(Video) First USPSA Match (Tips Please)

[MrBorland]

When giving out any advice, people that want to be effective and actually help the person get better need to be aware of how such suggestions are phrased and how it comes across. If they don't care about being heard by the person, then perhaps they should not be giving advice (a waste of time for both parties).

The one receiving the info is the one with something to gain, so there's a certain onus on the receiver to focus on content rather than delivery. It doesn't matter to anyone else if it was received well or not, but those who can receive effectively have a leg-up on those who don't.

It's become an established cliché among competitive shooters for a good reason, but if one truly wants to excel, they've got to leave their ego at home.

 

[Corpral_Agarn]

The one receiving the info is the one with something to gain, so there's a certain onus on the receiver to focus on content rather than delivery. It doesn't matter to anyone else if it was received well or not, but those who can receive effectively have a leg-up on those who don't.

While I could not agree with you more, it can be a conscious effort to achieve this mindset. I submit that there are good teachers and bad. The difference being presentation.

It's become an established cliché among competitive shooters for a good reason, but if one truly wants to excel, they've got to leave their ego at home.

In life, I do try to forever be the student. This thread has been a good lesson for me. I am sure that going forward, I will be better able to extract info from posts because of it and not inadvertently drift my thread to discussions of instruction techniques and being humble enough to receive direction.

Thanks all for the tips and suggestions. Next thread will be more productive.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Honestly, I would expect that from most shooters using any technique if not approached with care/skill.

In many years of training others, I haven't found this to be true.

Shooters who truly want to improve their skill set are usually open to any observations/suggestions offered. They needn't agree nor does the suggestion even need to be correct, the value is in an objective observation from a different POV previously unavailable.

I submit that there are good teachers and bad. The difference being presentation.

I've found that it is less about presentation than communication style...unless you are using the word interchangeably (they aren't)...One-Up/One-Down as opposed to engaging in a relationship.

Unfortunately, many folks calling themselves teachers are only instructors

 

[Bobson]

^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1H_BXhE2rU4

Ok, maybe I'm just really tired, or missing something in the video. I watched that part of the clip like ten times. On the first stage, he fires 8 shots, does a mag change, then fires 21 shots without another reload, or was there a second mag change between targets 10 and 11?

What's he shooting?

 

[waktasz]

Some form of STI based Limited gun

 

[tarosean]

On the first stage, he fires 8 shots, does a mag change, then fires 21 shots without another reload, or was there a second mag change between targets 10 and 11?

28rd course of fire.. He only needs to do one mag change with a Limited class gun.
For example my
CZ TS holds 21rds of 40SW
my backup gun
G35 holds 19rds 40SW

I would only have to change mags once too, albeit 1hr slower than he did it.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Ok, maybe I'm just really tired, or missing something in the video. I watched that part of the clip like ten times. On the first stage, he fires 8 shots, does a mag change, then fires 21 shots without another reload, or was there a second mag change between targets 10 and 11?

What's he shooting?

At the beginning of the video, he mentions that he is shooting a SIG 226 in .40...but, he is shooting it in Production, so his magazines are limited to 10 rounds.

You must have missed a reload.

Out of curiosity, I watched the first stage again...you missed something
1. He fires 11 shots and goes to slide lock in the middle of a string
2. He reloads, continues shooting and runs off the screen.
3. He pauses after 10 more shots...one would presume to reload...and completes the CoF

 

[Bobson]

We must be watching two different videos, 9mmepiphany. In the one I quoted, it starts with a diagram of the first CoF, and goes immediately into his run of it. No discussion about his firearm. Also, he doesn't run off screen at any point. There's also an obvious mag change after the 4th target (8th shot).

I think tarosean's explanation is probably correct. I didn't even realize any guns have magazines that carry 20+ rounds, outside of the Five-seveN, and the ridiculously long 33-rd Glock mags which he's clearly not using.

A standard G35 mag holds 19 rounds? Never would have guessed.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Oops, my bad.

I thought we were talking about the video in the OP...I just realized you were referring to the Sevigny video

 

[tarosean]

I didn't even realize any guns have magazines that carry 20+ rounds, outside of the Five-seveN, and the ridiculously long 33-rd Glock mags which he's clearly not using.

A standard G35 mag holds 19 rounds? Never would have guessed.

No a standard G35 only holds 15.

you need Mag extensions, new springs and followers to achieve a greater capacity all while staying within your class limits. 140mm for Limited and 170mm for Open (Which would have allowed Dave S to shoot that COF without a reload if shooting 38Super or 9mm major)

 

[mgmorden]

I think tarosean's explanation is probably correct. I didn't even realize any guns have magazines that carry 20+ rounds, outside of the Five-seveN, and the ridiculously long 33-rd Glock mags which he's clearly not using.

