What class shooter am I?

[kgunz11]

I recently shot my first USPSA match and I'm hooked. There was a qualifier in the match called "Six". It featured 2 paper targets and 2 steel poppers. I shot the course in:

Place Name No. Class Division Points Penalties Time Hit Factor Stage Pts Stage %

2 Bobby K. 5 U Limited 28 0 3.72 7.5262 24.9944 83.31%

Nothing too impressive, so I went to the range today and practiced some drills. Everything was shot from 7 yards on IDPA card board targets.

First Drill:

1 round from the draw / hands down

1. 1.25 (cold shooter) 1" just out of the A @ 10:00

2. 1.23 the next 4 were all A zone hits

3. 1.19

4. 1.11

5. 1.20

Second Drill:

2 rounds from the draw / hands down

1. 1.35 - 1.60

2. 1.31 - 1.52

3. 1.24 - 1.43

4. 1.09 - 1.27

5. 1.16 - 1.35

Third Drill:

fire 1 round to slide lock, reload and fire 1 round / surrender stance

1. 1.33 (a) 3.88 (a)

2. 1.29 © 3.52 (

3. 1.40 (a) 3.84 (a) no slide lock, had to rack slide

4. 1.24 (a) 3.60 (a)

5. 1.43 (a) 3.50 (a)

Fourth Drill:

fire 2 rounds, reload fire 2 rounds / hands down

1. 1.28 (a) 1.62 © 3.73 © 3.99 (a)

2. 1.27 © 1.46 (a) 3.48 © 3.65 (a)

3. 1.38 (a) 1.57 (a) 3.36 ( 3.54 (a)

4. 1.30 (a) 1.46 (a) 3.30 (a) 3.46 ©

5. 1.27 ( 1.49 ( 3.16 (a) 3.34 (a)

Fifth Drill:

Vice Presidente 2+2+2 reload 2+2+2 targets 3' apart / surrender (shot 0 D's)

1. 1.22 1.40 1.84 2.04 2.45 2.64 RL 4.53 4.74 5.13 5.31 5.67 5.86

2. 1.35 1.54 1.90 2.09 2.49 2.66 RL 4.32 4.50 4.83 5.01 5.33 5.51

3. 1.17 1.35 1.66 1.84 2.17 2.35 RL 3.94 4.11 4.45 4.62 4.94 5.12

I know my times are slow, but I'm really a precision long range shooter trying to convert to practical pistol shooting. After the last drill I went back to 1 shot drills from the holster and got them down to right at 1 flat. Some faster, some slower, but none over 1.16. I figure my average at this point is around 1.25 unless I focus on pushing myself. Being my background has been primarily accuracy enforced, sacrificing accuracy for speed is difficult for me, but I have been told the speed will come. I'm going to let it work its own magic. Just thought I'd share some of this with you all. Anybody got an idea as to what classification I might be shooting in? My goal is to try and qualify as a "C" class shooter and work my butt off to be an "A" by this time next year. I have just started shooting a pistol, so I have lots to learn. Is there an IDPA or USPSA style school out there?

Thanks!

[chuckbradley]

Join USPSA if you havent already. Shoot 4 classifiers and you will get a basic idea. Then go shoot a major match and see where you fall.

Its not about how good are you but how good can you get.

[kgunz11]

I joined this week. Shot my first match last weekend. Got 3rd place in limited class, but there wasn't a big turn out due to the snow. I saw I could shoot faster, less accurately, and place better. I know as the level of shooters increases so does the stakes. It'd take speed AND accuracy. I am contemplating shooting another local match this weekend in Macon Georgia.

[dirtypool40]

I recently shot my first USPSA match and I'm hooked.

Bobby. the good news is.... there ain't no cure.

I can't say where you'd class, but I can tell from the times posted, you ain't no slouch.

Just judging from your draw times, assuming you are hitting "A's" or 0's, with roughly 1.25ish draws you'll likely make B class pretty quick, if not better. Hard to judge from the reload times, I have to guess that the second number means you're hitting a 2.5ish slide lock reload??? (is that into a Trojan, and is there a magwell??? Can make a bunch-o difference.)

Try some 1 reload 1 drills @ 10y WITHOUT slide lock, or "cover garmet" just a quick mag swap, we do that more often. If you can get that down to that same 1.25ish that your draw is, you'll be well on your way to "A" and beyond.

Don't EVER sacrifice accuracy for speed, both need to come along or they mean nothing. Almost any of us can shoot a rack of plates @ 25y given five minutes to trigger six perfect rounds. And most can get a shot off in a second if they don't have to hit anything. But shooting those 25y plates one for one in six seconds takes a blend of speed AND accuracy.

Glad to have you aboard, and keep the questions coming. We're all here to learn.

