Pima Tactical - April

I finished the Pima Tactical 3-Gun Match feeling pretty good about the weekend. Last night, Jon, Bob and I put away some yummy hot wings and beer with Jon's high school chum, then adjourned to The Saloon to drink, cuss, fart, philosophize, and gossip until midnight. At the Pima Pistol Club range, the weather was glorious (forecast was for scattered T-Storms) and the stages were pretty much set up already. Twenty-two shooters signed up, so squads were sized at five persons each; Bloggers Desert Cat and Daisy Cat squadded with us while Jeff and Russell (My New Nemesis) teamed up in a different squad.

The Match, as shot by Jon (YouTube)

I was chasing Jon from the very beginning...I was mildly disappointed when I finished 6 seconds behind him on the hoser carbine stage (all stages were single-weapon this time) and when I fell 23 seconds behind him on the shotgun stage (I was borrowing his 870 after my 1100 aborted its place in my favor), I expected my normal middle-of-the-pack finish. When Russell finished the long-range rifle in the 20s and I in the 40s, I figured I'd be lucky to finish behind Russell. Little did I know that those first two stages pretty much wrapped up second place in Tactical Scope for me. The Pima Prize lady must have thought I was an ungrateful wretch when I wordlessly accepted my $15 prize (until she prompted me to say "Thank you"). All I could think was there must be some mistake!...then she called Jon up to get the first place cash prize. Russell would have beat me except for three penalties...just like he beat me at the ACTS match over three of my boo-boos. So we're even. Except that I got 15 bucks outta this little duel.

Cowboy Blob Highlights (YouTube)

Today's lesson for Daisy Cat was The Plan, as in "Have One!" After the hoser carbine stage, I quipped, "Let's add Aiming to the Plan for next time." Don't tell anybody, but when she gave some gender-specific excuse for not planning, all I could think of was the joke with the mall diagram and the difference between men and women shopping for a pair of pants. I'm terrible. Good thing she's a nice Christian lady so's she'll forgive me. Methinx she may have misapplied some of my advice about sighting over the top of the rifle at point-blank range. But at least she had a Plan!

Desert Cat did well (but should not have been categorized at Heavy Metal class shooting 7.62 x 39) everywhere except long range; he should have finished in the middle of Tactical Iron class...if only the 100-yard targets were the size of garbage can lids.

Bob was a real Mensch...he shot the long-range rifle standing up...and with iron sights. We both had the bright idea of gaming the match which doesn't recognize power factor...we both shot fast Glock 9-mms (he Jon's G34 and me a G19). He'll be kicking my butt after some practice and experience.

My Plan for the next 3-Gun: 1. Shoot Like Jon 2. Beat Russell.

More coverage, commentary, and video at Desert Cat's here and here.