Why concealed carriers should shoot action pistol matches

Excuses excuses excuses.

Yet there are 1000's every weekend all across the country making it to matches.

Thats the issue its not in the 10,000's or millions.

Time management is a real situation.

I only get 2 weekends off a month now. That's 4 days in 4 weeks that line up with my wife's schedule. If I want to shoot a match, teach, attend a class on the weekend that's 1/2 of a day set aside just for me consuming a limited resource called "family time".

So in normal situations, weekend events fail to pass the muster when I have more time off when its not "family time".

John
 
matches are all fun and games. Shoot what you rely on, leave the race guns etc to the guys who need to buy a Corvette or Porsche late in life and dry firing will get you hurt. get out and shoot more.

No, matches are what you make of them and for 95% of shooters that's practice that you're not going to get at a square range. You don't have to use race guns (some of the strongest competition is in the "stock" and "carry" style classes) but even if you are, it's aligning the sights, pulling the trigger, checking the next target, adrenaline/nerves, etc. And I don't know what the dry fire statement is supposed to mean. Get out and shoot more is definitely good advice though.
 
Thats the issue its not in the 10,000's or millions.

Time management is a real situation.

I only get 2 weekends off a month now. That's 4 days in 4 weeks that line up with my wife's schedule. If I want to shoot a match, teach, attend a class on the weekend that's 1/2 of a day set aside just for me consuming a limited resource called "family time".

So in normal situations, weekend events fail to pass the muster when I have more time off when its not "family time".

John

Family time is a killer. We just had our 2nd and I've watched my free time go from "little" to "none" lol. I finally had to give up on the idea of making it to any matches this year.
 
No, matches are what you make of them and for 95% of shooters that's practice that you're not going to get at a square range. You don't have to use race guns (some of the strongest competition is in the "stock" and "carry" style classes) but even if you are, it's aligning the sights, pulling the trigger, checking the next target, adrenaline/nerves, etc. And I don't know what the dry fire statement is supposed to mean. Get out and shoot more is definitely good advice though.
See quote about dry humping your gun, agree run your stock gun and beat the 4K guns. Then take advanced classes and different shooting schools . Thx
 
You will get used to no recoil and cycling the slide manually. And no noise. Far better to shoot 50 rds a month than dry hump your gun.

Agree to disagree. Until recently, I never practiced dry fire but did shoot 400+ rounds a month. Now that I try to do 50 dry fires a day, my trigger control and groupings are getting better during my live fire exercises. I am much better at maintaining my sight picture at the range and have almost totally erased my recoil anticipation. My oldest also follows this plan and has seen the same results, so both absolutely have a place in one’s routine
 
Expound please. Do you go to your car with the engine off and practice with the steering wheel?
Let me save you the trouble.

As a competitive shooter who rarely dry fires, but recognizes the value...

You’re in a losing argument here.
 
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Dry firing practice may not be for everybody but can be quite useful for some. The firing of a pistol accurately and consistently requires that quite a few actions work well together. Isolating one or two actions at a time for practice can help insure that each particular action can be done well repeatedly without too much or any conscience thought. Dry firing may not give the shooter all the feedback obtained from actually firing the firearm but does give feedback on when the trigger breaks and how manipulating the trigger affects the sight picture. Those pieces of information can be quite useful.
 
Now that I try to do 50 dry fires a day, my trigger control and groupings are getting better during my live fire exercises. I am much better at maintaining my sight picture at the range and have almost totally erased my recoil anticipation. My oldest also follows this plan and has seen the same results, so both absolutely have a place in one’s routine
Do you practice the draw only at a range, and always when shooting? Do you practice reloads only when you run out of ammo? If so, and you only shoot 50 rounds a month... you will lose in any comparison of skills against someone who does dry-fire.
Me and mine believe the above. In the 80s when I was most successful in match shooting I practiced Every Day, at home.
 
Well I am going to the store then!
Careful. You are revealing the secrets to my in depth cross examination of opposing viewpoints here.
 
As far as time is concerned, it is a real issue. We all set priorities on what we do during our time. Granted, I could go to a match every weekend, but I do have other things that are priorities.

Also, reminds me of a story my dad told me. He used to work with a guy who hunted or fished almost 45 weekends per year at least. Said his wife didn’t mind. So one winter they were heading out and he said he forgot something so had to run back home. Well, as he was going in the front door another man was running out the back. Turned out his wife wasn’t as big a fan as he felt and had found her own distractions.


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I met an old coal miner from WVA. He had retired and taken on to being a Baptist Preacher. We met because he really liked shooting. As with everybody I meet, I learned something from him. He said....Billy, I have a notebook. In it are the last words of over 100 men. I sat with them as they prepared to "cross over". Most all were coal miners. I never sat with a dying man who told me...Preacher, I wish I'd worked more.....Preacher Bill Stiltner told me to remember that 30 years ago. Today, I'm telling you.
 
