The Knight Of Light

[Shawn Knight]

HAHAHAHA!!! Mouse Farts!!

[Shawn Knight]

I went to the range for fun today. I went to help some friends learn to shoot and to help some learn to shoot better. I think it is good to teach and help others learn to shoot better. It helps me remember something about fundamentals. I was using a technique I saw TGO use with Jim Scouten on Shooting USA years ago when I was kid(I think it was called American Shooter). He had Jim use his sights and line up the shot, and TGO worked the trigger with Jim's finger. It showed Jim the feel he should have and where the gun will go off. He also showed the reset, how it felt to simply reset the trigger. Something I myself have had trouble doing. Todd Jarrett says there are man important things to him Grip, Stance but nothing more than trigger control is all you need to begin with. Knowing how to work that trigger is really what tells how good of a shooter you are. You can have blinding reloads, fancy footwork, the best gear money can buy, but if you can't work that trigger you might as well quit! I ain't quitin'!! Never!!

So anyway There I am helping a friend shoot better and stop flinching when I start to get him shooting with reset. He just kind of took over. He realized that he didn't have to jerk or prep for recoil even though he still did. This is where I relearned some things. I had another friend come over from one of the other pistol ranges complaining about his pistol shooting way low. I told him I would take a look and shot a few magazines. Because I had been teaching my other friend I had the trigger control drills fresh in my mind and easily proved the gun was not the culprit of the low shots. I ran through the simple drills again as I did before and soon he was hitting where ever that front sight was!

So now what?

I retaught myself how to work the trigger, something I had been taking for granted that I knew how to do. After I was done with all my "training" I just wanted to shoot! I took to shooting my 22 pistol and was perplexed at how much better I was hitting my MGM Auto Popper(one of the best things for shooting I have ever bought. I don't know how many of you guys and gals have one but a simple reseting steel target is just the most fun I have ever had on the range. I am going to be getting the Colt speed plate from them as well. I like having that satisfaction or seeing the popper fall and hearing the ring of steel. Hmmm..... Maybe a Steel Chalenge is in order? There is one if Fairbanks coming up in May. I might be here long enough for that. Anyhow I am rambling a bit but this is my Diary so I will be longwinded if I want. I have been having a blast with all this competition. One of my fellow competitiors says if I didn't get pissed when I miss or screw up a stage that I would be faster and most likely win more stages even matches. I don't really care about that. I care about figuring out why I screwed up. The only thing I keep coming back to is the most basic 2 fundementals of them all

Sight Alignment

and

Trigger Control

You can do as many drills as you want you have to have these.

Edited January 28, 2007 by theknightoflight

[Shawn Knight]

This is my attempt at a limited gun. It is not pretty, it is not super tuned, and it was not built by a pro. In fact she is very ugly. It is an 80s para frame kit that some dumbass gunshow guy built into a pistol using old GI surplus parts. The safety didn't work, the hammer would follow, and the thing was ugly(still is). I got it off of him for 300$ with one .45 mag. I then built it into a real .45 target gun using a Caspian Slide, Bo-mar, Ed Brown barrel and some other good quality parts. I had a local gunsmith cut the frame for a ramped barrel. The gun looked and shot very well for a "put" together gun. But I got it into my head that I should do more. I bought an Essex(never again) 40 slide and an Ed brown 40sw barrel(supposedly drop in, hardly!). The sights were an after thought. I might have done well with adjustables but I thought it best to start slow. It has a Champion FO front, and a Hienie(under STI) rear. It is very accurate and has good reliability. I thought it would be a pain but it turned out OK. The internals are from Cylinder and Slide. It was their tactical match set for 4.5 lbs however the trigger breaks at 3lbs 5 oz on my digital scale. The gun is amazingly accurate for being put together in my garage. I like the long trigger but I might cut it down if I need too. Who knows it may get sent away to a real gunsmith to be reworked into a master blaster.

