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Old October 12, 2002, 12:27 PM   #1
caz223
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Name one thing you learned at your last match...

I went to a steel plate match today. (My second.)
I learned a few things...
1. Don't plan ahead, at least not before you know what's going on. I was surprised on how well I shot the course the first time (Last month.) I saw the guys with really good times were shooting with red dots. I got another gun (A carbon copy of my first gun, but with a firepoint dot sight already installed.) I assumed it would automatically cut a second or two from my time.
How wrong I was. It ADDED 5 seconds!!!!
2. If you don't think you have to aim, don't aim, just shoot.
3. Smooth counts for more than style points.

What kinds of things did you learn when you first started shooting sports?
And what did you learn at your last match?
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Old October 12, 2002, 12:33 PM   #2
fed168
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If the time says 2 minutes or 20 seconds, use it all. The high master shooters in my league use all available time. Another thing was not to push on the barricade, since that leads to poor shot placement on the target.
Don't think too much or make last minute equipment checks, and be alone when you load magazines or need some prep time. To some folks that may seem like you are rude or unsociable, but there is plenty of time for that after the match.
Probably the most important, concentrate, front sight, front sight, etc.
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Old October 12, 2002, 01:56 PM   #3
Navy joe
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USPSA

1. Having a plan before you start shooting cuts your time dramatically. Especially when you have to reload every time you move. ( L10 w/ 8rd mags)

2. You cannot miss a mini-popper fast enough, but it sure does piss you off.

3. Don't shoot a match Sunday if you're dog tired from shooting one Saturday.

4. It's legal under U.S. rules to clear a jam by beating the crap out of your gun on a prop, as long as it's done safely.

5. Having a safe handling area in the shot fall zone of a skeet range sucks.


6. That was so fun I have to do it every weekend.
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Old October 12, 2002, 03:30 PM   #4
Correia
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From 3 gun:

1. Practice shooting long range targets from field expediant positions more. Prone. Kneeling. Using unstable barricades.
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Old October 12, 2002, 05:30 PM   #5
tommygun45
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Murphy is at every match

1)Slow is Smooth
2)Smooth is Fast
3)Fast is Deadly

4)Frontsight, Press

5)Always bring extra ammo

6)Every plan is a good plan untill the timer goes off
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Old October 12, 2002, 09:02 PM   #6
WESHOOT2
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WHAT I LEARNT

My Witness in 41AE, crappy trigger and all, can run splits under .3.

"A" (or whatever they call that round circle in the center of the IDPA target)-hits.
Six shots.
Under four seconds.
Shooting backwards.
One-handed.

For real.

Wonder what I'll learn tomorrow (gonna shoot the same gun)?
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Old October 13, 2002, 08:32 AM   #7
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Tendonitis and strong hand standards at the same time sucks.
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Old October 13, 2002, 01:01 PM   #8
Dump1567
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USPSA
1. slow down and aim- you can't miss fast enough.

2. take more time on my walk through and plan.

XD skills challenge
1. The Springfield XD trigger cuts my trigger finger when it recoils.

2. .357 sig is a powerful round.

I'm sure I learned more, but I already forgot it.
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Old October 13, 2002, 07:09 PM   #9
barswaygo
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That I shoot like crap when I am the RO and have a lot of new shooters in the squad and I shoot last.
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Old October 13, 2002, 08:10 PM   #10
ZipTieNinja
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1. Cheap mags suck (not my personal exp, but it happened today)

2. I LOVE THIS STUFF!

3. Its legal to shoot through the barricads with a .223

4. A Beretta is a fine firearm, esp the 92G Elite II

5. Stripper clips rule!


A guy shot through the baricade with a .223 by mistake, and the 1 by 1 target stand arm never had a chance, and he hit the targets! I won' t tell names, but he might.
I think he was looking through the scope at the targets....

Never underestimate stripper clips! I had to use them because the SKS I have is still stock, with the built in 10rd mag. Everyone else had 30rd mags, and the stage was 18 rds, no reloads for anyone but me... 3rd place finish! That was using 2 pistols and the sks, but still....

