Short Course

Bonus: Update and Ben Stoeger Interview

Tue, 20 May 2025 02:41:26 -0000

On this brief recap and intro, I discuss a few events from tonight's USPSA Board meeting, and then play a recent interview I did with Ben Stoeger on his podcast that is a wide ranging discussion of what has been going on.

#140: Transparency

Sun, 23 Feb 2025 04:42:18 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about transparency and confidentiality within the board of USPSA, and the ongoing attempts to define by example where the line is.

#139: New Year, New Board

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 05:03:54 -0000

This week on the podcast, I make two big announcements, one of which is the Area 6 match for this year, and go over some of the events of the January 2025 board meeting.

#138: December Special Meeting

Sat, 14 Dec 2024 04:27:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I discuss the special board meeting held this week to remove the USPSA President.

#137: Carolina Classic (2024), Part 2

Sat, 12 Oct 2024 03:15:55 -0000

This week on the podcast, I continue the discussion of aspects of both the 2024 Area 6 and Carolina Classic matches: one handed shooting in stages and chrono.

#136: Carolina Classic (2024), Part 1

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 20:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I discuss some aspects of both the 2024 Area 6 and Carolina Classic matches: staff reset and cash-only sponsorship, as well as the video coverage of the recent USPSA Handgun Nationals (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vtdN9S4Tck&list=PLJel9jHuGSVlb4emdmEvMdOhjAxGH8YHv&index=1).

#135: Area 6 (2024), Part 3

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 20:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I continue my discussion of the 2024 Area 6 Championship. I cover a number of decisions we made of how to run the match, and whether I would do them again or not.

#134: Area 6 (2024), Part 2

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 20:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk some more about the 2024 Area 6 Championship. I discuss my shooting the match and how I ended up DQing, as well as share some funny stories and lessons learned from the match.

#133: Area 6 (2024), Part 1

Fri, 30 Aug 2024 20:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about the now-concluded 2024 Area 6 Championship hosted at Belton Gun Club. I talk through the schedule and some things that went well, and with more topics to be covered in the coming weeks. I also give a brief update on the impending bylaws changes discussed at this week's board meeting, to be voted on at the meeting in two weeks.

#132: 2023 Financials

Fri, 12 Jul 2024 21:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about the happenings at the first July 2024 USPSA Board of Directors meeting, and give my understanding of the now-released 2023 financial statements.

#131: Board Baby Steps

Fri, 28 Jun 2024 20:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I cover some of the things that are happening behind the scenes with the USPSA board that are reasons for optimism, even though there may not be obvious signs of improvement yet.

#130: Alabama Section (2024)

Fri, 21 Jun 2024 20:45:00 -0000

This week I discuss my trip to the Alabama Section match, and my larger project of trying to visit matches and interact with members from Area 6, as well as give some general updates on the progress of the USPSA board.

#129: April Board Meeting (2024)

Sat, 11 May 2024 04:42:17 -0000

This week I discuss the two-part April meeting of the USPSA Board of Directors.

#128: March Board Meeting, Part 2 (2024)

Sat, 13 Apr 2024 04:48:48 -0000

This week I discuss the two-part March meeting of the USPSA Board of Directors, including the signs of progress being made, and the areas we are still pushing for improvements.

#127: March Board Meeting, Part 1 (2024)

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 04:02:56 -0000

This week I discuss yesterday's meeting of the USPSA Board of Directors, including the vote not to livestream it, as well as my view on this being a setback but not a fatal one.

#126: February Board Meeting (2024)

Sat, 09 Mar 2024 05:08:10 -0000

This week on the podcast, I recap the February 2024 USPSA Board of Directors meeting, and discuss why 22-28 round stages offer really interesting options when shooting with 15 rounds in the gun.

First half of the meeting livestream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELWcGvkydjY
Second half of the meeting livestream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1U_E8hdogDM
My March 2024 Sir Walter Gun Club USPSA match video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyi5ch7wMKk

#125: Worse or just different?

Sat, 24 Feb 2024 05:23:22 -0000

This week I discuss the current events in USPSA including the resignation of the Area 5 director and the surprise move to reincorporate in Alabama, as well as a main topic about whether changes in gear are actually worse, or just unexpected and different, leading the reviewer to reflexively dislike them.

#124: Area 6 Match Announcement (2024)

Sat, 17 Feb 2024 04:47:33 -0000

This week I discuss the events around USPSA filing to register the "Hit Factor" trademark, the appointment of the interim Area 1 director, announce dates and information related to this year's Area 6 championship, and discuss how staff reset matches provide a place for folks interested in getting started volunteering.

Links:

Area 6 Staff package and signup form: https://area6uspsa.org/match/staff/
Area 6 RO class information: https://area6uspsa.org/range-officer/
Area 6 Sponsorship information: https://area6uspsa.org/match/sponsorship/

#123: January Board Meeting (2024)

Sat, 03 Feb 2024 05:18:15 -0000

This week on the podcast, I recap the January 2024 USPSA Board of Directors meeting, which spanned two days an almost ten hours, including the removal and restoration of A7D Frank Rizzi, and where we go from here.

