Revolver? Die on the vine?

[-JCN-]

I got this message from V today. 
 

 

That’s really what I’ve come to love about the sport. I like the self improvement, but the camaraderie and community are what keep me engaged. 
 

Working with V is all of that, but on steroids. It’s similar to the joy and satisfaction I get working with and spending time with my daughter. 

[-JCN-]

Good range session today. I had to work part day so we just did a morning session. 
 

Set up three classifiers and ran them a few times. 
 

I was mainly mid-high M runs with occasional GM if my index and trigger presses were aligned. 
 

If I biffed an element badly, then a high-A run crept in. 
 

I’m happy that I think I can say I’m an M class shooter. Sure, we’ll see what it turns out to be at a real match but it’s supportive. 
 

 

As for V, her comfortable runs are B+ level. Good runs were low A. Biffed runs were still B.

 

So for her, I put her at a B+ skill level. 

 

Again, we will see how real life performance with nerves comes into play but that’s my best estimation of her skill set.

 

Comparing us back to back it’s also easy to see what she needs help in and it charts the next phases of her training.

 

We were able to work some footwork and execution things that helped her consistency and flow.

 

It also speaks to the utility of a coach to have skills (or to have had skills) above the student.

 

If you’re C class instructing a D class shooter… it’s hard for them to get past C class especially if some of your technique or assumptions are actually barriers to them improving.

 

Same thing for B class. A lot of people plateau there (“terminal B”) because they have some fundamentally flawed assumptions that prevent them from breaking through. When they teach others, that flaw propagates and limits everyone involved.

 

Sometimes ego also creeps in for the B class coach who doesn’t want to admit they don’t know what they don’t know, especially in front of their student(s).

 

And they all suffer for it.

 

Instead of training for a particular classification for V, we are training fundamentals at a high level.

 

Index, recoil management, reloads, transition precision. Now we are to the point where she can digest footwork on top of that.

 

She’s putting down high B classifiers after 6 months of work and I expect her to be putting down mid A scores by the end of the season.

 

We aren’t pushing for her (or I) to get a classification we can’t support on course.

 

That’s not our style. We don’t want to be the person who people say “he/she’s not really an XX class shooter.”

 

We all have different definitions and goals. When I was just trying to make classifications, I would play that game… Hundo or bust to make GM. 

 

Threw out any run that wasn’t smoking fast. And was extremely inconsistent shooting faster than I could do reproducibly.

 

But this phase in my life, I love the sport and the people in the sport. So I want to be more consistent and shoot classifiers at match speed rather than hero speed.

 

I’m still toying around with some ideas, but I’m thinking of keeping a running 8 stage average and try to keep it above 85% with NO drops.

 

I feel like for what I’m trying to define my skill set as, that is more representative of what I’m trying to do and adds the reproducibility element that I’m really looking for.

 

[-JCN-]

V’s last run on the same classifier.

Even with a stumble on entry, 79%.

 

 

 

Hits were good.

 

 

 

Again for the people reading, her goal wasn’t to make a classification… it was to improve in a balanced way that would hold up to a variety of objective grading criteria.

 

My goal as a coach is to make sure she didn’t ingrain a fundamental flaw that would limit her progress down the road.

 

So I make sure her technique is good (or at least as good as I can coach at my level) and it’s up to her to develop the refinement and work at it to improve.

 

This is from October 2023 shortly after we started training together. She had already self taught and dry fired basic fundamentals up to around a C class level.

 

 

This is after 6 months of continued dry and live fire with some coaching.

 

 

The things she has to work on to be an A class on demand are just extensions of the fundamentals we’ve laid.

 

More precision in index and transitions (with less delay), better (and nuanced) recoil control. Basically improving the kinesthetic and proprioceptive accuracy so less vision required because less wobble and variability.

 

But those things take time to refine.

 

In discussion with V, she was a good friend and was concerned that I was kneecapping my own plans and goals in order to help hers.

 

I assured her that helping her is getting me to a place that I had always wanted to get to, but lacked motivation and focus.

 

Bundling our goals together is helping me stay on track in a way that I couldn’t / wouldn’t do on my own.

