Perfect Practice And Preparation Makes Perfect...

[uscbigdawg]

So, I found out about the Area 6, 3-Gun Championships, soon after returning from my stint in "lovely" Fort Rucker, L.A. (Lower Alabama). As stated in another thread, the scramble was on for all three guns because ALL (and by all...I mean ALL) of my shooting gear was back home in California. Benny Hill got me an awesome rifle and shotgun and Chris Patty got me a Glock 22. Ordered some goodies from Brownell's and I'm good to go (insert Taco Bell move here). As a chance to prepare since having not pulled a real trigger in almost 2 years, the local PD was having a charity 3-Gun match. I'm all over it, but time to gun up was FAAAAAST approaching.

2 days before the match. All three guns show up to the local gun store. That was as fast as they could be here. Period. That night, I mounted the ACOG to the rifle and got ammo to take to the range on Friday. A quick logistics note. The nearest place I could keep all my guns was at a friends place about 15 miles from my barracks and NO guns on post unless going to or from the range. Back to our hero. Friday, I meet up with my buddy at 1125 and get my rifle. 1130 get released for lunch. 1140 arrive at local indoor range and do a quick zero at 25 yards. 1300 back to work. 1530 get out of work. 1600 arrive at the post range. 1645, after f'ing around with target stands, tape and no spotting scope, I get the rifle zeroed. Go to the store, pick up the balance of the ammo I need for the match and head home, getting my bag packed and everything in order.

Day 1 of the FOP: Up early and out the door. Take the 30 mile detour to my buddies place at 0630 to pick up my guns (his dog was pissed!). Get 'em and go. Going to the range and got lost. Now you may think that you've been lost, but I got so lost that there was no cell signal and NOTHING out in the middle of the country. So after being about 15 minutes late and adding a nice 40-50 miles to the ol' odometer, I arrive and sign in. Glad to see some folks from the west, especially Kelly Neal. Great guy and a great shooter. Even better when I find out we're squadded together.

Shot like crap ALL day. First stage. Started with the shotgun. It ran flawless!!! Benelli's rock and Benny's are sweeeeeeet. Unfortunately, having not shot it, I didn't know where my holds were for slugs and as such took 3 misses. Moved to the rifle. FLAWLESS AGAIN!!! Fired about 20-30 missses that were due to crappy zeroing on my part. Otherwise, technique I was doing alright.

Second stage. Started with the pistol. Not bad. Had to hold a little high, but manageable. Moved to the shotgun. Similar issues but fired two extra shots just to make sure. Got 'em all there too. Moved to the rifle. See remarks from previous stage and add high angle shooting (and some f'ing small ass targets). Not a good combination. It's alright. Still having some fun (especially when I HAMMER 3 plates at 100 yards in Voigt/Cooley/Burkett/Neal-like speed).

Third stage. Shoot house. No gripes here. Paper targets at close distance. Other than re-engaging the same targets, all good.

Fourth stage. Yeah....where to begin on this. All pistol and got to learn that Glock factory sights.....

SUCK!!!

In order to hit close to the actual target, I had to hold about 2-3" at about the 1:30 position. Of course, my hand is now obscuring the target (see: I don't see what I'm trying to hit at all) and my brain is fighting me on shooting at the target vs. shooting where I need to aim. Needless to say it was 5 mags to still have 6 misses on one run and I don't even remember how bad it was on the other.

I literally had to stop from chucking the pistol over the berm. Anger management won out in the end. Then, there was me kicking around the idea of withdrawing from the match. After being tired of feeling sorry for myself, and deciding to suck it up and finish the match strong, what happens while I'm driving back to my buddy's place? Get the phone call that I have to go to work tomorrow 'cause we have 3 people leaving for school on Monday. Yeah...me. Oh well, I guess I get to save ammo.

What did I learn from this? Shooting success, like most things, can be measured or moreso steered to success by proper preparation. Pre-Army, I was shooting every weekend. If there was a major coming up, it was more range time and practice, etc. Having not shot a match in 2 years, there are these boulders of rust in the way that must be overcome just to get back to where I was and therefore twice (if not a larger multiplier) as much work to get ready, prepare, train, practice, get gear ready, etc. 3-Gun is very unforgiving when you don't have all the tools that YOU need to succeed. That and moreso, physically putting your hands on those guns and putting rounds down range has to happen on a regular basis.

So, first action after returning home today? I called my Daddy. [little kid stomp] Seriously though, I'm having him send out my Open pistol and my 3-Gun gear 'cause I hate half-assing anything, especially something that I truly love and that's 3-Gun shooting.

There's today's lesson. Don't waste time/money on doing something half way. I would probably be better off having just taken more time, shot the occasional local pistol match and spent some time at the range working on the rifle & shotgun than burning rounds and getting frustrated this weekend. Probably a good thing work got involved after all, as it's eliminating more half efforts, and allowing me to see that my Open pistol and I need to be reunited...'cause it (does) feel soooooooo good.

Rich

[Micah]

It sounds like you at least obtained some valuable experience. I've shot matches where my preformance was completely dreadful, but there was always something new and positive that I could gleen.

If you are able to, ditch those factory Glock sights and pick up something from Dawson or Heinie!

[uscbigdawg]

PB,

Already doing it. Got a set of Dawson's in route. I'm going to have Kartozian work his magic on the 22 to make it into my new carry gun. After I get back from deployment, it'll be going to SJC for some Open gun build work. 9mm Major sounds like the ticket, but that whole project is dependent upon GSSF matches still bein' around.

I definitely learned a lot from the experience. Not only in how diminishing our skills are if not kept up, but also how well some of the basic skills are engrained in. That was definitely reassuring. I still read stages well and improvise during a stage very well which definitely makes things for improvement more mechanical than mental (although there's some work there too).

I take every experience as an opportunity to learn something and this one was big and humbling.

Rich

[Micah]

PB,

Already doing it. Got a set of Dawson's in route.

I take every experience as an opportunity to learn something and this one was big and humbling.

Groovy on the sights, and I'm glad to hear that you were able to take away something positive from your experience. It seems like after my biggest defeats, I learn the most.

[Mistral404]

I was working up in Baton Rouge for a while. I was trying to find Nik's range for a Thursday night shoot. So I go to the computer and print a map.

I am following the map to the letter, needless to say I was so far F@#$^@#%&%&g lost I was not sure I was going to live. I have been in a lot of places in the States and other coutries but nothing spooks me more than being lost, with the sun fading in behind the levies and in the swamps in LA.