JimmyZip

[JimmyZip]

Really liking the small targets now. I want to do all of my dryfire with them now. It's like shooting at 20 to 35 yds and a pair at about 15 too. It is really showing me target and sight focus. Also is a real eye opener with trigger control issues. Using them on walking and shooting drills. Also blending them into groups of closer targets to speed up my sight control on further targets. I am eager to see how thid works on livefire. I would really like to see my speed and accuracy on far targets get better. I think this would really improve my game tenfold.

I am eager to shoot another match with a classifier in production. After two more, I will be able to see where I am.

[JimmyZip]

Have two practice days coming up but not emough 9mm to run both full sessions shooting production. I think I will do all my live fire grouping with the Glock, and run a bit of 25 yd drills, and 15 yd standards. Then do all my entry and exit, and movement stuf with my limited rig since I have so much 40 loaded.

I have been doing ALOT of dryfire lately, and little to no livefire. Every night before I go to bed lately, I process brass, lift some weights, and then dryfire for up to an hour. The elbows and joints are used to it now so I dont get sore at the elbow any more. Then in the morning, whichever muscle group that isn't presently sore, gets a workout that is short and intense to bring that group to failure as quickly with moderate weight as possible, then I dryfire some more.

I am able to watch my kids in the morning, and exercise, dryfire, then drop them off with mom as she gets out of school. I go to work, get back around midnight, and then the cycle repeats. The kids are well behaved and I don't have to worry about getting a nap around10 to noonish. I take them for a bike ride before it gets hot, and sometimes, I dryfire while they are in the pool afterward and get an extra hour.

Yeah, some days now I'm getting up to 3 hours of practice a day. I just hope that it pays off. I can tell that i have developed a true index now with the iso stance and the G17. I feel physically connected to the gun more than I have with any other as a result of all this dryfire.

This is making me really hungry to get a chance and hit a couple of matches in the upcoming months to get some classifiers in, and to really see how all the work with the gun, the ammo, and practice pays off and coincides with how natureal I feel with this handgun.

Feeling extremely eager at this point.

JZ

[JimmyZip]

Eager to get some more range time in. I was dismal at the range yesterday. I think I need to learn to practice with another person. I seem to work and do better by myself. But right now I'm trying to replicate match type stressors into my practice to induce that loss of vision I get at matches. It really worked. I lost all trigger discipline, and front sight vision at speed. I got impatient and didn't shoot my sights for beans.

I need to learn to shoot well with others. It's like I let the fact that others are watching me get to me. I need to just shoot my game, and not think about anything when that buzzer goes off other than just finding the targets, minimizing excess movement, and breaking the shot when my eyes tell me to.

Hmm.......

[JimmyZip]

Okay, I tried to take dryfire mentality to livefire yesterday. It helped alot to just look at the sights. I found out that my sights need a little tweaking, and that I need to really get to know POI/POA relationships with the pistol.

When I ran out of 9mm ammo, I got out my limited gun and ran the same drills. Not even close. I was not suprised. The 1.5# trigger on the TS is like a brug, as is its accuracy. That thing is far more accurate than I am at this point. It was great to see though that I am getting the bugs of my new platform worked out.

After today, I will have more than enough ammo.

JZ

[JimmyZip]

Shot the first match with the G17 that felt comfortable. This was an impromptu, or nearly so, match put on by the club. I had a decent match. I was +8 for four stages. That was actually +6 on stage 1, and +2 on stage three IIRC.

Just liking that my reloads are good enough that I know they are not holding me back. I just need to dry and livefire more. I am now just dryfiring less than 30 minutes a day. That is keeping me improving, but not bothering the elbow. It is kinda funny how all these things start really coming together with some judicious dry fire time. Just no fumbling today. That and no mikes, save for some steel that were made up made for a cool match for me.

Actually eager to see the scores.

I have gone back to just shooting the sights in a way. My movement and stuff like that is better than before by far. But that in a way is giving me the time to actually shoot better. So now, I move, and get into position as fast as I can, and try and shoot methodically without reservation. Just watching the sights to break the shot, then moving out of position and onto the next array the quickest way possible.

This was also the first match that I was able to just shoot my way, and be comfortable with my plan.

Good times.

JZ

[Jadeslade]

Nice. I am shooting the 17 a lot in practice and an occasional local match. It took a while to get it dialed in-different than the 34. Shooting my 24 the rest of the year. I like reading your posts. Keep up the good work!

[JimmyZip]

What is the barrel length of the 24? Do you like it better, and why? I really like the Glock, and I have found it has made me shoot limited better as a result of not being able to be sloppy with anything that you do as far as reloading, draws and trigger control/prep.

