Carlos

Bummer! Just passed Chrono with it at the Sanners Lake sectional on Friday: 3.4 grains of Solo 1000 under a Precision or Ibeji 147 grn coated bullet @ 1.120" (CZ SP-01). 875fps. With Solo 100 gone, it looks as if I will have to switch to the 3 lbs or so of the old V V N-318 I bought years ago, then switch back to N-310 (which ought to be downright frightening at that short OAL).

I agree with those who've said this isn't a dumb topic. It is an important topic for now - because people who would ban our sport (and deprive us of our rights) insist on implying that we gun owners are all racists rural dwellers who "bitterly cling to guns and religion." The reality of USPSA in my experience has been: tolerance. If you opt to participate, you are welcome - regardless of heritage or sex. This is as it should be. I wish the message would get out to more shooters - of any color - that they should just show up & give USPSA a try. Around 2005, a black woman showed up at my match (as in: I designed it, built it, and ran it). Me and my ROs hadn't met her before. So based only on not knowing her, I assumed she was a newbie. Well, when I thumbed the timer, her Glock flew from the holster and she planted an A-zone hit in under 1 second, then shot lots of "A"s on that first stage. She was no newbie! She turned out to be Front Sight cover-girl Dr. Laura Torres-Reyes! USPSA could not ask for a better ambassador for the sport! I'm honored to call her a friend and worthy competitor; we last shot together last summer. anywho - we shouldn't care what a shooter looks like - and in general, we don't. All are welcome. And also: Pinoys love guns! I don't know what it is about the Philippino culture - but there's definitely an appreciation for guns!! Pinoys are great folks and an asset to USPSA.

Are there many people successfully shooting Major with 300BLK? I know that Daniel Horner pulled it off once a few years back - but anyone since then? BTW, I tried loading 147grn FMJs (surplus M-80 bullets) with Lil Gun and at 16.2 grns, there were horrible ejector swipes. Barrel is a 16" Wilson Combat SS barrel with a Carbine length port. I've seen others go as high as 17 grns - but that's way too hot for my particular barrel.

Production = low maintenance. -especially if you shoot a Glock - which has about the most reliable, dirt-tolerant magazines I have ever encountered (and I'm a CZ guy). Just load up, shoot, repeat.

Warms my hear to hear all the love for CZs & 75s in general (I consider the Tanfoglios and all other clones to be "75s"). The comparison to a 2011 is the key factor in the popularity of 75s IMHO. The second most important factor is the consistently excellent accuracy I've found in CZs (and most 75s). Weight is key: most 75s used in IPSC & USPSA feature a steel frame. The SP-01 goes even further by adding a full-length dust cover that was once all the rage in Limited/Standard STIs like the legendary Edge 5.0 (though I recognize shorter Limited STIs have gained popularity). Contrast that nose-heavy weight with Glocks, XDs, M&Ps and other polymer-framed guns; there is no comparison. And the traditional frame material in Beretta 92s and many Sigs is Aluminum Alloy. Sevigny, Vogel & other Glock champions proved that its possible to dominate with a polymer gun; Stoeger proved it with an alloy gun. But the trend towards 75s shows that the weight and accuracy they offer is considered an advantage by many mere-mortal shooters. As for durability/low-maintenance-reliability, I do NOT consider my 2011s to be the ultimate in that regard; it takes a lot of work/magazine cleaning to keep them functioning perfectly. So it is with CZs. But we are talking competition guns here. So I don't think the talk about worn trigger return springs or the old slide stop breakages on 175 PF Open Tanfoglios is relevant today. To me, a 75 is as close to a Production-legal 2011 as is made today. (plus I have always been kind of a 75 nut even if my avatar was an old M&P).

The Dillon-produced VHS video of our host, Brian, even shows him applying quick spray of Hornady One Shot to a box of 100 or so cleaned cases, shaking it, and dumping them into a Dillon case feeder. And, yes, I felt really old as I typed "VHS." I think the tape was called "Reloading for Competition" - but my memory isn't what it used to be. Still, I am 100% sure it is a good idea to follow Brian's advice and use OneShot every time.

Thanks Zhunter! Q. for you: -is the OAL really 1.099" ? It just seems really short (which, I understand, 75s like the SP-01 tend to favor over long OAL). Just curious & thanks in advance.

