I’ve been scaling up my competitive shooting and while I can handle my gun safely (been complimented on my trigger discipline), I can’t shoot consistently for crap. There was one point the other night where I whiffed 4 times on a steel target at 10 yds. There are flashes where I can shoot a stage clean, but then I’ll pull an 0 for 5 on paper plates at 25 yards with my AR. That’s embarassing just to type.
Is it even with it to go? I get the sense that I’m ’ that guy’ who everyone would just rather not have around.
Even the instructor they recommended blew me off for a lesson, and the guy I ended up with had some gems like fingering the trigger while drawing.
My gear is flawless, other than me not slapping a mag in hard enough to load.
My feeling is though until I gain more competence I just stay at the practice range.
If your fundamentals are there, and you’re just having problems because of jitters, or difficulty with walking and chewing gum at the same time, then I say you’ll never get better if you don’t keep going.
However, and take this from someone whose been there, if your fundamentals are shaky there is no better way to solidify bad habits than to try to execute them rapidly under the stress of watching eyes and a timer.
Sounds like you need to ground your fundamentals. The best way to do that is getting a good coach who can break down the basics, then dry fire daily while focusing on the thingts you don’t do well.
I’ve seen a lot of fast shooters blow a stage here and there. This usually results from a poor grip on the draw, failure to focus on the sights, or overgripping/flinching as the shot breaks. Work on those three basics between matches and you’ll likely see some improvement.
Lastly, stay in the fight. If you walk away, you loose.
So true. Virtually everyone who poopoos competition either is too scared to test themselves or tried it once and failed he test and fabricated reasons for it post facto. Don’t be that guy, and don’t LE it beat you.
Are you able hit in a casual setting the shots you miss in comp? If so, then it may be the jitters like Rob mentioned. If so, stick with it, the feeling will subside as you progress. Also be aware that when I find myself missing it is almost always a trigger control problem. Hope this helps.
Yes I have very much improved in a casual practice setting. My accuracy isn’t great but I can A zone at 15 yards 20/20 times at a moderate pace (handgun) and at 50 yards with carbine I do about a 4" group
Well I often do get last, but not always. Last carbine match is a good example:
Stage 1 (short last):
33/46 0 pts down
Stage 2 (the infamous missed all 5 plates close range–shot 1st)
46/46 55 seconds in points: 9 FTN
Stage 3 (shot second)
44/46 1 FTN pen (only hit target once).
Overall 17/17 in my division and 44/46 overall. people behind me had serious equip failures and a DNF.
So I would be ok with stage 3 (50% of shooters had 1+ FTN and I was really slow with a required mag change–raw time was slow) and happy with stage 1 (it was almost dark–low light was interesting). Its pulling a stage 2 that is absolutely embarrassing.
So I can do ok (even if I am going relatively slow)–its those horrible streaks that I really am concerned with.
its a very humbling experience because i don’t see a lot of other shooters at my level, but it sounds like its not an unfixable issue. Maybe I just shoot with the wrong people (recommending an instructor who blew me off probably was a hint).
Used to see something similar at SASS events with newer shooters. If they shot the stage first, they had a hard time, if they shot it after a few other shooters, they had a little time to process the stage in their mind (aka gaming it a bit).
Best thing I found even when shooting it first was to visualize the stage in my mind a couple of times. It doesn’t do much for your “reactive” skill, but it does a whole lot for your confidence, and with confidence in your back pocket, you can focus more on raw skills without the worry of those eyes burning a hole in the back of your neck.
As far as tuning your skills for the “first out the gate” kind of moments, get some of those numbered/colored box targets and have someone call out a number. It’ll train you to move your eyes and mind to the correct target without necessarily knowing which target will be called every time. I look at it like this… it puts a small pause in before the trigger and in competitions, a good clean hit, even if it’s slower is a hell of a lot better than a sloppy fast miss.
This is the #1 thing I miss about running our drills: willing shooters like yourself with an interest in improving and learning. It’s a shame that a so-called professional instructor would blow off someone like you with a willingness to learn.
trial by fire… the only way to truly prepare for a specific event, is to experience that specific event over and over again and learn from your mistakes, and learn shortcuts, thats why Tier 1 guys live fire train… to become desensitized to the effects of it and get to the point where when it actually happens… they aren’t surprised… no mental fog…
So I say, if it makes you happy, keep doing, screw anyone else… it doesn’t matter if you are the worst guy they’ve ever seen, and screw the sh#tbag instructor for blowing you off… that would just motivate me to go back and whoop some ass throughly next time…
Well it sounds like I should just keep plugging away, as I do enjoy the heck outta it (save for the embarassment part). I always feel pretty relaxed afterwards and my wife can’t get me to shut up.