She won't win a beauty pageant but it was a good learning experience and she shoots very nice.

Edited January 31, 2007 by theknightoflight

[GentlemanJim]

KNIGHT, its a nice gun!

It looks good not ugly and if it shoots good what else do you need?

Its great to build your own stuff !

Have a pat on the back, from me and go have FUN

Jim

[Shawn Knight]

KNIGHT, its a nice gun!

It looks good not ugly and if it shoots good what else do you need?

Its great to build your own stuff !

Have a pat on the back, from me and go have FUN

Jim

Thanks Jim! We will see how well she does this weekend!

[XRe]

You know what the best gun to shoot is??? The one that runs 100%, all the time, and never lets you down.

It don't have to be pretty to do that... Hell, TJ and the Burner used to shoot some ugly-ass guns...

[Shawn Knight]

Hmmmmm....

TJ shoots a Para too......

TGO shoots a Para clone.....

Hmmmmm.......

[Shawn Knight]

The transformation continues!! I shot my first match in Limited using the Frankenpara. I took second!! Man does Limited Major feel good!! Not that it makes that much difference but I think everyone that is new to this sport should shoot Production first! The mindset of getting all A's pays off! I was fast accurate and just 30 match points shy of winning the match. I won one of the 4 stages and except for a 5th place finish on one stage I think I did very well for my first match in Limited! I have got to shoot this more often. I need to shoot the pistol more so I can continue to get the feel for it. I forced our top shooter to really go fast and push his own speed limit. I have really been pushing my own speed limit hard and it has shown me what my faults are. Magazine changes in Production really help you out when it comes time for reloads using a Limited Blaster with a magwell. The Frankenpara was very good to me today and I was impressed with how well she did. She just kept shooting. I did have one instance of hammer follow that I have narrowed down to trigger control. I think the long flat trigger bumps my finger at the end of the recoil cycle. I have duplicated the follow only dry at the moment and I feel I can maintain control as long as I remember my trigger control. More to come......

[Shawn Knight]

Match results from Sunday. I am getting there! Shooting Limited is very fun. I have to get used to the new round count. I had some troubles with remembering my reload points. we used a lot of moving targets this time and it was a Blast!! I finally got to shoot a drop turner and that thing is a hoot!! I loved it!!! Any way here are the match results.

Match Date: 2/4/2007

Combined divisions - These are NOT official results.

