StealthyBlagga Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 (edited) I started shooting IPSC pistol in Europe back in the early 1990s. As far back as I can recall, taking sight pictures, dry firing etc. during LAMR was always frowned upon in the international game. I assume the rationale for this rule is some combination of time efficient stage management and "you won't get a sight picture on the street". Regardless, I never got in the habit. When I moved to the US and started shooting USPSA matches, I was surprised by how many competitors feel the need to perform these Make Ready Rituals. Even though I can now legally do so, I really do not feel the need - at most I may briefly airgun the target array with empty hands to limber up (now I'm the wrong side of 50) and to be sure there is no prop interference. Generally, I just want to get the gun loaded and in the holster so I can start my brief pre-start mental preparation. In most cases, these Make Ready Rituals add only a small amount to the overall stage run time, so I don't particularly object to them. I acknowledge a sight picture has special value for Open shooters as they adjust their dot brightness. However, I have often wondered if people have a real basis for believing such rituals improve their performance, or are they just habits they picked up when they were newbies watching the more experienced shooters? Do those who shoot both USPSA and IPSC matches feel inhibited or less prepared when shooting under IPSC rules? Post your thoughts here and in the poll above. Edited June 23, 2015 by StealthyBlagga Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amokscience Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 (edited) I only take a sight picture for a hard target. The rest of my make ready routine is a result of match screwups by myself or others. If a stage start is weird I'll go through a practice or two. Edited June 23, 2015 by amokscience Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritinUSA Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 I started competing in sanctioned matches in 1989 in the UK and no-one was taking sight pictures or inserting every magazine into the gun or any of the other various routines, we just loaded the gun, holstered and adopted the start position. When I escaped to the USA I kept that same process for a while then started taking a sight picture, but since switching to a Prod/Optics platform I've found myself taking a sight picture less and less, I think I only did it a couple of times at last weekends Mile-High Showdown. To me it's become a distraction, I focus on my plan before I get to the line, and I've found that if I have a long routine at the start I tend to lose that focus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bkreutz Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 I always take a sight picture, that way I remember to turn the optic on, otherwise I forget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyshoots Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 I use that time to calm myself. Draw,rack the slide, take a sight picture, dry fire. All that time I am telling myself to calm down, and shoot A's. I have been shooting this sport for awhile and I still get butterflies at the start of every stage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt1 Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 We shoot IPSC here in Oz and unless you compete in Open, taking a sight picture at LAMR is not allowed. Some shooters air gun the stage, others will keep there hand on the gun while they run the stage in their head. I just load and get on with it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gng4life Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 I always take a sight picture, that way I remember to turn the optic on, otherwise I forget. +1...did that a few times! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 I draw the gun, rack it ensure its clear (even though I know it is), then take a sight picture to make sure I remember how and dryfire it to make sure I tell myself to press, not jerk the trigger. If I yank it during this dryfire, ill re-rack and do it again. Then I load up and holster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teros135 Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 The little "ritual" things help me with both calming and getting focused. Doing familiar things is good for that. The draw stroke makes sure my hand knows where the gun is, which also lets me know how much my mental focus is off or on. Taking a sight picture lets me know whether I have my shooting glasses on (it's possible to shoot a stage with fuzzy sights, but not nearly as much fun), and doing a few transitions lets me know how tuned in I am and whether I can shoot faster or slower on this run (I've found it to be a pretty good predictor of Ds and Ms). Loading the gun and then doing a press check lets me know (1) there's a round in the chamber (ask me how I know to do this) and (2) the mag is seated and the next round will probably feed smoothly (esp the Limited gun with 20 rds). Taking a deep breath and relaxing muscles helps me to be relaxed at the start. This doesn't take long and doesn't seem to annoy anybody, and here in the States it's a regular part of the "get ready" routine for many shooters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motosapiens Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 (edited) I draw the gun, rack it ensure its clear (even though I know it is), then take a sight picture to make sure I remember how and dryfire it to make sure I tell myself to press, not jerk the trigger. If I yank it during this dryfire, ill re-rack and do it again. Then I load up and holster. pretty much what I do. doesn't really take but a few seconds. Perhaps when I get good I won't need to remind myself to grip the gun properly and press the trigger smoothly. Edited June 23, 2015 by motosapiens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Makdaddy Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 At make ready , i just draw , load mag, chamber round , holster. ..i do some drawing practice at safe table when i first get to range, but on the line i take sight picture with my mind and envision myself drawing and pressing to target. but i'm a relatively new shooter, and don't have a lot of experience and not opposed to a more physical routine, just never did it that way... not opposed to try new things Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocMedic Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 I don't do one for the reason P.K. Explained it a while ago, if you don't happen to do it and you mess up a stage I don't want it to be the crutch on why I believe my mistakes happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkCO Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 A ritual is a mental crutch, end of story. It helps some, does not help others.. That does not mean that a sight picture on a hard target, or into full light and shadows is not beneficial, in fact