Links:

Recording of Monday night (sans executive sessions): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xutI6Vm0PKY
Recording of Wednesday night: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhuvFPcl7so
Training Group Live interview with Frank Rizzi and Scott Arnburg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4Q88T7AkSI
Area 6 USPSA website where you can subscribe for email updates: https://area6uspsa.org/blog/

#122: Playing By The Rules

Sun, 21 Jan 2024 04:25:07 -0000

This week on the podcast, I elaborate on a post I made about my strategy of changing USPSA from the inside, as well as discuss the bylaws change I have proposed that will remove the lifetime ban on removed board members from running again.

#121: First Week in Office

Sat, 06 Jan 2024 04:47:37 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about the current state of the boycott over the removal of Scott as Area 3, some hints about the polygraph tests that happened, discuss what I see as the real meaning of fiduciary duty, and the idea that we should stop calling each other puppets.

#120: BOD Goes Scott Free

Sat, 23 Dec 2023 03:11:13 -0000

This week on the podcast, I briefly review the December 2023 USPSA Board meeting, before discussing the vote to remove Area 3 Scott Arnburg under Bylaw 7.7 and the growing boycott against USPSA arising from it.

#119: IPSC Nationals (2023)

Sat, 16 Dec 2023 05:06:54 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk through my thoughts on the recent 2023 IPSC Nationals, and the ways the match both did and did not really convey what it is like to shoot a "real" IPSC match.

Links:

2023 IPSC Nationals match video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8iaknDcuvo

#118: November 2023 Board Meeting

Sat, 09 Dec 2023 05:30:41 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk through the November 2023 USPSA Board of Directors meeting, which I attended as a guest ahead of my term as Area 6 Director starting January 1, 2024. I talk through various items in the minutes and try to give more context and depth to the discussions that were had and the arguments presented on each side.

Links:

- November 2023 Board Meeting Minutes: https://uspsa.org/documents/minutes/20231127.pdf
- BoD travel policy: https://uspsa.org/policies/view/05ec0fbc319a423435e29659c8d1646f54e53b01a155b1fe0bfc689fd3856f7a13d/Travel%20and%20Expense%20Reimbursement%20Policy.pdf
- Area 3 Virtual Members Meeting with Scott Arnburg and Joel Park: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHdj66zULkY

#117: Stepping Stone Matches

Fri, 17 Nov 2023 21:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I discuss the differences between level one matches that are run as a stepping stone to shooting bigger matches as compared to ones that are the destination.

#116: Sponsorships

Fri, 10 Nov 2023 21:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I make some observations on the current structure of match sponsorships and discuss why the prevailing arrangement at most major matches leaves something to be desired.

Links:

Nationals livestream with instant replay and commentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_Y3A0jyT-0

#115: Polygraphs? Really?

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 20:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I discuss the board's decision in the most recent board meeting to subject each other to, I am not making this up, polygraph tests.

October 2023 Board minutes: https://uspsa.org/documents/minutes/20231023.pdf

#114: (Re)introduction

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 20:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I give a brief overview of my time in competitive shooting since shooting my first match in 2009, and shooting my first USPSA match in 2013.

#113: Broadening USPSA

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 20:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about the various types of shooting challenges that USPSA rules deem off limits, and discuss some ideas of ways we could expand the options for stage design in consistent, enforceable ways.

Bonus: the Carolina Classic on the Casual Shooters Podcast

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 20:45:00 -0000

My voice is still not fully recovered from whatever bug I caught, so this week I just want to point you to the recent episode that Stephanie Berry and John Royer did on the Casual Shooter Podcast about this year's Carolina Classic: https://casualshooterpodcast.podbean.com/e/season-2-episode-83-carolina-classic/ .

#112: Elections & Retaliation

Fri, 06 Oct 2023 20:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I give an update on the outcome of the USPSA elections and talk about the contentious recent USPSA Board meeting.

Links:

- 18 September 2023 Board minutes - https://uspsa.org/documents/minutes/20230918.pdf
- Frank and Scott talking about the meeting on Training Group live - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqGsVeijWJI
- Scott&#x27;s full motion - https://www.instagram.com/p/Cx-kNLorB47/

#111: Chrono at the Carolina Classic (2023)

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 20:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about how things went running chrono at the 2023 Carolina Classic.

#110: Carolina Classic (2023), Part 1

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 20:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about things that went well and lessons learned from this year's Carolina Classic match.

#109: Current Events

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 20:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about the release of the 2022 Audited Financial Report, leaked financials showing cost breakdowns from Nationals, an incident on staff day at the ongoing Open/PCC Nationals, and the opening of a survey about Production 15.

Links:

2022 Audit Report: https://uspsa-docs.b-cdn.net/finances/USPSA%20-%20Final%202022%20Audit.pdf
Insider-provided numbers on Nationals losses: https://www.instagram.com/p/CwsD_T9LAVT/
Incident with Troy McManus at Open/PCC Nationals: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cw3sbW-LNfS/
Incident with Troy McManus at 2021 WSSC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAMV7TMFp0Q
Incident with Troy McManus threatening to DQ Tanfo Timmy over porta potty stickers: https://www.instagram.com/p/CiJcDbPM4us/

To listen to this episode on YouTube, go to berryshooting.com/YouTube .