 

It’s a very symbiotic relationship.

 

Her time course and pace of improvement is similar to what you’ll find in some of the journals here. 

 

It’s not unheard of for someone to initial classify as B and then make A in 6 months after that and M 6-12 months after that.

 

I like to think that I’m saving her some of the frustration and missteps that I personally went through in trying to figure out what’s what.

 

I also like to think that her risk of burn out is way less doing it this way. We are really celebrating the process and the classification is just the spot check test of the ability.

 

It’s really, really enjoyable.

 

 

.

Edited April 19 by -JCN-

[-JCN-]

I’m tired of cleaning Alien pistons. 
 

I have a big ultrasound cleaner but… it’s big. 
 

I ordered a cheapo small unit today and will experiment with doing the pistons in simple green. 
 

I have done heavily carboned MPX pistons in CLR and it works great but I’m a little nervous to damage the coating on the piston that I think is TiN. 
 

 

It would probably be fine, but I’m going to try milder things first. 

[-JCN-]

A buddy asked me if I could help with this:

 

 

So we are going to try this tomorrow:

 

 

Vampliers…

[Farmer]

I wonder how this would work? I have only tried it on a sheet pan and it worked great. They also make it in a liquid. Haven’t tested it on bluing though.  

[-JCN-]

7 hours ago, Farmer said:

I wonder how this would work? I have only tried it on a sheet pan and it worked great. They also make it in a liquid. Haven’t tested it on bluing though. 

That’s a good thought, thanks! I’ll look up what the chemicals are. Your post got me Googling and it looks like Ballistol and Bore tech make some suppressor cleaners that might work as well. 
 

I’ll start with the Simple Green and then perhaps try the CLR in a ziplock (bags work in ultrasound cleaners and help keep the unit from getting leaded). 
 

EDIT: here is the technical data sheet for the Carbon-Off

 

 

Looks like it would work well… I’ll keep that as plan B. I’m a little scared to use that frequently, but it looks like it would be a good nuclear option!

 

 

.

Edited April 20 by -JCN-

[-JCN-]

Vampliers and heat worked great to get the screw out. 
 

Was relieved for my friend. 
 

Had a nice triple range session with my friend (who is a top 20 National guy), myself and V. 
 

Stacked some more ammo. This is probably good for the year. 
 

 

 

[-JCN-]

Recoil control matters.

 

These are just my opinions, it’s not gospel. People don’t have to agree.

 

I think recoil control matters. A lot.

 

The resonant frequency of most modern guns and ammo is around a 0.15-19 split.

 

I’m trying to refine my recoil control so that I can extend the precision of hits at that pace to 10-15 yards.

 

It’s always a work in progress.

 

I also feel that to get to A/M level, a minor shooting pistol shooter should be able to have the recoil control to do 0.15 splits on demand on the appropriate targets.

 

So like for example on the mocked up classifier these were the times off the AMG.

 

 

So some 0.15-16 splits with movement on IPSC targets hitting alphas on close targets because I can do static targets out to 10-15 yards.

 

Why does that matter? 

 

Because (IMO) the footwork is contingent on the shooting speed.

 

0.15s means I can double off one step while a 0.25s means I’m either planted or I’m shooting in between two steps…. And I’m one step later and longer in my hard exit.

 

Those times add up. I have less options available to me if I don’t have good recoil control.

 

It’s been a fundamental training block for V from the beginning. Getting her to feel the recoil control at sub-20 splits.

 

She’s pretty much there now on demand, but now it’s time to get down to 0.15s.  She’s done a few in practice, but getting it to be a comfortable thing will take additional work.

 

But that’s part of what it’ll take to get to the next performance level.

 

 

This was V working on her own. Static draw to doubles. Footwork then doubles with footwork.

 

You can imagine that the footwork would be impaired if the splits were anchored slower.

 

Recoil control matters and it’s such a fundamental skill (IMO).

[-JCN-]

@Farmer

 

This is what I experimented with today. 
 

Start. 
 

 

Ziplock bag with undiluted Simple Green. 
 

 

This is after 480 seconds (one cycle):

 

 

This is after two cycles:

 

 

I did a very light brass brushing and changed the solution in the baggie. 
 

