Coins for Children Charity IDPA Match Report and Video

I only managed to get video of 4 of the 6 stages at the match, but got most of the highlights. Stages were fantastic and we couldn’t have asked for better weather.

(Video Link for Email/RSS readers)

Overall I shot well. The dry-fire is paying off, and I was very confident about my hits. I need to put in some more work on getting the reloads quicker, and better stage planning.

Match Breakdown:

Stage 5 (the first stage we shot) I did my best to ignore a couple targets and had to move back a few steps to get behind cover and engage them. Thankfully I didn’t engage the targets until I was back behind cover. I was also supposed to engage the disappearing target strong hand only, with the briefcase in my weak hand (that’s where I got the procedural).

Stage 6 (No Video) involved starting seated in the cab of a pickup, and then on the buzzer exiting the truck, and engaging two steel plates, and a bunch of targets obscured with T-shirts. All targets were about 20-25 yards away including a swinger. I shot this stage very well, and ended up 2nd overall on it. I waited for my sights to rise and then fall back into place, and got my hits. On the swinging target I probably would have sent a third round at it if I had one, but the pistol ran dry, and it wasn’t worth reloading.

Stage 1 also brought out some poor planning. We started walking while pushing a baby stroller, and were instructed to engage the T1 and T2 with 3 round while moving to cover using only our strong hand. By the time I got my pistol out after the buzzer I was basically already at cover, so I squirted some rounds at T1 and T2 and moved on. Unfortunately I wasn’t within the shooting area behind the barrels, and took a procedural for those targets. The rest of the stage went well, I finished 7th overall.

Stage 2 was a LOT of fun. We started with our hands looped into a rope that passed through two eye hooks on the table. The rope was short enough that when shooting around each side of the barricade we could only use our strong or weak hand. No real big complaints about this stage, other than I rode the slide lock when shooting strong hand, and wasted a second racking in a round on the reload.

Stage 3 was also a lot of fun. This stage was a poker game setup with both red and black painted targets. On the buzzer we flipped over a shot glass which had a color under it that corresponded with the targets we were supposed to shoot. We were limited to two 6 round magazines for this stage. I shot fast, and got my hits. It was a lot of fun. No complaints.

Stage 4 (No Video) was a little confusing. We started with our cheek on the buttstock of an AR-10, pistol and all magazines also on the table. On the buzzer retrieved our pistol from the table, and engaged 3 close targets in tactical sequence, and then had a paper target, mini-popper, and double drop turner at about 15 yards. You had to make the decision to either tac-load at the table, and engage the 15 yard targets on the move, or take them seated from the table. After those targets you had to move to the next piece of cover, and engage two more targets using cover. I engaged the 15 yard targets seated, reloaded, stowed my third magazine, and ran as fast as I could to cover before engaging the last set of targets. I shot good, still debating if I would have been better off tac-loading and engaging the drop turner and steel while advancing toward them.

Lessons and Take Aways:

• Don’t be afraid of long shots. Watch your sights, press the trigger the right way, and you’ll get your hits. Squirting 15 bullets at a 20y target in 3 seconds doesn’t get you anywhere.

• Don’t out shoot your sights. Being honest with myself in dry-fire is really helping with this, and it showed in this match.

• Keep working. I’m seeing big gains, and I need to keep it going.

All in all, it was a great match. Fun stages, and for a great cause. If you’re in eastern NC, and want to try competitive shooting, H2O Fowl Farms is a great place to do it. There next IDPA match is this coming Saturday (9/13/2014).