IDPA Indoor Action Pistol Match 1/13/2016

This was my first IDPA action pistol match after having knee surgery back in December. I wanted to take it slow and I knew I would not get first place (placed 3rd out of 14 total), but I had several fumbles that weren't related to my knee. 😕 On the second stage I had trouble with stowing a magazine IWB during a retention reload (the mag kept coming back out as I let go of it), and on the third stage I had a jam during a magazine reload. Oh... and... this was the first time I've shot a gun with BOTH eyes open! I usually close my left eye when shooting so that I can somewhat focus on the front sight post, since I simply cannot focus on it with both eyes open due to my eyeglass prescription.  I recently watched this video of Doug Koenig saying that he shoots with both eyes open and focuses on the target out to 20 yards, so I thought I would give it a try. I've been practicing this in dry fire for a couple of weeks, but this match was the first time I've done it in live fire.  My first shot of the stage was done with my left eye closed because of habit, but I then forced myself to open both eyes (that's why those first three shots were so slow!). I need to get out to the range and practice shooting with both eyes open. 😛

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48T6KhHzUU0

CZ-USA CZ 75 SP01

CZ-USA CZ P-09 Handgun

I have been wanting to acquire a CZ-USA P-09, but I have a weird thing about having to have a "reason" to buy a new gun  even if the reason isn't all that legitimate. Unfortunately, I could not come up with a good enough reason (by my standards) to get one since I already have too many competition guns. Then I started reading discussion threads about the new USPSA Carry Optics division on some of the gun forums that I visit frequently.  There were several posts with pictures of P-09s with optical red dot sights mounted to them and I immediately realized I had a reason to get one. 😛  I purchased a Burris Fastfire III red dot sight and mounted it using a Springer Precision CZ-75 rear sight dovetail mount adapter. I also installed a factory threaded barrel for the cool factor. I've been dry-fire practicing with the gun quite a bit, but I'm not sure if having a red dot sight is any quicker for me versus regular competition sights.  Regardless, it's still a bad ass looking gun with the optic and threaded barrel. 😎

USPSA Action Pistol Match 10/17/2015

This was the last USPSA action pistol match to be held at the Amarillo Rifle and Pistol Club, as these matches will be moving to a larger range in January. I've been shooting in the Production division for a little while this year, but decided to shoot one of my Limited division guns at this match. This was the first time I was shooting my home loaded .40 S&W ammo (major power factor), and it was definitely better than off the shelf ammo as far as recoil goes.  I didn't have any gun/ammo malfunctions, but I did have a brain fart on Stage 5 (a brain fart at a USPSA match??? Yep!).  There were two Grand Master shooters at this match, so I wouldn't have won anyway. 😛 Still had a lot of fun though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-36BxIm0ydo

EAA/Tanfoglio Witness Elite Match

IDPA Indoor Action Pistol Match 10/14/2015

Another indoor IDPA action pistol match at Texas Panhandle Pistol Club. I missed a head shot on the first stage, which took a few seconds to realize and make up the shot, but otherwise I had a really good run (placed 1st out of 8 total). I blazed through the 4th stage, which was a strong-hand/weak-hand standard that I've been practicing a lot for during my dry fire practice sessions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Kmq52whLPg

EAA/Tanfoglio Witness Elite Limited Pro

2015 IDPA Panhandle Classic Action Pistol Match

This month is significant for me, because I started competing in action pistol sports 2 years ago this month, and because I finally attended my first "big" IDPA match (8 stages) this weekend and got 1st place overall! I had been practicing a lot prior to this match (both dry and live fire), and it definitely paid off at this match. It had rained heavily the night before and was raining all day during the match, so 4 of the 8 stages were muddy as hell.  Not the best environment for action pistol sports, but it created an interesting challenge that you don't usually have to deal with. 😊

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmI6skF8dnE

CZ-USA CZ 75 SP-01

CZ-USA CZ 75 P-01 Handgun

After carrying my CZ 75B Stainless Steel Limited Edition for a while, I realized that it is just too big for my preference as a concealed carry gun.  I found myself not wanting to carrying it very often, so I decided to convert it to a dedicated competition gun by replacing the CZ Custom tritium night sights with a set of CZ Custom competition sights with a fiber optic front.  The SS LE already has all of the trigger improvements done to it (the double action trigger pull actually feels smoother than my CZ 75 SP-01 for some reason), so the sights were the only thing that needed to be changed. It should make a great backup competition gun to my SP-01.

To replace the SS LE as a carry gun, I picked up a CZ 75 P-01, which is a compact alloy frame version of my SP-01 competition gun.  The P-01 also has a hammer decocker, so that the hammer can be safely lowered like my CZ P-07.  I installed all of the same trigger improvement components from Cajun Gun Works and CZ Custom Shop that I installed in my SP-01 and SS LE and installed the CZ Custom tritium night sights that I removed from the SS LE. I also had the frame Cerakoted in Stainless (H-152Q) like I did with my SP-01.  I have to say... I believe the P-01 is the best carry gun that I currently own.  It is slightly lighter and thinner than my polymer framed CZ P-07, has twice the capacity of my two Sig Sauer compact 1911s, and I think it looks really awesome! 😎

Motorcycle Track Day - 09/12/2015 @ COTA

It's been a year since we were at Circuit of the Americas for a motorcycle track day with Ridesmart Motorcycle School.  The last time, I had a little bit of an "off" that ended my day early, so I was a little nervous about coming back. I took it really easy most of the day, but finally started running at my normal pace by the last two sessions. The weather was perfect for Austin in September, and we had a lot of fun. :-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVC8Ow6Pag0