New Guy Still Learning

[Walt S]

I feel a little strange writing this as it doesn’t talk about the technical stuff you guys talk about. But I have been encouraged to share my start up experiences with the forum.

Still the new guy, I think I’m learning many things fast with the help of my buddy Jerry and suggestions from Dan C. The bottom feeder has been put away and I am truly concentrating on my newly acquired model 66. Jerry has done some tuning and it works smoother and faster than my (late) model 620. The seven cylinders didn’t do me any good for IPSC, only speed steel. Yes, I will use one gun and concentrate on what will make me faster and more accurate.

Saturday Jerry and I shot at Tri-county’s Speed Steel event. Both of us have been concentrating on the “weak hand reload” as suggested by Dan. The first week of dry fire and practice I didn’t like it, but Jerry encouraged me to stay with it. By Saturday muscle memory was beginning to work. This was the first time I actually “fired” and reloaded. By the end of the day I wasn’t thinking about what I had to do, I just did it. I must admit, it took two weeks of practice every night to get it down. Now I don’t think I’ll use any other technique. After shooting all stages Jerry and I went to an empty pit for more practice and some instruction for me. Nick Leonard timed us for verification of what we thought was good timing. The best way to say what I saw and felt was to say that Jerry shot 24 rounds with three speed loads. The time was great. Just listening to his shots and reloading time one would have thought he was shooting a bottom feeder. I’m impressed at how fast he was. Sooooo, I’m following along, practicing every night with the hopes of one day besting Jerry in at least one stage.

My thanks go out to both Jerry and Dan C for their information, suggestions and mentoring. One day I hope to feel like I’m really part of the wheel gun group.

[BritinUSA]

By the end of the day I wasn’t thinking about what I had to do, I just did it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That statement just sums up everything about the mind and practical shooting. We practice to build the synapses in our brains so that the sub-conscious can access them and just do it.

If Nike hadn't already used that tagline we could have snagged it for Practical Shooting.

Good post, Walt

[hopalong]

Walt,

Good post !!!!

You mentioned on the end that one day you hope to feel part of the wheelgun group.....

You have made the decision to lay the auto loader down and CONCENTRATE on the Wheelie.......

So that makes you part of the wheel gun group!!!!!

I get my new Benny Hill Autoloader soon, even if I lay the Wheel down and shoot the autoloader Most everyone will still associate me with a Wheelie, Kind of like Mr. Miculek (I did say Kind of).

There is a stigma about Wheel guns that just scares the hell out of USPSA shooters.....So when the average Joe shooter sees a Wheel man that is dedicated to his division it does 2 things.....

1 it makes him "feel sorry" for you because of the reloads, 6 shots only ect.

2 makes him "feel bad" when you kick his as with your little 6 banger!!!!

You will get 50 to 1 negative remarks about your little "6 banger", I used them as inspiration.... Now I get lots of "HOW does he do that with one of them?"

With time and dilligence, and PATIENCE this will come to you too !!!!

DON'T get discouraged.... It won't come overnight, it will take a while but it will come.

Welcome to the wonderful world of wheel guns !!!!!!

HOP

[D.carden]

Hey'ya Walt

Good to hear everthing is moving in the right direction.

I spoke with Jerry V the other day and he said you guys are making great progress.

When at all possible try to have your gun machined for moonclips ( i believe Jerry said you had speedy loaders ).

It's not that expensive, less than $ 100, and will really get you movin' quicker.

Like Hop said, it wont happen over night but with dedicated practice you'll become smoother and faster

dan

[Carmoney]

Hi Walt,

Don't worry, you're off to the right start. I can tell you have "the bug" to do this wheelgun thing and to learn to do it correctly from the beginning. With some effort, you can make some quick progress. When you don't have other revolver guys around to watch, shoot with the best autoloader shooters you can find--as Dan pointed out in another string, most of successful IPSC shooting is not the actual technical shooting itself--it's strategy, speed in movement, economy of motion, etc., etc.

The good news is you can progress quickly. For example, three of the best revo shooters in the game today--Dan, Cliff, and Sam--have only been at it a few years. Hell, I just started shooting USPSA matches last spring (years before I had done a lot of pin-shooting and steel matches, though).

By the way, we all consider you "really part of the wheelgun group"! Be warned, though, that dubious association will expose you to a certain amount of trash talk--always good-natured of course!

Mike

[Walt S]

THANKS GUYS for the good words. I will stay dedicated, take suggestions and try to represent to group in a positive manner as I progress. Walt

[Jerry V]

Walt,

I don't think you have to worry about not being considered a wheelgunner, I've always considered you one since I met you at the IPSC Safety Class where you used a revolver and you also shot your first IPSC match with a revolver, so you've always been a wheelgunner, you just strayed a bit, but now your back and your doing great. In fact, I think you shoot a revolver better now than you did with your auto

To everyone : Walt made great progress Sat., I was very impressed. He went from about a 10-12sec. reload to 6sec with CompIII speedloaders and new to him revolver. He just needs to work on his accuracy a little more and he'll be kicking some serious butt

---- Jerry