First Match, First Stage, First Target

[Mark K]

Now, I have only shot 3 matches, so more war stories to come, this is mine for now.

As I said this is First Match, First Stage, First Target. I had just recently bought a Para 18.9 and had shot it enough to feel good with it. I decided to shoot limited, mostly because I wanted the high capacity, though it was a minor cal. I was not trying to win, I was learning, and trying to shoot well.

As we all do, I prayed the universal prayer before the buzzer - "Don't let me F**K Up".

Buzzer goes off, I draw the gun, go to the first box, bring the sights on target, pull the trigger, and CLICK. OK, Pull the slide back, the mag falls out on the ground. I grab another mag slam it in, pull the slide back, and engage the 4 targets at the box, I move across the array, shooting targets, get to the next mag change, do it smooth, shoot one shot, and the round stove-pipes. I pull the slide back, the mag fall out of the gun. I bend over to pick it up (I only had 3), the RO is telling me to watch where I was pointing the gun, etc. I finally get the gun reloaded, and finish the stage, without a DQ.

After that, the stages were all gravy.

Lessons learned:

1) Make sure when you "Load and make ready" that you are really loaded.

2) If you are going to shoot with mags to capacity, at least shoot a couple times in practice with them at capacity. In doing so, you learn that you have to seat them a whole lhell of a lot harder then when they only have 10 rounds in them.

3) Don't fill them to capacity - 1-2 rounds less, and they seat easier on a mag change.

4) Reload before slide lock, preferably with a round or two still in the mag, so the mag falls out easier.

5) And finally, when things go to Hell, just laugh it off and finish safely. Hell for most of us, it is fun. A slow finish is better than a DQ.

I have to admit that the others on the relay kept a clost eye on me for the next stage or so......

Mark

[nhglyn]

Glad to hear you made it through till the end OK, we have all "been there- done that" at one time or another.

At the first stage of my first match a few years ago the first thing I looked at from the box was a Texas Star at about 20 yards And, at the time, I was shooting Production!

[boz1911]

Sounds familiar to all of us

As to point one, I always Barney up with a different mag and then actually slightly rack the gun where I can see the round in the chamber, then I put in my first full mag. At point two after seating the mag I always give it a pull to make sure it's seated and not going to fall out. Just my personal routine, you'll develop yours. Points 3-5 are good observations also. Best of luck !

[Mark K]

Thanks for the points and encouragement, guys.

Mark

[bierman]

My thought on it is, as long as you learned something from it its not really a F**k-up.

[Vulture]

I'm still learning this myself, as is probably everyone else, but don't forget to train the mind. If you say "I hope I don't f**k up" you will. Train your self to say "I'm going f**k this stage like a prison b*tch" and eventually you will. The mental game is as important as the physical. A good mental game comes from confidence. Confidence comes from practice. And remember to always have fun.

[mr1911]

At least you didn't fling a mag at the R.O. trying to "unload and show clear" I did a high speed nervous fumble one time that resulted in the "flying mag". LOL