#108: Runoff Begins

Sat, 02 Sep 2023 03:00:33 -0000

This week on the podcast I talk about the recent debate I did with Kyle Stephens and Dave Riddle of the Casual Shooter Podcast, as well as the recent board meeting where they announced an impending vote on removing the bylaw requiring board members to be ROs.

Links:

Casual Shooter Debate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bpz3B-RdUik
August 2023 Board Minutes: https://uspsa.org/documents/minutes/20230828.pdf

Preview: Training Group Live debate with Kyle Stephens

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 20:45:00 -0000

No regular episode this week. Instead, this is a preview of the more than 2 hour debate I had with Kyle Stephens on the Training Group Live podcast which will drop August 22nd. Additionally, I wanted to let folks know that Kyle and I will be doing a livestreamed debate on August 23nd starting at 9pm Eastern, hosted by Dave Riddle from the Casual Shooter Podcast, so look for that on his YouTube channel and podcast feed. Thanks for listening, and I'll be back in a few weeks with more regular episodes.

#107: Training Cycles

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 20:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about how I break down my training for each major match into early, middle, and late cycle training and what types of drills I work on to progress through each phase of the cycle.

#106: The Great Duebacle

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 21:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I cover the recent announcement about USPSA membership dues going up effective immediately and the board's response to walk that back.

Links:

The original announcement of the impending increase: https://uspsa.org/announcement/841
The announcement that the increase is being delayed until October 1st: https://uspsa.org/announcement/843

#105: Elections Begin

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 20:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I discuss the 2023 elections getting underway, including how the runoffs will work, and why I voted for Luigi Li for President, as well as why I think Vince Lucchetti would be an asset to the board.

#104: Outlaw Lessons, Part 2

Fri, 02 Jun 2023 20:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I continue the discussion from last week about lessons learned from the past two years of running a monthly outlaw match a local indoor range.

Links:

- Triangle Action Pistol match video from May 2023: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYuYiOxk244

#103: Outlaw Lessons, Part 1

Fri, 26 May 2023 20:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I discuss lessons learned from the past two years of running a monthly outlaw match a local indoor range.

Links:

- Triangle Action Pistol match video from May 2023: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYuYiOxk244

#102: Locap Recap, Part 2

Fri, 19 May 2023 20:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I finish my stage-by-stage coverage of the 2023 Blue Grass Locap Classic, finishing with stages 7-11.

Links:

- Blue Grass Locap match video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YpLkdKH-hg

#101: Locap Recap, Part 1

Fri, 12 May 2023 20:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast I talk through my strategy and lessons learned from stages 1 through 5 of the Blue Grass Locap match, with a brief USPSA board update at the end.

Links:

- Blue Grass Locap match video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YpLkdKH-hg
- Candidate Bio and Q&A: https://berryshooting.com/a6-bio/

#100: Blue Grass Locap

Fri, 05 May 2023 20:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about the excellent Blue Grass Locap Classic, and talk about all the features that made it an outstanding match.

Links:

- My Blue Grass Locap Classic video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YpLkdKH-hg
- Scott Arnburg on the Paracast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d36wtC6acy8

Bonus: Updates plus Casual Shooter Podcast Interview

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 02:41:36 -0000

A few quick updates on the YML/Mel Rodero situation, a discussion of my use of the word "rumor" last week, and a snippet from my interview with Dave Riddle from the Casual Shooter Podcast.

Link to the interview on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSrWXGafqH8 .

#99: Booting the President (Again)

Sat, 22 Apr 2023 04:14:03 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about removing the RO certification of the sitting President of USPSA, Yee-Min Lin, effectively bypassing Bylaw 7.7 and removing him from office. I also discuss the fact that by the same bylaw, A4D Mel Rodero is not and has never been eligible to serve.

#98: Adding Context

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 20:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I add some context around my thoughts on rolling back Production rules to the 2017 era, as well as the range commands I used at the 2022 Carolina Classic, and plug Training Group Live with Scott Arnburg and Yee-Min Lin that was posted this week, which you can see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3B4iRQ2hr3c .

#97: Ban The Bens (A History)

Fri, 07 Apr 2023 20:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about the background, events, and outcome of 2018 incident that came to known as Ban the Bens.

My blog post with timeline and screenshots: https://berryshooting.com/blog/petition-for-the-removal-of-mike-foley/
The menacing "announcement" to the members threatening to secede from IPSC: https://uspsa.org/announcement/243
Followup "announcement" warning World Shoot competitors IPSC could suspend us as a region: https://uspsa.org/announcement/252
Wayback machine archive of the Doodie Project thread: https://web.archive.org/web/20201112020801/http://www.doodieproject.com/index.php?/topic/5893-ben-berry-banned-from-uspsa/
The announcement from the board that they were basically going to do nothing about what Foley had done: https://uspsa.org/documents/minutes/20180605.pdf

#96: South Carolina Section

Sat, 01 Apr 2023 03:35:31 -0000

The week on the podcast, I talk through my thoughts and impressions of how the 2023 South Carolina Section Championship match went. (Spoiler: it was really good.)

#95: Mastery Versus Novelty

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 20:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I discuss approaching questions from a novelty-focused versus mastery-focused perspective, and discuss a few case studies, including Nationals, Limited Optics, and the classifier system.

