Ben Stoeger

[shootingchef]

Good luck on the marriage thing. Just remember, anything you truly value takes maintenance. This goes for shooting, cars, and even relationships. So there you go, and once again good luck.

JZ

I clean my gun the bare minimum and the same goes for my cars....

Are you saying I need to buy my lady a gym membership? =)

Do that and you will be on the couch in record fashion.

Really? I bought her a membership for Christmas and she loves it!

My lady is a different sort.

It's all in how you frame the conversation. But then to put up with you she probably is....

Congrats.

[Ben Stoeger]

Good luck on the marriage thing. Just remember, anything you truly value takes maintenance. This goes for shooting, cars, and even relationships. So there you go, and once again good luck.

JZ

I clean my gun the bare minimum and the same goes for my cars....

Are you saying I need to buy my lady a gym membership? =)

Do that and you will be on the couch in record fashion.

Really? I bought her a membership for Christmas and she loves it!

My lady is a different sort.

It's all in how you frame the conversation. But then to put up with you she probably is....

Congrats.

Yessir... the one woman on the planet that puts up with my insane antics. What's not to love?

[Ben Stoeger]

I have not been posting lately… I kind of underwent a few big life changes.

I got married and then moved. I am all set now to hit the training hard.

Last weekend I did have a production session with Hopkins and Darling. We worked the normal sorts of drills and exercises that one would expect, although the difficulty was a bit higher than most people are used to.

“Dot Torture” proved to be difficult, even at just 5 yards. I think that says a lot.

[ViktorCistic]

Congrats !!

[ViktorCistic]

so foreign competitors don't have any class and ipsc leaders favor certain competitors

I am reporting what I saw... feel free to draw your own conclusions.

As far as guys trying to get reshoots and doubles goes... The Production team actually pulled one of the Czech guys aside. We noticed that after he bombed a stage out, he didn’t try to get a reshoot or anything. He just shook his head and walked away. We complimented him on his sportsmanship. That is how prevalent the poor sportsmanship was… we actually felt the need to give a guy a pat on the back because of what he DIDN’T do.

...say hello Ben - told me my friend "Czech guy". He didn’t try to get a reshoot because " I am not from Italy..." )))))))))))))))))))))))))

Jakub

[L-10_shooter]

Hey Ben,

FYI there is an elite II for sale in the classifieds....

good luck on the new comitment and training!

[Ben Stoeger]

I went out and worked on 30 yard partials today. Whenever I think I am doing good, I can count on accuracy practice to remind me that I do in fact still suck.

[Ben Stoeger]

I have a bit of training going on this weekend. I am hoping to get in 2 full days of practice.. but I am not sure the weather will cooperate with my wishes. =(

I have also put together a personalized training sheet to go along with my 2012 plan. It is a single sheet of paper that outlines my training for the week and lets me record what I did for practice and then make some quick notations. I have got a couple weeks done already and I think it is a good system. It is allowing me to make sure I balance my training better than I did last year and keeps me a little bit more focused. I would post it up here but it is so personalized it almost wouldn't do any good for anyone else.

[DonovanM]

I'd love to see it.

[Ben Stoeger]

My first match of the year is on the books! It is a bit of a mixed bag as far as news goes.

Firstly.. I felt really good with my shooting. I had 14 Cs and a handful of extra shots on steel. For the most part I felt pretty aggressive. My gun handling was not really perfect… but other than that everything was alright. In short, I am feeling like I am on a whole new level with my shooting.

On the downside, my match gun no longer is running. I had 2 death jams and one minor jam over the course of an 8 stage match… this from a gun that other than needing a new extractor in 2009 has been flawless. This year I changed magazine springs, the extractor, the firing pin, the firing pin springs, and the extractor spring. Everything should be working properly but it really isn’t.

In any event, the gun problems destroyed my match. I am glad I discovered them early in the season. I am going to get this gun fixed or junk it.

Video here:

[92fs]

My first match of the year is on the books! It is a bit of a mixed bag as far as news goes.

Firstly.. I felt really good with my shooting. I had 14 Cs and a handful of extra shots on steel. For the most part I felt pretty aggressive. My gun handling was not really perfect… but other than that everything was alright. In short, I am feeling like I am on a whole new level with my shooting.

On the downside, my match gun no longer is running. I had 2 death jams and one minor jam over the course of an 8 stage match… this from a gun that other than needing a new extractor in 2009 has been flawless. This year I changed magazine springs, the extractor, the firing pin, the firing pin springs, and the extractor spring. Everything should be working properly but it really isn’t.

