CB45 Range Diary

[Chris iliff]

Hey, my birthday is the tenth. Happy birthday to you!!!!

[S8MS01904]

Happy Birthday CB

[S8MS01904]

Double post

Edited May 9, 2013 by S8MS01904

[CB45]

Practice yesterday with a couple friends. Went alright. I plan to get out a few more times before Ohio State. My FeankenBlue open gun runs much better with a lighter recoil spring. Its not the prettiest gun out there, but I am going to shoot the rails off of it.

[CB45]

Hit the range again today. I wanted to work more on shooting targets beyond 10 yds. I figured out what my limits currently are. I really noticed if I got a sloppy grip, the dot tracking was awful.

It was a short range session, but it was productive. Tomorrow I'm going to load some ammo! Got about 3k pieces of brass cleaned up and sorted. I notice Wolf primers don't seat well in Win. brass, so Win brass will be practice brass. Some people tell me sorting brass is pointless, but I think it helps to get more reliable ammo.

[CB45]

Well I got some ammo loaded up for my practice with a GM this weekend.

Also managed to get to the range again. Only shot 80rds. I worked on side to side movement. I made up this little drill. Two sets of double stack barrels about 12 yds apart, 17 yards from the berm. 2 targets at the berm 12yds apart. It kinda of made a box. Anyway, drill was two shots on each target from behind both barrels, start position was about 5yds away from either barrel. Snatch and run, shoot the target in front of you, lean hard to get the target diagonal. Break grip, expload out of that position. Run sideways to the other barrel, smooth setup and shoot the targets around the barrel. Worked on getting the gun up and on target as I decelerated into the second position. This was tricky moving right to left. Being right handed, I really had to twist my torsoe when I started decelerating. I dry fired this drill until I was sweaty. It was a workout. I'm going to do this drill again.

I'm also working in my draw and run start. I feel like a Giraffe when I draw and run to the first shooting area. II'm somehow pushing my hips forward of my chest. It happens because my upper body is drawing the gun while my legs begin to spring. I'll work that out.

[CB45]

Practiced again last night. 17 yds, 3 targets, 5 yards apart, two shots each. Started out at 4.8s w/sloppy hits. Worked it down to 3.5ish with only a couple C's. Not crazy fast, but I am learning the grip / dot movement relationship.

Ran El Pres in 5.84s down 1. Draw and reload were slow. I started out they day with this drill just to see what I could do cold. Not too bad. I definetly have a second I can shave with the 1.4s draw and 1.55 reload. More dry fire.

Lost another sight screw. Replaced it last night. That red loctit doesn't work that well. Got to resight that thing in again.

Loaded up some ammo for Sundays match. Still need to load and chrono ammo for Ohio Section next weekend.

I need to decide which gun to shoot. Both run well.

Edited May 15, 2013 by CB45

[Racer377]

http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/general-gunsmith-tools/thread-locking-liquids/rocksett-prod54624.aspx

That's probably the stuff you want. It's just about impervious to heat, which is probably what's causing the red loctite to fail.

[CB45]

Drat... training with Chris K. got cancelled due to rain. Bummed. Hitting the range tomorrow anyway for some SCSA and a practice session.

Practice will be every/exit drills. Low round count, high physical intentity. Going to get my move on...

[CB45]

Highlights for the SCSA match today. Shot a 0.2 transition to the stop plate on "5 to Go". It was my last string for the day, kind of got frosty on it. Franken Blue ran like a top today. I'm developing some confidence in that gun.

Reflection for the day: why am I looking at the dot while it's covering the plate? Pull the trigger!!!

Shot a movement drill a few times before I left the range. Felt good about it.

Came home and loaded 500 RDS for the Ohio State Section. I'm shooting Friday. I double checked my load over the chrono. The lowest came in at 171PF... the average is more like 173... it shoots better with more powder... err something. Maybe I'm just afraid of going Minor...

Guaged my 170mm mags. I had to trim a little on one to get it to fit. I think its all good to go now.

USPSA match at WVPPC tomorrow. Plan to use it as a practice for the Ohio State match. I hear Coach has thrown in some SHO/WHO into the match. That will be good practice.

[CB45]

Let's see... WVPPC didn't disappoint. Had a excellent time. Lesson learned. Count how many bullets you put into a magazine !!! It is important to have enough bullets!!! Haha!

I felt like my movement is definitely get more explosive. Position entry/exit practice is paying off. Practice at 17yds is paying off.

I hope to get one more practice in this week before Ohio

[CB45]

Results are already up. 2nd overall. One stage win. I was sitting in the couch beating myself up, then I thought, "I've only been doing this for a year". I am fairly happy with my progress.

[CB45]

I still cant decide if I should buy a Prd gun. Those CZ75s are pretty awesome.

My current division breakdown opinions:

Production - Two choices, DA/SA or Striker Fired. Most guns are not competition ready and require modifications. Guns are rarely as accurate as Lim/SS/Open/Rev division guns. 10rd capacity allows for a few makeup shots in stage planning. Good all around choice to develop shooting skills. GP2.

Single Stack - The pistols that began USPSA. This 100 year old design has withstood the test of time. Limited capacity forces stage plans to not allow make-up shots. Great skill needs to be developed for reloading. Lack of make-up shots and reloading all the time can hinder new shooters from finding stage speed. NASCAR

Limited - Someone got tired of reloading SS guns and did not like optics on a gun, so they made up Limited. IndyCar

Limited 10 - SS + 2 rds. Its a good division to learn and develop shooting skills. It is mostly a hider division for Limited people. Indy Lights.

Open - Truly the cutting edge in race-pistol & shooter capabilities. Formula 1

Rev - Beautiful piece of art. In my opinion, not appropriate for speed shooting sports. Demolition Derby.

