Triangle Tactical Podcast - Competitive Shooting, Mostly

What makes competitive shooting matches fun? To me, it's shooting challenges.

Tight targets? Yes please

No shoots? Sure

Make me do something with my weak hand while shooting? Absolutely

Awkward footing, strange positions, tight spaces? Sign me up

Make me run 100y dragging a dummy before shooting? Meh.

Basically, I like shooting challenges, because I'm there as a competitive shooter. I'm not a sprinter, so making me run 50y before shooting when it doesn't add anything to the stage is dumb.

Gear that Doesn't Suck

I hate trying to deal with foggy safety glasses while shooting. When they fog up, you might find yourself trying to look over them (unsafe) or looking through the fog (possibly unsafe, definitely not good for good shooting). So, what I've found is this product from Speedo that you smear on your glasses, rub it in, wash it off, and boom, no foggy glasses for a couple months. It's a tiny little bottle, but it will last you a very long time. I like the stuff, definitely doesn't suck.

Ever met someone who wasn't really into shooting, but more into just always having the coolest newest gun, and then all the sudden they're not around anymore?

Recently I was listening to a couple different podcasts, The Joe Rogen Experience with Dan Bilzarian, and the recent Freakonomics podcast on Maintenence, and a common theme came up in both shows: The idea that once you have the best thing, you don't get the same enjoyment out of something that isn't quite as good. 

In the Dan Bilzarian interview, he talked about how a lot of rich people aren't happy because they're able to buy whatever they want, and if they are only getting their enjoyment out of stuff, and not experiences, they run out of things to enjoy pretty quickly. I've seen this thing happen in the shooting sports a time or two, where someone isn't really into shooting, but into showing up to matches with the coolest newest thing. Eventually, they've got everything, and you stop seeing them as much when they move onto something else. 

I think the lesson here is this: If you want to stick around for a good long while, find your enjoyment in practice, progression, and actually shooting. By all means, shoot with the nicest gun you can afford, but just know, if you're getting your enjoyment out of the gun, that's a short buzz that doesn't last long.

The News

There's been a rash of gun store burglaries in North Carolina recently where the bad guys are taking stolen vehicles and driving them through the doors and walls of gun stores to gain entry in the middle of the night, and then stealing all the guns they can get their hands on. Here's the thing about this: the anti-gun crowd tells us that it's so easy for a bad guy to walk into a gun show and buy whatever gun they want with no repercussions, but if that were true, why would these criminals be going to these great lengths to break into gun stores to steal guns?

There's been campus carry in Texas for a couple months now, and... nothing. A news outlet 'round those parts went on campus to interview students about it, and nothing's happened. (H/T SaysUncle)

Contact

If you've got a question for the podcast, send me a voicemail. Here's how to do it.

If you've got something for me, shoot me an email at [email protected]

It seems like any time someone who's made a name for themselves on the internet opens their mouth and says that something is good, bad, or whatever, there's an army of fanboys who jump on board and claim whatever this person has said as gospel without even taking the time to verify what they were told.

[powerpress]

It happens with both technique, and gear related issues, and I don't think competitive shooters are any less susceptible to it and the tactical crowd. Here's the thing, we progress by standing on the shoulders of giants, building off of the things that those who came before us did. However, blinding following will make you fall in a hole. Stand on the shoulders of giants, but be skeptical. Test things, see what works for you. If something works, awesome. If it doesn't, and you can prove it doesn't then move on.

The News

A Sheriff was in the Cascades Mall when the mass shooting happened, but he was unarmed. Weird story.

Some Michigan legislators think their constituents are idiots. They've introduced an "assault weapon" ban into the state just weeks before the election. VOTE THEM OUT! This bill is terrible, one of the worst pieces of legislation I've seen in a while, and y'all kinfolk back in Michigan need to defeat it.

Gear that Doesn't Suck

I really like my Streamlight ProTac 2L. I've had it about 2 years, and it's really been a good flashlight. I don't carry it all the time (work, because I destroy flashlights at work all the time) but if I'm not at work, it's a safe bet that it's within an arms length of me.

Q&A

John in Southern California: I'm a bullseye shooter, want to try IDPA. How should I setup my sights?

This is something that I think a lot of people don't understand when it comes to pistols. It's easy to see on a rifle like an AR-15 because you can see that the sights are something like 2.5" above the bore line, so the concept that the bullet will intersect the line of sight at some point makes sense. However, it seels like a lot of people think that bullets exit the barrel of a pistol, and continue in a perfectly straight line until they hit something, which leads people to say things like "these sights hit point of aim/point of impact" which is a statement that doesn't really make sense unless you specify the distance that that happens.

