j1b

[j1b]

Thanks all. All in all things are good. Just learning and adapting.

 

Good news is I think I've been roped into shooting Area 7 this year so I'm gonna have to shoot a little to get ready for that. A few impromptu conversations at SHOT show and poof ... I'm committed to a match.

Hopefully see some of you out and about as I once again begin thinking about knocking some rust off the ol' blasters.

 

Jack

[j1b]

Registered for Area 7 tonight ...

 

When I think about it, that's a big step. Definitely a change in ... action. 

 

I've never shot Area 7 so that's exciting by itself. I haven't ... in maybe 15 or 20 years registered so early for an area match. Not sure when I shot my last area match but I would guess 10 years ago. Steve Broom, rest his soul, beat me like a rented mule at area 4. 

 

We'll see how all of this goes. New gun ... a SIG P320 ... will be the first non-springfield armory gun I've competed with in ... a long time! Probably 25 years. 

 

I'll confess my hesitation about this. My ... concern ... that I'm going to suck. 

 

Still .... exciting to know a somewhat major match is in my future.

 

J

[j1b]

Issues ... 

 

So the Area 7 deal is booked. It's gonna happen.

 

I've commented in the past ... it's been 20 + years since I've shot a nationals. IDK how long since an area match ... but probably 10-12 years.

 

So those that know ... know. First off shooting is a perishable skill. 

 

Second ... I am getting old. Out of shape ... which is my own fault. But also my eyes. They are just slower. And then I think some meds prescribed give me a small bit of the shakes. 

 

It's all so frustrating. I'm starting to re-engage at an age where things just aren't what they used to be. 

 

If there's a young person that reads this diary I would say this - do it all. do it now. Because you may not be able to do it later. It'll be incremental decay. But when it's time to step up you'll realize why old warriors are so few and far between.

[dmshozer1]

12 hours ago, j1b said:

Issues ... 

 

So the Area 7 deal is booked. It's gonna happen.

 

I've commented in the past ... it's been 20 + years since I've shot a nationals. IDK how long since an area match ... but probably 10-12 years.

 

So those that know ... know. First off shooting is a perishable skill. 

 

Second ... I am getting old. Out of shape ... which is my own fault. But also my eyes. They are just slower. And then I think some meds prescribed give me a small bit of the shakes. 

 

It's all so frustrating. I'm starting to re-engage at an age where things just aren't what they used to be. 

 

If there's a young person that reads this diary I would say this - do it all. do it now. Because you may not be able to do it later. It'll be incremental decay. But when it's time to step up you'll realize why old warriors are so few and far between.

So very true!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Steve RA]

Yes, i would certainly agree !!!

[j1b]

Quick update.

 

As posted, Area 7, in about a month, is happening. Up until a little over a week ago I'd prepared very, very little. 

 

Actually, that's not entirely true. I got a new gun, a SIG P320 X5, and so there's just been some work getting that gun where I want it and also getting all the needed gear together. Buying the gear is easy, researching it is a different story. Amazing how much more complex the game is these days in those regards although I had sponsors back then so maybe that just made the decision process easier ... who knows?

 

Regardless, got all geared up.

 

And then a gang and I decided to shoot "Aiming for Zero" last friday. I had prepped ... not at all. 

 

Aiming for Zero was a disaster for me in terms of shooting. I actually was embarassed with how I shot. I don't know what an acceptable performance would have been but I know that wasn't it.

 

So I came home from Aiming With Zero discouraged but also a little resolute to do something about it.

 

Dry fire this past week has been pretty good. Not just doing it, but really having goals, targets, times of relax and times of push. So I was just happy with dry fire this week. I really feel like it helped me start the improvement cycle.

 

So today there's a match up in Maine and I decided to get back on the horse after last friday.

 

I can honestly say, I enjoyed today. I don't know if I won or lost and I just need to remember I enjoyed today no matter what. I shot much, much better than Aiming for Zero. I had mistakes but they were manageable. No misses today. Actually one D and maybe 5 C's the whole match. 

 

Stage 1 had a Texas Star to start. Yep, had a couple of misses but outside of that was pretty ok. Honestly, I had swapped out barrels on the pistol last night and so a little portion of the first few shots of this match were just making sure the gun was shooting where I needed it to. It was not a perfect stage for me, but it was incredible compared to nearly any stage at Aiming for Zero.

