Saturday, October 13, 2012

Bangity; PPC Edition

The weather today isn't exactly conducive for flying. It started out really foggy and then, once it burned off, the wind kicked up.

The local paper had a story about a fund-raiser at the local gun club for some charity. The fund-raiser was a PPC* match. The article said that you needed a handgun, a strong-side holster (no crossdraw or shoulder holsters), three magazines for an autoloader or two speedloaders for a revolver and 150 rounds of ammo.

I had that, so I loaded up the ammo along with two S&W revolvers (a M-10 and a M-19) and I went out to look. It looked like fun. The match director asked me if I was going to shoot. I said I had come out to watch and I had never even seen a PPC match before. Hell, I'd never fired a handgun from a draw before. He pointed out that I had never shot bowling pins until last month and I did all right.

So I signed up to shoot with my 4" Model 10.**

The first stage was at three yards: Three rounds from a draw, strong hand only, in five seconds. Then a reload of three rounds and three shots, weak hand only, from a ready-low position (the only time that we didn't shoot from a draw). That wasn't too difficult for me. In three relays, I kept all but two shots in the X-ring and those two went into the ten ring.

Second stage was at seven yards: Six rounds, strong hand only, ten second time limit. Then there is a reload and another six-round string. This wasn't too bad.

The third stage was at fifteen yards: Both hands, six rounds, reload, six more rounds and do that in twenty seconds. Piece of cake with an autoloader. It's a lot harder with a revolver. The first time I had the speedloader in a pocket and I fumbled it, leaving four shots unfired when time ran out. The second time through, I hung the speedloader on my belt and I didn't fumble it. I got the last shot off with about a half-second to spare. Third time around, I had maybe a second to spare.

If I do this regularly, I'll have to get a belt pouch for the speedloaders and try to fire the first six rounds faster. This is the only stage that come closest to "spray and pray", as it's better to hit the seven ring than to have rounds left over. The other thing I'll have to do is for every stage, even when it's the first six rounds, to load them from the speedloader so that I get used to doing that.

Fourth stage was at 25 yards: 18 rounds- From a standing position, two hand hold, fire six, reload, fire six more, reload, drop to a kneeling position and fire the last six, all in 90 seconds. If you're smooth about it, that's bags of time to carefully aim and fire and the last six are like shooting from a rest (and I shot the last six single-action). One of the guys gave me a tip and told me that this stage was the one to aim carefully and make hay in the scoring.

I don't know what my overall score was. But it was fun. As I said, I had never before fired from a draw, it was the first time I'd had to use a speedloader under time pressure, and I don't believe I had ever shot that much at one time.

It was a gas.

Most definitely, I'll do that again.
____________________________________
* "Practical Pistol Competition" or "Police Pistol Competition".
** Whether it was a good idea or not to enter a match with a handgun that I had only shot twice before is a topic for another time. Or not.

10 comments:

  1. Sounds like fun was had and maybe even some practical shooting from a draw.

    Also sounds like the M10 shot well for you.

    Were the speed loaders the usual round or the
    strippers?

    Eck!

    ReplyDelete

  2. Shot, hit targets, learned something. You have done very well, remember - you did have fun.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had fun, al right. That's the whole point. I figure that if I'm not having fun, I'm doing it wrong and I need to stop.

      Delete
  3. Sure sounds like a great day to me.
    I don't know if they are still in business but "safari land" made spring loaded speed loaders. They would release with only a firm push into the cylinder. A faster reload would save you precious seconds. There is also a belt pouch that hold 2 or two that would hold 4 etc.
    Great that you found action shooting, a little pressure and competition will do wonders for any shooter. I am happy for you.
    My personal favorite is siloutes(sp) unknown ranges and you must hit hard enough to put them down. No 9's or .22's , you have to shoot max kinetic energy and control for max hits.
    Any competition is a worthy thing, not to win of course but to only challenge yourself to do better.
    I smile for you Comrade
    w3ski

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Safariland does make them for competition.

      But that seems wrong to me. I shot the match with the same gun and holster that I would use for going for a walk in the woods. I'd shoot more in order to be better with gear that I would use. I'm not interested in using race gear or race guns.

      Shooting well with a fixed-sight Model 10: Fun. Outshooting some guys who were there with expensive match-grade semiautos: Priceless.

      :)

      Delete
    2. Amen Comrade, Priceless. and may you 'have your day again'.
      My Safari land speedoes are a shade shorter than the ones you use, and I have one of the twist top ones also. I didn't realize they had become specilised. I carry my "old" Safari Land loaders every time I carry my 66 on a walk. i see they have modified them considerably.
      Mine were/are at least a half inch or more shorter for cyl. line up, and release with a forward push.
      A handy item, as is.
      I am so sorry they felt the need to modify them.
      w3ski

      Delete
  4. As to never firing that much in day? Minimum combat load in Nam was 300 rounds. Zombie apocalypse or not, it's a good thing to get used to maximum rounds, It gives you an edge many others don't have. Like building a muscle group.
    I loved coming home from the range with actual powder smudges. After the first hundred you start to see what your weapon can really do. Like 200 yard silloutes. Experiments give confidence, confidence turns into a more qualified pistolero.
    Burn That Powder, for your own good.
    w3ski

    ReplyDelete
  5. I would like you to understand
    that my "brother" if I had one was a handloader and bullet caster. He taught me 100 plus yard pistol shooting. Any .357 6" Revolver is cable of 100 plus yard accuracy. I pushed it to 200 yards and a few even longer.
    No scopes, only open pistol sights.
    Prove what the weapon is capable of.
    You will be amazed.
    As a fellow shooter I so encourage you to burn powder. get bored at close range and explore the range of even your open sight 4".
    You will be totally amazed.
    w3ski

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Back in the `80s, I regularly shot both .357 and .44 magnums on a 100 yard range, plinking at 2-liter soda bottles. And I could hit them.

      Delete

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