1st DQ

[shoot]

I had a great time at P.A.S.A. My first road trip. My day ended too soon but a good lesson learned.

I had a fun day on steel day one but as we walked by the next days stages in the valley One thing was clear ... mazes of complicated stages .... Shooting at side berms ? It was already in my head that I was in trouble... I didn't know why yet ... just that some shots were into side berms ...

All the matches I shot before were back berm only but P.A.S.A has side berms that brought a new dimension for a cocky newer shooter with a mantra of explode ... glide ... shoot A's.

I was production/minor My trouble was a DQ on a stage obviously set up in a way that right to left was the fastest and most logical order of fire. ( I knew to beware ie move with mag changes toward my weak hand side... ugh ) I thought safety was drilled into my head ... it wasn't.

I knew right to left ... be afraid ... very afraid ... watch that muzzle. I knew it ...and I knew that you never insert mag on a right to left until your on the spot. I knew it. When shooting at a back berm as I train it's almost simple just drop move and wait to insert mag just before push sight index to targets ... I knew it sometimes required to let go with weak hand when on the move to keep muzzle safe. Always safety first.

On the DQ stage my plan Should never ever ever have tried to put a mag in... I ended up on my spot for a fast insert... bad ... very bad... Like those before but I had a mag to insert like a thousand times before but this time with a look at the magwell it was over...

It took a lot of thought to eventually realize what happened. It felt right ... felt safe... squeeky clean safe but I broke 180 without even a thought.

So here I was DQ Didn't know exactly what happened.

I have never appreciated the contortions required of lefty's who see so many left to right stages. Here is my point.

I didn't see how I could have broken the 180 at the time. I didn't argue because it must have happend and my RO isn't somebody to argue with but it took me a while to figure what I did. He tried to explain it was on the mag change. A perfect storm of cocky new guy with a lesson to learn and never shooting a match with side berm shots combined with mag change required because plan was moving towards weak hand.

I didn't know what to do. Stupid is stupid does. Just grazed the 180 ? ie. Just barely put my friends in danger ? Stupid is stupid does so I felt bad and still didn't see it.

Everyone I have seen DQ went home before and I was still trying to figure where I broke the line in that move. I didn't see it right away as it felt like I was safe but it was all about the angles and the mag insert.

I stayed on one stage because the RO knew I was confused about what I did and knew it would become obvious to me with thought.

No more fun ... DQ's make you feel very stupid ...What do I do ? I knew not to argue with the RO even if it hadn't sunk in .... what happened?

I took off for home and then a bit down the road it just became crystal. I felt better and the long ride home became a wish that I would have stayed and pasted.

That's my advice to anyone that has that happen. Stay and paste ... go off and meditate ... then go back and stay with those you put in danger. You will figure it out and learn ... Could have been worse but it was bad enough.

Just thought I'd share a hard lesson. I won't do that again and if a DQ happens ... ugh ... stay...

Edited August 19, 2008 by shoot

[Flyin40]

I'm a lefty and very few people realize how biased some stages are. My outlook is it only makes you better. As far as reloading right to left for a right hander, I see it safely done about every match I go to. It just takes practice to get comfortable with it and to be able to be aware of the angle your moving in and your muzzle.

Add reloading right to left into your dryfire. You'll get comfortable with it.

Flyin

[shoot]

Working on some live fire movement drills last night trying to figure what happened it became evident there is another step and that is to be facing truly down range even if targets are off to side and your forced to stare into a wall to be safe for the mag change. I was lost ... it felt right but it wasn't.

Angles are a nightmare going towards weak hand especially when targets take advantage of terrific side berms.

I have set up that course of fire in back yard for airsoft. It became evident it wasn't the just the technique it was just stupid to do that mag change there.

Live and learn.

Match this weekend so back on the horse and a humbled shooter I am.

s

I'm a lefty and very few people realize how biased some stages are. My outlook is it only makes you better. As far as reloading right to left for a right hander, I see it safely done about every match I go to. It just takes practice to get comfortable with it and to be able to be aware of the angle your moving in and your muzzle.

Add reloading right to left into your dryfire. You'll get comfortable with it.

Flyin

[brboyer]

[snip]

and I knew that you never insert mag on a right to left until your on the spot. I knew it. When shooting at a back berm as I train it's almost simple just drop move and wait to insert mag just before push sight index to targets ...

Can you explain this part? You do not insert you new mag until you get into the next shooting position?

[shoot]

Yes sometimes.

Other times fast mag change then move but most important for me is not to change on the move or turn until mag change is complete.

That is hard for me because my brain is heading that way. Turning my shoulder is almost instinct and if you think about it it doesn't take but a twitch to put your muzzle over 180.

It has seemed easier for me and safer mostly to drop mag then move then reaching my spot in one motion insert and push to sight index. On my DQ I didn't have my shoulders square to back berm. At the time it felt so right and I did it like so many times before with a look... mag into well it was over.

What is the opinion out there for this mag change and how to practice it?

I'm of the opinion currently to avoid the entire scenario but it seemed dooable at the time.

Seems safer most of time as I'm moving toward weak to have concentration on safety of my muzzle by releasing my weak hand to make me move faster and not get me in trouble. That wasn't the problem on my DQ it was my looking at the mag well in the motion on insert. Does that make sense?

Makes one want to go limited with high caps on those 32 rounder stages.

I feel awkward and very slow going toward weak hand. Obviously it's a problem for me.

How do you do mag changes when you need to move several yards and running empty? Most of the time the mag change at the end seems safe and works safe. I just had my shoulders rotated further than I had thought addressing the array of targets. Seemed safe ... broke 180 with a glance ...

It was stupid

[snip]

and I knew that you never insert mag on a right to left until your on the spot. I knew it. When shooting at a back berm as I train it's almost simple just drop move and wait to insert mag just before push sight index to targets ...

Can you explain this part? You do not insert you new mag until you get into the next shooting position?

Edited August 22, 2008 by shoot

[EatMeerkats]

What is the opinion out there for this mag change and how to practice it?

This thread has a good discussion about reloading while moving right to left. I think it can be done safely as long as you're extremely aware of your muzzle direction, and I've done it several times during matches.

[Punkin Chunker]

I had a great time at P.A.S.A. My first road trip. My day ended too soon but a good lesson learned.

Just thought I'd share a hard lesson. I won't do that again and if a DQ happens ... ugh ... stay...

Wow -- a good lesson learned and a great lesson shared.

Makes me more aware of the right to left while reloading issue -- shooting SS, ALWAYS means reloading while the feet are moving.

Thanks for the thoughts -- and the heads up.