 

Stage 2 was a short 12 shots with 5 poppers. It was quick and easy. I missed one popper twice and also flubbed the reload a little but again ... not disaster here. Full disclosure ... if I were at nationals and described these first two stages (and I was still competitive) the pressure of incremental decay would be somewhere in my mind. Small mistakes add up perpetually. But for where I'm at ... no disasters yet.

 

Stage 3 was a classifier ... don't know which one. I missed "where" I wanted to reload but other than that ... decent hits and relatively smooth. Probably a high A type score 

 

Stage 4 had some complexity with how to shoot the targets. I was torn a bit on this one and just decided to keep things simple. My first target here was by far my worst target of the match and a good reminder that you can't lose focus even for a moment in this game. But I shot a C and D on this target. All A's on the remaining 9 targets. There's no question I was a little slower on this one. SHooting some 15 yard targets and I wanted to get my hits. Could have been better, and faster, but also didn't implode.

 

Stage 5 was the "goat rope" stage of the match. The risk here was we had to retrieve our mags and it was a 20 shot course. I gambled ... shot 10 and 10. I was very deliberate with shots as a result but all in all it was pretty solid. Any GM could have shot the stage faster ... no question. I knew the shots had to be there with my skill level so I was very deliberate. All in all ... I survived a stage that definitely had a disaster factor associated with it.

Stage 6 was a 12 shot classifier. I dropped two points and shot at mediocre times. I'd say a low Master, or high A classifier.

 

So all in all there wasn't a good stage but there were no disaster stages. A drastic improvement from Aiming for Zero. 

 

IMO nice progress in terms of getting ready for Area 7.

 

[38supPat]

Good to see you’re shooting again!

[vluc]

Come back to PA and shoot!

[j1b]

Thanks Pat ... good to be back in it.

 

Sure miss PA Vince. We had ten great years there. Really enjoyed our time in PA but as always life happens. Always a Pens fan ... so that'll never change.

 

While we miss PA I must say NH is epic. We've been here 7 months and love it. Just wish there were a few more USPSA and IDPA matches ... 

[j1b]

Shot another match today. Honestly, kind of snuck it in as I was not planning it. 

 

There were some GREAT shooters there today in production - like national champions and runner ups so I got a good gauge on where I'm at.

 

I won't go stage by stage - just some high level take a ways from the match.

 

My movement in general is really off. It's costing me a lot of time. That, I think, is a bit different than back in my days. Guys seem to be moving better than I did back when. IDK if that's entirely the case but it appears that way. Regardless if I was just moving as well as I used to ... in and out of boxes, into positions, etc. then I'd be much better off.

 

Driving the gun was a little better today, but still needs a lot of work. But better still.

 

The classifier I shot last week we shot again today. Times were actually better this go round and I was pleased with that. Again, driving the gun was better. Had a miss/no-shoot though so that ruined it. In all though that's a good thing - I have to learn how to run on that edge again. And I knew it as soon as I did it - one of the guys was watching me and he said I literally shot my last target while looking at the miss/no shoot knowing what I'd done.

 

One stage I just was pissed about because I just nipped a no-shoot. Barely nipped it. Had I not I would have been 99% of the stage winner who was like 2nd at nationals last year ...

 

Points overall were WAY better. I had no D's, and many fewer C's than the top two guys.

 

In the end though, I had to leave the match a stage early to make a meeting. So I zeroed a stage. THat's why I wasn't planning on shooting the match and that was the outcome.

 

All in all though, some progress. A LONG ways to go though ...

[j1b]

One additional thought.

 

I'm in all new gear this year. A new gun prompted a new gear set up.

 

I don't have much drive time behind this SIG P320 X5 but I have to say, I love this damn thing. I'm not going to get into the "is it better than your old XD" because I shoot so little it's tough to even think about comparing things. I can simply say that a few matches in with this P320 and I really, really like it.

 

That combined with this new Legion frame that is tungsten infused should be a pretty rocking set up. I'll buy the grip mod as soon as it's available and make decisions from there.

[j1b]

Area 7 didn't happen. Work came up. 

 

Pissed ... 

 

Was supposed to shoot today. And I think I was as ready as I was going to be. No live fire practice but great dry fire practice, some matches in, I was likely going to shoot ok at Area 7.

