Practice Anyone?

[Tequila Shooter]

I've been told that I need to practice more, and I agree.  One day I will start practicing, just not today. And although my times are not great, I always have fun and that's why I go.  So my question to everyone especially as many of you are in colder areas of the country, what do you practice?  I've thought about loading the SG since this seems to be where I lose time.  What about you what do you practice?

[M.T Chambers, SASS#76185]

Front sight on the handguns & transitions

[McCandless]

 

I've been told that I need to practice more, and I agree.  One day I will start practicing, just not today. And although my times are not great, I always have fun and that's why I go.  So my question to everyone especially as many of you are in colder areas of the country, what do you practice?  I've thought about loading the SG since this seems to be where I lose time.  What about you what do you practice?

 

While timing some shooters, I've noticed that picking up their shotgun and getting the rounds off was where they lost a lot of time.  At the same shooting position, I saw 11 seconds between last cartridge fired and first shotgun round fired.   

Simply without firing a shot you can practice the transition between a pistol and shotgun or rifle and shotgun.    Put on your rig, a shotgun belt with dummy rounds and start practicing going from one gun to the other, pulling and loading shells, shucking, loading two more, shucking, rinse and repeat.  A timer is your friend.  I have a free app on my (Android) phone that will give you a random start and that can be adjusted to pick up the dry-fire sounds.  It's called IPSC Shot Timer.

 

[Anvil Al #59168]

Transitions, transitions, transitions.

 

Pistol to pistol.

Pistol to rifle to shotgun.

Shotgun to rifle to pistol.

Mix it up.

Sit rifle out on a table. Pick it up like on the clock every time you walk by.

You can do a lot of work with the shotgun with some dummy rounds also.

 

Lots of things a person can work on in the shop or house while never needing to

fire a round if they want.

 

Just MAKE SURE you are practicing the correct way. And not just practicing bad habits.

Deuce Stevens has a good video on YouTube with good shotgun work on it.   

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

Practice??  Does not compute.  I shoot three, sometimes four matches each month during the "season" (we have "seasons" up here).  I consider that sufficient.  "Speed" is no longer in my Lexicon.  "Fun" is my first and foremost consideration.  In pursuit of FUN, rather than chase the mythical Brass Ring, I now Play the game as Silver Senior Frontiersman Frontier Cartridge Gunfighter with Cap Guns.  With 1860 Replicant Henry Rifles.  And Hammer Double shotguns with ALL BRASS 12Ga hulls.  I no longer concern myself with "transitions".  Just "get gun out" then "put gun back" butt without dropping.  Sort of same same thing applies to 12Ga.  Get shotgun shells out, get shotgun shells into gun.  Don't drop shotgun shells.

 

Practice??  Does not compute.  Laser focus I have in spades.  Focus on FUN.  My hat is a great example.

 

During the "off" seasons, I now "practice" getting my guns out of the safe and looking at them fondly.  Wiping them down and putting them back in the safe.  Without dropping the guns.  So far, so Good.

[Anvil Al #59168]

 

[Mud Marine,SASS#54686 Life]

I practice in my home when the weather's too bad. I practice dry firing with snap caps at targets on my wall. I try to improve my transition with the carbine and really work hard on grabbing shells from my belt, loading and firing my double. That's where I lose the most time.

 

Luckily, there's some nearby shooting all year around. Plus, my own "back yard" range never closes!!! 

 

I have a covered shooting area for the left two of my stages so they can be used rain or shine. I also have two clay pigeon throwers to keep me on my toes. I use my timer when going through an entire  scenario. My BPCR bench is uncovered so I don't use it when its covered by several feet of snow!!! 

 

I am seriously considering getting a Texas star. I find them a lot of fun. My targets are a combination of ranges and distances from tiny and far to close and 5' square dump metal.

 

What do you all do?

[Nate Kiowa Jones #6765]

 

 

Practice??  Does not compute.  I shoot three, sometimes four matches each month during the "season" (we have "seasons" up here).  I consider that sufficient.  "Speed" is no longer in my Lexicon.  "Fun" is my first and foremost consideration.  In pursuit of FUN, rather than chase the mythical Brass Ring, I now Play the game as Silver Senior Frontiersman Frontier Cartridge Gunfighter with Cap Guns.  With 1860 Replicant Henry Rifles.  And Hammer Double shotguns with ALL BRASS 12Ga hulls.  I no longer concern myself with "transitions".  Just "get gun out" then "put gun back" butt without dropping.  Sort of same same thing applies to 12Ga.  Get shotgun shells out, get shotgun shells into gun.  Don't drop shotgun shells.

