Where Do You Lose Time On A Stage?

[Airic]

I tend to "over call" my first shot on a stage that starts on a steel plate or popper. I take a couple extra tenths to make sure that first one is a hit, instead of trusting my first sight picture. I've also noticed I'm a little slow to get back to shooting after a standing reload on standards stages.

Where do you lose time on a stage?

[BrianH]

Looking around thinking

Edited April 30, 2007 by BrianH

[JakeMartens]

right after the buzzer goes off!!!!

[HSMITH]

The big one for me is crashing into a position at 900mph, getting, stopped, getting set up and THEN starting to shoot.

[davidball]

Where do you lose time on a stage?

Seems like everywhere.

[Flexmoney]

I tend to "over call" my first shot on a stage that starts on a steel plate or popper. I take a couple extra tenths to make sure that first one is a hit, instead of trusting my first sight picture. I've also noticed I'm a little slow to get back to shooting after a standing reload on standards stages.

We often tend to shoot steel with a different...acceptability...than paper. (which could be why you don't notice this on paper)

Both of you issues sound like a gun presentations issues. I'd suggest switching to pressing out (both in draw and after the reload) from the 'high-ready' position. Present the gun from sternum level. Press out along your line of sight (from under your dominant eye). Incorporate that into your draw and reload.

That should give you consistency of presentation.

Something else to check for, and I noticed this on my shooting this weekend. I very recently switched to shooting a different gun (G34 instead of G35). With that, came a lack of sure--no doubt--infinite knowledge--confidence on where the the bullet was going to hit (in relation to my called shot).

When shooting my G35...I knew. I have yet to put in the time on the the G34 to be sure. I was pretty sure, because I had shot the gun at our local Bianchi/NRA match on Saturday (given me proof of groups at various distances), but I hadn't yet put in the range time...mentally proving to myself where the gun would group at 5y--10y--15y->>-50y.

Maybe play with those ideas and see if that helps your lack of trust issues. Let us know how it goes.

[Jake Di Vita]

Extra shots.

[Airic]

Something else to check for, and I noticed this on my shooting this weekend. I very recently switched to shooting a different gun (G34 instead of G35). With that, came a lack of sure--no doubt--infinite knowledge--confidence on where the the bullet was going to hit (in relation to my called shot).

When shooting my G35...I knew. I have yet to put in the time on the the G34 to be sure. I was pretty sure, because I had shot the gun at our local Bianchi/NRA match on Saturday (given me proof of groups at various distances), but I hadn't yet put in the range time...mentally proving to myself where the gun would group at 5y--10y--15y->>-50y.

Just switched to open from years of shooting iron sights. I too have yet to put in the time with this new gun to get fully comfertable with it. I'm thinking its just gonna take a little extra work in dryfire to gain the confidence to trust where that dot is the first time I see it.

[jasmap]

I lose time in about a 1,000 different ways but I feel like I get TOO setup on the target and don't trust myself enough with my sight picture.

Edited April 30, 2007 by jasmap

[ampleworks]

Getting the gun out of the holster and getting the first shot off...after that, I'm usually ok

[XD Niner]

I'm with HSMITH except my approach is more like 0.009 MPH!

Edited April 30, 2007 by XD Niner

[XRe]

Extra shots.

+1 to that, for me... and also, lack of hustle (esp. when a "question mark" has appeared in my mind about my performance on the stage), and an occasional inefficiency....

[JD45]

The first shot while coming into position. It is either too slow or a poor hit.

Leaving a positon most often costs me points, and misses. I must be leaving with the bullet still in the barrel sometimes.

[BritinUSA]

Getting into a position, and aligning the sights on the target. It's parts of a second but over a field stage it really builds up and I wind up several seconds down from where I could be. The good thing is that it's something that I have recently become aware of and I can fix with dry fire;

This really hit home at the Rio match with it's tough angles and shooting positions.

[Steve Moneypenny]

I lose time in so many places it's hard to narrow it down. I'd say my biggest is getting into low ports and akward positions. I also learned this weekend that shooting the next target in an array when i can't see it needs to be sped up. ... humm. better awareness going into small ports maybe? will work on that today.

