How do you even see that fast?

[chezuki]

Ok, I'll accept that. I thought I remembered hearing that before running the course, shooters are allowed to do a walk through. Also, most competitive shooters I've read about develop their own loads to maintain accuracy with less recoil.

Yes, you are allowed time to walk through and develop a plan. In my experience, about 60% (down from 100% when I started ) of the time, that plan goes to **** as soon as the buzzer sounds (though this is likely why no one watches videos of me shooting). As far as load development, you HAVE to make power factor. There's no cheating with mouse-fart loads (which likely wouldn't cycle the Open guns anyway). Your ammo will tested at major matches.

 

[rvb]

please disregard my post above. It is all about the light loads...

load gamer ammo and you too can shoot like JJ in the OP's vid.

-rvb

 

[Sgtusmc]

Yes, you are allowed time to walk through and develop a plan. In my experience, about 60% (down from 100% when I started ) of the time, that plan goes to **** as soon as the buzzer sounds (though this is likely why no one watches videos of me shooting). As far as load development, you HAVE to make power factor. There's no cheating with mouse-fart loads (which likely wouldn't cycle the Open guns anyway). Your ammo will tested at major matches.

Ok. Yeah I just read up on the power factor in USPCA and IDPA events and the calculation to meet major or minor power factor (grain x FPS / 1000). Compensators and the weighted mag well help reduce the muzzle rise on the race guns.

EDIT: I'm not trying to discount the skill these guys posess, I'm trying to understand better as to what it takes to shoot as fast and accurate as these guys do. Obviously it takes A LOT of practice.

 

[Sgtusmc]

Just wish I had more money, more time and a good coach!

 

[rvb]

I'm trying to understand better as to what it takes to shoot as fast and accurate as these guys do. Obviously it takes A LOT of practice.

hint: the solution is not in equipment or ammo. Those things simply aid the shooter who understands the techniques.

-rvb

 

[mongo404]

Practice!!!!! Practice!!!!! Practice!!!!!!!

 

[cedartop]

Practice!!!!! Practice!!!!! Practice!!!!!!!

If it were that simple there would be a lot more shooters of high quality. You have to practice correctly and practice the right stuff. This is where a plan comes in, not just going out and blowing through a bunch of ammo.

 

[CB45]

please disregard my post above. It is all about the light loads...

load gamer ammo and you too can shoot like JJ in the OP's vid.

-rvb

Now you are finally getting it! Finally starting to talk like the stereotypical INGO'er...

Technique and training had nothing to do with it. Blasphemy!

 

[smith52]

Just wish I had more money, more time and a good coach!

It does not take as much money as you'd think if you are willing to put in the TIME. Don't get me wrong, if I had more expendable income I would do more live fire training. Most everyone that advances and/or is competitive in USPSA has some type of dry-fire regiment to practice and learn technique. Then do live fire practice to confirm the technique and refine it with the addition of recoil. Come out to a USPSA event and see it first hand, bring a gun and try it out. Lots of great matches in Indiana. Now back to the subject.

 

[mongo404]

Oh Sorry I forgot You're suppose to watch a lot of you tube videos too.

I went back and read both of my statements and no where does it say just go blow through a bunch of ammo. Practice covers a lot, NOT just shooting!
There have been trips to the range that I have learned more with 75-100 rounds that I have learned with 300+

 

[sv40sw45]

Oh Sorry I forgot You're suppose to watch a lot of you tube videos too.

I went back and read both of my statements and no where does it say just go blow through a bunch of ammo. Practice covers a lot, NOT just shooting!
There have been trips to the range that I have learned more with 75-100 rounds that I have learn






TRUE TRUE TRUE!!!!

 

[rhino]

Saw this last night on Hot Shots I think. Anyway I did a search here and didn't see it. If I missed it, don't shoot me.

JJ Racaza - Incredible run at 2011 USPSA Handgun Nationals - YouTube

It is amazing how fast he is seeing as he moves down that aisle. Well amazing to me, I am sure some of you guys here can do that.

I'm not sure I agree with RVB that everyone can learn to see that fast because I think there are physical attributes that affect it just like any other learned skill. I will agree 100% that everyone can learn to see faster, and in most cases, faster than they thought was possible. As the others mentioned, you have to believe it's possible first, then put in the time to develop your ability to process the information your brain is receiving from your eyes.

I know that some people believe (with good reason) that shooting with a red dot will help you learn to see faster. It's flat-out easier to keep your visual focus on a little red dot than it is a front sight, especially if it moves less. Training your brain/eyes to track the dot during recoil seems (in many cases) to translate to being able to track the front sight too, so it's not always an either/or approach.

Consistent presentation and management of recoil so that the front sight tracks in a predictable path will also help. Again, that comes with experience. Another thing is to force yourself to no try to maintain a sight picture when you're not shooting (i.e. between targets). That will slow you down quite a bit. You need to learn to move your eyes to where they need to be looking as quickly as possible, drive the gun toward where you are looking until the sights intersect you line of sight with the target. Then the visual focus shifts to the sights (as much as necessary) and you break the shot.

Probably the first thing you'll be able to see is the front sight rising and the front sight coming back into the rear notch. From there, you can learn to track the front sight through its path. I'm not sure if there is genuine, conscious perception of the entire path of the sight, or your brain learns to anticipate when and where the front sight will return (kind of like a baseball pitch and hit ... at some point, the batter loses actual, conscious perception of the ball's location, but that window decreases with experience as the ability to predict the balls path toward its destination improves).

There are some non-shooting exercises that can help you develop your ability to see (perceive) faster as well. I think most of them were developed in the context of training baseball players and other athletes that need to see things that are moving fast. A firearms trainer from the US VI showed some to me with a piece of paper and a tennis ball that are simple and effective.

Keep in mind that my personal ability to actually execute all of this is not on the same level as some of the others here, but I know how it works.

 

[rvb]

I know that some people believe (with good reason) that shooting with a red dot will help you learn to see faster. It's flat-out easier to keep your visual focus on a little red dot than it is a front sight, especially if it moves less. Training your brain/eyes to track the dot during recoil seems (in many cases) to translate to being able to track the front sight too, so it's not always an either/or approach.

It helped me. I switched to open for a couple yrs just cause I was getting bored and burned out and thought well that looks different.... It's amazing what the dot reveals about your shooting.

First, the dot is in the same focal plane as the target. When both are in focus (something you can't do w/ irons). It reveals just how much even a steady hold moves around on the target. Easier, too, to call your shots. This is what makes a dot faster than irons, imo, is you don't have to shift your focus from target to front sight. That frees you up to focus on how it moves.
Second, as you mention, the bright dot is easier to track w/ your eyes. You more easily see every imperfection in your trigger control, recoil tracking, etc.
Third, (not totally focus related, but kinda) the dot forces you to have a rock solid index, otherwise you do the draw and hunt.

I remember the first time I shot irons after shooting my open gun for many months... It was a real holy **** moment SEEING the frontsight moving so much though the recoil, and I was able to fix some things in my grip, etc to get better and more consistent tracking.

So yes, I'd say a dot did help train me to see faster.... that, and gamer ammo, of course.

-rvb

 

[bwframe]

Just wish I had more money, more time and a good coach!

Don't let all that get in the way. Make your first steps researching appropriate gear and safe gun handling to show up to a match, then do it.

This might be a shock, but we are not all gonna be JJ. A lot of us will never even be close to as good as the superb shooters posting in this thread, yet they welcome us with open arms.

 

[Rob377]

It helped me. I switched to open for a couple yrs just cause I was getting bored and burned out and thought well that looks different.... It's amazing what the dot reveals about your shooting.

First, the dot is in the same focal plane as the target. When both are in focus (something you can't do w/ irons). It reveals just how much even a steady hold moves around on the target. Easier, too, to call your shots. This is what makes a dot faster than irons, imo, is you don't have to shift your focus from target to front sight. That frees you up to focus on how it moves.
Second, as you mention, the bright dot is easier to track w/ your eyes. You more easily see every imperfection in your trigger control, recoil tracking, etc.
Third, (not totally focus related, but kinda) the dot forces you to have a rock solid index, otherwise you do the draw and hunt.

I remember the first time I shot irons after shooting my open gun for many months... It was a real holy **** moment SEEING the frontsight moving so much though the recoil, and I was able to fix some things in my grip, etc to get better and more consistent tracking.

So yes, I'd say a dot did help train me to see faster.... that, and gamer ammo, of course.

-rvb

I don't shoot open guns much, aside from the Open 22 I built for steel. But even with that little thing, I've noticed all the things above to be very true.

 

[kjf48197]

Man I wish I could afford to do that kind of shooting.

 

[Rob377]

Man I wish I could afford to do that kind of shooting.

Match entry at most club matches here in IN is only $20. Less if you show up early and help setup.

 

[jakemartens]

I love how this always becomes about what people can't do
-I can't see that fast
-I can't spend that much time
-I can't spend that much money
-I can't travel that far to a match

bunch of BS
everyone can see that fast, how sight works for him is the same for you- light doesn't travel any faster for him or me than it does for the next person, it is knowing what you need to see
-1 match a month is 3-4 hours tops, you waste that much a week or day screwing around here on the forums
-most already have what they need to go to a match and try it. It doesn't take custom built guns and gear to go to match
-gun ranges cannot be at the end of your block, and here in Indiana there is a Match every Sunday starting in March usually with in 1 hour drive time for most people around the state, all you have to do is look

What most people can't do is admit that they are afraid of going and looking bad, what they don't realize is that none of us give two ****s about that, as long as you are safe.

if you are happy going to the range and shooting 50 rounds a month at target with no competition, no one there to see you, no being timed then good for you, keep having fun, but don't come on here saying, I can't I can't I can't....simple fact is you won't you won't you won't
and as for gamer guns, gamer loads, gamer comments

Yes it is game, a competition, with rules that have to be followed, mostly for safety reason
and it allows for different types of guns set up in different configurations, and those division compete against each other. You show up with a Glock 17, Uncle Mikes holster and 4 mags you are shooting against people with similiar gear. You want to shoot Open and get the benefits of Optic sights, compensators and 30 round mags there is a division for that and you are only competing against them. Got your dads old 1911 in a closet, dig it out there is a division for that. Only have a S&W revovler....well there is a division for that.
Stop standing on the sidelines and giving excuses as to what you can't do, sack up and come shoot a match.

 

[Rob377]

 

[rhino]

What most people can't do is admit that they are afraid of going and looking bad, . . .

Based on 19 years of evidence, I am apparently not afraid of looking bad at a shooting match. It is a real thing, though. It's also a reason why some try it once and never return.