A standard G35 mag holds 19 rounds? Never would have guessed.

You can use extensions on mags up to 140mm in Limited division. The STI 2011 (basically a double-stack 1911) using the right magazines, basepads, springs, etc, and properly tuned, can hold 21 rounds within that length.

So on a 28 round course of fire you only have to reload once. If the optimal point to reload comes up after 8 rounds then most shooters would shoot 8 and then reload and finish the course.

Open guns are usually in 9mm or .38 Super and can use mags up to 170mm can can usually hold ~30 rounds. Most of them start with a 170mm "big stick" in the gun with another couple 140mm mags on the belt (170mm on the belt can get in the way of bending/crouching and they usually only need a few extra rounds to finish a course).

 

[LiveLife]

Unfortunately, many folks calling themselves teachers are only instructors

Very good point. I actually prefer "mentors/coaches" over teachers/instructors as mentors/coaches not only share their knowledge/wisdom but work with your areas of deficiencies so you can master all aspects of shooting. In contrast, some teachers and most instructors just want you to imitate/copy them.

Corpral_Agarn, when I started shooting USPSA matches over 20 years ago, my bullseye match shooting mentor tried to teach me intricate aspects of match shooting and reloading match loads. While I soaked up most of what he taught me, I was an impatient student who did not appreciate the finer details and thought activities such as shaving the bottoms of FMJ bullets so they would weigh exactly same and performing careful trigger jobs weren't as important because I did not shoot bullseye matches.

Decades later, I realized what he was trying to do (help me to "master" and not simply become mediocre) and can only imagine what I could have done had I did that 20 years ago. So take the criticism and difference of opinions (even though they seem illogical, foreign and strange to you now) with an open mind and tell yourself that they are trying to help you. Take into consideration that a simple stance/grip/trigger control change could shave years off reaching your speed/accuracy goals.

My contribution after watching your video is this:

- When using 10 round magazines or for mag changes, walk through the stage in your head (visualize) and identify points where you would need to change your magazine. To shave stage time, I always performed mag change while moving between targets. If you watch the videos of top shooters vs amateurs, you'll see amateur shooters spend a lot of time not having anticipated mag changes and adding critical seconds to their stage time.

- Do not move your head away from targets. Seems simple but watch top shooters engage stages and you'll notice their head stay absolutely "locked" onto them while their bodies simply follow. Several top regional shooters told me that they have the entire stage course of fire in their head and when the start timer goes off, they simply follow what they visualized in their head

- Practice mag changes until it becomes second nature. Each day while watching TV or during free time, practice mag changes until you can do it fast and without looking. Top shooters change mags so fast and smooth that you hardly notice it and their head tracks right along to the next target.

- If you only talk to mediocre shooters, you will learn their bad habits (In the land of the blind, one eye is king ). If you want to master match shooting, talk to shooters that are at the top of the local club/regional matches. If you are sincere about learning from them, they may take you on as their student.

Good luck!

 

[Detritus]

If you only talk to mediocre shooters, you will learn their bad habits...

Which brings another thought to mind (my mind at least). If like me you are currently only able to shoot one match a month, and your local group is relatively small and fairly stable as to who shows up, you must also be aware that there is a possibility that they're all mediocre.

I just moved halfway across the nation (TX-NC), and the other members of my squad at the last match I attended, my first since moving back to NC, frankly made the guys I shot with in TX look inept.

I learned more about stage planning watching my fellow squad members for 6 stages last month than I did in all of 2014.

don't know what factors contributed to the state(s) affairs at either club. but the group I'm shooting with now formed less than 6 months ago and is better organized, attracts more and better shooters, has better stage designs, and overall puts on a better dang match than the group I started with in Texas.

 

[tarosean]

Detritus, which club were you shooting with?

 

[Detritus]

PM sent.

something I should have noted in that PM (got called to Sun Lunch and had to wrap it up).

In addition to any other considerations, luck of the draw in my squadding may have a certain amount of effect on my impressions etc.

 

[ny32182]

NC is packed with top-16 type guys who might show up at any number of area club matches. I don't know about TX. Since the state is so huge and spread out, I'm guessing the pool of shooters that attend any given club match is probably more localized, and dependent on whether any really high level guys live in the local city.

 

[MrBorland]

NC is packed with top-16 type guys who might show up at any number of area club matches.

True dat.

At big matches, including national level ones, lots of familiar faces, who may or may not actually live locally, usually bring home lots of hardware.

I think NC's central proximity and the I-40/I-85/I-95 corridors attract shooters from up and down the relatively populated east coast. Combined with moderate weather and decent gun laws, there are a lot of great match shooting opportunities here. If time and money were no issue, one could shoot many matches each month in many different disciplines.