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Plate rack times


Steve Moneypenny

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Finally got a chance to shoot some plates.

5.02 sec

Plates were 25 yds

Bianchi style 6 6" I think. My friend is really into NRA AP and has a rack set up to spec.

From holster (IDPA gear) Production/SSP set-up G-34

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Yesterday we shot plates instead of pins. I was expecting pins, so I didn't bother to think about the plates and the fact that I am incapable of actually hitting plates with bullets emerging from my gun. I just did it.

Curiously, my first five or six runs were five plates on the ground with five shots. And I only had troubles later on when I stopped to think about what I was doing or worried about the other person shooting (like BigDave who gave me a trouncing!).

So although we did not record times, I think that being able to actually hit the things is a good start for me to be able to shoot the the plate racks in a reasonable amount of time.

Plus it was a lot of fun. Shooting is good. :wub:

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I've been working towards a goal of breaking into the 2.50's by the FL Open, and Sunday practicing I did, with a 1.01 draw and a total run of 2.50.

Next goal is consistency, when I can post a nice boring average of sub 3.0 I'll really have accomplished something. Still, I have dropped half a second off my personal best of four months ago.

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  • 1 month later...

I was relaxed, I was focused, I was determined, and I was going to beat my personal best of 2.71 with Production gear. Not only did I do that, but I beat my best ever of 2.66 with a Limited rig. Not only did I beat my best, I blew right by it to the tune of 2.48 on my 3rd run of the day. Hit some more 2.5x's and 2.6x's, so I guess I was on. My first shot still hovers in the 1.25-1.32 range, but I think that is too slow. I can't for the life of me figure out why I can't beat a 1.25 to a plate on the first shot.

I did that with a Production legal G35 out of a Blade-Tech D&O.

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My first shot still hovers in the 1.25-1.32 range....

My God! There's still hope for me to make GM! :P

I'll bet one day....BAM!....you'll pull a 0.87 draw on the plate rack and wonder why you ever thought it was hard.

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My first shot still hovers in the 1.25-1.32 range....

My God! There's still hope for me to make GM! :P

I'll bet one day....BAM!....you'll pull a 0.87 draw on the plate rack and wonder why you ever thought it was hard.

That would be sweet, a .87 draw with no other changes would be a 2.04 total time!! If I ever shoot that, I think I would, well I don't know what I'd do... :o

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MM

I am for practicing and getting better, but to what end shooting plates. If you can run a rack of plates in the mid 3's why bother to try breaking 2.5. Why not work on weakhand transitions, or some 50 yd stuff or something you don't think you do very well. I mean hell, how many times do you shoot a match with a plate rack in it.

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I work on all the other stuff in my practice sessions, but I like the plate rack simply because it is so repeatable. If I can walk up to it and within 3 to 5 runs get close to my best ever time, then I can tell myself that I am still on top of my game. If I am way off, then it is time to evaluate what I am doing wrong. If I beat my time, then I can tell myself that I am still getting better, and that's what we are all after anyway, right? And the other thing is the plates help my visual focus. If I can see the sight on every plate, I know I am in the groove.

Oh, and one more thing, my last practice session involved a heavy dose of 50 yard drills. Very enlightening...

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I can only speak for myself, but I went to the plates to work because it was something I was really weak on. I am a big fan of workign on your weaknesses until you can't identify any, and you are pretty solid all the way around.

No, plate racks don't come up much in matches, but I agree they are good focus trainer, and great for knowing you are hitting a clean and accurate draw.

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I am with you on practicing what you are weak on, but until MM explained why he shot plates I couldn't think of why someone would practice them till they were doing it under 2.5. I see his points and he makes some good ones, but my guess is that he does not have to tote and set up and tear down and tote, the plate rack like I do in order to shoot it. My other thought is that while it is a good focus drill, he might find another if he was lugging 500lbs of steel around to practice it.

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you make a good point.

I had an alterior motive for starting....LACK of time. It was always set up and soe days I had less than an hour of daylight and wanted to shoot so I would get out of the car and load mags, and just keep resetting until I couldn't hit them anymore.

Most days I would go home without my brass, and get it another day.

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Yeah, our range keeps 2 plate racks setup all the time, so all I have to do is literally back the truck up to the bay, lower the tailgate and I'm ready to go.

Actually, the 50 yard drills was humbling the first run, until I realized my sights were off about 6" to the left. And once I got those dialed in, I was slowfiring 10 rounds at 50 and keeping all of them in the C zone or better. Now my confidence is up for that nasty 50 yard stage at Area 4.

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Now my confidence is up for that nasty 50 yard stage at Area 4.

I shot that today and was very humbled. I really need to work on going prone and kneeling.

My range has two plate racks but you have to push them 50 yards to set them up. you have to be sure that you want to use them. I usually make it about half my practice session if I am going to do it since it takes a while to set it up.

My best today was 3.25 with a slow ass 1.78 draw.

I was mainly shooting that drill from TGO's website. It whooped me bad.

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Actually, the 50 yard drills was humbling...

Matt,

50 yard practice (and beyond) is some of the most rewarding shooting I've done. I absolutely can't wait to get back at it this summer. I used to shoot a lot of it until the ignorant twits at the rifle range got mad and wouldn't let me shoot there (apparently they found it embarassing to get bested by a 9mm).

10" plates at 100 are fun too.

My goal for the summer is to see if I can clean a 50 yard plate rack consistently (no par time).

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My first shot still hovers in the 1.25-1.32 range, but I think that is too slow. I can't for the life of me figure out why I can't beat a 1.25 to a plate on the first shot.

My guess (from across the country) is that you are having to muscle the gun onto the first target. You don't have it set up to you natural POA. (do the dry-fire presentation with eyes closed trick)

Forget shooting 6 plates for a while. Just do singles draws to one plate...and reposition yourself between each shot (or play around with various degrees of body position).

What you might end up gaining in the draw could throw you off a bit in the transitions. So, once you get that draw down, add one plate at a time to the drill.

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Matt,

My typical draw is just a tad over yours: about 1.35. Is your draw like mine, where I'm killing about .25 to .50 seconds transitioning my focus back from the target to the sight at full extension? I'm working on seeing the sight in my peripheral vision as the gun drives out to the target. It seems to take out that little pause between having the gun on target and pulling the trigger.

Also, for some bizzarre reason, concentrating on doing the belly brush with my weak hand on the draw helps me to bring the front sight into crisp focus on extenstion. (An 8 hour old discovery)

I don't see how you could have made GM, but are still hunting for the sight on the draw. I just don't believe it. Too fundamental of an error. (Sorry Flex)

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