Bonus: Interview with Manny Talks Shooting

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 01:54:42 -0000

My interview with Alex Mansfield of Manny Talks Shooting aired today, so I wanted anyone that subscribes to this feed to be aware of that, in case you wanted to listen. You can listen in your podcast player, or click here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/alex-mansfield/episodes/Ben-Berry-bsberry-Manny-Talks-Shooting-94-e1vtgmf .

#94: Matches Filling Up

Fri, 10 Mar 2023 21:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about the 2021 rules changes to Production and Carry Optics, and discuss the fact that the temporary lull in match attendance in the last two years is ending, and the need for USPSA to take the shortage of club match slots seriously for the health of the sport.

#93: Rule Changes

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 21:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I cover all the rules in the March 2023 changes that you might run into at a match, as well as cover the interview that Scott Arnburg did 24 hours after attending his first board meeting.

#92: In-Person Board Meeting

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 21:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I review the recent happenings in USPSA, including the Area 3 runoff election results, the ratified rules changes, and the minutes of the January in-person board meeting.

#91: Eric Grauffel class

Sat, 11 Feb 2023 04:35:34 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk at length about the Eric Grauffel class I had the opportunity to take, some of the things I learned, and how I'm beginning to apply them in my shooting.

#90: Panamerican Extreme Open

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 05:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk through everything I can think of related to the 2023 Panamerican Extreme Open match I shot this past week in Florida.

#89: More Values

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 21:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I discuss a few more issues that I think benefit from applying a values-focused approach: single action guns in Carry Optics (and Production), why the classifier system needs improvement, and why we need to focus on building a sport for shooters, not guns.

#88: Major Match Schedule

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 21:45:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk through the five major matches I'm planning to shoot this year, why I'm interested in them, and why I won't be shooting USPSA Nationals until things improve.

#87: Proposed Rule Changes

Fri, 06 Jan 2023 22:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk through the proposed rule changes dropped right before Christmas and my thoughts on whether each one is taking the sport is a positive or negative direction.

#86: Overhauling Production

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 22:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, in light of the pending discussion of Production at the January in-person Board meeting, I present the outline of where I think Production and Carry Optics should go in light of the lack of a genuine stock gun division in USPSA and based on the apparent demand for a Limited Optics division.

#85: World Shoot XIX

Sat, 10 Dec 2022 04:22:57 -0000

This week on the podcast, I give an update on my Area 6 Director run and the World Pistol Shootout rules, discuss shooting local matches in "Production 15", and then talk about my thoughts on why USPSA should be doing more to help out shooters that qualify for the World Shoot teams.

#84: Reinventing USPSA?

Sat, 03 Dec 2022 04:58:14 -0000

This week on the podcast, I use the ruleset for an outlaw major match as lens to examine the things that USPSA rules get right and wrong.

#83: Why Practical Shooting Matters

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 17:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about five different ways that practical shooting can, does, and should play a larger role in society, and why it's important to not lose sight of that as we talk about the nitty gritty of changing the organization.

#82: Values

Sat, 12 Nov 2022 04:45:48 -0000

This week on the podcast, I provide some corrections and updates regarding the bans handed down last week, and then discuss the importance of understanding the values that underlie past decisions and the importance of evaluating if they still apply today.

Links:

Pat Brown's response letter to his suspension (slides 3 and 4): https://www.instagram.com/p/CjRwANZM1Ie/

#81: Final Bans Announced

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I review the outcome of the five members suspended back in July, and discuss the issues with how little has been disclosed about what they did to earn their respective punishments, as well as their limited ability to defend themselves from unknown charges.

#80: Chrono at the Carolina Classic 2022

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about things that went well and lessons learned from running chrono and equipment check at the Carolina Classic this past year.

For the email exchange I mention during the episode about random sampling of competitors and cheating, see this blog post.

#79: Carolina Classic 2022 Lessons Learned

Fri, 21 Oct 2022 03:43:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I go over how I shot the 2022 Carolina Classic, as well as review things that went well and lessons learned from how the match was run.

#78: Running for Area 6 Director

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 03:03:29 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about my decision to run for Area 6 Director, and why I think it's important that we stay and try to turn the existing organization around instead of quitting.

As mentioned in the podcast, USPSA is requiring me to submit my nomination petition on their particular form, but they have previously allowed petitions that include pages with single signatures. I will have a paper petition with me at Sir Walter for the match this weekend, so if you’re coming to that match, you can sign it there. Otherwise, if you want to sign my petition, you can download the form-fillable PDF here. You can then either fill it out on your computer if you have a way to insert a signature, or print it out, sign the paper, and take a picture. Either way, you can send your signed page to ben@ the URL of my blog.

Also I mention in the podcast, here’s a list of blog posts and podcasts as a starting place for people who want to get a sense of who I am and what I think about the direction USPSA should go.

Blog posts:

Podcasts:

#77: Banning Members

Fri, 29 Jul 2022 03:28:09 -0000

The Board of USPSA is now banning members for criticizing them. I don't have any good news, but I talk for 28 minutes anyway.

