Revised 28FEB14 range plan

Targets: 3" dot, 6" dot
Rounds: NTE 100
WITH GLOVES

String 1 (5 yds, 3" dot): 10 rounds from position 3.
Push out, acquire sights, fire one round into dot.  Scan, return to position 3.

String 2 (5 yds, 3" dot): 20 rounds from position 1
Draw, acquire sights, fire one round into dot.  Scan, return to position 1.

String 3 (5 yds, 3" dot): 20 rounds from position 1
Draw, acquire sights, fire a controlled pair into dot.  Scan, return to position 1.

String 4 (7 yds, 6" dot): 15 rounds from position 1
Draw, acquire sights, fire a controlled pair into dot.  Scan, return to position 1.

String 5 (7 yds, 6" dot): 15 rounds from position 1
Draw, acquire sights, fire a controlled pair into a dot, fire controlled pair into a second dot.  Scan, return to position 1.

String 6 (7 yds, 6" dot): 20 rounds from position 1
Immediate action drills with multiple magazines and dummy rounds.

Target: 100 yd zeroing
Rounds: NTE 40

Zero M14 at 100 yds, gather data (come-up and hold-over) for 200 yds and 300 yds.

Workout 25FEB14

Choose a weight, go until failure.  Half the weight, go until failure.  Half the weight, go until failure.

Back squat
Bench press
Bent row
Shrugs
Calf extensions
Curls

Row 1000m
Rest 1:1
Row 500m
Rest 1:1
Row 250m

Workout 24FEB14

Run 30 minutes on treadmill at 6.5-7mph pace.

For time:

40 kettle bell swings

50 ball slams 

60 box jumps 

70 sit-ups 

Range plan 28FEB14

Targets: IDPA, 3" dot, 6" dot
Rounds: NTE 100

String 1 (5 yds, 3" dot): 10 rounds from position 1
    Draw, acquire sights, fire a controlled pair into dot.  Scan,
return to position 1.

String 2 (5 yds, 3" dot): 20 rounds from position 1
    Draw, acquire sights, fire a controlled pair into dot.  Scan,
return to position 1.

String 3 (10 yds, 6" dot): 20 rounds from position 1
    Draw, acquire sights, fire a controlled pair into dot.  Scan,
return to position 1.

String 4 (10 yds, 6" dot): 20 rounds from position 1
    Draw, acquire sights, fire a controlled pair into a dot, fire
controlled pair into a second dot.  Scan, return to position 1.

String 5 (10 yds, 6" dot): 20 rounds from position 1
    Immediate action drills with multiple magazines and dummy
rounds.

String 6 (7 yds, IDPA): Slide lock reload test
    From position 4, at the buzzer, fire one round into the target,
reload, fire one more.  Par time 4.15 sec, one round must be in -0, one
must be in -1 or less. Limited Vickers.

String 7 (5 and 7 yds, IDPA): Multi target engagement test
    From position 1, at the buzzer, draw and fire two rounds into
each target.  Par time 4.40 sec, on each target one round must be in -0,
one must be in -1 or less. Limited Vickers.

Targets: 12"x12" steel plate
Rounds: NTE 50

15 yds: Work slide lock reloads, multiple target engagement on timer

Target: 100 yd zeroing
Rounds: NTE 40

Zero M14 at 100 yds, gather data (come-up and hold-over) for 200 yds and 300 yds.

Target: 100 yd zeroing
Rounds: NTE 20

Have fun with M48 Yugo Mauser.

Nightly Dry Fire 23FEB - 01MAR14

Since I've been doing the dry fire routine I posted on 12FEB for almost two weeks, I'm switching it up.  This weeks routine, 40 minutes per night broken down as follows:

10 minutes from Position 1 (concealed) - draw, acquire sights, fire.

10 minutes from Position 1 (concealed) - immediate action drills.  Draw, acquire sights, fire, perform immediate action.

10 minutes from Position 1 (concealed) - reload with retention.  Draw, acquire sights, fire, perform reload with retention.

10 minutes from Position 1 (concealed) - BUG.  Draw, acquire sights, fire.

From today's range day

So after I got done with the "work" part of my shooting day, I broke out my Vz-24 that I've had for a year or so and shot it for the first time.  I love Mausers...

Checked it at 50 yds to make sure I was on paper, then rang steel at 100 and 200 yds

Home after a day on the range.

This is what a 196 gr Soft Point looks like after the RSO has to bang it out of your barrel with a cleaning rod...

Monday's range plan

Rounds: NTE 100
Targets: 3" dots, 6" dots

String 1 (3-5 yds, 3" dot): 10 rounds from position 3.
Push out, acquire sights, fire one round into dot.  Scan, return to position 3.

String 2 (3-5 yds, 3" dot): 20 rounds from position 1
Draw, acquire sights, fire one round into dot.  Scan, return to position 1.

String 3 (3-5 yds, 3" dot): 20 rounds from position 1
Draw, acquire sights, fire a controlled pair into dot.  Scan, return to position 1.

