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Questions and Answers for week ending:
September 10th, 2004
| Submitted By: |
Steve Leach of Phoenix, Arizona |
| Category: |
Match Performance |
| Question: |
I've noticed in many of the Rio Salado USPSA weekend
matches that my "points" are much higher than the folks that
consistently beat me, indicating that I may be getting "too many"
"A" hits
versus my time.
I know that I'm not dwelling on the dot stabilizing and that if the dot
is "just anywhere in the 'A' ", I'll break the shot, as it is in the area
of acceptability. In looking at the targets and the points of my
superior competitors I've noticed many more "C" hits and more spray/less
grouping, suggesting to me that their area of shot placement
acceptability must be much more liberal than what I'm using. I've
noticed this both in stages with and without movement.
Will time reductions just come with greater experience (don't sweat it)
or should I widen my area of shot placement acceptability in favor of
reduced time? On first blush I don't think the latter is the right
answer. |
|
Rob's Answer: Warning - extremely
long answer! |
You are fortunate to be "too accurate". Most practical
shooters have the opposite problem. What you probably need to know is
when to enlarge your "area of acceptability". To do this you need
to know when to go fast at the expense of dropping points and when to be
accurate at the expense of time.
First, figure out the "probable stage factor". Look the stage over and
figure how many points you may drop and divide your potential points by
the time you would hope to get. For instance, on the "El Presidente"
drill, I know to shoot all "A"s is too slow and unrealistic, so, let's
say I will drop 5 points out of the 60 possible.
55 points are my scored hits.
I know I "can" shoot it as fast as the high 3-second zone, but also know
I will probably have misses, or at the very least be a lot of points
down. A realistic time may be 5.00 seconds. Do the math next.
55 points divided by 5.00 seconds = 11.00.
The probable stage factor is 11.00.
Now divide the stage factor into 1 to get how much time a point is
worth.
1 point divided by 11.00 seconds = .0909,
so each point is worth .09 seconds.
The 5 points I dropped each cost me .09 of a second, so basically, I'm
adding .45 to my clock time of 5.00 seconds to equate to a "corrected
time" of 5.45 seconds clean.
Let me elaborate.
I can probably run this drill 10 times in a row in a corrected 5.45
seconds. Realistically, that is the score I will shoot when it
matters. I use this information to determine how I will attack the
stage.
Now, can I shoot all "A"s on that stage in 5.45 seconds or faster?
Probably not. Odds are that I will drop a couple of points,
regardless of how sharp I am. To GUARANTEE I will shoot clean will
take much, much longer than that 5.45 probable time. Maybe as much
as 7-9 seconds. Obviously that will be slower than dropping a few points
at a faster clock time.
At .09 seconds per point, it's faster to drop points and shoot a quick
clock time than to insure I drop no points. I'm not even going to
try to clean it. I'm going to try to shoot "C"s and better AS FAST
AS POSSIBLE.
Let's expand on this a little.
A traditional "El Presidente" does not allow make-up shots, but let's
say it did. If you shot a bad shot that scored a "D" and you
immediately knew it, would you pick it up? Those 3 points equate to .27
seconds (3 X .09 seconds). Can you make it up in that
time? There are many factors to take into account here, but you will
probably spend more than the .27 to shoot another round and it must be
an "A" hit to be helpful.
Most would wisely not fire that makeup shot.
If you shoot a miss, it costs you 15 points. It would be
beneficial to make up, as you should be able to shoot again within the
1.35 seconds (15 X .09) that the miss represents.
A "C" or "D" is not beneficial to make up with this stage factor, a miss
definitely will be.
Where this really gets tricky is when the stage is limited shots and you
have a miss. That miss is a 15.00 point reduction. Shooting an
extra shot might get you an "A", but you also incur a 10-point
procedural penalty. You have gained 5 points at the cost of how
long it took you to shoot it. You must now determine how long it
will take for that make-up shot.
To keep it easy, let's say the points are still worth .09 seconds and
you're shooting major. That means if you can make up that shot
with an "A" in .45 seconds, you are ahead, despite the 10-point penalty.
Say you shoot a "C" on the makeup, you will only benefit if you can do
that within the .36 seconds. If it's a "D", you have to do it
within .18 seconds. So the most you can gain here is .45 minus the
time it took you to fire the shot. If it takes you .25, you're
still ahead by .20, which may equate to a point or two. If it takes you
.50 seconds, you lost time by shooting it.
Now wasn't that simple? ;-)
The possible gain is very small when compared to the possible cost.
