Drills....praticing The Basics!

[JDBraddy]

I just got a new pact timer, and spend an afternoon at the range practicing draw and fire on a single target at 25yds. My goal was to practice the grip Leo Ochoa showed me at the last match, improve my consistancy and possibly my time. My time didn't improve much, but I felt more comfortable with it by the end of the session. I'm able to consistantly draw and fire the first shot at around 2-2.25 seconds, and a followup shot at between 2.85 and 3 seconds. I don't know if that's good or bad, but it's where I'm currently at. Unfortunately, when I tried to go faster, I wasn't able to keep them in the A-zone, and even touched off a couple early, before I had the front site settled resulting in complete misses. Next session, should I slow down a little and concentrate on consistancy and better shot placment, or continue to try and push my times?

[38supPat]

Not sure what gear you're using, but it sounds pretty reasonable. Work on the draw. Try using the par time feature to evaluate how quickly you get the gun to target.

EG. at 7 yds find your draw and 1 shot time. Set Par time to this number. Now move back to 25yds. On the first beep, draw, on the second beep the gun should be mounted on target with whatever remaining time needed to refine the sight picture and fire coming at it's own pace after that.

[Matt Griffin]

I just got a new pact timer, and spend an afternoon at the range practicing draw and fire on a single target at 25yds. My goal was to practice the grip Leo Ochoa showed me at the last match, improve my consistancy and possibly my time. My time didn't improve much, but I felt more comfortable with it by the end of the session. I'm able to consistantly draw and fire the first shot at around 2-2.25 seconds, and a followup shot at between 2.85 and 3 seconds. I don't know if that's good or bad, but it's where I'm currently at. Unfortunately, when I tried to go faster, I wasn't able to keep them in the A-zone, and even touched off a couple early, before I had the front site settled resulting in complete misses. Next session, should I slow down a little and concentrate on consistancy and better shot placment, or continue to try and push my times?

The way I figure it, there are three places where you can improve a draw without messing up your consistency. The movement of the hand to the grip, the movement of the gun from the holster up to the presentation, and eliminating all extra movements.

Or, to say it backwards, where you shouldn't try to rush is establishing the grip and the final presentation. I've been working on mentally focusing on establishing my weak hand properly on the grip during the movement from holster to presentation, since that's where I usually screw up my draw. Right now I can focus on one, maybe two things during a draw while everything else goes on autopilot.

H.

[IronEqualizer]

Dry fire with the timer.....a lot. Use Steve Anderson's drills. Helped me bunches and bunches.

[Micah]

If dryfire is going to play a role in improving your game (and it should), definately pick up a copy of Steve's book Linky to booky

I would also recommed purchasing a dryfire kit from CWPSA (linky) The two products go so well together they should be offered in a bundle.

You have made an important first step in purchasing a timer. Through dryfire, you will develop a level of comfort with your gear, as well as your draws, reloads, transitions and splits.

[shooterbenedetto]

you will achieve A class in you class in no time PRACTICE PRACTICE

DRY FIRE!! welcome to our secret of good shooting....

[JDBraddy]

Not sure what gear you're using, but it sounds pretty reasonable. Work on the draw. Try using the par time feature to evaluate how quickly you get the gun to target.

EG. at 7 yds find your draw and 1 shot time. Set Par time to this number. Now move back to 25yds. On the first beep, draw, on the second beep the gun should be mounted on target with whatever remaining time needed to refine the sight picture and fire coming at it's own pace after that.

I'm using a Series-70 Gold Cup, with an Uncle Mikes Kydex holster, and Don Hume double-mag pouch. I was told this holster was a no-go for IDPA, and I want to be able to cross-over and shoot both USPSA and IDPA, so I bought a Blade-Tech that was advertised to be IDPA Approved, but my Gold Cup has a flat rib along the top of the slide, and won't fit into the Blade-Tech holster, so I'm not going be able to use it. Anyone need a new Blade-Tech holster? I've since ordered a Safariland 560 from BE.com, but it hasn't arrived yet, so I'm still using the Uncle Mikes holster for now. If my gun won't fit in the Safariland either, then I'm not sure what I'll end up having to do for a holster. I can't afford to keep buying every model. I'll try using the Par-time feature.

