USPSA, WAC, 4-23-19

Open Division

• Open Edge in .40SW using 155gr BB RN loads

Stage 1

• Debated shooting that middle array – in the middle – but decided a step off from the right array was a shorter index. Miked the top and also managed a no-shoot.
• 20th out of 50

Stage 2

• Start on the no-shoot, then speed up.
• Middle array with the maxtrap/clamshell on the move.
• Platerack 1 for 1.
• 7th

Stage 3

• Plan had more travel, but brought me closer so I could just rip it.
• 2 shots on the swinger are good.
• 7th

Stage 4

• Starting on the hard targets – the far no-shoots, then speeding up for the wide open top targets, then taking the last on the move out.
• Originally planned for the other direction but noticed it was easier to index on the middle targets and shoot 2 of them on the move.
• Ending on the left also allowed shooting the forward targets also on the move.
• Great time, but 2 mikes – 1 on the move out of the first position, and the other on the middle array.
• 16th

The Good

• Stages 2 and 3
  • splits (up close)
  • stage plan
  • Stage 2 – shooting on the move on the middle array
• steel 1 for 1 for the match
• appropriate splits for targets

Needs Improvement

• shooting on the move (mikes on Stage 4 were on the move)
• getting used to the Open Edge again (probable cause for the mike on Stage 1

Finished 12th out of 50 and 4th out of 6 in Open.

USPSA, WAC, 4-16-19

Open Division

• Open Edge in .40SW using 155gr BB RN loads

Stage 1

• Haven’t shot this platform since December, so this is a refamiliarization run.
• Clean, 12th out of 50

Stage 2

• Great speed on the first array of poppers.
• On the move for the middle, and the second array of poppers.
• Mike on the first no-shoot, but still 13th.

Stage 3

• Somehow didn’t turn off the safety, so a bit of a hiccup at the start (I remember it but it’s not evident on the video).
• Running down the left side, was a bit tripped up by the fault lines. Instead of just running out, I fought to stay in.
• Good on everything else; 18th.

Stage 4

• Fast, clean. I think what needs speeding up is the running in between.
• 18th

The Good

• Speed is good. Flubs I made and remember aren’t obvious on video. I flubbed and recovered fast enough.
• Only 1 makeup on steel for the whole match.

Needs Improvement

• Just realized I was scored minor for the match. I DID originally plan on shooting the Open 17 and changed to the Open Edge last minute. I didn’t check the score pad so I was as registered, minor.
• Need to keep on shooting this platform, even for 3gun.

Finished 14th out of 50 and 4th out of 8 in Open. Did fairly well, considering I was scored minor (my own doing).

3G Manatee, 4-13-19

Open Division

• Open Glock 17 with a G34 barrel, an SJC side mounted C-more, 13# recoil spring, and Dawson magwell. using ETS, 140mm and 170mm mags with 125gr BlB loads
• Saiga 12 – Venom dot, CSS GK-01 brake, Remington Target (1200fps), Heavy Dove (1250fps), Fiocchi low recoil slugs (1150fps)
• 18″ NFSC – 18″ New Frontier Side Charging upper on the M&P lower with JP trigger and SCSS, Strike Eagle 1-8, offset mini-dot, JP Eliminator, SCSS, Armaspec magwell, Federal 55gr ammo

After the 69gr debacle at the Nats, I decide to use nothing but 55gr today…

Stage 5

• Slug to start, then run forward, left for slug again.
• The rest of the 20 rounder is birdshot for the rest of the steel on the left and middle port.
• Reload on the move to the right, topped off with another slug. Burn the chambered bird on the clay, then slug again.
• Then it jams. Won’t eject. So I dump the SG and continue (and end) with the pistol.
• 21st out of 50

Stage 1

• Pistol goes nice and smooth.
• 1 slug loaded. If I miss, so be it. And it hits! The Fiocchi’s are GTG!
• Run to the rifle and I’m huffing and puffing for the off-hand rifle. Too many extras.
• 22nd

Stage 2

• Forgot to turn on the camera. no video.
• Start with SG on 12 steel. Loaded 13 rounds in the 12 rounder, but a few extras on steel warrant a reload.
• Dump then run to the barricade for LR rifle at 100, 150, 260 and 300. Nothing but 55s in the rifle, magnification set to 8. Few extras, but not bad. 55s are GTG.
• 23rd

Stage 3

• At least no need for a reload this time with the Saiga.
• Rifle is as well as could be, but I’m beginning to think the Eliminator is best served on the (soon to be) 224V platform. I think the Bennie-Cooley brake on the 20″ is flatter.
• Pistol is ok (few extras).
• 10th