Let's change the stage a bit, placing the targets at 25 yards. At this
distance, I almost certainly can't clean it, and will shoot a clock time
of approximately 8.00 seconds. I may realistically drop 8 points.
Let's do the math.
52 points divided by 8 = 6.50.
1 point divided by 6.5 = .15 seconds per point dropped.
Since I dropped 8 points, that adds 1.20 seconds to my clock time of
8.00 for a 9.20. So, now the question is, can I shoot it clean in
LESS THAN 9.20 seconds? If I can, I will score better than
the 8.00 flat down 8 points.
This is how I figure out what I want to try to do on a stage.
How about a field course?
You watch a few shooters of your ability level and they're all shooting
the field course in about 25 seconds. You look at the targets and try to
determine how many points YOU would expect to drop. Say it's a 30-round
course equating to 150 available points. Looking at the shots, you
guess that you would drop approximately 10 points.
140 points divided by 25.00 = 5.60
1 point divided by 5.60 = .178 seconds
If you see yourself shoot a "D", that "D" at major is 3 points down and
it costs you .51 seconds (3 X .178). There are two ways of looking at
this information. First, could you have shot an "A" in .51 seconds?
Most of the time, "yes", but realistically, could that "D" have been a
"C" if you had taken 1/10th of a second longer to shoot it? If so,
you would have dropped only 1 point instead of 3. The two points were
worth .35 seconds, but took .10 longer shoot, netting you a gain of .25
seconds. Obviously, here, it's worth shooting the "C" if it takes only a
little bit longer. Sometimes the targets don't even have the "A"
zone available, so then you WILL drop points. This can help
you decide whether you accept shooting "C"s or "D"s, because you know how
much time it costs you and you know what the gamble is for shooting
faster.
Of course, to make use of all this, you must be able to call your
shots quickly by the sights or the impact of the bullet.
Use this information to determine how many points you're willing to drop
on a stage, which means how carefully you will shoot. Your question is,
at what point is it beneficial to drop points for the sake of going
faster? You must go through the process above to determine
that. The answer is, sometimes you go fast and sometimes you
don't. There is no always.
Here's a basic chart to help you with making up "C" hits (basically, I
DON'T ever!):
| Stage Factor |
Point/Time Value |
Make up shot? |
| 15 |
1 point = .06 seconds |
No |
| 10 |
1 point = .10 seconds |
No |
| 5 |
1 point = .20 seconds |
No |
| 3 |
1 point = .33 seconds |
No |
Here's a basic chart to help you with making up "D"
hits:
| Stage Factor |
Point/Time Value |
Make up shot? |
| 15 |
3 points = .19
seconds |
No |
| 10 |
3 points = .30
seconds |
No |
| 5 |
3 points = .60
seconds |
Maybe, if I recognize
the shot immediately when fired |
| 3 |
3 points = .99 seconds |
Yes, when I know it immediately,
even if I have to come back to the target |
Recognize that the above charts assume that your
make-up shot will be an "A". As with all things, there are gray
areas. This simply helps you figure out going in whether a
stage is point heavy or time heavy. A time-heavy stage is a high
hit-factor stage. A point-heavy stage is a low hit-factor stage.
You now base how hard to try to get points by your probable ability to
get them, versus the time it would take.
Some shooters just shoot as fast as they can, all the time, but it
sounds like you are holding back and correcting more precisely and more
often than you should. The time reductions you want will come at
the cost of points dropped. That is not a bad thing. Those shooters
beating you are using this to their advantage. A good practical
shooter can go fast when needed, and also be accurate when necessary.
Accuracy is your advantage.
The speed you desire will not come from just experience alone. You must
in practice "push" to get quicker. That is what practice is for.
You need to find out how fast you can go using "corrected time" to know
how to proceed.
I do this with every drill I shoot that is not fixed time. You
will eventually come to the conclusion that a stage is full of fast
shots and faster ones, and you have to shoot each target with what
scores best for it.
You'll be able to improve your speed with no problem, Steve. I've seen you
shoot! Rob |
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| Submitted By: |
Wes Wiley of Newnan, Georgia |
| Category: |
Shooting Mechanics |
| Question: |
|
I just started shooting competition and I am having
trouble finding that just right position for my finger on the trigger.
I shoot a Glock 17, and I consistently shoot in the 8 and 9 o'clock area
about 1 to 2 inches off center. I had the sights checked to make sure
they were zeroed, and they were, leaving me to conclude that it must be
something with my trigger finger. Can you give me some suggestions as to
where that perfect position on the pad of your trigger should be?