Edited December 15, 2006 by JDBraddy

[kruger]

I'm using a Series-70 Gold Cup, with an Uncle Mikes Kydex holster, and Don Hume double-mag pouch. I was told this holster was a no-go for IDPA

Which Uncle Mikes Kydex holster? The one that is a no-go is the belt slide model. I use

a paddle holster that is perfectly fine.

Respectfully,

Mark Kruger

[Middle Man]

Uncle Mike's offers (or did) an accessory paddle to convert a belt style for their line of kydex holsters too.

[IronEqualizer]

+1 for uncle mikes paddle holster. I use it for both idpa and uspsa....no problem with consistent 1.2 draws at 10 yds and sub sec at anything closer.

[billdncn]

Not sure what gear you're using, but it sounds pretty reasonable. Work on the draw. Try using the par time feature to evaluate how quickly you get the gun to target.

EG. at 7 yds find your draw and 1 shot time. Set Par time to this number. Now move back to 25yds. On the first beep, draw, on the second beep the gun should be mounted on target with whatever remaining time needed to refine the sight picture and fire coming at it's own pace after that.

Don't know about JDBraddy, or others, but I'm gonna do that.

I time myself at 25yds from surrender/or concealment to 1st shot, and then splits a lot. But, not compared to 7yds, 10yds, etc. using that as a par time.

I do most of my practicing at 25 fiquring if I can speed up, and get good hits there I'll be that much better closer in.

Thanks

[JDBraddy]

Work on the draw. Try using the par time feature to evaluate how quickly you get the gun to target. On the first beep, draw, on the second beep the gun should be mounted on target with whatever remaining time needed to refine the sight picture and fire coming at it's own pace after that.

Don't know about JDBraddy, or others, but I'm gonna do that.

Thanks

Two things I've noticed are, when my support hand comes up under the trigger guard, and rolls in to grasp the right while pushing the gun foward, I notice my front strap, and the under side of my trigger guard are smooth, and I'm not getting that "Pinch lock" Burkett talks about in his Video, also whenever I leave my right thumb up on top of the safety catch, the web of my hand presses upward rather than inward on the grip safety, and it doesn't always disenguage completely, and I have to adjust my grip pressure before the gun will fire.

Rather than checkering, I want to apply the grip tape I've seen some using on their frontstrap and along the bottom of the trigger guard, or perhapse even cover the entire grip surface with it. Who sells those nifty pre-cut ones? I'm not sure what to do about the grip safety. I asked a local gunsmith about having it pinned, as I've seen some shooters have done, but he refused to disable a safety. I thought about trying to straiten the spring arm that operates it, but am not sure if that would work, since the web up my hand presses upward on it when my thumb is on the manual safety release.

Edited December 17, 2006 by JDBraddy

[Mistral404]

Most gunsmiths will not pin the safety. The reasons are varied but mostly because they are taught that this is something they should not do and second they do not want any potential liability issues.

If the gunsmith specializes in competition guns and knows you he might do it.

You can bend the spring arm if you want, if it does not work bend it back.

Some people just tape the grip safety. This works. Some time back there was an article in AH about ugly and pretty guns. Matts qualified as ugly.

BTW I like mine pinned.

[sslav]

Dry fire with the timer.....a lot. Use Steve Anderson's drills. Helped me bunches and bunches.