almost necessary in some cases. Making sure the fiber optic or dot is present is also a good idea. A "free" practice draw and dry-fire can't hurt, but I do not let myself do so "religiously" as a ritual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpaw Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Poll question and answers don't really agree for me, do I think make ready rituals improve performance vs. do I actually do them. I don't think they make a difference for me and wouldn't care if I couldn't do them. I do generally do one or two draws and dry fires, but my make ready routine is pretty quick. Long and/or unusual make ready routines are a bit of a pet peeve of mine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitedog Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Take a breath. Look at the first target. Mentally run the plan. Usually say "what the bell". Load up. Screw up. Pretty much it in a nutshell. When I was trying to make B I mentally beat myself up and such. Then I went back to truly not caring...amazingly it helped my shooting. Made B. I'm not the overly serious type unless I have to be. Shooting is fun, once I went back to having fun I let all those "rituals" go. Worked for me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jadeslade Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 The longest make ready is always Eric Grauffel. He needs it. Works for him. Real snoozefest. I've seen him actually walk the paces of a stage. What ever you need-do it. Mental game is 90 % of game once you have practiced. I really don't care if it's long or not. Sometimes I take a sight [picture, sometimes I don't. Whatever you need. If people get antsy, so what. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAFO Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 My make ready procedure is born of past mistakes. 1.) Load the magazine, then check that it's seated. Nothing like "bang, thump" as your mag falls out of the gun after the first shot to throw a stage plan out the window. 2.) Rack the slide, decock, holster, and then run my hand around my belt to make sure I have all of my magazines. A rather embarrassing and memorable thing, starting a long course with only your make ready mag in Production. I usually look to make sure the FO rod is still in place, but I'm sure someday I'll bring the gun up from a draw and it will be gone. Perhaps after that I'll add a sight picture to the procedure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 The sight picture matters to me -- it's a last second refresher of what I want to see on hard targets...... The draw -- it matters to me on really quick stages where the timing might be crucial, less so on longer field courses, or on stages where I need to travel to get to the shooting, or where there's something else to do first.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trent1k1 Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Especially if it is a strange start position i'll practice the draw once or twice if the first time wasn't perfect. Most of the other things I do are because of previous screw-ups, like the mag not seated, no F/Optic or red dot not turned on, and finally the sight picture on the first or hardest target on the stage. Takes about 12-13 seconds from Make Ready until the beep. I don't think it is too bad and the familiarity is comforting just before the start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zen_grasshopper Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 No load ritual for me. Just load it, press check it, lower the hammer and holster. Same as what I do when I load up to carry, or go on duty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LilBunniFuFu Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Have to dry the hands as well. Shooting in Florida is ALWAYS humid out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gooldylocks Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 I am pretty similar to a bunch of the comments above. I have a very particular ritual that I use as a last moment to calm down and try to clear my head. I pull my gun out and rack it, back to the holster. Assume start position, draw and dry fire on the first target. Third mag from the belt in the gun, rack in a round, that mag goes back to the belt. Magazine from the pocket goes into the gun (regardless of how many rounds the stage is and whether or not I need that extra 22nd round, I always do it this way). Usually do one more draw with the gun loaded, as a gun with 22 rounds of 40 in it weighs a bit different than an empty one. Then go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHA-LEE Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 I think that this topic needs to be broken up into gun/mag fiddling rituals and mental preparation rituals. When I make ready I put the mag in the gun, rack it, press check to make sure the round is in there, flip the safety on, then holster. I rarely take a sight picture unless the lighting is funky and I can get an understanding of how the sights will look after the buzzer goes off. Then I take each mag out of my belt and make sure that the top bullet is fully seated into the back of the mag then put it back into the pouch. After that I mentally rehearse the whole stage run quickly in my head then assume the start position. All of these things I do during the make ready have a purpose from hard lessons learned in prior matches. I don't have any magic voo doo feeling or requirement about my make ready process. I simply want to make sure that my gun and gear are ready to rumble then give myself one last mental run through the stage. I have seen some shooters go through a bunch of interesting stuff during their make ready process. Some times its excessive but most of the time its not. I don't mind waiting for shooters to get ready in however process they need. They paid their entry fee just like me and if they require an elaborate make ready process to perform well then who am I to question or judge that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neomet Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 Sight picture to make sure I have the dot on and draw to the first target. Pull on the mag twice to be sure it is seated. Does it improve my performance? Yes in that I know the dot is on and my mag is less likely to fall out on the first shot, no on the draw to the first target. That is just a habit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanc Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 A ritual is a mental crutch, end of story. It helps some, does not help others.. That does not mean that a sight picture on a hard target, or into full light and shadows is not beneficial, in fact almost necessary in some cases. Making sure the fiber optic or dot is present is also a good idea. A "free" practice draw and dry-fire can't hurt, but I do not let myself do so "religiously" as a ritual. A whole bunch of professional athletes and olympians use the "Crutch"... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now