#76: Tyler Turner on Participation vs Development

Mon, 25 Oct 2021 03:21:26 -0000

This week on the podcast, I had Tyler Turner on to continue the discussion from last time about what the goals of the sport should be: shooters developing and getting better, or just more warm bodies in matches?

For an automated transcript of this episode, see the accompanying blog post.

#75: Mason Lane on Participation vs Development

Thu, 23 Sep 2021 02:39:00 -0000

Mason Lane joins me for a discussion of what the priorities of USPSA should be and how we should think about boosting participation in the sport versus encouraging the development of competitive shooters.

For a transcript of the episode, click here: https://berryshooting.com/?p=9257 .

What Nationals Could Be

Sun, 22 Aug 2021 19:05:00 -0000

This is the audio version of this blog post: https://berryshooting.com/?p=9193 .

#73: 2020 Carolina Classic, Part 2

Sat, 17 Oct 2020 04:58:06 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about this year's NC match from the staff perspective. I discuss everything that went well and is worth emulating, including the format of the shooting days, 5 minute walkthroughs, all-staff reset, and more.

#72: 2020 Carolina Classic, Part 1

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 03:02:29 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about this year's NC Section championship, focusing on my season leading up to the match and my performance during the match.

Bonus: Hit Factor Math

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 02:48:40 -0000

This episode is a rip of a YouTube livestream that I did talking about a particular stage at the 2020. If you want to see the video of the stage in question or the spreadsheet I use to illustrate the various scenarios, here's the video itself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRIuwjVJS_w .

#71: Saying Nice Things About IDPA

Sun, 19 Jul 2020 19:30:34 -0000

This week on the podcast, I say nice things about IDPA and discuss some things that I think they get right: things like simpler rules, more social culture, better range commands, and banning memory stages.

#70: SC Section 2020

Fri, 19 Jun 2020 03:05:33 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about the recent 2020 South Carolina Section match. I discuss whether it's better to leave stages in or throw them out, why three minute walkthroughs are still a bad idea, and I shot the match overall.

#69: Improving Local Matches

Fri, 29 May 2020 01:28:41 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about the April 19th GoShoot USPSA match, and some things that I think they do differently that are worth emulating.

Bonus - Match Talkthrough - Carolina Guns & Gear, May 2020

Thu, 21 May 2020 03:27:23 -0000

In a change of pace this week, I'm uploading the audio from a livestream I did of a recent USPSA match that I shot. If you can, I recommend just skipping this podcast episode and watching the video that accompanies the audio on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P50YS0hha5w .

Regular episodes will return soon. Thanks for your patience.

#68: No Such Thing As A Perfect Match

Mon, 27 Apr 2020 02:48:48 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about the idea that there is no such thing as a perfect match. First, as a competitor: you'll never have a match without flaws, and that's fine. Second, as a match attendee: there will always be something imperfect about the match, and all you can do is let it go and shoot the challenge in front of you.

#67: Offseason

Wed, 15 Jan 2020 04:40:35 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about shooting my first match in two months, and how moderate expectations led to a good performance. I also go into why I think an offseason isn't that important early in your shooting career, and becomes more valuable the more you practice.

#66: 2019 Production Nationals

Fri, 15 Nov 2019 04:10:32 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about the 2019 Production Nationals in Frostproof, Florida. I talk through my thoughts about the match compared to previous years, review my personal performance, and raise my two big concerns with the way Nationals are being run in recent years.

Match video of all 21 stages is here: https://youtu.be/ewi8pTsVEKk .

#65: 2019 Carolina Classic

Fri, 01 Nov 2019 04:44:54 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk in depth about the 2019 North Carolina section match, the work that went into it, the things they did differently, and how it turned out.

#64: Rigid and Fragile

Mon, 26 Aug 2019 03:09:45 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about taking a break and what it taught me about having flexible vs rigid scheduling and expectations.

The blog post in the second half of the episode is here: https://berryshooting.com/blog/more-reps/ .

Taking a Break

Fri, 31 May 2019 16:00:00 -0000

Hey folks, Ben here.

I just wanted to put the word out that I'm taking a break from Short Course for a while. I'm not sure exactly how long.

Since I started doing the first test episode in November 2017, I've always kept myself to a schedule so I'm all in or all out. episode every week, or nothing.

But right now I'm not shooting very much and so I don't have that much to say. So I'm gong to take some time away from the podcast and scale back my matches to create a little space to think and figure out what to do next.

The only goal of the podcast was to have a place to get whatever is on my mind on tape and out of my head. And over the years the kind notes I've gotten from you listeners are much appreciated.

I've always tried to make every episode non-specific to current event so feel free to explore the archive while I'm gone.

If you need to get in touch, you know where to find me.

Talk to you next time.

#63: Ego In Competition

Fri, 24 May 2019 23:01:46 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about the ways that ego can get in the way of developing yourself as a shooter.

#62: Why I Compete

Fri, 17 May 2019 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about what keeps me in the sport and the lessons that have transferred from competition over in to my life off the range

#61: Shooting Through A Match

Fri, 10 May 2019 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk through my recent experience shooting through an 8-stage club match in two hours.

#60: Do Not Try To Go Faster

Fri, 03 May 2019 16:00:00 -0000

This week, I talk about my experience with making speed gains, and why they usually don't come just by trying harder or trying to go faster.