This is post three cycles. 
 

 

And after the 4th cycle:

 

 

Just a little carbon on the first baffle (top) that I did a little light pick to clean off. 

 

Going to try a little dry teflon and see if it helps. 
 

 

The benefit of using baggies is…

 

This is the unit’s water after I was done…

 

[-JCN-]

It took 4 cycles but not really a big deal. Especially if I clean 3 RSA at a time. 
 

It’s literally just walking by and pushing the button again. 
 

Today I did it as I was sewing doll clothes with my daughter…

 

 

 

 

I was sewing a pulled seam on my shooting gloves and making a stopper for a zipper that wanted to come off. 
 

So my daughter asked if we could make clothes for her toys so we pulled out some of the clothes that were too small for her and cut them up. 

[Farmer]

@-JCN- If the regular Simple Green works that well maybe the Extreme would do better. I found that the EX holds more contaminants in suspension better than most cleaners. It also has no odor. I used Super Clean on a lot of stuff but it’s a little iffy with aluminum. The SG EX is safe for that. The carbon off works but is fairly irritating to the skin and doesn’t play well with plastic. I do the same in my sonic cleaner with jars with carb parts. Keeps from stinking up the cleaners pan. 

Edited April 20 by Farmer

[-JCN-]

@Farmer oooooh!

 

I had never heard of that version of simple green! That’s great, thank you!

 

I feel like I could benefit from a little more power. 
 

This is a double cycle of my other two RSAs… that I had cleaned “well enough….”

 

Maybe not, lol. 
 

 

I am hoping by cleaning the pistons better, I can extend cleaning cycles. 
 

One of the things I really didn’t like about running a gas MPX is that the recoil impulse was inconsistent across the cleaning cycle. 
 

I took the minty clean piston gun to the range just now and yup… felt like not enough recoil spring because the piston was soooo clean and slippery. 
 

But it was still plenty shootable. 

[-JCN-]

Okay. I’m sold on ultrasound cleaning Alien pistons. 
 

Will just incorporate that into the regimen. 
 

If I can get 400 out of each piston and keep things working with CLP chamber brushing then that’s 1200 rounds between full cleans and that’d be okay. 
 

Bore snake might come into it too. 

[-JCN-]

Getting ready for a match

 

Starts with family time. 
 

 

Some math practice during breakfast. 
 

Then played with dinos and she showed me the dresses she made for her dolls yesterday. 
 

 

Getting her into the habit of seeing that we create solutions rather than throw money at things.

[-JCN-]

Today was an exercise. Got some data.

 

Shot some classifiers.

 

Philosophically, I'm on the fence about reshooting classifiers.

 

By rules, you can reshoot once at a match. Some people have their entire classifications built on all reshoots.

 

It's not as strong as being able to crush a classifier score cold on demand. No doubt.

 

But the game is the game.

 

 

 

So me: 

 

I shot at match pace. I wasn't super comfortable with the Alien today. Had my expected 5% drop off from practice. No hero attempts.

 

If it were my initial classification (best 4 stages), it would have been an 86.2% so a low M.

 

It wasn't where I'd like to be, but that's kind of the point... isn't it?

 

It helps crystalize what I need to keep working on.

 

 

 

 

So V:

 

Without reshoots she made B class comfortably.

 

With reshoots her initial classification was at 70.5%.

 

And it also helps crystalize what she needs to keep working on.

 

 

 

 

I feel fine with reshooting classifiers in order to get more data. I'm already an M so reshooting doesn't really get me anything more than just data. I'm not good enough to be GM at match pace and not trying to shoot at hero / zero pace.

 

For V, I'm fine with reshooting classifiers for the same reason. She was (and did) make B class on her first attempt. Reshoots just helped get her closer to her next goal.

[-JCN-]

Processing

 

Sitting at my daughter’s swim lesson and processing and reviewing the day in my head. 
 

I was very pleased at V’s consistency and game. She didn’t have any glaring flaws, it’s just general work on things that everyone needs tuning on. 
 

They were her first classifiers ever and she was able to deliver. 
 

