Shawn Knight Posted January 2, 2007 Share Posted January 2, 2007 I feel it is time I started one of these now. Like a blog for my poor practice habits. I am forced to do lots of dry fire and reload drills because of the fact it is very cold here right now. I just got together my newest limited gun, a Para framed 40 using SPS magazines. It took a while, and a lot of learning but I finally got it together. Grip fillers, new trigger, lots of work getting a better grip safety fitted, and finally it works! Good accuracy too. I am very satisfied with it even if it will never win any beauty contests. I use t a lot with the new CR Speed rig I have for it. That holster takes some getting used to. It needs a totally different draw and the 1911 platform needs some more attention because it has goofy levers on it that you have to disengage before you can use it! I have been shooting USPSA and IDPA matches for about 6 months with a XD9tac and it has been working very well. I like the XD platform but it lacks a little in the ammo capacity area and I would really like to see how Limited is to shoot. I might shoot Limited Minor with the XD and some mag extentions and a magwell. You guys shooting Limited just give me too much to envy. Draw from a competition CR Speed rig is so much more different than a simple Kydex holster. I need so much more tuning to get the holster to work right. There is so much more thought that goes into setting up the rig that it is intimidating at first. I feel getting to use the rig dry is much more helpful than going hot on the range mostly from a safety standpoint but more for just learning. I thought about using a simple kydex rig to get started with the limited gun but I already had the CR rig for my Open gun(I have yet to shoot) so I figured it will also help me learn my Open gun as well. Well here goes nothing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micah Posted January 2, 2007 Share Posted January 2, 2007 Glad to see you jumping on the blog wagon. I know it will prove to be useful for you...it certainly has been to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Knight Posted January 2, 2007 Author Share Posted January 2, 2007 I just seem to do lots of dry draws, reloads, and dry firing period. Ammo cost(even with reloading) combined with the 15 degrees outside just makes you not want to go out to the range. Also when I do go to the range I usually go with some friends and we just spend most of our time plinking. I try lots of different things when I shoot but mostly I just mess around shooting cans and clays trying to see what I can hit. It is just more fun than "training". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Knight Posted January 5, 2007 Author Share Posted January 5, 2007 (edited) As I sit on my couch looking at the snow pour from the sky, I think to myself, "I am never going to get range time!" Then in a fit of Matt Burkett's flash based training on my 50" TV I get this great idea! I will set up my old 22 target trap and shoot some rifle! I have a small supply of Colibri 22lr and it works well in my AR15/22 conversion. I have to hand cycle it but I get some iron sight training at least. I get my stuff together and realize that it is still 40 degrees in there. I open the door and get the air mixing to warm it up some. It feels like it is about 60 now and I sit down and get into position and start my shooting. Very fun I had forgotten what it was like to use a 22 with iron sights anymore. I think we all use scopes on our 22s so most of us don't have iron sighted 10/22s or other 22 rifles with irons anymore. It isn't a 1911 or my XD but it is still sight alignment and trigger squeeze! I get bored with it quick but I notice when I pick up my XD again I am focusing much more on my sights than the target! I love it I might have to do more rifle in the future. It seems to take my mind off of the target and put it back onto the front sight much more. I have not received my SPS mag tubes or my basepad/follower kits for my Frankenpara yet but I am hopeful. I doubt they will be here on time today. Oh well Limited will have to wait a bit longer for now. I like my XD and enjoy beating much more expensive guns with it. I may not get in any major matches this year but I will work my butt off when the Air Force moves me back to the regular 48 states. Edited January 5, 2007 by theknightoflight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Knight Posted January 8, 2007 Author Share Posted January 8, 2007 So My mag tubes still had not arrived for the Sunday USPSA shoot, but I went with my XD anyway cause I need to shoot! On Saturday I placed 3rd in IDPA and I placed 4th on Sunday for USPSA. I even did well again on a Classifier. I shot 99-08 Melody Line Knight, Shawn 6 B Production 58 0 10.12 5.7312 48.9059 81.51% It comes out to about 71% on the Ohio calc. Not bad for someone that has only been doing this for 6 months with half of that on a poorly lit indoor range. I really need to get a good script for my glasses or get some good contacts. That whole front sight thing is making me crazy! I may swap out to a Dawson FO front just for the heck of it. I really want to shoot limited Major so my bad hits don't hurt me as much. I do have to say that might make me speed up but I really think my accuracy will suffer in the long run. I like shooting production and I like getting all A's I just want to go faster. I almost screwed a stage when I did not have my head in the game at all! I was lucky that a mover did not work properly and I was allowed to reshoot. I came back from my disappointing first attempt