[SRT Driver]

Being tenative and moving to plan B back to A.

[Derek45]

squatting/ going back up, or anything that stresses my old knee injury.

[Mo Hepworth]

squatting/ going back up, or anything that stresses my old knee injury.

+1.

I had thought this was slowing me down, and had someone confirm with out me saying anything a few matches ago. It was a really low port with two paper and no shoots all around them. I hesitated and wanted a perfect sight picture when a type 2 focus was all that was necessary.......

After the stage was over, the other shooter walked up and said,..."nice run, but you wasted about 2 seconds going into this position and getting out of it"

[Sean Gaines]

If you are comparing yourself to the top dogs, you are probably loosing time, in almost everything you do when the buzzer goes off, depending on your skill level. draw, reloads, in/out of positions, transitions, extra shots,movement. everything, because it all adds up. The key is to find the major ones and work on speeding those up first, to see the most improvement in your game. Once you've sped up the major deficiencies in your game then work on improving everything else, this make take a while, depending on how dedicated, and if the time is there to make it to the range to practice those skills. But you must define your weaknesses, before you can try to improve on them. i think this is where video is a very helpful tool. Video, the top guys, then video yourself, see what there splits and transitions were on an array. See how they entered a position, where they firing coming into the position. Did they shoot any extra shots. when you have a stage that is only 12sec or whatever it is, alot is happening, and its hard to see everthing. with video its there ,can be seen, and disected. Then take that to practice, at least that is what I do.

good luck

[JThompson]

If you are comparing yourself to the top dogs, you are probably loosing time, in almost everything you do when the buzzer goes off, depending on your skill level. draw, reloads, in/out of positions, transitions, extra shots,movement. everything, because it all adds up. The key is to find the major ones and work on speeding those up first, to see the most improvement in your game. Once you've sped up the major deficiencies in your game then work on improving everything else, this make take a while, depending on how dedicated, and if the time is there to make it to the range to practice those skills. But you must define your weaknesses, before you can try to improve on them. i think this is where video is a very helpful tool. Video, the top guys, then video yourself, see what there splits and transitions were on an array. See how they entered a position, where they firing coming into the position. Did they shoot any extra shots. when you have a stage that is only 12sec or whatever it is, alot is happening, and its hard to see everthing. with video its there ,can be seen, and disected. Then take that to practice, at least that is what I do.

good luck

I like slowing those videos down to really watch what's happening too. I miss so much watching them going full tilt.

[Mick]

I shot the DTR club match last Saturday with "happy finger" Dick Burkhardt on my squad.

It's always nice to shoot with another aging GM to see how I stand but Dick is an exception for his age.

On one stage you had to run to a basket, get your unloaded gun and move to a postion while loading it. There were 12 targets at about 9-10 yards to engage from two postions. On this stage Dick was at his usual best. He was shooting his Bennie Hill 6" "fat free". He shot this stage about 1.2 second faster than the rest of us and we figured his "happy finger" got him roughly .10 seconds per target on the rest of us which considering there were 12 targets came out to the 1.2 seconds.

So, his target transitions and splits got him some important time....

He later shot the EL PRES classifier in 4.80 down a couple points!

I don't care that much and was a bit slower.

Dick is a very good shooter but that 6" "fat free" gun is pretty soft and smooth too.

I was able to prevail on other stages though.....luck was on my side that day!!!

[Jasonub]

extra shots for me too

[Crusher]

Just a thought, don't look at it as lost time, they are however LOST POINTS.

As far as lost points I need to work on:

Getting set-up, un-necessary extra shots.

I do well at leaving positions, sometimes too well as I leave before finishing the last shot, but I'm working on that as it costs the MOST points.

[Mr Glack]

The 6th live one hits the ground with the moon clip during a change.

I'm ashamed to be seen with a wheel gun when that happens.

You'd think a man of my age could count to six by now.

Edited May 4, 2007 by Mr Glack

[wide45]

Rushing