 

Some days I feel like I'm the reason I'm not shooting as much anymore. Today I feel like there's some other reason. Full intentions of competing today. Just wasn't in the cards due to a work circumstance.

 

WIll look for another match and continue to progress.

[j1b]

Shot today, and shot s#!tty.

 

The reality is that I am never gonna be where I was. Everybody my age knows this, but it's a hard pill to swallow when you begin to realize it about yourself. 

 

What I have is not rust, its degredation. I can't get back to where I was because physically that just won't happen. For example ... Rob Leatham ain't winning matches anymore. It's a function of the ages.

 

Today I sucked, but I had moments of hope. I haven't dry fired in a year. I haven't practice shot in several years. But today, amidst the suck, was some hope. 

 

I smoked a reload. I mean smoked it. It sucks that I smoked it on a popper that I hit before the reload, but I smoked the reload. 

 

A couple of solid target transitions.

 

Again, a ton of suck. I was terrible today. But unlike last time, there were moments of hope. And I'm getting old ... the time to get this crap done is past but hopefully there's a blind squirrel in the bunch.

 

J

[j1b]

Today was similar to yesterday.

 

Some superb highlights. Superb. I realize I'll never be what i was, but certainly things are on an ....ok .... path.

 

I had some disasters today. One stage in particular... it was 120 points and i got 20. I forgot a target, and then had 3 misses on top of that. It was a disaster. 

 

I think the difference today is that before i had s#!tty stages. Now I still have s#!tty stages, but I have some moments of brilliance. My goals is to continue to improve. I'm in a place now where I intend to dry fire religiously. And I need to shoot this gun a little ... I have very little confidence that the gun is shooting right. Too many inconsistencies. Once I fix that... who knows. 

 

Two of the misses today were almost unexplainable. 

 

So strangely enough I'm on the path. Things are getting there. Fix the consistency, fix the gun, dry fire, and get better. Who knows.. area 7 may actually work out ok .... 

 

Two months ...

 

J

[j1b]

New drill I dreamed up Saturday after my match and fully embraced today. I sue it for dry fire but can't wait to do it live fire as well. I know I've never personally done it, and that I'm aware of I don't recall anyone else doing it. But I found it really, really beneficial today and it will definitely be incorporated into my dry fire routine. 

 

I call in 10-10.

 

One partial at 10 yards, one partial at 16 yards. 

 

The drill. You start from the draw, draw on the 10 yard target 2 shots, move to the 16 and two shots, back to the ten two shots, back to the 16 two shots and then back to the 10 with two shots. Reload. Repeat (or you can start on the 15 and work in reverse). 

 

This really forces my transition. It exploits sloppy transitions. Need a good draw and reload. And when I am focused on points this drill is easy to slip, particularly later in the drill, and accept poorer sight pictures. 

So I like it. Hopefully I start really kicking ass on this because if I do then I'll know some fundamentals are really coming together. 

Live With Heed,

J

[j1b]

Doing this dairy for me nowadays. As it always should have been, and for the most part always has been, but occasionally I've just wanted some exposure. Some feedback. Some "atta boys" but not this time. The only guy I can do this for is me.

It's been fairly disastrous this year in terms of matches. Some glimpses of really good, but just glimpses. And some absolute train wrecks. 

 

The answer here, as stated before is practice, more matches, get the gun dialed in perfect, lose some lbs, and lots and lots of dry fire. 

 

Actual live fire practice just isn't really in the cards. Or at least not much. Getting the gun right ... that's in the works. 

 

Dry fire is a must though. Already I can feel my mind shift with it.

 

Tonight was only 15 minutes but fairly intense. And hot. I ran the 10-10 drill a lot. I really like that drill. I did it fast sometimes and I did it with mandatory/very diliberate A's sometimes. 

 

I worked on my draw stroke a fair bit. And I continue to evolve with reloads. They were just ok tonight but as I dry fire more that will come. Reloads will get to awesome. Like the days of old.

 

Hard to say where this all goes or gets me. As stated before I know about the degredation now. What was once rust is now gone. The structure and ability has changed. TIme to get myself into the best fighting shape I can and let's the dice roll. I won't win a major match ever again in my life... but to have a decent showing would be nice.

