I fought like I trained

Timber Wolf · March 29, 2012, 08:39

At my first 3-gun shoot last weekend I had a brain cramp and fell back to doing just what I had done the week before. "in practice". Last week, inpreparation for my first 3-gun match, I dusted off my 7 year old but never shot Remington 1100 Competition Master and took it over to buds to try it out. I had bought a box of Clay Birds and he had a thrower and the real estate to throw them over. As I was not really prepared I just showed up after work with the gun, shells, and clays. I stuck shells in my pocket and reloaded from it. At the match I ditched my sorry shell bandoleler after the first stage and another shooter loaned me an arm band to run the next stage. I loaded the arm band up but decided that I did not need that many as it was heavy and bulky on my arm so I took several shells out and put them in my pocket. Guess what I did during the stage, yep, I went straight for the pocket to reload! I will be better prepared and practiced next month.

rowjimmy · March 29, 2012, 19:11

Get some shell caddies from someone like CCW or man mountian and practice with them. I have small hands but can easily grab 4 shells to stuff in at a time. I do a strong hand reload but a lot of top shooters go weak hand. It's all about cionsistency and smoothness and gently balancing them in your hand. I've found the biggest factor in a good reload is getting a proper grip as you strip them from the caddy (for me, toward the base of the shell, not the middle) If I take the extra half second to do that, the rest is easy. Noveske has some good online videos.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/239...shells-polymer

They work.

Timber Wolf · March 30, 2012, 08:05

I am still trying to figure out what to buy for a caddy. One of the competitors had a chest rig from these folks: http://www.carbonarms.us/TWinS-Shotgun-Loading-Systems/ It allows 2 shells to be grabbed and stuck in the gun "inline" at once. I have not tried it yet but will this weekend. The concept appeals to me and my small, fat, clumsy hands. Although he used a chest rig they also have similiar caddies in belt configuration that while expensive, would also allow traditional weak or strong hand grabs so a lot of methods are covered. I will practice some this weekend and see what I prefer. Anything has to be better than what I did last weekend!

mister2 · April 01, 2012, 12:28

..everyone had to go through it.

Like dry firing, I also practice reloading, just making doubly sure to keep my finger out of the trigger guard, as well as finding a safe place to do it.

As you ponted out, muscle memory counts! Being new to any activity means we haven't figured out the best gear setup and it's easy to fall into an inefficient habit (loading out of pocket instead of shell holders, for instance). Practice (see above) makes perfect! When I started ACTS, I chose to do it with rimfire, which definitely has its own feel to it. Then I tried ARs and FAL, and what a difference in terms of gear, loaded weight and manual of arms! Like starting fresh everytime. And I'm still very much in the learning stage. So many matches, so little time (and MONEY)!

Good luck, sounds like you're having fun.

MR2

Timber Wolf · April 02, 2012, 07:10

I have ordered some 12 guage dummy shells and my gunsmith buddy and I installed a DMW easy loader in the Competition Master last night so I am moving in the right direction. I played with the 2-inline method of loading and do like it. The easy loader definitely makes a big difference in the "ease" of loading. I was a little surprised at just how much difference it made in traditional weak hand loading although I do not find it very easy for me to manipulate more than a couple of shells at a time. I will definitely practice different styles as much as I can before the next 3-gun match at the end of this month but I am going to have to put this 3-gun stuff aside till next week as I have two USPSA matches this weekend and I am setting up a stage for one of them and have to get some props built before Saturday. Maybe my dummy shells will be here by then and I will not have to stand in the back yard stuffing shells in the shotty scaring the dog and neighbors. Oh well, all this loading, gunsmithing, shooting, etc. keeps me off the streets and out of trouble (and money)!

**stimpsonjcat** · April 05, 2012, 09:31

Weak hand shotty loading

I am still working on this, Rob and Jansen are fine shooters.

March 29, 2012, 08:39	#1
Timber Wolf Registered FALaholic #: 805 Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Southern U.S. Posts: 2,810	I fought like I trained At my first 3-gun shoot last weekend I had a brain cramp and fell back to doing just what I had done the week before. "in practice". Last week, inpreparation for my first 3-gun match, I dusted off my 7 year old but never shot Remington 1100 Competition Master and took it over to buds to try it out. I had bought a box of Clay Birds and he had a thrower and the real estate to throw them over. As I was not really prepared I just showed up after work with the gun, shells, and clays. I stuck shells in my pocket and reloaded from it. At the match I ditched my sorry shell bandoleler after the first stage and another shooter loaned me an arm band to run the next stage. I loaded the arm band up but decided that I did not need that many as it was heavy and bulky on my arm so I took several shells out and put them in my pocket. Guess what I did during the stage, yep, I went straight for the pocket to reload! I will be better prepared and practiced next month. __________________ First rule of gun fighting: "have a gun!" "Guns don't kill people. Daddys with good looking daughters do!"

