transition to open from Limited

[SV_shooter]

Hi, Pretty new to the sport itself, but been shooting just shy of 30 years, but pretty constitantly for the last 10 years. I was a wannabe that just found the 2011 to be the coolest looking, best feeling blaster I ever had to the pleasure of veiwing, then finally shooting;which led me to buy an eagle, than a dawson tuned edge, and finally a custom built SV frame/slide gun.

As I became more aware of the game, I started buying all the Dvds and Books about practical shooting, a used shooting rig, and started a training regiment of different drills and learn some of the basic fundamentals, Dryfire practice, watched local matches, and got into reloading, as my job permitted me to shoot a LOT. Once I felt I was safe enough and had a good enough grasp on the game, I decided it was finally time to shoot a match.

I was hooked from the sound of the buzzer... I shot 1 match a month for a few months, before I injured myself on the job. I been on the sidelines and still attend local matches and observe these guys shoot and learn. I have been concentrating on the open shooters as of late. Their guns are soo cool! They tend to run the course pretty fast, shoot faster and just look like their really having a lot of fun with these LOUD crazy looking laser guns.

Sooo, I bought one! I am waiting to take delivery in about a week. got the load data from the MFG,bought new dies, powder, cases and been cranking out some ammo just waiting to test fire her out. I will be undergoing surgery in a few weeks and wont be back in the game for a minimum of 3-5 months where I will might be ok to walk the stages and be very sluggish, as I will be in a back brace and my body's motion will be very limited until I completely rehab 5-10 months down the line. (I HOPE)

So aside from the sights being different, the noise, difference in / or lack of recoil, heavier gun, higher capacity mag, just how different is it from shooting limited? What should I be training for? Any different upkeep, maintnance of the gun? Any tips or tricks would help me out immensely! Sorry, but the vids and books don't really get into it as much as I am looking for, and its tough to walk up to shooters I dont know and ask them about this stuff or their guns etc without shooting in their squad.

[Al Capizzo]

Brian,

There should be a bunch of threads covering this already. I think the biggest thing is just learning to find the dot under any and all circumstances.

That might be difficult to practice in a back brace, but besides drawing from a holster, strong and weak hand, don't forget table starts, leaning around barricades, lowering the gun to run and then engaging targets, etc.

You've got to find that dot RIGHT NOW!

[Kingman]

Dot is a big thing. Other thing is recoil impulse is very different, be prepared. it is not so much that the recoil is less, it is it happens NOW and its done, pretty much a straight back pop in the hand.

[XD Niner]

Welcome to the dark side!! You're going to love Open.

Even laid up and without your new gun yet, you can practice. The best drill is to repeat loudly 100 times per day the following:

'DOT! DOT! WHERE THE <BLEEP> IS THAT <BLEEP> <BLEEP> <BLEEP> DOT!?

That way when you get to the match, you'll be supremely skilled at the action that immediately follows every Open draw you'll make for a while.

Good luck with you're upcoming surgery. We'll keep our fingers crossed for you.

Edited November 20, 2007 by XD Niner

[BSeevers]

A dot is not a reason to not aim.

PS Have fun its all good

Edited November 20, 2007 by BSeevers

[SV_shooter]

thanks guys. I wondered how different finding the dot was from finding my front sight. kinda weird at first eh? good to know. I fired an open 9 gun before and the recoil felt like shooting a really mild load. I didnt feel the gun "jump" or flip. it just kinda popped in my hand and the dot didnt really move. I didnt get to try to draw with it, so I have no idea what its like to play find the dot. I notice people who shoot open, tend to equally bend thier elbows a bit more bringing the gun closer to their face than limited/ iron sight shooters. is this to help find the dot, or to help with the recoil?

[caspian guy]

Finding the dot is mostly a muscle memory thing. The only thing I know that will make that happen is Dry Fire.

The way I learned was during the draw bring the gun up high enough so that I could see through the scope while the gun was close to my face. Then push it out . I found that if I tried to acquire the dot at arms length I did the C-More wave which requires the *!*!*!*Open gun !@!#!@#! practice that was recommended above . One other tip I can offer is that if you lose the dot (like on a transfer to weak hand ) you can frequently find it again by putting the top of the C-More adjustment knob in the bottom of the lens. That usually gets the scope aligned enough to see the dot.

I usually seem to put a little bend in my arms when I shoot open, it seems to damp out some of the vibration.

Beware switching back to Limited. For the first several draws I usually find myself looking about 3" over the sights at where my C-More would be.

As said before, welcome to the Dark Side.

Peter Adams

FY-39604

[Kingman]

so the impact of the sharp pop instead of the recoil does not go through your elbows.

[RacerX1166]

I switched from Limited to Open at the beginning of last year and confirm the dot finding requirement. That was the biggest thing I had to get used to. I could never find the darned thing - weak hand still gives me fits.

The other big thing that I found was trigger control, or lack of it. I was shooting an Edge like gun in Limited and went to a Pro Sx Open gun which was a lot lighter. I found that, since the other gun was a lot heavier, I was getting away with a lot of trigger slap that suddenly was a big problem with the open gun and resulted in a major spray pattern.

Welcome to Open by the way. The most fun you can have with a pistol that I've found.

[AlamoShooter]

I like open so much most of my buddies don;t even know that I have a limited gun.

