Pasadena Texas Shooting Dentist
Vogel and Mink Class in Arkansas:
My good dirt bike friend and shooting coach Eric emailed me months ago about taking a class in Arkansas. The class was being put on by Robert Vogel and Matthew Mink. Eric and some of his shooting buddies were coming in from California to take the class and invited me to join them. Saturday was joint teaching by the two instructors and then we split up into two groups and worked with each instructor before switching. It was a great learning event because the students got great tips. However for me, it was listening to the mindset of the world class professional shooters. Listening to their approach to shooting, their practice routines, and their mental preparation was amazing.
Vogel
Mink
Notes Eric took during the class:
Notes from the Mink/Vogel 2-day Training at Central Arkansas Shooters Association, AR 6-7 SEP, 2014
In no particular order-
Front sight = speedometer; easy to read=too slow, moving too quickly to read=too fast
2” dot drill @ 3yds/5yds/7yds; each requires and develops different shoot skills
1st dot @ 4 seconds with a single shot; 2nd dot engaged in 4 seconds with 2 shots to (include recoil management); 3rd dot in 4 seconds with 3 rounds in 4 seconds; 4th dot with 5 rounds in 4 seconds; 5th with 5 shots in 4 seconds; 6th dot with max rounds in 3 second
Develop “speed vision”= pro baseball batter can turn a white blur into seeing the stitches on the ball. Example; see ceiling fan blade in detail
Strong grip=get away with more gun handling errors during recoil. CAPTAINS OF CRUSH grippers demonstrated. Treat grip conditioning as weight training instead of an endurance event. #1 is a conditioning prep and harder that common grip exercisers. #2 difficult to close, #3 impossible to close without training.
Bill Drill- , 2 seconds, all in “A” zone. MUST see front sight lift with each recoil
ALWAYS develop support hand grip from the draw, as during presentation from the holster
Key element of the draw (Vogel)- middle finger behind trigger guard, web of thumb high on backstrap, then establish the rest of the hand placement during the extension to presentation
(Vogel) Check support hand: up as close to slide as possible, as forward as possible. Support arm as high or higher that shooing arm, with support hand providing pressure toward center, compensated by shooting hand. Elbows out.
RELOAD much more important that DRAW; only 1 draw during any stage, multiple reloads possible per stage. Drill- timer start: 2 rounds, reload, 2 rounds. .8 second draw?? Work on something more.
RELOAD (per Mink), collapse presentation to ½ extension, mag well aligns with 1st mag pouch. Note; Vogel disagrees; bring shooting elbow to torso for consistency
Re; dominant eye- Leatham and Sevegny both are cross dominant, and hold sight alignment slightly off-center to align with dominant eye (both eyes open=better peripheral vision)
Run dry fire Bill Drills to ID trigger control errors
During matches, if your see the target twitch or wood fly, SHOOT AGAIN. You hit the support wood.
“MATCHES ARE WON ON TRANSITIONS” between targets
“…shooters on the top of their game win because they can see faster…”
NOTES FROM USPSA MATCH DAY (2nd day of training. Vogel and Mink providing stage strategies)
Run with gun at eye level to keep sights at eye level (prep for 1st shot at the next position)
NEVER move feet once in position: you’ll lose balance and time. Instead, basketball pivot whenever possible
1st match stage of the day; SLOW DOWN because it IS the first stage
USPSA; ID targets that MUST be shot from specific positions 1st, then build the rest of the stage plan around those positions.
3 yd shots –(Vogel) I don’t see the sights, and probably don’t even see the pistol.
Mindset after bad stage; “Once you shoot the stage, It’s over. Focus on the next stage.”
QUESTION FROM MINK/VOGEL- “Do you practice STAGES?” Build portions of stages at the range and practice
*”EASIER TO TEACH A FAST SHOOTER TO SHOOT ACCURATLY, THAN TO TEACH AN ACCURATE SHOOTER TO SHOOT FAST.” Develop mechanics of shooting fast
The best train compulsively, and obsess at meeting goals: borderline OCD. “This is my disease.”
Dr. Nugent photobomb / selfie with Vogel
Vogel fixing Eric’s front sight post.
About:
Dr. Nugent is a General Dentist that has created a practice that focuses of Cosmetic, General , Implant and Sedation Dentistry. His office is located at 3421 Burke Rd, Pasadena, Texas 77504. Dr. Nugent is an avid pistol competitor. He mainly shoots IDPA but will also shoot USPSA. Dr. Nugent is a FFL out of his dental office. Thus, you can buy and transfer guns with Dr. Nugent. Dr. Nugent is a CHL holder that utilizes that privilege every day.