Today was the last match of the 2012 season for the Delaware Law Enforcement Marksmanship Association. The year has been hard fought with my final tally lagging behind last year's. As usual, I fired three relays today. My first was a disappointing 457-25X. I rushed my way through the relay and the score shows that. My second run was better, but of no help for my season average. I turned in a score of 460-21X with my difficulties centering around my personal range demon.... the weak hand portion of the barricade stage. My second shot out of six rounds with my weak hand went wide and barely scored on the edge of the "7" ring. Thank goodness for big fat bullets since a 9mm would never have cut the line! Had it scored a "9", my final score would have helped my average.
Two down, one to go. First call for the final relay for the match and the year was announced. I checked my pistol and my eight loaded magazines. Forty-eight rounds to fire for record, forty-eight chances to screw up! Last call was sounded and I stepped onto the firing line. Upon command of the RO, I loaded magazine #1, chambered the first round, put the safety on and holstered my sidearm. The whistle sounded and I drew my pistol. Six rounds thundered into the target as I held my pistol in just my strong hand as required for this string of fire. I got my shots off in seven seconds out of the eight allotted. All "X"s! We moved back to the seven yard line for the second half of stage "A". Two magazines of six rounds free style in twenty seconds. Loaded and ready, we stood on the line. Again the whistle sounded and my pistol was up on target. After firing my first six, I ejected the now empty magazine #2 and loaded #3, getting back on target quickly. I saw that there was a "10" at 12 o'clock. I rushed the first two shots and two "10"s could be seen. Slowing down slightly, the last four disappeared into the center of the "X" ring. A 180-15X for the stage!
Stage "A"
Once the targets were scored and repaired we moved back to the fifteen yard line. The first half of stage "B" would be as we just fired. Twelve rounds with a reload in twenty seconds, just farther back. At this range I adjusted my point of aim with the top of my front sight blade now at the bottom of the "X" ring. Up until now I kept my front sight blade centered on the "X". When we completed this portion, I could see that my shots were clustered in the center with nothing outside of the repair center. Next up; my nemesis, the second half of Stage "B"... the twenty-five yard barricade. Three magazines of six rounds at twenty-five yards in ninety seconds. Six rounds kneeling, right side of the barricade. Six rounds standing, left side of the barricade, Six rounds standing, right side of the barricade. Two hands can be used to hold the firearm; but during the left hand portion, the pistol must be in the left hand and the trigger manipulated by the left hand. This is where my troubles flourish.
For the last time this year, we are asked if we are ready. We all nodded as one, staring down range. The whistle blared and I dropped straight to my knees, drawing my .45 on the way down. The front sight settled on the bottom of the "10" ring as the knuckles of my support hand pressed against the wooden barricade. I started firing at rate of two seconds per shot. The slide locked back on the empty magazine and I ejected it as I rose to my feet. Reloaded, I transferred my pistol to my left hand. The knuckles on my right hand found a solid rest against the barricade as I tried to align the sights on the target. Taking my time and maintaining full extension of my arms, I began squeezing the trigger. The sear tripped after about five seconds. It felt good and I paused a moment to scan the target. No way to know exactly where it hit but I could tell it was not outside of the repair center. Good enough for me. This continued on for the next five shots with the slide locking back on empty. As I reloaded, I could see that most of the other competitiors were already firing from the right side of the barricade. I had taken as much time as I dared focusing on my weak hand rounds. The reloaded pistol was now back in my right hand and felt solidly locked on target. As I sent the first round down range, I could tell my neighbor was finished as he was holstering his gun. I sent the next two rounds then stole a glance at the RO to my right. He was bringing the whistle up and I sent the last two rounds home less than a second apart. The slide had barely locked open when I heard the whistle go off. Everyone was done and watching me. The RO checked that my pistol was empty and cleared the firing line. Now for that long twenty-five yard walk wondering what the results are. As I neared my target, I could see that all my shots were in the repair center. In fact, there was nothing outside of the "9" ring! Sixteen "9"s and the rest were "10"s and "X"s! A 284-2X for stage "B" with a total of 464-17X for the relay. This score did in fact help my season average. I went from a high average of 461 to a 462.33. This raised my percentage from 96.04% to 96.32%. Not as high as last year but almosted guaranteed to be in the top ten!
