IF you guys could start all over again...

[konkapot]

Steve Anderson said it best.

FY42385

[lneel]

In order......I would have:

1. Focused more on AIMING......our sport is POINTS/TIME......if you have no points, time doesn't matter.

2. Got more training...multiple sources....no one has all the right answers. Spend time with a few different instructutors and figure out what works for you.

3. Practiced more...live and dry fire.

Lee

[vluc]

LOL, kind of like that thread on how to mentally get back on track after you tank a stage. Could'a, would'a should'a!

[Dan Hefta]

I would have bought some Microsoft stock.

[benos]

Learn how to call shots a lot earlier. Took me years and I still don't do it 100%. IMO, this is the most important skill to learn.

I'm sure you won't be surprised to hear me say - I 100% agree.

My first competition shooting was PPC. So right off the bat I learned shot calling and the tremendous value of it. Then when I switched to IPSC, after just a few matches leaning the ropes, I was way ahead of most of the local crowd.

be

[kevin c]

I would:

Spend a whole less time developing loads (I have notebooks full of load data) and more time shooting them.

Actually follow the good advice I've gotten from at least a half dozen top level instructors.

Actually get serious about dryfiring.

[al503]

Learn how to call shots a lot earlier. Took me years and I still don't do it 100%. IMO, this is the most important skill to learn.

I'm sure you won't be surprised to hear me say - I 100% agree.

be

Yup. I thought I was doing a good job of calling my shots until I missed a couple of steel plates at my last match. The RO mentioned that I started moving my head to the next position before breaking the shot. Gotta work on seeing the front site lift every time...

Other than that, I would start shooting open division right away. The dot shows you what you need to see easier than iron sites. You also don't have to worry as much about all of the mag changes that can add another level of complexity/confusion especially when you're just starting out and learning how to break a stage down.

[lugnut]

Funny stuff. I will agree that I wish I had started when I was much younger.. the eyes and the body just aren't what they used to be... sure I have more money now... but less time.

I regret almost nothing... I love shooting different guns. Could I have stuck with one gun... sure but it's more than that for me. It's the experience and the journey... learning and improving. As much as I'm so goal focused I never forget what I've been through... and that is a big part of the fun. Figuring shit out...

One other thing though... learn to nail the fundamentals quickly by getting great coaching when you can.

That's it.. enjoy.

PS- just thought of one more... wish I was in a warmer climate so I could shoot all year round out doors...

Edited November 16, 2011 by lugnut

[CHA-LEE]

If I could do it all over again I would IMMEDIATELY enlist a top end trainer to coach me through my first year of shooting. Having a top end trainer to guide you through your learning process every step of the way would take YEARS off your learning process. Going from U to GM in a year would be totally achievable under that kind of situation.

[DonovanM]

I wouldn't have put any thought at all into the 5-letter S word for the first year at least, instead focusing on accuracy and consistency.

Speed will come on its own anyway, bad things have happened because I've tried to hasten the process.

[shred]

Go to the World Shoots in Brazil and South Africa instead of waiting until Ecuador.

They only come along every 3 years and are worth the hassle.

[Dis-1-Shooter]

With under 2yrs of this obsession...."A smart man will learn from his mistakes, but a wise man will learn from other people's mistakes". Good thread...be a wise man.

[feederic]

With under 2yrs of this obsession...."A smart man will learn from his mistakes, but a wise man will learn from other people's mistakes". Good thread...be a wise man.

That is the idea

Thanks for the advice everyone! I definitely notice a recurring theme throughout the posts.

[Joe L]

I offer a little different point of view. I'm 63, just started shooting pistols in March of this year. I am learning from you guys!! Even I would have done things differently for my short experience span to date:

1. I would have gotten a 22 slide for my P226 at first instead of after several thousand 9mm rounds and not picked up a 9 until I could put every 22 shot on a 10" plate at 25 yards, standing, in the wind.

2. I would have gotten Brian's book in March along with Matt Burkett's DVDs.

3. I would have gone to a multiday class with Bruce Gray in April.

4. I would have started dry fire drills in April.

In short, I would have done what I have done in the last 3 months, 7 months ago. I would have spent more time here than on the Sigforum, LOL.

