Production "Master" !

[rvb]

With the November update I got my "M" in production!

PRODUCTION Class: M Pct: 85.99 High Pct: 85.99

I got my "A" at last November's update, so I moved up in just one year and in only 10 matches (and 3 of those were in open, too).

It's been a very rough shooting season for me (as in almost no shooting*) so I'm especially happy about this.

I had to skip all the major matches this summer which was a bummer so this was the only goal that was obtainable for me.

Just goes to show dryfire can do wonders as that's about all the practice I had this year.

Thanks to all the guys at Fredericksburg and York for all the advice and tips over the last couple of years. I miss shooting with you all.

-rvb

edit to add: Not that it matters, but in case anyone is interested... I shoot a Beretta.

* ps

so what kept me off the range? Here's most of the years drama:

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=57400

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=61729

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=69941

Edited November 14, 2008 by rvb

[Coolduckboy]

Great Job dude. Keep it up.

[boz1911]

Congrats Quite an accomplishment!!

[zhunter]

Awesome Job

[Micah]

Congrats! We need more Prod M's in the area

[JThompson]

Congrats!!

[eerw]

great accomplishment..even with all the things that go on in life..

its good to see the deep end filling up..

[bkeeler]

Congrats. Keep it up and you will be a GM in short order!

BK

[atbarr]

Ya did Good!

A.T.

[ima45dv8]

Well done!

[mjbine]

Nice!

[Gameplayer]

Bravo Zulu!

[Loose Brass]

Congrats!!!

[SA Friday]

Congrats, man. We all knew your M card was just a matter of time. You have more than enough skill to make GM with that Beretta. It's simply a matter of doing what you're doing.

[lugnut]

Awesome work. If you don't mind- what kind of drills did you do with dry fire only?

[rvb]

Congrats, man. We all knew your M card was just a matter of time. You have more than enough skill to make GM with that Beretta. It's simply a matter of doing what you're doing.

Thanks Sean. That's a bold statement! I hope you don't have any wagers riding on it!

Getting that "G" in front of my "M" would be a nice thing, but I'm not setting it as a goal like I did with getting my master card (ie I'm not setting a time frame). I learned a valuable lesson getting the master card... that "trying" to nail the classifier is a sure way to tank a classifier. The matches I put it out of my mind and just thought "oh who cares, it's probably not going to happen this year anyway" were the classifiers I nailed (like the last one I shot this year at ~96%).

And just getting the M doesn't mean I feel I'm ready to be a competitive master yet, either. I have a lot of week areas I want to work on this winter. And I feel I need a break from PD, so I'm going to get back into open in the spring and see if I can get my open M, too. Besides, the little bit I played in open last year showed how not having the reloads really screwed up my stage planning/execution and I'd like to improve how well I flow through a stage and I think some more time in open can help there...

take care!

-rvb

[rvb]

Awesome work. If you don't mind- what kind of drills did you do with dry fire only?

lugnut,

I didn't do any drills with the goal of making M, but just with fixing things that were/are weak areas in my shooting.

I did a LOT of draw drills (draw to first shot, draw SHO/WHO, turn draw, surrender, etc etc). Not with the goal of improving my draw time, but I wanted a rock-solid index. I wanted to be able to draw with eyes closed and the gun be spot on target. Improved draw times were a nice extra benefit.

I worked a lot on my reloads. The goal was somewhat to improve reload times, but the main goal was to improve consistency (no more fumbles or missing the mag well). I also worked a lot on hitting the reload on that first step out of a shooting position.

I worked on calling the last shot in an array before moving/reloading/etc vs getting in to big of a hurry and missing that last shot.

A LOT of my dryfire was spent working on my attitude and tension level. I'm naturally a tense shooter and I wanted to get that tension out of my shoulders, stomach, and mind. For instance I could dryfire an El Prez and realize how I was all tense and frustrated with my practice, then take some time to relax and with no change in technique cut a full second off the drill while seeing more during my shots and reload than I had before. End the end I found it wasn't a matter of tension per say but rather removing the focus on speed ("I'm not reloading fast enough!") and adding a focus on seeing everything. It's almost cliche on this board but until you experience it even in dryfire (and the par timer shows you cutting 25% off the drill w/o changing technique) it's hard to believe. I learned to trust that the speed is there but that "seeing" ensures consistency.