You will get used to no recoil and cycling the slide manually. And no noise. Far better to shoot 50 rds a month than dry hump your gun. Dry fire enough and you are not getting any where. Reinventing the wheel.

5o rounds a month will do nothing for you.

Dryfire, conversely, will do everything for you. But, you have to know what "dryfire" means.
 
I shake my head when I read that competition is not "real" or equal to a "gunfight", or whatever excuse anyone can place on the activity of match shooting. The people with this mindset are best left alone, if not you must love wasting your time on dead-end souls. Let these people stay lost. Any activity that one can do at any level of ability, is 100% better than no activity at all. One can attend every class in the world, what happens when you remove the guidance of a trainer? How do you perform? That's what real practice and competition bring to the table.

As I get older my give a damn about peoples status and interest in activities I enjoy is less and less, I really do not want to openly share my experience or knowledge with just anyone anymore. I only want to help people who I respect. My respect is given to anyone who cares enough to actively seek self-improvement, not read about it, or talk about it.

Match shooting is the best testing grounds for mental and physical ability while holding a firearm in one's hands. I say this because every time you win or fail you learn something and go home. In a gunfight, you only walk away if you win, not much to learn beyond I survived. The odds of winning are not high if you have never been tested on critical skills. Match shooting tests you on near same critical skills.

Keep in mind a "gunfight" is a two-way range, a "shooting" is a one-way range. I do not prepare myself for a simple "shooting", unskilled people of all ages survive, it takes skill, ability and mindset to win a gunfight. Matches offer the best option to develop and hone the skills needed.
 
5o rounds a month will do nothing for you.

Dryfire, conversely, will do everything for you. But, you have to know what "dryfire" means.

Help me out here, cant find the story anymore. There was a guy in the armed services, during the 50's I'm thinking that was stationed in Hawaii. He was not allowed or didnt have access to live fire practice. He dryfired daily with his rifle. Went to the Camp Perry shoot and won it.
 
I shake my head when I read that competition is not "real" or equal to a "gunfight", or whatever excuse anyone can place on the activity of match shooting. The people with this mindset are best left alone, if not you must love wasting your time on dead-end souls. Let these people stay lost. Any activity that one can do at any level of ability, is 100% better than no activity at all. One can attend every class in the world, what happens when you remove the guidance of a trainer? How do you perform? That's what real practice and competition bring to the table.

As I get older my give a damn about peoples status and interest in activities I enjoy is less and less, I really do not want to openly share my experience or knowledge with just anyone anymore. I only want to help people who I respect. My respect is given to anyone who cares enough to actively seek self-improvement, not read about it, or talk about it.

Match shooting is the best testing grounds for mental and physical ability while holding a firearm in one's hands. I say this because every time you win or fail you learn something and go home. In a gunfight, you only walk away if you win, not much to learn beyond I survived. The odds of winning are not high if you have never been tested on critical skills. Match shooting tests you on near same critical skills.

Keep in mind a "gunfight" is a two-way range, a "shooting" is a one-way range. I do not prepare myself for a simple "shooting", unskilled people of all ages survive, it takes skill, ability and mindset to win a gunfight. Matches offer the best option to develop and hone the skills needed.
/endthread
 
I shake my head when I read that competition is not "real" or equal to a "gunfight", or whatever excuse anyone can place on the activity of match shooting. The people with this mindset are best left alone, if not you must love wasting your time on dead-end souls. Let these people stay lost. Any activity that one can do at any level of ability, is 100% better than no activity at all. One can attend every class in the world, what happens when you remove the guidance of a trainer? How do you perform? That's what real practice and competition bring to the table.

As I get older my give a damn about peoples status and interest in activities I enjoy is less and less, I really do not want to openly share my experience or knowledge with just anyone anymore. I only want to help people who I respect. My respect is given to anyone who cares enough to actively seek self-improvement, not read about it, or talk about it.

Match shooting is the best testing grounds for mental and physical ability while holding a firearm in one's hands. I say this because every time you win or fail you learn something and go home. In a gunfight, you only walk away if you win, not much to learn beyond I survived. The odds of winning are not high if you have never been tested on critical skills. Match shooting tests you on near same critical skills.

Keep in mind a "gunfight" is a two-way range, a "shooting" is a one-way range. I do not prepare myself for a simple "shooting", unskilled people of all ages survive, it takes skill, ability and mindset to win a gunfight. Matches offer the best option to develop and hone the skills needed.


Walkoff homer from John.
 
Help me out here, cant find the story anymore. There was a guy in the armed services, during the 50's I'm thinking that was stationed in Hawaii. He was not allowed or didnt have access to live fire practice. He dryfired daily with his rifle. Went to the Camp Perry shoot and won it.

No idea man.
 