Place Name USPSA Class Division PF Lady For Age Points Stg %

1 Williams, Bryce TY45770 A Production Minor N N 406.1370 100.00%

2 Knight, Shawn A56661 B Limited Major N N 375.6629 92.50%

3 Mears, Kelly Pen U Limited 10 Major N N 337.7943 83.17%

4 CROSBY, SCOTT A56528 U Limited 10 Major N N 308.8579 76.05%

5 Indreland, Lee REENTRY U Limited 10 Major N N 276.0032 67.96%

6 Tesch, Charlie TY34210 B Limited Major N N 272.2483 67.03%

7 Tesch, Andrea TY34211 C Limited Major N N 264.8675 65.22%

8 Chapman, Allen A47478 C Limited Major N N 258.9005 63.75%

9 Lindamood, Sean A44207 C Limited 10 Minor N N 257.6528 63.44%

10 Messmer, Pat A56876 C Limited 10 Major N N 244.4616 60.19%

11 Shield, Richard Pen U Limited 10 Major N N 238.7017 58.77%

12 Crosby, Dick A54453 C Limited Minor N N 223.1329 54.94%

13 Burdue, Bob Pen U Production Minor N N 182.0778 44.83%

14 Rose, Bob TY38850 D Limited Minor N N 150.7399 37.12%

15 Pinney, Dave A15121 C Limited 10 Major N N Super Senior 144.3444 35.54%

16 Cyr, John Pen U Production Minor N N 117.9428 29.04%

Stage: 1

Place Name No. Class Division Pts Pen Time Hit Fact Stg Pts Stg %

1 Mears, Kelly 9 U Limited 10 70 0 11.57 6.0501 70.0000 100.00%

2 Williams, Bryce 7 A Production 66 0 10.98 6.0109 69.5465 99.35%

3 Chapman, Allen 1 C Limited 64 0 12.02 5.3245 61.6048 88.01%

4 Knight, Shawn 2 B Limited 65 0 12.42 5.2335 60.5519 86.50%

5 CROSBY, SCOTT 6 U Limited 10 68 0 13.44 5.0595 58.5387 83.63%

R6 Indreland, Lee 16 U Limited 10 64 0 13.73 4.6613 53.9315 77.05%

7 Tesch, Andrea 3 C Limited 62 0 15.58 3.9795 46.0430 65.78%

8 Shield, Richard 17 U Limited 10 59 0 15.24 3.8714 44.7923 63.99%

9 Messmer, Pat 5 C Limited 10 65 0 16.90 3.8462 44.5008 63.57%

10 Lindamood, Sean 10 C Limited 10 46 0 12.03 3.8238 44.2416 63.20%

11 Burdue, Bob 13 U Production 58 0 16.49 3.5173 40.6954 58.14%

12 Pinney, Dave 14 C Limited 10 66 0 19.42 3.3986 39.3220 56.17%

13 Rose, Bob 11 D Limited 56 0 18.95 2.9551 34.1907 48.84%

14 Tesch, Charlie 4 B Limited 62 10 18.82 2.7630 31.9681 45.67%

15 Crosby, Dick 8 C Limited 60 0 22.10 2.7149 31.4115 44.87%

16 Cyr, John 15 U Production 49 10 25.29 1.5421 17.8422 25.49%

Stage: 2

Place Name No. Class Division Pts Pen Time Hit Fact Stg Pts Stg %

1 Knight, Shawn 2 B Limited 31 0 3.79 8.1794 35.0000 100.00%

2 Mears, Kelly 9 U Limited 10 32 0 4.10 7.8049 33.3975 95.42%

3 Williams, Bryce 7 A Production 33 0 4.47 7.3826 31.5905 90.26%

4 Shield, Richard 17 U Limited 10 34 0 4.68 7.2650 31.0872 88.82%

R5 Indreland, Lee 16 U Limited 10 34 0 5.91 5.7530 24.6173 70.34%

6 Tesch, Charlie 4 B Limited 33 0 6.00 5.5000 23.5347 67.24%

7 Pinney, Dave 14 C Limited 10 34 0 6.65 5.1128 21.8779 62.51%

8 Crosby, Dick 8 C Limited 29 0 5.80 5.0000 21.3952 61.13%

9 Messmer, Pat 5 C Limited 10 34 0 6.98 4.8711 20.8436 59.55%

10 Lindamood, Sean 10 C Limited 10 26 0 5.51 4.7187 20.1915 57.69%

11 Burdue, Bob 13 U Production 29 0 6.84 4.2398 18.1423 51.84%

12 Chapman, Allen 1 C Limited 23 0 5.66 4.0636 17.3883 49.68%

