bad pistol reload at a USPSA match, DOH!

[rob_s]

I see what you mean about keeping the gun at eye level for the reload. It seems that alot of people have a tendency to drop it to waist height. Like they want to bring the gun to the magazine instead of the magazine to the gun.

I'm going to try this with both my pistol and AR. Obviously the AR being the easier of the two.

[rhino]

Thanks. Mine was 57 points. Yeah going from shooting a M&P9 and Glock 17 for almost a year and back into the STI for me it way easier to reload, even easier since I just went from a STI magwell to a Dawson ICE. The RO gave me some of my split times, some were in the .11sec range and one target transition was in the .18sec range. If I can get my lazy ass to practice drawing, drawing and turning and reloads more I should make A class and Master class pretty quickly as once I'm actually shooting I'm doing it as fast and accurately as most Master class shooters.

I think if I dry fired five minutes a day, three or four time a week I could make B class without much trouble. I'm just too lazy. On the other hand, it would be nicer to be clobbered by B class shooters instead of C class shooters in big matches.

I know before I shoot a stage I'm supposed to snap my eyes/head to the next target after I call the last shot, then drive the gun, but when I actually shoot, I just sort of slop through it since knowing what to do and doing it are really different if you don't practice enough.

I also don't look at the magwell when I am reloading. Again, I know I should glance at it (at least) until the end of the mag is in the magwell, but it just never happens when the timer is running.

[Robb Jensen]

I know before I shoot a stage I'm supposed to snap my eyes/head to the next target after I call the last shot, then drive the gun, but when I actually shoot, I just sort of slop through it since knowing what to do and doing it are really different if you don't practice enough.

I don't always do it either but for shooting very fast like the El Prez or any other 'hoser' stage as soon as the shot breaks your eyes should be traveling to the next target before your pistol gets there. Human nature = you'll shoot what you're seeing, the gun will follow your eyes naturally, sort of an automatic Zen thing. You'll see this happening with drivers too, they'll look at something other than the road and drive toward it.

I see what you mean about keeping the gun at eye level for the reload. It seems that alot of people have a tendency to drop it to waist height. Like they want to bring the gun to the magazine instead of the magazine to the gun.

I'm going to try this with both my pistol and AR. Obviously the AR being the easier of the two.

Dropping the gun is wasted motion = equally wasted time and not being able to see the targets peripherally. You do have to drop it a little if reloading while moving (just to see where you're going and keeping your balance). You can see that in this video of Julie Goloski shooting a single stack 1911 at the Single Stack Nationals this year. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By0-XL25R-g

For carbine I was taught by Travis (SimplyDynamic here) and then at Blackwater to reload 'at the work station'. Essentially it's the same as pistol except you use your trigger finger to hit the mag release as the carbine is still extended straight out and in your shoulder. Then pull it in (magwell about nose level) and look the fresh mag into the well, push/pull and reengage/reacquire the target(s).