CB45 Range Diary

[smith52]

Looks like you shot pretty well over the weekend Chad, good job at IL.

-Bob-

[Chris iliff]

Yep, right in the thick of all the Masters! Kinda puts a nice stamp on making Master, good job brother!

[CB45]

Thanks guys!

I'm really happy with where I'm at. A part of me feared being known as a paper M. Two months ago I was a B, 14 days ago I made M, and this weekend I finished a level II match within 10% of the match winner. (I wasn't the last M either!!!).

I've been seriously talking about switching to PRD for a while, but I'm going to hold off on that endeavor. I'm just starting to figure out how to shoot Open, so I don't see how switching platforms can help at this point. I'll make a switch when my skills plateau. Right now I'm still getting better.

Practice with Chris Iliff today. Going to go get better!

[Chris iliff]

Great practice today, ....... I am wore out and we made it difficult, very difficult.

[CB45]

El Pres video, just for fun!

Edited September 3, 2013 by CB45

[CB45]

Alright, let's see. Went to the Wildcat Creek match today. Tough stages this time! I was really challenged today. I need to get back to work on SHO/WHO drills. I was shakey all day. I'm not sure what the cause was, but I hope tomorrow is different.

The classifier today was Diamond Cutter. 91% run, completely cold! It was my first stage for the day. OH YA!

[rvb]

I guess the whole point Im trying to make is that gear doesnt matter. ....

I have told many people that if I could do it again, I would buy a production gun and a lot of ammo components. I am kind of embarrassed that I spent so much time switching my gear around. I want to stay in Open, but I dont know if I can maintain an Open rig. They are expensive to setup, and expensive to fix when they break.

you are right that you can't buy performance... But I think I made the mistake of being on the other extreme. I shot a beretta 92 from the time I started idpa in ~2001 through 2011 (w/ a couple years in open just cause I was getting burned-out / bored). I learned more about my shooting in the last few months switching to glock than I did in the previous several years, just because the change forced me back to fundamentals. Trigger press, reloads, draws, etc were un-familiar and exposed problems. Solving the problems made me better.

If you can say you learned something each time you switched gear around, then it wasn't a total waste.

I've had lots of people, over the years, say how easy the dot is, most of these asshats don't have a clue. What they have are EXCUSES for their laziness.

learning to really shoot an open gun was one of the hardest things I did. Learned a ton about the importance of a good index ("where the hell is the dot?!") and how to really control the gun w/ my vision. I don't know that it's necessarily harder to move up in classes in open... I moved up w/ my prod/open classifications pretty much in parallel. W/in a couple months of getting A in prod I got A in open, and w/in a couple months of getting M in open I got my M in prod.

My overall finishes in big matches is usually alot better than what people expect, but that is because I am going in with a crap load of big match experience,

...

I never go to a stage and think oh I can push it here, or I should be able to do it this fast.......that is a disaster waiting to happen for me.

...

The other on big matches, ... thinking too much then it isn't fun, if you bomb a stage and let it suck you down then you are not having fun.

Yea, Chris and I were discussing this at the FW Match a couple weeks back.... no matter how good the technical shooting is, there are so many things that can throw you at majors, and that's a lot of the reason people don't finish in their class %. Just the volume of stages, props you haven't seen before, stage designs that aren't what you are used to seeing in your area, etc. Learning to deal w/ your own expectations/disapointments, etc is big.... ie letting that tanked stage out of your mind and not letting it influence how you shoot the next stage or learning to shoot your own game when you have a national champ on your squad vs trying to keep up, etc.

What makes USPSA different than other shooting sports is that shooting skills is only 1/3 of the challenge. Everyone learns at a different pace. I think I have developed my shooting skills faster than I have my Stage & Match Skills. This really intrigues me. How do I get better at the other 2/3?

Shooting Skills: Trigger pull, Stance, Grip, Draw, Reloading, Transitions, Movement

Stage Skills: Breakdown, Visualization, and Execution

Match Skills: Hydration, Nutrition, Mental Management, and Rulebook interpretation

Good observation. I would probably put a little more emphasis on shooting, but all that "other stuff" is important too... put mental management up in stage skills and match skills isn't that big of a deal. Maybe 60/30/10% then.

One thing I can share after putting shooting on the back burner the last couple years (I haven't traveled out of IN to shoot since ~2010), is I found the execution is the hardest thing to maintain. The shooting can be maintained (not improved, just maintained) w/ 1-2 hrs of dryfire per week. But I look at my IN section match video, and I see all the places I didn't follow my plan, didn't start a reload immediately, etc, and I see dozens of seconds lost. I think that's what shooting 2-3 local matches/month gets you is the ability to practice your execution/visualization. It's as much a perishable skill as shooting, just harder to maintain outside of a match environment.

