Training with Manny Bragg

[Mr_White]

Looks like an AWESOME time, GJM! Thanks for the report!

[RJ]

Awesome review, thanks for posting.

Really glad, too, because Frostproof is really close to me here in Tampa. Plus, their two day $450 Intermediate Practical Pistol Course looks like a good match for me to develop my meagre skills in 2015.

Much obliged GJM.

Rich

[GJM]

While yesterday started with pouring rain, this morning in Frostproof was sunny, warm and pleasant. My wife and I were pleased with yesterday's progress, and hoped to build on that today. Unfortunately, those hopes quickly dissipated when confronted with the first classifier Manny had picked to start the day with -- CM-09 01, Six in Six Challenge. Here is what it is:

25 yards freestyle, three USPSA targets, draw and fire six, reload six, all in a fixed time of 6.0 seconds. 60 possible points.

15 yards, same targets, draw and fire six shots, strong hand only in 6.0 seconds. 30 possible points.

10 yards, same targets, draw, transfer to support hand and fire six shots in 6.0 seconds. 30 possible points.

Since quick math told me a good El Prez run for me at 10 yards is 5.75 seconds, this 12 shots at 25 yards in 6.0 seconds wasn't computing. My first run, I fired six, did a reload and got about three shots off in the time. My hits were crappy. My wife was much smarter, and fired just six shots making good hits. Manny demoed a run, making all 12 shots, and shooting major managed 45/60 points. I took a few more tries, alternating between firing all 12 shots "at brown" and trying to turn it into a Bianchi stage. On top of everything else, possibly as a result of trying to make all 12 shots in 6 seconds, I started pressing instead of rolling the trigger, which did nothing good for this drill or a few afterwards. The good news was the strong hand only and support hand only strings were very doable -- thank you, Bill Rogers. Manny showed us an efficient way to draw and transfer the pistol to the support hand, where you draw the pistol by just the base of the grip to ease the transfer. Obviously a game technique.

We moved on to another classifier, shooting the same three targets freestyle but at 15 yards, and I had major trigger control issues. All the sudden this wasn't so fun. I shot some plate racks trying to work it out, where Manny noticed I had started putting more finger on the trigger, and backing that out seemed to fix it. We moved to El Prez. I managed a 100 percent, 95 and 96 percent Production run in a row, and, not surprisingly, started enjoying the morning more. My best run was 5.70 something with all 60 points. Nothing wrong with being a 10 yard specialist.

That led to a very close and fast Classifier where you shot five, reloaded and shot five. I managed to string together two good runs, and calculated my classifier at a whopping 74 percent. I would love to know how they figure hit factors for various classifiers. Before I forget, on the second string, this was my group of five shots, with splits of .17-.20. Obviously pure luck, and unlikely to repeated again in this life time.



Since all the stages were still set-up from the World Shoot, we started shooting some of those. First difference is the IPSC targets, which are more demanding to shoot because of their reduced size, and scoring zones. IPSC stages are typically shorter and more technical then USPSA stages. Manny explained the math to me, which I may have gotten wrong, but there is something like just one 32 shot stage out of every six stages, with the other five split between under ten shots and under twenty shots. One 9 round, as I recall stage, had two poppers, two disappearing targets and one fast swinger. Another sub 20 round stage had three swingers. I really ended up enjoying these kind of stages and hope to get a change to shoot more in the future.

When we started the afternoon session, we were down to 1,000 rounds left between us, meaning my wife and I had each shot 1,500 rounds in the day and a half with Manny. Later we both commented that accumulated fatigue started to be a factor, and we had to work harder at draws, work harder at precision shots, and our triggers felt like they were twice as heavy as they were. We spent most of the afternoon running World Shoot field course and having a great time.

The various stages each had "Americana" themes, and they had spent like $20,000 on art adorning each stages. Here is an example:



By 4:30pm, we took what remained of our ammo and headed to the plate rack. Despite being tired, at 10 yards, my wife managed a PR of 2.96, and I had two decent runs of 2.66. With her dominant hand very tired, she started running the rack support hand only, while I used the rest of my rounds looking for a better run, which did not happen.

All in all, it was a great visit to Universal with Manny. In a perfect world, we would have come for one day, recovered, dry fired, live fired, and then returned again. However, Manny is in FL and we are not, so that wasn't a realistic option. If you are looking for warm temperatures, an amazing range facility, and a top notch instructor, Manny gets my highest recommendation -- whether that be for a group class or smaller tutorial.

[PPGMD]

The various stages each had "Americana" themes, and they had spent like $20,000 on art adorning each stages. Here is an example:

LOL, you didn't get any close ups?

The artist was ummm... rather particular, and it was definitely borderline R rated.

You reminded me that I have to schedule my time with Shannon before the Steel Nationals.

[Sal Picante]

I love that 5x5 classifier... "Can You Count"

That was the first USPSA stage I ever shot, and one of the first ones I ever 100%'d before I made GM...

[El Cid]

About 4 years ago I was in the Pat McNamara class with Manny at Universal. He is very modest and exceptionally skilled! I'd love to spend a day learning from him.

[RJ]

Bump. Looking to schedule a training class in '16.

After attending Tac Con '16 in Memphis, this would be my 'first' real training class. I'm looking at the 'Intermediate Pistol' two day, 1,000 round per day at $450 at Universal, since it is relatively close to me (I'm basically in Tampa).

Thanks to GJM for this great AAR.

Questions: would the two day class be ok for a relative noob, first time class-taker?

Any recent experiences with Universal?

TIA.

Rich




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GJM]

Manny has left Universal. Manny is a great instructor, as are Shannon, Frank and Ted, the other Universal instructors. Manny may be teaching at a range near or just north of Orlando.

I presume Tac Con primarily teaches tactics, where Universal will teach technical shooting.

[David S.]

Rich,

Have your considered Randy Cain at Southern Exposure instead? He's just over near Kathleen.

Cheers,
David

[RJ]

Rich,

Have your considered Randy Cain at Southern Exposure instead? He's just over near Kathleen.

Cheers,
David

No, but I will definitely look into that, thanks a bunch.