Stages 3 and 4 of last weekends WIIT. Ug, I would really not like to go through stage 4, that’s where the wheels totally came off.
Stage 3 – Barrels of Fun
If you watched the previous video, you will recall that this stage had 5 different target arrays that aligned to 5 different barrels. You, the shooter, had to shoot through the barrels to hit your targets. Four steel, the rest paper set and varying heights and distances. A pretty straight forward stage.
I didn’t shoot it badly. The barrel height created a moderately low squatting position to shoot from. The targets that were situated above the axis of the barrels meant you had to squat lower and vice-versa for the lower targets. While there were barriers to guide you to shoot through each barrel station, you could take some off angle shots and try to make your hits without shifting to the next barrel. I started in the left most barrel, then moved to the center, then center right, and right side. This is where my steel “phobia” began to kick in. Four steel poppers and I think it took three extra shots to drop them. Moving to the right the higher position of the targets made it a bit more difficult to get the hits, and I dropped some hits outside the “A” zone. Some new shooting positions on this stage taught me that I need to shoot from a crouch / squat more, and I need to work on movement from that position. While I think I stayed pretty flat between positions, that movement needs to be quicker, and of course those pesky elevated targets need to become more second nature.
Stage 4 – Bah Zinga
This could have and should have been one of my better stages for the match. Instead the wheels came off. This was a pretty straight forward run and gun stage. One door to open that activated a clamshell target. A plate rack. An array of pepper poppers. I should have rocked through this one.
I’ll set it up. From the starting box, with your firearm loaded and holstered on the signal engage the targets as available. From the box there are two low targets to the left, two high targets to the right behind a small wall. A ten yard sprint forward to clear another blocking wall on the right and shoot two. Without overshooting the 180, swivel left and charge the two targets there. Slide off the targets and charge the steel array to the pepper poppers. Slide right down the charging line and choose open the door or move to the plate rack and come back for the door.
My run was pathetic. The buzzer goes off, and I double clutch the draw. No big deal but it set the stage for the rest of the work. Targets left, four shots down. Step right two steps and take the right array, four shots looking good so far. Move and load, take the two on the right spin and take the two on the left, looking good – reload. Charge line, stop and shoot steel work through the array drop four come back shoot the small one on the left upper again, and again, got it. Work on the LARGE pepper popper not going down, slide lock — screw it moving on to plates. First run through left to right. One out of six down. Reload right to left two more down, wasting time and I am on my last magazine, move to the door two shots…both misses. What a mess.
Have I mentioned how much of this sport is mental and concentration related. Once I started to be just that little bit off on the steel, it effected everything. I can shoot steel. I can shoot it well but it is a weakness and I know it. When it starts to unravel, it unravels. So, another component of my bag of tricks to work on. Tune it all out, and practice steel. Make it a strength.
The stage was FUN. It was pure run and gun with close mostly open targets. A barricade / port to shoot through on the plate rack. Doors to open. Good stuff. My execution…a perfect case study for me on what I can work on to improve.