Does anyone in Pennsylvania want to win a nice gun? If so, get yourself to the Bucks County Friends of NRA Dinner this Thursday evening, September 15th at 5:30 PM. You can win a gun in a raffle, like we have, or win a unique collector firearm at the auction, while enjoying a tasty dinner with people that you’d like to hang out with. Doors open for raffles, games & silent auction at 5:30pm. Dinner will be served at 7:15 PM, at Spring Mill Manor in Ivyland, PA.
While online ticket sales have ended, you can still email Christie Caywood through bucksnratickets@pagunrights.com to get tickets to the best investment in the shooting sports you could ever make. The tickets are only $40 per person and half of all net proceeds go to fund projects within the state on youth firearm safety and education programs, hunter education, range development and improvement, women’s training seminars, and wildlife conservation efforts. The other half is used to fund similar projects with a national scope.
Enjoy a great meal, meet people who share your interests, and maybe even walk away with a new gun, what more could you want?
You want more? Well then, I’m glad you asked! You could also win a pro-gun toaster. No really, you can win an NRA toaster that makes divine, pro second amendment BLTs. Everyone loves this unique and rare item!
If you are on the East Coast, what are you waiting for? Get yourself to this Friends on NRA dinner and support the future of the shooting sports by emailing Ms. Caywood, right now!
It’s been about a year and a half since I dove head first into the world of competitive shooting, and while I’m making some progress with my speed and accuracy, there’s something holding me back, and I can’t seem to shake it. I’m no stranger to the stress, anxiety and pressure present when participating in sports (especially since my nature is to be ridiculously competitive), but there is an element of practical pistol shooting that I have never experienced before, and it’s making me look like more like Jerry Lewis than Jerry Miculek when I’m shooting a match.
Some call it the Red Mist. My better half has referred to it as bezerker. It is an indiscriminatory and unrelenting force that is laser-focused on sabotaging your performance. Ridiculously clever and devious, it will allow you to build up your confidence just until you step up to the line and into the shooting box. And then the timer goes *beep*, the red mist appears, and all careful planning and strategy disappears as if it never even existed.
If you’ve been watching Top Shot on the History Channel, you may have noticed that the Red Mist makes a cameo appearance in almost every episode. During episode two of season 3, it appeared during the elimination challenge and prematurely knocked my favorite contestant and WOMA home girl, Sara Ahrens, out of the competition.
During Sara’s commentary at the end of the show, she recognized the role the red mist played in her loss when she said, “I’ve had practice in friend and foe targets, it’s just a matter of I’ve never done that next to another person. I’m kind of being overcome by the intensity of the situation.”
Yep, that’s the unmistakable mark of the red mist. It doesn’t just effect your performance on the range, it also leaves a trail of amnesia and dumbfoundedness in its wake, making it that much more difficult to overcome.
So, is it possible to defeat the Red Mist, and if so, what’s the secret? Watching shooting greats like the Leatham’s and the Miculek’s make it pretty darn obvious that it can be overcome, but how does a mere mortal like me fend off this unwelcome creature that has the power to take over my brain at will?
I recently had the opportunity to ask World Championship competitive shooter, and all-around awesome woman, Eva Micklethwaite how she deals with the pressure and anxiety that builds up when she’s competing in a big match. Eva was kind enough to explain to me what she did to conquer the Red Mist when she found herself a bit “freaked out” by one of the stages at the recent USPSA Area 3 match:
It’s the preparation I do BEFORE I even step on the range that helps me with that. At this particular stage, though, I told myself to take your time and get through it. Don’t rush it, stay focused, and be patient with myself and the trigger. Basically a mental talk off the ledge. Once the buzzer goes off, instinct kicks in as well.
Experience helps a lot, you’ll get there. Mental strength is also a BIG part of this game. And if all else fails….breathe!
Looks like I’ve got some dues to pay to the Red Mist. If you’re looking for me, check the local ranges. I’ll be the one trying to reload my left thumb into the magazine well.
As Hurricane Irene approaches landfall, the national news media is freaking out. The message from their “EXTREME WEATHER CENTER” graphics art departments is clear – FREAK OUT! PANIC! ZOMG it’s going to rain! Lots of rain and wind! Argghhhhh!
Don’t get me wrong hurricanes can be really bad, but the news coverage is hysterical. I hope all of my friends, and even my enemies, on the East Coast make it through the storm safe and sound.
While you wait for the storm to blow through, pass the time with a little Le Chic.
Top Shot 3 is right around the corner, premiering on Tuesday, August 9th at 10/9c. Even with the somewhat lopsided ratio of drama llama to actual shooting, I’ll be watching (and hoping the drama llama goes on hiatus for season 3). I’ve already got my favorite shooter picked out for the season – Sara Ahrens. I had the pleasure of co-manning the WOMA booth at SHOT Show this year with her, and she is funny, beautiful and knows how to shoot. I will be looking forward to watching her kick some tail this season.
If you’re not familiar with Top Shot Season 3’s cast of characters, here’s the “exclusive” cast intro video:
In other exciting news, we will be having a Top Shot contest with some great prizes, courtesy of the fine folks at the History Channel. As they say in the TV business, stay tuned for details!
I also wanted to take a minute to give a big thanks to all of you (including the Top Shot producers) who provided me with awesome support over the last couple of months as I made my way through the application process for Top Shot Season 4. Sadly, I did not make the cut, but no worries – I will be back with bells on (and some bigger wins under my belt) when next season’s application comes out.
I’m a bit skeptical about the claim that recreational and sport shooters have surpassed golfers here (golf has been ginormous in Arizona forever), but it’s still great news.
I’d also like to give kudos to KPHO for doing a straight story on the shooting sports in Arizona, and foregoing the liberal slanted, pants-peeing that we see so often in MSM stories about guns and/or the shooting sports. Oh, and KPHO? Here’s a tip – just because someone answers a question you posted on Facebook, doesn’t mean you have to put it on the news.
I’ve previously written about shooting the Springfield XDm 5.25 Competition model and posted a video of Rob Leatham shooting the new pistol. Check out his DrillMaster instructional video to see the gun in action and learn his approach to shooting faster. The Great One shows you how to go fast using the new XDm.
FTC Disclaimer – Mr. Leatham and Springfield Armory allowed me to shoot some free ammo through the XDm 5.25 once upon a time. Springfield Armory has a website where you too can find out where to shoot the new XDm 5.25. As noted in my prior post, I’ve placed an order through Arizona Firearms and Pawn at regular retail. If this doesn’t meet your disclosure compliance standards, please feel free to lower your standards.
Don’t forget! The Sarah Palin documentary, The Undefeated, will open in select major cities on July 15th. Here are the cities you can see the movie in on July 15th:
Phoenix, AZ AMC Ahwatukee 24
Orange, CA AMC 30 At The Block
Highlands Ranch, CO AMC Highlands Ranch 24
Orlando, FL AMC Loews Universal Cineplex 20
Kennesaw, GA AMC Barrett Commons 24
Indianapolis, IN AMC Showplace Indianapolis 17
Independence, MO AMC Independence Commons 20
Oklahoma, OK AMC Quail Springs Mall 24
Grapevine,TX AMC Grapevine Mills 30
Houston, TX AMC Gulf Pointe 30
For information on theaters and links to buy tickets online, visit the Victory Film Groups webpage.
Haven’t heard of the Sarah Palin movie?
Check out Mz. VRWC’s review of The Undefeated.
