Joe's road to recovery after shoulder surgery

[Jadeslade]

WIth a shoulder, it's the draw that's going to kill you. Good luck, appreciate the information. Keep up the good shooting.

[Joe L]

WIth a shoulder, it's the draw that's going to kill you. Good luck, appreciate the information. Keep up the good shooting.

You were right--draw is going to be slow to get good at. Today I put up three IDPA practice targets at 10 yards and got out the timer and started with a beep to put 2 rounds in each target. Was able to get the first shot off in 1.6 seconds and zero down runs were 5.0 seconds. I couldn't do much better than that before either surgery so maybe I can work at it enough now to improve. I am going on a trip soon where I can do a lot of dry fire drills so maybe this is the time to work on the draw and transitions.

I did the same drill with my new CZ75B as well as with two of my P226 SIGs, surprisingly the transitions were very good with the CZ, more like with my X-5. I think I will have 4 good race guns to choose from once I get my CZ75 trigger and sights lined out and get my X-5 back from Gray Guns.

300 rounds total for the day, 100 22 warm up and 200 total from the 3 9mm guns. A good day at the range, a very good day. May be a week before I can shoot again.

Joe

[Joe L]

Week ending Saturday 3-17-12

I was out of town on business until Wednesday. Got home, opened up the CGW parts package that had arrived while I was gone, and installed the firing pin and spring, sear, hammer, springs and went to the range with my reworked trigger gun, with a DA pull of 6-1/2 lbs and SA pull of 3-1/2 lbs. Trigger felt great, but the business trip had me whipped, so I didn't shoot very well, my back is very sore. Gun was good, however.

Went back on Thursday and shot the CZ some more. Excellent, but had a couple of light strikes. Installed LPA TPU rear sight with the stock front. Dawson FO not here yet.

Went back on Friday and zeroed the gun perfectly with the stock front sight. Couple of more light strikes on Remington UMC ammo, not with Atlanta Arms. Trigger is lighter than the SIG, so I will change the hammer spring to a 11.5 lb one that came in the CGW kit. I'm liking this gun, can shoot it as accurately as the hot rod P226 already, now that the sights and trigger are acceptable. Right arm is doing super, should be able to compete well in April club match with either gun I choose.

I think this is going to revert to a "normal" range diary now, and not so much on recovering from surgery. Recovery is done, just need strengthening, so I continue with physical therapy.

Can't wait to get my X-5 back from Gray Guns and compare to the CZ. CZ weighs 37 oz, by the way, with one empty magazine. My X-5 better weigh just a hair under 43!

Joe

Edited March 17, 2012 by Joe L

[Joe L]

Sunday 3-18-12 8-10am

60 rounds with the 22 to warm up, results good, so went to 25 yard slow groups with the CZ to get the new FO front and LPA adjustable rear lined out. Very difficult to do, however due to 20-40 mph cross wind gusts. I was still able to shoot 7" groups with both the CZ and the P226 right and left handed. No 2" groups today, however. I'm not that good in the wind.

Total 9mm about 250 rounds, 50 through the SIG, 200 through the CZ. The CZ is still too stiff for a weak recoil spring so I put the stock on back in when I got home. Had 4 FTF from slide lock today, not related to the ammo OAL.

I also did some 3 target, 2 round per target drills and was much quicker with the CZ than with the SIG, due to lower recoil. With the same sights as on the P226, I think I can already shoot this gun quicker. We'll see as the arms get stronger and I get used to the gun. The single action reset is much longer than on the SIG, surprisingly, but that can be fixed, I think.

Joe

[Joe L]

Wed 3-21-12

300 rounds through the CZ75B after conversion to SAO. Worked great. Did some plate drills as well as groups at 25 yards, very windy outside, so no 2" groups to show for it, but got them all on the 7" plates. so a good day. The gun shoots very flat and all I have to get used to is the safety location and the trigger reset, which is still a little longer than the P226 with the firing pin safety block in place. Overall good day with the new pistol.

Joe

[Joe L]

The Atlanta Arms minor PF 147 won't seal up in the CZ chamber and leaves a lot of residue at the muzzle. Will try their 115 in the CZ. The 147 works great in the SIG with a 0.005" tighter chambered Bar-Sto barrel.

I have 1100 rounds through the CZ but went back to the P226 until I get the ammo situation lined out. I'm out of 147 so back to Rem UMC if Academy ever gets any in stock.

Joe

[Joe L]

More rounds through the CZ this week, with 115 gr Rem UMC. Shot 100 rounds at 7" plates at 25 yards without a miss. Best group was this one below. Not as good as with the P226, but pretty darn good for me. I'm happier with the 100 in a row without a miss than with the group. Time to do some multi-target drills with the timer now that the right arm is nearly up to full strength and a draw is no longer a challenge. I'm well.

Joe

[Joe L]

Sunday 4-1-12

Great day today at the range with one of my friends who has a P226 with a trigger I just worked over. Shooting a heavy pull gun has been a challenge for him. I got it where it was shootable, but not perfect, like mine!

