First outdoor match and PPR-pick it apart please

[love2shoot]

This is the first match I have shot outdoors, and just started USPSA in Feb. This is also the first time I have seen a PPR in person. Feel free to pick it apart as I am trying to get better. Keep in mind that my sights somehow got moved after the first stage I shot (stage 3) and the next...it took 2 stages to figure out where it was shooting and readjust without guessing where to hold. I do see that I still drop my shoulder when I draw, and cant seem to consistently break that...dont know if its my short arms or what thats causing it. Anyway, have at it please...wont hurt my feelings, I just want to be better and get practicing before the state match in July.

Edited May 21, 2012 by love2shoot

[Poppa Bear]

I will see you in Minot because I plan to shoot the match also.

A couple of things:

Engage targets as you move forward. The final stage on the video you could have taken the middle targets as you advanced towards the port. You could have possibly taken some of the outer targets as you were moving into position also.

Do not stick your arms through the ports, or around barricades unless it is the only way you can make the angle to the target. Stand back far enough so that you do not need to worry about striking the wall as you execute a reload.

Plan your stages better. You seemed to be surprised by some of the targets. You should be indexed on the target as you approach it because you already know it is there, not skid to a stop because I almost ran by it.

Again with the final stage, plan better. Take the two in the middle, then the outside right. Reload. Targets through the RH port, run to the left and take the outside left targets. Reload. take the remaining through the LH Port.

It is easy said than done, but the more you shoot the better it gets.

[love2shoot]

Thanks for the input Poppa.

I thought about taking those middle targets first, but thought I would be faster just getting to the right quick and starting then catching those on the way by rather than shooting while I was walking, which I am still getting use to so I feel really slow doing it. As a side note...I've seen it said more than once on this site and others basically not to be somewhere you've already shot, so it was also in my head not to shoot targets and then pass them later....possibly I misunderstood what was being said.

I know better than to stick my arms in the port unless I have to..not sure what happened there other than being a newb. I also don't usually get right up on the wall and reach around like that, but the targets were like 2-3 feet away, so I was guaranteeing myself the A's by reaching around that close...I also meant to reload after those 2 targets, but didn't for whatever reason...which is why I went to slide lock 2 shots later, which I know cost me time since I tried firing an empty gun.

I was not surprised by any targets, but I'm going to assume you are referring to the 4th video(stage 1) and the fact that I had to stop and turn on the single target between the wall and barrel... wasn't surprised, just flubbed the reload and hitting the slide release(had to start unchambered so 10 rounds rather than 11) so couldn't fire as soon as intended.

I am trying to work on my stage planning, but its a slow process when we only have 1 match a month to shoot here.

Will see you in July, I'm looking forward to it since it will be my first "big" match. I think I'm also going to shoot the steel challenge here in June, which will be my first attempt at that game....unfortunately that is the only steel challenge match here for the entire year.

Thanks again, hope to see some others chime in and pick my game apart as well.

[Poppa Bear]

The part about not engaging targets where you have already been is more geared towards movement. If you had moved directly forward to engage the middle targets and then ran to the right for the port and outer targets you would be wasting movement by moving past the middle targets a second time as you went to the left. By engaging the targets as you move to the right hand side you are saving time by taking available targets while moving.

I could not see all the target locations but it sounded like 2 targets, 2 targets, 2 targets, 2 targets, 2 targets, 2 steel for a total of 22 rounds. The optimal plan could have been to take the middle targets and the right side targets then reload, all as you moved towards the right hand port. Then hustled across the shooting area to take the left hand outer targets, reload, then finish up with the left hand port targets.

OR

If the targets are visible from a bit further back I would have tried to take the middle targets as I moved to the left outside targets, followed by the left port targets and then a hustle across to the right hand port then the right hand outer. Being right handed it is easier and safer for me to do my reloads as I move from left to right rather than right to left.

Being as I shoot limited, I would have made my reload as I was running by the middle targets I engaged at the start of the stage.

If I were shooting SS I would have taken the middle then outer left targets (8 shots), reloaded as I moved into the LH port (6-8 shots with the steel), reloaded as I moved towards the RH port (4 shots) and then finished the mag on the RH outer targets (4 shots). Being as the steel appeared to be visible from either port, if I missed a piece while shooting through the left port I would have re-engaged it through the RH port and then reloaded for the last time as I moved to engage the RH outer targets. Because things happen I would have tried to program myself into reloading as I moved to take the outer targets anyways just because with my luck I would grab a mag with 7 rounds and go to slide lock on the last target.