The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Will competition get you killed? Police take

Slopemeno · July 26, 2012, 10:56 PM

The whole point is to become a better shooter. That unrealistic course of fire is neutral- everyone had to negotiate it. If your only interest is becoming a better shooter with your S&W Model 64 carry gun, then don't worry what the guys with the space guns are up to- you can't keep up with them. Just focus on shooting as well as you possibly can.

Don't be intimidated by the gear you see. Those experienced shooters in A and master class will become your best resource as you get further into the game. They remember their first match, and how hard their heart was beating. You want to get squadded with those guys.

Don't get locked into the "Martial artist, stock gun, carry gear, never practice and I still can't win" mode. I saw this a lot. These guys never showed up on our practice nights, or shot the revolver neutral steel league, , or traveled to other leagues to compete, but were pretty vocal about never winning. I found it pretty interesting that our martial artists split off from our league, and then just stopped showing up for their own practical matches. The key here is to improve- not compete with the Master Class race-gunners.

Get out there. Join a league. If you're uncomfortable, don't suit up your first time, and have the RO's squad you and follow a squad through it's stages without the worry of shooting your first time. Learn to score and follow the RO's instructions. Then come back next time and compete, and focus on accuracy, not speed. Speed will take care of itself.

A year of shooting USPSA will make you a much, much better shooter.

July 26, 2012, 10:56 PM	#59
Slopemeno Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2007 Posts: 2,663	The whole point is to become a better shooter. That unrealistic course of fire is neutral- everyone had to negotiate it. If your only interest is becoming a better shooter with your S&W Model 64 carry gun, then don't worry what the guys with the space guns are up to- you can't keep up with them. Just focus on shooting as well as you possibly can. Don't be intimidated by the gear you see. Those experienced shooters in A and master class will become your best resource as you get further into the game. They remember their first match, and how hard their heart was beating. You want to get squadded with those guys. Don't get locked into the "Martial artist, stock gun, carry gear, never practice and I still can't win" mode. I saw this a lot. These guys never showed up on our practice nights, or shot the revolver neutral steel league, , or traveled to other leagues to compete, but were pretty vocal about never winning. I found it pretty interesting that our martial artists split off from our league, and then just stopped showing up for their own practical matches. The key here is to improve- not compete with the Master Class race-gunners. Get out there. Join a league. If you're uncomfortable, don't suit up your first time, and have the RO's squad you and follow a squad through it's stages without the worry of shooting your first time. Learn to score and follow the RO's instructions. Then come back next time and compete, and focus on accuracy, not speed. Speed will take care of itself. A year of shooting USPSA will make you a much, much better shooter.