Reread Chapter 1 in BE's book, on focus and concentration, this was a good thing for me to do. Also, no medications for 24 hours, and it showed. Shot tight groups slow out to 25 yards, then shot 4 target drills with the P226 and CZ and did fine. I'm getting there. Shoulders were sore from physical therapy this week, but that did not affect my shooting.

300 rounds total. A good day. Shot weak hand, weak hand only, strong hand only, just to keep up with what I learned while having each arm in a sling for 6 weeks. I can still shoot well weak hand only, but need to continue to practice.

It was good to relax, "observe", and just shoot. Amazing how well one can shoot when you let yourself just do what you already know how to do.

Joe

[Joe L]

Wednesday 4-4-12

Another excellent day, this time with the 22 conversion on the CZ75, 200 rounds, then 100 rounds of 9 at plate target in 6 shot drills. I am loving this gun. Gray says my X-5 will be back in two weeks, we'll see how that goes if it happens at all. Will shoot the CZ on the 18th in the local club IDPA match. Can't wait. I'll do the classifier again if offered as well.

The CZ 22 conversion is the only one I've shot that is done right. First, you get to fit the slide and barrel lug to the frame. Second the barrel and slide frame or solid so no lock up errors with the sights anyway. Third, the magazines are top notch steel and work perfectly. Fourth, weight is similar to 9mm slide. Fifth, well look at this 3x5 card shot from 25 yds in gusty conditions ...

This is fun.

Joe

[Joe L]

Thursday 4-5-12

200 rounds of 22 through the CZ, excellent yet again, this time with Winchester M-22 ammo. Then 70 rounds of 9mm. I can't handle the SAO safety on the CZ. Tab is too short and placement is too far forward to reach easily with right thumb. I am going to go back to DA/SA for this weekend and see if I can improve the draw to first shot time some. In SAO mode, I am too slow because I am fumbling to get the safety off with the left hand. Not good. Easily remedied with the stock trigger, and I am very comfortable DA/SA because of the year with the SIGs.

Love that CZ75 pistol, however. Will probably use it on the 14th for the club match, even in DA/SA mode. Shoulders are a non-issue. Shooting well is the issue now.

Joe

[Joe L]

Monday 4-23-12

Modified the safety on the 75B and have kept it in SAO configuration for the last few weeks. Lots of 22 Kadet slide shooting followed by 9mm. Have had some sight picture problems due to glasses prescription and am working on that. Shoulders are both good to go, I even changed a tire on my big truck last weekend. Missed the club match due to conflicts, but have been putting in lots of range time with the CZ.

Joe

Edited April 23, 2012 by Joe L

[Joe L]

Mid May,

I've been shooting a bunch but have been waiting on my X-5 from Gray Guns. While waiting, I've been shooting the CZ mainly and really liking it, both in 9mm and with the 22 conversion. Will shoot the X-5 today, finally, after 4 months!

Some tasks I just have to farm out, like lightening the X-5 to get it under 43 oz, and getting an extractor that is reliable. Bruce knows Sigs.

Joe

[Mike Morcillo]

Had my rotator cuff surgery on March 9th, 2012. Nice to see that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Was told there wil be NO highpower rifle or shotgun for the first six months. But, bought a 1911 22lr for all the practice sessions and the STI went for an Ion Bond refinish while recovering. It's tough sitting ouot a shooting season and especially tough to miss the big matches. Good luck with your recovery.

[Joe L]

Mike, thanks for the reply. There IS a return to shooting after shoulder surgery!! I am a better shooter from the effort I put in weak hand and weak hand only. Practice everything you can and stuff you have never practiced much before and make the most of the time your shoulder is healing.

Joe

[Joe L]

May 25 Friday Memorial Day Weekend

Been struggling with what I think are some vertigo problems for the last few weeks. Hasn't affected group shooting much but will affect transitions. On Dr's advice, have started some simple exercises to restore normal balance function. I've been shooting the 22 CZ a bunch, like 1000 rounds per week, just to try to train sight picture and trigger release. Today I decided to try 9" paper plates at 50 yards with 20-30 mph wind gusts. Was able to get 70% hits standing, normal two hand grip. I was happy with that considering the wind. Shooting 3x4 cards at 23 yards went very well, a did 7" plates at 33. 9" at 50 was a challenge with the wind. I gave up after 360 rounds and went home.

The CZ75 with the Kadet 22 conversion is excellent. I've put a bunch of rounds through this gun, with very few problems.

I got the X-5 back from Gray Guns but there are a couple of issues. Therefore I will stick with the CZ for a while longer.

Joe

PS--both shoulders are fine. Get my balance back and then I should be 100% hits at 50 yards!

[Joe L]

June 8, Friday,

Got a P226 Stainless Steel Elite (SSE) to use instead of the X-5 for a game gun. Still some extractor problems with the X-5. I have already put mag well grips, spring set, sights, on the SSE. Shoulders are 100%, just not too strong yet. The CZ nearly ruined me for the SIGs, but I am getting back to where I can shoot the SIG. Several 3" groups at 25 yards with the X-5 and the SSE on Thursday night.

Joe