Flexmoney Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 We see this one often enough at the local clubs. We can always tell where (which local gun store) the "new guy" has been shopping...by what gear he shows up with. (if you are a "new guy" reading this...don't be discouraged. Most gear is good now days. Bring what you have and get rolling with it) I recall the the first 3-gun match from last year. There was this retired couple. They were all decked out in the latest and greatest of the [brand name striker] fired pistol and black rifles. I don't know if this was the first trip to the range for that gear...but it was still pretty shiny and new looking. And, it ran like it. All day long...jams and problems. Folks, know that the name on the side of the gun isn't going to make it work. You have to clean it. You have to properly lubricate it. You have to shoot it enough to break it in. You have to feed it ammo that it likes. You have to use magazines that it likes. And....YOU, the shooter need to realize that you are just as much a part of the overall "shooting system" as all of that other stuff I just mentioned. Rule #1 ... Bring stuff that works! Shooting is fun. Make sure you are shooting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MemphisMechanic Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 (edited) What brand were these hats they were wearing, and how did headwear figure into the problem? Edited April 26, 2009 by MemphisMechanic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mscott Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 I think that first match last year taught a LOT of shooters some lessons. It seemed there were quite a few guns there that hadn't seen much use, which of course leads to mag problems with the rifles, lack of enough choke in the shotgun to take down steel, guns not running with the cheap ammo bought the day before the match, and such. Reloads for the rifles were a problem for a couple of shooters when they didn't size their cases properly. One other common problem was lack of lubrication on the rifles and shotguns. If it moves, oil it. Definately a lot learned that day whether you were watching it go down or struggling with a problem. I learned something as well ..... I bought a Benelli after the 2nd match The good part is that with multigun being a new game for that club, it got a few new shooters drawn in and gave everyone a reason to break out their other toys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boz1911 Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 The real problem is they dont read the Enos forum prior to starting their shooting career....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j1b Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 We see this one often enough at the local clubs. We can always tell where (which local gun store) the "new guy" has been shopping...by what gear he shows up with. (if you are a "new guy" reading this...don't be discouraged. Most gear is good now days. Bring what you have and get rolling with it) I recall the the first 3-gun match from last year. There was this retired couple. They were all decked out in the latest and greatest of the [brand name striker] fired pistol and black rifles. I don't know if this was the first trip to the range for that gear...but it was still pretty shiny and new looking. And, it ran like it. All day long...jams and problems. Folks, know that the name on the side of the gun isn't going to make it work. You have to clean it. You have to properly lubricate it. You have to shoot it enough to break it in. You have to feed it ammo that it likes. You have to use magazines that it likes. And....YOU, the shooter need to realize that you are just as much a part of the overall "shooting system" as all of that other stuff I just mentioned. Rule #1 ... Bring stuff that works! Shooting is fun. Make sure you are shooting. Great post Flex - Success in this game is contingent upon equipment working properly. I will point out that this is an anomoly not unique to the new guys. One of my own mistakes over the past several months has been not insuring my own gear was set up properly. I had a unique gun issue that I was pretty diligent about getting fixed - but to be honest I let some things slide with sticky mags and mag pouches not adjusted properly for some time. It took one night of some tweaking and checking and a lot of the little hang up at the matches started happening a lot less. I'm reasonably old hat at this gig, have shot on some pretty big stages, and had to relearn this very lesson myself. Life is SO much better when equipment works and you can just focus on the shooting. Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SA Friday Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 Well, to expand on this a little. I can shoot high A low M class with my Glocks in production. Some of my equipment is cheap stuff, but it works and has years of use on it. I am switching to Limited with STI gear; BHFF, HSMITH mags, reloads that run the gun. The gun and gear is new and shiny, but all of it runs like a raped ape. The shooter on the other hand doesn't. Even if the gear is 100% and hours of dry firing has occurred, I'm learning the switch can drastically impact your shooting. I know it's simply a matter of getting used to the gun, load and gear, but it's really apparent when one's draw to first shot is in the 2+second area (damn that thing you're supposed to put your thumb on before the gun will go bang ). So, even if it's not a new shooter, but new gear, there is a learning curve. I'm experienced enough that I DID wear a very used and broken in hat though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihatepickles Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 ...and how did headwear figure into the problem? Do you remember the first time you went prone with a pistol while wearing a ballcap? That never ends well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Keen Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 (edited) I recall the the first 3-gun match from last year. There was this retired couple. They were all decked out in the latest and greatest of the [brand name striker] fired pistol and black rifles. I don't know if this was the first trip to the range for that gear...but it was still pretty shiny and new looking. And, it ran like it. All day long...jams and problems. Rule #1 ... Bring stuff that works! You are correct Sir! But with that said, even those shooters who have their sh#t all squared away had to start somewhere. Experience can not be bought at the gun-store, the day before your first match. I learn something new almost every time I go out and shoot a match. Whether it's that my mag-pouches slide around my belt and need to be tightened up for the sake of consistency, or that I have 1 mag that likes to hang in the gun and not drop freely. I believe that new gear should be broken in before going to a club match (certainly a Major match), but sometimes IT IS the club matches where the gear gets the most breaking in. Like I said you gotta start somewhere .... but like Kyle said shooting is FUN! - fighting with your equipment is not. At the very least you should know which ammo your gun likes. Edited April 26, 2009 by Chris Keen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 haha. Shot the PSA today with a new gun. I.E. gunsmith handed it to me last friday. Ran about 100 rounds through it and was like oh yeah that works. So low and behold go to PSA gun runs like a raped ape. Two minor problems I did not find out just shooting it and going ok. First was chamber was a bit shallow for my 9mm loads at 1.20 easy fix, never noticed just popping around. Did notice when I went to unload and show clear. Second was on my old guns I grind off the tab on the back of the slide stop. Well this is new, not ground as it should come. Low and behold my mags all lock the slide back with one in the mag. Overall just little things. Amazing gun built by an amazing smith. Minor problems I would not have noticed just shooting around. I was impressed considering I have not picked up a gun since August or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EkuJustice Posted April 28, 2009 Share Posted April 28, 2009 Lucked out on my rifle, finished building the gun on a saturday, shot 10 shots through it to zero the scope loading 1 round at a time and shot a 3gun match the next day. Lucked out and worked 100 percent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dajarrel Posted April 28, 2009 Share Posted April 28, 2009 At our club, we try to find out what someone has brought to shoot. They may not have a problem at all with it but if they have brought a jam-o-matic, we try to get them into another gun to finish the match. Sometimes, they are going to shoot it regardless of how bad it runs. But we try. In my opinion, the quickest way to lose a potential member is for them not to have fun. A jam-o-matic will ensure that they don't. fwiw dj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S&W627shooter Posted April 28, 2009 Share Posted April 28, 2009 (edited) My Glock has never choked on me ,but my friends who tricked theirs out with awesome aftermarket-have to be fitted-match-grade barrels have had some nasty jams during matches that ended in a group of people giving their expert opinion about how to get that gun unjambed. Have you ever seen someone banging an expensive pistol on a wooden wall? As fun as it looks, I like my simple stock barrel that eats any ammo and never jams. Edited April 28, 2009 by S&W627shooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Amish 1 Posted April 28, 2009 Share Posted April 28, 2009 627, I second the point you make. 1911s/2011s are a fun to shoot fast, but a female canine when they refuse to work. It's difficult to keep a straight face when you see a $4,000.- gun cost a shooter 30 seconds... I have never had problems with my Austrian sports equipment, either. I did for a while shoot revo, though, and, before I started reloading, completely jammed up my "jam-proof" gun when a bullet hopped out of the factory crimp and locked up my gun because the bullet stuck 1/2 way out the cylinder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted April 28, 2009 Share Posted April 28, 2009 I have definitely banged a new open gun off a piece of wood. gets some odd looks at times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyro Shooter Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Still nothing is as much fun as watching half of the squad ahead of you on the next stage sitting in the shade and the other half walking around bent at the waist looking for the latest hidiously expensiveTactycool part that fell in the dirt. Magnets. . .big magnets . . on a stick . . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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