The Range and Match Diary of Loose Brass

[Loose Brass]

I spent years and years since about the age of 7 target shooting with a few nice fire arms and a lot of really crappy ones. Almost 3 years ago I started getting involved in action shooting. I started taking it seriously about a year and a half ago.

I started out with IDPA and have since moved to include USPSA about a year ago and just shot my first complete 3 gun match this past weekend. The past few months I've been living, eating, and breathing these sports and have watched myself become consumed by them to a certain extent (its bliss!).

Some things I have been trying to work on and address lately are:

What to do when you miss the last shot on the last target of a stage. By the time my brain registers the miss I almost always feel its to late to make it up. I've seen a lot of improvement in my shooting as far as making correct make up shots during the stage but this "last miss" thing really perplexes me.

I have got to start practicing more shooting on the move, a lot more. I've noticed it can come in handy in IDPA but much more so with USPSA.

I was really happy after shooting my first shotgun stage in 3 gun this past Sunday. I did alright and feel with some practice I might even be pretty good at it. Luckily I got video of me shooting the stage and that has given me a lot of insight on even some simple things I can do to improve.

My POG vs. Single Stack problem. When I was 16 I started target shooting with a 1911. I have always had one over the years and also did a lot of self defense practice with it. When I first got into action shooting though I found that to be a completely different ballgame than the target shooting I had been doing with it. I barely made MM with it in IDPA and was really struggling. I had never been a fan of the Glock but noticed during the matches how user friendly it was with other shooters. I came to the conclusion that maybe the 1911 was to much to handle and try to learn the ins and outs of shooting stages to. So I went out and got a G17. My scores improved immediately. I have been shooting it at every match since and have really enjoyed it. Then it happened! Last weekend somebody put a sweet Springfield 1911 in my hand and I shot it in a match. It was a lot like running into an old girlfriend who has just gotten more beautiful since you last saw her. After shooting matches for 2 years regularly I am a much more confident shooter. During the match I realized I could handle a 1911 now and I liked it! What am I gonna do? I feel like a shooter with 2 completely different personalities. I don't know who I am anymore. I don't know which gun to practice with or take to the next match. I gotta figure this out somehow.

Edited November 8, 2008 by Loose Brass

[steel1212]

And what a sexy girl she is!!!

[Loose Brass]

Alright, went to the IDPA match in Wilmore today. Cold, windy, and rained pretty much the whole time. I still couldn't let it go. I showed up with a 1911 again instead of the Glock I've been shooting for two years straight. Although I did better this time as opposed to the last USPSA match I shot 2 weeks ago It still doesn't feel natural. But it did feel better, I guess it's just gonna take a little time. I did notice that my grip has evolved somewhat and its for the better. Still having problems remembering round capacity. I thought my gun had jammed a couple of times but it was really just out of bullets (LoL). Though the toughest thing I've had to deal with so far is the hit to my ego. I know I could shoot the stage much better right now with the Glock but thats not the point.

I'm heading to a USPSA match tomorrow at Silver Creek in Indiana and shooting single stack. We will see what happens...

Edited November 16, 2008 by Loose Brass

[Clyde]

I believe you made a wise decision.......

Mental walkthurs and more time behind an 8 round gun will help

Welcome to the dark side

PS. I received an email today that the match at Silver Creek has been cancelled.

[Loose Brass]

I believe you made a wise decision.......

Mental walkthurs and more time behind an 8 round gun will help

Welcome to the dark side

PS. I received an email today that the match at Silver Creek has been cancelled.

I was really looking forward to that match tomorrow after shooting all day in the rain today. It was only suppose to be partly cloudy and mid 40's. Thats sounded great after today.

Also I thought two straight days behind the 1911 would go far....Oh well, might try the Cinnci match next weekend.

[steel1212]

8 rounds is easy.....just don't miss!

[Clyde]

...Oh well, might try the Cinnci match next weekend.

Well if you are thinking of Miami Rifle and Pistol Club - More bad News - They start back up in March

But Silver Creek has Super steel on Saturday next weekend. (22nd)

[Loose Brass]

...Oh well, might try the Cinnci match next weekend.

Well if you are thinking of Miami Rifle and Pistol Club - More bad News - They start back up in March

But Silver Creek has Super steel on Saturday next weekend. (22nd)

Well darn, I guess I'll wait till March then.

I have been meaning to try the steel match. It would be a good excuse for some needed trigger time and it just looks like fun.

