ALSPPC Match 8-30-15

ALSPPC Match 8-30-15



A little bit of a bummer, but another match at ALSPPC that was a disappointment. I've been lucky enough to shoot matches now in multiple states, with multiple clubs, and I've gotta be honest, ALSPPC has to be the one that stands out as just not having it's shit together. This isn't sour grapes, and I'm afraid it would be taken that way, but the truth is the club doesn't put on a very inspired or good match. Today there was one stage that was a "long reset" and my squad was backed up, we had to watch 6 of 10 shooters shoot it from the squad that started before us. By the time we were up to the 2nd shooter, another squad was already there waiting, having shot 2 stages already. To me, it's simply poor match design. There is a reason that an awful lot of good shooters choose not to shoot at ARC, the matches just don't challenge shooters, and aren't very much fun. The best matches I've shot around here are in Waco, with River City and Temple pretty close as the next 2 places, and then Chicken Ranch down in San Antonio before Austin slots in. I sure hope the club can change its stripes, but I don't see it. Honestly, I shoot because it's close, not because it's good. With more 3-Gun in the future, when I have to make choices on what I'm shooting, I can't see ALSPPC making the cut.


I shot 3 stages today before deciding I had better uses of my time, which was a hard choice, and a major disappointment. Knowing I needed to practice for Area 4 this coming Friday, this would have been a great match to get back in the game. As a result, I'm going to have to do some serious practice this week to get myself ready to go, and it won't be enough, but I'm going to have to deliver the best performance that I can.


Stage 4:





Well, I managed to take the steel one for one, and that's because I had a focus on it. That's something that I had to suffer with earlier, and I had a make-up on the paper in the first position. I'd actually thought I'd thrown a mike and wanted to get it back, and picked up an alpha, but the reality was that I had a charlie at the top corner, so I did not need to make it up. Movement could have been better, but I knew where I needed to be, and I went there, final target I hesitated and took a make-up again, and this time I did need it, my first shot had hit the wall. I could have shaved off a couple of seconds, and that would have made a big difference.


Stage 5:





Well, let's say that I like shooting Limited, the fact I had to make only one reload is a good thing. My cadence was better, but my grip was not, in the video I can see the gun bouncing, and my hits were erratic. I know damn well that if I have the good grip I don't see the gun bounce, and I can get better hits. I took a single mike (and I did not get the safety off....wow...) simple dry fire would solve that, and my lack of practice shows. Personally I can see 2-3 seconds that I could have shaved off, and the erratic hits really cost me. Fixable, but I need practice and focus.



Stage 1:






CM 13-01 Disaster Factor was a disaster for me. I had trouble finding my sight, and I let the front sight dip, and I put two shots on the second target right in the no-shoot's head. On my reload I could not hit the mag release button and I blew the reload. Good hits on the lower target.



Summary:

Mental mistakes and things that can be corrected via dry fire. The biggest issue if I'm honest is that my live fire and dry fire have sucked this summer. I'm nowhere near where I wanted and expected to be, and the simple reason is that I have not put in the work. I don't have anyone to blame but myself, and honestly it's partly the interest in 3-Gun, but also that it's been a busy summer, and work as well as family time has been a bigger priority. I'm at a crossroad where I need to decide if I'm going to be a casual shooter, or I'm going to be a competitive shooter. I know I'm competitive, because these errors burn me, and 3-Gun requires an awful lot more work. If I want to do well, I need to earn it.

Area 4 is in a few days, so I'm going to run some good practice, and get 40 minutes of dry fire per day in, I know it won't solve everything, but if it helps me brush off the rust and fix a few of the little things, then that's all that I can ask. One way or the other, it should be fun.