When your plan goes to $hit

[CrashDodson]

Shot a stage this last weekend, all shotgun with knock down targets. 24 of them i believe. Planned out my reloads, went over the stage in my head as others shot.

Step up to the plate and in my first string of 8 did not fall one plate....had to take an extra shot ended up running dry. Had to use my match saver then started loading 12 while moving. Fumble a few shells on my quad load shoot 10'ish more rounds (one failure to feed right) load 2 more before shooting the last 2...find out I had enough to finish the stage after. Was worried about running dry again since I already used my match saver. I think I dropped 50 seconds on the stage, top guys were running mid 30's.

How do you guys handle your stage falling apart and not going as planned. I have seriously thought about counting out loud as I shoot and load so that I know how many is in my gun. Anyone else do this? I am missing top 5 overall at my local matches because of my shotgun.

Edited September 21, 2015 by CrashDodson

[thermobollocks]

Seems like at least some folks will practice bolt lock quads, that is, drop one out of four into the chamber, whack the bolt release, then finish the quad.

[TonytheTiger]

If there's a good chance the one missed target is gonna cause you to shit the bed, take the FTN and move on. I've been in similar situations before and realize while watching my match vids that I just wasted 6 seconds to avoid a 2.5 second penalty.

[CrashDodson]

If there's a good chance the one missed target is gonna cause you to shit the bed, take the FTN and move on. I've been in similar situations before and realize while watching my match vids that I just wasted 6 seconds to avoid a 2.5 second penalty.

A FTN at our 3 gun matches are +10 on steel. But I understand what you mean. I just need to find a way to keep up with the amount of shells I still have after I mess up.

[BitchinCamaro]

I SOed a 21 shell minimum shotgun start stage earlier this summer. My observation is that the initial miss or two wasn't really what killed people's times. It was the total yardsale that ensued trying to make up time on the reload (even if they had plenty of time to reload before the next string of targets), and then running dry with each subsequent string.

Especially with shotgun reloading, the shitshow factor raises exponentially with each shell that hits the ground. I'm going to work on accepting the initial miss, have my makeup, and then making sure my reloads are actually making into the tube. My loadout may be messed up, but I'll really only have to deal with it once or twice at the end of the stage instead of each new array.

[Mbauer67]

I would pretty much put it like this, you need to fix the problem right after it occurs, so if you miss a shot and have to make it up, then load one shell in right away and you are right back on your original plan immediately. if it happens again on the same stage, just repeat the procedure. The fact of it is you made a small mistake and the goal is to keep the mistake as small as possible. After it happens keeping the error As small as possible is all you can.

[Bullittmcqueen]

I'll echo what MBauer said. For my backup plan with shotgun I usually have a setpoint on misses that will trigger me to toss another 2 or 4 in the gun to get back to my original plan. It's easier said than done, but the key is to plan well, have a backup and a backup backup plan, and to take your time and get hits and get shells in the gun on reloads. Pushing faster does nothing but hurt you.

[CrashDodson]

I SOed a 21 shell minimum shotgun start stage earlier this summer. My observation is that the initial miss or two wasn't really what killed people's times. It was the total yardsale that ensued trying to make up time on the reload (even if they had plenty of time to reload before the next string of targets), and then running dry with each subsequent string.

Especially with shotgun reloading, the shitshow factor raises exponentially with each shell that hits the ground. I'm going to work on accepting the initial miss, have my makeup, and then making sure my reloads are actually making into the tube. My loadout may be messed up, but I'll really only have to deal with it once or twice at the end of the stage instead of each new array.

It was definitley fumbling my reloads after the miss that messed me up. I know I was frustrated and trying to push to fast on the reloads. Its like after I ran dry, which wasnt supposed to happen, I lost track of everything else. I couldnt remember how many more targets I had vs rounds in the gun.

[CrashDodson]

I would pretty much put it like this, you need to fix the problem right after it occurs, so if you miss a shot and have to make it up, then load one shell in right away and you are right back on your original plan immediately. if it happens again on the same stage, just repeat the procedure. The fact of it is you made a small mistake and the goal is to keep the mistake as small as possible. After it happens keeping the error As small as possible is all you can.

