Been awhile

It has been awhile since I have updated my blog.  I have shot a bunch of matches in the last few months and things have been going pretty well.  I will be going back through them and putting up some recaps of each of them in the next few days.

2012 LA State IDPA Championship

            The opening match of my 2012 season ahs come and gone and even though I had a few slight issues I finished fairly well.  I was 1^st place SSP Master and 3^rd overall out of 150+ shooters.  I know in my last post here I was talking about using the Glock and that it was going well…….well after a lot of comparisons I decided to go back to the CZ 75 Shadow.  It is may a touch slower but I have the confidence to make the tough shots and in IDPA that goes a long way.

I will do a quick breakdown of the stages…

Stage 1 – A quick 6 reload 6 drill.  Went pretty well just relaxed my focus a touch on the last shot and dropped 1 point. 

Stage 2 – Pretty decent stage but was playing Elmer Fudd hunting rabbits around the barrel at P2.  It cost me a little bit of time.

Stage 3 – This was the first stage I shot, and it went pretty well considering it was early, a little chilly, and more that a touch slippery.

Stage 4 – I was going pretty good on the stage until the last target.  Ther tarp they used to enclose the building was flapping around inside the door and I couldn’t get a good sight picture on the last target.  Took a little time to find the -0 and then with it slightly obscured I ended up with a make up shot I didn’t need.

Stage 5 – The boat.  Interesting stage and I was glad I didn’t have to shoot it early.  With targets placed behind a picket fence I knew I would be better off waiting until later in the day.  This is why I don’t think a prop like this is best for a sanctioned match.  I cost myself time on the swinger, as soon as I was done shooting I knew I should have attacked that differently.

Stage 6 – Good stage with a choice of going left or right first.  I shot it in a good time but got sloppy on the movers.  They were easy shots but for some reason I decided to put a little lead on them even though they were barely moving, this cost me 5 points on those 2 targets.

Stage 7 – I had a good plan but the targets were tucked in behind stacks of barrels at 15+ yards.  I knew I had 2 shots hit the barrels so I had to make them up which forced me to reload before I move instead of while I was moving.  Again cost me time.

Stage 8 – This was the most interesting stage.  15 targets (11 static, 1 swinger, 1 dropturner, and 2 steel) all getting 1 scored shot.  The stage was not scored Limited Vickers but they made it so by limiting the rounds you could carry, gun loaded to 6 and 6 rounds in only 2 other ammo devices regardless of division.  Interesting concept but I am not sure the legality of handing out multiple FTN’s in this stage.  I shot it OK but rushed 1 shot, called a wide 1 but it turned out to be barely a 3…………..and a FTN.

Stage 9 – Another good stage as far as design but this one cost me the most out of the few bobbles I had in the match.  The 3^rd target I engaged was an easy stating but I rushed the shot to get to the swinger when it was in the position I wanted and that got me a miss.  Again the used a picket fence, this time in front of a pop-up target.  I didn’t index to the right spot when the target cam up and had to pop 2 rounds quickly, of course the last one found the fence and didn’t score on the target, so that was another miss.  13 down on that stage was just a killer.

Final thoughts

Overall the match went well.  The stages were fun to shoot and the match staff was great as usual.  I left atleast 16 seconds out there in sloppy of unlucky shooting, 41 points down and half of that in 2 stages is not good enough to get it done.  I will be working on a few things and be back at it in a few weeks at the MVSA Regional.  

New Season, new gun

Well, winter is here but that does not mean we are not shooting, at least here in TX. I have been thinking the last few months about my competition guns and what I like and don't like about them. After looking at them I decided that I would try a Glock. Now I will say that I think they are great guns but I am not a fan. They are like grabbing a 2x4 and have no aesthetic value at all, but they do work and work pretty well.

What lead me to this was a couple of things that I think the Glock brings to the table with it's design. First, you can get a higher grip on a Glock and closer to the bore line with a Glock than just about any other handgun. Even with my small (but fat) hands I can pretty much engulf the gun with my grip, this is huge in controlling recoil. The second aspect is the grip angle. This is the part that most that don't like GLocks really don't like, the grip angle is such a departure from every other platform that it feels odd. What makes this work for competition shooting is in the way it helps the shooter roll the wrist forward to keep the sights on target thus putting the right amount of tension in the wrist. This tension also transfers into the forearm and shoulders which really aids in recoil control. THe last part is the trigger. Being a constant pull and after some minor parts and polish a very short and light constant pull makes it ideal for the shooting sports.

I decided to go with the 17, I know just about every shooter and their brother says the 34 is better, but for me the 17 just balances better. Sight radius is not an issue since the sight radius is the same on the 17 as every 1911 I have. Extended controls was not a concern either (will talk about that in a minute). I have had the gun for a few weeks and I think I finally have it where I want it. I changed the sights (black rear FO front), new connector, put in a LW adjustable trigger housing, lighter springs, and added some grip tape. I am still running the stock mag and slide release but I may try out the extended parts. I am little weary on the extended parts because I have seen too many shooters kick the mag out on table starts or ride the slide release during shooting. But I know enough people that run Glocks that I can borrow some parts to try.

After all the parts and playing I took it out to shoot some matches and drills. SO far so good, I am a little slow with some parts since I am getting used to it. As far as shooting, well I can shoot it faster with tighter groups then any of my other guns, once I got used to the grip it points and controls very well. Splits, Transitions, and points down have all improved. Mozambique's for instance, with the 1911 9mm I was around 1.8, CZ 1.75 range, and with the Glock I am at 1.5. Draw speed is pretty much on par with the CZ and around 1.15 from cover. Seven yard hammer drills dropped a touch also with a much, much tighter group. The only part that is slower at the moment is the reloads. I am just having issues with the getting the gun back into battery because I am fumbling with the slide release. It just seems to be in an awkward spot for me but with some more practice I think I will be quicker than with the other guns.

I can't say that I will stick with the Glock for good but I want to give it a true test. For around $700 all in with extra mags, holster, and parts I added you really can't go wrong.

Here is a video of the first monthly match I have shot with the Glock.