and took second on the stage. It was a close second too. 1 Willaims, Bryce 4 A Production 125 0 25.42 4.9174 135.0000 100.00% 2 Knight, Shawn 6 B Production 121 0 26.09 4.6378 127.3240 94.31% I just got angry and wanted to really focus. Getting a short practice run on a stage helps a little too. The mover was activated by a small steel with another small steel next to it. I was able to hit the activator and the other steel before the mover disappeared. I think one delta on it put me a little down and I had to take 2 shots on the second steel. I almost missed it. I need to shoot more moving targets and get better transition speed. I just have so much trouble focusing on the sights and keeping aware of the target in relation to the gun. I had a no shoot/mike on a longer distance (15 yards) aray because I just lost the target-sight relationship. Oh well Maybe I will post the video a little later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Knight Posted January 13, 2007 Author Share Posted January 13, 2007 Well my SPS mag tubes are here and they are set up with Grams base pads and inards. They are right at 140mm! Perfect right? Wrong!! One of them sticks in the gun!!! I have been trying to figure out what it is sticking on but I think I will just end up using it as my last mag. Oh well nothing can ever be perfect. Here are my latest videos! USPSA http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=73...64403&hl=en IDPA http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8...67326&hl=en http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=48...85889&hl=en Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calamity Jane Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 Enjoyed watching your videos. They made me smile. The shooting is always fun, but the camaraderie makes it even better. Keep up the good work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Knight Posted January 13, 2007 Author Share Posted January 13, 2007 Enjoyed watching your videos. They made me smile. The shooting is always fun, but the camaraderie makes it even better. Keep up the good work Why thank you! Just for that here are some more! http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=633190934704468602 http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5185131439907481248 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gameplayer Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 Thanks for the videos Shawn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Knight Posted January 14, 2007 Author Share Posted January 14, 2007 (edited) You are welcome. There are more if you click the "from user button on the right of the screen. You can also search "ANPRACS" on google video. I have about 40 or so uploaded. Edited January 14, 2007 by theknightoflight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Knight Posted January 19, 2007 Author Share Posted January 19, 2007 I think I will shoot CDP in IDPA this weekend. I have been wanting to get into Limited so I figure the only true way to do that is to get used to the 1911 in an easier format. IDPA and my Kimber seem to want to go together so I will let them. We will see how it goes! I have been doing some draw training and I hope to get better at the CR speed rig I have for the Frankenpara. I think just drawing and using a 1911 will help out a great deal. IDPA CDP here I come and heck is coming with me!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSeevers Posted January 19, 2007 Share Posted January 19, 2007 (edited) Why thank you! Just for that here are some more! http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=633190934704468602 http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5185131439907481248 Would you like some feedback for faster better shooting? Lost concentration stage. The fastest way almost always is using economy of motion. First I would draw to the right paper so a bad first shot is a C not a miss on steel. Economy of motion is using the least gun movement you can to move across the array, so it should be paper, steel, paper, steel. At your skill level its still at least 1-2 seconds on that array. Repeat this stragedy on the final array so don't shoot steel then "go back" to paper. Come across once and shoot each target. Another 2-3 seconds saved and not shooting any faster splits at all. The mover stage you used this technique well Edited January 19, 2007 by BSeevers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Knight Posted January 19, 2007 Author Share Posted January 19, 2007 Why thank you! Just for that here are some more! http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=633190934704468602 http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5185131439907481248 Would you like some feedback for faster better shooting? Lost concentration stage. The fastest way almost always is using economy of motion. First I would draw to the right paper so a bad first shot is a C not a miss on steel. Economy of motion is using the least gun movement you can to move across the array, so it should be paper, steel, paper, steel. At your skill level its still at least 1-2 seconds on that array. Repeat this stragedy on the final array so don't shoot steel then "go back" to paper. Come across once and shoot each target. Another 2-3 seconds saved and not shooting any faster splits at all. The mover stage you used this technique well I welcome all feedback! Thanks Bseevers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Knight Posted January 20, 2007 Author Share Posted January 20, 2007 I am going to shoot CDP in IDPA tomorrow. I have been practicing and I need more trigger time with a 1911 to be able to get used to my Limited Transformation. Here goes nothing!