COCO Preparing for Open Nationals

[CocoBolo]

Today I start to prepare for the Open Nationals. The TX State Limited is behind me, not my best performance but I had fun, 50% finish w 1 mike on steel that didn't fall.

Equipment isn't looking good. My #1 gun didn't run last time out, aka 1st time after the refinsh job. #2 gun is fresh out of the shop with a new barrel, I doubt it runs, hand cycling it the rounds seem to hang sliding up under the aftec. So this weekend will be spent testing equipment after shooting the AASA Fun shoot on Saturday and the Alpha Mike USPSA match on Sunday. Also need to test big stick #4, SV 170 I just bought off USPSA Classified.

I'm starting this journey as a "C" open Avg 58.98%, I'm more concerned about my overall finish than class so I will shoot classifiers the best I can on that day. I wont' shoot them like do or die to move up just the best I can do as if it were a regular stage in a match.

The Plan - DryFire 15 minutes a day without fail.

Range Practice with the BulletHole team once per Week.

Shoot every match possible.

Shoot the Bullethole League.

Perfect Equipment.

Load and Ship Ammo.

Slot paid, plane ticket bought, hotel and rental car all done.

[boz1911]

Don't burn yourself out. You gotta take a day off now and then, helps keep you fresh. Other than that you're looking good.

[Al Capizzo]

I heard an interview with Chris Tilley a couple years ago after he won the Nationals. He said he'd been shooting 1k rounds a day

(EVERY day) for a month or so before the Nationals. You could try that!

[CocoBolo]

I heard an interview with Chris Tilley a couple years ago after he won the Nationals. He said he'd been shooting 1k rounds a day

(EVERY day) for a month or so before the Nationals. You could try that!

Al - Thats only 30K rounds, but a little over my budget. More dry fire will have to do. I just had a new Barrel put in that Briley I bought from you, in 38 Super, I have another barrel at the shop with a Dawson Awesome Comp in 9 mm, it just needs the comp reamed its already been fit, and I also have a 9 Shorty top end that runs on it. It is now a true tri top. Now is that nuts or what. My other gun is a better gun but for some reason that old Briley just feels better,go figure.

I'm going to be shooting Austin on first Saturday next couple months come down if you can.

[CocoBolo]

Woke up at 4 am throwing up changed to other end at 8 am. Went to the AASA match not feeling that well but shot about 75% of the Open master that probably won the matcfh. The good thing is the Competitior functioned perfectly all the way thru the match. Note to self work on shooting steel. The gun shot very soft and flat, an impression probably due to shooting limited for two weeks.

After the match I did function testing on the Briley with new barrel. The rounds would get stuck climbing the the breech face and about every forth or fifth shot it had a jam. Took it to the Smith and dropped it off to get a new firing pin stop and to get the aftec touched up and lightened up as well as dropped off a 170 SPS mag tube to be tuned since it did not drop. The gun shot even better than the competitor, I think I am a Cone Comp kind of guy the feel is just better than the bull barrel gun. Both are top notch shooters, well once the Briley runs again.

Tomorrow a true test at the Alpha Mike USPSA match, the warning is out on some wierd configuration for the polish plate rack. OMG, that stupid thing, cannot run with a star.

Next Satruday BulletHole is having a Classifier match, so I'm taking my Limited gun to get classified in Limited 10 as it is the Open/L10 championship, if something happens I can just switch divisions.

Now its nap time and then cleaning and dry fire.

Edited July 17, 2010 by CocoBolo

[CocoBolo]

Sunday Alpah Mike - shot in the BigDawg squad, 7 of the top 10 finishers in the squad, oooh I was 10th overall at 63%. Objectively looking at results it is obvious I need to work on my first stage performance. My first two shots off the buzzer were D's follwed by a no shoot and my time was below par. Not to self figure out how to get started better.

The classifier was a bit of a head game. To B or not to B. Well I just shot it straight up, my time was very good but the left handed D hits kept me at a safe 54%.

Saturday's results came out 4th overall.

[Al Capizzo]

Here's a place to start : http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=105471

I know there is a lot more on this topic.

[CocoBolo]

Wow, what a weekend of shooting. Saturday the BulletHole classifer match 7 stages. I took the limited gun and shot limited 10. I took every stage to the absolute limit pushing as fast as I could run the stage. Well as you well know the wheels fell off. Nothing to lose on this one. Had a couple of runs that would be near around 70% no results out yet.