As a beginner I would caution against jumping into the dry fire drills with a timer. I think Steve's Anderson's drills are great - once you are ready for them. In my case, I was absolutely not ready for them. I was making a slow but relatively steady progress getting good hits and slowly improving my times before I got the timer and Steve's book. The problem was - my technique was not yet well established and instinctive. Attempts to beat the timer made me sloppy. My overall performance took a massive nosedive. I had then put away the timer and focused on propper technique - executing the drills at a comfortable pace and even in slow motion. After lots and lots of repetition I got my technique to the point where I could start practicing with the timer and achieve positive results.

[IronEqualizer]

Dry fire with the timer.....a lot. Use Steve Anderson's drills. Helped me bunches and bunches.

As a beginner I would caution against jumping into the dry fire drills with a timer. I think Steve's Anderson's drills are great - once you are ready for them. In my case, I was absolutely not ready for them. I was making a slow but relatively steady progress getting good hits and slowly improving my times before I got the timer and Steve's book. The problem was - my technique was not yet well established and instinctive. Attempts to beat the timer made me sloppy. My overall performance took a massive nosedive. I had then put away the timer and focused on propper technique - executing the drills at a comfortable pace and even in slow motion. After lots and lots of repetition I got my technique to the point where I could start practicing with the timer and achieve positive results.

+1 sslav....I did go through that too. Anderson does caution about this....guess we both did not heed the part about all A's. I started blazing through everything and had to stop using the timer for about a month to correct this. I might have to turn it off for a while again in the future. The good part is, is that we both recognized what was happening. That has got to count for something.

[JDBraddy]

Most gunsmiths will not pin the safety. The reasons are varied but mostly because they are taught that this is something they should not do and second they do not want any potential liability issues.

If the gunsmith specializes in competition guns and knows you he might do it.

You can bend the spring arm if you want, if it does not work bend it back.

Some people just tape the grip safety. This works. Some time back there was an article in AH about ugly and pretty guns. Matts qualified as ugly.

BTW I like mine pinned.

I have already resolved the issue, as I practiced, repeatedly adjusting my grip to disenguage the grip safety, while I had pressure on the trigger, wore down the edge of the spring arm you refer to, so that if the trigger was pressed firmly, the hammer would fall even without the grip safety depressed. In other words, the grip safety was starting to malfunction anyway. It was still making some contact however, giving me an inconsistant trigger pull, so I simply disassembled the reciever, and filed the spring arm down untill the grip safety no longer contacts or blocks the trigger. It still moves in and out but does not function as a safety nor does it interfear with the trigger pull. The manual safety still funtions fine. I'll probably buy another grip safety, and have it fitted, and keep this one as well, that way I can simply interchange the parts depending on whether I want the grip safety to function, or not.

BTW, while I had the gun apart, I completely cleaned and degreased everything, and applied grip tape to the front strap, extending a thin strip upward along the underside of the trigger guard. It works great! Perhapse too well, as I've already worn all the hair off of the first joint of my left index finger, and it's starting to get red and a little soar. I'm sure I'll develope a callas there soon.

Edited December 19, 2006 by JDBraddy

[Flexmoney]

If you guys are using Anderson's book and attempting to "beat the timer" then you aren't following Steve's instructions. That is about the last thing that Steve would want you to do.

[JDBraddy]

Dry fire with the timer.....a lot. Use Steve Anderson's drills. Helped me bunches and bunches.

As a beginner I would caution against jumping into the dry fire drills with a timer. In my case, I was absolutely not ready for them. The problem was - my technique was not yet well established and instinctive. Attempts to beat the timer made me sloppy.

+1 sslav....I did go through that too. Anderson does caution about this....guess we both did not heed the part about all A's. I started blazing through everything and had to stop using the timer for about a month to correct this. I might have to turn it off for a while again in the future. The good part is, is that we both recognized what was happening. That has got to count for something.

Thanks guys, I'll try to keep this in mind as I practice. My clubs new USPSA Coordinator, and Master Class shooter, Leo has agreed to coach me some, so I think I'll defer to his judgment on that. JDBraddy

Edited December 19, 2006 by JDBraddy