I never thought about trying that. But that might be the best way to keep me on track. I unless have my tacom quad load on my chest and I have some load 2's on my belt. I suppose if I fubared a shot I could just grab two from the belt, load one and toss the other.

I have a 12 round tube, with 8+1 at the start I am wondering if on big stages I should just load 4 right from the start rather than plan a 8 round string then reload. That way I can count shots and a miss wont be as critical.

[CrashDodson]

I'll echo what MBauer said. For my backup plan with shotgun I usually have a setpoint on misses that will trigger me to toss another 2 or 4 in the gun to get back to my original plan. It's easier said than done, but the key is to plan well, have a backup and a backup backup plan, and to take your time and get hits and get shells in the gun on reloads. Pushing faster does nothing but hurt you.

That makes sense. I guess my problem was my first string was exactly 8 targets and i failed to knock down one...I guess I should have either loaded to 12 at the start or loaded one right after the miss.

[usmc1974]

I think the plan should be to keep your head down on the gun. Hard to believe you could miss 8 straight shooting a shotgun you love. Of course, I could be wrong.

[CrashDodson]

I think the plan should be to keep your head down on the gun. Hard to believe you could miss 8 straight shooting a shotgun you love. Of course, I could be wrong.

I agree that not missing would be the optimal outcome...my guess would just be I was trying to push too fast. I spun one plate but it did not fall. Then after moving I had a failure to eject...which has never happend with my slp before.

[BobS761]

Trying to think of a stage when my plan didn't go to sh*t....

Edited September 22, 2015 by BobS761

[CrashDodson]

Trying to think of a stage when my plan didn't go to sh*t....

+1

[Dan Sierpina]

Don't use the match saver as a crutch, it's to be used at the end of a stage, not at the beginning. You had one "Oh Crap" round, and when you turned the plate, you should have loaded asap, and carried on. Rushing to "make up" time caused you to drop shells on the ground. A "Hansel and Gretel" loading is not optimal.

Consider getting a 4 round caddy and practice loading a single round from that. It can come in handy when a slug of two are tossed into a stage.

I'm old and slow, so take or leave the opinions above.

[Mbauer67]

I would pretty much put it like this, you need to fix the problem right after it occurs, so if you miss a shot and have to make it up, then load one shell in right away and you are right back on your original plan immediately. if it happens again on the same stage, just repeat the procedure. The fact of it is you made a small mistake and the goal is to keep the mistake as small as possible. After it happens keeping the error As small as possible is all you can.

I never thought about trying that. But that might be the best way to keep me on track. I unless have my tacom quad load on my chest and I have some load 2's on my belt. I suppose if I fubared a shot I could just grab two from the belt, load one and toss the other.

I have a 12 round tube, with 8+1 at the start I am wondering if on big stages I should just load 4 right from the start rather than plan a 8 round string then reload. That way I can count shots and a miss wont be as critical.

I always have a 4 she'll caddie on my belt, so I have easy access for a shell or two if needed, otherwise I normally quad load. It is very easy to get flustered and try to rush, but your just screwing yourself more. Make a plan and if you have to adjust, keep it small, and do not try to make up the time, because you can't it's gone when you missed, so stop that. Just focus on shooting smooth, like your trying to balance a cup of water on your head, smoootth

[CJW]

Although I usually quad load, I would dual load for an empty gun or a quick make-up.

What I figured out from shooting USPSA (Lim-10 or Production) where reload strategies are huge is to get back on the original plan as early as possible. That is, if something goes wrong in the middle magazine 1 and I need to change mags, I then change mags again when my original plan called for me to do so, even if that means I am dropping a partial with a lot of rounds in it. It's a lot easier to get back on your well rehearsed plan than to try to make up a new plan on the clock.

For a longer shotgun stage with frequent loads, I try to come up with a plan that goes something like this: (1) Find the spot from which I can shoot the remainder of the stage from a full gun without reloading; (2) work backwards from there to find a way to load what I shoot; (3) find the place where I can get the gun full without wasting time.

The benefit to a plan like that is each loading spot becomes "load what you shoot." If you nail all four targets clean, load four; if you take a make-up shot (or two) load more; if you get a couple doubles, load fewer.

And sometimes it all goes in the pot anyway and you are just feverishly stuffing shells into the gun hoping you don't run out.