Sunday RiverCity 6 stages, I was challenged to a limited trow down so I just jumped in, against an A class shooter, and a couple C's. Since I'm preparing for the Open nationals I used it to try to push my speed again to the max. The theory being if you don't try to go faster then you are never going to go faster. The runs were fast just off the GM open gun times but the wheels had fallen off hit a few no shoots and had a mike here and there but I was encouraged that I could navigate the stage and "make" the shots almost as fast as the top open guys weilding my Edge, I was shooting just beyond my ability with the gun but moving reloading and positioning like a top gun, with my open gun I think I can shoot that fast. On the last field course I slowed down to my normal speed and had an average run with good hits. Well Wayne kicked my butt but it was the hits not the times, I was right there with the times. Heck it was a lot of fun going way fast.

Next week there are not any pistol matches so I might just have a little fun at the Rifle and Shotgun fun shoot. I normally place in the top 3 of these and have won several.

First week of August it is back to the open gun. I got the Briley back out of the shop and hope that it now runs. Barrel #2 is ready with its Dawson comp so I will pick it up on Tuesday.

[trodrig]

Hey Ron! Unless something has change, Alamoshooter's match is currently scheduled for August 1st. Come out and bang some steel!

[CocoBolo]

Saturday's bullet hole match was not a total bust 6th of 33 with a 69% finish in Limited 10. Best stage was 2nd behind a GM at 96% with GM's behind me as well. Like I said I shot as fast as possible and the wheels slipped here and there with a couple mikes and no shoots.

[CocoBolo]

WOW been side tracked with the Honey Dew List for a couple weeks and its still very long but took a respite from hard labor to make the tripp down to Corpus for a USPSA match.

At the shooters meeting they announced it was a classifier match, well I didn't expect that but what the heck 2 1/2 hour drive itchey trigger finger I'm in. I did concentrate on that first stage and had a very good run even after not even picking that open gun up for 3 weeks. My focus was to work on speed, I thought this was a worthy ambition especially for a classifier match so I had a couple of wheels fall off events but the speed was there just need to refine the hits a bit. I was a couple seconds off the GM in the squad on each stage except one that I tried to game by leaning way out and shooting one handed it didn't work.

Now for the good part the gun ran 100% all the way thru the match, had 3 other open guns in the squad they all choked one or more times but not my Competitor it just ran all day. I've got that part down now. Finish 7th overall with 65% finish a 2nd and 3rd best on 6 stage stage finishes. Classifer national scores 22, 23, 59.50, and 61.55%. Best stage was first stage of match, so first stage phobia may be making progress.

This weeks plan is to do a range practice session which inculdes getting the dot's dead on on both guns and some 25 yard practice, with plate racks thrown in for fun. Sat - AASA fun shoot, Sunday AlphaMike.

Edited August 9, 2010 by CocoBolo

[CocoBolo]

Star date 8/14 - AASA fun shoot. Had a good run today with the 9 major open gun shooting 115gr with Silhouette. Had one hickup with a case that split and jammed up the works. Got lucky in one stage and had to reshoot it since they started me wrong, picked up 2 seconds on the re-shoot. Spent the match dueling with my good friend Elliot (B Class Open ready to roll to A). Faster on some stages but picked up add seconds on hits but he and I probably came in 1 & 2 in the match with him taking the win with about 3-5 seconds total.

After the match we shot each others guns and his Benny Hill 38Super is a tick softer and flatter, but heavier. I'm pretty happy with my gun and load and I don't think it is holding me back but still needs to be match proven for reliability. No more hickups.

[CocoBolo]

Alpha Mike USPSA match, a hot one, my car said outside temp was 108 at the end of the match. I didn't clean the 9 major gun so it could be tested to at least 300 rounds under match conditions, ran 100%. I had 3 good stages above 60% and then tanked the classifier Melody Line, I always seem to mess that one up (too much thinking going on), and then threw a mike no shoot while shooting on the move real fast headed for the TX Star, and just lit the star up 5 quick shoots so a good day. My first stage has gone from poor to the best of the match for the past 3 matches so I feel that I have beat the first stage phobia and now I need to work on being more consistent thru the entire match, staying hydrated and focused, hard to do when you RO.

At 108 it is very nice not picking up brass up, and the 9 major seems to shoot just as well as the 38 Super.

Finish 13th of 35 1st C open at 58.08%. (2 GM and 1 M in the match).

Edited August 16, 2010 by CocoBolo

[CocoBolo]

Another weekend of Practice Matches aka local matches. A good run with the 9 major @115gr bullets at the AASA match. Finished 3rd over all and in the hunt till I hit the Weak hand strong hand Ducks from behind barricade. Lots of misses here, so I need to work on weak hand strong hand.

