Blueridge

North Carolina South Carolina Sam's Match (schedule permitting) State Games of NC: USPSA style match & CAS match

Thanks for the update. Once a date and place has been decided I can make my final decision, but I really want to participate in this event.

I basically do the same that you are talking about. I do about 200-300 cases at a time and so far do not regret using a single stage press. Several of the people that I know use single stage presses over progressives as they feel more confident in the quality of their reloads. If I got the chance to practice as much as many of the people that I shoot USPSA & IDPA with, then I might want to move to using a progressive. I shoot .45 Colt primarily and normally practice about one a week. I normally use only 100-150 rounds in a practice session. I keep about 600-1000 rounds loaded, with another 1000 cases primed and ready to have powder and bullets seated in them. I can replace the 150 I use in a practice session in about an hour with my setup. Even if I get a progressive in the future (and I have no current plans to) I will still use the single stage press the majority of the time. I woulld likely load practice ammunition with the progressive and load my match ammunition on the single stage. That is just me though.

I'll throw my opinion into this thread. I am primarily a revolver shooter, and adding to that ( or hamstringing myself ) I use a Ruger Alaskan loaded with .45 Colt. Shooting revolver has improved my auto shooting skills, but I don't focus on those skills in the competition aspect. I have gained better trigger control and better along with faster sight acquisition. After handling an approximate 16lb trigger pull from my Alaskan and being able to hold sight alignment consistently, everything else seems inconsequential. Revolver division seems to be the best choice for me, but I see nothing wrong with any of the other divisions. I just do not find much interest in them for me. I do think that the overall demands in a match are higher in single stack and revolver, but there is a high degree of challenge in all the divisions.

Hopalong, I am definitely putting this match on my list to attend. Ten stages with all revolver shooters seems like a match that I cannot afford to miss. Now to get in enough practice before then.

Best that I can suggest is going to the national shooting sports foundation website (www.nssf.org) and look under shooting to see what you can find. I hope that helps.

Congrats! I am glad that you have been able to make the kind of progress that you want. I recently had the best match overall that I can recall. I shoot revolver and had often worried about making up shots. This past match I simply decided that I was not going to worry about make up shots and take whatever I shot initially. I scored 809 points out of a possible 905 after subtracting the 40 penalty points for the misses that I had. My times were not as fast as I would like, but that simply means more practice. For me it was when I stopped worrying about making up shots that I actually shot better.

Along with the reloading books I would suggest getting the Hodgdon Reloading Manual. It is a magazine that they publish every year showing loading data using Hodgdon, Winchester, and IMR powders. I have found it to be quite useful in my reloading endeavours. I just picked up the 2009 version this past week, and have the 2007 and 2008 versions still.

When I buy brass I get starline. I have used their brass in .45 Schofield, .45 Colt, .454 Casull, and .460 S&W calibers. I will probably start reloading .45 ACP in the next year and will purchase Starline brass for that caliber also. Most of the brass that I have is Magtech though, because I purchased .45 Colt ammunition and reloaded it after the initial use. Both Starline and Magtech have good quality brass, but last I looked Starline was a little cheaper (at least where I looked). If I am going to a "lost brass" match I use the magtech brass, not because I don't like it as much as Starline, but because I have more of it and have reloaded the brass 3-5 times normally.

Makes me want to go out and get a 617 just so that I could use them.

I vote that you keep it. It does not get in your way, so why bother to take the time to remove it? Hopefully Beretta will get back into the shooting competition market, as I would be interested in seeing what they would bring to the sport. It would likely cause me to try limited or maybe even open, as I currently shoot revolver almost solely.

welcome to the wonderful world of USPSA wheelgunning!

I have to tip my hat to your local match director. I have had to deal with so many arrays that require 7 or eight shots that it amuses me to hear that arrays that require no more than 6 are causing planning issues. I hate having to go from one array to the next with only 1 to 5 left in the revolver and having to do a standing reload. Stages break down oddly for me a majority of the time, but I have started getting more accustomed to it. I have become more flexible and simplified my planning due to the challenges that I have faced. Now I just need to pick up the pace and challenge some more of those other revolver auto shooters out there that I have competed with. It warms my heart to thing that a 6 shot array could challenge shooters that have higher capacity than revolvers.