[steel1212]

Super Steel on sat, and ICORE on sunday....I guess Clyde just made my choice easier for sunday....lol. Now to find a holster....

[atbarr]

Alright, went to the IDPA match in Wilmore today. Cold, windy, and rained pretty much the whole time.

Cold? Wet? That doesn't start to describe it. I thought my fingers were going to fall off. I also was sure that I was going to drop my pistol. I didn't, but I don't know why. This was my first time to shoot under these conditions. I'll be better prepared next time.

I still had fun, and came home safe.

Life is Good,

A.T.

[Loose Brass]

So several matches later I am still shooting singlestack. I have really enjoyed it. There is a marked improvement with shooting and handling the gun itself. Most of my problems currently are just mental mistakes. I've learned to shoot and feel comfortable with the 1911 now I need to start concentrating on the actual stages. Yes its time to get my brain fully engaged. The old production habit of taking make up shots at leisure does not always transfer to well into single stack. I'm also getting way to many procedurals and penalties for my own silly mistakes. However at least they are usually different mistakes and not the same ones. My own personal favorite was at my last USPSA match where I shot a stage with a decent time and score but as my RO was kind enough to point out to me that I had shot my last four targets with one foot clearly past the fault line. On the bright side I am going to be very aware of fault lines for some time to come

Some matches I'm planning on attending this year aside from the monthly IDPA and USPSA matches at BGSL:

March 28, IN SS/Prod (Single Stack) (Sat PM) (Application sent)

March 29, BGSL SS/PRO/REVO 5th sunday (Revo)

April 25, Miami Rifle and Pistol Club classifier match (Single Stack)

May 23-24, KY state 3 gun (Tactical)(No Application yet)

May 31st, BGSL SS/PRO/REVO 5th sunday (Revo)

June 5th-7th, IN state championship (Single Stack) (App not sent)

June 13-14, Pro-Am in Tulsa (Limited) (Application sent)

August 30th BGSL SS/PRO/REVO 5th Sunday(Revo)

September 6th Ohio Sectional (Single Stack)(Sunday) (Application printed not sent yet)

October 9th-10th Battle in the Bluegrass SS/PRO match (Single Stack) (Fri/Sat)

November 29th BGSL SS/PRO/REVO 5th Sunday (Revo)

I would also like to try to squeeze in a major IDPA match somewhere. Guess I best get to looking now.

The STI Sentinel I have on lay away should be in my possession in the next few weeks. Can't freak'in wait!!

[Loose Brass]

Hey, things are looking up. Shooting a 1911 is starting to feel comfortable. Now the Glock feels strange when I pick it up instead of vice, versa.

My mechanics with it are getting better. I've been doing a lot of dryfire practice around the house and I mean a lot! Of course the new STI 1911 helps because I'm always wanting to pick it up anyways.

It sure is nice having 2 1911's. One for carry and one for matches. My lightweight Kimber is no longer being ragged out as a competition gun and I'm sure the STI is just looking for the abuse (LoL). But hey, that's why I got it. I picked it up Friday before last and shot it the next day at a match. I only had time to run one mag of ammo through it before the match. It ran fine the whole time, not the first jam. I can tell a big difference to between shooting the alloy frame of the Kimber and the full weight of steel in the STI. Don't get me wrong the Kimber is a great carry gun. It runs great, very smooth all over, and even though it is a full size 1911 the alloy frame makes it nice to carry all day.

Something I noticed last match I shot. It was an IDPA match with 6 stages. My scores were much improved overall even though I forgot how to count on one stage. The strange thing I noticed though on 2 of the 6 stages was that I wasn't thinking about them while shooting them. I just did it. No pressure, no worrying about any part of the stage. I swear my mind was blank. It was the oddest feeling for me. My scores on both of those stages were very decent.

Alright....what to work on. Pay extra attention when the round count on a target is anything other than 2

Here's my Schedule update:

March 28, IN SS/Prod (Single Stack) (Sat PM) (Application sent)

March 29, BGSL SS/PRO/REVO 5th Sunday (Revo)

April 25, Miami Rifle and Pistol Club classifier match (Single Stack)

May 1,2,3, 15th Annual Ronderosa Invitational. Sycamore Creek, Pike Co., Ky.