Enjoy.

Edited May 21, 2013 by CB45

[JakeMartens]

Give yourself time in one division to truely learn the gun and shooting that division without switching around.

[Racer377]

Did you just compare SS to NASCRAP? Really?

[CB45]

Did you just compare SS to NASCRAP? Really?

Maybe... NASCAR with restrictor plates...

[Racer377]

no wonder I screw up any stage that requires me to turn right......

[BillD]

I think the trick is to shoot SS like there is no restrictor plate. Hard to do when you don't have makeup shots but it seems that's what the good ones do.

[CB45]

I am embarrassed. I had at least one malfunction on 8 stages today at the Ohio state match. I switched guns at lunch thinking it was a gun problem. Switched mags, tried factory mags... I was stumped. I let it all hang out on the last stage... my scorecard will reflect it...

Anyway, I thought about it on the drive back. I'm pretty sure I figured it out. I think when I enter a new shooting position I'm getting a grip that puts my thumb under the slide stop. When the gun recoils, my thumb bumps the slide stop up enough to slow the slide down. Leading to stove piping, double feeding, all kinds of bad news when I clear the jamb. When I got home, I griped my gun and it is defiantly a possibility. So this is my theory.

As I am getting more physically aggressive with movement, I'm not focusing on what my hands are doing. This explains why this is a new issue for me. Before, I rarely broke my grip to move, and if I did I did it slow. Getting better, may have caused new issues.

So tomorrow I'll test my theory out. I really hope this is the problem. I would hate to think all my gear is junk. I don't know what I would do if that's the case. Scrapyard, sawzaw, boat anchor...

More tomorrow.

Edited May 25, 2013 by CB45

[CB45]

Setup today was good at ACC. My two stages look good. Hope anyone reading this comes to enjoy madness...

Trouble shooting the guns at the range was good. Found cracked mag lips on my big stick. A fellow shooter has lent me a couple mags until I can get a this all resolved. He's also looking over two of my mags for me. I thought they were OK, but I don't know anymore.

Came home and learned something about open guns. Nobody talks about ejector- mag timing. If you put a spacer in your mags and use a standard ejector, the timing is off. The brass hasn't hit the ejector before the next round comes up from the mag. I'm pretty sure this is my problem with Frankenblue.

I took the extractor out of the Trubor, NO tension at all! STI replaced it 300rds ago!!! That's frustrating. I put is a tuned extractor that I bought with the gun, I hope it works tommorrow.

Edited May 25, 2013 by CB45

[CB45]

I despise gun problems.

By Saturday, this should be behind me.

Going to spend this week loading ammo and dry firing.

[CB45]

Well this week pretty much sucked. I didn't get any loading done, no dry fire, blah. The gun issues have gotten to my head. I hope to get back on track this weekend. Definitely have to load some ammo tonight/tomorrow.

I think I got Frankenblue up and running, even got a new racker setup for it. Its looking pretty rough... but as long as it runs, I don't care at this point. Next year, maybe I'll have a sexy open gun...

Still need to fit a new firing pin stop to the Trubor. Clocking extractors are no good. The XL ejector fixed the timing issue, but you can still see some brass is ejecting poorly. At least its not stove piping anymore.

South Central Sunday. Warsaw next Sunday. Area 5 on the 14th.

I've got lots of practice to do... I really wanted to do well at Ohio. I was hoping for that extra boost of confidence for Area 5. I guess a 60% finish with a dozen or more malfunctions, is OK.... that's just bad rationalization. I've got work to do if I wanna finish well at Area 5. I wanted to be 80% or better at Ohio. So maybe I'll set the same goal for Area 5. 80% is a big goal, but I think its doable.

I need to order more bullets already. My case is almost gone. I'll be opening my backup case next week.

[CB45]

On my way to my gunsmith to resolve the extractor clocking issues on the Trubor. I hope to finally get gun problems behind me.

Managed to sneak a little practice in last night. Nothing really exciting. Mostly trigger control type drills. Man its amazing how quickly my trigger pull gets crappy. Worked on some SHO/WHO drills. I need to dry fire weak hand transfer drills. I experienced a lot of wasted time transfering the gun after a reload to my weak hand.

30% chance for rain tomorrow. I hope for a beautiful day at the range. It will be good for my zen. Its lunchtime.

[CB45]

One step forward, two steps back...

I lost my mojo. The gun issues from the week prior took a toll on me. I'm spending this week rebuilding my self image and confidence.

Hit the range today. Ran fundamental type drills to get me back in the groove. I think it worked. By the end of the day I was feeling pretty good.

Ran one Bill Drill at 7yds 2.07, all A's, 1.17 surrender draw. Would have done it again, but it was my last 6rds for the day. I didn't push that run at all, I just drove the gun.

So far my gun is running like a well oiled machine! My gunsmith is awesome! Backup gun seems to be alright, only shot 20 RDS out of it. I need to get some rounds through it before Area 5 in 2 weeks. I don't wanna show up to another major with guns that don't work.

PS. If you have extraction issues with a factory 9mm Trubor, check for extractor clocking and ejector length. If that extractor rotates, your going to have problems. If the spent brass hasn't ejected before the next bullet rises in the magazine, your going to have problems. Ask me how I know!!!

[CB45]

Holy dry fire sloppyness! Put the rig on yesterday to run through some drills. Wow, its amazing how fast those skills errode. It has probably been 3 weeks since I ran through S.A. drills 1-12. I couldn't hit any of my old par times. The dot was wobbly. Suckyness all around.

By the end of the session, I was back in the groove. The dot was appearing where I was looking, reloads were smooth, and transitions were nice and snappy.

I've been shooting a lot lately, so I've skipped the dry fire. I need to do both.