Stage "B"
Two down, one to go. First call for the final relay for the match and the year was announced. I checked my pistol and my eight loaded magazines. Forty-eight rounds to fire for record, forty-eight chances to screw up! Last call was sounded and I stepped onto the firing line. Upon command of the RO, I loaded magazine #1, chambered the first round, put the safety on and holstered my sidearm. The whistle sounded and I drew my pistol. Six rounds thundered into the target as I held my pistol in just my strong hand as required for this string of fire. I got my shots off in seven seconds out of the eight allotted. All "X"s! We moved back to the seven yard line for the second half of stage "A". Two magazines of six rounds free style in twenty seconds. Loaded and ready, we stood on the line. Again the whistle sounded and my pistol was up on target. After firing my first six, I ejected the now empty magazine #2 and loaded #3, getting back on target quickly. I saw that there was a "10" at 12 o'clock. I rushed the first two shots and two "10"s could be seen. Slowing down slightly, the last four disappeared into the center of the "X" ring. A 180-15X for the stage!
Stage "A"
Once the targets were scored and repaired we moved back to the fifteen yard line. The first half of stage "B" would be as we just fired. Twelve rounds with a reload in twenty seconds, just farther back. At this range I adjusted my point of aim with the top of my front sight blade now at the bottom of the "X" ring. Up until now I kept my front sight blade centered on the "X". When we completed this portion, I could see that my shots were clustered in the center with nothing outside of the repair center. Next up; my nemesis, the second half of Stage "B"... the twenty-five yard barricade. Three magazines of six rounds at twenty-five yards in ninety seconds. Six rounds kneeling, right side of the barricade. Six rounds standing, left side of the barricade, Six rounds standing, right side of the barricade. Two hands can be used to hold the firearm; but during the left hand portion, the pistol must be in the left hand and the trigger manipulated by the left hand. This is where my troubles flourish.
For the last time this year, we are asked if we are ready. We all nodded as one, staring down range. The whistle blared and I dropped straight to my knees, drawing my .45 on the way down. The front sight settled on the bottom of the "10" ring as the knuckles of my support hand pressed against the wooden barricade. I started firing at rate of two seconds per shot. The slide locked back on the empty magazine and I ejected it as I rose to my feet. Reloaded, I transferred my pistol to my left hand. The knuckles on my right hand found a solid rest against the barricade as I tried to align the sights on the target. Taking my time and maintaining full extension of my arms, I began squeezing the trigger. The sear tripped after about five seconds. It felt good and I paused a moment to scan the target. No way to know exactly where it hit but I could tell it was not outside of the repair center. Good enough for me. This continued on for the next five shots with the slide locking back on empty. As I reloaded, I could see that most of the other competitiors were already firing from the right side of the barricade. I had taken as much time as I dared focusing on my weak hand rounds. The reloaded pistol was now back in my right hand and felt solidly locked on target. As I sent the first round down range, I could tell my neighbor was finished as he was holstering his gun. I sent the next two rounds then stole a glance at the RO to my right. He was bringing the whistle up and I sent the last two rounds home less than a second apart. The slide had barely locked open when I heard the whistle go off. Everyone was done and watching me. The RO checked that my pistol was empty and cleared the firing line. Now for that long twenty-five yard walk wondering what the results are. As I neared my target, I could see that all my shots were in the repair center. In fact, there was nothing outside of the "9" ring! Sixteen "9"s and the rest were "10"s and "X"s! A 284-2X for stage "B" with a total of 464-17X for the relay. This score did in fact help my season average. I went from a high average of 461 to a 462.33. This raised my percentage from 96.04% to 96.32%. Not as high as last year but almosted guaranteed to be in the top ten!
Stage "B"
DECCDW, PALTCF
NRA, CMP, DLEMA
11B, 45B, 45K, 45L, 45Z, 95B
NRA, CMP, DLEMA
11B, 45B, 45K, 45L, 45Z, 95B