May 23-24, KY state 3 gun (Tactical)(waiting for funds to send app in )

May 31st, BGSL SS/PRO/REVO 5th Sunday (Revo)

June 6th (sat) IN state championship (Single Stack) (App sent)

June 13-14, Pro-Am in Tulsa (Limited) (Application sent)

August 30th BGSL SS/PRO/REVO 5th Sunday(Revo)

September 6th Ohio Sectional (Single Stack)(Sunday) (Application sent )

October 9th-10th Battle in the Bluegrass SS/PRO match (Single Stack) (Fri/Sat)

November 29th BGSL SS/PRO/REVO 5th Sunday (Revo)

I'm still hoping to do a major IDPA match somewhere. I really wanted to do the Carolina's but there is a schedule conflict.

Long Guns:

AR Rifle: More practice! Also looking to change the stock, foregrip, and possibly trigger.

Benelli Shotgun: Doing well so far. Can't wait to try my new reload technique at the next match.

Edited February 23, 2009 by Loose Brass

[Loose Brass]

Alright, time for the Springtime update:

Have stuck with the 1911 in SS. It's taken me several months to go from horrible to moderately o.k. If nothing else as of late at least I'm finally starting to show some consistency. I still have much to work on.

I am signed up for a two day class with TDSA in a couple of weeks. I think that will straighten me out quite a bit. I took the class last year but I think I will get even more out of it this time as I have learned much since.

I've noticed as of late I'm making better use of my sights as my points down at this past weekends IDPA match showed. There were still to many (42) but much less than I had been averaging. And it was a 7 stage match. I finished 7th in the match overall and had my first stage win at my own club, yeah!

I tanked the classifier afterwords though. The distance stage got me. I need to spend some time adjusting my sights. I had tried the week previously in the rain and obviously it didn't work out to well. I am currently a MM in CDP and a SS in SSP. I missed EX in SSP by about 2 seconds in the previous classifier so I thought for sure I would make SS or possibly even EX in CDP this time. Ha!

I have also noticed as of late I'm becoming more aware while shooting. It's almost like I can see things now that I missed before even though they were right in front of me all along.

Took 1st place D shooter at the Indiana SS vs. Prod match. My first wood!

So right now I'm not setting the world on fire or anything but I'm no longer doing badly....hey, I had to start somewhere :-)

I'm really looking forward to the rest of the shooting season. I've got the Ky State 3 gun match coming up soon, 2 weeks after that its the Indiana USPSA Sectional. Then the week after that it gets really bizarre for me. I pick my Glock back up and go to Tulsa OK. for the Pro Am. I'm somewhat limited in my personal pistol selection. I didn't want to shoot a 45 and have to buy/borrow 10 round mags for it. I had an offer to to use a friends limited gun in .40 but have since declined. Even though my first love is with the 1911 I'm not a bad shot with my G17 and I've already got all the equipment, ammo, and spare G17 as back up. It just made to much sense not to shoot it, especially after paying all that cash on my "beltfeed" mag pouch. So its official, if your one of my SS buddies you may commence with the ribbing :-)

[Loose Brass]

Hey, I havent posted here in a while. I really need to start keeping this up. I've come a long way since I last posted and still so much room for improvement. Confidence is up, I'm seeing things a bit faster, I've quit making as many mistakes as I use to. Still working hard at trying to keep the gun up. Last year I was 1st D in SS at the Indiana Sectional. This year I competed as a B shooter in that division. Even though I didn't take first B I was still proud of my performance overall the 2 short stages I tanked included

This is all I have time to post today but I'm going to try to start posting here more often.

Here is a link to this past Sunday's local USPSA Match at BGSL in Wilmore, Ky. Any and all comments or crotique's are welcome.

[Loose Brass]

Got out to the range yesterday to help teach an Intro to IDPA Class. Class went well we had 8 students and all seem to enjoy themselves. I'm hoping to see some of them at our next match.

We set up a mini match after the classroom portion. I used my actual carry gun. I don't get to shoot it enough as it is and it worked great for this type of class. The 1911 STI Ranger II functioned very well although a little more oil probably wouldn't hurt . I was amazed though at how much I had come to depend om my competition gun's trigger. I had to really take my time for distance shots with the Ranger. It is all stock except for the Hiene night sights. The trigger really isn't bad at all and should be just fine for carry purposes.

Looks like my next match will be the 3rd Sat IDPA Match in Wilmore, Ky at BGSL. Then I'm going to try to hit the USPSA Match at the end of the month in Batavia,OH at the Miami Rifle and Pistol Club. It's always a good time and Dan Carter puts on a good match.

Hoping to get some range practice time in soon and trying to keep up with dryfire too. Oh yeah, time to order more bullets

[steel1212]

No steel match?