[JimmyZip]

Great practice Sunday. Hot, humid, but learning to disect stages, proper movement, and target sequence. I really enjoyed the sooting on the move and into and out of positions. Made for some really interesting, always changing scenarios that forced you to make your plan and stick to it. Otherwise you were really going to mess up.

[Jadeslade]

What is the barrel length of the 24? Do you like it better, and why? I really like the Glock, and I have found it has made me shoot limited better as a result of not being able to be sloppy with anything that you do as far as reloading, draws and trigger control/prep.

Its 6"-I like it because it is a soft shooting gun. Took a few months to get used to the length and weight. I use a CRSpeed holster and it comes out nice now. Only thing I put on it was a Sevigny Speedway for better reloads.

[JimmyZip]

Practiced some great livefire with some of the better and best shooters in our club until dark tonight. I shot my G17 for the most part, and my CZTS for the other little bit. Yes I am faster with the CZ, and the trigger is nice, but I really like that RTF frame, and I'm finally getting better with my movement. For the first time I had a practice with alot of active criticism, and great coaching. My times, while slower than the other two shooters, improved by half within a few runs, and I eventually shed even a few more. Misses dwindled to nones or ones per run, and the smooth is fast and watch the sights mantra paid off.

All targets were reactive steel, shot initially upon entering position one, engage two, then exit the box and shoot all but the last remaining target on the move, and the last upon entering position two. It was a really good exercise in watching the sights, reloading on the move, shooting on the move, and awareness of fault lines. I'm still a rookie, but felt I learned a great bit about my shooting today.

Lotta rounds shot, lotta movment on tight shooting.

I am learning patience. Also, trust and control can go hand-in-hand.

JZ

[JimmyZip]

Dryfire.

Lots lately. Draws, reloads, unloaded starts, first shots, reloading exiting left and right. Keeping that gun up in the line of sight, moving off the trail leg. (If you don't think that is faster, you are no goalie, I assure you)

And lots, and lots of this all done with really small targets, partials and no shoots. I've got a trigger pull that I need to work out, and the minis seem to be helping.

That's where I'm at right now. I finally excepted the effort I needed to match my enthusiasm for this sport. You gotta put the guns on and practice.

And this has all been a humbling experience that I have been realizing how little I really know about all of this stuff. So that is why I've been posting alot less lately. I'm either dryfiring, or I've got nothing to add that the mods, admin, Coco, or G-man (among others), won't say for me.

Really like that G17RTF. THink I need another.

JZ

[JimmyZip]

Same as before really. Had my first division win at our local club. Mike on the classifier though. Not enough WHO practice. That is all I'm going to practice with some exceptions, until next month. Crazy work schedule is giving me no range time, but lots of dryfire practice. Go figure.

I'll take what I can get.

JZ

[JimmyZip]

Still training. This stuff is harder for some folks than others. IF you've noticed that I'm not posting as much, well if I have time to type, I've got the 20 minutes to dryfire.

Loving it still though.

[JimmyZip]

Got my updated card this last Friday. My initial classification in Production, is C. I am happy with that. Want to see that change for the better. but am happy with that so far.

[JimmyZip]

Down to the last 1K of loaded 9mm. I have 3.5K of loaded .40 for my limited rig, but I just don't know if I want to shoot limited for the rest of the season. I guess maybe just until I get some more BBI 135s.

Hmm......

[JimmyZip]

Seeing improvement. Seems the more I practice, the less I am on this forum. Also, the more I learn, the less I know. I know it's weird, but I have found this to be true. My shooting is getting better because I practice regularly. almost always at least 20 minutes a day if not more. That way if one day I don't have time, I'm not beating myself up over it.

Because I am getting better, I am more relaxed and it is helping me with stage planning. I am more able to focus on what it is that I have to do, and remembering my stage plans, and sticking with them.

THis sport sure is fun. I wish more people did it. They would have a whole different outlook on guns.

JZ

[JimmyZip]

Work has been slow lately, so... I have been dryfiring a lot more. 20 minutes a day at least. Need to get more bullets, and primers too. Really enjoying the G17 still. May want to trade out my CZ for some cash and another G17RTF. I just like the way this thing shoots, and handles.

I missed the last USPSA match here locally. Looking forward to this month's match. Lots of weak hand practice. Interested to see how much it helps. We will see.

[JimmyZip]

Two local matches cancelled in the last two months due to wind. Still dryfiring A LOT! So while I am feeling right at home with the Glock, and such, am aching to get out and shoot this thing!

[JimmyZip]

I am going to shoot my first 3-Gun match this weekend. It is a carbine match, though and I am borrowing the shotgun and carbine. I will probably shoot my limited gun though just so I will have enough ammo to shoot Prod at my next USPSA match. A bit nervous. Never shot a 3-Gun type match..