STI vs. 40 TS: I have both. A few thoughts: -IMHO, an STI will need work to run reliably. STI charges $2180.00 for an STI Edge. After that, the guns usually need to go to a specialized gunsmith for "tuning." The magazines will also require tuning and periodic re-tuning (Grams is the place for that). The trigger/sear of any 1911 wears over time. Sometimes a new leaf spring restored reliability. Sometimes the sear and/or hammer needs work. It requires a skilled, experienced gunsmith to properly restore the trigger to safe/reliable function. Besides tuning/smithing costs, the 2011s run best (IMHO) on 40 loaded much longer than the industry max of 1.169" This fact is irrelevant to most of us since we reload anyway. -CZs run reliably right out of the box. I've owned 2 of the TS predecessor - the Standard IPSC. No tuning needed to run. No break in. They just run. The factory mags run too. Right from CZ. They are test fired with factory-length ammunition and run great on such ammo. The triggers on both my guns and a friend's TS all measure exactly 2 lbs when new and they settled in at 1.75 lbs. All three of them. I've never, ever had a CZ "follow" or double. They are heavy. Full-length dust covers are not in vogue the way they once were; the factory CZ TS has a lot of weight out front. Whether it is a benefit or detractor is really a matter of personal taste/style. I guess it made more sense back when PF was 175+. I am a fan of the CZs. Yes - 2011s from STI, SV and SPS shoot very well when they work. Great and popular competition guns - thats indisputable. But I believe that 75s - especially the match 75s from CZ, can equal the 2011s, and they certainly won't hold you back. They do, however, cost a lot less.

About 10 to 12 years ago, I tried a new-to-me local match. Turned out it was being run by a 13 year-old kid (under his father's close supervision). This kid could shoot & he used AA #2. I remember he used an early coated bullet; the "black bullets" maybe? Weight was 147. Later, I went to a GSSF match with him and his father & lent him my Glock 17 so he could try for a stock-gun win (his usual match gun was a Glock 34). AA #2 and those bullets worked great. The "kid" was B.J. Norris, who I believe is better known these days than he was back then. Suffice to say, I don't think AA #2 will hold anyone back. If its what's available, load up & head to range.

Hi guys! I've been out of the game for about 5 years or so and have not followed trends for Open/Limited guns. I want to have my SV Limited .40 (with a top end in 9mm Supercomp - 2 guns in one) refinished and then post it for sale here. I mostly shoot Production these days. When I left 5 or more years ago, Hard Chrome was the "in" thing. Is there something better? Which one would a potential buyer prefer? Who are the preferred shops? (do they give certificates as prizes? I did not see much in the Classifieds). What are the costs and turn-around times?

Thanks Bob! Your post is from March. Anyone have an update as to what works to remove this build-up?

CHEMISTRY: let's talk about that for a moment, since it is what determines primer shelf life. LEAD STYPHNATE: this is the priming compound in almost all primers you can buy for reloading, and most of the ammunition. As everyone's said so far, lead styphnate primers will probably be reliable for at least the rest of your natural life. AFAIK, the Russian primers, as well as S&B, most Fiochi and other brands all use lead styphnate. Such primers USUALLY carry a lead warning on the box (you want that). Here is where it gets trickier, and potentially problematic as time goes on. Rdinga wrote: Interesting! Thanks Rdinga for reporting on those. The priming compund used in those is entirely different from lead styphnate. Instead, they typically use DDNP - which can and does absorb moisture. THESE TEND TO HAVE A SHELF LIFE- even when loaded into ammo. Numerous police agencies have reported some misfires after about 5 years. CCI/Speer used to even lable their case lots with the warning "USE BY ..." and a date about 5 years after manufacture. Here is what Wiki has to say about these: Other explosives used in primers can include lead azide, potassium perchlorate, or diazodinitrophenol (DDNP). New on the market in the late 1990s are lead-free primers(see green bullet), to address concerns over the lead and other heavy-metal compounds found in older primers. The heavy metals, while small in quantity, are released in the form of a very fine soot. Some indoor firing ranges are moving to ban primers containing heavy metals due to their toxicity. Lead-free primers were originally less sensitive and had a greater moisture sensitivity and correspondingly shorter shelf life than normal noncorrosive primers.[citation needed] Since their introduction, lead-free primers have become better in their performance compared to early lead free primers, as reported by AccurateShooter.com in October 2011. Tests comparing lead-free primers to lead-based primers conducted by the US Department of Defense (approx 2006), exposed some significant differences in accuracy between the two primers when used in 7.62x51. In these tests, lead-free primers were proven to be not as accurate as lead-based primers. The lead-free primers exhibited poor performance as far as peak blast pressure, which consequently leads to poor ignition. Popularity is still minimal, as accuracy is paramount. Most lead-free primers are sourced through Russia (MUrom?)or South Korea (PMC). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centerfire_ammunition

Try contacting Bob King. Bob used to make and sell re-sized 180 grain cast lead bullets for the 9mm. I do not think he used WST - but it is possible. He might, at a minimum, suggest a starting load for you.

Sad news. John seemed to always be in a great mood and he had a really good sense of humor. I did not shoot with him often but it was great to squad with him. He was a fantastic shooter but he seemed really humble about it and went out of his way to make the newer (or in my case, slower) guys still feel welcome. Sorry to hear about this sad news. Godspeed John - you will be missed.