Here's what I do: I have a Glock 34, and Dawson Precision adjustable sights. I have them setup so that when I'm aiming at the upper A-zone of a USPSA target at 20 yards, the bullet hits right in the upper A-zone where I'm aiming. Shots closer than 20y will have the bullet hitting just a little lower than I'm aiming, and shots further than 20y will hit a little higher for a bit, then somewhere down range (I don't know where, because I don't shoot super long distance with my pistol much) the bullet will intersect the line of sight again, and then continue to fall until it hits the ground.

I think the biggest thing is to know where your pistol hits at a certain distance so you can compensate for it at different distances. John is a bullseye shooter, which has shooters shooting at a fixed distance, so they setup their sights differently than "action" type shooters who may be shooting at a target anywhere from 1 to 50 yards.

Contact

If you'd like to send in a voicemail for the show, just call 781-7BULLET and leave a voicemail.

If you've got anything for me, shoot me an email at [email protected]

If you carry concealed, you've probably been concerned about printing (having the outline of your gun showing through your clothes) at at least one time or another. Now that we're in 2016 and everyone and their brother has a giant cell phone on their hip, I don't think printing matters anymore.

I spent about 12 hours this past weekend watching the general public (I was doing something else while the general public filtered past me) and I noticed some trends.

Here's some "tells" I've been thinking about lately:

1. It seems like there's a new "shoot me first vest" that's taken the form of a plaid shirt, khaki "outdoorsy" pants, and hiking boots. It's usually accompanied by dark, expensive sunglasses, and sometimes a hat with a patch on the front of it.
2. One thing that I find myself doing all the time is hiking up my pants when I stand up while getting out of the car, or standing up from sitting. Something about the IWB holster I use that makes it tend to slide down a bit when sitting.
3. Another habit that I tend to have is that I'm constantly checking to make sure my shirt is pulled down over my blaster. It's weird, I check it all the time, and I don't think I've ever found my gun exposed, but I still check it constantly.

News

An attempted robbery took place in Texas recently. The clerk pulled his gun, shot back, and did it all while not even dropping his cigarette.

The relationship between USPSA and IPSC *seems* to be on the mend. For now. As of this morning, it looks like USPSA Pres. Mike Foley has agreed not to sanction the upcoming match in the Philippines due to the Phillipine IPSC RD not wanting it sanctioned, and the threat of sanctions against USPSA by the IPSC General Assembly.

Gear that Doesn't Suck

If you've been holding out on getting a shot timer, now's the time. Amazon just dropped the price (at least at the time of this episode airing in 10/2016) to about $95 and some change, which is about $35 off regular price. I think a shot timer is an important investment for knowing how good you are, and building confidence and consistency.

Click here to go to the Gear that Doesn't Suck page.

Plug of the Week

You need to go listen to this episode of the American Warrior Podcast. Mike Seeklander interviewed his cousin Todd Orr about his experience getting mauled by a grizzly bear...twice. It's absolutely must listen audio, take my word for it. 

 

Oh boy, there's been some drama on the world practical shooting stage this past week. The IPSC European Handgun Championship was last week, and at the match, the IPSC council met and passed some resolutions that have USPSA Mike Foley releasing a press release you can find here.

We don't have anything specifically saying so, but it seems like these new rules are pointed at USPSA, because the organization began sanctioning USPSA matches in the Philippines earlier this year.

The News

I didn't know about this until just this week, but apparently the state of Florida passed a law allowing people to carry concealed without a permit while part of a mandatory evacuation. Interesting, especially for a state that still bans open carry.

Gear that Doesn't Suck

Before Hurricane Matthew arrived, I bought this portable cell phone charger to make sure we were able to keep in contact with family should we lose power. This sucker should have enough juice to keep both of our phones charged for about a week, so it might be something to consider having around should you live in an area where you lose power for extended periods.

Contact

• [email protected]

 

I've always really liked Cabela's as a company, and I've noticed more and more lately that I like them even more. Saturday night my wife and I were driving home from somewhere, and we were listening to the big local Top 40 radio station (she had control of the radio, married guys know). They were playing the big syndicated national all-request house party type show that they play every Saturday night. A Cabelas ad came on, advertising some big sale they're having, the great deal they're having on .223 and 5.56 ammo, as well as a deal that they were having for free shipping to the nearest Cabelas store when you buy a gun on their website.

Let that sink in for a second. They were advertising .223/5.56 ammo, the most demonized ammo by the media, AND they were advertising online gun purchases (the most demonized type of gun purchase) on the radio. On the Top 40 station. During the Top 40 show on Saturday night, in one of the biggest radio markets in the country. I think that's awesome. GunCulture 2.0 and all that, ya know?

