My (not especially) triumphant return to USPSA competition post-Rogers

[TheTrevor]

After being forced to skip the twice-monthly USPSA matches for about 6 weeks straight due to injury and schedule conflicts, I was excited to make it to today’s match. It was a typical sunny, cool Northern California spring day — 60F, a bit chilly any time the sun was blocked by passing clouds, beautiful the rest of the time… and, of course, quite windy at times. This was also my first match shooting from my concealment AIWB (appendix in-waistband) holster. I’ll just note that everyone at TASC-IPSC (which is really a USPSA club) was totally cool with me shooting from AIWB, and in fact a number of folks struck up conversations to learn more about my setup and how it worked for me.

Short version: I was very happy with my performance on stage 1 despite being the very first shooter of the day, only to find out that one of the poppers refused to fall despite being smacked dead-center with a 147gr 9mm bullet. Then, when the calibration gun+load just barely managed to knock it over (slooowly) I got mentally wrapped around the axle over the penalty when I should have let it go.

That, and I continue to have issues establishing the correct angle on my strong-hand grip on the P30, which causes all sorts of alignment and trigger-deflection issues.

Here's the link to the blog post with commentary and stage videos if anyone is interested in the full story...

http://trevoronthetrigger.wordpress....turn-to-uspsa/

[Jared]

I've got my own thread going about trying to let a bad stage (or match in my case) go, so I can feel your pain on that one.

BTW, like your blog so far.

[breakingtime91]

Trevor, good blog and a very realistic reflection on your match. I think you will only improve as long as your realistic with yourself. Another good article was the one on your problems with the P30, I feel your pain on questioning gun choice..

[Mr_White]

I notice a couple of things from reading your account of this match. This is really just regurgitation of advice from much more knowledgeable people in the competition world.

I know you didn't notice that the offending popper had not fallen until after your stage was over. If you had noticed it before that, you should probably shoot it until it falls. Asking for calibration is a real gamble and it may or may not go your way. The smallest loss is usually had by shooting it until it falls. It's a moot point though when you don't notice until the stage is over (that has happened to me too.)

It may be better to work toward learning to execute under the stress you do feel, rather than trying to not feel the stress. A stress reaction, however one feels it, is likely to manifest any time one cares much about the outcome. I've found that true for myself. Over time, I think I have gotten better at executing while in that state. That is something I got a whole lot of practice in at Rogers, and at every USPSA match I go to, and I think can bring a big benefit to shooting for both competition and self-defense.

[PPGMD]

I know you didn't notice that the offending popper had not fallen until after your stage was over. If you had noticed it before that, you should probably shoot it until it falls.

One caveat to this that you can't shoot a forward falling popper to the ground. OTOH I haven't seen too many forward falling poppers that need calibration.

[TheTrevor]

Regarding the popper: brain and vision were running in overdrive when I shot that thing, and I swear I saw it start to move. Really don't want to get in the habit of spending time rechecking slow-falling poppers but I probably should at least flick my eyes over there before moving on.

Good thoughts on stress management. I agree overall, but do think I need to get better at leaving the previous stage behind when I go to shoot the next stage. My thought was that I probably could have handled those initial misses better on stage 2 if I hadn't been aggravated about the popper on stage 1.

[TheTrevor]

One caveat to this that you can't shoot a forward falling popper to the ground. OTOH I haven't seen too many forward falling poppers that need calibration.

Pretty sure this one was cold and not especially well lubed. Once it had been shot a few times it was fine, but I watched carefully and it definitely fell very slowly for shooters 2/3/4. As OAK says, might as well put another shot on it. I had extra rounds to spare before the next reload point, so it's not like a follow-up would have put me off-plan.

[JHC]

It may be better to work toward learning to execute under the stress you do feel, rather than trying to not feel the stress.

Whoa! [face palm] Thanks! I've either not felt the stress or once it set in; it stuck. Good tip to ponder.

[Mr_White]

Regarding the popper: brain and vision were running in overdrive when I shot that thing, and I swear I saw it start to move. Really don't want to get in the habit of spending time rechecking slow-falling poppers but I probably should at least flick my eyes over there before moving on.

This is exactly how it has happened for me. I called (visually, while shooting) a good hit on the popper, then promptly ignored it because I knew I had already hit it well. Except it didn't fall and I never noticed. Checking an array of steel for uncooperative targets, after firing certain hits at them, is not the most efficient thing to do but I wonder if it is some kind of necessary evil given the way steel doesn't always work. I would rather do that than end up in the very uncertain-to-go-your-way calibration situation, and I think it is still better than firing extra shots whether the steel needs it or not.

[TheTrevor]

This is exactly how it has happened for me. I called (visually, while shooting) a good hit on the popper, then promptly ignored it because I knew I had already hit it well. Except it didn't fall and I never noticed. Checking an array of steel for uncooperative targets, after firing certain hits at them, is not the most efficient thing to do but I wonder if it is some kind of necessary evil given the way steel doesn't always work. I would rather do that than end up in the very uncertain-to-go-your-way calibration situation, and I think it is still better than firing extra shots whether the steel needs it or not.

The other thing I took away from this: if I do ask for calibration, don't let them do it against a target I've already shot once. Request that someone go out there, release the popper hold-back and properly reset it. The popper can and should remain standing, held up by hand during the reset.

I suspect that my problem popper fell over because the calibration shot was done against a target which had already been shot once.