guns_and_labs

I still have a restraining order forbidding me to approach a Dremel, after the unfortunate "Carry Melt" incident with the Kimber.

Curious. N310 seems to be a local favorite around here, at least amongst the shooters that I'm chasing up the ladder. I shot a major load in N310 (I think it was 4.7 gr) in my pistol. Didn't see any signs of pressure around the primer, seemed a nice soft shooting load. Dumped the plate racks 6-for-6 in a faster time than I usually can.

Good to know. Guess I won't bother packing any long pants or sweaters. That would be a bad idea. It was sunny and 70 on sunday last year, but it was windy and about 30 on Saturday, and was windy and snowing/freezing rain on Friday...... Always be prepared for any and every weather condition in Wichita Falls in March. Kurt You mean the Farmers Almanac is not reliable and accurate? You've shattered my world belief system!

I love the article on the 1979 IPSC Nationals! That was hardcore: one stage hanging off of a rope, one where you have to jump a barricade, roll backward to prove holster retention (I can't wait to try that with a Ghost holster)... were the stages in Las Vegas last year that much fun?

Good to know. Guess I won't bother packing any long pants or sweaters.

Thanks! Will do.

Thanks, everyone. I've been getting lots of input on how to improve my loading. Looks like I'll be switching to VV N310 or 320, MG JHPs, and a different die set-up -- and retiring the Black Hills.

Yes, it's .40S&W. I'm using it in an SVI (though I also run a Para P16-40 occasionally). If I can get a practice load that proves as consistent and accurate as the BH, of course I'd switch to it for matches. Unfortunately, my first runs of .40S&W have not made major or have been too erratic. I'm still trying to figure out this Dillon stuff -- I'm much more comfortable loading rifle rounds one at a time. I'm using the 180 gr Montana Gold bullet (though I also have some Berry's Plated to try). I was using IMR SR 7625, but maybe that's not my best choice. I'd like to get to 950 fps, as I live in dread of failing the chrono test at a distant match. That's why I was using the BH factory stuff, since I assume it will make major anywhere on the planet.

Since I'm not really a very good reloader, I use Black Hills (blue box) for match loads, but would like to develop a practice load that duplicates it. Should I just load any powder to 1000 fps, or try to match the powder BH uses. And if the latter, does anyone know what it is?

Would it be a one day class?

Great read. I like his style. When does the new Reacher novel come out?

Thanks, Tim. Rez made.

I clean my Limited pistol after about 1000 rounds, but I don't find I need to use a brush. I tried to shoot to failure once with a match single stack pistol and once with my .22LR bullseye pistol... and they both failed from grit and gunk at a little over 2000 rounds. So, I clean. With my competition rifle, it gets cleaned every 100 rounds, because I can see the accuracy fall off at that point. With the pistols, they seem to gunk up before accuracy falls off, so I'm not sure how far I can go.

Any update on a match rate/discount? Great, thanks. This is my first time venturing outside my Area, and I'm trying to convince the family that a road trip would be fun.

I suppose this is naive, but I've never even thought about attending the Nationals. How do you "earn" your way in? Some kind of point system at Area matches? Can someone point me to a FAQ page to explain?

Seems like most magwells would fail, too, wouldn't they?

Great, thanks. This is my first time venturing outside my Area, and I'm trying to convince the family that a road trip would be fun.

Application in the mail. First time venturing outside my area... Is there a match hotel and/or campsite with trailer hook-ups?

Application in the mail. Is there a "match campsite" with trailer hookups?

Looks like fun. If trying to shoot USPSA Limited in IPSC Standard, do I need to buy new mags to fit in the box? Or do I just shoot Modified or something? And how does one ship 600 rounds of ammunition to the Czech Republic?

30ish... started in the late 80's. Didn't officially join until later, though.

if you have your own shelf at the dealer(s) for pistols you've bought but can't pick up because of the one-gun-a-month rule (it's a California thing).

Looking at a couple of "for sale" offerings led to a question: how long is the service life for a competition barrel in a 1911? How about the frame? I have several pistols that have several thousand rounds down range, I change out the springs regularly and clean them carefully. When do the experts suggest changing a barrel, and when do you retire a frame?

How can I sign up faster than snail mail?