New Uspsa Shooter

[jgilmore16]

Shot m first match on Sunday, but have been shooting for a few years, finally got the nerve up to go to a match and loved it. Shooting production with a Beretta 92, and placed 13th out of 40. Now looking to bump it up a few notches, and looking to find more matches and advice, problem is I live in Northen Vermont...

Looking for any help & advice I can get out there!!!!!

Thanks

[XRe]

1 - Read everything you can on this forum.

2 - Dry fire. A lot. Using the right techniques (see #1 above).

3 - Remember to have lots of fun!!!

[George]

Have you tried the "Find A Club" option at the USPSA website?

http://www.uspsa.org/

It's on the right, halfway down the page.

Welcome to the world of competitive shooting and to the BE Forums, where it's all about the shooting :-)

[jgilmore16]

Thanks for the info..

just can't believe it's taken this long to find out how much fun this is!!!!!

[Bryan W]

just can't believe it's taken this long to find out how much fun this is!!!!!

Well, now you know and it sounds like you did really good for your first match too.

I would concur with XRe's advice - lots of dry fire and learn as much as you can from the forum members here and other material -

Also, when you get to the point where you think you got all this stuff figured out - don't forget to "just" aim - I find this part especially helpful

[Steve Moneypenny]

To improve the fastest I would reccomend finding a good instructor with a proven competition record.

Read everything you can and impliment a practice regimne and attend as many local matches as you can without over extending yourself, then attend as many majors as you can find available. You should have the Aware invitational not too far from you and other matches you can see at www.uspsa.org.

Always try to shoot with shooters better than yourself and never be afraid to ask questions.

[jgilmore16]

Thanks for help! Currently looking for a good instructor close to the area, and trying to find matches to get some live fire time.. Also can anyone suggest a timer that would be benifical for use

[Bill Rosenthal]

Do a search for Green Mountain Practical Shooters. They are in Northern Vermont and the host club for the AWARE (big match). Come out and have some fun!

Edited May 10, 2006 by Bill Rosenthal

[jgilmore16]

Thanks Bill,

That's where myself and a buddy that I've got hooked shot on Sunday, and found another match hosted by Frank Crcek this coming weekend.

I appreciate all the info...keep it coming!!!!

[tightloop]

Move to Texas....

[jgilmore16]

Don't I wish

[George]

Fergit' Texas if it's shooting heaven you are looking for. Pack your bags and head for Phoenix, AZ. More GM and M level shooters per square foot around there than anyplace else in the world.

Texas does have great gun laws, but they just ain't got the level of talent in one place that the biggest little city in Arizona does.

You can find a shooting match every half hour there ;-)

[jgilmore16]

Thanks. I appreciate all the advice so far...Keep it coming

[XD Niner]

You might want to get a copy of Matt Burkett's videos. Volume 1-3 has the basics, Volume 4 focuses on shooting faster and Volume 7 helps you practice more effectively. They are definitely worth the investment and you'll review them time and time again.

[Flyin40]

Heres what I suggest

1. Read everything you can on this forum

2. Get SAndersons Refinement and Repetition dryfire book

3. Get Brian's book, Practical Shooting, Beyond Fundementals

4. Get Lanny Bassman's book, With Winning in Mind

5. Get Matt Burkett's videos, 1-3, 4 and 7.

6. Learn everything you can about Calling your shot

These are not in any particular order.

Heres why I suggest these items

The forums give you a book smarts kind of learning. You read it and once you understand it you know what you need to work on or at least figure out. Though you might think you understand something it still needs to be worked on in actual practice to get a full understanding.

MBurkett's videos are great, he is a great teacher as well as shooter. He covers the basics and advanced stuff in his videos. You can read about certain techniques and skills on the forums and watch the videos to get a better understanding.

Practical shooting book by B. Enos does the same as Burketts video and the forums do. It is a more in depth look at shooting as the title states, "Beyond Fundamentals". It covers alot of stuff that I haven't found anywhere else or at least if I did find the info its explained in a way that is different than anywhere else that I have found.

Steve Andersons book is a great tool to get you started on the right track. The things you learn from his training will stay with you, 10 yrs from now you'll will be still using things he suggests. Whats great about his book that it gives you a place to start with and once you have a good base to work from the amount of variation of dryfire is unlimited.

Get With Winning in Mind and develop a mental program. I have only been working on this a short time, I wish I would of read this when I started shooting last yr.

Read everything you can find on calling shots. Are you amazed when you watch some of the top guys shoot. Do you wonder how the hell they are going so fast and actually hitting the A-zone???? Everything in the sport has to do with "vision". The earlier you start learning about calling the shot the sooner you start to look at things like "seeing", "visual patience", "follow through" and "awareness".

So basically heres should be your game plan

1. Read the forums

2. Watch the videos to see what the actual techniques look like that everyone on the

forums are talking about. You will be able to see what is meant by "transitions" etc.

3. SAnderson's book will allow you to follow a practice regiment that gets you started

and can take you a long way

4. Brians book helps you understand alot of different apspects about shooting. Follow his

advice on bench shooting. This will allow you to learn accuracy from the get go.

