Anyone shooting golden bullet?


First big match. Still sorting out ammo because I was unprepared

Yep.  Shooting through on Saturday and then RO'ing on Sunday.  

Rich

I figured you were going. Seems like you get around

Any tips for a first timer at a big match

Yep.  And since the match is at my home range, I should go.  :D

Here's some tips:

1 - ZERO your damn gun!  You'd be surprised how many people don't have a zero'ed pistol or know their hold overs/unders (depending on pistol and distance to target and zero).
2 - Clean guns tend to jamb more than slightly fouled guns.  So...a day or two before you leave, or maybe the day before the match, spend 20-30 rounds confirming your zero on a clean pistol and foul it.
3 - Ammo prep is your friend.  Depending on finances, but keeping in mind the cost of brass relative to the cost of the overall match, if you can, use new brass.  The GB is 235 rounds minimum, so let's round it off at 300.  At $0.10 each, that's $30.  Between travel, match fee, shipping of anything, hotel & meals, $30 is nothing.  Also...gauge every round (not in your barrel but in a gauge) and chrono your loads before the match.  Then, with your "match" ammo, do random pulls to make sure that it's still chrono'ing at the desired level.  Speaking on that, always be like 3-5 PF points above what you need.  Side note:  Bring 400 rounds.
4 - If shooting Open, replace the battery in the scope....NO MATTER WHAT!
5 - DO NOT LOOK AT THE STAGE DESCRIPTIONS AND TRY TO WIN THE STAGE FROM A 2-D PICTURE!  This drives me nuts.  Check to see if there's any weird stuff, but if there's not, shoot the stages fresh.  Just like you do at home and just like you do in practice.  That's how you've trained, don't deviate from that just 'cause the match fee cost more.
6 - Have your gear ready by...tonight.  When you're traveling, concentrate on traveling.  When you're shooting, concentrate on shooting.  
7 - Have fun.  If you're having a great first day, don't stay locked up in the hotel.  There's a lot to do in Sac and go have fun with your fellow shooters.  This is supposed to be fun after all.  If you're having a crappy first day, drop it out of your mind, do not discuss it and go have fun and relax with friends/fellow shooters.
8 - Good or bad, do not start thinking about the next day's stages.  You can't do anything about them 'til you're on the stage, so there's no point in workin' yourself up even thinking about it.  When you're done on Saturday, go back to where you're staying, prep all your gear (however it is you do so) for the next day, put it all in the corner of the room and forget it.
9 - Snacks and fluids.  If you're shooting the match in 2 days, you're going to be out for 2, 4 hour shifts.  Eat about 1/2 a snack bar between stages.  It won't be smokin' hot, but you do expend calories and electrolytes standing around waiting for your turn.  When you're down on sugar, the first thing to go is your visual acuity.  Kind of important in a shooting competition.  Fluids = water.  Fluids does not equal Gatorade, Powerade, soda or juice.  Drink about a gallon of water for 2-3 days before the match (not counting meals).  When you're at the match, during a 4 hour shift, down about 1/2 a gallon of water.  Think about our sport.  You stand around for an hour and need to be at your best (or close to it) for about 1-2 minutes (from Make Ready to Range is Clear).  That's taxing and nutrition is a tremendously undervalued aspect of our sport.
10 - Stop by Stage 2 on Sunday and say hi.  I'm not totally a jerk.  :D  Or, if not doing anything on Saturday, I'll be shooting with Taran Butler.
11 - Have fun.  Remember, if you win, you're not getting a Cadillac.  If you lose, they're not taking away your birthday and your dog is not going to stop loving you.  It's not worth the stress.  Have fun!!!

Hope to see you and everyone out at the match.

Rich

Thanks Rich

I am lucky to be making the drive and shooting with our resident GM.

This guy seems to have infinite patience for my questions and is very helpful. Even offered to chrono my ammo tomorrow while I am at work.

While I am running my ammo situation down to the wire I think I am ready to go.

I will try and say hi

There were a few people who didnt have any fun and a few more who had a lot of gun problems.

I had a lot of fun.

Two things that could have been better for me

A high level production or limited 10 guy in my squad. My friend and I are both C shooters so it would have been nice to see one of the many master or GM shooters run the stages.

We didnt have enough people to get recognized for any of the awards or prizes. I wish they would have at least read them off rather than waiting for them to get posted on the website.

Those are both minor things for me. The match had great stages, great staff, and I was very lucky to be on a great squad.

I also got told that I won a slot to nationals so all in all it was a pretty good weekend
As long as I can scratch together money I will keep at it


Oh and Rich. Did you buy bullets after the match on sunday? If so I figured out who you were. I was so tired I forgot to introduce myself

No worries.  Yep...if you were the guy with James that loaded the bullets in to my car, that was my Magnum.  Glad you had fun and congrats on the slot to Nationals.  Everyone should go at least once and here's your chance.  The range in Vegas is not bad.  Hotels are cheap and food is always easy to find in Vegas.

Let me know if you would like to get together and we can do some training to prep you for Nat's.

Rich

Yup that was me. Fat guy in the sig shirt.

James and another GM just put on a class that I missed. Kind of bummed because it would have been great.

I am doing everything I can to make nationals. I have no idea when I would get another shot so it seems like a bad idea to pass it up