#59: Event Driven Shooting

Fri, 26 Apr 2019 16:00:00 -0000

This week, I talk about how I visualize through stages, the exact details I visualize in, and discuss why the speed of my visualization isn't all that important to me.

#58: Half Of What You Know is Wrong

Fri, 19 Apr 2019 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about having breakthroughs when you realize that something you took for granted turned out to be wrong, or at least only true in some contexts.

My website is at www.berryshooting.com .

I post videos from my matches at youtube.com/BenBerryUSPSA .

If you'd like to support the podcast, consider buying a shirt at berryshooting.com/shop .

#57: Myths About Being A GM

Fri, 12 Apr 2019 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about misconceptions that people have about being a GM or shooting matches as a GM, and why it's not really all that different.

If you want to support the podcast, consider buying a shirt at www.berryshooting.com/shop . You can follow me on Instagram at bsberry, or on Facebook at Ben Berry Shooting. My email is podcast@berryshooting.com .

#56: South Carolina Section Match

Fri, 05 Apr 2019 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about how the South Carolina Section Match went and the lessons I'm taking away from it going forward.

My video for the match is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhFyYBQKS94 . If you want to support the podcast, consider buying a shirt at http://berryshooting.com/shop .

#55: South Carolina Section Prep

Fri, 29 Mar 2019 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about my mindset and preparation going in to the 2019 SC Section match this Saturday, including how I'm setting my expectations for my performance and the key things I want to include in each visualization. I also talk about the recent announcement of the 2019 NC Section at Sir Walter Gun Club in October of this year.

I post my match videos online at youtube.com/BenBerryUSPSA. If you want to support the podcast, consider buying a shirt at berryshooting.com/shop. My email is podcast@berryshooting.com.

#54: Match Recap

Fri, 22 Mar 2019 16:00:00 -0000

This week I recap the stages I shot at a few local matches and try to draw some lessons learned from them.

#53: Lightning Round

Fri, 15 Mar 2019 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I catch up on a few different things I've been thinking about. I talk about USPSA not printing paper rulebooks anymore, setting aside my opinions when shooting matches, 3 minute stage walkthroughs, and answer a question about the uspsa.ninja shirts.

#52: Mastery

Fri, 08 Mar 2019 17:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about the book Mastery by George Leonard. I talk about some of the reasons I'm always in the process of re-reading it, and try to give you a sense for what the book is all about.

If you'd like to see a list of books I recommend, it's on my website at www.berryshooting.com/books . If you want to support the podcast, consider buying a shirt at www.berryshooting.com/shop .

#51: Mental Game

Fri, 01 Mar 2019 17:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about mindset changes going forward into this season to take stages more seriously and shoot closer to my theoretical skill. I also talk about some of my new goals going forward in both club matches and major matches.

#50: Shooting in a Slump

Fri, 22 Feb 2019 17:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk through the problems I've been having trying to get this year of shooting started and speculate about the underlying causes.

#49: SWGC February 2019, Part 2

Fri, 15 Feb 2019 17:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I finish discussing a club match stage-by-stage and talk about the things that went well and the lessons learned from each one. The blog post I wrote that includes the match video for this match is here on my blog: https://berryshooting.com/match-debrief/match-video-sir-walter-february-2019/ .

#48: SWGC February 2019, Part 1

Fri, 08 Feb 2019 17:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk through a club match stage-by-stage and talk about the things that went well and the lessons learned from each one. The blog post I wrote that includes the match video for this match is here on my blog: https://berryshooting.com/match-debrief/match-video-sir-walter-february-2019/ .

#47: Things I Changed My Mind About in 2018

Fri, 01 Feb 2019 17:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk through some of the lessons I took away from 2018. I talk about what I learned about gun grips and gripping the gun, the value of go fast gun parts and paster guns, and some changes to my mindset for practice.

#46: 2018 Year In Review

Fri, 25 Jan 2019 17:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk through how the 2018 competition season went for me. I talk through the matches shot, practice sessions, and rounds fired. I go through the four major matches I shot, including my DQ at IPSC Nationals, and draw some lessons going in to 2019.

#45: 2019 Goals

Fri, 18 Jan 2019 17:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about what I've learned about setting goals in the last year, and discuss my own plans and goals for 2019.

#44: Taking an Offseason

Fri, 30 Nov 2018 17:00:00 -0000

This week I talk about taking an offseason. I talk about different approaches to managing your time between seasons and why it is important to take at least some break. I talk about my tentative plans for the offseason and what I'm looking forward to shooting next year.

#43: NC Section 2018

Fri, 23 Nov 2018 17:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about the NC Section match. I talk through the different stages and how I approached them, and my overall mindset that I used to win.

#42: How I Would Do Nationals

Fri, 16 Nov 2018 17:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about some discussions I've had around Nationals and if I had the opportunity to change things, what I would do differently.

#41: Lessons From Nationals

Fri, 09 Nov 2018 17:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about three areas of improvement I've identified from Nationals, and how I dealt with them at a club match this past weekend.

#40: USPSA Nationals 2018, Part 2

Fri, 02 Nov 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I continue the discussion about USPSA Factory Gun Nationals. I talk about how well the match flowed, what I thought of the stages, why I liked the prize table this year, and give some early conclusions of my performance.

