DarthMuffin Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Hi all. I've been lurking for a while and may have posted a reply or two, but I believe this is the first topic I've started. I just started shooting USPSA this year. Partially because winter is about here, but mostly because there's nothing else nearby, I'm limited to practice in the local indoor range or dry-fire at home. I'm looking for suggestions for exercises and drills to do at the indoor range, or dry-fire at home. I'm limited in what I can do in that the muzzle has to be pointed down range at all times (I can't draw from holster, but I can pick it up off of the shelf in front of me) and that I can only fire at the one target in my lane. Indoor range is 25 yards max. I think I need to work on speed, especially target acqusition and switching between targets. The last few matches my scores have been pretty high, I'm just too slow. I would like to start learning how to shoot while moving too, but I realize that may be impossible given the restrictions, and that I probably need to get more of my basics down first. Thanks for the help! Tom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TriggerT Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 During live fire, all you need to be doing is "Seeing" the front sight lift and come back to zero. Practice two shot sets to get used to it. Other than that, DRY FIRE, DRY FIRE, DRY FIRE. You could try starting with the gun on the bench or table, instead of a draw, but this is best practiced at home dry firing first as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Work shot calling and moving your aim point around on the target-- I used to use the rifle-sight-in targets with four little targets and one big one at the indoor range I used to go to. Shoot one each on the little ones, call your shots and see how close you were. You can also start out indexing on somebody else's target, then snap over to yours to shoot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
half inch groups Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 I haver been shooting at the same indor range for 20+ years. I built a relationship with the management, R/O's and even the owner when he seldomly comes in. After spending 10's of thousands on guns and ammo there, proving to be a safe, accurate shooter, on dead days they let me use multiple lanes to hang targets, holster my guns, double tap, and the R/O will even come out and retract my targets to shoot on the move. Before I moved to FL. I was able to set up simulated steel stages like 5 to go, or even smoke n hope with NRA 25 yd targets. I bought my R/O an STI, and we practice after hours with a pact timer. We cant walk on the range unless we sweep the brass so we dont slip, but other than that it is free game! we practice flashfire w lights off, where one of us hangs a target in any lane while one of us hangs outside so we cant see where the target was hung. then we walk in w lights off, one of us operates the timer, when we hear the buzzer, a flash shot is fired to see the target, then we aquistition the target and fire. its harder than it sounds, but it sure is fun! I also practice reloads in the lane. wear your belt and pouches. set up your own "stage" and practice shooting as accurately and fast as you can, drop the mag and reload. then repeat until your out of mags. I practice dryfire mag changes at home, but it is much more realistic to fire a mag, then reload and so on. If you can set your gun on the table, set the timer, stand at the loading bench behind you, when you hear the buzzer, run to the gun and fire. It has built my speed up considerably. Then again I have yet to even compete, but when I go to classify this year, I hope to at least make it to the B class. My range wants to sponsor the R/O and myself when we do classify. Build a relationship with your range, and just ask the R/O if when no ones there, if it would be possible to try some of these scenarios. if that dont work, buy him an STI! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38superman Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 I've found that the best practice in the environment you described is to shoot double taps at various ranges. I set an IPSC paper target at various ranges, start with the muzzle pointed somewhere off target. Aquire the target and put two in the A zone as fast as you can double tap and still get good hits. Focus on watching the sights rise and fall, calling your shots and working on your trigger control. Each time you double tap try to get your splits a little faster than before. Tls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uscbigdawg Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Timing drills and working on seeing the front sight as others have said. Good thing too is reaction drills where you set a timer to random start and just with the gun positioned react to the first tone of the timer. Max Michel mentioned this on the 3GM DVD that's helped me recently (I usually have a .15 RT) and that's to react to the "B" in BEEP. Rifle sight in targets and working on transitions is a great benefit too. After that, work on shooting groups at various distances. The biggest flaw with the newest crop of shooters was said best by Rob Leatham. People just don't know how to shoot. They can shoot fast, but you ask them to do 50 yard standards and count the moaning/groaning. Good luck and whatever you do DRY FIRE, DRY FIRE, DRY FIRE. Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micah Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Use the livefire to verify your sight picture that you are developing in dryfire. I shoot at paper plates since they are extrelemy inexpensive and simulate steel (4 inch plates). Also, practice what needs the most work. For most people, this is strong/ weak hand. It won't require drawing from a holster, and it will get you ready for next season! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
