Ron Ankeny Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 I have decided to give up iron sights for good due to failing vision. I can't shoot tightly clustered targets much beyond 10 yards to save my butt (double vision and visual acuity), and I struggle horribly on field courses while running around with goofy glasses. On the bright side, in spite of a six month layoff, my draw, splits, and more importantly my transition times, are at an all time best . I can still race from Box A on the low round count speed shoots. I am on the verge of GM in a couple of divisions and the card would pretty much be in the bag with just one decent classifier. Part of me wants to get the GM card while I can still shoot the scores. Another part of me wants to just quit while I am ahead because that seems like the choice that exhibits the most class. What would you do? Give it one last fling or hang it up and leave well enough alone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 Damn, Ron...Go for it! How many years of work does it take for you to feel you have earned a GM card!!!? You show great class with every sentence you write and post here and for even thinking about the choice that exhibits the most class. My .02! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AikiDale Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 Go for it! I say this in all selfishness. I have much further to go to get there and will be quite depressed if my here gives up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
short_round Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 If after being completely honest with yourself, you believe in your heart that "I can still shoot the scores" then I say put forth the effort go for it. If you honestly cannot, then you are just going to send yourself down a very frustrating road that will cause more harm than good in the end. Only you can be the true judge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 You are so close, do it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markm Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 Hey Ron, we all know that your a GM person, might as well have a card that says it too! BTW how many of us will ever get close in one division, much less a couple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hey QuicksDraw! Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 Go for it! If your that close you owe it to yourself to complete the task. Many wish to but can't, don't tell me you can but wont. Be all you can be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ima45dv8 Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 Get 'er done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFD Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 Go for it. A few years from now you don't want to look back and think "what if?". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eerw Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 Ron.. you have always been too modest with your abilities...you gotta try..just to be able to say you did...and when you get it...you will be among some of the best... so +1...go for it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigbadaboom Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 I see alot of "Go for it!!"'s here but I say that if you continue having fun at it then do it but if the vision issue aggravates you to the point where you are not enjoying it then it is unlikely you'll get to GM. Simply put; Do what makes you happy. I'm sure that's what got you into the sport so that's probably how you should leave it. Good luck in whatever decision you make. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubberneck Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 I don't know you Ron but I do know that none of us are getting out of here alive. You have put the time and effort in and if it gives you any amount of personal satisfaction to make GM then go for it. On the day the good lord calls me home I hope that I have no regrets. The people who would begrudge you that or deem it classless are not the type of people I would like to associate with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 If I go to school for many years, study hard and do my homework...You can bet your butt I am going to take the final exam. I want the diploma and the tassel on my cap! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38superman Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 What they said. T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 Another mile and you finish the marathon...1 more mile, after all those other miles...after all those practice miles...1 more mile.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzShooter Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 Don't stop now, you are so close. Do it while you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spook Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 (edited) Ron..you have always been too modest with your abilities... My thoughts exactly. BUT... it's all up to you. Just don't quit if you want to but think you can't. Edited February 14, 2006 by spook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dajarrel Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 Ron, If you want it, Go for it!!!!! dj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dunn Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 Who are you kidding, man? You can't completely give up irons.....that's unAmerican. My advice is to shoot whatever you feel like on any given day without regard to results or percentages or classification. Just shoot it as your vision allows. Having watched you shoot, you'll throw down a 100% sooner or later and get a GM card. Don't send it back. Frame it, then get another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 Tough call Ron. You are so close in a number of divisions. (How did you get a high over 95% and not get the card already?) If you do go open...well, you know how the classifiers work...keep one of those iron sighted guns handy in case you want to throw down a run as a re-shoot in another division. But...yeah...go for it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schmitz Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 Ron, no choice left, Do It, Do It now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ankeny Posted February 14, 2006 Author Share Posted February 14, 2006 (edited) How did you get a high over 95% and not get the card already? The score was thrown out. I shot the classifer minor and it was scored and sent in major, there was also an administrative issue, so I had it toasted the following month. When Bruce had the score deleted his parting words to me were, "Go forth and grandbag no more." I know how he intended his remarks, and they have merit. The reason I posed the question is this. I won't be competing in any of the iron sighted divisions so why bother throwing down a GM classifier solely for the purpose of getting the card? Sam and I visited about this a while back, and I concluded there is a difference between self satisfaction and self aggrandizement. I know there are folks here who would say something to the effect of, "Show the classification system some respect and leave it alone." But they are probably very hesitant to post. For me, I always shoot at least one, maybe two classes below my card when I shoot a big match. Classifiers play into my strengths, where field courses emphasize the areas that really need improvement. There is a huge disparity between what classifiers test and what a typical field course will test. A GM card and an A class match finish just seems wrong on so many levels. Thanks for the input. Edited February 14, 2006 by Ron Ankeny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckS Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 Ron, Do you still enjoy shooting USPSA? If not, do something else. If so, just keep doing it. Hell, there is a guy at SWPL who used to shoot with Jeff Cooper still active. You got a long way to go. Besides, there is a 2 for 1 sale going on. Get one of your classifications into GM and you get a free SS GM too! Later, Chuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ankeny Posted February 14, 2006 Author Share Posted February 14, 2006 Chuck: I still love the game. I am just going Open Division to rid myself of the constant frustrations. I didn't think about the two for one sale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckS Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 Chuck:I still love the game. I am just going Open Division to rid myself of the constant frustrations. I didn't think about the two for one sale. Ron, That's what I am doing. But to keep things interesting, I will shoot classifiers twice with an iron sighted gun just for the fun of it. I don't have your issue of proximity to GM but I don't want to give up completely. I am playing with glasses that are single vision set to the front sight. Better than before but the jury is still out. I do like the dot though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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