Stage 4

• Rifle to start, again could be faster. And again, making me think of getting something like the AMU’s Rolling Thunder comp.
• Pistol again is about as well.
• 4th

The Good

• General pistol work
• Fiocchi’s are GTG
• 55s are GTG for LR
• Stage 4 – keeping at it till the end and getting my best stage (the one with no shotgun)

Needs Improvement

• Saiga keeps on jamming. Thankfully the DA Vepr is coming soon.
• Rifle at intermediate range (Rolling Thunder comp)
• Off-hand rifle
• PT to support off-hand rifle after exertion.

14th out of 50. After 3 not so stellar beginning stages, I catch up with 2 good ending stages.

USPSA MG Nationals 2019

Open Division

• Open Glock 17 with a G34 barrel, an SJC side mounted C-more, 13# recoil spring, and Dawson magwell. using ETS, 140mm and 170mm mags with 125gr BlB loads
• Saiga 12 – Venom dot, CSS GK-01 brake, Remington Target (1200fps), Heavy Dove (1250fps), Fiocchi low recoil (1150fps) slugs, Federal 00 buckshot (1350fps)
• 18″ NFSC – 18″ New Frontier Side Charging upper on the M&P lower with JP trigger and SCSS, Strike Eagle 1-8, offset mini-dot, JP Eliminator, SCSS, Armaspec magwell, Federal 55gr and PPU 69gr ammo

Back to the Nationals this year, after missing it for 5 years.

Day 1

Stage 7 – back and forth (not the actual stage names, just my own take)

• Back and forth with all 3 guns.
• SG could’ve gone faster but the run up the middle was slow. I need to be confident running sprints with the pistol holstered.
• With the pistol, instead of crossing over to the right, I should’ve shot them right before dumping as this is the same position.
• Rifle splits definitely need some speeding up. At least my stage plan makes up for slow splits.
• We later learned the ‘gamer’ strategy was to shoot pistol up front, re-holster, then get the rifle and shoot all rifle. Then, instead of going back up to dump the rifle, they just put it down on the ground and shot the remaining pistol targets.
• 69th out of 180 shooters

Stage 8

• Rifle is ok for the up close but slow on the intermediate targets. Those need some speeding up.
• Round count for rifle was 48. I had a 48 round mag. I start making (hoping) single shots on the fly (unplanned). Either plan a reload for a better cushion or spend the money and get a D60.
• Malf with the SG. I changed out the recoil spring the night before and I think it didn’t like it. The jam cost 13 seconds.
• 1 rifle and 2 of the pistol paper only had a C or D hit, and the no-shoot obscured target had no hit – 3 FTNs and a complete miss. Ouch, 116th.
• I chose pistol on the right bay as most shot this with the SG. I reasoned there was more steel on the left that could be easily cleared with the SG (if it didn’t jam). I also doubted my slugs and trusted my pistol shooting more. No idea why I miked those pistol shots so bad.

Stage 5 – shotgun hell

• Flubbed the clay throw. I was able to pull this off at Area 6 last year. Threw it too low to give myself a chance.
• It takes forever to process my next shots as I have candy striped the mag. Topped with 2 bird (Heavy Dove) and then 2 00buck and bird again. I did shoot in correct order but the flubbed clay threw me.
• I had 20 00buck. I should’ve just loaded the whole mag and not candy striped.
• What should’ve been a straightforward plan turned bad once I started missing the swinging plate and the gun malfunctioned. It takes 4 shots to drop the second swinging plate.
• Other shots throughout require a second shot to rectify.
• I also put back the Mod choke for the buckshot and that may have thrown off the POI for the dot. With the new spring, I made 2 unverified changes to the system.
• At least I was back to plan on the last reload with the 2 buckshot topping off the mag.
• Not as bad as I thought (others also had issues with this stage): 86th.

Stage 6

• This stage was replicated at the last Manatee match so some parts were familiar.
• Pistol is good, and knee pads helped while kneeling.
• Rifle portion is also good.
• 67th

Day 2

Issues with the Saiga on Day 1 and I put back the prior 13# recoil spring and took off the Mod choke.