5. With Winning in Mind will give the mental aspect of the game.

6. The sooner the better when starting to learn about "Seeing". You need to see the

the sights on every single target on every single shot. This is all there is too this game.

When you see the sights on the target you squeeze the trigger. Its not about fast or

slow, its about seeing.

All this you cost you less than $200. You will continue to use these things as long as you are shooting. I suggest getting these things before getting a instructor. An instructor will show you what you need to do but if your like me you tend to lose alot of that info over time. With these items you'll have a better understand what the instructor is talking about.

I have also heard alot of good things about Saul Kirch's books. I haven't bought them yet but they are on my list.

Hope this helps

Flyin40

[Chris Keen]

That would be Saul Kirsch.

And I recomend his 2nd book, Thinking Practical Shooting (A Guide To Outstanding Match Performance). Read it from cover to cover. It starts at the beginning about targets, and scoring. Then it takes you on a step by step journey through every aspect of this game. Finally he discusses match day, and what is most important (the good, the bad, and the ugly).

You WILL enjoy this book. I bough Brians book, as well as Lanny's, but this one helped me with MMN ........ Major Match nerves. I quickly got over that, and learned alot of other things as well.

[ima45dv8]

That would be Saul Kirsch.

And I recomend his 2nd book, Thinking Practical Shooting (A Guide To Outstanding Match Performance). Read it from cover to cover. It starts at the beginning about targets, and scoring. Then it takes you on a step by step journey through every aspect of this game. Finally he discusses match day, and what is most important (the good, the bad, and the ugly).

You WILL enjoy this book. I bough Brians book, as well as Lanny's, but this one helped me with MMN ........ Major Match nerves. I quickly got over that, and learned alot of other things as well.

I couldn't agree more.

But please. if any of you are shooting Limited at the GA State match this weekend, do me a favor and read it *after* the match.

[packed]

Sorry but I strongly believe that through practice you will pick up on techniques and your own moves. Reading how others want you to do it will not work. You try and be some other person you are not. All you have to do is learn where to reload, how to get good shooting on the move, your steps and self desernent that comes natural is what will make you good besides knowing the rules. Good Luck!

[bigb77803]

Move to Texas....

Can you give me some information on the club you shoot with? I live in Bryan and looking for a club. I shoot with a local club the 4th Saturday of each month and I am looking for another time to shoot. I am new to the competition shooting. I have only attended about 3 local matches so far.

Thanks for your help.

[Merlin Orr]

Big.. Ask some of the local guys about the match at Buffalo, TX. Great bunch there!

[norbs007]

First of all congratulations on your first match, you did really well. Took me years to be in that level. Lots of info here and you are always welcome to ask questions. Are you reloading ammo yet? It might be too soon but you'll eventually look into it. Welcome to our nightmare

By the way good move on becoming a USPSA member right away!

Edited December 16, 2006 by norbs007

[shred]

Move to Texas....

Can you give me some information on the club you shoot with? I live in Bryan and looking for a club. I shoot with a local club the 4th Saturday of each month and I am looking for another time to shoot. I am new to the competition shooting. I have only attended about 3 local matches so far.

Thanks for your help.

Go by http://www.krtraining.com and check out the match calendar (maybe under Austin shooting or something). You should be able to hit 3-4 matches a month within a couple hours drive or less from Bryan.

[Carlos]

Great advice so far. Here is a suggestion:

-do not spend a single cent more on your shooting equipment (except ammo) and for goodness sakes stay in your division. Just practice - and most of it should be dry fire. Your equipment can take you all the way and do not let anyone talk you into this or that gun/division. But to get to the top, the investment you need to make is:

TIME.

How much? 20 min a night. Every night. Just get the gun in your hand and dry fire. Don't go longer than 20 min or you will get bored. But by having the gun in your hand & your eyes on those sights every night, you WILL improve. Probably quickly. The books & tapes/DVDs might help, but they cannot replace the time with gun-in-hand.

D.

Edited December 17, 2006 by Carlos

[IPSCDRL]

Thanks Bill,

That's where myself and a buddy that I've got hooked shot on Sunday, and found another match hosted by Frank Crcek this coming weekend.

I appreciate all the info...keep it coming!!!!

If you are close to Morrisville and the GMPS club, then you are in good shape. They are a great bunch and put on some awesome matches. Frank also puts on some fun and high round count matches. Plan on shooting the AWAREA-7 championship match at GMPS this summer.

[waxman]

The whole buy this book, take this class arguement is interesting. I used to be a fairly avid team trap shooter, and shot at least 3 times a week. I was starting to improve and shot mostly 22 or 23, with a few 24's thrown in. I really wanted to shoot a clean 25. I wanted it so bad. Well I decided to start reading a bunch of books fromt the pro's. As I started to do the things the pros said, I began to worry to much about their technique, where to look, how to have your feet, what is my hardest shot.. Soon I started shooting 20's and even a few 18's The more I woried about it, the worse i got. I eventually gave up trap shooting, out of frustration. Now I dont know if this applies to all shooting disciplines,but it is something I think about. Matt Burkett came to our club in wisconsin a few years ago, and I really wanted to take his class, since he is the 3 gun Guru. I decided not to, because I was progresing at a steady pace on my own. This is just something to consider.

Edited March 29, 2007 by waxman