Ok, that is a bit better

 I was determined to go back after the last disastrous 2-magazine range day.

A bit better on 11 December.  Concentrate on the basics: relax, front sight, make trigger go good.  29 fired (all I wanted) no malfs.  8 yards.   1288 through the gun since I built it.  I think this 1911 is turning into one of those guns

See?  Not great, but much better than last time.

There was a big wait to get a lane.  Half capacity last wee cuz of Covid, quarter capacity starting this week.  Had 4 rifles for sale on the wall where 80 go, and a dozen pistols in the cabinets where 80 go. 

Next range day will be post neck-surgery.  Assuming I survive that.  

---

This is upsetting

 Went to the range.  Didn't stay long.  My neck issues make my hold extra weak and the nerves tingly.  I don't like this one bit.

Also, only had 14 rounds with.  Forgot to reload mags, so...

Fixing this issue cannot come soon enough.  

Range 13 July

Hey!  That's my grandpa's birthday!

Captain Thuderbolt, dub dub too.  His age and crap vision kept him off a Naval vessel.

Anyway.

Ok, started crap.  Relaxed and got better.  Put more finger on the trigger in hopes of shift right to POA, got a bit better.  Very last was range increase from 25 to 50 feet.  Went to sh!t again.

This one represents my current fault.  High and right, or just right.  That's all seven in those two. 

49 rounds, no malfs, total of 1245 through the gun since built.  Need to clean.

Ugh!

The trigger is different.

After months and months of striker fired trigger work, I went back to a 1911 trigger.

And stank up the joint.

My first round was great, then old habits, and it took to the end of a boxof ammo before I got my mojo back a little bit.  The point I usually and opening up groups with fatigue.

First two magazines at the head.  Low and right.

Thirst at center, was just right.  Didn't shift to the centerline until I got a hold of myself.  But pretty lousy, all told.

No malfs.  1196 rounds since I built the gun.  Did a detail strip around round 450 to adjust the disconnector fit.  I guess it sorta was cleaned then.  I lube as needed, and it needed it after the long break.  The gun is filthy.  I need to clean it.

Never malfunctioned, though, in almost 1200 rounds.

Range Monday

I noticed I was shooting low after the first magazine. 

I use silhouettes where I CAN'T see the hole to remove the temptation of looking over my sights for my hits.  But I see em when I bring the trolley back.  I adjust and the holes near the yellow spot on the face were my 5 round mag improvement.

The next 3 mags were the center mass shots.

There is always at least ONE flyer where I screw up. 

8 yards, commodity plastic striker fired 9mm rental service pistol.

Finally

Some recoil therapy.  My range opened up.  They are keeping it to half capacity and please wear a mask.  Commodity plastic stiker fired 9mm.  8 yards at first.

1. Not bad for a first magazine after MONTHS.  
2. I was rushing on purpose  The lower right is an experiment to GRIP---trigger.  But I gave up when it gave me low and right and went to a more relaxed grip I was training with for years.  I'll give that some more attention and more rounds, just not now.
3. Getting tired, getting sloppy.  Too many rounds were MakeGunGoNOW trigger pulls instead of good ones, but I was pleased to get ANY good shots at all.  Some bad shots were called, some not.  I need to sharpen that skill with practice, too.
4. I pushed the target trolley out to 50 feet.  Only that one REALLY bad flyer.  I can't see that far so was pleased about this one too.  Considering.

Just glad to do something.  It had been too long.  Blow the cobwebs from the rafters.

Range 30 Jan 2020

Rented a generic black plastic striker fired service pistol and this is three 15-round magazines at 8 yards.

First, the center.  Felt good.  Being fresh helped.  The flyers, I am pretty sure were called.  I couldn't see where the hits were while it happened, but I wasn't happy with three shots of the fifteen and there are 3 shabby rounds right there.

Next magazine, pleased with the first I did the usual thing and went right off the rails.  Like I lost all concentration and the trigger work suffered

Finally, calmed a bit and got more where I wanted them.

Also, the pistol didn't lock back at the end of the second mag, and the very next round stovepiped.  If this were my gun I'd clean it and oil it, inspecting the magazine and extractor tension and watching out for it for next time. 

Range 8 Jan 2020

Shook the cobwebs off.  Seven 17-round magazines of 9mm through a generic black plastic striker fired service pistol at 7 yards.

Here are the first one mag and two.

Ok, not bad.  Cold open.

The rest here, and you can see me getting tired as the head shots have a flinchy and the group spreads out a bit.  One off, and four I don't like.

What was I trying to accomplish?  Just competent, at a steady rate, plugging away, paying attention to trigger squeeze and follow through.  Good.  Another reason to seek out training.  To stretch my wings more and push the envelope out.  Challenge myself to get better.

I also have noticed that Tam usually uses a silhouette.  And just one, with a higher round count.  Her shooting is competent and confident enough to do that.  And she rarely has fliers or a spread like you see on mine.  I aspire to get more like that.  She doesn't need to shoot a single mag and analyze that as much as I tend to.  When she wants to critique her skills more closely I notice she puts in a 3 Dot Torture target up to play with.  But with a silhouette with two big ragged holes she can ask her self as she leaves how she shot and go, "Whelp 200 rounds and nothing off that center.  Not shabby."