Stage 11 – side slugs

• Rifle start while braced on the pole goes well enough; clean.
  • Steel 1 for 1
  • 5 shots on the 2 swingers
• I have to go side prone for the slugs because of the mag length. Maybe I could’ve gone normal prone but set the gun sideways? That would’ve put the pistol right into the dirt and with the Open holster, increased the chance of knocking it off.
• Hitting with the first slug shot surprised me. Getting 3 hits surprised me even more as LR slugs have been recently bad with the Saiga (it was great with it before). This gives me more confidence with the slugs.
• Also, no malfs with the Saiga. Putting the old spring fixed it.
• Pistol is good.
• 85th

Stage 12 – the bus

• Too much prepping for the stage to worry about the cameras; no video.
• I flipped the script as a lot of us were timing out and not getting to the SG. We verified that at the start, we were allowed to put the rifle into the barrel, shoot the SG, then retrieve the rifle. Reason being that it was never shot (although another shooter did retrieve his rifle after finishing SG and he shot from the bus first).
• SG is no issue except for the short hiccup.
• With only 60 rounds of the 69gr PPU, I ration 30 rounds for this stage. 5 targets from 3 positions is 15 targets. That’s 2 per target. I also reason that limiting my count will force me to move on and not dwell, which could lead to a timeout.
• Car isn’t stable, but I work through it.
• Rather than trying to climb into the bus, I use the stairs up front. Longer travel, but quicker for me. More PT and agility training please.
• In the bus, the second position is better with DOPE from the other window and the car.
• As I break my last shot, the timer beeps indicating timeout. The target flashes the hit and it counts.
• 97th

Stage 9 – rifle only

• Rifle only, and I start on the low port. I practiced just bending over and bracing the rifle sideways but ended up taking a knee. As I put the rifle into position, I accidentally hit the mag release. Oy. Time lost as my first shot isn’t until 10sec after the beep.
• Run left for the 2 ports then back to the start for the slant port. No issues. Good, appropriate splits.
• Tap the window open, shoot through the port while it falls, then finish down the line with the swinger last.
• 86th

Stage 10 – pendulums

• Start with the SG, 12 rounder loaded with 2 slugs on top.
• 2 slugs at around 50 are good, as well as the steel and clays (though I shoot them out of order).
• Pistol goes pretty nicely.
• 49th, my second best stage.

Day 3

The night before, I pre-load my rifle rounds to save time. I load the 48 rounder with 55gr, the 40 rounder with 69gr and the Troy 32 rounder as a spare mag with 55gr.

Stage 3 – pistol only

• Pistol only, and was also kinda replicated at the last Manatee match.
• Shot as planned. 46th, my best stage. I guess shooting all these pistol matches at the WAC lately finally pays off.

Stage 4 – 3 bay run

• As usual, rifle splits need speeding up.
• I run out near the end and have to do a standing reload. Why? It’s a 40 round rifle course so I loaded my 40 round mag. I should’ve used the 48 rounder and I’dve been fine.
• Pistol goes ok but too many extras through the port for the 2 steel.
• SG goes well.
• 87th
• Lots of running and I am gassed at the end. Even better, no ill effects after.

Stage 1 – LR rifle

• SG to start and goes fine except for the small steel I didn’t drop at the end (thought I did). Slug isn’t 1 for 1 but I’ll take the one extra any day.
• I preloaded mags the night before and I used the wrong mag at the previous stage. That mag held the 69gr ammo for long range. It was now all gone. I borrow some 75gr and top off the 40 rounder with 8 55gr to start.
• The tank trap is surprisingly solid. Pretty good here.
• At the rope, the wheels fall off and I can’t hit anything. Should’ve stuck with the 55gr (the 8 I had to start performed well at the tank trap).
• 2 LR and 1 regular mike. 113th

Stage 1 – the house

• SG to start in the house, with the 12 rounder topped off with 2 bird and the rest slugs.
• Start with the 2 steel then take all the slugs inside. While shooting the inside array, as I round the corner, I accidentally hit the mag release and down it goes. Not only that, the top rounder gets stuck in the upright position. I fix and continue but time’s been spent. I take my last shots in the house then turn to exit.
• As I begin to exit the house, the RO has expected me to go to the right exit instead. So as I’m heading out, he’s still standing there and in no position to exit the house before me. Doing so would put him downrange of my barrel. I brake and motion him to move, but by then it’s too late. CRO calls stop. Re-shoot.