13 CROSBY, SCOTT 6 U Limited 10 35 0 8.67 4.0369 17.2741 49.35%

14 Tesch, Andrea 3 C Limited 30 10 5.55 3.6036 15.4200 44.06%

15 Cyr, John 15 U Production 31 0 8.67 3.5755 15.2997 43.71%

16 Rose, Bob 11 D Limited 25 0 10.35 2.4155 10.3360 29.53%

Stage: 3

Place Name No. Class Division Pts Pen Time Hit Fact Stg Pts Stg %

1 Williams, Bryce 7 A Production 106 0 18.05 5.8726 120.0000 100.00%

2 Knight, Shawn 2 B Limited 116 0 20.22 5.7369 117.2271 97.69%

3 Chapman, Allen 1 C Limited 109 0 25.89 4.2101 86.0287 71.69%

4 CROSBY, SCOTT 6 U Limited 10 110 0 27.21 4.0426 82.6060 68.84%

5 Lindamood, Sean 10 C Limited 10 101 10 23.07 3.9445 80.6014 67.17%

6 Mears, Kelly 9 U Limited 10 114 0 29.26 3.8961 79.6124 66.34%

7 Shield, Richard 17 U Limited 10 104 0 27.30 3.8095 77.8429 64.87%

R8 Indreland, Lee 16 U Limited 10 92 10 23.38 3.5073 71.6677 59.72%

9 Tesch, Andrea 3 C Limited 103 0 30.06 3.4265 70.0167 58.35%

10 Messmer, Pat 5 C Limited 10 115 0 33.58 3.4247 69.9799 58.32%

11 Tesch, Charlie 4 B Limited 96 0 28.27 3.3958 69.3894 57.82%

12 Crosby, Dick 8 C Limited 98 0 31.66 3.0954 63.2510 52.71%

13 Burdue, Bob 13 U Production 98 10 31.41 2.8017 57.2496 47.71%

14 Pinney, Dave 14 C Limited 10 111 0 46.57 2.3835 48.7042 40.59%

15 Cyr, John 15 U Production 91 20 41.42 1.7141 35.0257 29.19%

16 Rose, Bob 11 D Limited 82 30 35.73 1.4554 29.7395 24.78%

Stage: 4

Place Name No. Class Division Pts Pen Time Hit Fact Stg Pts Stg %

1 Williams, Bryce 7 A Production 168 10 34.33 4.6024 185.0000 100.00%

2 Knight, Shawn 2 B Limited 146 0 36.03 4.0522 162.8839 88.05%

3 Mears, Kelly 9 U Limited 10 159 30 33.50 3.8507 154.7844 83.67%

4 CROSBY, SCOTT 6 U Limited 10 171 0 45.69 3.7426 150.4391 81.32%

5 Tesch, Charlie 4 B Limited 169 0 46.10 3.6659 147.3561 79.65%

6 Tesch, Andrea 3 C Limited 151 10 42.49 3.3184 133.3878 72.10%

R7 Indreland, Lee 16 U Limited 10 157 20 43.78 3.1293 125.7867 67.99%

8 Lindamood, Sean 10 C Limited 10 153 0 54.61 2.8017 112.6183 60.87%

9 Messmer, Pat 5 C Limited 10 172 0 63.35 2.7151 109.1373 58.99%

10 Crosby, Dick 8 C Limited 161 0 60.44 2.6638 107.0752 57.88%

11 Chapman, Allen 1 C Limited 149 50 42.39 2.3355 93.8787 50.75%

12 Shield, Richard 17 U Limited 10 133 30 48.72 2.1141 84.9792 45.93%

13 Rose, Bob 11 D Limited 127 40 45.73 1.9025 76.4737 41.34%

14 Burdue, Bob 13 U Production 119 50 42.03 1.6417 65.9905 35.67%

15 Cyr, John 15 U Production 140 50 72.68 1.2383 49.7752 26.91%

16 Pinney, Dave 14 C Limited 10 139 80 68.86 0.8568 34.4403 18.62%

[XRe]

No Open guys up there in the cold, eh??? Looking good, Shawn.

How are you reproducing your hammer follow when the gun is dry?? Typically, the doubles you get from trigger control issues only crop up during live fire (the "relaxed grip" double, for instance...).

[Shawn Knight]

No Open guys up there in the cold, eh??? Looking good, Shawn.

How are you reproducing your hammer follow when the gun is dry?? Typically, the doubles you get from trigger control issues only crop up during live fire (the "relaxed grip" double, for instance...).

