Match performance in indoor ranges

[Tango]

Relatively new, C-B level shooter here. I noticed that my performance at indoor matches is considerably lower than it is in outdoor matches. Several indoor classifiers I shot were mid C, but if outdoors I comfortably make high B. I also noticed that other people also shoot well below their current level if they are indoors. Any ideas why this may be happening? I attribute that to the poor lighting in the indoor range I shoot at. For example, there is this particular dark corner that I always hit the no shoot, and overall I feel like I get a lot less visual info indoors than outdoors. 

 

Personally, I decided to not shoot indoors anymore. Any others that have the same experience?

[DKorn]

Are you shooting iron sights or a red dot?

[bimmer1980]

It´s much louder. That can lead to more stress and that can favor flinches and/or bad trigger pulls.

There is no sunlight, so it´s harder to see the sights, it´s even much harder to see a fiber optic.

[Kema]

Cause winter is long and dark here I use headlamp with iron sights. It really helps. Dunno if that is allowed during matches

Edited October 1, 2019 by Kema

[Tango]

9 hours ago, DKorn said:

Are you shooting iron sights or a red dot?

both, and the result is still the same, i am still significantly better outdoors

[Hi-Power Jack]

I've noticed that 15 yards looks short outdoors, and looks long indoors - obviously

a Jedi mind trick - but targets look much further away indoors, to me.   AND,

the noise - I hate shooting .45 or Open gun indoors.     

[lgh]

9 hours ago, Tango said:

I attribute that to the poor lighting in the indoor range I shoot at.

This.

[Jim Watson]

I seem equally mediocre inside or out.  And inside tomorrow evening will be nice on a 96 deg. October day.  At least Saturday is supposed to be down to 88, a mere ten degrees above average for the date.

[DKorn]

1 hour ago, Tango said:

both, and the result is still the same, i am still significantly better outdoors

 

Interesting. If you read through “CHA-LEE’s Tale” over in the Range Diaries section, he talks about how the worse lighting indoors makes it harder to shoot well, and that it affects him more with irons than with optics. 

[MacLethal]

The indoor range I shoot at is fairly new and has pretty good lighting compared to others I’ve seen, and I shoot fine there for the most part but definitely shoot better indoors. Even the floor throws me off, it can actually be slippery at times. I could see how the lighting/noise/ difference would effect shooting vs. outdoors.

 

[Tango]

16 minutes ago, DKorn said:

 

Interesting. If you read through “CHA-LEE’s Tale” over in the Range Diaries section, he talks about how the worse lighting indoors makes it harder to shoot well, and that it affects him more with irons than with optics. 

yes, the difference in irons is bigger, but there is still a drop in performance with the dot if i shoot indoors

 

my classifiers, for example, are around 65-75% outdoors, 50-60% indoors, the variability in match results or between stages is also huge indoors, i can win a stage and then completely trash another one when indoors, but outdoors it is pretty consistent....i hate indoors

[MikeyScuba]

Same, my classifiers are worse indoors. 

 

What are you going to do up here in winter?  Everyone is in the same boat.

[RangerTrace]

4 hours ago, lgh said:

This.

Absolutely.  At 50 years old, I cannot make my eyes focus on the front sight in an indoor range, period.  Sucks to get old!!

[Tango]

1 hour ago, MikeyScuba said:

Same, my classifiers are worse indoors. 

 

What are you going to do up here in winter?  Everyone is in the same boat.

my plan is to brave the weather and shoot outdoors only...will shoot the matches when the weather allows, and train by myself when they are cancelled

 

otherwise I am starting to lose motivation for shooting because of the weird results I am getting indoors

[MikeyScuba]

We tried to train outside last winter but there never were any weekends  that weren't crap weather wise.  The weekday after work sessions are toast once the clocks go forward.

 

I'll be dryfiring like crazy, I need to get out of B class!

[Tango]

4 minutes ago, MikeyScuba said:

We tried to train outside last winter but there never were any weekends  that weren't crap weather wise.  The weekday after work sessions are toast once the clocks go forward.

 

I'll be dryfiring like crazy, I need to get out of B class!

 

my indoors classifiers keep dragging me to C class, need to get out of that myself

[Tango]

On 10/1/2019 at 2:12 PM, Tango said:

 

my indoors classifiers keep dragging me to C class, need to get out of that myself

just made B, by shooting only outdoor classifiers  

[Malarky112]

Be lucky you have an indoor range nearby that has USPSA matches. 
We have a bunch of clubs within a 2 hour drive but only one has winter matches indoors...it’s a 4 stage IDPA match.

[920webb]

I shoot both indoor matches and out door match . For me In door I deal with the lighting it is darker . But I like to shoot with my friend and I make the best of it .

[wolffy1876]

The lighting plays a big role in my stage planning indoors.

[Zincwarrior]

Its an excellent venue to practice low light stages, darkness stages, and stages where the lights are switched on only in certain areas.

 

You have to watch because many floors are more slippery, substantially slowing down movement.

[JonasAberg]

I just shot my first indoor match and had one of my best matches all year. I contribute that more to practice than being indoors though.

Some differences - it's loud! Definitely double up on ear protection.

Be aware of safety angles mentioned in the stage briefing as they may be a bit stricter than on an outdoor range.

Indoors, the floor will be flatter than the ground on an outdoor gun range, which will make it somewhat easier to shoot on the move.

No wind indoors so less need to wear gloves/heavy clothing between stages.

The ventilation was pretty good where I shot but eventually I felt the need to clear my throat a lot so I was obviously breathing in something that probably isn't very healthy. Some kind of face mask may be in order if you're going to shoot a lot indoors.

[nikdanja]

I practice indoors and it’s tough. First and foremost is the noise. Getting fimilaoar right the noise and concussion I’d hard to get comfortable with. Another is footing. I’m worried about slipping on a brass!  I’m not a fan of shooting indoors but if it’s cold, you gotta go what you gotta do. 

[Cliveb]

There's a nice match in Vienna which I really like shooting - great stages and organisation, but I'm finding it harder than ever to see my front sight or even swinging targets - light levels are just too low for me. I think I'm gonna start having to give it a miss (as opposed to missing the bloody targets).

[Lior]

Sorry to respond to this post belatedly. A year and a half ago, I started shooting with a red dot at my indoor range (Production Optics Division) because I felt that my performance with iron sights was deteriorating (I'm 48). Most of my matches have been outdoors so it's not a big deal, but the thing that opened my eyes for me (pardon the pun) was shooting at an outdoor range with good target lighting at night with iron sights. Although I could barely see the gun in my hands, it was very easy to judge the sight alignment when aiming at targets because they were so well lit, and I had great fun! That said, some of our best iron sight shooters train at said indoor range with poor target lighting all the year round and do extremely well when shooting outdoors. Balancing enjoyment and match wins aren't always mutually exclusive, but I'd rather spend most of my shooting time with a good sight picture. Decisions, decisions!