-rvb

[CB45]

Thanks RVB for the post! Good information!

Wildcat Creek was a good match Saturday. Three of the stages where shooting through ports stages. I dont really shoot through ports that well, so it was good practice. I had the shakes all day. Im not sure what was going on, but it caused the SHO/WHO stage to go really bad. I have had the shakes like that about 3 times this summer. It may have been fatigue, I dont know.

Sunday at Silvercreek went better. I wasnt shaky, so that was nice. I shot a couple stages well, a couple stages had a hesitation here or there, and I had a mediocre classifier (81% - bad points). I dont think I had any makeup shots on steel, maybe one on a vertical 12shot plate rack, which I shot on the move! The Texas Star went clean and smooth. I finished 2nd in Open.

So thats the weekend match summary. Now on to something else Ive been thinking about. The better I get, the more I notice things about my shooting. My theory is that I keep setting higher standards for myself. My match results are getting better, but I still have a huge list of things I want to do better.

Shoot more As Faster!!!!!! No seriously, thats what I want to do.

I think its important to celebrate achievements just as much as you critique yourself. I have found myself critiquing my own shooting a lot lately. After every match I spend a couple hours running through each stage, to figure out where my weaknesses are.

Current weaknesses:

Random hesitations. I dont think they are very long, but I notice them.

Shooting As at high speed. At full speed, Alpha count drops beyond 7yds. I think I should be able to shoot 2 As at 15yds at full speed.

Recent accomplishments:

Shooting steel is becoming easier.

Penalties are becoming rare.

Confidence shooting partials. Im not scared, because I know where my shots are going.

Shot calling is becoming second nature.

Foot work seems to be effortless. I dont think about it. Im too busy looking for the next target to shoot.

So I think Im going to take a week off from USPSA. This Friday is FNS. Ill shoot that for fun, but unless I can come up with a good reason to travel

*More random thoughts*

I see two types of upper level USPSA shooters.

Fast and erratic: Explosive all the time, but ready to shoot when they get there.

Smooth and deliberate: No wasted time and never rushed.

Im not sure if either is better/worse than the other, but I want to be somewhere in the middle. Explosive when necessary, and never waste time.

How to shoot USPSA:

Aim every shot appropriate sight picture for shot difficulty

Grip better grip, better recoil management, faster you can aim.

Stance helps to control recoil, and prepare the body to move.

Entry / exit (soft & explosive) First one to the last position will always win.

Shooting on the move Must be able to, and know when to.

Stage breakdown Be smart with the bullets. Make a plan that you can execute, and do it. Dont let other people influence your decisions.

[rvb]

*More random thoughts*

I see two types of upper level USPSA shooters.

Fast and erratic: Explosive all the time, but ready to shoot when they get there.

Smooth and deliberate: No wasted time and never rushed.

Im not sure if either is better/worse than the other, but I want to be somewhere in the middle. Explosive when necessary, and never waste time.

How to shoot USPSA:

...

Stance helps to control recoil, and prepare the body to move.

Entry / exit (soft & explosive) First one to the last position will always win.

I've never tried to fit a certain "style," just do what seems right at the time.

In general, I try to be smooth moving ENTERING positions, getting on the trigger as soon as possible. Then explode when EXITING (if you can call accellerating my fat ass exploding) to get to the next array. This usually means if I'm coming up on a wall or port, I'm shooting a target or two while settling into the exact position, and easing onto any fault lines, hard leans, etc. Then after the array (eg leaning hard around a wall), I no longer have to worry about fault lines and can 'explode' out to head to the next position.

Lots of stage designs will break that mold, but that's been my general method of attack the last couple years.

It's a little more difficult to be explosive in production, because usually I'm trying to get that reload done before really taking off. Actually, come to think of it, maybe that's been part of my execution problem I discussed above... my brain has been telling me to MOVE to the next position, and forgetting to get that reload done first. Thanks for your help on that issue! Maybe I should just say forget the reloads and dust off the open gun! that'll fix it.

-rvb

Edited September 10, 2013 by rvb

[Chris iliff]

Yes, dust it off I've been telling you, err waiting.

[rvb]

Yes, dust it off I've been telling you, err waiting.

perhaps for the Iliff Winter Indoor Invitational matches.....

-rvb

[Chris iliff]

Yes, dust it off I've been telling you, err waiting.

perhaps for the Iliff Winter Indoor Invitational matches.....

-rvb

Those will happen, just not this winter.

[CB45]

Well I wasn't going to practice this week, but I went out to the range this evening. I worked on some SHO/WHO stuff and did some hosing drills.