I can rack the pistol holding the trigger as if it just fired a shot. Then I let off to reset. If I rack the gun hard again with the trigger at the reset point just before it were to fire it will hammer follow. It doesn't hammer follow if I keep my finger off the trigger and rack the gun hard as if it were cycling due to firing. The trigger parts are from Cylinder and Slide. it was supposed to be the "Tactical" match trigger group for a series 70 pistol pre-set to 4.5lbs. The frame is a series 80 that I use the series 80 filler plate in as the slide is an Essex series 70. I figure it never did that with the old short trigger installed so I might go back to that or shorten the STI for Para gunsmith trigger in the pictures. I really like the feel of that long flat trigger though.

As far as the Open guys go we usually have one or 2 but the match schedule has been hectic lately and none of them go to the IDPA matches. One is Charley Miller and he went to the 2006 Nats. He is a B-class Open shooter that has been giving me lots of help with the Open gun I have.

One more thing about my Open gun. I remember you post about trying some different loads in your gun and you had some data for 3N38. I have also noticed there are several other people using 3N38 and their loads are very close to the same load you use. I was going to try a starting load of 8.5 grains and work up from there do you think that is a safe level to begin at or should I start a little lower? Most of the max loads I have found are between 9.5-10.5gr. I will be using the 121 Gr HAP bullet from Hornady. I saw your data was for a 125 HAP. What do you think?

Edited February 6, 2007 by theknightoflight

[XRe]

What happens if you keep the trigger pinned to the rear, and cycle it??

W/ a 121 HAP, I needed 10.2 to make 170 PF. W/ a Winchester 115gr, 10.8 to make 170 PF.

I'd suggest a starting load of around 9.5gr....

[Shawn Knight]

What happens if you keep the trigger pinned to the rear, and cycle it??

W/ a 121 HAP, I needed 10.2 to make 170 PF. W/ a Winchester 115gr, 10.8 to make 170 PF.

I'd suggest a starting load of around 9.5gr....

Trigger pinned to the rear? Not a thing! Works like a champ! Oh and one of my magazines "auto" ejects with 2 rounds in the magazine. I am still trying to figure out if that is bad......

[Shawn Knight]

So I am sitting around doing nothing and decide to look at my old videos. I don't know how many of you do it but having video of yourself shooting is just way cool! I need to keep this up so when I reach GM some time (and I mean some LONG time) in the future I can look back and see how bad, slow, or just plain silly I looked. Also having other's look at and analyze your shooting helps in ways I can't imagine. I shoot with several very good shooters, one IDPA 5 gun master, one A(moving to Master) class production shooter, and several older shooters that just have huge amounts of knowledge. When they come up to me and say things like, "Hey that was real smooth," or I hear "Nice!" in the background it makes me get all warm and fuzzy on the inside! I had the best shooter we have come up to me on sunday and congratulate me on a well thought out stage. He still beat me but I gave him a good run for his money!

[Shawn Knight]

I figured I would put some of my newest videos here.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-13925822227033200

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2902133428780225155

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6757696163654954991

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4994943010413697296

IDPA. I placed 3rd. 2nd place was about 20 seconds ahead of me. 4th place was only 4 seconds away. Those 2 guys in 1st and second are just in a different league!

[Shawn Knight]

1 more

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4386739975288893413

[Shawn Knight]

Well I will be out of shooting for about 2 months here soon. I have just received my new assignment! Winner is........ Offutt AFB Nebraska!!! Thank you thank you! I wonder where I could go shooting??? Oh wait! The base has an Action Pistol team!! I have been dying for a chance at something like this for a while! I would really love to get hooked up with some team play or even just a chance for bigger matches and more fun!!

[Gameplayer]

Does the Air Force still use the "wish list" when it's time to PCS? My wife's friend was stationed there some time ago as a, at that time, Security Police. He said he enjoyed it. Good Luck on your new assignment.

[Shawn Knight]

Does the Air Force still use the "wish list" when it's time to PCS? My wife's friend was stationed there some time ago as a, at that time, Security Police. He said he enjoyed it. Good Luck on your new assignment.

