-JQ-

PR is beautiful! I just got back from a mini-vacation there near Guanica...near Ponce (nemo-town). We flew into San Juan and drove to Guanica (2-3hours)...driving is a bit...interesting. There seems to be no fast lane, no slow lane...just lanes...do what you like. This was our second trip in two years and it is addictive. We pretty much covered the whole SW corner of the island...and of course The Cabo Rojo lighthouse area...we even passed an out door range...GF said only YOU could spot such a thing in paradise...I'll try to get a couple pics up. Of course the local were complaining about the cold weather...70+...it was 15 at home...loved it.

I'm thinking about shooting a local BP match this weekend and was wondering if there is any advice for a relatively new competitor. I've never shot pins but I assume they are similar to steel. I understand you have to "clear the table" so I'm guessing a .40 would be better than a 9mm? It sounds like a good thing to do for extra trigger time when no practicals are around. THX

Welcome to the site Elkdude. You will find what you seek here. I am fairly new to the scene as well and this site/members have been a great help. Also don't forget to use the "search" function as many of your questions may have been asked...the site has been up for quite a while. As far as caliber...that depends/dicates which class you will shoot. CZ's are very popular in production class. In that class you will be best off if you shoot 9mm as they don't score larger calibers differently. With the Kimber custom...I'm assuming .45...you can shoot the "new" single stack" class. This class is for John Browning type pistols...not any single action...John Browning type only. Your XD would fit into Limited/limited10 and you would get credit for major power factor...for that matter I guess you could shoot your Kimber in limited 10 but you'd be better using that in SS...I think. <ramble off> Good luck and welcome to the forum! and FWIW I didn't re-load when I first started here last fall either... hk_mtbr

The origin of the term Mall Ninja. Swallow your coffee before reading... http://lonelymachines.org/mall-ninjas/ And thus my new signature below. Truer words were never spoken. -------------------------------------- ‘If Plan A is to take multiple .338 shots to the back, you really need to come up with a Plan B.” - from The Mall Ninja Story

...and at 29.97 frames per second Nice job.

good glass and memory cards...but I'm a Canon guy...I have a 20D but the Rebel XT is a lot of bang for the buck...

Ride Moab.

Now I hav to figure out how to make him pay his on way. ...by polishing feed ramps

When I got home yesterday I got my Front Site Mag, My Dillon catalog and a box full of brass...and no bills...quite the banner day...wonder what my carrier was thinking...

This is like the employee who hasn't taken any vacation days for x years...wound too tight. Everyone needs R&R even if they dont realize it.

Thanks for this point Flex. I think this was one of my problems yesterday. I was thinking more about the next target more than finishing my shot. PB had a bunch of targets per COF and some didn't have to be shot from a particular position "freestyle" if you will...and I think I let this polute my mind...as a beginner I'm making plenty of mistakes but trying to eliminate each one as I discover it...as I plan to get out of the D class asap. Does anone use a mental matra? (eg. Target, front sight, sqeeze, lift, etc.) I'm sure this becomes second nature and many might not do it but I've wondered if it wouldn't help me be more consistant. thx

A pistol match was a good way to spend a snow day. Once the buzzer went off I wasn't cold anymore in fact my brain seemed to ignore all input. Thanks to Pharoh B et al for a great effort in a blizzard.

Great match guys. If only I had brought my thinking cap along with my itchy trigger finger... It was well worth the drive up...see you next time...+1 for the IN guys whoe made it over too. Thanks for letting me paste all the Mikes...my greatest skill at the range to be sure.

Groovy it is. I'll be up from KY...will try to be there in time to help. We'll see you in the am.

PB - As I'm a little slow...what time would you prefer help to arrive?

I'm dry firing, visualizing, and polishing brass...

I have faith in you Micah! Level 3 snow emergency wouldn't keep a GM from shooting...luckily I'm a lowly D...for now :-D Keep us posted and be safe.

What is your usual round count per match? I didn't think about ammo needs until just now...got plenty 9mm anyhow...might have to go minor...this will help inspire me to get my new 550 set up.

There are a couple of shoots this weekend that I had planned on attending. One shoot is in Miamisburg (indoors IPSC) and one at Miami Pistol and Rifle (outdoors - steel). I know some of you are responsible for these and wondered if you call them off due to snow. I'm not afraid of the snow. so if you have it I will come. My trigger finger is really itchy. hk_mtbr

makes me so mad I could spit!

OK so I bought a 550 and getting ready to re-load for the first time...and I'm starting to save all my brass. In my batch of brass each casing has a ding in the side of each one. These have all been fired from my STI Trojan. The dings aren't very deep but they are consistent. They are about midway up the casing and are about the size of a primer strike. I suppose it is from hitting the slide on ejection?? The question is how much is too much damage? Will the sizing die fix this? As I mentioned this is my first foray into loading so I want to be very careful. My HK91 and my 51 (7.62) also puts a BIG ding in the case wall and flute marks. I assume these are not reloadable at all? Of course these are the ones I would really like to be able to re-load as these are shot at about 800 rounds per minute...plus or minus. Sorry about not having pics but I'm at work...shhh...don't tell...

I use Sony's Vegas Movie Studio on a daily basis and it is very simple and you can capture your video very easily with it....I also use Adobe Premier but Vegas is my "go to" tool when in a rush. Good luck.

Another reason for good lead-hygiene practice is to keep from carrying it home to your kids. They are especially affected by lead. BTW in addition to the organs lead tends to bio-accumulate in your bones and is very slow to leave. I think the current level is 40 micrograms/liter of blood...the level at which children are considered to be "lead poisoned"...and it is very very hard to treat. (Chelation helps but not too much) Just for comparison, those little packages of sugar/sweetener/etc are 1 gram...1 million micrograms to a gram...and lead is much more dense than sweetener. AND, I've seen this a good bit at ranges...people wearing half-face respirators to reduce exposure. If you didn't shave your face THAT morning, you are doing almost no good what so ever. I know someone will say some is better than none. I would argue this too. A half-face respirator can reduce your cardio capacity by 1/3. Air will follow the path of least resistance and go right to where the seal is broken. Also for those of you who work in respirators you know that in the workplace you are required to be fit tested as the is no once size fits all faces... I've meaning to post on respirator use for some time... hk_mtbr

Thanks AGR_Austin!! This is just what I needed! I'm getting ready to go buy a 550 too!! I would like to buy it from BE, sorry about that Brian, but I have a local dealer who has been a great guy helping me out a lot...you just don't get his type of experience and CS too much anymore these days. I'll spend plenty here, be.com, in the future too... Thanks much to BE though...with out this site I wouldn't have ventured this far!!

Yup Dawson is a good way to go. I just bought a trojan from them...very nice to deal with.