Range Report 12-1-12

[45CalFan]

Just home from the range - fish sticks in the oven (not pertinent but true) - and I decided to report. Took two new weapons; Kimber Crimson CC II and a SA 3.8 XDm, both .45. These are the first rounds shot in the XDm (put about 75 down) and only the second time at the range for the Kimber.

First, MSAR. Was busy but only had about a 10 minute wait for a lane. Got my favorite, #12 - like to be on the end and away. They told me the new range should be good to go and open by the end of the month. Pretty typical time in the range - one gentleman brought a Desert Eagle and from about three lanes away managed to nearly knock off my hat - damn that thing was loud. I heard someone say it was a Desert Eagle (didn't see it) and I think it was about a thousand caliber...

[Winchester White Box 100 rnd]
Both weapons fired flawlessly. The XDm is really nice and fires much smoother than I anticipated. I like it better with the extended mag but it fires wonderful with either. I feel like the XDm is a bit easier to sight and slightly more accurate at this point. I also like the way the trigger pulls.

That said, I learned two things:
(1) I am a terrible shot. For you would-be intruders don't be mislead, I hit the silhouette of a man every time and indeed made him dead multiple times. What I mean is I cannot get a consistent grouping through a clip. One or two shots are good then I'm all over the place. Stance? Grip? I would so love to blame it on the gun(s) but I know it's me. If I don't notice the slide locking back on the last shot and pull the trigger I pull the gun - I'm anticipating and don't know how to stop doing that.On the bright side, it just means I need many, many hundreds more rounds to get better. [Was shooting between 10 - 15 yards]

(2) It is impossible for me to hoard ammo. Every time I get some I run out and fire it. 500 more rounds of .45 in route and should be here Tuesday.

In any case, had a good time and look forward to the next.

 

[Magnumite]

Improved shooting:

1. Dry firing is your friend;

2. Call the shot' after each pull of the trigger - in other words, consciously recall the sight picture and if/how the sights move when the firing pIn dropped;

3. Call your shots during live fire.

 

[mopar92]

Do you like fish sticks?

 

[j8064]

Good to hear you had a good time. Any day at the range is better than a day not at the range. Accuracy takes practice. Pure and simple.

It is impossible for me to hoard ammo. Every time I get some I run out and fire it. 500 more rounds of .45 in route and should be here Tuesday.

That is a sign reloading should be on your horizon. Hopefully you've bagged your fired cases. .45acp is a simple round to reload.

 

[Deep Creek Rock]

Let me be the first to post ......



Id like to see what that Crimson Carry does.

45ACP is just too much fun to shoot! As j8064 states - easy round to reload for. And the cost of that round, makes reloading for it pay off very fast.

 

[45CalFan]

Good to hear you had a good time. Any day at the range is better than a day not at the range. Accuracy takes practice. Pure and simple.



That is a sign reloading should be on your horizon. Hopefully you've bagged your fired cases. .45acp is a simple round to reload.

I don't get them all but I do police as many as I can. Not reloading yet but maybe that will be on the horizon.

Improved shooting:

1. Dry firing is your friend;

2. Call the shot' after each pull of the trigger - in other words, consciously recall the sight picture and if/how the sights move when the firing pIn dropped;

3. Call your shots during live fire.

I will work on that. I think I just need to slow it down some too and reacquire before firing. I get in a bit of a hurry for some reason.

Do you like fish sticks?

Indeed. Indeed I do.

 

[45CalFan]

Let me be the first to post ......



Id like to see what that Crimson Carry does.

45ACP is just too much fun to shoot! As j8064 states - easy round to reload for. And the cost of that round, makes reloading for it pay off very fast.

Great. I got the 'needpics' flag. I haven't any of todays target but I can explain it to you; lots of ~1/2" holes scattered all over an 18"x30" IDPA target. Will try and remember to snap a shot next time.

 

[Deep Creek Rock]

Great. I got the 'needpics' flag. I haven't any of todays target but I can explain it to you; lots of ~1/2" holes scattered all over an 18"x30" IDPA target. Will try and remember to snap a shot next time.