Your back injury concerns me == the Open gun would be worst on your back than the limited because of the !"Snap" factor. if you Handel the gun rite = that snap goes strait into you back/ spine.

Make shurr you are healed up first

Welcome to the Toy Side of the game in meen Dark Side

[SV_shooter]

so the impact of the sharp pop instead of the recoil does not go through your elbows.

I knew there was a reason! thank you!

Caspian Guy: I'm takin notes! I love references like:

"you can frequently find it again by putting the top of the C-More adjustment knob in the bottom of the lens. That usually gets the scope aligned enough to see the dot."

That helps a guy like me a lot! thanks!

Racer X.. Funny as I just bought a new used BCG Pro 5"!!!

so... how do you like your Brazos? anything you'd change?

I have only seen one my whole life in person, but figured with a 13 month waiting list, and an MSRP of a Motorcycle, there was something to be said about his guns! I also used to frequent 1911forum before I found this place, and Bob had a way of explaining things to me, that not only would I trust his opinion and true skill, but I constantly questioned every other smiths true understanding of the 1911 after that, and the quality of their work as well. Thank god my local smith I feel really knows what he's doing as he seems to share the same opinions, and ideas of how a gun should function. okay, rant off..

thanks!

[mcattack]

What type of surgery are you having. I have had 2 back surgerys. The 1st was lamanectamy? on 3 disk that never worked. I was in almost as much pain as before. The 2nd sugery was disk removal of 5 disk and bone graff and rods up to the middle of my back down both sides. Fused back in other words. Before I had my last surgery I thought I would be done with shooting so I sold both of my open guns and waited for the worst. I had my surgery in May and my first match back was the louisiana state match with a borrowed gun and ammo and came in 3rd B class and my classifier put me in A class. That was in October a couple of years ago.

I do not notice any differance in shooting an open gun verses a limited gun as far as my back goes but you do have to find ways to take care of your back. picking up brass is the worst. I usually pay a junior shooter to pick up bass for me a few bucks to a young shooter is worth it. Do not set up steel in other words no bending over and no more squatting than necessary. My back is great now I still have pain from time to time but if I sit a while at a mach and walk a little I am fine. When the doctor says walk WALK ;cause if you do not walk it will be worse than ever. Walking will be a part of your life from now on just to keep the back half way decent. If you have any concerns or need any advice email me and we can discuss it further. Good luck and wish you the best with your surgery.

[SV_shooter]

mcattack, I am fusing L-5 S1 to L-6 which means they are removing a disc, filling the void with some bio-materials and screwing it together. L5 is Sheared in half laterally and the bottom half of the vertebrae is sinking into the disc, pushing it forward about 1/4" "Spondolosthesis" and rubbin nerves. Before I get lower paralysis, or just drop foot, I am going to take care of it As soon as my insurance clears the procedure and the Hospital has a vacancy.. Gravity kinda sucks sometimes!

How long did it take you to from the day you had your last surgery to shoot a match again? how long did it take to feel you have rehabilitated as much as possible? I'm not expecting 100% rehab, but how long do you think it took before you realized you were as healed as you were gonna be?

A.S: I will make sure I am good and healed before I shoot another match, but when I am, I'm putting my gameface on and goin for it! (when I am totally sure I'm ready!

I will do every dryfire drill I'm allowed to, and going to refine my reloads, so When I come back I make A class! just got my USPSA renewal notice.. think I'll hold off a few months...

[mcattack]

My first match back was the Louisiana match in october. My surgery was in May. I could have shot before that but I did not have a gun. I was back to work in 12 weeks. It was probably 8 months to a year before I felt like I was good to go. The doctor released me after 3 months. You just have to be carefull what you do. Do not lift heavy objects; do not bend over and that goes for everyone; squat the proper way to pck up anything including brass or a pencil. Walkin is the best thng you can do for your back and right after surgery it is very painful so it is hard to make yourself walk. But if you do not you will have scare tissue and weakened mucsels and you will never heal. Walking is what you are going to have to do from now on just to keep going. I know a guy that had surgery similar to mine but only 3 disk with the same doctor; but he did not walk like he was supposed to and he has never gotten well and is aways suffering. SO WALK.. Light excersize. the total gym is all I can use to excersize because you lay down for most of the time and the stran on your back is less than with any other equipment I have tried to use. Now that said I do not use it very much lately because I dont have the room right now. My surgery was 3 years ago. Last year I shot 5 major matches including the open nationals. This year I have only shot 2 because of other obligations but placed 1st A class in one and 3rd in the other. I think even at 50 I am still doing fair with my limitations and my age. I Hope this helps any other questions just shoot me a line.

[SV_shooter]

So you were shooting matches in 5 months and would have started sooner if you had a gun to shoot??? I hope being 15 years younger than you, I may heal a little quicker. I'm all about walking, no problemo there. I'll walk every day to the indoor range!

I have some other health issues and am already prescribed pretty powerful pain drugs, I had stopped taking them as they were dulling my life, About a week before I broke my back... I decided to live with the pain and stay "clean". It was tough to kick, but I'm off pain meds except aleve and motrin for almost 2 months. The Surgeon said I was going to be in pretty serious pain, and I advised him that I refuse opiates. I am seeing someone he recommended for powerful alternatives to these life takers. Hopefully We find a solution or I'm Entering a world of pain! a World of pain!