Big Red's log

[aceinyerface]

Class with Ben Stoeger.

I'm not using enough pressure in my left hand and using too much right hand. That is going to suck to correct since I have been doing it wrong since forever.

I've been stacking instead of sweeping through the trigger, that is screwing me.

I am alternately either not using the sights or using the sights too much.

I learned plenty of good stuff, but mostly that it is not acceptable for me to be shooting at less than a GM level. This "pissed off at myself" attitude is going to drive me to do all the things necessary to get better.

Edited December 2, 2014 by aceinyerface

[aceinyerface]

Working on dry fire all this time. Doing a lot of self analysis.

I got very close on the Dot Drill today. The difference is 3 things.

1. Trigger finger. If I bend the trigger finger at the knuckle of the hand (called the MCP Joint) the middle finger will move as well, throwing my shot low. If I bend the trigger finger at the first knuckle (called the PIP Joint) the middle finger will not move and my shot will fire true.

2. Focus on the front sight.

3. Wide low stance, tighten core (or in martial arts terms, jigohontai and using my center).

[aceinyerface]

I think I have the accuracy thing pretty close to figured out. I shot the dot drill about 8 times, the best was 2 out, about 4 with less than 5 out, and a couple where I was just Leeroy Jenkins. Now I think the problem is mental instead of the trigger control. More practice needed.

The powdah came in, I have about enough for the next 2 years. 7625 is pretty much no more, so I have a bunch of TiteGroup I'm guessing 3.3g in 147g.

[aceinyerface]

Staying ahead on reloading supplies.

I've noticed that Cabellas puts primers on significant sale about once every 6 weeks or so.

I bought 3000 more Federal Small Pistol Primers for $32/1000. I think that is 4 times in the last 6 months, usually for a week at a time.

I think I am going to have to buy 147g 9mms soon, looks like B&B is $0.06442 and BB is $0.0654 in bulk. I like the RN no groove profile of B&B better, although BB's Semi wadcutter has never given me a problem.

[aceinyerface]

I ran the dot drill 8 times today with the Stock 2, my best was one out. My end goal is what I call "dot cubed", 6 shots in each of 6 dots... on 6 pages in a row.

Ran 50 rds of various makes through a new Tactical Solutions Pac Lite built on my MKIII to test it out. It was 100%, now I'll put that one up for when my little boy gets older.

I ran a brick along with various makes of ammo through a new Browning Buckmark, it was 100% and very accurate. I was using the dot drill pages like plate racks and having a good old time. Once I got the sight adjusted, it was dead on one hole accurate.

[aceinyerface]

I am becoming more convinced that I need to train to "get low", tighten my butt cheeks and abdominal muscles when setting up to shoot.

I shot about 15 dot drills, still can't shoot it clean but I am getting much more with 2-4 out, I noticed that when I shoot with my whole body, I get a one hole group. I have difficulty maintaining the mental focus for that long. I'll slip into shooting in a cadence or shoot fast and invariably I will slip out of tensing the same muscles when the shot goes out.

I need to dry fire some and focus on using the muscles that seem to be associated with successful shooting. If I can make that automatic, I think I will be getting somewhere.

My goal is to shoot 300-500 rounds of 9mm a week, I shot about the same in .22lr as well.

I have a 22 conversion kit on the way, I'll see if that offers any benefit.

[aceinyerface]

As I work through the dry fire drills it occurs to me that there is some misplaced priority.

The thing that gets practiced the most is the least helpful and easiest to fix if there was a problem. The Draw.

You will only perform the draw once per stage, many stages do not have you drawing down on a target, and even though I suck I can get a .07 draw in dryfire. So at best, you can shave up to a second (usually less than that) per stage, this will help in the classifiers most.

Much more useful but less emphasized is the reload. I figure 80% of the stages have 3-4 reloads and you an pick up 1.5 seconds by smoothing out your reloads. That is 4-6 seconds per stage. But really, you rarely just stand and reload, I guess there is no escaping the fact that you have to learn to stand (and reload) before you can run ( and reload).

It would seem the most efficient dryfire change that I can do to impact my stage times is to increase the frequency of practice of the reload drills to a large degree.

At a match, I spend much more time with the gun out, moving into position to shoot then taking off for the next position, quite often reloading as I go. I understand that you have to start a dryfire drill in some fashion, but I think stepping into a shooting box with the gun out is probably an overlooked start position.