Big ragged holes days are often work days when she is putting a gun through its paces for her work, and not putting her skill through their paces as a top priority.  Though, obviously, she doesn't flub that part either.   Different sessions, different purposes.

You know why I am in a rut?

I haven't been to the range.  Maybe not since Thanksgiving.  All the hectic holiday preps and whatnot.

I need to correct that.  Getting itchy.

January is a month of doctor and dental appointments.  And my company cut way back on sick time.  Bastards.  Raise notifications are coming up.  Since they took 12 days away, let's see if they give 12 days back in the form of money.  If not, well, that is how resumes get polished up.  Plenty of positions out there, even for a broken down old keyboard jockey like me.

Range 12 November

Been shooting striker fired... break out the 1911.

Not too bad.

Suprise break trigger much faster.  "Make trigger go good" versus "make trigger for NOW!" where you flinch with the second and have decent shot with the second?  I was squeezing the trigger almost as fast as a GO NOW, but getting the surprise break of a 5 second Go Good.  If that makes any sense. 

8 yards, 36 rounds, no malfs or stoppages.  1153 since I built the gun. 

The bottom two were one-handed practice.  I shoot better offhand than I did with two hands, but 5 years ago. 

So, what next?  Pairs and split times?  Need some training on that. 

Range 22 OCT

I started with a magazine at 25 yards.  12 'cold' shots out of a rented Commodity, Plastic, Striker-Fired, Service Pistol.

If you count the holes to center mass, there are only 11, so I guess one flinched down to the crotch level.  Dang.

Then I brought it closer, 8 yards, and did the head shots.  Similar drill, I've done this before.  I have that little yellow bit, might as well aim for it.  And it keeps me honest because I can't much see the the holes in the black, so, less 'prairie dogging,' looking up over the sights, to see how I did. 

Then, new target.  50 more shots. 

Not too bad.  You can see my groups easing over to the right more as I fatigue.  I kinda like that upper right target.  Felt pretty good.  7 shots touching.

What I was working on, what I was there for, what I was trying to improve or at least keep honed was my trigger pull.  Per usual.  Trying to make if faster.  A surprise trigger pull on demand.  Not:  aim.... aim....  pull back the trigger... aim... squeeze.... aim... surprise-BANG.  Not: Aim... flinch-BANG.  But:  Aim..... surprise-BANG!

It's all I've been working on. 

I need to see if I can get some training.  I wanna do that, but in pairs.  Decent pairs.

Range 23 Sep

Took the 1911.  All them good target with a striker trigger, let's see if there is change with that sweet 1911 Single Action!

Nope.

I mean not bad, but my flaws are the same.

36 rounds at the shorter range, one magazine at long range.

A good session with lots of good surprise breaks.  One day, every round in session with be a good trigger pull.  Not this time.  Still some big and little flinches.

Ooo, yes I did notice a perceived recoil increase going from 9 to .45. 

---

ooo, forgot.  50 more AE, no malfs, lubed ahead of time, 1117 since I made the gun. 

Range 8 Sept.

I learned today there are really two types of flinches I can discern.  Major and minor.

75 more rounds through the rental Commodity Plastic Striker Fired Service Pistol.

Not bad.

Back to the flinch types. 

1. Good job!  Keep that up!  Doing great!
2. Minor flinch.  Sorta called it when they happened?
3. Major flinch.  Oh yeah, I knew those were flinches when it happened before looking for the holes. 

But the worst shots are still 3 inches from the best shots.  Only one off the target major flinch on target #4.  I consciously went faster on target #3. 

When I was doing good I was relaxed, focusing on the front sight and not thinking about prairie dogging my looking at the target, and the trigger pull was good.  But that's always the secret

Range 3 September

Ok, I rented the same Commodity Plastic Striker Fired Service Pistol again.

I shot it well last time, I am wonder if I got more and better surprise breaks because I was more relaxed last time, and, more importantly, I didn't know where the break was yet in that trigger.  A little trick that only works while you are unfamiliar with the gun.  Then you learn it and the break is less of a surprise and you can concentrate on introducing your flinches for improved disappointment.  If you are into that sort of masochism. 

Meh, I did OK.  Test inconclusive.  Three magazines of 15.  Chest and head at 25 feet, then chest at 75 feet.  I count 8 of that third magazine outside the central group from with the longer ranged string.  All but #1 up there are decent hits.  That isn't the order shot, tho.

My arms were muscle-tired by lifting chores I had done all weekend.  I labored on Labor Day.  And I pushed myself to a higher round count than usual to see where I was shooting when fatigue was more evident.

Also not so bad.  75 rounds total for the day.  Test inconclusive. All good hits.  Opening up the groups a little as I tire one the head maybe.  The holes in the white are from a hole punch or staple tears.

Plus, you know, Commodity Plastic Striker Fired Service 9mm Pistols are a good value and decent guns to start with.  Not easy to shoot, but nothing like hard.  Medium easy.  Oooo, if I was a biker that's be a great nickname.  Medium Easy.