#39: USPSA Nationals 2018

Fri, 26 Oct 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, live from the hotel room the night before the final day of Production Nationals, I talk about how things have changed in the last year, and what I'm looking to get out of shooting Nationals this year.

#38: USPSA Rule Changes, Pt. 2

Fri, 19 Oct 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I continue my discussion of the proposed rule changes for the 2019 USPSA rulebook. I run through the details about what will be changing and why I think they are almost all good improvements for the sport.

#37: USPSA Rule Changes, Pt. 1

Fri, 12 Oct 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about the proposed rule changes for the 2019 USPSA rulebook. I run through the details about what will be changing and why I think they are almost all good improvements for the sport.

#36: Single Stack

Fri, 05 Oct 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about my strange, sporadic schedule of shooting Single Stack over the course of three years, what I learned from it, and why I eventually gave it up.

#35: Changing Guns

Fri, 28 Sep 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, on the two year anniversary of switching to shoot a Tanfoglio, I look back on the different Production guns I've shot over my career and talk about what I learned from each one, and what I like about what I have now.

#34: Practice For Where You Want To Be, Not Where You Are

Fri, 21 Sep 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I start out by talking about cancelling the NC Section due to Hurricane Florence, which I maintain to be the right decision. I then mention that my wife and I will be on the September 24th episode of the Dave Ramsey show doing our Debt Free Scream. For the main topic, I discuss the idea of setting up your practice around your goals, not your current situation in order to make sure you don't get stuck on the plateau you're currently on and keep your focus on moving to the next level. After that, I mention the return of the Wake Action Pistol matches, and then plug the indexes I added this week for Ben Stoeger's "Reloaded" books.

#33: Grips

Fri, 14 Sep 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about what to look for in gun grips, and why I am really liking the new G10 grips I got for my Tanfoglios.

#32: Sir Walter USPSA: September 2018

Fri, 07 Sep 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about the recent match at Sir Walter USPSA, and review my performance on the stages before the rain caused us to have to end the match early.

#31: Process of Practice, Part 2

Fri, 31 Aug 2018 16:00:00 -0000

On this episode, I follow up on Episode 27 and continue my discussion of live fire and dry fire practice. I talk about having a plan for practice but being willing to improvise, why you should do fewer things in practice, and how expectations and complexity can make a practice session unproductive and frustrating.

#30: Q&A: Stage Planning and Seeing Changes in Practice

Fri, 24 Aug 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I answer a couple listener questions. The first about stage planning with 10 rounds, and the second about how long to expect to see changes from practice. I also talk about the idea that "the procedure is not the drill" and how to apply it to your practice.

#29: Devil Dog USPSA: August 2018

Fri, 17 Aug 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about the recent Devil Dog USPSA match, which you can watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNalB0QXP8A . I talk about some of the successes and some of the struggles I had during the match and what I learned. I also talk about posting the recipe for beef jerky that I mentioned in Episode 16: www.berryshooting.com/jerky .

#28: Production 15

Fri, 10 Aug 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about the August 2018 Sir Walter match that I shot last weekend, what I thought of the stages and how I thought I did. I also give a recap of my time shooting 15-round Production (registering Limited minor) in USPSA to ramp up to IPSC Nationals.

#27: Process of Practice

Fri, 03 Aug 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about how my practice has been going recently, changes I've been making, and how I'm planning the rest of the season, culminating in Nationals.

#26: IPSC Nationals 2018, Part 2

Fri, 27 Jul 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about US IPSC Nationals, why I am interested in shooting it, some interesting aspects of the IPSC stage breakdown, and give some thoughts on the similarity of Production and Standard under IPSC rules.

#25: IPSC Nationals 2018

Fri, 20 Jul 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about how shooting the 2018 IPSC US Nationals went, the lessons I learned, and coming out of it, how I'm approaching training for the rest of the season.

#24: Range Officer

Fri, 13 Jul 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about my history as a Range Officer, what to expect from the RO and CRO classes, and give some ideas on how to get started running the timer, even without taking the class.

#23: Dry Fire

Fri, 06 Jul 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about dry fire, including how my dry fire space is set up, how I handle drills with reloads, and using different types of scaled targets.

#22: Cheating

Fri, 29 Jun 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I discuss how USPSA is surprisingly resistant to cheating, why that's great, and a few ideas to make it even better.

#21: Q&A

Fri, 22 Jun 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I answer listener questions about Production 15, IPSC stage design, where to look when you're moving, and how to deal with the pressure to do well at major matches.

#20: IPSC Nationals Prep

Fri, 15 Jun 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about switching my gear over to prepare for IPSC Nationals, shooting Production 15 in club matches, and what I'm focusing on training leading up to the match.

#19: Budgeting

Fri, 08 Jun 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I take the occasion of my wife and I paying off all of our consumer debts to talk about how budgeting has been useful to me during my shooting career. I talk about how we break down the budget categories for shooting, "paycheck glocks," and give some pointers on where to find out more if you're interested.

#18: Good Stages

Fri, 01 Jun 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about some of the things I look for in a good stage and offer some ideas of how to differentiate good stages from bad.

