a weird request.

[42]

hi I am a shooter behind enemy lines in the uk as well as shooting .22s at a range I participate in force on force training with a company that does open events, and training events with the police.

Basically I shoot timed "jungle runs" or "killhouse" scenarios for fun with airsoft weapons as well as more combat based games, I am transitioning away from rifles to pistols SMG's and shotgun's. If I posted my getup would anyone a.) be interested or b.) have tips tricks or advice for me in terms of carrying extra mags, reload tricks etc?

[nalioth]

Won't know until you do

I'm sure other folks in your boat would at least have in interest.

[42]

I am looking for advice from other comp shooter with regards to gear placement etc.

[Freiheit]

I'll weigh in here as a competitive pistol shooter. I'm not great, but I do get out and do it and I pay attention to the better shooters.

My qualifications
- Shooting IPDA-like competitions at a local pistol club. Club emphasis on practical shooting and run-what-you-brung rather than specific competition rigs
- safety officer for said club for 2.5 years, I am responsible for 5-15 shooters at one time running them thru stages safely and keeping scores
- I placed 2nd in the lowest class at my club. Primarily shooting a 1911 from an IWB concealment holster

So some tips:
- always carry reloads
- carry the reloads so that your weak hand can reach them and shove them into the gun
- if you don't have a full magazine in the gun and you're moving or behind cover, reload
- retaining empty or half empty magazines will slow you down. If its not totally full, it goes on the ground when I drop it.
- "go slow to go fast" if you can't do your manipulations and get your weapon on target with proper form at a slow pace, the only thing a fast pace will do is make you miss faster
- Keep your reloads where your hand falls naturally. For most right handed shooters, this means your reloads are on the left side, between 9 and 12 o-clock
- Having fancy gear that you don't know how to use makes you suck. A shooter with basic gear that he has used and practiced with will consistently beat a shooter with the best gear that still looks package fresh.

I hope thats what you're looking for. It sounds like you might be doing 'tactical' style training rather than straight up competition.

[42]

its bits of both to be honest, some tactical training though I don't take it too seriously biut also some of it is timed stages. what the british army would call a
"jungle run" set of shoot and no shoot targets on a course fastest time fewest penalties wins sort of thing.

I will put up some setup photo's soon and highlight the issues I am wanting specifics for. freihart, thank's by the way some useful points with regard to weakhand reloading and changing before empty.

[Old Grump]

Same advice as before with the jungle run, running the house, running the gauntlet, whatever name they choose to go by for that particular venue. It almost always is scored on hits made and time elapsed and hitting a no shoot target zeroes you out for that run. The shooters who consistently do well have done it over and cover and over again and you won't be competitive with them till you have had hundreds of repetitions.

Forget about winning and losing, put that thought right out of your mind and go at your own pace the best you can making sure you don;t take any snap shots at a no shoot target. Your speed will increase with proficiency and familiarity and so will your ability to get on target and shoot fast. If you push for fast right now you will only get frustrated, the scores will not get better and it will not be fun.

Don't look at the scoreboard till you are done, whistle a happy tune, relax and be happy between rounds and you will find it easier to shut your mind down and concentrate on your shooting when you are up on the line. That guy next to you who was fretting his last performance and is gritting his teeth to make himself shoot better in the next round will not shoot better and he will only get unhappier. Hardest thing I ever had to learn and the hardest to teach but if you get it you will see improvement.

[pmeisel]

Don't look at the scoreboard till you are done, whistle a happy tune, relax and be happy between rounds and you will find it easier to shut your mind down and concentrate on your shooting when you are up on the line. That guy next to you who was fretting his last performance and is gritting his teeth to make himself shoot better in the next round will not shoot better and he will only get unhappier. Hardest thing I ever had to learn and the hardest to teach but if you get it you will see improvement.

For what it's worth, the same applies to competitive distance running, golf, and sailboat racing. Didn't know you were a Zen master, Grump.

[Old Grump]

For what it's worth, the same applies to competitive distance running, golf, and sailboat racing. Didn't know you were a Zen master, Grump.

Some people meditate some people shoot bowling pins at 200 yards standing one handed with 22 caliber handguns. If you worry about missing you will. Let yourself get in the zone and soon you will need a new bowling pin. My coach tried to tell me that for a year but I was and am a hard headed Bohunk and it took me awhile to get it through my dense bone head.

Hardest thing I had to teach my new shooters when I was team captain of our battalion pistol and rifle teams was to stay loose like a goose and keep grinning. Those that got it went on to 5th army matches with me and two of them nearly went with me to All Army. Those were new shooters shooting the pants off veteran shooters who had more than ten years of competition.

I used to be intense and I was a complete competitive horses patootie. When I learned to loosen up the scores got better and people liked me better because I was a nicer guy. You cannot shoot tight groups if you are wound up tight.

[42]

ok bumping an old thread, any suggestions on how to carry 4 mags for a 1911 whilst also carrying a spare ar15 magazine? I have a blackhawk 2 mag carrier on my right hip on my belt, one mag in each gun and am own a thigh dropleg for the m4 mags, where would you put the other 2 1911 mags?

[21H40]

I guess the question is, how much are you willing to put into this? And what are the restrictions (IDPA in the US is intended for concealed carry equipment so a chest rig is not an option, but if this is more military style it might be different).

I'm not a competitive shooter right now, but I do have some real world experience from the US Army.

I like having my magazines low center on my body armor, but that set up works for my specific needs. Some of the other guys had rigs with magazines on both sides, but nothing in the center.

I like having MOLLE gear because it allows us to configure our rigs to our specific skill sets (for instance, as engineers, many of my guys had tools in addition to knives and magazines on their rigs).

[Old Grump]

You might want to consider a LBE vest my personal choice or something like it from these people.



http://www.lapolicegear.com/vests.html

Or go to your local site http://www.armbritain.com/forum/ and ask for Spike, if he don't know he might be able to point you in the right direction for local equipment dealers or shooters who might have their own sources.

[42]

for the 1911 rig my restrictions are belt rig and carrying 2 ar mags without resorting to a LBV.

I have a british LBV kitted for the p90 and a set of 58 pattern webbing for the m16.

basically my three sets of kit are

cop - belt rig only, 1911 and shotgun/ar

modern soldier - p90 a pistol and the ar occasionally in an lbv

vietnam - in webbing with the 1911 and the ar.