I'm starting to envision a new drill. Something like; 2 shooting boxes, gun out, step into the shooting box, shoot a bunch of stuff, then step out reloading as I go and into the next box. Maybe go back and forth, like pong.

[aceinyerface]

Going shooting with friends means I don't get my training in.

Last weekend, shot clays, rifles, about 100 rds of 9mm, but I didn't get my serious training in.

I need to double up this weekend.

There are only 2 GSSF matches in the state, March and April. I'm going to dryfire with the G17 some and get ready for that. I need to create a dryfire COF for that.

5 to Glock is like shooting an Accelerator out and then back again but on the other side. I have a Plates setup, GlockM, I'll set something simple up.

[aceinyerface]

Damned dot drill. Still not there. I'm getting all the holes to touch most of the times but that will string outside the dot.

I notice that if I lean forward until my spine is about 60 degrees my groups tighten up a bit. I'll have to explore this. It is as if the recoil of the gun has to lift too much weight and just returns to position.

I need some new sights for the G17, thinking about some Warren Tactical. I need to get the POI closer to the POA.

[aceinyerface]

Dot drill still. Over 1000 rds in the last 2 days. Trying different nuances. Sometimes the group will open up sometimes tighten up.

It is not the leaning forward that worked. It just so happens the muscles that tightens up groups get used naturally when leaning forward. Once identified, I can use the same muscles when standing upright.

On the G17, it is absolutely crucial that my trigger finger does not "drag wood" or rub along the side of the frame. I'm talking night and day accuracy changes with just this one nuance.

[aceinyerface]

3rd day in a row, 1500 rounds on the weekend. All Dot drill. Still not there, but I am getting damned close.

I'm at about 90% (3 shots out) with both the Stock 2 and the G17. I'm feeling pretty good about the increase in skill, but still pissed I can't clear it even one time.

I have a few nuances to work on in dry fire now.

I think I am going to do well in the two upcoming GSSF matches.

[aceinyerface]

Vacation over. Dot drill again, still so very close but no cigar. I think I understand, now. It isn't that you can shoot it clean so much as shooting it over and over and over working out whatever problems you have.

I am messing up my hands with all the dryfire. I am really only concerned with the tip of the trigger finger, but if I am going to take steps, why not fix it all. I got some girly hand cream and I think it helps.

I found that I usually only bobble the mag change in one of two ways. First and most often, I will begin to move the pistol back into firing position before I get the mag inserted, This causes a hangup. Second, I hold the pistol in a position that is outside the norm. I try to bring the new mag up in a natural movement and move the gun to meet it If I don't get the gun to a correct enough position then I miss the mag well.

There is a classifier match coming up, 6 stages all classifiers. I definitely want to get out of D class. I think it is going to be a mental thing, I can shoot accurately enough, draw and reload smooth enough, I just have to not screw up. I know that I have to not try and go "fast", I have to go full Spock and perform without emotion, can I do that is the only question.

The weekend after that is a GSSF match, I'd like to win a division, but I mostly shoot a Tanfo, the Glock is more difficult to control. I am not sure I have the chops to beat everyone.

[aceinyerface]

I was getting some bulged cases on my reloads so I got he Hundo 9mm case gauge from Ben Stoeger Pro Shop and started case gauging all my ammo. Interesting results.

There are two types of brass that bulges on a regular basis.

Aguila with a groove in it, 100% bulge rate. The Aguila without the groove is fine.

CBC (which I hear is Magtech) has given me probably 100 bulged cases out of a thousand mixed brass rounds.

I am using a B&B 147 gr RN grooveless and it has to seat rather deep to pass the plunk test. I just ordered the SWC with a groove because it doesn't seem to seat as deep.

[aceinyerface]

I did some dry fire on my lunch break. Lucky I did... BREAKTHROUGH!!!

I accidentally modified my grip on the magazine when I did a reload and I hit it really smooth. So, I tried a few more like that and started hitting them every time.

[aceinyerface]

More dot drill, still no dice but I am becoming more consistent.

I am using so much weak hand that I am pulling the skin off the strong hand.

The crappy indoor range I've been going to is rapidly losing it's usefulness. I need to practice run and gun and multiple target drills.

