One of the big things about Rockcastle is that they have a fair number of side matches, and a number of “pro” clinics that take place during the rest of the shooting. If you have some time between stages, you can usually find something else that will keep you busy.
After the shooting was scheduled to be over on Friday and Saturday there were 5 pro clinics offered each day. As you know, the shooting ran LONG each day and this was a bit disruptive for the clinics.
Friday, our last stage was Stage 2. We were scheduled to be complete by 4 (the clinics were scheduled for 5:15). At 5:20 we were still shooting, and Di Lierdorf comes by and says, “Since you guys aren’t done if anyone is looking for my clinic it will be across the road in the shade”. About 10 minutes later she comes by and says, “Hey, since you guys aren’t shooting come over to my clinic. I’ve got T-Shirts…”. So, I took the time to go over to her clinic. Along with Di, Katie Harris was there and we all had a chat about gear and fitness and stage breakdowns. Many hats, shirts, and shorts were given out. Biggest take aways, Organization, consistency, repeatability, and get Safariland gear.
Since that was finished quickly, I slid over to the end of Pat Kelly’s clinic. Pat was winging it, off the cuff and covering everything under the sun. Gear, stage breakdowns, triggers, hand position, moving, visualization, mental game. Essentially anything that anyone wanted to talk about. So many take-aways from listening to him speak for a short while. Probably the biggest things were the mental game, and then consistency and repeatability again. Great guy, enjoyed my short visit with him.
Side match are plentiful at Rockcastle. You want to shoot a machine gun, sure we can do that. You want to shoot steel at speed for a chance to win a new gun, yep got that. Automatic M4, step right up. 6.5 Grendal at 1000 yds, we can do that. Suppressed .45 in a cave, using night vision…yep got it.
I have to tell you though, the cave shoot was probably the most awesome thing that I have done since holding my newborn children. It puts a grin on everyone’s face. You climb down and down to the cave entrance. Manuever throw a fairly tight entrance, and back into the cave about 50 yds. to the staging point. Then you get to play with Night Vision gear. The stuff they have now, AWESOME. Absolute pitch blackness and you can maneuver with ease as if it were daylight. Through an Infra Red laser on the suppressed pistol and aiming is a breeze. FREAKING AWESOME! Now, through in the fact that they put a .45ACP pistol in your hand that has an AAC suppressor on it. You are in a cave, with no hearing protection and all you hear is a soft noise when you squeeze the trigger…..DOUBLE FREAKING AWESOME!!! I am so sold on suppressors. The technology, and the benefits are incredible. The group would be talking and we would hear the first shot, the second, and maybe the third…ten shots were fired on each run through the cave. This is one big echo chamber, and amplifier and we heard next to nothing…INCREDIBLE. Add to it, that it all took place over 100 feet underground in the darkest, light deprived situation imaginable. I am still stoked about that experience.
Tomorrow – Rock Castle 2012 What Worked and What Didn’t
Isn’t Pat a great asset to the sport? He will nun a little clinic at the end of almost any match for people who want to come talk. I’m so inept he’s actually invited me a couple times! The cave shoot sounds incredible. Your descriptions have made me more determined to shoot 3 gun next year.