Thursday, August 2, 2012

IDPA Thursday

If I ever learn how to follow directions, I might get a little competitive at this. I was either hot or cold on a given stage tonight. One stage I'd smoke it, the next just totally duff it.

My worst stage of the night should have been the easiest - hammer drill. First mag loaded to six. Six shots to the body, reload, two shots to the head, distance to targets was close enough even I could see the holes. My body group was not bad. I pushed the trigger bigger than shit on the two head shots and very precisely missed.  Had I been more attentive, I would have known I was limited to two shots at the head. Dumbass me missed the two, and figured, hell I 've got 8 more, keep at it.
10 points down on that stage. I did eventually get two in the head. With the time penalties, I think my time on that stage was about 10 hours 15 seconds.

The most interesting thing tonight was shooting in the dark with a flashlight. I've not done that before, and come to think of it, the opportunity to do so doesn't present itself every day.  Six targets total, two of which are no-shoots.  While standing behind cover, the no shoot targets are re-positioned for each shooter.  One shot in each of the four viable targets. To my surprise, I got a clean run on this stage, nothing but net.

The thing that has become patently clear to me from shooting IDPA matches is that shooting under time pressure highlights every little fumble with drawing, shooting, tactical reload, or dropping an empty mag and reloading.  I need to do a little training on this.

Oh, I almost forgot my best duff of the night. On a tactical reload, I failed to seat the mag all the way and on the following shot, the mag said CYA and dropped to the floor.  Video at ten.

4 comments:

  1. One of these darn days I will make it.

    Flashlight may have been a bit challenging for first outing.

    Youngest daughter had a gymnastics makeup and the wife had scheduled a girls night at a local wine bar.

    I know this next thurs us out since I'll be in Seattle.

    Now the wife wants to move our gym trainer to Thurs.
    This is killing me.

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    1. There will come a time when you will look back at these busy busy days and miss them. My kiddos are grown and working on the final launch sequence. I don't see much of them anymore.

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  2. Those "fumbles" are great learning tools. I recently got some new mags with thicker base pads. Practiced inserting them, etc, then went to a USPSA match. Then noticed that whenever loaded on of the new mags *while moving* I failed to seat it all the way. Went home and practiced a bunch. Better to have learned it under the clock than under fire!

    Yea, and I seem to have one of *those* stages at every match; screws the pooch on my overall score.

    Cheers.

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    Replies
    1. "Better to have learned it under the clock than under fire!"

      Ain't that the truth!

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