Edited March 13, 2008 by dirtypool40

[boz1911]

I joined this week. Shot my first match last weekend. Got 3rd place in limited class, but there wasn't a big turn out due to the snow. I saw I could shoot faster, less accurately, and place better. I know as the level of shooters increases so does the stakes. It'd take speed AND accuracy. I am contemplating shooting another local match this weekend in Macon Georgia.

Griswoldville??

[kgunz11]

I joined this week. Shot my first match last weekend. Got 3rd place in limited class, but there wasn't a big turn out due to the snow. I saw I could shoot faster, less accurately, and place better. I know as the level of shooters increases so does the stakes. It'd take speed AND accuracy. I am contemplating shooting another local match this weekend in Macon Georgia.

Griswoldville??

Yes.

Dirtypool40,

I was shooting my STI Tactical with factory magwell. I haven't been practicing a whole lot with the single stack yet. I am using a Serpa Level II retention holster. Mag pouches at the moment are an Uncle Mike's dbl mag pouch and in front I have a Serpa single mag carbon fiber clip on. I have ordered a whole bunch of stuff from Brian's store... just waiting on the brown truck now.

Edited March 13, 2008 by kgunz11

[Ron Ankeny]

...but I have been told the speed will come...

I too came into USPSA from the precision sports. FWIW...the old line "the speed will come..." is one of the biggest lies in the sport. The speed will come if you make it come by pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone. As a precision shooter, the biggest improvement (for me) in visual/shooting speed came when I devoted my resources to learning what I needed to see and nothing more. I also got speedy when I quit thinking about it...

[Flyin40]

This is the best "school" around and its free.

Flyin

[HuskySig]

Your classifier score looks like it'll be a low A-class score, possibly high B-class. I'm starting to think that classifier is an over representation of what people truly can do.

My guess is you could probably classify as a low B-class shooter. You're going to do well standing and shooting, but you may have some difficulties when it comes to breaking down a stage that requires movement as well as how to do the moving and shooting efficiently.

mattk

Edited March 14, 2008 by HuskySig

[AlamoShooter]

I hope you have a nice car....you wont be buying a new one for a wile welcome to the addiction

[kgunz11]

HuskySig,

In my first match, we had some rain followed by about 4 hours of light snow and heavy winds. The ground was very slushy/slippery and it was difficult to move quickly on. I am a type A personality to begin with which makes me very analytical by nature. I am sure I still have lots to learn about breaking down the stages and what will make me faster.

AlamoShooter,

We have actually been discussing buying a new car. My wife has a 2007 Pathfinder and I have a 2006 F-250 diesel. We've kicked around the idea of buying a moderately used Honda or Kia or something really economical on gas. There's not a match within 3 hours drive for me so having a little car will make traveling a little less of a burden.

[trevoro]

3 hours! Don't buy a new car, buy a new house! Ha ha.

Welcome.

[boz1911]

AlamoShooter,

We have actually been discussing buying a new car. My wife has a 2007 Pathfinder and I have a 2006 F-250 diesel. We've kicked around the idea of buying a moderately used Honda or Kia or something really economical on gas. There's not a match within 3 hours drive for me so having a little car will make traveling a little less of a burden.

Cool Springs in Roberta and South River in Conyers shouldn't be too bad a drive and they put on great matches. We shoot every Tuesday night in Fayetteville at Autry's. I'm supposed to shoot Griswold this Sunday but I don't know for sure yet.

[kgunz11]

Cool Springs and Griswald are about the closest ones to me. I was planning on shooting Griswald this weekend also. I've shot Cherokee in Gainesville and plan to shoot the steel challenge in Griffin and the all day qualifier at South River the first weekend of April. Maybe I can get a classification and shoot in the Area 6 match.

[AlamoShooter]

HuskySig,

In my first match, we had some rain followed by about 4 hours of light snow and heavy winds. The ground was very slushy/slippery and it was difficult to move quickly on. I am a type A personality to begin with which makes me very analytical by nature. I am sure I still have lots to learn about breaking down the stages and what will make me faster.

AlamoShooter,

We have actually been discussing buying a new car. My wife has a 2007 Pathfinder and I have a 2006 F-250 diesel. We've kicked around the idea of buying a moderately used Honda or Kia or something really economical on gas. There's not a match within 3 hours drive for me so having a little car will make traveling a little less of a burden.

what I meant was = When you get "The Bug" real bad you will pick the cheaper car so that you can spend more on shooting.

??You could get a used Honda Vespa and save big on gas and order a race gun and a 1050 and sign up for wait list for Nationals and , and , and.

I had to buy a new faucet for the Kitchen sink at home, I found my self calculating how many bullets I could have ordered for what the repair cost.

The shooting keeps getting more fun every year -if you approach it rite

Edited March 14, 2008 by AlamoShooter

[geezer-lock]

I had to buy a new faucet for the Kitchen sink at home, I found my self calculating how many bullets I could have ordered for what the repair cost.

Yup, I just calculated that my dentist bill cost me the Texas State Open and possibly Area 2 (assuming I get a slot). That just sux.

David C