[powerpress]

## Rants

Sometimes people do things that annoy me, and sometimes I like to talk about it on the podcast. Here's some of my current gripes:

People who polish their pistol barrels, and then try and sell them as though it's some sort of upgrade. Seriously, you've removed material all around the barrel, it HAS to affect the accuracy to some extent. Right?

People who buy a crappy gun, and then defend it forever. Nobody will think less of you for buying something crappy, realizing it's crappy, and then moving on. I shot a match with a Hi-Point C9 once, more than half of the bullets went through the targets sideways. It was awful, but fun. I accepted the fact that it wasn't a fine, precision firearm and moved on.

On the flip side, people that buy a nice gun but can't shoot it well, and blame the gun because their ego won't allow them to accept the fact that they need to work on their skills. "Bought a new M&P, it's consistently hitting low and left!" Sorry bro, that's on you.

People looking for a gear solution to a problem that doesn't even exist. I came across a post a while back where someone was looking for some sort of coating to spray on his magazines to make them eject out of the gun faster. I don't know about you, but unless I royally screw up, I'm not waiting for the magazine to leave the gun, it's long gone before I get the fresh magazine up to the gun.

The phenomenon of the Dillon Fanboi. Y'all know who you are. Any time there's a conversation about reloading on a reloading press that isn't a Dillon anywhere on the Gunternet, a Dillon fanboi will jump in and tell them that the solution to all of their problems is a Dillon 650. Here's the thing: I've got a Dillon press, and it's fantastic, however, I can accept the fact that it's not the solution to everyone's reloading problems. Some folks reload because they have more time than money, and they're trying to squeeze every last penny out of reloading, with no concern about how much time it takes. I was that guy one, and I think the Lee Turret Press was still a fantastic option for me in the beginning. Yes, I know Dillon has an awesome warranty. Yes, I know they make fantastic products, and yes, I even would love to have one of those Super 1050's with an autodrive in my garage, but please, accept the fact that it's not for everyone. Y'all are almost as bad as the Glock and 1911 fanboys.

People who suggest that polishing the feed ramp of a malfunctioning pistol is the solution to every problem. It's not really a thing that causes problems with modern semi-autos. If by chance you get an auto and rounds are legitimately hanging up on the feed ramp, let the manufacturer deal with it. Don't you dare attack it with a Dremel.

## The News

Only 0.04% of people caught lying on a 4473 form are prosecuted. What in the world. Here I am, as law abiding citizen who's only ticket ever was a parking ticket at a Michigan State Park who get's stressed about checking a box incorrectly on a 4473, only to find out that FedGovCo doesn't even do anything to the people who are legitimately lying on the forms. And they say we need more gun control laws, yet we don't enforce the ones we have. Sad, sad, sad. ## CALM DOWN INTERNET!!!!111eleven!!11

If you've been anywhere on the Gunternet over the past few days you've inevitably heard people flipping their lids about Team Sig being disbanded.

SIMMA DOWN NAH!

Of course, what happened is that the internet worked itself into a frenzy before the whole story came out. Here's what I've put together from scouring the internet on the topic:

The team was put together to legitimize the Sig P320 as a competition gun. They did that.

The team will probably live on under the Gray Guns banner (based on some Facebook posts I've read, anyways).

So, it doesn't sound like anyone got screwed over, and it looks like the folks on the team will still have some sponsorship, just with a different logo on their backs.

The 'Gunternet' would have you believe that shooting is a pastime that has strict rules about all sorts of things. You must carry this gun, in this caliber, in this position, with this many spare magazines, and when you're shooting that gun, you must hold it this way, stand this way, and wear these clothes. Fortunately, like a lot of things on the internet, a lot of this just isn't factual.

Here's a few things that aren't a big deal, even though the internet will tell you they are:

### Your choice of carry gun. I think this is a trap most all of us fall into, but at the end of the day, what matters most is that you're carrying, not what you're carrying. If you like .45, great. If you like .380, great. If you've got a .22lr that works for you because you don't have a ton of hand strength, great. Any of the above guns are better than harsh words and a sharp stick. Just carry something reliable that you'll actually carry, and you'll be WAY ahead of most folks who have a permit, but don't carry much. (or only carry "when I might need it"

### Shooting with Both Eyes Open -Yes, it's an advantage (a small one, but it's perceivable), but I've met a bunch of people who are good shooters who just can't master it for one reason or another. If you can shoot both eyes open, do it, it's great. If you can't quite get it, don't let it become a boulder in the road of your shooting progression.