Many thanks for all of your contributions to the shooting sports. |
|
Rob's Answer: |
I prefer to get the pad of my first joint on the face of
the trigger, not just the tip of my finger. The heavier a trigger pull
is, the further towards your first joint you want to contact the
trigger. I try hard to pull the trigger straight back. This is difficult
to do if I can barely reach the trigger. Some guns are not a good fit
for some people and they must compromise where their finger hits the
trigger. If this is the case, there's not much you can do about it,
except concentrate on pulling the trigger straight back.
Sounds like you may have a little bit of a push going. This happens from
firing the gun suddenly which can push the gun out of alignment as your
finger slams the trigger into the frame. This is why you want to pull
the trigger straight back. Also, ensure that there is no movement at the
wrist while you are firing. Most people blame jerking the trigger for
low left shots, when it generally has nothing to do with pulling the
trigger. A common mistake is pushing the gun down at the wrist to
control recoil while or before the gun goes off.
It's very difficult to analyze this without watching you. This is where
a shooting course can be beneficial. Find the best shooter in your area
and see if he'll help you out. Make sure this person understands what
you're doing and doesn't do it himself, as this is a very common
problem. Rob |
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| Submitted By: |
Paul Hudson of Newport Beach, California |
| Category: |
Shooting Mechanics |
| Question: |
I have just started to attend small 3-gun matches at
Raahauge's in California and will try some IDPA/IPSC matches soon. I
have wanted to do so for a long time, but without excuse did not until
now. I have shot the 1911 in .45 for about 12 years and feel very
confident with it. I spoke to Todd Jarrett at the sports fair for about
5 minutes where he told me that most pro shooters slap the trigger and
some shooters' fingers come all the way out of the trigger guard. I
tried that at a match the following weekend and it really threw me off.
I read your rant on trigger control and agree with you, I feel that that
is where I come up short, as I tend to push the trigger. What is your
advice on proper trigger technique? It could be that my stock
triggers (Kimber Classic) and (Les Baer TRS) have creep where your tuned
triggers do not?
Should I just keep doing what I was doing before by keeping pressure
on the trigger between shots or will it be beneficial for me to change?
Thanks for your time with this issue and for representing shooting
sports with integrity and respect. |
|
Rob's Answer: |
If you've made a change and the results are worse, then
stop doing it. Those of us that come off the trigger on fast shots
do so without trying. The focus is not to come off the trigger,
but to ensure that the trigger has reset. The only way I can know
that has happened is to break contact with the trigger. This is
about trigger reset, not shooting fast, although the two are related.
I doubt your triggers' creep is an issue for fast shooting. The weight
of the trigger pull is a much larger factor. Light, creepy or not,
is easier to shoot fast. Clean and crisp, regardless of weight, is
usually easier to shoot accurately. Somewhere in the middle is a
compromise most practical shooters end up with.
Virtually any gun, as it is delivered to you from the factory could
benefit from trigger work by a knowledgeable person. The lawyers
determine the weights at which the triggers are delivered. The
trigger pull, in most instances, can safely be much better, both lighter
and cleaner. That's what a custom shop can do for you!
Rob |
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| Submitted By: |
Oliver Soliva of Manila, Philippines |
| Category: |
Equipment |
| Question: |
I frequent Brian Enos' forum and one thing that always
intrigued me was comments of some other top shooters about the
importance of shooting with a dot sight.
They always say it makes calling the shots easier since you have a dot
that's easier to see and you do not have to change focus (back to a
front post) to be able to know where you'll hit.
Not having the funds yet for a full blown open gun, I'm thinking of
putting on a dot sight on my current limited gun. But without any
comp or porting nor the experience with an open gun, I'm only guessing
the dot may become "uncontrollable."
I'd appreciate your thoughts and suggestions on this matter.
Thanks a lot. |
|
Rob's Answer: |
Understand that putting an optical sight on any gun for
competition sake puts it in "Open Class". Taking your limited gun
and scoping it has you competing against people with full compensated
high-capacity race guns.
Everybody in Limited is fighting the same problems you are. An
optical sight does aid aiming, in that you don't change your focal
distance. This you are aware of. However, it doesn't make
you hold the gun steady or pull the trigger correctly.
Your limited gun also kicks and flips dramatically more than a proper
Open Gun, and a sight won't change that. An optical sight is an aid, but
from a competition standpoint, it doesn't make sense to me to scope your
limited gun. The amount the dot flips does not determine whether
or not it is controlled.
If you're a competitive shooter, save your money for practice ammo.
If you don't care about competition, scoping any gun will probably help
you shoot it better. It's easier to see the dot and the target at
the same focal distance than iron sights and the target (one of which
will be fuzzy).