#17: Lightning Round

Fri, 25 May 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I give a few updates or errata to previous episodes: #16: Hot Summer Matches, #11: Peak, #13: Origin Story, and #8: The Value of Outlaw Matches.

I then cover three quick topics that can't quite justify a full show on their own: the downside of shooting your first match with a national champ, PCC fits better in USPSA than 3 gun, and Always Video Everything.

#16: Hot Summer Matches

Fri, 18 May 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about a recent match and the problems with making even small gear changes before a match. I then talk about some of the ways I've found of coping with the NC heat after five summers of shooting matches. I talk about making my own beef jerky, bringing around a small cooler, and a few other small tips.

#15: South Carolina Section Match

Fri, 11 May 2018 16:00:00 -0000

On this episode, I talk about the 2018 South Carolina USPSA Section match. I talk about the great administration, the high-quality, diverse stages, and some of the challenges they presented. I talk about my own performance and how things went, good and bad, and lessons I'll be taking in to practice.

#14: Major Match Prep

Fri, 04 May 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about what I've been doing to prepare for the upcoming South Carolina Section match, my first major match of the season. I talk about the minor gun maintenance I'm doing, my mindset going in to the match, and how I'm defining success for the match separate from the ultimate finish.

#13: Origin Story

Fri, 27 Apr 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about shooting my first match, and my early shooting career in IDPA, including my initial novice classification. I talk about how I made the jump to USPSA (initial classification C), and the class I took that connected all the dots and put me on the path to today.

#12: Stoeger Class

Fri, 20 Apr 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast I talk about the Ben Stoeger Skill & Drills class that I took recently. I discuss some of the things I learned, how I tried to take notes better than past years, and how my shooting has improved since last year. I also answer a listener question about the value of shooting on the move in Production

#11: Peak

Fri, 13 Apr 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about the book Peak by Anders Ericsson and Robert Pool. I talk through some of the lessons learned from decades studying the science of expertise, including the 10,000 Hour Rule, and how to apply some of the ideas to practical shooting. You can see this book and a list of other books that I've found helpful at www.berryshooting.com/books .

#10: Match Debrief: SWGC March 2018

Fri, 06 Apr 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, I talk about the March 2018 USPSA match at Sir Walter Gun Club in Creedmoor, NC. I talk about some of the stages and what I liked about them, and review my own performance on some of the stages. Here's the match video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vngWyBrYMlc .

#9: 2018 Production Changes

Fri, 30 Mar 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week, I talk about the series of events leading up to the changes to the USPSA Production rules that take effect in May 2018. I talk about some of the things that changed and why I see this as a positive step forward for the sport.

#8: The Value of Outlaw Matches

Fri, 23 Mar 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week, I give some thoughts about pistol matches using rules other than USPSA, and why that's a good thing. I talk about why it's good for the hobby of practical shooting and good as a competitor to have a variety of matches that aren't all exactly the same.

#7: Flying to Nationals & Purpose of Big Matches

Fri, 16 Mar 2018 17:00:00 -0000

This week, I talk about my experience flying to the USPSA Nationals in 2017, particularly my mistake of trying to fly with my ammo. I also discuss what I look to get out of a big match like a Level 2, and what isn't all that important to me.

#6: Visualizing Stages in More Detail

Fri, 09 Mar 2018 17:00:00 -0000

This week, I talk about learning to visualize in more detail after a few bad exerpeinces at recent matches. I also discuss using the right range commands, and an example of a higher round count stage being less complex than a shorter stage.

#5: Lessons Learned In Practice

Fri, 16 Feb 2018 14:00:00 -0000

This week, I talk about a new USPSA podcast that just started called the Shoot Fast Podcast. I cover some ideas that the hosts gave me about improving my own practice and a few things I discovered on my own during my recent practice session.

#4: Planning Your Major Match Schedule

Fri, 09 Feb 2018 14:00:00 -0000

This week, I talk about how I look at the different types of matches, based on the level of competition they offer and the resources required to shoot them. I outline a plan to decide which matches to shoot in a give year based on where you are as a shooter and where you can make the most useful progress. As an illustration, I apply this idea to my own 2018 match schedule.

#3: Gear Changes in 2017

Fri, 02 Feb 2018 14:00:00 -0000

On this episode, I talk about a few gear changes I made in 2017, what I liked and disliked about the old gear, and what pushed me over the edge to change to something else. The items covered include my magazine pouches, Tanfoglio grip panels, bullet weight and profile, hat camera, and the biggest change of the year: switching guns.

#2: IPSC Nationals 2017

Fri, 26 Jan 2018 14:00:00 -0000

On this episode, I talk about shooting IPSC Nationals in 2017: why I wanted to go, some of the changes I had to make to prepare for it, and the experience of shooting. I talk about an interesting experience at the equipment check, and a shooter using video evidence to get a controversial call overturned, which IPSC allows.

#1: Intro & Setting Goals

Fri, 19 Jan 2018 14:00:00 -0000

On the first episode of Short Course, I briefly introduce myself as a shooter, and kick things off with a discussion of goals. I talk about setting a goal to make GM in 2017, failing to meet the goal, what I learned from it, and how I think about goals today.