Stay safe.
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Old October 14, 2002, 11:23 AM   #11
Jhp147
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timer amnesia

Timer buzzer amnesia. I have learned that a shooter can have a great perception of what to do and how on a stage. When the timer goes off, the plan and sometimes everything ever learned about shooting a pistol can vanish. Takes quite a few exposures before affect is lessened.
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Old October 14, 2002, 12:33 PM   #12
RickB
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There is absolutely nothing even remotely like "100% reliability" in firearms. Anyone who thinks there is, is kidding themself.
I overheard a guy, who shoots a box-stock Glock 17 in USPSA competition, that he got rid of his 1911's because he didn't like putting-up with their finicky behavior and cost. He said he had put 10,000 rounds through his Glock, without a malfunction. This guy is deluded; he shoots in my squad almost every weekend, and his gun pukes on him almost every weekend. I'll call that "100% reliability of the mind" - even if it ain't true, keep telling yourself that.
I'm working on one of those costly/finicky 1911's, and was feeling pretty good about my project, having had one failure to feed in 500 rounds of range-brass reloads (this gun will replace a gun that has had one FTF in maybe 3000 rounds). Then, on the last stage of the day, my gun turned into a single shot. I had to "tap" the butt (SLAM is more like it) to urge each and every round up the feedramp, on a 28-round stage. Took the gun home, and it flawlessly cycled five different rounds through five different mags. That's reality. Any mechanical device, regardless of how it worked yesterday, or five minutes ago, can fail; be prepared for it.
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Old October 14, 2002, 07:50 PM   #13
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I can't run as fast as I used to.....
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Old October 15, 2002, 04:42 AM   #14
WESHOOT2
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FROM SUNDAY'S MATCH

My 41AE will shoot through 3" of hardwood and still knock over steel.

Cool.

40 S&W, HA!
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Old October 15, 2002, 09:34 AM   #15
Steve Smith
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From a Highpower Rifle perspective

Shoot as fast as you can accurately do so in the slow prone event. 20 minutes for 20 shots. I finished with 10:?? left, and had 11 x's. Don't give your eyes time to get tired.
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Old October 18, 2002, 11:18 AM   #16
Lotzinger
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here is something i learned at my first ipsc-match:

keep your magazines strong fixed ... it´s a bad feeling, when you reach for your mag to reload and it isn´t where it should be ...
(i ´ve lost them while starting my run to the first box)

and there is still another thing, that i learned:
"sanded" magazines don´t work pretty well !!!

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Old October 18, 2002, 05:30 PM   #17
Dr.Rob
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1. FRONT SIGHT!
2. Pratice shooting one handed!
3. Have fun!
4. Make friends!
5. Maybe it is time to bevel the mag well on my Hi-Power clone.
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Old October 18, 2002, 07:28 PM   #18
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Breathe:
Relax:
Squeeze:
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Old October 18, 2002, 08:08 PM   #19
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Yup, relax is the BIG one for me.
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Old October 19, 2002, 02:03 AM   #20
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I've got a lot to work on, but will do so one step at a time.
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Old October 19, 2002, 11:26 AM   #21
tommygun45
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Well I just learned I better bring a Second gun to out of town matches. The first shot of the second stage I broke the barrel bushing on my Kimber custom. No second gun, no spare bushing, no more shooting. I thought I had a fairly solid parts kit. I've never seen a bushing snap off before.
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Old October 19, 2002, 03:52 PM   #22
ClydeVA
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Look out if Zip the Ninja comes out to play

1. Understand how the scoring works for the Match you are at.

2. Don't count a fellow out cause he is using Stripper Clip's

3 Just because you can see the sights and the Target does not mean your muzzle is clear of the Barricade ZTN - Depends where you shoot if this is OK - 99.9% this is a big NO-NO lucky it was cardboard - (Straight Sights no Scope)

4 If you are not having Fun you are doing something wrong.

5. Bring a Chair to the match and naps
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Old October 20, 2002, 12:41 AM   #23
Archie
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Just came back from Arizona Match...

1. Having the gun "sighted in" is good!.

2. Having ammo that works every time is good!

3. Practise the basics, more than just "sighting in" gun is really good!

4. Paying attention to what you do, even if you aren't having a great day will help a lot.

5. If you quit, you die.
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Old October 20, 2002, 08:14 AM   #24
fed168
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In our league in NC, the second most important thing is BBQ for lunch following the match.
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Old October 20, 2002, 07:54 PM   #25
Christopher II
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At the yearly night IDPA match last night:

- Have a sturdy flashlight. Get a good one, a Surefire or Scorpion is probably best. Sturdiness, reliability, and focused brightness are paramount. Work flashlight manipulation into your dryfire routine.

- Luminescent night sights are an absolute 100% requirement on a defensive pistol. A flashlight alone won't cut it, because that flashlight won't illuminate your sights. There are many occasions where there will be enough ambient light to identify a target as a threat, but not enough to see your sights. Which leads into the next thing...

- If you can't (or won't) use your sights, don't expect to hit anything. Point shooting at anything past twice arms length is gun-rag BS.

Most important...

- Take a notebook to your next match. During breaks or between stages, think about your performance. Write down your thoughts. Take notes, and study them afterwards.

- Chris
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