Matthew_Mink Posted August 18, 2003 Share Posted August 18, 2003 Maybe someone will get some good instruction out of this. Matt's Patented Practice/Match/Post Match regimen: Be informed about potential good match within 10 hour drive, check calender. Decide to go, send check and registration info. Make phone call because you forget to mark Division and class. Accept phone call from Match officials because something else on the registration is wrong. Load practice/match ammo, usually 1000 is plenty. Dry-fire practice at the house. Get hotel reservations, realize that somehow the Shriner's, 4Her's, Hell's Angels, and the Democratic party of whichever state you are visiting have the entire city booked. Make plans to go practice live fire. Show up at range, forget key. Go back home, get key. Go back to the range, open gate. Look for targets because you forget them too. Ditto timer, tape, pen, paper, and calculator. Chrono ammo. If you are shooting major in potential match, discover 1000 rds of match ammo is making an incredibly consistant 164.5 pf. If you are shooting minor, discover pf is at 155.3 or 123.9. Cut practice short because you have to load a new batch of ammo. Remember that 1000 rds should be plenty. Decide to cut sleep short also. While loading ammo realize that you do not have the time to chrono this batch, add .2 gr to new load, just to make sure. At this point, 500 rds should be sufficient. More dry fire practice, while practicing the draw, drop gun. Wonder if sights are still aligned, realize you can always find out during the first stage. Pack clothes. Forget to pack hair dryer, razor, shaving cream, and any other toiletries that you always manage to remember. Drive like a maniac because you are going to be later than usual. Get reminded that driving is a privelage, not a Right. Show up at first stage just in time to shoot it. Tank first stage, with entire squad looking on. Realize that entire squad is asking each other who you are and what class are you. Get mad at yourself. Burn down 2 to 3 stages, like the entire legions of Hell are after you. Realize that entire squad is asking each other who you are and what class are you. Tank the next stage to remind yourself and the rest of the squad that you are indeed, still human. Get mad at yourself, go to hotel. Lose sleep because after all, you are mad at yourself. Show up way too early next day. Bug the stats people, because you found a scoring error. Get told that D's are worth 2 points, not 3. Or if minor, C's are 3 points, not 4. Burn down 2 to 3 stages, like your life depended on it. Tank the next stage. Try to be mad at yourself, but you are too tired. Burn down the last stage of the match, just to keep it interesting. Go to chrono, wonder how in the world you loaded 187pf ammo. If you are shooting minor, realize that it almost made major. Ignore looks and jeers of the chrono personnel. Pack stuff up, wonder where some mags are. Find mags hours later in your back pocket. Find muffs in bed of truck, wonder how they got there. Realize you forgot folding chairs for awards ceremony. Sit on crate with friends til your back aches. Whine and moan about how horrible you did, this is THE most important step. Accept 1st in your division with a shocked look on your face. See match finals and realize that not only did you beat everyone in your class, but beat everyone a couple of classes above you. Have fun with friends, say goodbye, avoid the people with pitchforks and torches. Coincidentally, these are the same people a couple of classes above you. Drive home, wonder how you did it and wonder how you are going to stay awake for the next 7 hours by yourself. Sing at the top of your voice to stay awake, ignore looks of passersby. Realize that you were going 20mph, speed up. Get caffeine and suger. Pass same people, realize you are going 110mph, slow down. Arrive home, greet spouse. Spend next few hours reading about yourself on emails, internet forums, and maybe even in print. Count how many times the word Sand can be creatively inserted into sentences. Go to bed, realize that you can read the rest of it tomorrow. Wake up, wonder where next match is. _______________________________ It's amazing what you do to entertain yourself on a 7 hour trip back home, by yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Anderson Posted August 18, 2003 Share Posted August 18, 2003 That's pretty good. Sure would be nice to shoot a whole match at our true potential, wouldn't it? SA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paraman1 Posted August 19, 2003 Share Posted August 19, 2003 I shoot lots of matches at my full potential . What I would like to do is shoot a couple above my full potential so I can get the heck out of C class. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDean Posted August 19, 2003 Share Posted August 19, 2003 Very nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew_Mink Posted August 19, 2003 Author Share Posted August 19, 2003 I'm serious, this really works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecutts Posted August 19, 2003 Share Posted August 19, 2003 the proof is in the pudding, or match results . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm iprod Posted August 19, 2003 Share Posted August 19, 2003 The only thing missing from this regimen is. Arrive at Bianchi Cup Practice Match, leaving your holster in the hotel room 1/2hrs drive away, and when you try to use a borrowed holster, the pistol sticks in the holster (after checking in the safety zone at least a dozen times, pistols obviously put on weight when loaded but I did not expect it to get fatter). Two people assist with removal of LOADED pistol from holster. You then drive (very fast) back to hotel to get correct holster. Go "oh f*&^ it" take your own sweet time and drop washing of at laudromat on the way back to range to complete practice. Shoot reasonably well all things considered. You also have to fly half way the world to complete this arrangement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew_Mink Posted January 21, 2004 Author Share Posted January 21, 2004 Resurrection! Now that it is 2004, some of our newer members need to see this so they can excel during the new shooting year. I'm still serious, this really works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Di Vita Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 "Burn down 2 to 3 stages, like the entire legions of Hell are after you." I love that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn jones Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 Pack clothes. Forget to pack hair dryer, razor, shaving cream, and any other toiletries that you always manage to remember. this explains alot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew_Mink Posted January 21, 2004 Author Share Posted January 21, 2004 You sayin' I'm scruffy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BismarckC Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 MM You can now add: -- pack at 3:00 AM while feeding the baby, try not to wake wife -- apologize for waking wife, and child with sound of velcro while adjusting belt for practice session. I am already up so I might as well practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew_Mink Posted January 22, 2004 Author Share Posted January 22, 2004 Ummm, you been eavesdropping? That is eerily close to something that happened a few nights ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BismarckC Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Welcome to the world of parenting. Wait till you find a pacifier in your range bag and an empty bottle of formula. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogmaDog Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 MM, Just in time for my first major match, the upcoming FL Open! And it will be just about a 10 hour drive. "It's 4:00am, I have a full tank of gas, half a box of ammo, it's dark, and I'm wearing sunglasses...hit it!" DD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Perez Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Welcome to the world of parenting. Wait till you find a pacifier in your range bag and an empty bottle of formula. or brass and ear muffs in the diaper bag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TriggerT Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 MM, If I now have to practice all of that, I'm not ever going to make it into A, M, or GM class. I have a hard enough time remebering which target I had planned to shoot next while I was visualizing the stage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew_Mink Posted January 22, 2004 Author Share Posted January 22, 2004 Oh no Tim, you can't practice it, you must live it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TriggerT Posted January 23, 2004 Share Posted January 23, 2004 Yes Zen master. I will BE the bullet. Maa, MAKE the shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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