The HK USP 9 should be a good handgun for you. I have a HK USP 45 that I am very pleased with, and I imagine that the one you have is a fine handgun also. I personally use a Beretta 92D (which they stopped making years ago I understand) in IDPA and like that it is double action only. If Beretta made a 90-Two in double action only I would get one. My 92D has a 6 pound trigger pull (if I recall correctly) and going head to head against Glocks and other single action handguns I have not felt at a disadvantage. There may be some adjustment going from double action to single action with, but I have always felt that such things are often blown out of proportion. I can go from shooting my Ruger Alaskan (using .45 Colt and having about a 16 pound trigger pull) to my USP 45 or 92D and feel little difference in the way I shoot. I use the Ruger Alaskan in USPSA and IDPA competition and enjoy doing so very much, but I use the HK and Beretta as my self-defense handguns. The Ruger I use also when I am hiking through the woods. Try what you can and get what you like.

I have much the same mindset that you do. I shoot revolver division so knowing the necessary reload points is important. I have yet to have a failure to engage in USPSA, and prepare as best I can not to in the future.

Happy holidays all!!!

I try to keep my plan simple when dealing with a stage. I determine what path I will take to move through the stage, know where I will have to reload, make sure that I have more than enough ammo to deal with the stage, and aim to put two shots on every valid cardboard target along with knocking down all the valid steel targets.

It is nice to see a focus on revolver matches. I am often one of maybe 3 revolver shooters at the USPSA matches that I attend. I chose fall beacause like was mentioned earlier it is easier to get the time off from work and the heat is not as bad as summer.

I would suggest 10 of each load that you have as that should allow you to determine the power factor easily. You would need more if you want to see what shoots best for you. So overall I would say about 25-50 of each for chrono and accuracy purposes.

I would go with the caliber that you have dies in the reloader for.

Well I have dies, brass, primers, and powder to reload .45 Colt, .454 Casull, .460 S&W, and soon .45 Schofield. I was hoping to slow down my descent towards the bottom of the slope, but that does not seem to be in my near future. EEH....I was pleased how well I did with the Ruger at the match, as it is so far my best showing with it. It will take much better effort than that to challenge for first place in D class, say nothing of making a play for the top revolver overall. I have to get my times below 60 seconds on the 20-30 round count courses first, and keep shooting well at the same time. I am too determined (stubborn) to change to the 625 yet for USPSA (or IDPA).

Looks like a possible christmas gift to me from me. Followed by reloading dies for .45 ACP, brass........Looks like a slippery slope to me.

One thing that I meant to ask you revolver guys is where did you get those moonclip "stack" holders? Although I prefer to shoot my Ruger Alaskan loaded with .45 Colt, I might be tempted to use my S&W 625 if I had one of those type moonclip holders. I'll probably get one anyway just to have in case the mood strikes me. I would be moved to start reloading .45 ACP, which I have so far avoided to this point.

I was happy to see that my accuracy in general was up there with the top guys, now my speed is another matter entirely. With the equipment that I use it is akin to "ice skating uphill", but I do have fun with it. I do have a S&W 625 in .45 ACP that I could use, but as a co-worker of mine suggested I like the road less traveled when it comes to lots of things. I hope to shoot with as many of you as possible over the upcoming year.

This match is the most fun I have had at a USPSA match for several reasons. The chance to shoot with 11 other revolver shooters, the sense of camaradarie among all of the participants, the great and challenging stages that were presented, and the smooth flow of the match through to the awards presentation (undoubtably due to all of the hard work of those who helped put it all together. ) Accuracy wise it was the best match results I have had in my time shooting USPSA. Now all I have to do is find a way to be more swift on the stages, or get the other revolver shooters to slow down. I look forward to next year.