Graham Smith

Having been on both sides of that sort of contest, I can attest to the fact that it's better to watch someone eat crow than to be the one doing the eating. And here's how to do it all by yourself... The first day at a long range class, the instructor had set up sticks at 200yd with tangerines on them (not a particularly hard shot). On the go signal, you had to go to your rifle (about 6 ft ahead of you), get into position, load, find the stick with your number, hit the tangerine. Got mine almost immediately, first shot. First to stand up, smiling. After several minutes went by those of us who had gotten theirs were asked to take out any remaining targets. Back on the rifle and couldn't hit a darn thing. Win some, lose some.

I spent nearly an hour looking for content that I would watch that I didn't get on Netflix or Prime. Nothing. I think I'm wasting my time.

I think Magpul has a new one that attaches to the rail.

Can't recall much but do recall seeing a discussion elsewhere. Definitely geared more to hunting than target.

Since this topic has been resurrected... There's no one right answer to the basic question because people's needs, want's, and budget vary too much. As many have noted, glass differences will effect how well you see. This includes the coatings that help stop glare and the form factors which effect how well it gathers light. As important as glass is, the reticle controls can be more important. With a cheap scope, the reticle can shift slightly with every shot - even the minor bumping the rifle gets while being transported can throw the zero off. One way to test a scope is to do a box test. Fire a shot at the lower left portion of the target, then move the reticle up 5 clicks (depending on scope), shoot; 5 clicks right, shoot; 5 clicks down, shoot; 5 clicks left, shoot. If you don't end up with a reasonably square box then the reticle controls suck and you won't be able to reliably use them for anything. There is one other important point, price doesn't tell you as much as you might think. Bushnell makes a decent little 10x scope (frequently on sale for $199) that is great for the casual shooter. I have one on a .22 bolt gun that I use for practice. On the other hand there are scopes like Counter Sniper - expensive with good specifications but real junk.

Check out: http://www.precisionriflesolutions.com/ I've got one of their tripods and a saddle and it's remarkably flexible. If you really want to get serious then: http://www.hogsaddle.com/

I have a nice TV in the den in my basement. I seldom watch cable TV on it but when I do, I have one of the little Comcast digital adapter (DA) boxes. It doesn't get all the channels the set top box upstairs does and it's not high def, but it's been enough. Until now... There are two shows on right now that I like and would like to be able to get in my den but I'm not geared to watch TV on a schedule any more. And the DA box doesn't get me On Demand. So I'm kind of stuck paying for another set top HD box ($9.95 or more) per month just to get On Demand. Having HD would be nice but I can live without it for this. Now, most of what I do watch in the den is either on DVD, Netflix, or Amazon Prime. So, I did some checking and found that Hulu carried the show(s) I wanted to watch. But after signing up for a trial, it turns out that one of those is only available on the web. Really? What kind of stupid logic is that? Of course, they make it nearly impossible for you to find out in advance exactly what's available, but that seems to be more of the norm than the exception these days. It's like paying to get seats in a restaurant before you see the menu or even what kind of food it serves ("What do you mean you only serve Spam? I don't like Spam!"). So, for anyone out there who happens to have all three (Hulu, Netflix, Amazon) is there anything in Hulu that the others don't have? I hate to spend a couple hours rummaging around getting frustrated if I don't have to.

"Who's on first" is an absolute classic, but it didn't originate with A&C and it didn't start as a baseball sketch. I'd have to go research it but I recall hearing that it goes back to the early 1900's burlesque. But I seriously doubt that anyone could have added more to it than did the constantly befuddled Lou Costello, who was frequently brought to near hysteria by straight man Bud Abbot.

One advantage I can see is that it might let you sort your brass while separating the media, saving the extra step. Depends a lot on how pure the brass supply was to start with. If it's all mixed range brass, you likely won't save much time. Now, if they could just come up with a sorter to remove the 9mm stuck inside the .40's

I had a look-see and after scrolling through a couple dozen pages of stuff realized that they were unlikely to have anything that might interest me. And if they did, it wouldn't interest me enough. I did see a really good price on a couple things, but they were things so far down on my want list that I didn't bother. The Amazon tracking can be annoying, but often enough it has suggested things that I might never have seen that I tolerate it. However, I also use a different browser (Chrome in Incognito mode) to search stuff specifically to avoid it sometimes. Regional pricing is strange but Amazon isn't the only site that does it. Superficially it could be explained as having to do with what's in what warehouse, but it's not that simple. I read an article a while ago about this and it bluntly stated that some online stores varied prices based on what else was in your location. For example, Staples may offer you a better price if you lived near an Office Depot than they might if you didn't. But even that didn't make complete sense to me because unless you had an account, they couldn't be that precise about where you lived.

Mmmmm... Llama's... There's some good eatin on one of them. You've got your Llama burgers, Llama ribs, Llama stew, Llama roast, <mumble, mumble, mumble>

Sounds like a good call to me. At the indoor range I used to belong to, putting one into the overhead could have gotten your membership suspended.

I tend to agree but have two stories. I when through a spell where I was having trouble with mags not seating. So I kind of have a gun/mag fiddling ritual that isn't strictly needed but helps me focus. After doing that, I find it does help to keep my hand on my gun in the holster for a few seconds and take a breath or two and focus on the targets. When I first started shooting, one Limited guy would always go through the practice draw and sight check and I asked him why. He told me that one time he had drawn his gun and the front sight had caught on his shirt and when he started to shoot had found that his front fiber optic was missing. So, he always did a practice draw to make sure everything was clear and checked that his sight was still there. As reasons go, that struck me a pretty good. One more thing, watching an A or M shooter go through a couple rituals is easier than watching a D shooter do the same. That's not a fair comparison, I suppose but there it is.

