Ironman 2012 AAR

[joelogic]

http://www.mgmironman.com/index.php?...d=50&Itemid=48

A huge thanks to MGM Targets for putting this on. Where else can you shoot from a zipline, in a dark tunnel with a pickup gun, and from a golf cart in a safe environment with some really great people.

[Caseless]

My 2 cents

I think that contrary to "normal" multi-gun matches, using bigger calibers/heavier bullets at Ironman is advantageous, especially to flip those stubborn spinners under very windy conditions.

Even in Trooper division, ammo consumption wasn't a problem. I used 1.5 times the minimum required # of rounds, even with a re-shoot on stage 3, and a ton of wasted rifle and pistol ammo working on the spinners. I think I will pack double the minimum round count instead of triple next year.

I did not use a pistol caliber carbine. Since I know I needed the handgun practice for the following IDPA championship match. I thought the top 4 shooters in Trooper class all used handguns(fully tricked out of course)?? However, I cannot deny the PCC's effectiveness in making short work of the spinners.

Ironman Trooper division is truly an eye-opener for me. I will no longer call Joe a gamer after attending this event.

[HighLander51]

There's nothing gamy about the IronMan, it's just plain brutal.

joe, what guns did you run and how where they setup? Also, where did you finish?

[joelogic]

AR-15, .223 62gr and 77gr, JP 18" Upper, AR Gold Trigger, IOR 1.5-8x.
Benelli M2, 12g, 11+1, Welded lifter, bolt lightened by Accurate Iron, rib/FO front sight. (The slug spinners killed me, I took 4 60 second penalties from not being able to spin them. Next year, I will have a rear sight or heavily practice shooting the rib. Squadmate blamed my magazine clamp.)
Just Right Carbine, 9mm, Aimpoint R-1.

I finished 14th out of 30. Not bad for my first national match. Everyone on the squad said just finishing Ironman especially in trooper your first time is a major accomplishment. I was only going about 70% speed to make sure I had enough energy and focus through the 3 days. Next year with a match under my belt I will hammer the gas pedal and make Top 8.

[SuperSet]

Congrats on finishing the match, man and very nice AAR!

[GeoffLinder]

Good job Joe :-)

Just finishing an IronMan is indeed quite a feat in itself, let alone doing so in Trooper class!

What I learned from my 2 IronMan matches was that you know you are almost done with a stage when your pants aren't trying to fall down anymore from the weight of the ammo load you are carrying

I managed back to back 17th overall finishes for my efforts. Nothing comes easy at the IronMan!

[JamesY]

There's nothing gamy about the IronMan, it's just plain brutal.

joe, what guns did you run and how where they setup? Also, where did you finish?

Just curious, what do you consider "gaming?"

[HighLander51]

jologic "I shot trooper division, which is the true gamer division."

Caseless *I will no longer call Joe a gamer after attending this event.*

JamesY, ask these guys, all I said is that it is brutal.

[HighLander51]

AR-15, .223 62gr and 77gr, JP 18" Upper, AR Gold Trigger, IOR 1.5-8x.
Benelli M2, 12g, 11+1, Welded lifter, bolt lightened by Accurate Iron, rib/FO front sight. (The slug spinners killed me, I took 4 60 second penalties from not being able to spin them. Next year, I will have a rear sight or heavily practice shooting the rib. Squadmate blamed my magazine clamp.)
Just Right Carbine, 9mm, Aimpoint R-1.

I finished 14th out of 30. Not bad for my first national match.

Outstanding finish for your first big match. What was the distance on the MGM spinner for the slugs? I am glad that is not a legal target in USPSA. I have 3 Benelli's, all M1 Super 90's, and for Open Class I run a Burris Speed Bead, and WW low recoil, makes easy work of that kind of target. And the nice thing about the Burris, you can turn it off and look thru it for normal stuff

[Caseless]

jologic "I shot trooper division, which is the true gamer division."

Caseless *I will no longer call Joe a gamer after attending this event.*

JamesY, ask these guys, all I said is that it is brutal.

Joe and my comments only apply to the TROOPER division. Aside from my Saiga-12, my gear is standard Scoped Tac. The veteran members of our squad deployed up to SEVEN guns on the same stage. All laid out strategically along the course of fire, plus extra magazines along the path, too.

[HighLander51]

Joe and my comments only apply to the TROOPER division. Aside from my Saiga-12, my gear is standard Scoped Tac. The veteran members of our squad deployed up to SEVEN guns on the same stage. All laid out strategically along the course of fire, plus extra magazines along the path, too.

Caseless, you are addressing this to JamesY, right?

just finishing the match for me would be gaming

[Caseless]

Caseless, you are addressing this to JamesY, right?

just finishing the match for me would be gaming

Yes.

[TempleKnight]

Observations: Ironman is more of a technical match than an all out physical brawl. Stage 2 was a 99 round COF and all of the targets were along a lateral line. You needed to determine which gun to use from which shooting position and not all targets were visible from all positions. A solid stage plan separated amateurs from pros. Technical skill, endurance, and stage planning are huge factors to winning.

This was my first Iron Man. Your AAR tracks with my experience, as well. I thought I was ready but I prepared for the physical side instead of the mental. After the first 1/3 of each stage, I had to rely on the RO to remind me where all the targets were.

I got my hits on the slug plates and spinners, but the pistol spinners ate my lunch.

It's hard to communicate the pace and the scope of Iron Man. I'm already preparing for next year.

[uscbigdawg]

Just curious, what do you consider "gaming?"

The whiner definition is when someone else is better prepared and better equipped to complete a task/challenge.

Rich

[HighLander51]

After the first 1/3 of each stage, I had to rely on the RO to remind me where all the targets were.

I

The RO's are allowed to help the shooter?