I can't hose. If I try, I end up missing the target for the second shot. I really don't think it matters that much. I'll just stick to shooting A's at my own pace.

Edited September 12, 2013 by CB45

[CB45]

Well I officially started exercising again. 6.5 miles on the bike. I think I'm going to start out rotating cardio, agility/ muscle building, and dry-fire on a three day schedule for a month, then I'll reevaluate my physical fitness needs.

I'm not looking to become muscle man, but I think I could stand to loose 15lbs, and firm up my core. I think its important to maintain a certain level of fitness in this sport.

Tomorrow is FNS, and Saturday I plan on a pretty tough practice session. I'm spending time with the family this Sunday, so no USPSA match this weekend.

[RangeJunkie]

Good to finally see you again tonight.

I caught up with your entire diary and I'm impressed, congratulations on everything you've accomplished!

Maybe I can get some of that hard work back into my game!

Edited September 14, 2013 by RangeJunkie

[Chris iliff]

Good to finally see you again tonight.

I caught up with your entire diary and I'm impressed, congratulations on everything you've accomplished!

Maybe I can get some of that hard work back into my game!

Hey dude, where you been? I broke my race gun and had to use your old Trubore to make Master this summer!! That gun is running like a top!!!

[CB45]

Thanks Brandon! I hope to see you on the range again sometime!

FNS tonight was fun. I ran my first sub 3s plate rack tonight. 2.97s! First two runs were in the 3.7 second range with make up shots, so I just decided to shoot it clean. What do you know, I set a personal best when I just decide to shoot the dot. Good time with friends and we had beautiful weather!

Edited September 14, 2013 by CB45

[RangeJunkie]

Good to finally see you again tonight.

I caught up with your entire diary and I'm impressed, congratulations on everything you've accomplished!

Maybe I can get some of that hard work back into my game!

Hey dude, where you been? I broke my race gun and had to use your old Trubore to make Master this summer!! That gun is running like a top!!!

Been racing RC trucks! Got picked up by a few sponsors etc.. But old habits die hard

Congrats on making Master!!! Glad it's working now!

Chad is going to whip me back into shape!

[CB45]

Practice tonight with Rangejunkie was good tonight. I think he'll pick up right where he left off.

We ran trough my typical drills. I think I need to come up with some new drills. I think they are good, but I need some variety.

Oh, I had a personal best run at the Minnesota Drill, sub 7s. I think it was 6.97s but I can't remember. It was fun.

Good day on the range!

[CB45]

So I have the urge to shoot another level II match. The TN Section is in two weeks. I'd really like to go. I've started asking around to see I can carpool with anyone.

I've emailed the MD to see if they have room for one more on the SatPM/SunAM schedule.

We'll see if it works out.

[CB45]

Practiced Tuesday with Rob. He brought some steel to shoot.

Shooting on the move, reloading on the move, near to far, and entry/exit drills with two paper and one steel plate. Awesome. The drills were tough. It seems like I'm constantly pushing myself to do harder drills.

Loaded ammo last night for the TN section. I think I'm ready. I'll chrono the new load one more time, and I'll feel comfortable with the new 115gr ammo.

Speaking of ammo. I ordered another case of 115's from MG. I think this is my 4th case of bullets this year.

Practice tonight with Rob & Kurt. We may get rained on... oh well.

[Racer377]

If it ain't raining, we ain't training.

[CB45]

Ha. We got lucky with the weather.

Practice tonight was tough. Rob came up with a real good hard setup/exit drill. It really tested my skills. It was a physically demanding drill. 3 shooting boxes about 8 yards apart. 3 head box targets about 12 yds away in front of each box. Starting from the center box, draw and shoot the headbox of the target in front of you. Move to an outside box, shoot the headbox. Go back to the center, head box shot. Go to the other side box, headbox shot. Back to the center box, head box shot. Finally go to the first outside box and shoot the head box. 6 shots, 6 hard entries, 6 hard exits, 6 hard shots, and about 40 yards of running. That was rough. My only clean run was 16.5ish with 1A, 5B I think. Very good drill, but not easy. I'm going to rotate this drill into my live fire routine. A lot to be learned with this drill! Entry/Exit and trigger control! Awesome!

[Racer377]

And don't forget visual patience! That was the big thing it was helping me with - putting me in a situation where every neuron in my brain is screaming "JUST F'IN SHOOT ALREADY!!!," but making myself settle in for the hard shot.

[CB45]

Well I cleaned my gun and found out it is broken.

The rear pin of the ejector that goes into the frame has seared off flush with the frame. I have no idea if I can get the remnance out of the frame or not.

Going to call my smith right now.

Good thing I have a backup...

Edited September 20, 2013 by CB45