Joe

[blaster113]

1st thing I would do is just bite the bullet and buy a serious Limited gun instead of dicking around with a singlestack, then a temperamental P14. then I wish I started a dryfire/live fire program right away. much as I'd like to get coaching I still wouldnt have been able to afford it back when I started out since I'd have to fly to the CONUS and buy/ship the ammo needed.

[alpha-charlie]

Start earlier in life, get some good quality coaching when starting out, live in a warmer environment close to several ranges that shoot year round. Nail the fundamentals from the get go.

[OzzieF]

Wish I would I picked my gun sooner. Instead of buying and trying different ones just because I wanted to "save" money.

[thebigdogg316]

me it would be starting younger. but i am having the time of my life.

[saibot]

Of course I would have liked to start earlier. But more importantly I wish I had a plan. Coaching would be great, too, but it would have been part of a larger plan where each trip to the range was preplanned and focused. It would have been great to receive Seeklander's book when I bought my gun as well as the Burkett DVDs.

It would have saved a lot of time and ammo and I'd most certainly be further along than I am now.

But still, the journey is half the fun and I'm having a blast.

[Team Amish 1]

I'd have spent less (or no) money on trying several Divisions and picked the right one (for me) from the beginning and learned how to use it.

Oooh, custom guns - and the accompanying belts, holsters, mags, etc. - are 'spensive if they just sit around.

[Pete Whyte]

I'm 71 yrs. old & in my 3'rd year shooting handguns. Having a family puts a crunch on a lot of people wanting to shoot. A lot of people never get the chance to start early in life for various reasons. So, whenever you start try to get some good training, & have a good time. I, for one, have a helluva time.

[latech15]

I would have saved the $2,000 I spent trying to build an open glock cause "its cheaper".

Buy STI, keep it, no trading around. If you have a bad match, it's not the gun's fault.

[Grunt]

Great thread. At the risk of sounding preachy, I'd like to offer some perspective on the "I wish I got started earlier..." comments. As they say, life is about choices and each choice has pros and cons. I was fortunate enough to start early, and in a competitive nature, and I did fairly well. But being young with little income has its own challenges. Putting a lot of life on hold was a necessity in order to chase the game as hard as I did. I didn't date, had a POS for a car, ate a lot of PB&J, and could not afford much in the way of anything. Literally, there were times when I wasn't able to afford to travel to the next match unless I was able to sell a gun I had won the week early at another match. I'm sure if you look at TGO's or Brian's early years you will hear of similar circumstances. Pros and cons. In spite of many other things I missed out on, I don't regret that time in my life. Not one minute of it. But it did come at a price.

As to the question at hand, I'm not sure I'd change much, really. But I can point out a few things that I felt were beneficial to my "career" (if you could call it that.)

* Early on, spend time developing accuracy. If you can go to any match and KNOW that you can hit anything (even if its a slow shot) that is huge.

* Swallow the pride and spend time with a decent teacher. I attended classes taught by TGO and JB, and both were very beneficial to my development.

* Keep in mind that gear is just a means to an end and will only get you so far; don't get hooked on the technology, get hooked on shooting.

* If you are out there simply to have fun, good. Enjoy. But if you want more then that make a plan. You have strengths and weaknesses. Work on the weaknesses.

* Know yourself. You'd be amazed at what you will learn if you can determine your beliefs, fears, and desires. These will things guide us and our development.

Grunt

Edited December 11, 2011 by Grunt

[Shawn Knight]

I didn't read anything else but...

I would not have bought so many useless gadgets and guns. I would have saved my money and bought the things I needed to play things game and play it well. I didn't need that crappy FEG Hi Power clone or that Kimber RCP, I didn't need all these leather holsters and pouches, and I sure as heck should have got a 650 instead of a 550. Save your money and get the right guns and gear the first time. Research research research!!!!!

[bierman]

I would have gotten good, professional instruction much earlier. Spent about 10 years thinking I knew what I was doing. When I finally took a class from someone who really knew what he was doing, I saw the light and realized I had wasted a lot of time. Don't be stubborn and learn from those who have gone before you to figure some of this stuff out.