[steel1212]

Here is a link to this past Sunday's local USPSA Match at BGSL in Wilmore, Ky. Any and all comments or crotique's are welcome.

Reloads are looking better, but keep that gun up. On the classifier don't shoot one steel then transition alllll they way across the paper to other steel, hit the paper on the way across.

Edited August 8, 2010 by steel1212

[Loose Brass]

Here is a link to this past Sunday's local USPSA Match at BGSL in Wilmore, Ky. Any and all comments or crotique's are welcome.

Reloads are looking better, but keep that gun up. On the classifier don't shoot one steel then transition alllll they way across the paper to other steel, hit the paper on the way across.

Still working on the gun up. It's up more often now but obviously not enough LoL!

Yes the classifier was a complete mental mistake and I did know better. Why you say? Because the "Tick Tock" stage I had just shot had poppers on both ends also and it had to be shot that way. Evidently it was just stuck in my head to shhot both poppers first. I realized what I had done just after I walked off the line. It bugs me everytime I watch the video to no end because I knew better! Oh well, so much for that good "Open" calssifier score

Thanks for the input!

[Loose Brass]

No steel match?

Actually I havent ruled it out. It really just depends on getting bullets ordered soon enough and what my moonlighting schedule looks like. Come to find out this whole getting married business is turning out to be exspensive(who knew?) and I'm trying to make every last dollar I can get my grubby little paws on.

So yeah, Steel is probable but I can't say for sure.

[steel1212]

No steel match?

Actually I havent ruled it out. It really just depends on getting bullets ordered soon enough and what my moonlighting schedule looks like. Come to find out this whole getting married business is turning out to be exspensive(who knew?) and I'm trying to make every last dollar I can get my grubby little paws on.

So yeah, Steel is probable but I can't say for sure.

Wanna use my .22 conversion?

[Loose Brass]

No steel match?

Actually I havent ruled it out. It really just depends on getting bullets ordered soon enough and what my moonlighting schedule looks like. Come to find out this whole getting married business is turning out to be exspensive(who knew?) and I'm trying to make every last dollar I can get my grubby little paws on.

So yeah, Steel is probable but I can't say for sure.

Wanna use my .22 conversion?

I just might! I'll try and let you know for sure later in the week. Thanks!!!

[Loose Brass]

This is a late entry but I'm putting it here nonetheless.

2010 Pro Am Tulsa,OK.

This again was a fantastic match and a great trip. Of all the majors I do getting to this one and back really is half the fun.

Three good friends and myself on a 12 hour road odyssey in an RV. Leaving from Lexington, Ky. around 730ish AM. The only part of the trip that feels long is going through Illinois. That and maybe some of the road construction in OK. and MO.

We stayed at an RV park similar to a KOA. Considering the nice facilities and the RV hook ups it wasn't bad for $30 a night. We arrived early evening on Friday.

We were up to shoot "Open" Saturday afternoon. The other 3 guys are using there Limited guns and me with my 1911 .45 SS gun. If your going to make the trip out there you might as well shoot both divisions. It's also a great way to get some practice in for your Limited run.

I started out using 10 round mags I had borrowed for the match. I had function tested them at the range but had not used them in a match. Big mistake! I had issues with the Chip McCormick's not dropping free every time. The Wilson's were doing great right up to the point where I over seated one. They had a insertion stop welded into them but with some COF adrenalin pumping it was just something else I hadn't figured in. I stopped using them after the third stage and went back to my usual 8 rounders. I know it put me at a disadvantage but then again if I was soley worried about placing at this match I would not have brought the 45 anyways. It's all I've shot for the past 2 years and I just didn't want to pick up something else just for this match. To me shooting in the Pro Am this year was to see how well I could do with what I had. Although winning at this match was not what I had in mind shooting well and having fun sure was.

We had a 1pm start time and it was hot! No really...I mean hot! It started off tolerable enough but stage after stage of resetting steel and the temps climbing even higher as the day progressed was taking it's toll on everyone. I was told the temps were close to 107 that afternoon with a heat index into the 100teens. There was little to no shade and if I wasn't shooting I was wearing a wet towel on my head. I had a few moments during the last three stages where I had to take a moment and ask myself could I continue? I pressed on and made it without incident and feeling comfortable with my 8 round mags.

We made it through the first day but I think it nearly wiped us all out. It was all I could do to keep going till I crashed out that evening about 9pm.

