Appealing USPSA classification

[NorthBay Shooter]

Pacmule,
this is exactly what makes classifiers a pain in the butt to those wanting to move up (for whatever reason). There is normally only 1 per match (unless it is a classifier match). It normally takes a few to raise your score to the next level. So depending on how many matches you shoot per month, it may take months to see your classification change. It is also much harder at the lower levels since to go from C to B its 20%, then from B to A it's 15%. There are a few folks where I shoot in what we call BCFL. Otherwise known as B Class For Life. Going from D to C and C to B is about not missing. If you shoot Alpha and Charlie, you move up. You shoot Mikes you don't. I think that going from B to A is really about more training and more refinement. More Alpha shorter time and no Deltas. That is the difference between those two groups (for me).

Good Luck

[pacmule]

[Rez805]

I can relate. One thing that really helped was thinking about the general recommendation of "15 minutes per day of dryfire can go a long way". for someone with very little free time to dedicate: planning and commitment are often big hurdles. That 15 minutes should be you actually running the dryfire drill(s).

Try your best to avoid spending a lot of that time donning gear, setting up targets, and figuring out what you want to accomplish.

One way is to plan ahead. Think about what you want to work on and use other free time to get things prepped. You might even find that some dryfire drills don't need much equipment. For example, a "white wall" drill probably doesn't need a belt full of gear as the intent is to work on trigger manipulation. Ditto for "entries into position": the focus is on having the gun up and ready to fire the moment you clear the "obstacle". So you don't necessarily need a belt full of gear unless you want to add an extra complement (e.g., working on a drop-step reload combination while moving out of position)

If you know you need to work on reloads and want to simulate a full mag: consider loading dummy rounds into a mag or two the moment you get back from the match. That will be one less thing to worry about during your 15 minute practice session.

Obviously, I don't the particulars of your situation. The above examples should be thought of as examples of how you can do a little bit of prep work to reduce instances of just "sitting around" during your training. Also, you have the benefit of a range in your backyard, so you have the option of running live drills or, at a minimum, getting a good handle on recoil-- you can't simulate that in dryfire.

Good luck!

[IVC]

Back to the original question. You contact USPSA and submit request to remove the A flag (not A class, it's an A flag - much like Y flag is used to label scores that are used for your classification).

Normally, they will remove the flag in about two weeks, then one more week until the new classification program runs when your score will be tagged Y and will count for your percentage.

I had to have one A flag removed last year when I shoot classifiers in division I normally don't shoot. Also, the flag is based on "your bracket" not your current percentage. If you're a C, your top is 60% and anything 80%+ will generate an A flag. Just ask them to remove it, sit back and wait.

[IVC]

As for not worrying about classification, I'll just throw this out. Both Ben Stoeger and Steve Anderson started by practicing classifiers and making sure their initial classification was high. Ben was GM, Steve was A class at initial classification.

The mentality of wanting to do well on classifiers is the mentality you will need to get better in general and to do better in matches. Anyone who wants to move up in classes and is ready to work for it will become better shooter simply because they will put the necessary time into practice.

[IVC]

It is also much harder at the lower levels since to go from C to B its 20%, then from B to A it's 15%.

It's much easier to go from 40% to 60% than to go from 60% to 75% even though the numbers look off and you have to improve by half to go from 40 to 60 while only one quarter to go from 60 to 75.

The reason is that you can get to 60(ish) by hitting targets and not being slow. To move up from B, you have to be fast, not merely "not slow." If you're not fast, you're not moving up no matter how accurate you are.

[NorthBay Shooter]

It's much easier to go from 40% to 60% than to go from 60% to 75% even though the numbers look off and you have to improve by half to go from 40 to 60 while only one quarter to go from 60 to 75.

The reason is that you can get to 60(ish) by hitting targets and not being slow. To move up from B, you have to be fast, not merely "not slow." If you're not fast, you're not moving up no matter how accurate you are.

Thus my BCFL...LOL.

[pacmule]

So now my new plan is to come up with a dry fire regimen and schedule!

[Scotty]

Keep in mind, your major match scores will probably be 10% lower than your classifier scores. Moving up even though your skills aren't there isn't necessarily a good thing.