One can attend every class in the world, what happens when you remove the guidance of a trainer?
Clint Smith quote...You might as well be shoving your money up a Hog's ass.
I really do not want to openly share my experience or knowledge with just anyone anymore. I only want to help people who I respect. My respect is given to anyone who cares enough to actively seek self-improvement, not read about it, or talk about it.
You are way ahead of me. I learned this at an advanced age. I live by it now.
The odds of winning are not high if you have never been tested on critical skills.
Panic is a normal reaction to a problem with no fore thought solution....Cooper
 
Square/flat ranges only teach one part of shooting. Like driving only in a parking lot. Matches teach you to drive on the freeway. Go further and seek force on force training ie paint ball/simmunitions which will get you to driving downtown Baghdad/Kabul. I used to shoot ISPC right after GW1. Too much gamesmanship then but I still used it for training. Now I set up and run scenarios for troops to train.

CD
 
Now I set up and run scenarios for troops to train.
Which is the proper way to train for carry if carry/self defense is your focus...set up scenarios/drills that match your objective. You also get the benefit of a much better proportion of the time spent on training vs the 2 minutes of shooting during the 4-5 hour match...but I can sure paste targets like a ninja.

This topic maybe should be called "Why those who carry a gun need a timer and a good range membership"
 
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This topic maybe should be called "Why those who carry a gun need a timer and a good range membership"

I used to drive an hour one way weekly (and pass two other ranges on the way) just to get to a range where I can holster and draw a loaded gun.
 
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I used to drive an hour one way weekly (and pass two other ranges on the way) just to get to a range where I can holster and draw a loaded gun.

I can't tell if this compliments or counters my comment? Help me :)
 
I can't tell if this compliments or counters my comment? Help me :)
Compliments.
Once you use a shot timer to draw, shoot, and reload on the clock, time spent at a more typical public range just becomes somewhat useless.
 
Compliments.
Once you use a shot timer to draw, shoot, and reload on the clock, time spent at a more typical public range just becomes somewhat useless.

True. I have come to the conclusion that indoor ranges are not "good" ranges in general. I haven't run across an outdoor membership type range that was too bad. One range I go to gets a bit fussy about the angle of the steel every now and then.

Even with the 2 hour round trip, that leaves 2 hours more than the match to shoot/run/train even after setting targets up.
 
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I used to drive an hour one way weekly (and pass two other ranges on the way) just to get to a range where I can holster and draw a loaded gun.
Compliments.
Once you use a shot timer to draw, shoot, and reload on the clock, time spent at a more typical public range just becomes somewhat useless.
True. I have come to the conclusion that indoor ranges are not "good" ranges in general. I haven't run across an outdoor membership type range that was too bad. One range I go to gets a bit fussy about the angle of the steel every now and then.

Even with the 2 hour round trip, that leaves 2 hours more than the match to shoot/run/train even after setting targets up.


Damn, ya'll would get a chubby here.
 
Complaining that in a competition you only shoot for a few minutes is silly. Everyone agrees that shooting at a range where you can move and set up targets in various ways and practice from a draw is much better than static indoor range stationary style shooting. But this discussion isn’t about that.

It is about being put on the spot, under pressure, with others watching and critiquing. When adrenaline kicks in when you hear the buzzer and the targets are not all in places you spent time setting up.

It’s like playing golf with a few friends as opposed to just hitting balls at a driving range. During a game of golf you only swing a club 70-100 times during a 4-5 hour time span. Kinda like shooting 100-200 rounds during a 4-5 hour span. But no one would argue that a driving range is even remotely close to displaying ones golfing skill than actually competing for 18 holes against opponents.


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It’s like playing golf
I have a buddy that plays golf like I shoot..every day. He always says he's amused at watching golf on TV. The Common Taters always talk about "stress" and "pressure". My Pard says" there ain't never gonna be No pressure putting for A million to win, til somma them assholes have to Put up a million that they can make that shot. THEN you got some Pressure".

Lee Treveno said concerning pressure....I'll tell you what pressure is..pressure is playing for $50 a hole and you ain't got but $10 in your damn pocket!
 
Complaining that in a competition you only shoot for a few minutes is silly. Everyone agrees that shooting at a range where you can move and set up targets in various ways and practice from a draw is much better than static indoor range stationary style shooting. But this discussion isn’t about that.

It is about being put on the spot, under pressure, with others watching and critiquing. When adrenaline kicks in when you hear the buzzer and the targets are not all in places you spent time setting up.

It’s like playing golf with a few friends as opposed to just hitting balls at a driving range. During a game of golf you only swing a club 70-100 times during a 4-5 hour time span. Kinda like shooting 100-200 rounds during a 4-5 hour span. But no one would argue that a driving range is even remotely close to displaying ones golfing skill than actually competing for 18 holes against opponents.
We walk through the stages for several minutes before shooting them. We spend more time memorizing the targets than we do actually shooting at them, there are no surprise targets. You did know that right?

If participating in a match is all you can do and that works for you then that is great...but let's not elevate it to something it isn't...that is even more silly.
 
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