Dry fire reloads are on FIRE.

[aceinyerface]

Got my order in from Black and Blue Bullets. works out to be .068 per round which is about as good as you can find. They quoted 18 working days to ship and had it out in 7. Well done.

The RN ones have a sharp corner at the base and seat a little too deep to pass the plunk test for me, so I got the FP, which seats about a mm less and has a rounded edge on the base. This makes it more forgiving on that BS range brass, specifically the CBC or Magtech.

Edited March 11, 2015 by aceinyerface

[aceinyerface]

I'm dryfiring a 5 sec El Prez consistently.

I am concerned because any mistake will blow the whole thing. I guess it is becoming clear that it isn't just doing it on a good run, but you have to do good on the bad runs, too.

[aceinyerface]

Classifier match today. If this http://www.classifiercalc.com/is accurate, I should get bumped to C class.

The Stock 2 and my reloads are 100% flawless since I started using the Hundo Case Gauge.

99-11 El Prez, 8.33 with 3 c's and a d. I was dryfiring it in 5 secs consistently. Early in the match, I was making mistakes. I was looking over the top of the gun instead of calling shots. I had bad trigger discipline, too.

99-19 Payne's Pain, 10.86 with 2 Mikes, 2 C's, 2D's. I actually set this one up and dryfired it quite a bit because I suck at barricades, 11 sec consistently. My time was on par but my shots were wild. There is something about the firing of aimed shots that I have to make quicker, so the actual shooting matches the dryfire (or at least gets close).

08-03 Six, the last stage, was my best of the day. I actually shot B class, all A's. I need to be good on the first shot, not the last. I have a lot of work to do.

The fact that I only dryfire the drills is showing. I need to be able to shoot the drills that matter and the only live fire practice has been a highly restrictive indoor range 5 minutes from my house. There is now a waiting list to join the range I intended to join. There is an indoor practice 45 min away on Mondays that a few of the boys set up, I need to start making that.

It is obvious that I need to get better at transitions.

I was squadded with Max Michel Sr. He was non stop giving tips to everyone. Good man, excellent shooter.

Edited March 16, 2015 by aceinyerface

[aceinyerface]

I tried the indoor practice, they aren't drilling, they are shooting mini stages. That is great, but I need to shoot drills.

The range had memberships with after hours access, BINGO. I joined and just got back from my first practice.

I get all my junk, get out there ready to run non stop, and the battery in the timer is out. Figures.

I practiced doubles at 5 and 7 yards, then Bill Drills at 7 yards. I started out a little wild but made adjustments until I was in the A zone at almost full speed. Geez a timer would have been handy.

Now I have some things to work on in dry fire.

Edited April 5, 2015 by aceinyerface

[aceinyerface]

My draws are killing me, between .89 and 1.6 with my average probably a 1.15. Splits are consistently <.2 and if I "slow down", .25.

My best 5yd Bill Drill was 1.93 and fastest 7yd 2.15.

I need to revisit my dry fire draws and see why a .7 turns into a 1.15 when shot live.

[aceinyerface]

Dryfiring the draw, hitting a .8 most of the time, rarely hitting a .7.

Started a log book for vital stats to help track.

[aceinyerface]

I got a bump to C class, they had to throw out two of my classifiers (61% and 58%) because they were more than 15% over my current class. Not bad for 9 months in the USPSA.

I am not getting my weak hand to the gun fast enough on my draw, so working on that. .8 draws are pretty standard, I hit some .7's too but they are likely out of control. I need to live fire more draws.

The more I use the Stock 1, the more I like it. I can switch off equally between S1 and S2 and there is absolutely no difference.

I am #2 on the list for a Blue Label G43, It will probably come in when I am out of town on business and they'll kick me off the list, that is Murphy's Law.

[aceinyerface]

I hit a .6 once on a draw with the S1.

I think the more you respond to a timer beep, the faster your response gets.

[aceinyerface]

Out of town all week on business, No practice.

I need to shoot on Sat and go to the GSSF match on Sunday. We will see.

[aceinyerface]

I shot the Accelerator from Ben Stoeger's book with my Glock, because it is similar to 5 O'Glock from the GSSF match.

At 25 yds my shot drops 8-10 inches. I need some sights that shoot closer to POA.