 

Practice??  Does not compute.  Laser focus I have in spades.  Focus on FUN.  My hat is a great example.

 

During the "off" seasons, I now "practice" getting my guns out of the safe and looking at them fondly.  Wiping them down and putting them back in the safe.  Without dropping the guns.  So far, so Good.

 

Yep,

Each persons fun can be defined differently. Your post reminded me of a feller many years back. He was a former USPSA competitor and felt the targets were to big and too close.  I explained to him that CAS was designed so even the complete firearms novice could enjoy the game. I told him that is why you see so many husband and wife teams. For many of the ladies the shooting was secondary to the dress up.

His comment was,  "This is just a dang costume party with guns" 

My comment was,"Now you got it" 

[Turkey Flats Jack]

I know I should practice transitions but meh I do it for the fun but it's more fun when I score better. what's a cowboy to do. lol I think transitions are where most folks lose most of their time. I do practice for a couple minutes before I load my guns into the cases to go to a match.  Mostly just trying to figure out how to do stuff. I still dont have a set pattern to how I transition from one gun to another. A lot of bad habits from growing up doing things without any thought or real reason to it. 

[Marshal Chance Morgun]

I tried it once. Decided I wanted to try a cross draw holster instead of double strong side. Would draw and holster 50 times a day for a month. First stage of the next match I reached for a gun that wasn't there. Decided that I should practice transitions and SG loading.

 

[Null N. Void]

You can integrate practice into an exercise routine.   As we go older, flexibility tends to go away.  Running dry fire stages and moving is an excellent way to keep your hands, arms and legs flexing.   It also helps eye hand coordination which is good for everything.  

 

You get the benefit of some exercise if you work it hard and also will reduce your times.  Both are good things.

 

 

 

[Yusta B.]

Lifting beer mugs has always worked for me --- actually not that well, but I enjoy it tremendously !      

[Widder, SASS #59054]

 

You can integrate practice into an exercise routine.   As we go older, flexibility tends to go away.  Running dry fire stages and moving is an excellent way to keep your hands, arms and legs flexing.   It also helps eye hand coordination which is good for everything.  

 

You get the benefit of some exercise if you work it hard and also will reduce your times.  Both are good things.

 

 

 

 

^..... this is what I try to do, especially during the colder weather months.   

 

..........Widder

 

[Marshal Chance Morgun]

Each persons fun can be defined differently. Your post reminded me of a feller many years back. He was a former USPSA competitor and felt the targets were to big and too close.  I explained to him that CAS was designed so even the complete firearms novice could enjoy the game. I told him that is why you see so many husband and wife teams. For many of the ladies the shooting was secondary to the dress up.His comment was, 

 

"This is just a dang costume party with guns"

 

Said the guy who wears this to shoot!

 

 

 

[Sarge]

Dry fire with pistols.  Loading and dry fire with 97.

[Rye Miles #13621]

Dry fire with the pistols, loading with the double. In the OFF months here,Dec-April, I go to the indoor range a few times a month and I try to go to an indoor cowboy shoot (that is about an hour drive if the weather is not too bad to drive) for some "trigger time".

[Kirk James]

I

 

Practice?  Who practices.  Make use of the space you have.  There is 3 bays for transition.  The tether ball on the rope is used for moving targets.  I can add a table through the walk way for a down range bay.  This area is where it all  began.

[Major BS Walker Regulator]

I shoot 4 matches a month. No time to practice.

[Dusty Devil Dale]

 

 

Yep,

Each persons fun can be defined differently. Your post reminded me of a feller many years back. He was a former USPSA competitor and felt the targets were to big and too close.  I explained to him that CAS was designed so even the complete firearms novice could enjoy the game. I told him that is why you see so many husband and wife teams. For many of the ladies the shooting was secondary to the dress up.

His comment was,  "This is just a dang costume party with guns" 

My comment was,"Now you got it" 

Was it the husband's or the wives who were the assumed "complete firearms novices"?  Be careful how you answer.  Bonnie M. might be reading here, and she a long ways from being a novice! 

[Tennessee williams]

 

I shoot 4 matches a month. No time to practice.

At 20 seconds per stage and 5 stages, that's 400 seconds a month. There are over 2 1/2 million seconds in a month. You have time to practice.

[Tennessee williams]

    I put a pretty good bit of time in just picking my guns up;and, a pretty good bit of time on transitions.

    You can practice dry firing those pistolas driving down the road or sitting on the crapper. 

   

[Rye Miles #13621]

 

I shoot 4 matches a month. No time to practice.

You shoot all year down there?? Just curious.

[Imis Twohofon,SASS # 46646]

Rye We schedule first and third Sat. matches all year long. We cancel if the predicted high will not go over 40F or major rain . Otherwise we shoot about every other weekend.