• Same plan, and this time I don’t accidentally release the mag. The RO also exits the house before me.
• Shoot the 2 slugs outside the house then reload on the move to the right with birdshot.
• With the last slug in the chamber still, I shoot the last paper and finish off the steel.
• Run to the next bay for pistol and I shoot it as planned, no issues.
• 65th

The Good

• Except for the LR misses, good pistol work for the match, specially my best stage, all pistol stage 3. Also good pistol work on my second best stage (10).
• Slugs (!). I think I finally solved it. Needs some fine tuning but the Fiocchi 1150s and 1300s are good to go (even sideways). Also, slugs at close to intermediate are good to go.
• Accidentally finding out that Federal 55gr might be viable for up to 400yds (maybe further).

Needs Improvement

• LR pistol on the Open 17. Or change back to the Open Edge or an Open 9 major.
  • If I continue with the Open 17, a proper barrel with comp.
• Rifle splits at intermediate/medium ranges.
  • Test/compare with the 20in JP upper (old faithful)
  • Rolling Thunder comp (used by AMU)
• Verify zero for 55gr at LR and test validity as a LR round.
• New 12.5# spring for the Saiga.
• Keep working on fitness and agility, specifically sprinting and jumping.

Finished 80th out of 180 shooters and 22nd out of 47 in Open.

3G HSC, 3-31-19

Open Division

• Open Glock 17 with a G34 barrel, an SJC side mounted C-more, 13# recoil spring, and Dawson magwell. using ETS, 140mm and 170mm mags with 125gr BlB loads
• Saiga 12 – Venom dot, CSS GK-01 brake, Remington Target (1200fps), Heavy Dove (1250fps), Fiocchi and Hornady American Gunner low recoil slugs
• 18″ NFSC – 18″ New Frontier Side Charging upper on the M&P lower with JP trigger and SCSS, Strike Eagle 1-8, offset mini-dot, JP Eliminator, SCSS, Armaspec magwell, Federal 55gr and Frontier 69gr ammo

HSC, where I’d shot my first 3gun match years ago. Been awhile…

Stage 1

• Rifle on the angled platform to start. Setup with the dual mag setup to rest with, scope set to 8x. Needs to be 1 for 1.
• Side dot for the up close. then back to 8x for the mid-range steel.
• Picked up the SG weak hand as the stipulation was to use 1 port weak, the other strong. First port is thus shot, hence the off camera view.
• Same with the pistol and the second to the last paper takes more shots as I lost the dot.
• 3rd out of 23

Stage 2

• Off-hand rifle on the no-shoot obscured paper, then the paper plates. Magnification set to 4x.
• For every drop down steel, the 3 popper array needed to be shot, hence the repeats.
• 1st

Stage 3

• 5 100+yd steel from 2 ports. 6 shots from the first, 7 on the second; need 1 for 1.
• 6 shots on the 2 across the dump barrel as I re-engage the one on the right.
  • On the move rule: engage targets as I get in or out of position
• Should’ve used the shotgun on the steel and the middle paper with slugs rather than with the rifle and pistol.
  • Too many extras on the skinny steel with pistol, SG would’ve been a better choice.
  • With slugs, the paper would’ve been more square to me rather than oblique from the dump barrel with the rifle.
• 5th

Stage 4

• Pistol goes great on the boardwalk.
• Pistol on steel needs to be 1 for 1.
• Off-hand rifle on the clays with magnification set to 4x also needs to be 1 for 1.
• Bowling pins goes well up until the last.
• Gun finally croaks on the 3rd paper with a dead trigger. Racking the bolt did nothing, the trigger wasn’t doing anything.
• Had to finish with the last paper not engaged along with 3 more clays.
• 13th
• On disassembly, the trigger was just dirty, and manually working it by hand cleared it. Repeated dryfire seemed to prove it was fixed. Might need some deeper cleaning or new springs.

The Good

• General pistol work
• LR rifle
• Second use of the Saiga brake – it works!

Needs Improvement

• The rifle seizing up – better now than at the Nationals.
• Stage planning – use the appropriate platform for the target type and don’t make it harder on yourself. Make it simpler and easier.

Finished 4th overall and 2nd out of 6 in Open.

3G Manatee, 3-30-19

Open Division

• Open Glock 17 with a G34 barrel, an SJC side mounted C-more, 13# recoil spring, and Dawson magwell. using ETS, 140mm and 170mm mags with 125gr BlB loads
• Saiga 12 – Venom dot, CSS GK-01 brake, Remington Target (1200fps), Heavy Dove (1250fps), Fiocchi and Hornady American Gunner low recoil slugs
• 18″ NFSC – 18″ New Frontier Side Charging upper on the M&P lower with JP trigger and SCSS, Strike Eagle 1-8, offset mini-dot, JP Eliminator, SCSS, Armaspec magwell, Federal 55gr and Frontier 69gr ammo
• Lee’s Masterpiece Arms 224V chassis rifle using his ammo

Trying out the “US version of the Vepr 12 Molot GK-01 brake” from CSS. I had previously heard anecdotally that muzzle brakes on shotguns using low velocity loads were useless since it didn’t generate enough gas to work the ports. But with majority of the newer race shotguns sporting brakes, I thought to give it a try. Bought it Monday, delivered Thursday; just in time.