In any event, the gun problems destroyed my match. I am glad I discovered them early in the season. I am going to get this gun fixed or junk it.

Video here:

Your runs look Great. Are you still using the same match ammo?

[Ben Stoeger]

Your runs look Great. Are you still using the same match ammo?

Yes sir I am.

I have a few ideas as to what the issues are. I am hesitant to junk this gun because it has worked well for me for so long.

[92fs]

Your runs look Great. Are you still using the same match ammo?

Yes sir I am.

I have a few ideas as to what the issues are. I am hesitant to junk this gun because it has worked well for me for so long.

Well, If you decide to "junk it" I am gladly accepting donations of Elite II's

[DonovanM]

I am hesitant to junk this gun because it has worked well for me for so long.

You gotta burn it down, bodybag it. Blood that moron I can't stand a gun that doesn't run.

[Ben Stoeger]

I am hesitant to junk this gun because it has worked well for me for so long.

You gotta burn it down, bodybag it. Blood that moron I can't stand a gun that doesn't run.

I am carefully inspecting the gun now and deciding what to do. I did replace the extractor in 2009 and again this year. I am surprised to see how much the extractor is worn down already now that I have it pulled out of the gun. The ejector (never changed) has a bit of visible wear as well.

I am going to change some parts out and then give this gun a go in practice. If not I have a second gun ready to rock and roll.

[Ben Stoeger]

2 quick things.

First… I think I got my match gun fixed. Go me.

Second, I forced myself to not do any live fire for a week. I am partly saving ammunition and partly getting myself hungry for the month of may.

I am planning 1000 rounds a week for the month. This will be split over 3-4 sessions. I am also going to be on for 7 days a week for dry fire. Finally, I have training camp at the end of the month. That will be 3 and a half days of 1000 rounds a day. This should have me in pretty good shape headed into the summer.

As I posted before, my training is going to be both better balanced than it was last year and much more difficult. If I am not frequently making mistakes, throwing misses, or fumbling my gun handling, I am just going to make the targets more difficult or try to go faster. We shall see what happens with this.

[Chris iliff]

Ben, what do you do in dryfire? Is it one of your 15 minute plans or more than that?

I'm currently doing your 1st 15 minute plan, thanks for posting that. I find I'm running about 20-30 minutes. Seems I always go over the reps and I've found things that I'm not close to your prescribed times doing. GOOD STUFF!!

Thanks again.

[Ben Stoeger]

For dryfire I am doing the same sorts of drills that I do live fire. I do accuracy drills, short course drills, long course drills, and classifier drills. I don't have a very set routine. If i have a half hour or so, I may just work on 2 of those areas. If I have lots of time I may do all 4 areas. I may do all 4 areas twice in a day if time permits.

[PB92]

Ben, did you get to the bottom of the guns issues?

[theycallmeingot]

i found out what helps me get better at shooting. watching a ben stoeger video and realizing how slow i am in comparison. thanks for the inspiration.

[Ale Banon]

Ben Thank you for sharing training tips, dry fire programs, etc. I'm a big fan of your website.

I've been reading "Thinking Practical Shooting by Saul Kirsch" and It's wonderfull. I learnt a lot!!!

I'd like to know how do you improve "calling your shooting". What sort of practice do you recomend?

Thank you

Alejandro

(from Argentina)

[Ben Stoeger]

Ben, did you get to the bottom of the guns issues?

I changed all the parts I could think of and my match gun is running. I didn't like the look of the extractor or the ejector. I will know for sure next match.

[Ben Stoeger]

Ben Thank you for sharing training tips, dry fire programs, etc. I'm a big fan of your website.

I've been reading "Thinking Practical Shooting by Saul Kirsch" and It's wonderfull. I learnt a lot!!!

I'd like to know how do you improve "calling your shooting". What sort of practice do you recomend?

Thank you

Alejandro

(from Argentina)

Alejandro,

Thanks for the compliments!

The best drill that I have found for improving your shot calling is the 25 yard Bill Drill. 6 shots, from the holster, at a single target, 25 yards distant.

You use a time limit that forces you so shoot just a little bit faster than you are comfortable, and then pay attention to what you see on the sights. I learn something every time I shoot that drill.

[JakeMartens]

CZ?

[alpha-charlie]

CZ?

Soon