Just got my vest back from Marco Friday and just in time to take to the match Sat. Ended the 1st match with my best score to date 32/40 then I realized it was the Standard match WHY didn't I get a damn vest a long time ago? You can sure tell a difference in using the vest my hold was ok before but now it is much smoother overall. If you are new to silhouette get a vest sooner rather than later IMO. We speculate that reaching AAA and shooting a few years with only a mesh shotgun vest helped us with the fundamentals and adding the vest now makes its advantages even more obvious than had we started with one perhaps, pure theory

Now if someone could just come up with AC for the vests, shooting in 95+ degrees with 70% humidity might be tolarable.

Dee

So, since I'm new I guess the best way to find out is just ask haha but what is different between a silhouette vest and say a sporting clays vest? I have one of these that I use for sporting clays, but never thought it would help with silhouette http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... jsp.form23.

Thanks for any help

avenali312, The Sanchez vest has a thicker shoulder pad, that is designed to wrap around the butt of the stock, helping you lock the butt in the same position for every shot. The Winstead (Hardscrabble Mountain) vest is similar in style but the shoulder pad is cut smaller and thinner. The Sanchez vests
are made of higher quality leather (mostly) and are lighter in weight than the Winstead (unless you get one of Chris' modified mesh vests). I have both, I prefer the Sanchez in HP and most of the time in SB, unless it is cold, then the shear weight of the Winstead helps hold the heat in. If you are going to stop by the nationals, I'm sure both types of vests will be there and you are welcome to try the feel and see the difference.

Mary

Thanks! Sorry for derailing the thread there for a bit, back to your regularly scheduled program

A shotgun vest can be better than nothing but they do not offer near the same level of should stick in the shoulder/elbow area and muscle/heart beat dampening as a silhouette vest does.

In the end it is the last thing I bought to help my game and it was the cheapest


Dee

Dee, I agree with you totally. My Sanchez vest is the best investment I've ever made. I don't believe I could shoot with out it.

Thanks again! My first investment will be a timer haha

avenali312 wrote:Thanks again! My first investment will be a timer haha

A timer reduces alot of stress for me. I'm still a beginner and I get stressed and try to shoot way to fast. A timer gave me alot more confidence and helps me relax knowing that I have plenty of time.

I've been in this game over four years now and a timer's still my security blanket.

A timer is a must have even before a vest, plus I think the timer and the open bolt indicator are about the cheapest things about this sport. I always use a timer when shooting a match and if I find the discipline in myself I will use one while practicing. I find that when practicing I can take shots to quickly and not anywhere near my match cadence, the timer helps to slow that down. Just warming up I can take shots a little faster but for good practice I am trying to mimic match times and rests between shots. It is hard to get out of shooting faster than you should by habit if the only time you try not to is during a match. Then you get to thinking about it and we all know where that leads. MISS, MISS, MISS

Dee

I'm much happier when it's someone else's timer. I like the warning but don't want to be bothered with one.

I rarely shoot without a timer, 98 percent of the shots I take are done under as closely mimicked match conditions as I can make them. It's quality not quantity, perfect practice makes perfect not just practice. I was watching a clip the other day by a trainer/wrestling coach and his point was it takes about 500 perfect repitions for a body to learn a move, but it takes about 5000 to relearn it if you leaned incorectly the first time, I totally agree.

AMB- That is what I am talking about practicing like it is a match at least in how fast I shoot. Having wrestled for 3 years I know all about the repetitions making the difference. Same thing when I used to throw darts, only way to get better was practice and playing against people better than you a lot.

Bad habits are a PITA to break so best not to develop any ;)


Dee

When Jason (jjp) returned from the Southern Nationals in Winnsboro , he came home with one of Marco Sanchez' vests. That vest was amazing. But the great surprise was that he also had gotten a second vest from Marco for me. He gave it to me on Fathers day. On Fathers day he also took me to Chattanooga for my first Silhouette shoot. I am now an addicted "B" class shooter. Any of you that know Jason, know what a great person he is. I sure am proud of him and very proud that I can tell everyone that he is my son. Thanks for a great Fathers Day that I will never forget.

That deserves a two thumbs up

Congratulations and have fun!!!!