Im just joshing you. Make sure you use a high enough hold on that 1911!

Im just curious on how some of the other sized Kimbers shoot. I have been very pleased with mine, but mine is a full size gov.

 

[j8064]

Great. I got the 'needpics' flag. I haven't any of todays target but I can explain it to you; lots of ~1/2" holes scattered all over an 18"x30" IDPA target. Will try and remember to snap a shot next time.

Pics are your friend. Including foot shots is mandatory so we all know you didn't shoot off a toe.

 

[Bikebreath]

If I don't notice the slide locking back on the last shot and pull the trigger I pull the gun - I'm anticipating and don't know how to stop doing that.

I had the "flinch" and just kept shooting until it went away.

Then it came back...ugh. Then it went away again. I hope it's gone for good. I think it's not thinking about breathing and trigger control, but instead waiting for the gun to go off. Lots of dry firing did help.

Put an empty case on top of the slide on an unloaded gun and pull the trigger without it falling off.

 

[mopar92]

Indeed. Indeed I do.

What are you some kind of gay fish?

 

[Mooseman]

Practice, practice, practice.

 

[Mooseman]

What are you some kind of gay fish?

Hey, I wrote that joke.

 

[Kinbote]

Smaller weapons will have more recoil than larger ones, so you might find it easier to train with a 5" 1911, or a full-size XD. It will be easier to aim with the 5" bbl as well. If you start reloading, you can load lighter target ammo that will have less blast and recoil also, though you might be able to find commercial ammo loaded with 200gr SWC, which will be a little easier to control than 230gr FMJ.

Shooting outside is also more conducive to precision marksmanship, due to better lighting and greater dispersion of the concussive blast. Shooting in a confined area increases the noise and pressure waves from your weapon greatly, as well as the weapons of other shooters, and if someone down the line has a .50AE, as you mentioned, it will have a huge effect on you, especially if you are a newer shooter. If you shoot enough, you will gradually develop a greater tolerance for recoil and blast, but you need to be very careful you do not ingrain a flinch. You can check by loading your mags randomly with dummy and live rounds at the range. Dry-firing, as mentioned, will also help you learn proper trigger control. I assume you are using the correct grasp and stance.

 

[Blaster229]

First of all love both your pistols

Without seeing you shoot, I can say these things..... Anticipating the shot only works it's way out of you after shooting and just getting used to it until you have it ignored completely.
One thing new shooters do is rush and get disappointed because they are making "bad" shots. SLOW DOWN. take your time. If you find you are taking too long holding your sight picture, holding your breath getting anxious looking for the perfect"bullseye", it is time for you to reset, breathe and try again. Save your ammo and do not shoot that anxious sight picture.

Someone will have to see you shoot to diagnose exactly why you are "off". But your stance is not it. Hell, a person can shoot very precise when standing on one foot as long as they have a clear front sight and smooth trigger.

Just a couple tid bits. Enjoy your guns!

 

[Blaster229]

I like fish tacos.

 

[Rich1911]

Psssssst OP, (it's a magazine - not a clip)

 

[jimd27]

I like fish tacos.

Hell, a person can shoot very precise when standing on one foot as long as they have a clear front sight and smooth trigger.

I do my best shooting when I stand on one foot while eating fish tacos.

 

[45CalFan]

Psssssst OP, (it's a magazine - not a clip)

Gotcha. I throw it in sometimes just to annoy the semantically obsessed.

 

[stu929]

I used to own a springfield that was very accurate but I actually shot my wifes xd much better. I think a lot of it had to do with the grip thickness. I unconsciously would choke the grips esp the narrow grip of the 1911.

Dry fire willl be your friend. I took a class that the instructor mixed snap caps with live round so the shot was more of a surprise and guess what the aim improved. I woukd watch you grip to make sure you aren't pulling it when you squeeze one off, same goes for the trigger smooth press with the shot breaking as almost a surprise. The hit quality will improve!

Best of luck.

Oh and we still need pictures. :-)