Good Luck! Rob |
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| Submitted By: |
Jon Kushner or Radnor, Pennsylvania |
| Category: |
Shooting Mechanics |
| Question: |
I am relatively new to IPSC and IDPA. I shoot
on average 3-4 events a month including IPSC, IDPA and Steel (tried
Bianchi and Pins also). Anyway, I know that practice is the
reinforcement required, but I don't want to engrain bad habits. I
want to stop now before I engrain any deeper the habits I am developing.
My primary teaching reference to date has been Matt Burkett's DVD
Practical Shooting set and a book called Fist Fire which describes a
unique technique for holding a gun (I am not currently using their grip
- too much to think about when trying to negotiate a stage - I don't
practice enough - once a week on average).
I always put safety first. Experienced shooters say that although my
grip is correct that I am not holding on to the gun strongly enough and
sometimes milk it (my hands move all over the place). I also get
ahead of myself trying to shoot too fast but have controlled that more
recently. My accuracy is below average but not horrible. I started
shooting 45 ACP, moved quickly to .40 (IPSC Limited and Limited 10) and
have now purchased a Para LDA DAO 9mm 1911 for the production classes.
My thinking here is that I should shoot the most controllable caliber
and develop the proper habits then move back to .40 when ready.
I also have a couple 1911 38 super limited guns.
Anyway, my question is: Is there 2-3 key thought sequence that
I can use that pertains to fundamentals? For example,
Grip-Front Sight-Squeeze, etc. I need some very simple basic repeatable
thought sequence that I can think of at the beginning of and during a
stage.
Please provide your advice. Thanks in advance. |
|
Rob's Answer: |
This is the process I try to engrain in every student I
get:
Sights on the target
Take up the slack in the trigger
Move the trigger until the gun fires
Sounds easier than it is, but until you can do this without thinking,
you will always struggle with accuracy. This is the easiest, most
rudimentary way to explain, but it takes a lot of rounds to make it
happen subconsciously. Best of luck! Rob |
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| Submitted By: |
Gary of California |
| Category: |
Equipment |
| Question: |
I think my hand size is medium to small. I rented a
.45 ACP Glock 21, and I felt more comfortable shooting it than my 9MM 4"
barrel HS2000.
Is there a way to know if a handgun fits your hand appropriately
other than test firing the handgun? |
|
Rob's Answer: |
|
If you can reach the trigger and still have your other
fingers reach around the front strap, and the web between your thumb and
trigger finger directly behind the trigger around the frame, you should
be good to go. This is more of a personal issue than anything else.
If you're struggling to reach the trigger and can only get the tip of
your finger on it, it will become an issue with your shooting. You
need to be able to pull the trigger straight back. If you're
stretching to reach it, this will be difficult. Rob |
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| Submitted By: |
Scott Cordes of Metairie, Louisiana |
| Category: |
Match Performance |
| Question: |
|
In competition at local matches, I have experienced
occasions where my concentration was at its zenith and I was able to
make blazing runs on steel plates with great ease and relaxation, and
vision. One week later I employ the same mechanics with less
desirable results. I can't seem to summon this focus at will,
it just seems to come and go. This goes far beyond the fundamentals
and is not something I can all of a sudden "decide" to do. Have
you experienced this and is there any way to control it? |
|
Rob's Answer: |
Everyone deals with lapses in concentration. The thing to
remember is that what we're trying to do is hard, because we're doing so
much in such a short amount of time. Trying to be relaxed every
time you shoot is an impossible dream. I choose to accept
that I won't be relaxed and WILL be tense and learn to deal with that
situation. I know the reason I'm tense is because what I'm trying
to do matters to me. I use that tension as aggression, permitting
me to go faster without trying.
Something to understand here is that hitting the targets is the absolute
most important thing. When shooting a course of fire involving a
series of steel plates, you are being timed on how fast you hit the
targets, not how fast you can shoot at them. Don't
worry about being tense, and recognize that this is a shooting mistake
you're making, not a control of nerves issue. The fact that sometimes
you hit and other times you don't, simply indicates that you're human
and imperfect just like me. Concentrate on hitting the targets.
It's easy to get caught up in trying to get a low time and lose focus of
what you're really trying to do. You will never shoot the same
scores twice. Don't expect to. Do expect to hit the targets
every time you go to the line and CAUSE THAT TO HAPPEN! When you
concentrate on the task at hand and what you need to do to cause the
desired results, you won't have time to focus on whether you're relaxed
or not. It doesn't matter if you are relaxed or tense, only that
you don't spend valuable time and energy thinking about it. Good
Luck! Rob |
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