VegasOPM

2 things I have found. 1- Be careful with max loads of fast powder. The extra barrel length causes my 700X and Bullseye loads to over pressure and I start piercing primers. 2- If you want to take full advantage of the extra barrel length, use Blue Dot. I can get 1600fps from a 124gr bullet with a full (not +P) load of Blue Dot. It makes the gun run great too!

I load for a 16" FN SCAR and I have had good luck with 168gr Noslers loaded to 2.800" over 44.0gr of Varget. They run around 2550fps and reliably print sub MOA. That load is great in pretty much any match grade semi-auto rifle.

Loads past 1.15" will fit the chamber and the first 1/3 of the mag. As soon as you start loading more rounds in the mag, they start laying flatter and you will start to bind. Trust me, this is the voice of experience speaking....

As a former match director and current assistant match director and RO. I keep a stash of 4 or 5 rounds loaded to 125pf (out of a G17) in my range bag all the time. Even though I shoot open, it is a G17 Open gun or I can find another G17 on pretty much any squad. While the system isn't fool proof, I can at least claim due diligence.

So far, I have fired 250 of them without a misfire or hiccup. I was hoping they worked, since I got 16,000 of them from an estate sale. The primer trays are made of wood. I also got 15# of Bullseye in a steel keg from the same era- still sealed. I loaded up about 250 round of 9mm and 45 and it all went bang (and the groups were pretty good too). One benefit to living in the desert, no moisture.

Wow that show brings back memories. I watched that episode on TNN about the time I shot my first 3 Gun match...

This has been a concern at major Trap events for as long as I can remember. Some where along the line the criminals found out that a nice Trap Gun can be worth $30,000 or more and off they went. Considering that the trunk of a vehicle leaving a 3 Gun match probably has $10,000 worth of stuff in it, we are obviously becoming targets too. I will pass this along to the Security guys at Desert Sportsman's in Las Vegas (where Nats are held) and ask that they keep an eye out for people walking from car to car.

I've heard that driving habits account for about 33% of combined mileage and I tend to believe it. Drive friendly and get better mileage, or drive like I do and pay the price at the pump!

I know that we use it in our training room for our artists and they tend to like it because it is a challenge. I played with it a bit and it is something that seems to be reserved for the most fit of the fit. Basically, when typical bodyweight exercises are way too easy- try this. The artists are Cirque du Soleil performers, if that tells you their level of physical capacity. Collegiate gymnasts, professional Wushu artists, acrobats- that sort of thing- and it challenges them.

I shot a GLOCK 17 in Limited Minor for over a year before switching to Open (and now back to Limited Major). The obvious negative is the point penalty for non-Alphas so I focused on points and it made me a better shooter. Using Arredondo base pads, I was able to get 23 rounds in a mag- which helped on some stages (particularly those 18-21 round stages with tight shots or steel). I was able to win Limited in more than one local match shooting minor.

I had a case head separation in my G22 a couple of years ago. The brass was at the end of its life and had been "Glocked" several times- so there was a noticeable belly before sizing. Add to that a fast powder and Major loading (in a 4" gun) and KABLOOEY! Same thing you felt, loud noise, numb hands and the extractor was missing in action. A replacement extractor and some borrowed factory ammo later and I was able to finish the match.

Last May I ruptured my distal (lower) bicep tendon in my right arm. Between the injury, diagnosis, surgery, recovery and physical therapy- I went for about 4 months without shooting, martial arts or weight lifting. On top of that, I also spent a lot of time being a slug since I couldn't do any of the physical things that I liked. I realized that it had become a problem when I noticed that everything I did hurt. Even walking down stairs or putting on my shoes was painful. I got fed up with the pain and I started back into a training regimen that focused more on core strength, support muscles and range of motion training. One of the best tools that I have heard for that type of training are kettle bells so I bought a set of 15# bells for $35. They worked like a charm, but I quickly needed more weight. I wanted more kettle bells, but they aren't cheap, so I started trying to figure out something that would give me the same feel, but that would give me more flexibility in terms of weight. It came to me one day when I pulled an ammo can full of .45 rounds out from under my loading bench- AMMO CANS full of loaded ammo. I can add or subtract weight at will, and I already own everything I need. The only thing to be careful of is the sharp corners.

I have a few permanent injuries to my back, so back pain has been a regular thing since I can remember. About a year ago, I was having pretty spectacular spasms in my mid back, right between my shoulder blades. After trying every combination of meds, massage, heat/cold therapy and manipulation, my Doctor sent me to a Physical Therapist, who put me on a regimen of stretching and strengthening exercises. I woke up one morning and realized that for the first time since I could remember I had absolutely no back pain. Talk to your Doctor about getting physical therapy. Once it is under control, the PT can give you maintenance exercises.

There are a group of us that shoot in my club that tend to finish around the same place, but the manner in which we each get there is vastly different. It all boils down to the speed, versus points debate but I've noticed that most shooters have a question for the scorer immediately after they are finished shooting. Either "what was my time?" or "how were my points?". I'm just curious what others of you in the Benoverse do when you have just finished a stage.

The stock sights are too big for most folks' taste- especially on tight targets. I prefer having a little bit of light around the sides of the front sight. The factory polymer sights also have a nasty habit of exiting the gun at odd times. I lost two fronts and a rear in matches before I switched to aftermarket sights.