String 4 (5-7 yds, 3" dot): 20 rounds from position 1
Draw, acquire sights, fire a controlled pair into dot.  Scan, return to position 1.

String 5 (10 yds, 6" dot): 15 rounds from position 1
Draw, acquire sights, fire a controlled pair into dot.  Scan, return to position 1.

String 6 (10 yds, 6" dot): 15 rounds from position 1
Draw, acquire sights, fire a controlled pair into a dot, fire controlled pair into a second dot.  Scan, return to position 1.

Basically, I've found that I can shoot fast, but my accuracy is suffering.  This range plan is designed to work on my accuracy.

Trigger pull alterations - some thoughts...

In the spirit of two earlier articles I posted on sport shooting and accessory/part selection, I wanted to share some lessons I've learned the hard way (not the "Oh crap, I'm going to die" hard way, just the "Hey, something's not right and I spent money on this" hard way). 

I own a CZ-85B that I had customized specifically for sport shooting.  As part of the custom work, I had a trigger job done that resulted in an amazing improvement in the crispness of the trigger and the pull weight reduction.  When I went to test fire it in the middle of the ammo shortage, I had a mix of PRVI and PMC ammo to run through it.  The PMC ran reliably throughout, but I experienced several failures to fire with the PRVI.  I took the ejected rounds and ran them through my other 9mm I had brought (unmodified), and they fired.  I was a little confused at first, because my CZ had always run whatever ammo I fed it previously.  Then I decided to read the description of the work that had been done to it.  Included in the trigger job was a lighter mainspring.  One of the things your mainspring influences (other than trigger weight) is how hard the hammer strikes the firing pin.  A lighter mainspring means a lighter hammer strike.  Ammo with harder primers (PRVI, TulAmmo, etc) may not reliably fire in a gun with a lighter mainspring. 

Does this concern me?  As it relates to my CZ, no.  As I stated, I wanted this gun modified specifically for sport shooting.  When I sport shoot, I control the ammunition that I feed it.  I'm not quite to reloading yet, but I can try multiple types of ammo, and feed it the one it likes best.  For those of you who are planning for the Day of the Zombie Horde or other self-defense/societal breakdown scenario, this should concern you.  Unless you have cases of ammo stacked in your garage (and judging from the shelves at Wal-Mart, some of you do), there will come a point when you will need to scavenge for ammo.  When that happens, you need a gun that will reliably fire whatever you can find.  Gun designers are relatively smart people, and they design guns to perform in a variety of scenarios.  If you choose to tune your gun for a specific purpose, that is perfectly fine, but be aware of the unintended consequences that may come of it.

My second lesson learned was with modifications made to my Glock.  I installed a spring kit and reduced weight trigger connector.  I liked the trigger pull so much when sport shooting that I considered changing out the springs on my carry pistol as well.  Then two things happened: 1) I actually read the spring manufacturer's instructions and 2) I paid more attention during my dry-fire practice.  The manufacturer's instructions specifically state that the reduced power striker spring, while excellent at reducing trigger pull weight is NOT to be used in a defensive pistol.  Why?  See above for my experience with the CZ.  Second, during dry-fire, I glanced down as I worked the slide to reset the trigger and noticed that the trigger was not resetting fully forward.  It was resetting far enough to be ready to fire, but not far enough to reset the trigger safety mechanism (that annoying lever on the trigger everyone loves to hate).  Per GLOCK’s website, “The trigger safety is a lever incorporated into the trigger. When the trigger safety is in the forward position it blocks the trigger from moving rearward. The trigger safety and the trigger must be fully depressed at the same time to fire the pistol. If the trigger safety is not depressed, the trigger will not move rearward and allow the pistol to fire. The trigger safety is designed to protect against firing if the pistol is dropped or the trigger is subjected to lateral pressure.”  In other words, if it doesn't reset properly, and my shirt/jacket gets in the trigger guard or I drop the pistol, bad things could happen.  The lower weight trigger spring I installed is the most likely culprit.  Since I plan to go to the range this weekend, I will re-install the original springs this week and dry-fire to see if the problem improves.  If I find the lighter springs are causing the problem, I will permanently remove them.

In summary, it's your gun, tune it the way you want, but ensure that you have done your research and understand any unintended consequences that may occur.  Just because it’s the latest and greatest, or the manufacturer promises that this is the last upgrade you’ll ever need, or your buddy tells you how much faster he is with his super-light trigger pull doesn’t necessarily make that set-up right for your intended use.

Tonight's dry fire

15 minutes divided as follows:

5 minutes - From position 1, draw and sight in on target.  Points of performance are grip, draw, presentation, sight picture.

5 minutes - From position 1, draw, sight in, and "fire."  Points of performance are grip, draw, presentation, sight picture, and trigger press.  "Shot" should break approximately the time full presentation is reached.

5 minutes - From position 1, with one magazine with one dummy round in the firearm and two spares, draw, sight in, "fire," and perform immediate action.  Points of performance are grip, draw, presentation, sight picture, trigger press, and immediate action.

Thoughts and recommendations always welcome.