Just be sure to work on the fundamentals in between. If you go to a match and you’re having trouble with your 25 yard off-hand shots, get out to the range and work on that in the weeks that follow.
Not sure what sort of range limitations you have in your area. For me I have to try to approximate the issues I have at the matches with static-range practice in between. This was the point of the drills sessions I was running which was to work on some challenges that we identified in the matches because there really isn’t an easy way in our area to practice dynamic shooting.
If I may make one more suggestion, that is to pick something to focus on at each match. Accuracy (meaning zero down) is always a good such goal.
I agree accuracy and safety first then as you get your accuracy work on pushing your speed. I push my speed when I practice until I start to miss and then I tone it down a notch. At the matches I tend to shoot just a touch more conservative than in practice.
Pat
Just out of curiosity, what events are you competing at in Dallas? IDPA, USPSA, or TX Combat? Also, where did the instructor come from (e.g. DFW Gun, Tiger Valley, etc)?
Sounds like I need to show up to the next event you are at so I can take last place. We all have to start somewhere.
There is never such a thing as too bad to compete. You won’t find another venue where your competition will try to help you if you ask. Shooters like to see other shooters be successful. Go for it, competition is some of the best practice.
I agree 100%. Most people I have seen that knock competition shooting simply don’t like losing. I have seen all the excuses. Like its not combat shooting. So what it still a measure of your gun skills (accuracy and speed as well as weapon manipulation).
For the OP competition is great and I would also suggest some formal training to help you get a good foundation. Competition is a test of your skills it does not really teach you what you need to know. So I would say get some training and estabilish some fundamentals and then use those skills at the match to measure your improvement.
Pat
I find out hard to believe that you are too bad to compete. I’ve seen some very inexperienced and almost dangerous shooters shoot a match and be safe and have fun. They also got better with time. If you want to get better the best thing you can do is take a class with a known academy/school. Wh
I see you’re In Dallas. We can find you a place to go to get your fundamentals grounded. TacPro is a good school out near Stephenville just off the top of my head. Jump over on the TexasGunTalk.com forum or dfwshooters.org or join me on our Oklahoma based forum BoometShooter and we will get you up here to one of out 4-5 great training facilities. PM me if you want more info.
If I were you id go shoot a match. If you have trouble hitting steel or whatever don’t worry about it. Tale three shots per target and move on. You will master the gun manipulation skills like draws, reloads, transitions, etc while you work on accuracy and trigger manipulation. Don’t hesitate to ask the better shooters for help at a match. There is a bunch of free advice to be had while pasting and resetting. Furthermore ask the hood shooters at the match if you can come shoot with them sometime.
From my experience with shooting matches whether it be IDPA, IPSC, 3-gun, multi-gun, steel, or what ever most of the shooters there will be very helpful and non judgmental with the slower shooters. The experienced shooters most of them will have great advice and you can learn from them. Good basic fundamentals is key and once you have that go shoot and have fun.
Thanks guys, I’ve got some good responses via PMs about some local instructors.
Mostly I do IDPA on the North Side of Town–weeknights or Sundays (kids kinda sap saturdays).
Like you guys said, my thought was that most shooters would be fairly helpful–I don’t know if it is me (I’m not exactly Mr. Personality) but I was not getting a good feeling from a lot of the folks.–just kinda shaking their head like “Wow how did this guy get here” and I’ve asked questions about help with non-dominant eye open, sight picture, and a few other things and I get a lot of dumb looks (and to be fair some helpful advice). I’ve tried to pick up on every tip I can–I’m an information whore. And most of it has been very helpful-- its the comfort level with the group (those dumb looks again)–maybe its just “new guy syndrome”
Keep going and take your time. Safety is the number one issue, and if you’re handling your gun safely and listening to the RO’s then you are good to go.
I’ve tried some new matches this year and have had a great time despite being humbled. I did about what I expected on my first multigun match… However my the LR precision match totally kicked my ass. Self induced gear failures and mental fails as well. I can’t wait to try it again!
We’re often our own worst critic, so others perceptions may not be what you think.