Turtle Moving Up

[markwilliston]

Never did get the write up done for day 2 of nationals. The 19 days I had off before and during nationals I just finished paying for... I had the gun in my hand for 2 live fire pratices before provincials this last weekend. I arrived back in Vancouver from Toronto early afternoon on friday, went home to swap my work suitcase for my shooting weekend suitcase. Tracey was gonna catch the flight up to Prince George with me, but a family emergency had her having to cancel last minute. Met Murray at the hotel, and got my gun and all that stuff. We decided to head out a little extra early in the morning, cause it sounded like some extra last minute help might be needed. They just moved the range to a new facility with 6 big bays for IPSC. It's gonna be awesome once they get it all setup. For this weekend, though it was the MUD BOG!!! I'm pretty easy going, used to seeing plans change, no big deal. It was sooo muddy I didn't even want to get out of Murray's SUV. Aparently Walmart sold out of gum boots from ipsc shooters over the weeken Anyhow having anticipated a possible mud bath, we were prepared. Some of the stages had to be changed for safety, due to the difficulty of movement.

Day 1 we worked the morning, and shot the afternoon, and boy was that ever lucky. Things really dried out for the afternoon, and you could have done a couple of the stages without the big boots. We started off on standards on stage 3, and lucky for me it was a big stage. Easy money I got 7th out of 26 at 72%. The next stage 5 ate me alive which is kinda weird cause it was 6 steel at about 15 yards, it took me 11 rounds to knock them down... got 23rd at 42%. Brought things back together for stage 6. It had 6 steel, and some paper through ports. Manged 13th at 66%. Stage 9 was a pretty easy one, and I had a bit of a helmet fire, the plan sorta went out the window. Still got a reasonable time with good points 12th at 61%. Stage 7 was a virginia count 9 round stage, really easy. I like these, but this time I hit a penalty target and instead of leaving it alone through another hit. At least it was a small stage... 22nd and 37%. Stage 11 had 3 close targets, then 2 paper and 6 plates at 25 yards through a low port. Finished 14th with 40%. Stage 13 was another little virigina count stage, but this one I nailed with 9th place at 66%. Stage 14 was a quicky, but I managed a brain fart and didn't reload on the transition, got 19th at 68%. Stage 1 was our last of the day, it was a fun charging stage with 11 half targets and some cover. I nailed it pretty good, and managed 7th and 73%.

That's enough writing for tonight, day 2 tomorow.

[markwilliston]

Okay, so I had to go away and work for 4 days..

Day 2 at provincials, this was payback for our "easy" day 1. We started in the morning and it was tough. Stage 4 was where we started, it was a fun run down a hallway with lots of paper on either side. I got out of phase from my plan, but managed to keep it together with 12th and 60%. Stage 8 was probably one of the toughest in the match, there was a LOT of movement on a very very muddy stage. I didn't drop too many points, but keeping my feet under me I was happy with 17th at 63%. Stage 10 was an easy one, good time, but 2 d's hurts. 11th place at 62%. Stage 12 was the mental challenge of the match stage. TWENTY EIGHT paper targets from 5 shooting positions, with some targets only visible from one spot. Honestly when I walked up to the line, the only plan I had was knowing which targets I could only get from which spot. I was quite pleased to get to the end of the stage with a good hole in each target 11th at 63%. Last was stage 2, a fun one with the gun on the table, mags in a briefcase. I had a good plan, and then didn't follow it after the buzzer, static reload that wasn't necessary finished 18th at 59%.

Day 2 was my first clean day of shooting at a match Pretty consistent throughout, overall very happy. I finished ahead of some good shooters and I am really pleased with that One thing I want to work on from this match, I had 3 instances where I just plain didn't do the plan I had in mind when the buzzer went. Not because of an extra shot or anything, just cause I was pumped up. The plus side is they weren't zero stage booboos, but it's something to work on.

That's it for this year Overall finished 13th in Standard at 69% and I was very surprised to get 2nd in B Also got second most improved shooter in BC after Brad, I was up 23.96% from my average last year The best part is there is still LOTS of learning curve ahead, and looking forward to every step.

[markwilliston]

Dry fire last night lots of running around this morning, finally got a chest and tri's workout by noon. Live fire this evening, we worked on steel tonight. I enjoy shooting as the light is going away, the flames are awesome.

I won a gun off the prize table at nationals, a CZ-75B in 9mm. It just arrived in the mail, I am somewhat torn. I picked up the S&W MP in .40 just before nationals to have a production gun. Then win this CZ... Oh the dilema.. I think I am going to trade the CZ towards an Edge in .40 or something like that. I love shooting my .45 and it's a keeper, but I think next standard gun is going to be in .40 and double stack

My match ammo is loaded for the Kelowna match next month, now it's time to get ahead on practice ammo. Next year is gonna be AWESOME.

[markwilliston]

I got a NEW BABY! Murray's Backup gun is MINE Never took the CZ-75B out of the box, now have an EDGE in .40

Put a few mags through "backup gun" and then did the rest of live fire practice with my .45 . It was sorta a relaxed practice, Brad torqued his strong hand trigger finger, so he's shooting weakhand only for the next month. I was planning on doing qualifiers 1 & 2 next month with my .45, but after shooting the backup gun a little today, if I can get mags and a match load sorted out in the next 2 weeks I might just jump in with it right now.

