Fluffy's Revenge 1 is a jerk

[olstyn]

Thought I'd shot a good (for me) classifier tonight, then I got home and ran the calculator. I'm trying to move from C to B in Production, so usually anything above about 6.5 or 7 HF is a pretty good result relative to my current classification. I shot all alphas in 5.41 seconds, which is ~7.4, so I thought it had gone well. Little did I know that the high hit factor on that one is something like 14.5, so my run was 50.9%. Dreams of a result that actually helps my classification thoroughly crushed.

Oh well, there's always next week....

[taadski]

If it makes you feel any better, that one got changed and is quite a bit tougher after the recent classifier "recalibration" by headquarters. It's showing over 10% lower now at the same HF in Production. Just FWIW.

[olstyn]

Jeez, wow, that one got a lot harder. I just ran the numbers on classifiercalc.com, which appears to still have the old HHF, and it came back with 58.26%, which, while still under the 60% or better I was hoping for, is a lot closer. Apparently I'd have been a lot less disappointed if I'd gotten that result a month and a half ago.

[MVS]

That is one of those you have to really smoke through. I shot it a little over a month ago and ran a 69.5%. A long ways to go.

[Clusterfrack]

Break it down. For example to shoot a HF 10, you need to draw to the popper in 1.5s. Then shoot 7 more As with 0.35 splits.

I recommend Steve Anderson or Ben Stoegers dryfire books if you’re serious about moving up in classification.

And who was Fluffy??? Inquiring minds want to know.

[RJ]

It’s only recently dawned on me that my classifier score, not match results, determines my bracket.

This may seem obvious but to a noobie just entering the sport it’s not abundantly clear.

I did go look and sure enough I suck big time; the two scores I have were both on stages with a lot of one hand shooting.



Do you guys have any suggestions how to do better at classifiers vs a match?

[GuanoLoco]

It’s only recently dawned on me that my classifier score, not match results, determines my bracket.

This may seem obvious but to a noobie just entering the sport it’s not abundantly clear.

I did go look and sure enough I suck big time; the two scores I have were both on stages with a lot of one hand shooting.



Do you guys have any suggestions how to do better at classifiers vs a match?

You have to practice the individual skills that make up Classifiers, and learn the pace you need to shoot at for your current level of skill. The good news is that the process is pretty straightforward at the lower classification levels. Just shoot ‘mostly’ Alphas and avoid penalties at your fastest repeatable pace. Most people don’t know their pace, let pressure get to them, then go fast/sloppy and run off the rails. You have to go fast/(just barely) controlled and this is definitely a learned skill.

There is nothing like setting up classifiers and live fire practicing them learning what your repeatable, personal best, and ‘off the rails’ hit factors are. Quite a few classifiers can be set up with paper targets and a few stands. For example, the iconic CM 99-11El Presidente. No, you don’t have to shoot it at this speed to do well...

You can break it down into its components parts: Turn and Draw (or just draw) and shoot 2. Blake Drills: Draw and 2 on each target. From pointing at the last target, shoot 4 Aces or 2 Reload 2. Check your transitions, Check your splits. Learn how all of these things add up to your total time. Learn to look at a Classifier, use ClassifierCalc.com and ‘do the math’ to estimate the High Hit Factor for your division, or what your likely repeatable Hit Factor is.

Try it Strong Hand only. Then try it Strong hand Only then Weak Hand only after the reload.

Learn what it means to shoot at a speed where you go as fast as you physically can and just ‘hang them all on paper’. Compare that to your dry fire times. Work on driving down your dry fire times.

Try other similar Classifiers. I might suggest Front Sight (basically El Prez from 7 yards with wider transitions). Also CM 09-14 Eye of the Tiger and Diamond Cutter to work on shooting partils more precisely. Try these drils, especially CM 09-02 Diamond Cutter at increasing distances and learn what you can do. Try “Can you Count” for simple raw speed up close.

For Diamond Cutter in particular, I find it useful to make up the targets in advance, using spray adhesive to sticking the no shots on the targets, then using those targets across multiple practice sessions.

Video: CM 09-02 Diamond Cutter being run in a match

[olstyn]

Just shoot ‘mostly’ Alphas and avoid penalties at your fastest repeatable pace. Most people don’t know their pace, let pressure get to them, then go fast/sloppy and run off the rails. You have to go fast/(just barely) controlled and this is definitely a learned skill.

In the case of the classifier that started this thread, at the match, I thought I had done that, but looking back, I think I know where I could have picked up a couple of fractional seconds that might have been enough to get me where I wanted to be. I know my draw to the first target could have been faster - probably a half second there at least, and I think my transitions away from the steel were too slow, because I'm almost certain I waited to consciously hear the ding of the hit before moving on, which is probably another quarter second each. That's a full second right there, which would have brought my HF to just above 9, which would have been above 60%. This attempt at analysis really makes me wish that time to first shot and splits for classifiers were recorded at matches - it'd be nice to be looking at real numbers rather than going based on my perception/memory.

[GuanoLoco]

In the case of the classifier that started this thread, at the match, I thought I had done that, but looking back, I think I know where I could have picked up a couple of fractional seconds that might have been enough to get me where I wanted to be. I know my draw to the first target could have been faster - probably a half second there at least, and I think my transitions away from the steel were too slow, because I'm almost certain I waited to consciously hear the ding of the hit before moving on, which is probably another quarter second each. That's a full second right there, which would have brought my HF to just above 9, which would have been above 60%. This attempt at analysis really makes me wish that time to first shot and splits for classifiers were recorded at matches - it'd be nice to be looking at real numbers rather than going based on my perception/memory.

If you get someone to video your run then you can use an app like Max Michel’s Shot Coach to analyze your run, marking down the shot timing like in the video I posted.

I have also heard of people bringing their own timers, activating them well before the run, and then checking their shot times on it after the run.

Trust me, there is nothing like ‘Purposeful Practice’ in live fire, and certainly dry fire, to improve your odds of performing well (to your current skill level) on demand.

[GuanoLoco]

One more thought, practicing on stapled up paper plates is an easy way to simulate steel targets, and there is no ding to listen for.