Stage 4

• From the start, run to the first position for all but the low port targets.
• Swap out for the rifle then revers: low port first, run to the sweet spot for the rest of them.
• 10th out of 49

Stage 5

• Start with pistol unloaded on a barrel and mags on other barrels. I setup the pistol on the right barrel and mags on the left. I load up with the 22 rounder to start on the first 5.
• I take the 27 round mag on the move forward and reload.
• First stage of the new brake and I can feel the redirected gas coming back at me. Need to get used to it, but it feels flatter and I can follow up quicker. I wonder why I waited so long.
• 13th

Stage 1

• I load up the 12 rounder with new Fiocchi slugs that came in this week. As I load them, I notice: 1150fps. Too low, I thought, so I mooch some Fiocchi 1300s from fellow Rusky-shotty shooter Greg. (After the match I test out the 1150s by burning the whole mag into a berm with zero issues; they’re good to go.)
• Loaded up with 5 Fiocchi 1300s followed by 5 Hornady American Gunner low recoil slugs and I barely hit 2.
• I’m so discombobulated I forget I still have the bird shot array to engage and begin to dump. With some comments from the crowd, I get back on track and reload with bird to finish the SG portion. Mike on the second clay.
• Rifle (set at 2x) goes relatively better, almost 1 for 1.
  
• I wanted to compare pistol systems. so with the pistol last in the lineup for this stage, I reasoned that with its standard holster, it would also be safer to use the CO 34.
• So with a gun that I’d shot for months but haven’t picked up in a few weeks, on my draw, I can’t find the dot. At least it gets better as I go through my run.
• 28th.

Stage 2

• Shooting Lee’s Masterpiece Arms 224V bolt chassis gun with a Vortex 6-20x scope and his loads. Took my time to adjust the gun to me and to setup seated at the tank trap.
• 4 targets from 2 positions:
  • Steel metric IPSC targets (silhouette) at 275, 330, and 610 and 10in round plate at 610
  • 1st position – prone on pad
  • 2nd position – gun on tank trap
• Same rules as before for this PRS stage: time plus bonus and penalties:
  • first round hit: -20sec
  • second round hit: +0
  • no hit in 2: +20sec
  • 1 shot on the bonus 10in plate at 620yds: -20sec
• 7 first round hits – 1 for 1 for all of them except the first attempt at the bonus target.
• 9th

Stage 3

• Rifle to start, pretty sloppy – too many extras on the last 2 targets.
• SG and pistol portions go as well as I can (back to the Open 17).
• 15th

The Good

• New Saiga brake seems to work fine, notwithstanding the redirected gasses
• General pistol work

Needs Improvement

• Intermediate rifle work
• Get used to the diverted gasses from the Saiga brake
• Slug zero
• My own PRS platform (224V waiting to be assembled)

Finished 16th out of 49 overall and 5th out of 18 in Open.

USPSA, WAC, 4-2-19

Open (minor)

• Open Glock 17 with a G34 barrel, an SJC side mounted C-more, 13# recoil spring, and Dawson magwell. using ETS, 140mm and 170mm mags with 125gr BlB loads.

2 weeks into the Open 17 system, with some accuracy issues from 20yds on. Still, dot is more trackable than the CO 34. On the fence on whether to use the Open Edge for MG Nats this weekend.

Stage 1

• Mike on the middle left on the last array (transitioned too fast out of it to the last target).
• 20th out of 44

Stage 2

• Mike on the paper below the swingers – again, transitioning too fast out to the right target.
• 9th

Stage 3

• Reloaded too slow, but got the right most clam before it closed.
• Still, clean – 8th

Stage 4

• This one felt great! Shot as planned and about as fast as I could.
• Clean, 7th.

The Good

• Stage 4
  • planning
  • on the move
  • splits and transitions
• steel 1 for 1

Needs Improvement

• Reload practice
• Keep up on physical fitness and agility training

Finished 8th out of 44 and 3rd out of 7 in Open. Did fairly well, considering minor – I guess this’ll be the pistol for MG Nats.