So that's my practice plan in the future... keep finding my weaknesses and working on them. I've neglected SHO/WHO for a while so I want to get back to working on that. I want to work on entering akward shooting positions and being ready to shoot as soon as I get there (I worked on my box-to-box a lot but not so much with weird shooting positions).

so in a nut shell... work on those things you think you are not as good at. And don't focus on doing them "fast" but seeing everything that's happening and doing them right ALL the time [vs super fast some off the time]

-rvb

[rvb]

Congrats! We need more Prod M's in the area

I'm looking forward to getting to meet a lot more IN/OH/MI shooters next season.

Grew up in central OH and still have family there so I'm hoping I can make a couple of your local matches, too.

Go Bucks!

See ya on the range!

-rvb

[nwb01]

Congrats Ryan !!

I was squadded with you at the Ohio State IDPA match this year in Circleville. I will try to make it out to Angola this next year for a match or two, never had a chance this year. I would benefit greatly from shooting with a master like you !!

[rvb]

Congrats Ryan !!

I was squadded with you at the Ohio State IDPA match this year in Circleville. I will try to make it out to Angola this next year for a match or two, never had a chance this year. I would benefit greatly from shooting with a master like you !!

Thanks Nick,

Drop me a PM or email if you are headed to Angola. I think at the end of march they are starting back up with a classifier then April starts their normal 1st-Sunday schedule.

Ugh, the OH IDPA match... don't remind me! what a disaster. I shot two stages well and on one of those my gun puked. Had a lot of personal stuff going on then (see the 3rd link in my OP) and decided the night before to attend. I wasn't prepared mentally or technically for that match, my head was definately elsewhere.

later!

-rvb

[nwb01]

I know it was Ryan. I didn't get a chance to talk to you much but the little I did, I could tell you were someplace else. Looking forward to shooting with you in Angola.

Nick

[SRT Driver]

Nice work RVB!!

You know it takes a alot of work just to get the M card. In my case I had a good couple of months and at that time I was capable of that level of performance in a few instances then the card showed up. Since then, I've had a couple of GM's tell me that you are not a TRUE Master until you place above 85% against the big dogs at a major.

I don't deserve it now, but legit M or Paper M makes absolutly no difference to me..it still is an awesome accomplishment. And it is an accomplishment that no one can take away from you. Enjoy and good luck!! You deserve it.

[rvb]

Nice work RVB!!

You know it takes a alot of work just to get the M card. In my case I had a good couple of months and at that time I was capable of that level of performance in a few instances then the card showed up. Since then, I've had a couple of GM's tell me that you are not a TRUE Master until you place above 85% against the big dogs at a major.

I don't deserve it now, but legit M or Paper M makes absolutly no difference to me..it still is an awesome accomplishment. And it is an accomplishment that no one can take away from you. Enjoy and good luck!! You deserve it.

Thanks so much, SRT Driver!

I personally don't buy into the "paper" vs "true" class debate. Last month I was an "A" shooter. Getting a new card in the mail doesn't have magic powers and suddenly I'll be in the top of my new class at Nats. Getting a new card is a great metric; it's a tool to show my work is accomplishing "something" and a goal to keep me motivated. But it doesn't really relate to matches. As a "new" master I can expect to be at the bottom of the M-barrel and even to get beat by some A's. I don't feel that makes me less of a "true" master.

I've always thought the idea that you have to shoot some % at a major or else be labeled a "paper" M/GM/whatever is totally bogus... the fastest of the fast can shoot OVER 100% classifier scores but they are rounded down to 100% for the classification system. The score at a major match is match dependent. In other words if the classification system was based on the fastest guy's score, current 85% HF's wouldn't even come close. apples and oranges.

In matches really I just want to see where I rank in my division. A "class win" seems a lot like an attendance award. I only have a couple of trophies I am truly proud of and they are ones where I received the trophy for being in the top group of shooters.

Don't "deserve" your card? I say BS!

You earned it! You may not always shoot at that level as life/priorities can change, but you obviously know what it takes to get there.

Thanks,

-rvb

[SRT Driver]

Roger that!

The point is we play a game and someone has to win. But the reasons people play the game are as varied as the people who play it.

A few play to discover something. To them, the trophy doesn't matter. It is the result of asking the right question and recognizing the solution at that particlular time in that specific situation while knowing that solution may not be the only one.

[ogiebb]

Congrats :cheers: