Steel Match Today...

So today was the first Steel Challenge match of the year. (The January one was postponed due to extreme cold and bad weather--matter of fact, the new date for it is in two weeks.)

And it was horrible! My accuracy was bad, which meant my times were very bad. In a steel match, you go until you hit the targets (all of them) which means that if you are inaccurate, you keep shooting and keep shooting and keep shooting until you do hit the target---which of course takes longer.

My speed isn't what it was by the end of last year (I really do think that the cold has something to do with it) but what has really been hurting me lately is my lack of accuracy. I placed third today---out of three. :(

My ending score was 77.47%, and it really shouldn't have been. I'm not saying I should have won today, but my accuracy just was not up to my normal standards. Of course, that has been true for the last several matches.

I need to go out to the range, and do some long-range accuracy practice. Then some near-and-far targets (not fast, just working on sighting transitions). Most of all, however, I need to figure out if my sights are on! I know, I know---99.9% of all people who say "my sights are off" don't have sight problems, they have sighting problems--but in my case, I haven't sighted in my Glock 34 since I put a new front sight on it, and adjusted the position of the rear sight a few months ago. (Something hit the rear sight, and knocked it to the side, so I had to quickly slide it back in the middle of a match.) So maybe not all of the accuracy problem is my fault.

But I've got to get to the range to find out.

Here is a recording of the field stage we had today--two plate racks, four poppers, one small circle, and two Texas Stars that were obscured by a wall. I started out okay, but the distance stuff didn't go well.



In other news---I'm buying a new AR. :) Some of the people at the action pistol matches have talked me into trying the 3-gun matches down at the Weeping Water gun range, but to do it, I need a rifle that is capable of hitting bowling pins at 200 yards. My bolt-action .308 could do it (matter of fact, my 30-06 probably could too) but to do well, you really need a semi-auto, like an AR-15.

I have one, but---well, it is a Bushmaster Shorty AK that has had no work done on it. Iron sights, though I do have a little 4-power scope I could put on it. While it may be capable of hitting several bowling pins in a row at 200 yards, I couldn't hit bowling pins at 200 yards with it. Not without an inordinate amount of luck.

I've been meaning to get a varmint-type AR for several years now---this seems like a good excuse to do it. I'm going to be buying it through Fulton Armory, and getting a variation on one of their Predator models. Should be fun to have! When I get it, I'll post pictures.