### Malfunction practice I know guys that drill and drill and drill malfunction practice, almost as much as they drill their shooting. Yes, I think you should get good at clearing malfunctions, but I feel like in some circles clearing malfunctions has almost become as much of a sport as shooting. Get good at it, know how to do it, know your gun, then become a better shooter. Personally I don't practice malfunctions. When they happen in practice, or in a match, I clear them, and that's enough for me to stay on top of my game for them.

### Type of Ammo you Use to Get Started competing with (at least in pistol games) I get this question quite frequently from people wanting to get started in competition. "Lucas, should I get this or that?" My answer is always, if they both cycle in your gun, get whichever is cheapest. "Shouldn't I get the 147gr?" isn't that what everyone uses? No, dont worry about it. "Doesn't 115gr have trouble knocking down steel?" It doesn't matter if you're brand new. Don't worry about it. I see forum posts where folks recommend some BS premium ammo or whatever for people wanting to get started, and it's just bull honkey. Whatever you're taking to the range to shoot, just use that. Don't worry about power factor, or whatever else, you'll be just fine.

### Hold your breath while shooting! Podcast listener James sent this one in the the Triangle Tactical Facebook page just before I was getting ready to record. A guy on a forum said that he read an Army pistol shooting manual and it said that you're supposed to hold your breath while shooting. He tried it during an IDPA match, and shot well.

This is terrible advice for competitive pistol shooter (Bullseye shooters are probably excluded from this) because you NEED to BREATH! I suspect the shooter had a good match because he was so focused on not breathing, that he just shot his sights. Interesting, but I still wouldn't recommend it.

Gear that Doesn't Suck

How do you know you're getting better, if you don't know how good you are now?

You really need a shot timer if you're a competitive shooter, or defensive shooter who takes things even relatively seriously. It will allow you to really assess things and know if you're improving, and by how much.

I like the Pocket Pro II, it's the size and form factor I like, has a lot of options, and works well. I like it, and it definitely doesn't suck.

Support the Show

Any purchase you make through the 'Gear that Doesn't Suck' links helps to support the show. Click the link, buy whatever you need from Amazon, and I'll get a little kickback from Amazon for sending you there. It doesn't cost you anything extra. 

News

Defense Distributed lost their recent case with the 5th Circuit Court about distributing CAD files for 3D printed guns online. The court ruled that it's some sort of national security issue. There was a Judge that wrote a scathing dissent, and it's pretty great:

In sum, it is not at all clear that the State Department has any concern for the First Amendment rights of the American public and press. Indeed, the State Department turns freedom of speech on its head by asserting, "The possibility that an Internet site could also be used to distribute the technical data domestically does not alter the analysis…." The Government bears the burden to show that its regulation is narrowly tailored to suit a compelling interest. It is not the public's burden to prove their right to discuss lawful, non-classified, non-restricted technical data.

BOOM!

CALM DOWN GUNTERNET!!!!!

Man, the Gunternet has been ablaze this week with people absolutely freaking out about this YouTube Heroes program that we really don't know much about yet. It looks like it's basically a way to create a community of moderators for YouTube that basically work for free. The part that is freaking people out is that when someone reaches Hero level 3 they're able to "mass flag" videos. The worry here is that "mass flag" could mean "mass remove" videos, and some anti-gun d-bag could go on a rampage against the YouTube gun community. 

I don't think it's time to worry just yet. We don't know enough at this point, so don't get your hackles raised. Yeah, it could be ugly, but I tend to think it'll be alright. 

Reddit user Jshootstuff has a fantastic post on the r/Firearms subreddit that's worth a read. Check it out here.

Contact

If you've got something for me, here's how to get in touch

• [email protected]
• Voicemail line: 781-7BULLET

 

Over the weekend a USPSA/3-Gun shooter dispatched a scumbag terrorist in a Minnesota mall. For years now I've heard tons and tons of arguments from people who don't shoot competitively about why one shouldn't shoot competitively, and these arguments continue to amuse me.

[powerpress]

So, for this weeks episode, I thought I'd dispel a few of these terrible arguments against competitive shooting:

• Cold range - Apparently some folks think that having people stay unloaded between stages is a bad thing. It's not. It's a complete non issue, and one of the silliest arguments I've heard. 
• Competition isn't realistic because it's not a 360* environment - Where are you practicing that you're able to shoot 360*? Oh, that's right, that's just your excuse for not shooting.
• Targets don't shoot back - Yeah, duh. Neither do the targets when you're at a training class or anywhere else that isn't a force on force type class. 

