New open shooter questions

[enutees]

Hi,

I've just started shooting open.

I was shooting a Para p18 lda in production. High C class.

I've notice I'm a lot slower shooting my open gun. Splits are a lot slower, draws are a bit slower. Is this normal? I've been dry firing a lot and I'm getting better at picking up the dot, but in live fire I seem to be moving in slow motion.

Is this something that others have experienced? I'm trying to fight my flinch of the blast and I'm able to watch the dot lift most of the time.

Just looking for any help I can get.

[rtr]

I just switched to open from production, my splits are way way faster than with the pd gun, and its much easier for me to watch the dot and get it back on target quicker than the front sight. Reducing flinch and keeping ur eyes open are probably key, best way to do this is double up on ear pro and just fire a bunch of rounds into the berm as fast as you can, you should start seeing what you need to see.

[Kingman]

Yep, rtr has the points down

Probably blinking flinching from the amount of blast and noise produced by an open gun. Double up on ear protection and concentrate on seeing everything and not blinking etc.

The shots into the berm do help.

[BigLucky]

Just go to the range and shoot a bunch of bill drills. That has helped me track the dot a lot better. Your draws will come from there.

[Newguy]

I also just started shooting open. My draws are also a bit slower, I think because the gun is much heavier (especially nose heavy) than my ltd. I'm still trying to transition the sight reference from notch and post to red dot. I also don't like the blast in the face. It didn't bother me at first, but after 100 or so rounds I started blinking even with good ear protection. I guess I'll just have to get used to it.

[Kingman]

IF you know you start flinching after 100 rds, stop at that point in practice.

DO NOT practice bad habits.

[BSeevers]

The slow motion is normal. You must get rid of the flinch. Double muffs, close your mouth and treat the blast as matter of factly.

You are seeing a lot more with an Open gun. Just shoot the sight and trust it and you. That's what people are saying when they say trust your self or sight. Now it is difficult to trans to an Open. It can appear violent and "out of control" The above advice is good but remember Splits are just a few hundreths faster on say a wide open Target at 10 yards if you are a good iron sight shooter. Thats going from a .22 split to a .19 for example. You have to "trust" that 12 .03's give you that faster run. You can pick up transistion time too but get the idea?

Now the truth is the dot allows you to shoot much faster on partials and smaller /farther targets. Will you become club champion with a brand new open gun. Very doubtful, until you put the time in practice and dry fire. Open guns bring out all your flaws very soon. I usually draw my Open a little slower maybe .03-.05 although that difference is really not there like it used to be. (shades of white) . In practice last week, I am coaching a bunch of brand new shooters. I said watch this. I drew a .99 ( at 8 or 9 yards for the peanut gallery) After they went wow I said here's what counts. I drew a .96. You can draw under a sec with a Open gun and to be a good shooter, as with any of the basic shooting skills, Can you repeat it in competition, cold, EVERY time?

PS I need to get in dry firing too since that draw should have been low .9X's or high 8's

[enutees]

Well, I shot my open gun for the first time tonight in a practice match.

I had my best scores ever. Time was good and my points down were great.

I have found that the range I've been shooting in is so tight and cramped (indoor) that the muzzle blast hits me from all sides. Tonight I was a lot more open and had a great time. Easy following of the dot.

Anyway, thanks for the tips. I found shooting hard cover and steel to be almost too easy.