BassCliff
Professional
Hello err'body!
Today I practiced with a couple of pistols that I haven't taken out to the range for a while. I made my way to the newer facility so that I could practice the way I wanted to today. The older facility has some limitations. Today I used my regular EDC, the XD9 4" Service, and my 5" Garrison .45ACP.
I requested a lane from which I could draw from holster. It's been a while since I've practiced live fire from holster with my XD9. I brought my timer so that I could keep track of my time while running a "Failure To Stop" drill, two to the chest, one to the head, at a distance of 7 yards. The first magazine was using my carry ammo. I've been carrying it for a year and it's time to shoot it up and load up some new Speer Gold Dot 124 grain. Here's what the first target looked like after a magazine of my SD ammo.
My times were OK but you can tell my accuracy was nothing to write home about. I reloaded with some ball S&B 124 grain and kept hammering away with the FTS drills. This was my target after about 67 rounds of two to the chest and one to the head.
I did pretty well timing my drills between the other shooters at the range today. I did not get clean numbers on the very first run but the rest were good. You'll also see elongated times when I had a mag change (emergency reload) or fumbled with my shirt.
Note: The "MT mag reload" you see happened when I did not get a slide lock on last round. That happens sometimes with this pistol if I ride the slide release with my thumb. It serves to remind me of proper thumb placement with this pistol. The single numbers you see are just quick draw numbers when I was down to my last few rounds in that box.
With the next box of ammo, I shot almost 100 rounds of 9mm today, I practiced plain old marksmanship. But I did not dawdle. I put 10 rounds on the top target, quick mag change, then 10 rounds on the bottom target.
Here's a close-up of the top (1st) target. Basically a head shot on this paper, only one out of the black.
Here's the target (2nd) in the chest area.
Then I taped on a couple more B-8 centers and sent the target out to 15 yards. I wanted to start practicing farther out. The 3rd and 4th targets came back like this.
Hmm, seems I did better with my VP9 last week at this distance. Here's a closer look at the top target.
And a closer look at the bottom target.
Fairly mediocre as far as marksmanship but I guess these would've done some damage. I'm going to save the last 10 rounds of 9mm for the end. Let's practice a little, 50 rounds worth, with my Garrison (1911) in .45ACP. I taped on a couple more B-8 centers, sent them out to 10 yards, and the first two came back like this.
I seem to be consistent in that my center mass shots are a little more accurate than my head area shots. Here's the top target close-up.
Here's the bottom target close-up.
What? Did somebody say "glam shot"?
I taped on two more B-8 centers and sent the target out to 15 yards again. They came back like this.
OK, not horrible I guess. At least they're all on the paper. Let's look at the top and bottom targets in close-up.
Yes, there was one hit that did not make it on the paper, highlighted by the red arrow. Dang it. I need to shoot this gun more often. Here's the bottom target.
Again it seems I shoot the center mass more accurately than I do the head shots. I'll have to figure our why that is happening. For my last 10 rounds through each pistol I sent a reactive target out to 15 yards.
First was the XD9. I don't like that spread. I'll practice more with this pistol at this distance. I'll try to get this group tightened up.
I patched up this target and sent it back out to 15 yards for this last 10 round through the Garrison. It cam back like this.
Wow. That's a little tighter group with only three hits outside the 9 ring. This Garrison is really accurate if I can keep from flinching.
And that's all the fun I had today. I put 97 rounds through the XD9 and 50 rounds through the Garrison. I was hoping to do some single hand practice today but I ran out of time and ammo. I got the main things accomplished today. I hope to do even better next time. It might be a couple weeks before I can get back to the range. I've got some vacation time coming up. But you'll see me when you seem me. Blessings to all.
Thank you for your indulgence,
BassCliff
Today I practiced with a couple of pistols that I haven't taken out to the range for a while. I made my way to the newer facility so that I could practice the way I wanted to today. The older facility has some limitations. Today I used my regular EDC, the XD9 4" Service, and my 5" Garrison .45ACP.
I requested a lane from which I could draw from holster. It's been a while since I've practiced live fire from holster with my XD9. I brought my timer so that I could keep track of my time while running a "Failure To Stop" drill, two to the chest, one to the head, at a distance of 7 yards. The first magazine was using my carry ammo. I've been carrying it for a year and it's time to shoot it up and load up some new Speer Gold Dot 124 grain. Here's what the first target looked like after a magazine of my SD ammo.
My times were OK but you can tell my accuracy was nothing to write home about. I reloaded with some ball S&B 124 grain and kept hammering away with the FTS drills. This was my target after about 67 rounds of two to the chest and one to the head.
I did pretty well timing my drills between the other shooters at the range today. I did not get clean numbers on the very first run but the rest were good. You'll also see elongated times when I had a mag change (emergency reload) or fumbled with my shirt.
Note: The "MT mag reload" you see happened when I did not get a slide lock on last round. That happens sometimes with this pistol if I ride the slide release with my thumb. It serves to remind me of proper thumb placement with this pistol. The single numbers you see are just quick draw numbers when I was down to my last few rounds in that box.
With the next box of ammo, I shot almost 100 rounds of 9mm today, I practiced plain old marksmanship. But I did not dawdle. I put 10 rounds on the top target, quick mag change, then 10 rounds on the bottom target.
Here's a close-up of the top (1st) target. Basically a head shot on this paper, only one out of the black.
Here's the target (2nd) in the chest area.
Then I taped on a couple more B-8 centers and sent the target out to 15 yards. I wanted to start practicing farther out. The 3rd and 4th targets came back like this.
Hmm, seems I did better with my VP9 last week at this distance. Here's a closer look at the top target.
And a closer look at the bottom target.
Fairly mediocre as far as marksmanship but I guess these would've done some damage. I'm going to save the last 10 rounds of 9mm for the end. Let's practice a little, 50 rounds worth, with my Garrison (1911) in .45ACP. I taped on a couple more B-8 centers, sent them out to 10 yards, and the first two came back like this.
I seem to be consistent in that my center mass shots are a little more accurate than my head area shots. Here's the top target close-up.
Here's the bottom target close-up.
What? Did somebody say "glam shot"?
I taped on two more B-8 centers and sent the target out to 15 yards again. They came back like this.
OK, not horrible I guess. At least they're all on the paper. Let's look at the top and bottom targets in close-up.
Yes, there was one hit that did not make it on the paper, highlighted by the red arrow. Dang it. I need to shoot this gun more often. Here's the bottom target.
Again it seems I shoot the center mass more accurately than I do the head shots. I'll have to figure our why that is happening. For my last 10 rounds through each pistol I sent a reactive target out to 15 yards.
First was the XD9. I don't like that spread. I'll practice more with this pistol at this distance. I'll try to get this group tightened up.
I patched up this target and sent it back out to 15 yards for this last 10 round through the Garrison. It cam back like this.
Wow. That's a little tighter group with only three hits outside the 9 ring. This Garrison is really accurate if I can keep from flinching.
And that's all the fun I had today. I put 97 rounds through the XD9 and 50 rounds through the Garrison. I was hoping to do some single hand practice today but I ran out of time and ammo. I got the main things accomplished today. I hope to do even better next time. It might be a couple weeks before I can get back to the range. I've got some vacation time coming up. But you'll see me when you seem me. Blessings to all.
Thank you for your indulgence,
BassCliff
In my last couple of training classes I used the VP9. I guess I was a little out of practice with my "first love". She misses me. 
