Before I get into the match update, I got my note back, I passed the Range Officer test that I sent in the other day with a 93%, and as soon as it get's to HQ, I'll have my certification sent out, my profile updated, and I'll be a certified range officer. I'd say that's good news, but I'm already hearing the new R.O.'s will be doing some work tonight, and I was asked, and accepted the invite to go work The WIIT on Saturday and spend the day as an R.O. One member of a 3 person, 1-stage crew is unable to make it, and I'm going to take his place. I know this goes against what I said before, that I did not want to have to run shooters, and here I am going to immediately R.O. from 7am until 6:30pm, and work the first day of what is scheduled to be a 150 shooter event. I figure if I'm going to do this, I'm going to do it the best that I can, and this will get me some experience right off the bat, plus it does not interfere with my scheduled shooting day of Sunday.
Yeah, I'm not entirely how sure that will work it, it could burn me out, and it is a second straight weekend away from home, although at least Sunday the family will be with me while we shoot the match. At the very least, I'm going to watch some excellent R.O.'s, I'll be able to get a little experience, and hopefully that will be something extra I can contribute to the club.
On to the match:
I had a pretty good night, went 7-4 or something like that, and one of the losses was because I shot a target out of order, I had the other guy beat hands down, so I can live with that. I don't want this to sound arrogant, or cocky, but I have such extreme confidence with steel that I felt that in every match, I was going to win. It did not matter who I was shooting against, I would own them. I was not really shooting against another person, I was shooting my course, the other shooter was irrelevant. For the better part of the night, I did just that. Of the 4 head to head losses, I got out and out beat twice, the other shooters ran their strings cleanly, and I did not. Once I lost in a dog fight on the dueling tree, where a failure to hit the top plate got me, and the other one I had all my steel down and my opponent had 3 pieces still up, but not following stage directions got me.
I can live with that kind of a night, and know that I still have better performances in me. Most of the night I ran fast, I ran clean, and I took minimal rounds to clear the steel. I kind of laugh a bit because Tony Amici tries to start a rivalry between Steve Hickman and myself, they practice together, and I know Tony helps Steve, and I constantly hear that "Steve is coming for me". Frankly, if he is, he should aim higher, and I don't think Steve takes it all that seriously. Steve has spent years bow hunting and competing in archery events, and he just started shooting last summer. He's one of the nicest people I've ever met in my life, I like him a lot. He's capable of beating me on any given day, but he's also probably where I was a four or five months ago. He's committed, he works hard, and when he get's it, he's going to be a damn good shooter. I mention this because I had to run against him twice tonight, and Tony took video of the two of us, he felt the first stage was close, but I think it was pretty clear I had it, the second stage as well.
I can't embed the video, so here are those two links:
Luke and Steve on Dueling Tree
Luke and Steve Steel Side
Look, I'm not the best shooter in the world, but I have supreme confidence in my ability to hit steel, and do it quickly and accurately. If I could bottle that confidence and ability when I'm shooting cardboard, I'd be a lot closer to my goal than I am today. I'm convinced that I focus more, and harder on steel, aim small and miss small, and when I see cardboard, I see the edge of it, and pull the trigger. I need mentally to maintain my focus on the front sight like I did tonight, and good things are going to happen.
Also, a big shout out to Amici, dude is a talented shooter, but as long as I've known him, he runs into steel and it's his kryptonite. Tonight though he got to the final 4, shot a great match, and as happy as I was with my own shooting, I was even more happy for him. Guy should be an A level shooter, and I hope that tonight builds some rockin' good confidence for himself, and he beats his steel allergy. Good dude, nobody works harder, contributes to the club or deserves it more.
Dry fire update, I think the height of the table is what helps or hurts me, and I need to remember to bend my knees for the reload. I had no trouble in dry fire today hitting a 1.7 split on my reload, but I had the gun on a towel, on top of my pool table, that's about a perfect height for me, lower....I gotta practice.
My table start draw is a matter of showing urgency in getting to the gun, if I do that, the only hang-up I feel I have is in my racking the slide, but I had the par timer at 2.8, and my sight picture at that speed was spotty, when I was fast to the gun it was okay, when it was slow, nope. I'll definitely keep practicing this.
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