 

Imis some practice some dont I am allergic to the concept

[Tequila Shooter]

Rye - around here I can go to matches 3 weekends a month year round.  And although since starting a year ago I've gotten better, it's been a slow process.

[Widder, SASS #59054]

 

At 20 seconds per stage and 5 stages, that's 400 seconds a month. There are over 2 1/2 million seconds in a month. You have time to practice.

 

TN forgot to mention those 'seconds' he uses hanging around the DQ's.

Some of his transition practices consist Nanner split,  drink, napkin, back to Nanner split, french fries,

drink, etc.............

 

Those 2.5 Godzillian seconds he speaks of start to dwindle down pretty quick when you filter in those

DQ trips..... 

 

..........Widder

 

[Tennessee williams]

 

 

TN forgot to mention those 'seconds' he uses hanging around the DQ's.

Some of his transition practices consist Nanner split,  drink, napkin, back to Nanner split, french fries,

drink, etc.............

 

Those 2.5 Godzillian seconds he speaks of start to dwindle down pretty quick when you filter in those

DQ trips..... 

 

..........Widder

 

I dry fire while holding a full glass of wa... I mean nanner split. It sure makes the shooting hand steadier!

[Major BS Walker Regulator]

 

You shoot all year down there?? Just curious.

A couple of  clubs don't but yep, the rest shoot all year. Can shoot every Saturday and Sunday except for the second weekend in the month. That weekend just Saturday. I left out that most of the time there are two weekday shoots a month and the VA. City Marshalls regular monthly match is a weeknight match indoors at the NRA range.

[J-BAR #18287]

I'm surprised no one has yet mentioned--

 

Make a video of your practice runs.  I guarantee you, what you think you are doing and what you are actually doing are very different things.  You may think you are putting down the rifle with one hand while picking up the shotgun, but you may not actually be doing that.  You may think you are reaching for your shotshells before the buttstock hits your shoulder but you may not actually be doing that.

 

Prop your cell phone up and hit the video button.  Then get into the field of view, start the timer and dry fire a 10-10-4.  You will be surprised.  Show the video to one of the better shooters in your club for a critique.  Repeat as often as you want.

[Captain Bill Burt]

I shoot five matches a month.  I sometimes watch my videos and try to see where I'm losing time.   At this point I'm looking to pick up tenths of a second, although Blackhawk Henry told me if I spent a day practicing with him he could find a whole second I'm wasting.   Usually if I see something I'm doing that needs to be modified I'll try it the new way a few times, think about it a lot, then over a few matches try to incorporate it.  That seems to work.  Almost into the 15s, but not quite.  For me added speed is less important than increasing consistency.

 

I did practice 1911 presentations for WB (I've never shot it before and I've never carried a 1911 that wasn't cocked and locked) some the last few weeks.  I've also done some gunfighter dry firing as I plan to shoot one match a month gunfighter starting in January.  That will be at the Ocoee Rangers. 

 

Widder I expect you to give me tips to help me win Gunfighter next year at Georgia State (please)!

 

[Widder, SASS #59054]

 

I

 

Widder I expect you to give me tips to help me win Gunfighter next year at Georgia State (please)!

 

 

You got it, my friend.

Of course, you could also share a few little tips that can also help me, particularly with transitions, etc.....

 

P.S. - need any lessons on the '97?

 

..........Widder

 

[Captain Bill Burt]

For sure!

 

 

You got it, my friend.

Of course, you could also share a few little tips that can also help me, particularly with transitions, etc.....

 

P.S. - need any lessons on the '97?

 

..........Widder

 

 

[Michigan Slim]

I don't practice -ever. And I just got my butt handed to me by some folks that do. 

[Hendo]

 

 

You got it, my friend.

Of course, you could also share a few little tips that can also help me, particularly with transitions, etc.....

 

P.S. - need any lessons on the '97?

 

..........Widder

 

Sir, I just seen your dry fire practice video with the 97 the other day.

Amazing. That pump sounds like a sewing machine when you run it.

[Tequila Shooter]

 

Sir, I just seen your dry fire practice video with the 97 the other day.

Amazing. That pump sounds like a sewing machine when you run it.

 

Too true Hendo, I saw him in action and he makes it seem easy. 

@Hendo @Widder, SASS #59054

[Tennessee williams]

 

Sir, I just seen your dry fire practice video with the 97 the other day.

Amazing. That pump sounds like a sewing machine when you run it.

 

 

 

Too true Hendo, I saw him in action and he makes it seem easy. 

@Hendo @Widder, SASS #59054

Widder's gonna need a neck brace afore long.