JGB

Bevin has always cheerfully replaced any cracked base pads that I experienced

First squads shoot at 6:45 or 6:50AM so you would have to be there very early Friday morning. Contact stats and registration at statqueenpolle@gmail.com

There is a Bass Pro Shop on north route 202 just a few miles west of the range (between the range and the airport). There is a Sportsmans Warehouse just south of route 60 a few miles southwest of the range. ---John

There likely will be a match at Scottsdale Gun Club. Scottsdale Gun Club's current plans are to reschedule their normal monthly USPSA pistol match to the second Wednesday (the 11th) of November to provide an additional shooting opportunity Desert Classic week. You won't find this on their website, and their general sales personnel may not even be aware of the change---it can be an administratively challenging organization. The November match held Desert Classic week has been very popular in the past so it can run longer than usual. Patience is required, as the first two stages need to be run entirely before switchover to stages three and four, which always are shorter and run faster. (Enjoy the gunstore and BS with your friends while you wait). My hope is that they will begin the match in the afternoon and cutoff entries earlier than normal to better accomodate the crowd. Call the club when you arrive in town or pm me to confirm, as this is not yet official. ---John

I also load long major 40 and standard length minor 40 on a 650. I use the adjustable redding die and maintain two dillon charge bars and two powder check rods, each calibrated for one of the two loads. It takes only a minute or two to slide one charge bar out, insert the other, change powder check rods and dial in the setting on the seater die. My redding die is "zeroed" at my 40 major load and I just turn it down to the standard load length.

Both Phoenix Rod & Gun Club and Rio Salado Sportsmans Club have flat pistol bays of hard soil/decomposed granite. Parking lots are also relatively flat and of the same material. I have witnessed wheelchair-bound shooters at both clubs, sometimes self propelled and sometimes assisted. Disabled shooters should be prepared to request reasonable accomodation at an action shooting match, given the nature of the sport, but I think it can usually be done. Scottsdale Gun Club action shooting matches are indoors on concrete floor ranges, so movement would be easier for the impaired. I have seen wheelchair shooters lane shooting but not shooting matches there. Websites follow: http://www.phoenixrodandgun.org/ http://www.riopractical.com/ http://www.scottsdalegunclub.com/ ----John

You have described a spectacular man Brian. Treasure your memories of him. I lost my dad over a year ago and it still hurts. I'll say a prayer for both of them. ---John

Why, after all these years, no Beta mags. A shooter can go the line with 60 rounds in a tripp mag or 40in a sterling but not 40-60 in a Beta. If that is the direction the match wants to go that's fine but all mags over 30 or the length of a stnd 30 rounder should be prohibited. ---John

"It looks like this may not be as big of a deal." Maybe this IS a big deal. Scharch Mfg/Top Brass also notes this issue on their website and they have suspended all sales of 223 and 308 brass indefinitely. They have been a consistent source of quality brass for the last few years. Tom Gresham (Gun Talk Radio http://www.guntalk.com/site.php) and Jim Shepherd of the Shooting Wire have both discussed this matter in recent days. See Shepherd's comments At http://shootingwire.com/ ---John

How do the TFO's work? Do you need to be concerned about degradation of the fiber optic the same way you do with regular fiber optic front pistol sights? Is the Fiber replaceable or is it part of the tritium unit?

The Area 2 Desert Classic web site lists some hotel info for that match. Go to Riopractical.com and follow the link. A favorite restuarant for Rio shooters is Red, White & Brew on the NW corner of McDowell and Power near the range. ---John

Any chance the stages will be uploaded to BE Forum or the SMM3G web site???

I have one of the custom fit 560/561 holsters with the newer (but not newest) plastic belt plate. Apparantly the newest plastic belt plate makes the holster legal. Mine, along with my 43.3 ounce gun, got me a weekend of shooting for fun. Oh well; I wasn't going to win the Chevy truck anyway. -Larry Larry: Sorry to hear about your holster issue. I and many others use the 560 (mine is the older model with the leather paddle). What was the problem with yours? Did it carry the gun too low? I was suprised that nobody had an issue with all the double deep mag pouches at the match---would they comply with rule 5.25 at 2" offset?? Anyhow, the way I shot it was for fun too. Still a great match---my hat's off to Steve. ---John

As i recall that stage was shot all under the clock. this year stage 12 is shot 3 strings Virginia count from surrender on a six target array (three double stack targets abreast). 20yds FS;15yds SHO; 10 yds WHO. ---John

You likely need to adjust the repriming station (STATION NUMBER 2). If there's not enough travel the bar can stay locked. Look in your owners manual for the adjustment---You need to lower your reprime tube until you have 3/16" of travel with a shell in place at the botoom of the stroke. It's often required to readjust this when switching between AA and Remington hulls.