Tungsten

Thanks for your hard work to that end, Gary. I for one appreciate that someone took the time and initiative to provide a division where I could play with my simple 1911.

I hate to even suggest this... but if nothing else was disturbed and they went straight for the safe, it sounds like the perp(s) had been at the club before and knew where things were kept.

I hadn't prior to this morning, but I've been working on an email / snail-mail as time has permitted since. As soon as I have my thoughts articulated to the best of my ability, I'll send them both off.

I've followed along with this thread lately for quite a few reasons and all I can say at this point is, good luck to you. It sounds like it's a done deal and you know what's going to happen. Maybe you can make a side trip by Bloomberg's office and take a dump on his front steps before you leave NYC. It won't help things, but it might make you feel better.

Again, I'm new to the sport but I don't see a problem with expanding SS to include other single stack, single action handguns. Why is it restricted this way now?

I've hesitated to post a reply to this thread for several days now because (a.) I'm a rank newbie at the whole USPSA thing and (b.) I wasn't sure if what I had to say was worth wasting anyone's time with. I'm still not so sure of the latter but here goes anyway... I for one hope that USPSA's board of directors DOES incorporate Single Stack into the official regimen of what's available to shooters and do away with the provisional status. My first ever USPSA shoot was about a month ago and I did it in the SS division with my 5" Smith & Wesson 1911 and the handful of Wilson Combat 8-round magazines that I already owned. The only gear that I purchased for this event was two dual-mag carriers and a kydex G-Code outside the waistband holster. Everything else was something I already owned for the sake of carrying the weapon periodically (it's not my normal concealed-carry gun). My reason for pointing all of this out is that, in my opinion, Single Stack is to the 1911 style handguns what Production is to the double-action, often-polymer, handguns. It's a division where someone can participate with a modest investment in gear... some of which they probably already own. Sure, I could buy a bunch of 10 round mags for my 1911 and shoot in Limited 10. But why? Then I'd be up against guys with far more done to their handguns than I prefer to do to my venerable old 1911. Single Stack levels the playing field for contestants (like me) who just like to take their simple firearms out occasionally and stretch their legs a bit. As others have said, Single Stack opened my eyes to the other divisions and now I find myself shooting Limited 10 as well. It's nice to have options like this.

Guys, thanks much for the replies. I've decided to stick with the 40 and perhaps just add an M&P 9 "Pro" whenever that new model comes out later. Last Friday I took off work a little early and went to my local indoor range to spend a little trigger time with the 40. I experimented with several different things and then it hit me why I was good with my first shot and then subsequently lousy (2" - 3" lateral drift on POI) when my follow-up shots. I was resetting the trigger during recoil rather than letting the muzzle settle before creeping it out ever so slightly and then pressing it back in for the follow-up shot. Once I got the mechanics back down, my groups went from sloppy to tight. I've got a 10-8 Performance rear sight that I am going to put back on the gun and maybe order a Dawson Precision front fiber sight to compliment it. Really want to send it out to Dan Burwell for a trigger job, and may just go ahead and do that this week since this is an off-week for shooting locally. I hear it's $50 well spent. As for reloading... I think it's inevitable that I will get into it. It's just a matter of when I'll be able to afford the gear. Hopefully soon.

Many thanks... heading there now to check it out! Thank you.

Unfortunately they're out of stock at present. Checked there too.

Yep! I just fired off an email to the Simonich folks to see what availability is looking like. Would like to order something like that to put on my SW1911 so that I can put the stock Crimson Trace grips away.

Can the original poster or someone else tell me what grips those are? They look nice and... grippy. EDIT... Nevermind, I read ahead and found out all I needed to know. Simonich Gunner grips. Gotta order some of those!

If I switch to the M&P 9mm the 40SW will likely be sold or traded to cover it. I've got an M&P 40c (compact) that I carry daily and a couple 1911s in the vault, so I keep telling myself that I wouldn't miss the big 40 too much. Maybe. Yeah, reloading would definitely provide some flexibility. I am going to have to give some serious consideration to this after I get some other things taken care of. Right now my "fun money" reserves are being used for some other things that life has dealt me. But no big deal; I'll recover and get into reloading sooner or later! That model with the thumb safety is their new M&P 45 and it's available both with and without. I held one the other day and had to force myself to let the clerk have it back. Very nice weapon! My 1911s would be perturbed if they had to share shelf space with it. I agree about the long slide M&P. I think they are calling it the "M&P Pro" during the prototyping phase. I saw some pictures of one from SHOT 2007. You know, I might just endure with the 40SW until such time that the Pro 9mm is available and then pick one of those up. By then I should be able to afford to keep both.

Thanks for the advice and pointer toward AAA. I've used some of their ammo but not the lower power loads. Will definitely check into that if I opt to continue using the .40SW Also, I do have a Blade-Tech dropped offset holster and two revolution dual mag pouches on the way and they should be here today. Can't wait to try them out. I use Comp-Tac pouches and a G-Code holster for my 1911. All good products.

Rob's a freaking machine from what I've seen. I hear that Chuck Norris is afraid of Rob, and Chuck Norris isn't afraid of anyone. Thanks for the words of advice. I'm inching slowly toward getting into reloading but have some other things that are absolutely dominating my "fun money" right now in some very un-fun ways. It sounds like 9mm might be the best thing for me at this moment. Keep the replies coming, folks. I'm digesting all of this and will be using it to help direct my ultimate decision. It's all greatly appreciated.

By way of a brief overview... I'm new to USPSA but not new to shooting. Been doing that literally my entire adult life. Decided to get into competitive shooting as a way to have fun, be social with my fellow shooters and expand my horizons a bit from just shooting in a lane at the range. Last weekend I shot my first ever USPSA match with my SW1911. Loved it. Gun worked wonderfully and far outperformed the shooter behind the trigger. Will continue participating in single stack class as often as I can. I don't reload (yet) so ammo expense will play a little bit of a part in how often I do that with the 45acp. One of my other handguns is a Smith & Wesson M&P 40 caliber 4" service pistol. Nice gun, pretty heavy trigger that breaks like a half-inch stick of pine. Hard break! Needs a nice trigger job and have considered sending it off to Dan Burwell for such. BUT, I am having a bit of an argument with myself over my continued use of the .40SW for USPSA. Would like to hear thoughts and words of advice from those of you here who have been there and done it. My quandary is that I know if I keep shooting .40SW that I will be at a slight disadvantage in Production class events because most Production shooters use 9mm loaded light. Recoil is much more controllable and of course all guns are rated as Minor Power regardless of their true power rating. Again, I don't reload so producing bunny-fart loads for the .40SW is not something I can personally do. Furthermore I understand that some M&P 40's are having problems cycling with light loads. An option would be to shoot .40SW in Limited 10, but I'd be in a class against folks with more modifications done to their firearms than I prefer. And also in a class with folks shooting 10rd double-stack 1911 style guns like the Para Ord. Again, they'd enjoy the advantage of heavier gun, lighter loads even though there is a discernment between Minor and Major power factor in Limited 10. I'm really tempted to just ditch the .40SW and move to a 9mm M&P and shoot that in Production. Lighter recoil, easier to manage, cheaper to shoot, etc. I guess I just want to be reasonably competitive and don't want to start out with the odds against me because of poorly matched equipment. I just don't know if I'm making a big deal out of something that's really inconsequential. Talk some sense into me!