Sunday's USPSA match, RiverCity score it as very difficult local match with highly technical stages. I started the match with a Mike, I didn't know that till the scoring. In the first array I shot it super fast no dot just point and I thought that I had a mike and took a shot on the second target as I backed away (nice 3 A's) no I shot it so stupid fast I was a target off it was the first one that had the mike. So lesson re-learned don't waste the easy A's don't burp the array shoot it at a nice cadence.

In the forth stage of the match after 5 shots the gun quit running with 25 shots to go I needed to finish the stage, after all we are practicing for the big one and your not going to quit a stage. So each shot was move the gun to the left hand hit it with the right and take the shot and repeat. The hard part came down at the end with 8 shots thru a port that you had to hold a handle to keep it open. Ugly long time. Went to the safe table and the barrel link had broken, so I put in the 38 Super Barrel and went to the car and got super ammo. The last stage was the classifier and I did what I needed to do 58%. Finish 21 of 33 not bad with a 6% stage to help.

I also loaned my Competitior to Mr. Rudy for the match, his gun is at FGW. While most folks could not comprehend this, I wanted to know what the gun was capable of in the hands of a Master Class shooter. Well Mr. Rudy won a Stage and got 4th overall with a 93+%. It didn't break so its what I am going to shoot the nationals with and quit playing with 9 Major, its the 38 Super for Vegas. (My Competitor is totally made over so its not your gandpa's gun).

Edited August 24, 2010 by CocoBolo

[CocoBolo]

Saturday AM, today Bullehole USPSA, with thoughts of dodging another classifier bullet, I decided its a good day to shoot Production, saddled up the CZ Shadow. While on the suface this makes no sense what so ever, I find that shooting another gun always makes me appreciate the open gun more and I get that wow feeling when next I shoot the open so, no need to fret over moving up at the last minute. Good practice planning stages and all the movements and reloads its all good.

Tomorrow Manor TX and the 4-H charity shoot, 40 round steel stages, definately the open gun, and great prep with lots of steel and hard shots.

[CocoBolo]

Finished 7th Overall in the Bullethole match, and shot 48% of Open GM and I was the 100% for production, and beat all the limiteds as well, 2nd C let and open C get me by 2%, lots of nice A's, not bad for first time out with the Shawdow. One mike in the match hit the stick of a no shoot in front of a double swinger. The first couple stages drove me a little nuts with the reloads but after that I settled in and ran my plans well.

Sunday, OMG, 40 rounds on every stage lots and lots of steel. Ok how about 40 small poppers at 15-18 yards or maybe 20. I went there with but one intent, shoot my backup open gun as absolutely fast as I could, well I shot plenty too fast. All of my paper hits were excellent except for one mike and that was a failure to follow thru as the next shot was a clam shell but I nailed it. 75 shooters, XRE got 2nd and I snuck in at #16, and 2nd C by a Mike, that mike on the last stage put me second. Overall 58%, not bad when the pace is set by two top Open GM's. I sort of went over the top shooting steel but I missed really fast and now I just need to work on cadence and knock just a little speed off. I had a mag malfuction and identified it, and had a jam in the 4th stage I think was just plain dirty gun, I did a little cleaning and it ran ok in the 5th stage. Its getting the full teardown tonight, the extractor tube might be gooped up. Yeah I got call unexpectedly and ran one stage with the 3 mags I had just shot the last stage with, remember 40 rounds, violated my old rule of never putting anything not fully loaded on the belt. I made it thru the stage but it took every round I had on the belt and all 3 mags.

I had not shot this gun since I put the Tungsten guide rod in and the change in balance threw me off in the first stage, and cost about 10 seconds of dot hunting. Went to the safe table did 5 minutes of practice and it was all good after that. The 115gr loads I made up are a tick flatter but not worth the extra straight back recoil in this gun.

[CocoBolo]

Spent the weekend in Missouri visiting the daughter and SIL. Friday we did a range practice session with the Daughter deciding to shoot the CZ Shadow and the SIL falling in love with my #1 open gun.

Sunday the COPS aka Rolla Mo match. It was a very nice match with good stages and one was a 42 round monster. I had a procedureal on the first stage when I took a target out of the start box other wise a good run, except for 2 jams. Cleaned the chamber put a little oil on the gun and stage two had 3 jams, stage 3 more jams. SIL is right behind me with my perfect running gun, does it ever fail when you loan #1 out theat #2 takes a dirt knap? Ok, put the 9 mm shorty top end on and no more jams, stage 4 is the classifier, 82%, in the scores, have not checked the national calculator. Stage 5 the 42 rounder, I make a good run but catch a no shoot, then they mess up the scoring and I get a re-shoot, second run is 4 seconds faster and no noshoot. Overall finish 15th of 49 and SIL slides in at 17th with an all A's match. The daugher in her first match slips in at 43rd but she had fun and didn't get DQ'ed.