JZ

[ChuckS]

I am going to shoot my first 3-Gun match this weekend. It is a carbine match, though and I am borrowing the shotgun and carbine. I will probably shoot my limited gun though just so I will have enough ammo to shoot Prod at my next USPSA match. A bit nervous. Never shot a 3-Gun type match..

JZ

Jimmy,

Where are you going to shoot? Piru?

[JimmyZip]

Y'know Chuck, I haven't the foggiest! I just haven't shot in so long because of work and all, and I asked my wife if I could just go, and get in some trigger time. She looked at me and said she didn't know why I haven't been shooting lately, and to go. So I just jumped. I'm going with Henry Toribio, and his daughter Charene I think.

[ChuckS]

Y'know Chuck, I haven't the foggiest! I just haven't shot in so long because of work and all, and I asked my wife if I could just go, and get in some trigger time. She looked at me and said she didn't know why I haven't been shooting lately, and to go. So I just jumped. I'm going with Henry Toribio, and his daughter Charene I think.

Well, good for you! I just hope it isn't Piru, since the moved the match to the 26th! West End should be the 25th. Just wondering where this match is!

[JimmyZip]

That would be okay with me if they moved it. Then I could load more ammo and not even bring out my limited gun to shoot this match. I am tempted to shoot my Socom 16. It really shoots nice but is just so loud and obnoxious.

I'll pm you when I know where.

jz

[JimmyZip]

Night Match!

Just got in about an hour ago and boy what a hoot! The match was four stages. One SG,one rifle/carbine, and two pistol. I had one fte on the carbine. I had total equipment/operator failure on the SG, and no problems really on the pistol stages.

So for the shotgun stage, I was shooting a Benelli. I was using shell carriers on the front of the belt, and it was my first time shooting with either set up. I didn't have any familiarization before going into this night match.

For the rifle, I was shooting a 9mm Ruger carbine that looks a lot like a 10/22 but it uses pistol magazines. I hadn't seen this or shot this until match night.

Here is what I learned. Shooting a lot of platforms over a lifetime, can teach you enough to run alot of different guns. I was fine with the Benelli until I was exiting my first position and my light was knocked loose. Entering the second position, I had light astray! I tried to shoot with it askew, but the recoil made it worse, and it finally fell off. This was a good thing, I just held on to it and used it under my left hand without problems. I think I would be able to reload faster with the gun upside down over my left shoulder than going from underneath. The Wally-World shells others were using seemed anemic against the steel. I was using pheasant loads, and while they put out a flame, that steel went down with one shot. Sights on a shogun are actually useful. I'd never used them on a shotgun before. Whoever put that idea out there, my hat's off to him. At static targets, sights are cool on a shotgun.

On the rifle stage, I'd never run a rifle with a dot on it on the clock , or at night. This was good stuff. Dots on rifles is like shooting a laser at close ranges. You can literally put those rounds right where you want to. One of the targets on this stage was pretty distant for a night match right around 50 yds. That little carbine set those 9mms out there POA. I just had to trust the accuracy of this and the shotgun, and neither let me down. I would have had a decent stage here if I hadn't failed to engage a steel target on this stage. Just a bone headed move on my part. Was cool watching how that dot related to the target. It's like cheating.

Pistol, was pretty good. Strange, I think i was slow primarily because I wasn't racing. I was just trying to have a safe match. Night matches, are a little different. 3 gun is different. Different guns are different. Put them all together in one match, and you could have a recipe for disaster. I was treading lightly. I will say however, that all that time of dryfiring in my garage, is making me a comfortable shooter. I can manipulate my Glock with ease and sense of purpose that gives me a humble, yet empowering confidence. I trust my sights tonight, and I called my shots, and that trigger time in the garage is really paying off. I can make head shots now. I can just tell when I'm getting dry, and need to reload. Now I need to really get good at breaking stages down. Really just memorize them deeply in that time given before a stage. I can see that this is one of my weaknesses.

A lot of cool things to see at a night match. You see alot of bullets in flight with the new high powered weapon mounted light systems. It is really cool to watch. You see who has not really got their basics as far as weapons set ups, and such , and who does. Secure mounts, lights that handle recoil, understanding what certain jams just feel like, shooting your sights, and not your light, these things are really important.

I think I need a shotgun, and a small carbine.

[JimmyZip]

Dryfiring tonight I noticed that my index is improving. I think that if you begin to dryfire more consistently, you will see natural improvements in how your body and eyes relate to keep your sights where they are and where they need to be. The gun is moving less as a result of trigger manipulation than ever before.. I can reload almost on the left 180 without breaking it. I can follow my front sight in live fire rather easily now. What is slowing me down now is transitions! I have made my dryfire dojo into a transition exercise room for the next couple of weeks.

Week hand, transitions. Uh boy.