[vluc]

Keep plugging away.

[j1b]

Of course Vince ... thanks for keeping in touch. Miss shooting with you.

[j1b]

Took the timer out for the first time (first time since the awakening I should say)

 

That was an eye opener, but also a validator, and some things in between.

 

I can't forget how the timer changed my push tonight. In many instances beyond my ability but in some instances simply affirming that yes, those things ARE within my ability.

 

Things like a 1.1 second draw at 20 yards. Well within my capability. A .85 draw at 10 yards is within my capability. Just have to remember that and push myself to it without compromising on accuracy.

 

Now for the real eye opener. I did a little "figuring" on my 10-10 drill and thought "eh, 6 seconds should be about right." So I plug 6 seconds in and run it the first time. Wasn't even remotely close. I was seconds  off. I was like "oh crap, that was way off" but I left it on six seconds and ran the drill several more times. Pushing as hard as I could I would make the par time occassionally. There's no way I could do this par time in a match, and there's no way I could reliably even attempt to push that hard. But when I dialed it back to 7 seconds it was STILL HARD but achievable if I did my job. And sometimes I could see the hits there, and sometimes I could tell they weren't. But it starts to remind me of the old days and I'm beginning to understand how to move forward and improve.

 

Good dry fire practice tonight.

[j1b]

On 7/31/2007 at 9:03 PM, j1b said:

Decided to start one of these - for my own development and to document (and re-read) as I relearn what I already know.

First couple of casual observations:

The muscles have got to get used to being back in the routine. Everything is cool, but my arms get tired a little quicker. That'll go away but I find it curious how less crisp things are at the end of dry fire versus before. I've decided just to stop then. There is no sense practicing bad juju. Now that nats is out of the picture it's time to just build a solid foundation.

Been mainly just hitting the basics on a 10 yard target. Not a single real live fire session yet. All dry fire. The blisters have started popping up and I'm not looking forward to the coming weeks as they develop into calouses.

Knowing how production works, I've left the timer in the bag the last two weeks. Know I have to shoot A's so I might as well just get into that.

Still, the past two nights I did break out the timer and I'm glad I did. Learning to NEED to see - while still having goals. Makes for fun games. At first I was just trying to hit the par times - but then I started forsaking par time to get the A - and if I made the time then things were good. So that's been going ok. The pressure of the clock is real - but even tonight I realized that was getting easier. Two or three more days and It'll be like the old days.

Draw times are slow. 1 second on a 10 yard target. Nothing to write home about so I know there's work there. Reloads are ok - though again - slow. Missing quite a few right now - which I know is just a function of getting back in the groove of things. I also have to reconcile the fact that this is a new gun and new holster set up - so there are things I'd be learning regardless.

Got to look the mag into the mag well. That is crucial to keep solid for me right now. Especially when I bump closer and am trying to burn out the quick ones. Can't look up to the target too quick. My mind will get itself around the timing on that. Again - just need to practice. Also got to keep that gun still during the load. Still not consistently pulling it back to where I want to and that's causing some misses.

That's all there's been. Draws and reloads. All static. All 10 yards. Very simple. But, when that starts coming together (and I am making some progress) then the foundation can settle and I'll be able to get on to other things.

A little frustrating at times - but then I'll hit a smooth section and I'll remember that I do know how to do this. Maybe not quite like before - but I do know how.

The next week or so is going to be more of the same. Get the body used to doing this again. Get the eyes used to seeing. Get the hands good and calloused up so I don't have to deal with that.

I think my first match will come in August. No expectations - other than to show up and shoot A's. Not figurative A's - real ones!

J

This was my first post in this Diary 13 years ago. Not much has changed. Bizarre. 

[j1b]

I did dry fire last night. I did not want to. For whatever reason the motivation just was not there. 

 

For the first time I worked on closer targets. 7 yards and 10 yards and a very wide spread - not 90 degrees but definitely a wide spread.

 

Worked on some quick draws on the closer target. On that front I can simply do anything I used to be able to do. That is a fact. Can I do it as repeatably as I used to? That's practice. But yes.

 

Transitions were horrid. I didn't see that coming but my ability to start and stop the gun were challenging. So lots of work to do there. I of course did my 10-10 drill - it was actually harder because of the wide swing. 