Initial classification at B class is quite an achievement and she doesn’t have any deficits that will prevent her continued improvement. 
 

She had two classifiers at 74% and another that would have been 82%+ but she tried to make up a Charlie with another shot… that hit a no shoot. 
 

So she and I are both trying to add 5% performance to our games over the next 5 months. 
 

It’ll take a lot of work, but I think it’s doable. 
 

I don’t want to be GM until I’m laying down 90% classifier runs at match pace. 
 

That’s just my personal philosophy at the place I’m at in my life. 
 

Again, it’s not about the classifiers. It’s about building representative skills at that representative level. 
 

 

.

Edited April 22 by -JCN-

[-JCN-]

I started and deleted about three different posts this morning.

 

I’ll try and boil it down to one liners:

 

I try to support others on my squad and like squadding with people who look out for others as well.

 

Sometimes delayed gratification is necessary and the good stuff comes after some investment of energy… but that’s a tricky balance for a recreational hobby.

 

That’s about all I can say about that without sounding preachy. 

[-JCN-]

I tried to make another post about three more times and deleted it as well. 

 

I’m feeling philosophical today but it keeps coming out as preachy. 

 

The crux of it is that I feel better today after making low LO M on demand than I did making CO GM by heroing (with lots of collateral zeroing). 
 

It also has less hangover associated with it. 
 

I’m way more motivated now than I was after hitting my other classification goal. 
 

I know V feels the same way. 

[-JCN-]

Alien maintenance:

 

I think I’m going to try and bring in bore snaking instead of chamber brushing. 
 

I usually use 40SW bore snakes for the extra brass brush diameter. 
 

Going to have to think about methods of using the bore snake without getting my hands all oily and dirty. 
 

It’s probably just going to entail nitrile gloves. 
 

 

[-JCN-]

Messaging with V today:

 

 

We are both feeling motivated to get better. 
 

I wasn’t comfortable with the grip pressure and timing of the alien when I shot field course classifiers. It really hurt not having a solid mind’s eye view of the gun. 
 

I’m committed to burning that in. 
 

I stepped up to the line for a quick session today and I was too clamped down and not letting the gun move enough to reset and it was ugly. 
 

Worked some close Blake drills and got more comfortable. 
 

 

And took it back to 10 yards on reduced size targets. 
 

 

Gotta keep burning that in so I can do it on demand, cold. 
 

.

Edited April 23 by -JCN-

[-JCN-]

Contextualizing percents and goals:

 

If you were to guess what some of the world’s best shooters did on classifiers… 

 

Would they shoot hundos every time?

 

Would all their runs be GM on demand?

 

 

^ Max Leograndis (current LO champion)

 

 

^ Nils Jonasson 

 

These are arguably two of the best performers out there. They’re both machines. 
 

Having that kind of context as the gold standard allows me to be okay with some performance variability for myself. 
 

But I’m going to keep working for my 5% improvement and keep working the consistency. 

[-JCN-]

PT

 

If I don’t do this regularly, my right forearm tendinitis flares up something fierce. 
 

 

I want to go pound hundreds of rounds on recoil control, but I can’t without injuring myself. 

 

I have to take breaks and be smart about it or I pay for it the following days. 
 

I could feel it a little this morning and last night. 
 

Yay aging!

[-JCN-]

Alien pieces parts 

 

So most of the alien parts are a little inflated, but I expect that for a small company.

 

The one item that’s a relative bargain is the RSA assembly.

 

 

Considering they charge $20 for a recoil spring and $40 for the guide rod.

 

That makes the piston $65 in this bundle and piston fouling seems like one of the critical issues for reliability.

 

When I was working MPXs, I had to do the same thing. Get a stack of pistons and expansion chambers and rotate them out.

 

So I ordered four more of the RSA to go along with the three I have in rotation currently.

 

With the ultrasonic cleaner, it takes the same time to clean 7 as it does a single one.

 

Also, I’m thinking that the bore snake is going to take too much time to do on the fly. Clean chamber is also important for function.

 

I’m going to experiment a little bit, but I’m thinking bore brush and swab its.

 

 

[-JCN-]

Something like this so I can quickly swab after the CLP brushing.