To the OP: The general question of which ballistic calculator depends a lot on what you need it for. For some, having a reticle displays with holds is quite valuable for others, it's useless. Some have complicated wind calculations that allow you to input multiple readings which is great for upper mid and long range but of no particular value for short range. IOW, one person may advocate for Strelok Pro and another say Advanced Ballistics and both be right because they have different needs. Please read this entire post before you start jumping up and down and yelling that I am an idiot. Plus, I'm going to ramble a bit. Here is the jist of what I got from an email exchange with Brad Millard (JBM)... The only two factors that have any significant effect on calculations are temperature and (absolute) pressure (humidity can basically be set at 50% then ignored). The primary advantage of Density Altitude is that it is a single number but it's not really more or less accurate than using temperature and pressure. Here's my take on that... If you are going to do data cards or use something like a Whiz Wheel, it might be simpler to use DA for that but if you are using a ballistic calculator, it doesn't matter as much. The pressure isn't going to change much during the day and temperature need only be adjusted periodically so the amount you save by using DA can be very little. On the other side of the coin... My Kestrel does give me DA and I record that in my book right along with temperature, pressure, and humidity because more information is almost always better than less. And since I have DA, I use it for my calculations. All this brings me to the main point, needs vary depending on the shooter, the location, and the type of shooting. I know people who shoot in the same general area all the time and the only thing that changes enough to bother with is temperature and they really only need one or two dope cards to cover themselves. I know others who travel all over the place shooting at different altitudes and having a calculator is a real benefit. I've talked with 1000yd F-Class shooters who take readings once a day, and some who check before every 20 round course. Same thing with PRS shooters. And most seemed more concerned with knowing the wind effect than the drop. Like so many things in shooting, it's all relative. More isn't always better, complicated isn't always better than simple, but some times it's the other way around. Knowing what's right for you is the key. "Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.", Miles Kingston <off soapbox>

There are several USPSA matches in the area, the web site has locations and match info. Kennett Sq and Lower Providence are probably the closest.

Is anyone using an ambi-side charge upper? What's the advantage / disadvantage?

I'm looking at a side charge upper for precision/dmr shooting. Lots of prone and supported shooting where a standard charging handle becomes a real hassle. Because I'm already conditioned to use my right hand from operating a bolt gun, this seems a natural progression.

The Crosshill web site says to use blue Loctite on the handle. I've seen the same recommendation for other brands as well.

I know that this is a really old thread but... The other day friend mentioned Kung Fu Hustle along with Shaolin Soccer as movies worth seeing but I kind of ignored him since most of kung fu movies don't appeal to me. But I just watched a trailer from Hustle and it looks hilarious. Got to put this on my Netflix watch list.

BTW, one consideration for any side charger with a reciprocating handle is that the handle has to be removed to remove the BCG for cleaning. Not sure if that impacts on anyone reading this or not. Also, the little thing sticking out of the back of the Crosshill uppers is listed as being a gas stop/timing bolt. I get the gas stop part of this but not sure what the timing bolt refers to.

Finally saw the DVD last night and have mixed reviews. Given the popularity of the movie with the public and some favorable comments from women, I was expecting more of a personal story than an action movie. So that may have tainted my view somewhat. As an action movie, it could just as easily been about some fictional character and it wouldn't have been any better or worse for that. But it wasn't and as a result I came away feeling like I had just watched an updated version of "To Hell and Back" with Audie Murphy. It had the feeling that it was a real story glossed over some places and pumped up others - there was a lot of fictional stuff in the movie which didn't need to be there. I have not read the book so I don't know how much of his personal life between and after his deployments was covered but it was certainly glossed over in the movie. And I consider that to be the biggest failing in this movie. There are thousands of soldiers that have done two, three, and four tours in the middle east. The film crammed the 4 years of his life after his last tour into 10-15 min of film and made it seem as if he was just a bit moody then after one visit to a shrink was all better. That's where I feel the movie really failed. Chris Kyle was a physical and emotional wreck after 4 tours. He needed reconstructive surgery to at least one knee, was becoming an alcoholic, and had been in trouble with the police. He was headed to the morgue or jail fast. All the movie needed to do was to cut 30 min of action and give us some of that, his recovery, and the work he was doing with vets. I'm, not saying that they needed to remake "The Hurt Locker" but a little bit the insight that movie brought to the screen would have made this a better film.

Thanks for that.

Just thinking out loud here... The shell plate lines up the brass with the die, but with a necked case, you shouldn't have to be as precise about the measurement since the neck will go in and the brass will shift slightly to line itself up. With pistol ammo, the alignment has to be more precise or the top of the brass will hit on the edge of the die.f Other than that, I don't think there is any difference.

That looks the same as the Young's side charger to me, but I might be missing something... I think that the difference lies in the slot the charging handle would normally go in. Eisenach Arms appears to leave it alone so you can put a normal charging handle in. Young appears to have some kind of flap that goes over the gap. Crosshill seems to have eliminated the wide slot but there's some kind of plug there - must have to do with removing the bolt since that channel has to remain open.

Charlie gave you an excelent analysis, so I'll just throw in this... Assuming you can shoot a bit faster and get the same points then your scores should go up. BUT that's also assuming that this match is fairly similar to other matches you will shoot and that's a really huge assumption.