 

I am hearing a lot of talk these days about "target focus" and it's scaring the hell out of me. I am not doing that ... I would be better served to do what I used to do well versus doing something new poorly. But as I progress we'll just have to see.

 

One glaring thing I need is live fire practice however the truth is I don't really have the ammo to do much of that. Or the time. So we'll see how that comes about.

 

For the week though some general thoughts:

The biggest lacking thing is consistency. Consistency in grip, in pressure, in draw, in reload etc. etc. and I do believe that as I dry fire that will get better. Not perfect, but better

Draw still needs some work but is getting there. I need some traction on my grip and have ordered that. It'll help.

Reloads have been ok but not consistent. I've smoked some and it feels like that is getting better

Point on target need work but I am pushing things hard these days. As I get better at transitions, gun movement, consistency and just doing the motions then I think the points will come with the speed. 

I learned via the clock that one major difference in the "me now" versus the "me then" is that for Saturday, Monday and Tuesday I simply was not pushing that hard. I forgot one of my old mantras ... doing what we do at the speed we (now used to) do it is NOT comfortable. It's hard. Otherwise everyone would be doing it.

Good dry fire week. Gotta keep at it. 

Area 7 in two months. 

[j1b]

Did about 30 minutes tonight. Might be able to live fire this weekend which would be huge.

 

Same target set up as last night, wide transitions. Reloads were pretty solid tonight. The moment I thought that, I flubbed a few and in general wasn't as smooth after but overall much better.

 

I started off mega slow. Like unrealistically slow. Just to confirm the exact movements. And then sped things up.

 

Never did my 10-10 drill. I did a bunch more 2-2-reload-2-2 drills. Some mozambique drills. Just good basic stuff. Some penny shots at 7 yards too to drive accuracy.

 

I noticed tonight I'm moving my head a little during the draw and other movements so I started to really focus on that. And things were progressively better due to that.

 

So a solid dry fire week - should have a couple of good sessions this weekend. And I can't help but think/feel that things are a little better. If only slightly, still, better.

 

J

[j1b]

I shot the worst match of my life today ... and I feel better about my shooting than I have in a very long time ....

 

It was a terrible match. I had 8 misses. Which is really unbelievable. I also couldn't execute a reload to save my life and adding injury to insult I had a gun malfunction today. 

 

So why the good vibes???

 

Well, I had some moments of my prime today. Fleeting moments, but definitely moments. And I really pushed things today (as evidenced by the misses). 

 

But for example today there was a 35 yard standard - a freestyle target at 35 yards, a 20 yard strong hand target and a 15 yard weakhand target. I was really focused (remember that word ... it'll come up a lot) on that 35 yard target. It was 12 shots on that target between the two strings and I shot it lights out. I was extremely focused, and shot well. And the strong hand target I also shot well. I'd picked a spot on the target and was dialed in. On the weakhand string though I just didn't pay attention. I didn't focus. And I threw 4 mikes on that target. It wasn't a hard target. Or a hard shot. I simply didn't pay attention and I lost focus. And 15 yards weakhand targets simply do not allow for that.

 

I had a miss and a no shoot that I just didn't pay attention on. Many times I started a stage very dialed in but might lose a little focus in the stage and that's where the slip ups would come. That's easily fixable by 1) diligence 2) Staying hydrated and 3) keeping nourished. 

 

And those couple of moments just had me knowing if I work a bit on the detail, and the stage planning, that those other moments can come through. 

 

So it was frustrating. Very challenging to place so low in a match. With so many errors. 

 

And I can tell I'm simply not into the game like I used to be. Not nearly as intense. I watch people who are just so intense with every component of the stage and there are many times when I'm more like "what I've got planned is good enough, just try and execute it." I think a little more detail will go a long ways.

 

Area 7 next weekend. Haven't shot an Area match in a long time. Hopefully some lessons will apply and the performance will be much, much better.

 

J

[vluc]

Life gets in the way, brother.  But  those glimpses!

 

I was never at your level, but when I hit it like when I was really good in a recent match, it keeps me going and flashes of what we used to be are more than enough to keep us motivated!

[j1b]

So true Vince... so true. We'll see. I'm shooting Area 7 this weekend... maybe I'll have half as many misses (wait ... that'd still be 4 mikes!!!)