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XRe Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 Shawn... fix your sticking mag w/ a vise... Seriously... check out the equipment forums for mag tuning tips, etc. Then, measure the dimensions on the working mags and compare to the one that sticks - the one that sticks is almost certainly bigger in some dimension. Put it in a padded vise in that spot and squeeze it into shape (it takes some force!!). Whammo.... it'll drop free... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XRe Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 The biggest thing I see going on is your reloads - hard to tell exactly what's happening from your hat cam videos, but there seems to be a lot of extra movement in gun - tilting it right, then left, and bringing it way in to your face, and then finally getting a mag up to it, and then into the gun.... Do you have problems reaching the mag button on that gun, or something? Dropped shots on the steel targets - this is just a lack of focus. You're throwing hopers at them instead seeing a sight picture on the target and pulling the trigger. I'm guilty of it, too... I think we all are, at times. Its a symptom of trying to go fast. The fastest way through the stage is to hit everything with the minimum number of shots... and then efficiency as Bill mentions... I see a lot of improvement in your indexes/transitions over the stuff I gave you feedback on over on Matt's forum. You're making progress, for sure Tear that reload apart in dry fire and make it efficient - looks like you can shave a good second off your reload times if you work on it hard!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Knight Posted January 20, 2007 Author Share Posted January 20, 2007 The biggest thing I see going on is your reloads - hard to tell exactly what's happening from your hat cam videos, but there seems to be a lot of extra movement in gun - tilting it right, then left, and bringing it way in to your face, and then finally getting a mag up to it, and then into the gun.... Do you have problems reaching the mag button on that gun, or something? Dropped shots on the steel targets - this is just a lack of focus. You're throwing hopers at them instead seeing a sight picture on the target and pulling the trigger. I'm guilty of it, too... I think we all are, at times. Its a symptom of trying to go fast. The fastest way through the stage is to hit everything with the minimum number of shots... and then efficiency as Bill mentions... I see a lot of improvement in your indexes/transitions over the stuff I gave you feedback on over on Matt's forum. You're making progress, for sure Tear that reload apart in dry fire and make it efficient - looks like you can shave a good second off your reload times if you work on it hard!!! OH YEAH!! Dave's in the house! Man I must have super short thumbs or something because I cannot reach this mag release on pretty much any pistol. I have to do the turn flick to get the mags out of the gun because XD mags(no matter how drop free) do not energeticly come out of the gun. They seem to defy gravity and hang there for a milisecond longer. Also I have been using some equipment normally reserved for carrying a gun than competing with it. My magazine pouches are the same that I use in IDPA Bladetech singles and they are set a little tight. I have a full CR Speed rig for my limited pistol though. Yes I know trying to go too fast!! Jeez I figure these aren'y money matches and I just need to learn my stoping points. I wish I had formatted the hatcam before I shot this match. By the grace of god I got to reshoot a stage. The moving target we use did not function for me on a certain stage and gave me the opportunity to reshoot. The stage was very similar to the lost concentration stage just longer. I hit No-Shoots, I had mikes, I had D-hits, mag problems, and a multitude of other things going on. I was going to finish nearly dead last on the stage. I got my reshoot and got very angry. I came back shot the stage again and if not for a 1/2 second and a Delta I would have won the stage. I had a nearly perfect run. I wish I had the hatcam working that time so we could all see it but mags came out perfectly, I did everything right and I have seen what happens when it looks right. I hope to replicate this in the future. Fluffy's revenge 2 74% everything I had learned worked right. Melody line 71% mag change dificulty and a Delta. This tells me my defeciencies. I thank all who have responded Dave, Bill, Jeff, Jane, and Micah and I hope for more responses in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihatepickles Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 I got my reshoot and got very angry. "Anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering, suffering leads to GM." -Yoda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Knight Posted January 20, 2007 Author Share Posted January 20, 2007 I got my reshoot and got very angry. "Anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering, suffering leads to GM." -Yoda Thanks that made my day!