds, winner was not in my squad?

Changed the M+P sights to FO front, while checking the sights without glasses I realized I could see the front sight perfectly clear without glasses. I thought I seeing the front sight before but this was different I could count the serrations and almost see scratches on the FO. So I decided to shoot the 7/3 match without prescription lenses. Terrible performance in the match but it was amazing to really see the front sight. I was shooting with a cheap pair of tinted safety glasses. So I ordered a clear set of lenses for my RE Rangers to try at the next indoor match (distance prescription left eye, none in right). Really trying to decide if I should go with contacts or prescription safety glasses.

I got a procedural for cover in the Saturday IDPA match, well deserved; I was shooting it like USPSA. The scores aren't out yet but I had 2 of 6 good stages.

Edited July 5, 2010 by Nuke8401

[Nuke8401]

Clear lenses for Ranger XL glasses come in today, I hope. Would like to live fire with them tonight, but it's really hot. Have a match tomorrow and will use the mono glasses set-up. Can't wait to try them out. Also ordered some non-prescription smoke lenses for my Wiley-X SG-1s.

[Nuke8401]

No glasses in the mail yesterday ):

I was right, my last match was a disaster.

- Got to stick with the G34!

- Got to dry fire and Live fire practice.

Small match tonight, hope to get/try out mono glasses set-up, tweeked my load 124 Berrys DS RN, 4.2 TG, 1.130 OAL.

[Nuke8401]

Last nights match, middle of the road, raw times not terrible. 1 missed a head shot and -3(x2) will kill my score. Shot with prescription glasses still waiting for mono set-up. Can't wait to actually be able to see the front sight and have decent peripheral vision. The young guys are killing me. NH State match next Sunday, need to practice allthis week.

[Nuke8401]

Shot the NH state match this past Sunday:

Results: so-so.

The good:

- Low score on a stage!!!!! A first ever for me! The stage included picking up an empty gun and ammo, stowing ammo, load and shoot. I did a RWR behind cover, about 6' of cover. My RWR time is close to my SLR time with a vest. I have been devoting some time to empty gun starts/stowing mags, it paid off!

- 8 Sigarms instructors shot the match, I beat all but 2 of them, 1 only beat me by .5 seconds. This made me reflect on the consequences of an instructor competing in matches/Top Shot. If publicized it could hurt more than help?

The bad:

- Finished not so good, not the last in the SSP MA class but close.

- Missed every piece of steel with the first shot except one! Most triggered movers.

- Poor long range accuracy. Almost half my points down were on a standards stage.

I think I am still shooting at the high EX level. Plan to dedicate practice to longer distance accuracy before the next sanctioned match.

Local match tonight, have not done much practice/prep. I did try my mono glasses set-up, will continue to experiment, and might use it tonight.