It was second actually. Luke AFB in AZ was my first choice. There was a certain deity of shooting that lived near there.

[Shawn Knight]

Part of making any transformation is knowing you limits. Limits are good because you know when you breaking them. Today I tried to break my "Speed" limit. I have been aware of my speed limit for some time now and I have been itching to break it. Breaking your speed limit can go only one of 2 ways. Good or Bad. Today I saw it go bad. I shot the IDPA Classifier in ESP(I shoot a XD9tac in IDPA). I made Expert again. I beat my original score by only 2 points(103 vs 105). I had 3 misses on the close "easy" shots. 2 on the head shots and I think I missed at least one body shot during the weak hand string(my kryptonite). Close targets are easy targets. Deceptively easy. They are so easy you have to make sure you take just as much care making a fast short range hit as you would with a long range hit. Long range I at least hit the frickin' brown. Something about that right hand target though. More dropped points than any other target. I guess that I set myself up wrong for it. Getting it right will take some time, but I will know more when I get more trigger time in. I need to get out of this state! Alaska's weather is killing my will to shoot! That and I feel if I can make a high classification in either USPSA or IDPA here then I will be much better shooter in a more friendly environment. Heck who knows? You may see me at some major match someday kickin' ass and chewing bubblegum! I hope I am all outa gum!

[Shawn Knight]

Well I got me some vids up and running. I noticed in this match that I Was not aware of the front sight several times, but my natural point of aim and body position were such that I got a few lucky shot. I also shot my first Limited Classifier. CM99-23 Front Sight. I think it is slightly funny that I shoot a XD9tac in Production but I chose to use a friends XD40 in the To shoot a Limited Classifier. Not too bad. I liked it. I did not remember that guns have sights though. You will see.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1094986565425622219

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5672708826455479517

CM99-23 Front Sight

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9068226178242129704

Front Sight With a Limited gun. You can plainly see the gun is all over the place. The first run was fine. I think that was due to the turn and draw. I am not sure.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8859558804115135452

I like the gun's Dawson sights I got a set for my own XD(this belongs to a friend). They are just what the Dr. ordered!

Edited March 12, 2007 by theknightoflight

[Shawn Knight]

A few more videos from my files. I was given some new ones that I had not seen. They are of me from the side and back. Maybe Dave will have fun tearing them apart!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=730976947134213305

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6497864345482806367

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8248309778791955235

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5527482434445875234

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5790358772485500082

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=246709254357136837

[Shawn Knight]

OK I want to know why this...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=334793098582845810

Is so much different than this???

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8919781728185345366

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6826504738204520242

What could I have done better? If I had done as well on the classifier as I did on just those out in the open poppers I would have made close to 90%!!!!

What else is there to learn?? Barricades that's what else!!

[Calamity Jane]

OK I want to know why this...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=334793098582845810

Is so much different than this???

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8919781728185345366

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6826504738204520242

What could I have done better? If I had done as well on the classifier as I did on just those out in the open poppers I would have made close to 90%!!!!

What else is there to learn?? Barricades that's what else!!

IMO the barricade had nothing to do with it. You missed steel and that was the difference. When I miss steel it is ALWAYS because my focus was on the steel and not the front sight. For me shooting steel requires and extra hard focus on the front sight.

I really enjoy watching video of you with your buddies. It always makes me smile.

[Shawn Knight]

IMO the barricade had nothing to do with it. You missed steel and that was the difference. When I miss steel it is ALWAYS because my focus was on the steel and not the front sight. For me shooting steel requires and extra hard focus on the front sight.

I really enjoy watching video of you with your buddies. It always makes me smile.

You know I was thinking that had something to do with it and I just could not remember what went right the first time. I was watching the videos(for like the 15th time) and I can tel I am transitioning to each individual popper. I was thinking of just the circles and wanting the front sight on each one as I broke the shot. With the barricade I was WAY over confidant.

Thanks for watching and critiquing Jane!