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XRe Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 "Anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering, suffering leads to GM." -Yoda Ah... but only for the dark side... so... you need an Open gun, Shawn... Seriously, though - I totally hear ya on the short thumbs, thing. Eventually, I'll be picking up a production rig, and I'll need to pay close attention to that very same issue for production. I don't think there's a gun out there that I can reach the normal mag button on w/o flipping the gun around. T_T and I have had a couple of good conversations on the heuristics we go through to use enlarged mag buttons but not dump mags w/ our left hands... My current solution: - its ugly, but it works... Made T_T jealous, too... heh heh... There are guys on this forum doing sub-1 reloads out of similar gear to yours. I've taken to tightening up my pouches a bit, too, though they're racier gear. Nothing quite beats having a "yard sale" in the middle of a stage Anyhow - getting that left hand onto the mag like NOW is critical - it takes having a very relaxed left hand and arm, and you just snap it like you'd snap a towel. Then, when you have that, the right hand has to figure out how to catch up in its motion. Do you have a timer? If not, that'd be a great piece of gear to pick up - practicing against pars is a great way to push yourself, and also let your body be creative about achieving the goals you want. I've learned a lot in a short time just by using a timer (recently, too, BTW...). Somewhere on the forum, there are a couple of great threads on practicing reloads - hunt those up. The summary works out to - break them down into pieces and focus on the important parts in those pieces. For instance, just work getting your left hand to the mag pouch. Then work the right hand piece (move left off, punch button, get gun to reloading point), then work "Burkett drills" - reloads that stop w/ the mag at the entrance to the mag well, then work from the end point of the Burkett drill to the next shot, then work full reloads. Do the above both with and without a mag in the gun (especially in your case, having a mag in the gun that might stick could give you some issues with achieving the right mechanics, because you'll be focusing on whether the mag is going to stick or not, and so forth....). Work them painfully slowly, in ultra-slow motion. Then, figure out par times for each of those bits, and start pushing on them (do both slo-mo and that every time - slo-mo for refinement of technique and to cement what you want to do in your brain, faster for, well... speed). Even if you have to shift and flick, that right hand movement will become shorter, faster, more accurate, and more efficient. And, the left hand will become so quick, you'll find yourself waiting for the empty mag to clear so you can stick the next one in... Reloads are a heinously complicated movement, in terms of precise positioning, and the speed at which we try to do it - so it makes sense that it takes a lot of practice to get it right, and a lot of refinement to get it quick. They've been frustrating for me, over the years - and the only thing that's helped has been to break them down like above and work them dilligently. And I still don't have anything like what I'd call a perfect reload (going to try to get some vids up this weekend, if I can figure out the video camera action....). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihatepickles Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 My current solution: - its ugly, but it works... Made T_T jealous, too... heh heh... Is it JB Weld with some coloring? Why must the screw head be gnawed on by beavers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airic Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 Why must the screw head be gnawed on by beavers? When I read that I almost dropped my 4 month old baby. rofl... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Knight Posted January 20, 2007 Author Share Posted January 20, 2007 You know, I am very happy to have access to this knowledge base. Beavers aside you guys and gals really are a great bunch 'o' people! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Knight Posted January 22, 2007 Author Share Posted January 22, 2007 Well! The Frankenpara will be a force to be reckoned with! She is very accurate! Way more accurate than I am. She works well with WWB 180 ammo and good God is it accurate! Did I mention that already? Jeez 1911s have a slight learning curve to them I have been practicing and I have to say nothing gets you ready like live fire! IDPA went well this weekend. I had a chance to kick the butt of a fellow shooter that kept saying these last words, "You would never beat me with a 1911 45acp in CDP!!" Well after I beat him I just wanted to show off! We did some freakish version of a Bill Drill(I will post video later) and I got of 8 rounds in the same time it took some people to get off 6! All -0 too!IDPA is a much different sport. you really need to add at least 5-15 seconds to every stage you would normally take care of much faster. I got my first taste of backig up with my gun as well no 180 for me!! I was fast accurate and still came in 6th. that 1911 just has some quirks. I will have fun in the next USPSA match with the Frankenpara(I might get that name engraved on her! ) Oh well that is all the time I have for right now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XRe Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 Is it JB Weld with some coloring? Why must the screw head be gnawed on by beavers? JB Weld w/ some sharpie marker here and there... Screw head was originally allen... stripped out (crappy ass allen head crap...). Used a Dremel to make a nice slot. Enough hijack... Shawn - if it eats 180gr WWB well, wait til you can reload for it.... it'll feel like mouse farts.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now