The News

Some Taurus executives are in hot water for allegedly selling guns to an African arms trafficker. Not good. 

Unilad freaks out about r/EDC on Reddit. Can you believe Americans carry terrifying things like LOCK BACK KNIVES AND $100 BILLS? Unbelievble. What a bunch of Nancys.

 

EPISODE 200!

Wow, you know, on some level I never thought this episode would happen, so the fact that it's here is really awesome. 

Anyways, I don't really have a whole lot to say here in the shownotes for this episode, so, just go listen!

We're blessed in most of the US in regards to our rights, and with that blessing comes a large responsibility to secure it for future generations.

I think one of the most important battles we fight in keeping our rights is the battle of public perception.

I've talked extensively on the podcast and blog about how I've found just being a normal guy, who is open about guns tends to win the favor of most people when the topic comes up. People are quick to ask questions when you're just a normal guy who's not all "mah rights!" in their face all the time.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love muh rights, but in the battle of public perception, it's seen as a bit of an extreme thing to lead with. If the conversation goes there, no worries, that's totally fine, but if someone asks you why you carry, and you respond "Because the 2A is my gun permit! They can take it from my cold dead hands!" you're not going to win them over to our side. Someone on the fence will put up a wall at that point.

Here's some things you can do to be a good steward of the 2A:

1. Be normal. Just be yourself around people, and don't change when the topic of guns comes up. As i mentioned a minute ago, I've seen a lot of people clam up, and get huffy when they're met with a differing opinion. Personally, I tend to just blow off someone whos in my face about not liking guns when they're clearly not educated on the issue. IF someone is well educated on guns, and they still don't like them, then I can at least respect their opinion, even if I think they're wrong.

2. Don't be a jerk. Open carrying a rifle into WalMart to buy diapers and toothpaste is being a jerk. OCing with a tan drop-leg holster, multicam hat, and a FDE Infidel T-shirt is being kind of jerk-ish too. I don't have any problem with open carry, I really don't, but my problem comes when people carry with the intent of showing off in public, and not the intent of carrying for actual self protection. I think Tam at the View from the Porch blog called it Second Amendment Cosplay at one point, and she's totally right. I think you should carry with the intent being self protection, not to show off, not to "educate" the public, etc.

   As an aside here, I want to mention something I hear all the time: "nobody ever even notices when I open carry"

   I call shenanigans. I used to run the security department at a large retailer, and I can tell you, when someone would walk in open carrying, (didn't matter what they looked like, white, black, asian, man, woman, whoever) my phone would ring off the hook. "Lucas, there's a guy in here with a gun, what do we do?!"
3. Don't do stupid irresponsible crap, and for the love of Pete, don't post videos of it on the internet. I don't really care if you want to blow up your washing machine with binary explosives, but I don't feel like doing this sort of thing really helps our cause. A lot of people are put off by the "dumb ignorant toothless white redneck from the south" and this sort of thing just kind of perpetuates that, even if you don't fit that stereotype.
4. Be helpful! If someone has legitimate questions, and they're asking them genuinely, go out of your way to be helpful. Offer to take them to the range, offer to pay their range fees and provide some ammo. Lets face it, shooting is fun as heck, so helping people to be educated about it does nothing but help our cause.

The News:

Last week the BATFE released a memo that wetted nitrocellulose would be classified as an explosive and be subject to the transportation and storage rules that go along with that. The trouble with this is that it came down without any warning, and the firearms industry isn't setup to handle this sort of change overnight. 

Here's the way I understand it (I'd like to point out that I basically knew nothing about this stuff until I spent a couple hours googling it this morning, so take this with a grain of salt):

• Nitrocellulose is a component of smokeless powder. It's needed in the process of making ammo.
• Up until last week or thereabouts, if it was wetted with a specific amount of water or alcohol it could be transported and stored without being classified as an explosive.
• Not being classified as an explosive allows it to be transported without the licenses and regulations that go along with that, and it's basically not explosive while it's wetted (at least that's how I understand it).

So, if this were implemented, it would really shake up the industry, because the logistics of this would basically change everything. You could expect to see ammo and powder costs rise, and I really suspect it would have a nasty effect on the entire industry as a whole. 

Thankfully, it seems like the BATFE is reeling this back in a bit, but I don't think we've seen the last of this sort of thing.

Charity Match:

There's a charity match coming up that you local folks might want to be aware of. It's Woody's Warrior/Patriot Match, and you can find the details here. 

Don't forget to send in a voicemail answering the question "What has competitive shooting done for you?"

Here's all the ways you can send a voicemail.