So Many Matches, So Little Time (and money, and ammo)

[DavidMarlow]

I'm just getting back into competitive shooting after a year or so off to focus on hunting and finding ammo, but now that I'm back at it, I'm running around like a chicken with its head cut off, trying to figure out which path to take. I love Steel Challenge because I don't have to worry about stage breakdown, when to reload, which targets to fling rounds at and which ones to get A zone hits, it's just raw speed and accuracy. On the other hand, three gun matches are a whole lot more fun than running with scissors and my background in the army has given me an appreciation for being a jack of all trades and I love every projectile launcher I've ever gotten my hands on. Being dumb hurts me in practical shooting, though, because sticking to my plan after the buzzer sounds is not something I'm real good at.

I think for this range diary, I'll focus mostly on Steel Challenge training, as it is much more conducive to tracking progress and failure with the set stage design. My hope is that other members here who have progressed in their own journey to attain a blend of speed and accuracy can provide me tips to train intelligently with my ammo and not just blow off rounds for the sake of saying "I shoot 12,000 rounds a year". My big goal right now is to place in the top ten in Production at next year's S&W Steel Nationals.

I shoot a Glock 34 with iron sights, and below are the most current times I have in a club level match

Roundabout 17.34

Smoke and Hope 11.35

Accelerator 17.11

Speed Option 17.98

Five to Go 17.37

The other stages weren't shot at my club, but I will be setting them up and shooting them myself. I think I have progressed beyond the point of benefitting from any major technique changes, but I will attempt to post links to my Youtube channel when I have some video of my practice for review and critique.

Thanks in advance to anybody who actually takes the time to read this and can offer useful advice or tips.

[ZackJones]

I'll be reading your progress. I shoot steel challenge (I'm the MD at our club) and also USPSA matches. I have found the time I spend shooting steel helps me in USPSA so it's s win-win for me. Your times are faster than mine -- I'm guessing you're a high C or B class? I currently shoot with an M&P Pro in 40 but have been looking around for a 9mm to try.

[DavidMarlow]

My goals for each stage:

Showdown - 13 seconds

Smoke and Hope - 10 seconds

5 to Go - 15 seconds

Accelerator - 15 seconds

Speed Option - 15 seconds

Roundabout - 13 seconds

The Pendulum - 15 seconds

Outer Limits - 17 seconds

Those times would put me almost in the top five of Production during the 2014 S&W Steel Nationals, so if I can do it during training with low stress, I assume match jitters would kick in, but I'd still be in the top ten. That's the hope, anyway.

[grapemeister]

Where do you shoot? Richland, from what I remember, isn't too far from the St. James area where my dad lives. From what I understand there is a USPSA club near St. James or Rolla. I was hoping to shoot the state match there in October, but I found out recently that I've been picked as an RO for the World Shoot in October, so I think I'll do that instead.

Although USPSA/IPSC is my main priority and interest, I find steel challenge very interesting and would like to do more of it. I have several DVD's of the top shooters shooting steel challenge and I've watched the videos for hours on end studying their techniques.

I wish you the best and it'll be interesting to follow your progress. Perhaps we can shoot together sometime when I visit MO again.

[DavidMarlow]

I shoot at the COPS range near Rolla. We'll be having the 2014 Fall Classic in October and the USPSA Area 3 multigun match in November. I'm really looking forward to that one. Jerry Miculek shot it last year and he's one of the shooters I really look up to and would love to shoot against in a head to head shoot off. He'd kick my butt, but it would be really cool to say I got beat one on one by one of the best in the world. Kinda like getting into a boxing match with Mike Tyson. The difference there is I'm pretty sure Mr Miculek wouldn't eat my face after beating me.