half inch groups Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 many indoor ranges have a pair of hangers to hang larger silhouette targets. 2 NRA 25 yd. targets fit nicely in each hanger. I often hang 2, then alternate from target to target. I shooot it best with both eyes open and swing from each target to the other. shoot for the orange bullseye. the faster you master this at 7 yards, move it to 12 yards. when your groups are consistant at 12 yards, move it to the back of the range. time everything! you can also rent 2 lanes and double the targets to aquistition. I primarily practice for steel, but speed and accuracy win the race in both ipsc or sc matches. Since I started training this way, I went from 3.40 seconds to 2.10. simulating a 5 to go stage. thats a lot of improvement in just a few months training shooting limited. I'm hoping when I set up SC stages here in FL, I can get my times down to under 2 sec. I practice with smaller targets than SC steel 10" plates or the big 16x24's, so When I shoot steel I am pretty confident I'll take em down quicker. double taps for USPSA is great practice but few indoor ranges allow you to shoot 1 shot per second. Again, a great reason to befriend your range officers. I know many of you dont really care what I do in practice because I have yet to shoot a match, but I guarantee you when I do shoot qualifications, I will shoot in the B's if not A class. I'm in this to win. shooting a pinshoot this weekend just to see where I stand and see how much more practice I feel I might need. depending on how I do will determine whether or not I take matts class in AZ. so I can start a real practice regiment. If anyone has any objections to my reccomendations or other food for thought, please let me know. yhanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uscbigdawg Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 PB brought up a good point of shooting strong/weak hand. This is a majorly under practiced skill and you see it destroy even some of the top shooters when there's a stage/classifier requiring it. Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38supPat Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 I think I saw the dreaded "D" word... Doubletaps do not exist...it is two aimed shots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
half inch groups Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Doubletaps do not exist...it is two aimed shots ok, 2 very quickly executed aimed shots! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-shot Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 (edited) Take Matt's class in AZ, don't let your performance in a pinshoot be the deciding factor in that. Start practicing on USPSA targets, mix in steel & poppers if you can get 'em. The classifiers are a different world, so don't expect until you prove. How you balance speed and accuracy, in any shooting position, will determine your performance. Edited November 22, 2006 by A-shot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
half inch groups Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 Take Matt's class in AZ, don't let your performance in a pinshoot be the deciding factor in that. Start practicing on USPSA targets, mix in steel & poppers if you can get 'em. The classifiers are a different world, so don't expect until you prove. How you balance speed and accuracy, in any shooting position, will determine your performance. thanks A-zone, theres also a steel shoot in Fort Lauderdale that i plan to enter. I have been practicing for qualification for almost a year. off hand shooting, distance, and reloads is what I have been practicing the most. I'll go shoot at both of these 1st as I am really much more interested in the SC anyway, but I will shoot the qualifier for USPSA and do my best to make it the matches when there isnt an SC to shoot. I found property to build courses and practice. I'm ordering a bunch of Blackwater steel targets to practice the stages. I also just ordered 1000 ipsc targets from Brownells to practice with too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-shot Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 It's A-shot, but you get the idea! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
half inch groups Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 your an "A" in my book A-Shot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micah Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 PB brought up a good point of shooting strong/weak hand. This is a majorly under practiced skill and you see it destroy even some of the top shooters when there's a stage/classifier requiring it.Rich Strong/weak handed shooting is the Kryptonite to many shooters... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSeevers Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 I also practice wide transistions by starting on someone elses target way over to the left/right (not shooting of course) and the swing to my target and shoot. People behind you might get freaked but whatever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarthMuffin Posted November 22, 2006 Author Share Posted November 22, 2006 Thanks for the tips everyone, definitely good stuff to try! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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