Goal setting for next year... at the start of this last year I really didn't have a solid goal other than mega improvment. Probably the biggest stroke of luck was ordering Steve Anderson's dryfire book from this site. I wasn't even looking for the book, I really just wanted Brian's Practical Shooting book... Oh a combo deal maybe a dryfire book would be a good idea. Probably the best money I have spent on shooting so far. Started the year off D class in standard, won D class the first couple matches. Then had 1 match C class and placed second, bumped up to B class. I was very happy with getting to B placing 2nd in B at provincials was over the top.

Seeing as I never actually went past drill #7 of Steve's first book, I think there is a ton of room for work on dry fire this winter

[markwilliston]

Still gathering bits and pieces to get the new gun where I want it. Put on a stainless Cape Custom magwell tonight, I really like it. Settled my mind on getting SVI mags, they are ordered. Still grinding gears in my little brain over base pads, but that's no biggie.

Changed over my rig so it fits the new gun and mags just right. Tonight was my first dryfire session with it. Reloads with a double stack are sure awesome, the mag just goes in all by itself!

Last but not least, I finally got the tape back from day 2 of shooting at nationals. Here it is...

Day 2 shooting at Canadians

Oh was I ever lucky that we all ended up reshooting stage 13.... I forgot to do a section with about 5 steel. When the gun ran dry on the swingers, it didn't make sense cause I should have been just about full I got them afterall, but it was slightly ugly

[markwilliston]

Half decent chest workout this morning, then did some final tweaking on the 550 to get hopefully close to my match load.

Live fire started off with Chrono, titgroup over a 180 gr copper jacketed flat nose bullet at 1.165" gave an average of 971fps or 174.8pf Gonna bump it up .1 just to make sure, and check again coming in .4 over at nationals was a little too close for me.

It started raining pretty much as I finished up the chrono, so I did some work on 2 targets from 25 yards under cover. I really like the new gun, I know I am going to be saying that a lot for the next little while. The police were doing a bunch of training in the next bay, there must have been 20 of them over there. So I thought I would piss them off with some bill drills. Plus I wanted to see if I could get the trigger to play up, which it didn't. Doesn't really count as a bill drill from 25 yards, it was more of a trigger excercise. In fact, I might hazard a guess that the target was pretty safe. With a 1.03 draw and .17 splits I don't think a 12 gauge could have gotten as much more skatter, unless it was sawed off but it sounded AWESOME.

Picked up a 10 lbs recoil spring from Murray after practice.

Dry fire tonight felt good, I've eased up the par times with the gun switch. Tomorow I'm going to office depot to get some cardboard, gonna be making more simulated targets for varying distances.

[markwilliston]

Stopped by Office Depot today to get some thin cardboard for target cutouts. 300 square foot aparement doesn't give me the mulitple shooting positions that PB has But I am making it work.

Backup gun has a pretty good size mag release button. A couple times swapping over for weakhand draw I had the mag fall out of the gun Kinda funny when that happens. It was a good practice, seriously enjoying the big fat double magwell and tapered mags. Learning reloads on the .45 was sure awesome for focus.

At this point I don't think I'm going up to Kelowna for Qualifiers 1&2 next weekend. I didn't get the days off work (which is still doable) but I have a wedding the following weekend that I really need to attend (it's not mine). Don't have my mags setup yet, yes I could borrow some, but there's just a few too many things on the plate right now. I think I'll just get things nice and solid with Backup gun and be ready to giver 'er.

[markwilliston]

Excellent dryfire saturday, I am lovin the new drills. Over the weekend did a lot of general cleanup, I don't have a big place so it's there needs to be "some" order...

Stepping it up in the gym as well. Did leg day this morning with a friend of mine, she knows how to make a person sore. She has been on stage at the Ms O, so even though I'm a foot taller and outweigh her by 70 lbs that doesn't mean much Tomorow is chest day, and I"m looking forward to it. I might need a walker to get around the gym, but that's okay.

We had our first annual Pickle shoot tonight. Tracey has a pretty big garden, but some family emergencies this year kept her from doing whatever it is you do with a garden. Anyhow instead of picking pickles when they are just the right size, she has these pickles that weigh maybe 2 lbs. PERFECT for shOOting so we brought a bucket of pickles and had a ball making them jump around on the berm.

Backup gun was being tempermental with the trigger group, I thought it went away with a good cleaning. It came back tonight, which I am kinda happy it did, cause now I do have to deal with it. Better now, than at a match in the spring.

[markwilliston]

Geez does time ever fly when you are having fun... Most of last week was spent being pretty sore. Training partner is awesome, but that intial part is always agony. Now it's nice, cause we can push into mega burn and know I won't be totally crippled 2 days later I wasn't able to do much dry fire cause most of the last 10 days my arms wouldn't really straighten out that well... It's all good now, did some live fire yesterday and today with the Brazos trigger group installed. It's AWESOME!

Our closing club match is sunday a week from now. Other than going to a wedding in Banff on the weekend, just gonna work on shooting stuff and the gym between now and then. I am still getting sorted out with mags for the Edge, but it appears there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Here is what I ate today in weight gaining mode,

7:45am 3 boiled eggs, 1 bowl of oatmeal wth a 1/2 teapoon of honey, 1 protein shake 900ml with 2 scoups of whey, 4 tablespoons of yogurt, 2 egg whites, and a banana.

10:45am post workout shake with 2 scoups of whey

12:30pm chicken and brocoli on rice

3:00pm protein shake 900ml with 2 egg whites, and 3 tablespoons of yogurt

6:30pm chicken burrito with rice.

Also drank about 3 liters of water over the day. Now it's sleepy time...