Now its time to find out what is going on with #2 gun, I think the AFTEC is a little tight, so I worked on that and will try it Saturday.

[CocoBolo]

Changed the Firing Pin stop plate on Gun#2 and shot in the AASA match Saturday, runs 100% again. 3rd overall in the match of 27. At the end of the match I got out the rest and shot both guns at 20 yards. Gun #2 shooting 4" high and 2" to the right adjusted. Gun #1 was 2" high, adjusted. From rest groups were less than 1".

Sunday went to Corpus match and shot Gun#1. Shooting with a GM and M Open, I was pretty pleased with my performance. On 4 of the 5 stages I was 2 or 3 seconds slower than their runs. I asked both to help me get my act together and give me tips and during they match they only came with two. 1. and its huge, tighter up my grip on the gun. 2. Watch my positioning from behind the barricade I positioned bad and was leaning way out. No don't know that they took me seriously. My own observations were that I need to work a bit on accuracy on head shots, I had two mikes (went in to the armor just below the head at 15 yards) easy to fix (aim higher). My other MFU was 2 no shoot mikes in a 20 yard target with just the A zone showing both were right of the azone right in the noshoot and a couple inches verticle seperation. The other 3 stages rocked, just a bit off the pace of the big dawgs. I also had a few 115gr loads mixed in with the 125gr loads, I definately knew when I shot them and the gun bounced violently. Sticking with the 125gr load, smooth as silk.

This weeks plan is more dry fire and loading the ammo for the nationals. AASA Fun shoot Saturday and Alpha Mike USPSA on Sunday.

Edited September 13, 2010 by CocoBolo

[CocoBolo]

Week late on the update. Shot the AASA fun shoot finishing 2nd 9 seconds behind the GM that won and 20 seconds ahead of 3rd. Good hits, game on in all 6 stages. I shot first on every stage and this seemed to put the competiton in a tizzy as my times were very good and I think it got in their head as they were crashing and burning trying to beat my time. One of the neat things is that when the under dog starts burning down the stages the bigDawgs start talking about having a bad day, yeah can't stand the heat.

Today I shot the Bullethole USPSA, and my times were right in there with the A class shooters, but I did manage to tank one stage on a reshoot, throwing two mikes and 2 no shoots on a double swinger. I attribute this to bad judgement, yeah, I swung right thru a port to catch the swingers lost the dot and was over confident and popped the four shots just like I had good sense. With that 1.04% stage I still managed a 59% and 6th overall and finished postion wise exactly where I should have been top of the C's all divisions. I ran a 7.23 El Pres but unfortunately thru a mike on the last shot for a poultry 46% according to the calulator. Without out the mike 76.4%, just need to buckle down on hits.

Tomorrow I shoot the Single Stack Classic (RiverCity) USPSA with the open gun, last match before the big one so it will be focus on hits.

With nearly two weeks to go the focus will be on dry fire, long range A zone only hits and head shots at 20+ yards. Reviewing the nationals stages accuracy has to be number one, lots of no shoots, head shots, and armor.

[CocoBolo]

Last Sunday I shot the Single Stack classic (open gun) with the Backup Gun it still jams so its still the backup, had 4 jams shot a solid match no mike no noshoots but I felt slow. Overall finsih 18th at 59%.

Saturday Austin LoneStar Practicle pistol USPSA match, last match before nationals squeezed it in. I wanted to focus on shooting steel this match was perfect for that, it was about 50% steel or more on every stage except the classifier. 6 what I would call moderate difficutly stages. I had what I think is an awesome run start to finish. Well almost I did fling a mike in the last stage, when I got in touch with my wild side. The focus again was hits and especiall hitting steel on the first shot, I hit 90% of them first shot so I accomplished the mission. Still waiting on results.

Sunday I stared paring down the range bag for the trip making sure I take only what is needed. Making sure I have all the allen wrenches for the gun and C-more and two extra C-more batteries. Cleaned the mags rechecked the 600 rounds of ammo. Check the belt for lose screws cleaned the ghost holster and put a little dry lube on it. Tested holster.