One thing I noticed

The range was crowded for a Monday.

And the shooting quality was awful.

It's not like they were brand new shooters with brand new guns panic buying and trying their new piece.  It takes at least a month, these days, in Maryland to get permission to buy your first pistol.  Second pistol only takes a week waiting period, but to get permission from the state the first time, there is some delay.  Fingerprints, background check, training requirement, and wait for your license to purchase arrives in the mail.

I know, I know.

But it's too soon for thems.  Those are in a couple weeks, coming to the range.

These are people dusting off the pistol they already owned and are getting some practice in.   Or, you know, I just happened to be there on a crowded Monday by coincidence. 

Range 26 Aug

I rented an M&P 9mm at the range.

Now, there have been too many suicides at my local range.  One is too many.  It's been more than that.  So, you wanna rent a gun, there has to be 2 of you shooting together, or you have to bring a gun of your own.

Makes sense.  Otherwise, it's suicide for the cost of a box of ammo.   Not even that.  You rent a gun, get a range slot, get a box of ammo, you pay for that when you are done.   You can off yourself for free that way.  Or you could.

But I brought my own gun, and like I said, they know me there, I go often enough.  I bet they'd rent one to me, a familiar member, with no issue.  But why test that?  Had a J-frame that I didn't shoot.  Wanted to shoot Commodity Plastic Service Pistol.  Because I need to. 

Much better than my revolver target a week ago, huh?

25 feet.  9mm.  15 in the mag that went to the chest, 10 to the head, and 15 to that guy standing way off in the distanc.

I even hit that guy a coupla 5 times.  Gotta stretch.

And I knew when I flinched that one to the chest and them 2 or 3 to the head.

Sheesh, I shoot that dang thing better than the Hudson or the 1911s.  Disappointing.

I hate it when I shoot good with a cheap Commodity Plastic Striker Fired Service Pistol, but this is telling, no?  I think the mush trigger is easier to surprise me.  So I get better results than with my 1911's better trigger that I know where it will break.

Range 20 August

Been about a month.  Let's apply last month's lessons:

"Shoot 2.  Then wait.  2 more.  WAIT.  Final.  Don't train myself to fire to click click click click.  So, relax, and try to remember on a J-Frame that that front sight has to be nestled well in that trench and you still have to do the job with the finger.  There you go."

Ok.  J-Frame again.

Decent job.  Halfway

First was red, then yellow, then green, then 4 shots to the head purple (where was the fifth?  still in the cylinder and that is labeled #5) and the last, and best, cylinder was the blue one.  The only really marginal hit was to the left ear, dammit.

I get better with the revolver with practice.  No first shot genius here.

July 21 Range

Five cylinders worth.

What was I thinking getting Magtech?  Remind me to lay off that brand.  It's fine, I guess.  A bit smokey. 

Ok, I've color coded.

All at 25 feet.

First cylinder, no dry fire, is Red.  Not bad.  THEN some dry fire.

I compensated for second cylinder too much:  Yellow.  A bit high. 

Green is next.  I notice I am hitting to the left.  But less high.  All three rounds were very fast shooting.  I need to not do that.  2.  Then wait.  2 more.  WAIT.  Final.  Don't train myself to fire to click click click click.

I compensated EVEN MORE for the leaning to the left and miss twice with Pink.  Boo.  Don't do that. 

So, I relax, and try to remember on a J-Frame that that front sight has to be nestled well in that trench and you still have to do the job with the finger.  There you go.  Blue. 

New camera, too. 

Range 8 July

Hmph.  Heeling.  With a few spots of doing it right.  Despite the poor performance I felt I knew what I was doing wrong and could fix it, but maybe not that day.  Stopped after 29 shots of AE 230 gr to keep from reinforcing failure.

No malfs.

1. Crap, 3 big heels
2. A spark of semi confidence
3. Wheels getting loose
4. And there they go.  Pack it in.

Good trigger pull is the key.  Why are some sessions just flinchier than others?  Hmmm.  The range was a bit more crowded than usual.  That can't help.

Ok, improvement, Range 25 June

Trigger control

There is "Make Trigger Go Good" which has a surprise break at the end.  Option A.   :-)

And there is "MakeTriggerGoNOW!" which has a flinch at the end.  Option B.  :-(

Now when you are shooting well and doing Option A you naturally want to do Option A but a tiny bit faster.  Then you get Option B as you drive faster than your headlights.  Out of practice I usually am Option B after the first shot and get to Option A then speed up if I have time and get back to Option B.  If I am disciplined I calm back down and end up at Option A again.

I think that is where I am goofing.  I know how to do Option A.  I forget and have to relearn Option A, even with frequent practice.  When I have Option A tuned in I immediately try to speed up Option A, because that would be a good thing.  And quickly get to Option B.  Too fast, no surprise, flinch creeps in.

35 more American Eagle .45 AC with no malfunctions.  Fewer, "Oh, Dammit!" shots.   1038 shot through gun.

Now, the real trick.  Speeding up Option A and keeping it Option A.

The worst shot on target #5 was the first of the magazine and they walked in closer after that.  Kinda enjoyed that. 

So, slightly better.  I listened to myself for once.