[Dimitri]

Sorry to view it in a different way, but isn't the match saver's purpose to just give you that one shell when you are in tight spot. Why should everyone view the match saver as only to be used as a the very last shell if needed?

You dropped one plate, you used the match saver to get up to par and then went on to continue the match.

My point is that if you view the purpose of the match saver this way, then there is no reason to panic after using it (well not that much anyway), but try and think more about the stage and continue the stage.

[CrashDodson]

Sorry to view it in a different way, but isn't the match saver's purpose to just give you that one shell when you are in tight spot. Why should everyone view the match saver as only to be used as a the very last shell if needed?

You dropped one plate, you used the match saver to get up to par and then went on to continue the match.

My point is that if you view the purpose of the match saver this way, then there is no reason to panic after using it (well not that much anyway), but try and think more about the stage and continue the stage.

This was my first match using the match saver. I had seen others use them but just never got one. I practiced loading it until I was comfortable....and it did come in usefull. It would have been hard to pull 4 off my vest and load just one so the match saver saved me time. I ran the shotgun dry and used the match saver on my first string....I moved to the second position loading 12, but I fumbled a few shells and got frustrated. I ended up at the next position not completly sure how many I had in my gun. I shot 10 more and rather than risk running dry again I loaded 4 more, which ended up being a waste of time since I had enough in the gun.

I need to count my loads as well as count my shots. I keep track of my shots in my head and I have my reloads planned out....when I fumble two quads and only load six I get all messed up as far as how many are in the gun. Its funny how quickly my planning and my loading practice goes out the window when the buzzer goes off.

[gerritm]

Or you could do what I did cause I can't count and my plan usually turned out wrong and I can't load. Go to open, get a mag fed shotgun with a 23 round mag, and by the time it turns to sh!t who cares, just load another 23 rounder in or a 18 rounder or 15 or 12 or 10 0r 5.

gerritm

Edited September 23, 2015 by gerritm

[CrashDodson]

Or you could do what I did cause I can't count and my plan usually turned out wrong and I can't load. Go to open, get a mag fed shotgun with a 23 round mag, and by the time it turns to sh!t who cares, just load another 23 rounder in.

gerritm

Haha i cant afford to play in open I dont think

[toothandnail]

Trying to think of a stage when my plan didn't go to sh*t....

Are we SUPPOSED to have a plan ? ? ? ?

[toothandnail]

Or you could do what I did cause I can't count and my plan usually turned out wrong and I can't load. Go to open, get a mag fed shotgun with a 23 round mag, and by the time it turns to sh!t who cares, just load another 23 rounder in or a 18 rounder or 15 or 12 or 10 0r 5.

gerritm

Ha HA looks like I'm not the only one

I'm thinking of having a shirt made. 24 round Mag - cause you can miss fast enough to win.

[Dimitri]

I need to count my loads as well as count my shots. I keep track of my shots in my head and I have my reloads planned out....when I fumble two quads and only load six I get all messed up as far as how many are in the gun. Its funny how quickly my planning and my loading practice goes out the window when the buzzer goes off.

yeah, that's my problem also,

I start counting them and somehow, I never end up knowing how many I have in the gun. With the Mossberg (8 in the tube) sometimes I ended up unloading 6 or 7 during ULSC. Now I use the 1301 that takes 10 in the tube, so it is going to be a lot of fun at the end of the stage.

As I cannot load quads I tend to have a rough plan on when I need to reload, but if there is a lot of movement in the stage, I always load another 2 or 4 whenever I have the time. This as a backup to forgetting the plan and ending up dry.

I suppose I will get it all sorted out in the end and follow the plan, but for the time being, I wing it sometimes (or most of the times )

[gerritm]

From my observations shooting 3-gun for about 4 years now, everyone's plan goes to sh!t once in awhile. The more you shoot and practice the less it happens.I have seen some very good shooters miss one or 2 and end up counting wrong and shooting slugs on the wrong targets, dropping shells, loading them backwards(hard to do, but possible), putting their shell vest on upside down, spinning a target side ways and going to war, etc. The good shooters adapt and overcome. They don't get flustered. My theory is you can never have too many rounds in your weapon. The buzzer(neuralizer) changes all of our plans. But when that one plan comes together it is all worth it.

gerritm