Sunday was a much better day and we shot "Limited" in the a.m. It was still hot but nothing like the day before. Most of my stages were looking better using my old mags. It did dawn on me about the end of the match that if a person was going to be using the 8 rounders then he should develop a strategy for that. I regretted that I had not done this. I should have been shooting each array till I went to slide lock then moving to the next one while reloading. Trying to keep a round in the chamber here with par times and 8 round capacity was costing me. Overall I had a much better day score wise and just as it really started to heat up about noon we were done.

One of the many +'s to traveling in the RV was bringing it to the USSA parking lot during the day and having your own private air conditioned lounge to hang out in afterward. We had the afternoon to kill until the awards ceremony that night. We smoked stogies, made cocktails, grilled out, talked with old Friends, and made some new ones too.

We left OK. Monday morning and headed back to Ky. I could go on and on about the trip itself but since this is for the most part a shooting diary I have decided to leave out names to protect the innocent and of course the golden rule "what happens in Tulsa stays in Tulsa"

My match video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bBwmVWfL0s

[Loose Brass]

Here is a link to this past Sunday's local USPSA Match at BGSL in Wilmore, Ky. Any and all comments or crotique's are welcome.

Reloads are looking better, but keep that gun up. On the classifier don't shoot one steel then transition alllll they way across the paper to other steel, hit the paper on the way across.

At 2:14 on the video it's not that I'm shooting at that speed that impressed myself it's the fact I had good hits there too. I have compared it to some of the other vids from this match and it still seems pretty dam fast Now if I just could have shoot all the target arrays like that.

Edited August 15, 2010 by Loose Brass

[Loose Brass]

2010 Indiana Sectional

Another great match! This I have made for the third year in a row and it never disappoints. This was actually the first major match I ever attended back in 2008 and I've been hooked ever since.

I had just made "B" class in Single Stack about a month before this match. Overall I felt I did pretty well. I did have trouble on the two short stages that were in the same bay. I shot them right after lunch and evidently didn't have my head back in the game yet. They both looked short and simple and I thought I would smoke them....Fail!

During this match a friend gave me some really good advice on wide transitions and given the way the match was set up I was able to utilize that advice the rest of the day and now I think it's finally burnt into my brain not to swing my gun and arms around like a tank turret but to actually bring the gun back in and then out on the other side.

This match was not exactly Single Stack friendly(I really enjoyed the challenge!) and I can think of at least twice where I had to reload just for a shot to stay on plan. After I would shoot a stage it would look like a Wilson Magazine factory had exploded with mags everywhere. After shooting SS in general and especially after this match I truly did feel like If I'm moving I must be reloading. Such is not always the case though as you can tell on the last stage of my video where I initiated a reload I did not need just because I was moving. I never finished it and just let the loaded mag drop to the ground as I finished off the last two targets.

I'm feeling better about my stage planning though I still listen to advice when offered. At this match I did most of my own. Most of the conversations I got into about the best way to shoot a particular stage was mostly just confirmation of what I had been thinking and it made me feel pretty good

The trip was a lot of fun! It's always and adventure with the guys I travel with. Everything from being accosted in the WalMart parking lot to stopping on the way back to race some souped up go carts.

Match Video:

[Loose Brass]

5th Sunday BGSL 3Gun August 2010

Can't really complain here. I was pleased with my shotgun skills. I need to start speeding them up a little.

I borrowed a pistol (Glock) for this match since major/minor didn't matter and I was looking for capacity to be competetive. Considering this wasn't my 1911 I was still fairly pleased.

I now have a fine rifle but I haven't spent much time with it on the range and there is nobody to blame but myself. Right now it's my worst event. This must be rectified!

Considering this was my 2nd multi gun match ever and my first this year I'm ok with my performance. I think I will be able to improve on several things substantially before the next match.

1 Ray, Brian TI

2 Cottrell, J.T. TI

3 Vaught, Brian TI

4 Carroll, Kevin TI

5 TRYON, TOM TI

6 Degrant, Ken TI

7 Cambron, John TI

8 Angel, Jason TI

9 Adams, Chad TI

10 Davidson, Brad TI

11 Moore, T.G. TI

12 Berger, Andrew TI

13 Rodman, Kiel TI

14 Carmical, Adam TI

15 Moore, Barry TI

16 Berger, Rolando TI

17 Sword, Jared TI

18 Bowman, Todd

I finished 11th in the overall standings

Edited August 31, 2010 by Loose Brass