This past weekend was the Space City Challenge. I don't shoot a bunch of USPSA matches and my performance this weekend showed. I was slow on some stages due to bad planning or very bad execution of my plan and on top of that my trigger control was not what I needed. I have been shooting my 1911 9mm in IDPA for a month or so and had neglected to get some decent practice in with my production gun and it showed. I had a bunch of misses, not off the paper but just off target where they caught the hard cover.
The Match itself was a lot of fun. The stages were all pretty good, there were a couple that made you really plan which targets you were engaging from each spot so you didn't skip one or waste time by shooting one twice. I made some real bone head moves that really cost me time, like hitting a steel activator and just waiting for the swinger....and waiting.....and waiting.....but then realizing that it didn't activate. It is always tough for me to get in a groove when shooting USPSA because of the scoring system and shooting with guys running open and limited guns. I have a pretty good feel for what a good stage in IDPA would be but get a little lost on that aspect when shooting USPSA. That will improve when I shoot more.
I did finish second in C Production which is OK but a little bit of a let down since I should be a B class shooter and be running with some of the A class guys. I just never got in the groove and couldn't get things rolling to build on some momentum. There is always next match though so I will practice some and get back on track
Lessons Learned:
Don't take the shooting for granted. If you haven't used a platform for a few months don't assume that when you go back to it you will pick up where you were. If you plan on shooting a particular gun at a big match get some practice in with it and don't assume anything.
Sights are great and getting them on target as quick as possible is what you want but don't forget about the trigger control. Leaving that piece out makes all the sight work a moot point.
Even when you think your match is going real bad go into every stage as a fresh stage. Let the one you can't change go and work on nailing the one you are about to shoot.
Here is the video.............if anything it keep some amused.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
2010 Coastal Bend Challenge - ESP Division Champion
The IDPA 2010 Coastal Bend Challenge was this past weekend. IT was a pretty good match, the stages were pretty good and the weather threatened rain but it stayed away long enough for us to shoot. I had a pretty good match and was real happy about how I shot. I could have gone a little faster and I knew that while I was shooting but I was working hard on just taking the time I needed to see the front sight, no more time, no less. Where I lost a little time was on transitions and some movement. I still need to work on those things. I shot well enough to win ESP Division Champion and I was 3rd overall out of 100 shooters.
The things I didn't like about the match were some of the interpretations of the rules. They allowed some things that are really not legal and that were against the rulebook, most of the calls may have made the match easier but when you are used to following what the rulebook says you kinda get a little lost when it isn't followed. I will say that they were consistent on how they applied the rules they were using so that did help a little. As I mentioned the stages were pretty good but it would have been better if the rules were 100% followed.
I have been shooting a 1911 9mm for the last month and it is really a great shooter. I was able to make up for some slower movement and other things by getting faster and more accurate splits. I am real happy in the way the gun is handling and it is very accurate so as long as I do my part I know I will get good hits.
The only stage that caused me a little trouble was stage 3. I shot this right after lunch and I didn't get my head completely back into shooting mode. You had to fire 6 rounds while backing out of a hallway and I got more wrapped up in counting my shots instead of focusing where those shots were going. It didn't hurt me too bad though, I was only 8 down but at most I think about 3 down should have been max on that stage. I shot the whole match only 20 down, no misses, not 3's, no penalties, just a clean match. That is what you need to do if you want to run up front.
This weekend is Space City, a USPSA match, then the Texas State IDPA match in about 6 weeks.
The things I didn't like about the match were some of the interpretations of the rules. They allowed some things that are really not legal and that were against the rulebook, most of the calls may have made the match easier but when you are used to following what the rulebook says you kinda get a little lost when it isn't followed. I will say that they were consistent on how they applied the rules they were using so that did help a little. As I mentioned the stages were pretty good but it would have been better if the rules were 100% followed.
I have been shooting a 1911 9mm for the last month and it is really a great shooter. I was able to make up for some slower movement and other things by getting faster and more accurate splits. I am real happy in the way the gun is handling and it is very accurate so as long as I do my part I know I will get good hits.
The only stage that caused me a little trouble was stage 3. I shot this right after lunch and I didn't get my head completely back into shooting mode. You had to fire 6 rounds while backing out of a hallway and I got more wrapped up in counting my shots instead of focusing where those shots were going. It didn't hurt me too bad though, I was only 8 down but at most I think about 3 down should have been max on that stage. I shot the whole match only 20 down, no misses, not 3's, no penalties, just a clean match. That is what you need to do if you want to run up front.
This weekend is Space City, a USPSA match, then the Texas State IDPA match in about 6 weeks.
Monday, April 5, 2010
WHIPDA Monthly Match
We had the monthly match this weekend. It was a pretty good match, we tried a couple of ideas that we were thinking about using in the Labor Day match we are doing this year. It was also the first monthly match I shot with my new gun, a Springfield 1911 9mm. I have only had it for about a week or so and needed to get a match with it so I can feel comfortable with it at Corpus this weekend.
Forst of all the gun runs great and is a blast to shoot. The 1911 platform always points well and in 9mm it is a super flat, quick shooting gun. There are a couple of things I am getting used to that differ slightly from my M&P but overall it is working pretty well for me. I have shot and won 2 weekly matches and this monthly match I did OK, 4th overall and it wasn't the gun that let me down.
This match had some movement, some movers, and some other things that made your choices important. Most of the choices I made were pretty good, I just slipped a little bit in the execution in some areas. I have been working on my trigger control but I still had a few shots that were off do to bad trigger work. I was also not focusing on just the front sight, I was thinking about other things while I was shooting so I went a little slower than I though I could. I got good hits but was just a tick slow, especially on transitions. Overall a good match tough, was happy with how I shot and feel that I am ready for this weekend at Corpus and next weekend at Space City.
Lessons Learned:
Not a whole bunch more than what I mentioned, just focus on the front sight and the rest will take care of itself. Don't get lost in the minutia of the stage becuse it will just slow you down. Also make your choice on ho to shoot the stage and then stick to it. Even if you watched someone else do it another way stick to your plan. It is your plan and most likely will be better for your shooting, stick to it, trust it and then execute it.
Forst of all the gun runs great and is a blast to shoot. The 1911 platform always points well and in 9mm it is a super flat, quick shooting gun. There are a couple of things I am getting used to that differ slightly from my M&P but overall it is working pretty well for me. I have shot and won 2 weekly matches and this monthly match I did OK, 4th overall and it wasn't the gun that let me down.
This match had some movement, some movers, and some other things that made your choices important. Most of the choices I made were pretty good, I just slipped a little bit in the execution in some areas. I have been working on my trigger control but I still had a few shots that were off do to bad trigger work. I was also not focusing on just the front sight, I was thinking about other things while I was shooting so I went a little slower than I though I could. I got good hits but was just a tick slow, especially on transitions. Overall a good match tough, was happy with how I shot and feel that I am ready for this weekend at Corpus and next weekend at Space City.
Lessons Learned:
Not a whole bunch more than what I mentioned, just focus on the front sight and the rest will take care of itself. Don't get lost in the minutia of the stage becuse it will just slow you down. Also make your choice on ho to shoot the stage and then stick to it. Even if you watched someone else do it another way stick to your plan. It is your plan and most likely will be better for your shooting, stick to it, trust it and then execute it.
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