March 30, 2012, 08:05	#3
Timber Wolf Registered FALaholic #: 805 Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Southern U.S. Posts: 2,810	I am still trying to figure out what to buy for a caddy. One of the competitors had a chest rig from these folks: http://www.carbonarms.us/TWinS-Shotgun-Loading-Systems/ It allows 2 shells to be grabbed and stuck in the gun "inline" at once. I have not tried it yet but will this weekend. The concept appeals to me and my small, fat, clumsy hands. Although he used a chest rig they also have similiar caddies in belt configuration that while expensive, would also allow traditional weak or strong hand grabs so a lot of methods are covered. I will practice some this weekend and see what I prefer. Anything has to be better than what I did last weekend! __________________ First rule of gun fighting: "have a gun!" "Guns don't kill people. Daddys with good looking daughters do!"

April 01, 2012, 12:28	#4
mister2 Registered FALaholic #: 10361 Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 223	Learning Curve.... ..everyone had to go through it. Like dry firing, I also practice reloading, just making doubly sure to keep my finger out of the trigger guard, as well as finding a safe place to do it. As you ponted out, muscle memory counts! Being new to any activity means we haven't figured out the best gear setup and it's easy to fall into an inefficient habit (loading out of pocket instead of shell holders, for instance). Practice (see above) makes perfect! When I started ACTS, I chose to do it with rimfire, which definitely has its own feel to it. Then I tried ARs and FAL, and what a difference in terms of gear, loaded weight and manual of arms! Like starting fresh everytime. And I'm still very much in the learning stage. So many matches, so little time (and MONEY)! Good luck, sounds like you're having fun. MR2

April 02, 2012, 07:10	#5
Timber Wolf Registered FALaholic #: 805 Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Southern U.S. Posts: 2,810	I have ordered some 12 guage dummy shells and my gunsmith buddy and I installed a DMW easy loader in the Competition Master last night so I am moving in the right direction. I played with the 2-inline method of loading and do like it. The easy loader definitely makes a big difference in the "ease" of loading. I was a little surprised at just how much difference it made in traditional weak hand loading although I do not find it very easy for me to manipulate more than a couple of shells at a time. I will definitely practice different styles as much as I can before the next 3-gun match at the end of this month but I am going to have to put this 3-gun stuff aside till next week as I have two USPSA matches this weekend and I am setting up a stage for one of them and have to get some props built before Saturday. Maybe my dummy shells will be here by then and I will not have to stand in the back yard stuffing shells in the shotty scaring the dog and neighbors. Oh well, all this loading, gunsmithing, shooting, etc. keeps me off the streets and out of trouble (and money)! __________________ First rule of gun fighting: "have a gun!" "Guns don't kill people. Daddys with good looking daughters do!"

April 05, 2012, 09:31	#6
stimpsonjcat Windoze free since 1-2010 Silver Contributor FALaholic #: 470 Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Dawsonville, GA Posts: 4,205	Weak hand shotty loading I am still working on this, Rob and Jansen are fine shooters. __________________ peace! Happiness=UPS+ORMD "Your 8mm FAL is like a deuce coup with a Ferrari pancake 12 under the hood and a Jaguar rear end. It just kinda transcends cool into fantasy."- USMC 0341 "The stimpgewehr is the reason Waldo is hiding."- Kotengu Cause I can still hear his voice when I put it to my shoulder, "A guns like a woman son, it's all how you hold her."

March 29, 2012, 19:11	#2
rowjimmy Registered FALaholic #: 21662 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Central PA Posts: 3,420	Get some shell caddies from someone like CCW or man mountian and practice with them. I have small hands but can easily grab 4 shells to stuff in at a time. I do a strong hand reload but a lot of top shooters go weak hand. It's all about cionsistency and smoothness and gently balancing them in your hand. I've found the biggest factor in a good reload is getting a proper grip as you strip them from the caddy (for me, toward the base of the shell, not the middle) If I take the extra half second to do that, the rest is easy. Noveske has some good online videos. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/239...shells-polymer They work.

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