For my first major match, I wish I...

[MikeRush]

Title says it all, looking for advice on practice, what to bring, mental game compared to local matches, etc...

[The_Vigilante]

_{At minimum double the rounds of ammo as specified by the Match Director for the entire match.. Back up pistol if you have one and as many magazines as you can afford. I am sure others will chime in as far as other items are concerned.}

_{I don't know why my reply was in such a small font size. All I did was hit reply and this is what I got.}

Edited April 25, 2013 by ima45dv8
font test

[Bunchies95]

Brought multiple pairs of shoes.

[bishop414]

Small cooler with drinks/snacks.

[Jerome]

brought a chair.

[Hi-Power Jack]

Depending on your "local shoots", they might be stricter with DQ's at

the larger match. Don't get DQ'd - watch the muzzle, your trigger

finger and the loading table (no ammo).

[Maksim]

+1

For the past 3 major matches I have been with, other fellow locals have just been getting DQ. sucks sucks sucks.

[ima45dv8]

_{At minimum double the rounds of ammo as specified by the Match Director for the entire match.. Back up pistol if you have one and as many magazines as you can afford. I am sure others will chime in as far as other items are concerned.}

_{I don't know why my reply was in such a small font size. All I did was hit reply and this is what I got.}

I went into Edit mode (you can, too), selected the text and chose Arial as the font. I then changed the size as offered in teh next drop-down menu.

I only changed the first part to show the difference.

[DonovanM]

Shot more aggressively.

But that probably isn't true for most people.

I wish I had brought more water. It was kinda hot and a gallon wasn't enough for an 8.5hr match.

[spanky]

Ironically, I wish I'd shot less aggressively at my first major.

[partyboy424]

Ironically, I wish I'd shot less aggressively at my first major.

Yeah shooting slower produced faster times and allowed me to think (aka, remember not to run past an array)

[DonovanM]

Ironically, I wish I'd shot less aggressively at my first major.

But that probably isn't true for most people.

Herp de derp.

Edited April 25, 2013 by DonovanM

[cbrconst]

My "A" game and sunscreen

[Dacsoft]

Remembered what the sights are for.. .

Real problem was that I should have slowed down and not tried to keep up with the others.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

[GuildSF4]

+1 on the sun screen, water, and extra ammo. Extra gun is nice, if not then commonly broken/lost parts (pre-tuned extractor, rear sight (and screw), recoil spring, spare fiber for fiber optic sight (with lighter and sharp knife to install)), gloves to protect your hands. Be safe and have fun.

[lawboy]

Shot my game and finished well.

Chronoed at 192pf because I did not want to be worried about my ammo the entire time!

[kevin c]

Shoot like you don't care about the results (and maybe you shouldn't). Shoot to have fun and learn (and you definitely should). Shoot each shot, And the next, and the next.

Don't depend on the stage diagrams to tell you what to practice (besides, it will mostly be too late). At most, if you can, practice movers if the match has a lot, and the start positions described, understanding that what you practice still will not be exactly what you will get at the match.

Get enough sleep, especially important if the match is in a different time zone. Eat and drink right until the match is over.

Get to the match early enough so you can walk the stages and determine how you're going to run them. Having a plan can really help settle major match jitters. Try very hard not to change that plan at the last minute (at least for me, it almost never works out trying to run somebody else's plan that is optimized for his skills and not mine, and especially since I can almost never mentally groove in a new plan when I'm in doubt and short on time).

Again, have fun. This is a hobby to be enjoyed for most of us, where match finishes are not worth agonizing over.

[Koppi]

Bring bug spray if your going to SSN, the gnats are bad if they are out.

OH! and Rain Gear.

Good Luck

[JAFO]

The first (and only, so far) major match I attended, I found it very nice to have a large cooler in the car with iced down water & drinks. I also kept a large portion of my ammo in the car, only carrying what I thought I'd need for the day.

Oh, and don't forget to put your mags on your belt before you shoot.

[Flexmoney]

For my first major match, I wish I...

...did a search and read past threads on the topic.

[Bunchies95]

For my first major match, I wish I...

...did a search and read past threads on the topic.

Edited April 26, 2013 by Bunchies95

[Atlgentlegiant]

Read the other threads on this topic but based on my own experience:

1. Cooler in the car with lots of extra iced down water, etc. and snacks.

2. Get there early enough to walk around and hopefully see another squad shoot the stages

3. Have extra ammo

4. Sunscreen

5. Spare shoes and socks

6. Rain gear

7. Make sure your gun, mags and all other equipment have run at least 1 match with no changes before your major match

8. Make sure ammo makes PF

9, Relax, compete only with yourself

[HeyChris]

Delete

Edited April 26, 2013 by DarkPowder

[MikeHarrell202]

If its a long match be sure to have a place to rest your legs. First big match I shot a night match that ran from sun down to sun up with hour + stage times and no places to sit unless you enjoy cold wet dirt.

[The_Vigilante]

I haven't seen it mentioned yet but you may want to think of bringing a small wagon/cart, et al to haul your stuff around if you have a lot cause it will get heavy