the_klenzer
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Vancouver, BC
Another beautiful and not too hot (unless you are wearing a plate carrier) summer day at TMSA for TacRifle competition. 5 Unique, challenging and freakin' fun stages to shoot, with the biggest turn out I've seen since I started. Lots of familliar faces and good laughs between the stages.
For those who have been reading my other posts on Tac Rifle competition, you'll notice that I have a lot of lessons learned the hard way. And that's definitely the best thing about competing with a gun, these are lessons you'll never learn by just shooting at the range, and you DEFINITELY don't want to learn while someone is shooting back at you!
Here are the lessons I again learned the hard way:
WIN - Hat, sunblock, 2 bottles of gatorade just to break even and a 2L frozen bottle of water as backup. Put the drinks under your car to keep cool.
FAIL-Moving targets with mandatory mag changes between them require the 2nd mag to be in your hand before they trigger, or a mag coupler.
FAIL-Being the first guy to run a course sucks, as you don't get to watch the mistakes a dozen other people make, and correct them. Also, you know everyone is watching when you blow 2 moving targets because you didn't pull the mandatory mag change fast enough (you guys know which one I'm talking about)
WIN-Doesn't hurt to put an extra hole in a target if you aren't sure if you nailed it the first time! Saved me on a target.
FAIL-Don't touch your barrel with bare hands right after dumping 30 rounds through it.
FAIL-60 seconds to put 10 rounds on 2 paper targets and take down 5 steel plates is LOADS of time... until you try it the first time.
WIN-Going to the range and practicing live fire mag changes to fix your Tavor mag loading problem, and running the day perfectly.
FAIL-...except the time the freshly loaded mag drops back out while you're running and you backtrack to grab it.
FAIL-forgetting to charge your hat cam before the day, and only getting the first 20 seconds of one video.
WIN-Cookin smokies for breakfast, wrapping the extras in tin foil, leaving them on the car dash in the sun, and having hot smokies for 11am snack!
MEGAFAIL - (and not by me!
) Moving your optics on your rail and not going to the range to re-zero before the next competition = 5 missed targets in a row. Buuuuuuurn!
GEAR: At this point, I just leave my range bag in the car and only carry around the following:
-Tavor Tar-21 w Viper PSD 1-4x & sling
-Battlebelt w. 4 mag pouches (4x LAR mags w ranger plates) and a dump pouch w. 2 more LAR mags
-Electronic ears (using Howard Leights) and eye protection (Sawflys)
-Leatherman & camera
-only about 160rds to complete the day (less for most people, but I tend to dump a full LAR mag into the last target if I've had a s**tty round so YMMV)
PROPS to the Tac Rifle crew for putting together a great day, awesome props, and of course, a much earlier lunch than last time.
Also props to the prize sponsors, and to CanadaAmmo who has put up a very nice incentive to join the tac rifle group there (which I'm taking them up on!)
Pics to come in a day or two with permission for the people in them. Will probably add more notes as well.
For those who have been reading my other posts on Tac Rifle competition, you'll notice that I have a lot of lessons learned the hard way. And that's definitely the best thing about competing with a gun, these are lessons you'll never learn by just shooting at the range, and you DEFINITELY don't want to learn while someone is shooting back at you!
Here are the lessons I again learned the hard way:
WIN - Hat, sunblock, 2 bottles of gatorade just to break even and a 2L frozen bottle of water as backup. Put the drinks under your car to keep cool.
FAIL-Moving targets with mandatory mag changes between them require the 2nd mag to be in your hand before they trigger, or a mag coupler.
FAIL-Being the first guy to run a course sucks, as you don't get to watch the mistakes a dozen other people make, and correct them. Also, you know everyone is watching when you blow 2 moving targets because you didn't pull the mandatory mag change fast enough (you guys know which one I'm talking about)
WIN-Doesn't hurt to put an extra hole in a target if you aren't sure if you nailed it the first time! Saved me on a target.
FAIL-Don't touch your barrel with bare hands right after dumping 30 rounds through it.
FAIL-60 seconds to put 10 rounds on 2 paper targets and take down 5 steel plates is LOADS of time... until you try it the first time.
WIN-Going to the range and practicing live fire mag changes to fix your Tavor mag loading problem, and running the day perfectly.
FAIL-...except the time the freshly loaded mag drops back out while you're running and you backtrack to grab it.
FAIL-forgetting to charge your hat cam before the day, and only getting the first 20 seconds of one video.
WIN-Cookin smokies for breakfast, wrapping the extras in tin foil, leaving them on the car dash in the sun, and having hot smokies for 11am snack!
MEGAFAIL - (and not by me!
) Moving your optics on your rail and not going to the range to re-zero before the next competition = 5 missed targets in a row. Buuuuuuurn! GEAR: At this point, I just leave my range bag in the car and only carry around the following:
-Tavor Tar-21 w Viper PSD 1-4x & sling
-Battlebelt w. 4 mag pouches (4x LAR mags w ranger plates) and a dump pouch w. 2 more LAR mags
-Electronic ears (using Howard Leights) and eye protection (Sawflys)
-Leatherman & camera
-only about 160rds to complete the day (less for most people, but I tend to dump a full LAR mag into the last target if I've had a s**tty round so YMMV)
PROPS to the Tac Rifle crew for putting together a great day, awesome props, and of course, a much earlier lunch than last time.
Also props to the prize sponsors, and to CanadaAmmo who has put up a very nice incentive to join the tac rifle group there (which I'm taking them up on!)
Pics to come in a day or two with permission for the people in them. Will probably add more notes as well.