With Sunday's match to boost my confidence I feel very ready to take on the challenge of the nationals. My equipment is tested and ready to go. I'm not happy with the backup gun but I think it will be much better than a broken gun, I did work on the ejector some more and it just might run 100%. #1 gun ran 100% in Sunday's match.

Funny how things turn out. I like Cone Comped guns, I like the Dawson and Brazos Comp, I like 9 major, I don't like poppel holes. I'm shooting a 38 SC Bull Barrel Gun with a Bedel Comp and a poppel hole for the nationals. It embodies everything I don't like in one gun, darn thing sure shoots good.

Edited October 4, 2010 by CocoBolo

[CocoBolo]

Last Sunday I shot the Single Stack classic (open gun) with the Backup Gun it still jams so its still the backup, had 4 jams shot a solid match no mike no noshoots but I felt slow. Overall finsih 18th at 59%.

Saturday Austin LoneStar Practicle pistol USPSA match, last match before nationals squeezed it in. I wanted to focus on shooting steel this match was perfect for that, it was about 50% steel or more on every stage except the classifier. 6 what I would call moderate difficutly stages. I had what I think is an awesome run start to finish. Well almost I did fling a mike in the last stage, when I got in touch with my wild side. The focus again was hits and especiall hitting steel on the first shot, I hit 90% of them first shot so I accomplished the mission. Still waiting on results.

Sunday I stared paring down the range bag for the trip making sure I take only what is needed. Making sure I have all the allen wrenches for the gun and C-more and two extra C-more batteries. Cleaned the mags rechecked the 600 rounds of ammo. Check the belt for lose screws cleaned the ghost holster and put a little dry lube on it. Tested holster.

With Sunday's match to boost my confidence I feel very ready to take on the challenge of the nationals. My equipment is tested and ready to go. I'm not happy with the backup gun but I think it will be much better than a broken gun, I did work on the ejector some more and it just might run 100%. #1 gun ran 100% in Sunday's match.

Funny how things turn out. I like Cone Comped guns, I like the Dawson and Brazos Comp, I like 9 major, I don't like poppel holes. I'm shooting a 38 SC Bull Barrel Gun with a Bedel Comp and a poppel hole for the nationals. It embodies everything I don't like in one gun, darn thing sure shoots good.

Results finally came in for the Austin match. I finished 12th of 54, 62% top C class anything and 20 spots ahead of my normal rival, and right behind the Good B I normally try to catch up to and never have. Very Consistent across all 6 stages. XRE set the pace and so I feel the % is solid. Now just to repeat this in Vegas.

[Torogi]

Hey Ron, goodluck on the Nationals!

[Bigpops]

Good luck Ron! I will be looking for your name on the results page....finish well!

Will hopefully see you next year in Vega$!

[CocoBolo]

So much for preparation.

I shot some good stages and I tanked 4 of them and in the end I was #255 at 40.5%, best stage was about 56% and worst was 0%.

Lessons I learned.

1. Never look at preliminary results! This will definately mess with your head.

2. You will have a bad stage, you will have this bad stage when you start thinking one of two things:

a. That bouncer ate my lunch last year it will do it again, negative thoughts create negative results.

b. This is my kind of stage I'll burn it down, like you poured gas on it. This is over confidence, it will bite you like a swarm of african bees.

3. If you are looking for holes, your confidence is in the toilet and you need to return to shooting your game like you aways do.

4. Remember rule one See what you need to see and break the shot. Take the time you need to make the hit but only that time not more.

I shot 14 clean stages tanked 3 and forgot a popper on a fourth, that popper was next to the double swingger that was spoiling everyones match, I nailed the swinger but -20 for the popper and an FTE. I would have hit the upper part of the C's without these mistake stages. I beat myself, I sure had the skill to do the job but my mental game needs work.

It was a very difficult match with every stage having a few "level 3 shots". I hit all the hard ones, it was the easy ones that got me.

Three weeks to the Gator, and like they say what don't kill you makes you stronger, I'll be there and my mental readiness will be much better.

My old made over Competitor ran 100% for the entire match, so there were no equipment issues. We started as a squad of 9 had two no shows and one DQ'ed in the first stage, so 6 of us had to work hard all during the match it was a good squad and we had a lot of fun, we all had our moments of success and failure. 2 Masters, 1 A, 2 B's, and me the anchor C.

Edited October 14, 2010 by CocoBolo

[Paul Burtchell]

Hey Ron,

Sounds like a very good learning experience. Best of luck at the Gator.

Glad to hear my old STI Competitor is breathing new life and running strong.

Edited October 14, 2010 by Paul Burtchell