Hi-Power Jack

Shooting Open Division is The Most Fun I've had in a long time:)) But, you might consider getting a STI Trubor instead of a GLock - I got one a few months ago, and Love it. Perfect. Jack

If you reload only one caliber, consider the less expensive Dillon Square Deal. I've used one a few years, and love it = it won't do rifle, and its a pain in the tail to change from small to large primers, but for one caliber, it's cheaper, and auto indexing:))

You answered your own question - you are doing very badly with the HK and you do very well with a target .22. That means that you know how to shoot, but the HK is holding you back. IPSC is a target shoot - fast, but target shooting. Defensive pistols with crude sights and long heavy triggers don't work - imagine if you had a .22 conversion kit for the HK, do you think you'd have come in second place in the .22 shoot? I doubt it. It's not the recoil, it's the sights and the trigger pull. I've never shot a HK so I don't hate them (or know anything about them) but, if you can get a smith to put on better sights and a better trigger pull (assuming the gun is accurate), you'll do much better. You could also be held back by your other gear (holster, mags, mag pouches) and you don't say how your eyesight is - it might be that you need an optical sight (like on your .22) to hit well - if so, you need an optical sight on your IPSC gun (I can shoot open sights well out to about 15 yards, and then my accuracy drops way off - I just got optical sights and I can hit Anything Anywhere. Good luck.

I'm sending my Limited Gun (Browning Hi-Power) to EGW for melted down Bo-Mars, and a new front sight (My local gunsmith put a new fiber optic front sight on a few months ago, and I have lost the fiber optic part twice (flew off during two matches), and the last match (Firecracker Shoot near Rochester a few weeks ago), the entire front sight flew off, and ten of us couldn't find it. I'm not sold on the fiber optic sights, since they are great for close range/large target shots, but of no help for small/distant targets. Anyone have any experience (especially Senior Shooters, with bad eyes) for best type/size front sights to match up with the Bo-Mars? I have a pair of special shooting glasses that make the sights stand out a lot better than my regular glasses, so I can "see the sights" okay, and the target a little less clearly. I took a course last year, and the instructor showed us his Production gun, and the front sight was a straight, narrow black post, with horizontal serrations that looked very clear to me. But, any feedback on front sights, especially, and I guess Bo-Mar's too, since they're not done yet. Thanks, Jack

If you don't need the speed of a SLR, consider a "standard" digital camera. I have a 9 megapixel, 10x zoom Fuji that takes Great shots (slowly) and don't have to change lenses, or pay more than $375 for the entire rig (no extra lenses). The only thing it won't do, is go fast - tough to take pictures of moving objects, and it takes a few seconds between photos. But, it's a lot less expensive, and a lot easier to use/carry.

You might want to check to see if the bullet is being driven into the case during the cycling - if you don't have enough crimp, it's possible that some of the bullets are being driven into the case a bit - fire a round, and pull the next round out of the chamber, and measure the OAL - see if it's still 1.15" - try that for a dozen or so rounds.

How old is "aged"? I have a batch of WW 231 powder which is about 15 years old and I'm wondering if it is still "good"? Jack

If you think 50 is bad, wait until you hit 63:(( I've been shooting with iron sights all my life, and didn't want to get into Open because I carry a gun daily with iron sights. But, it's harder to compete because of the old eyes (and I have the added disadvantage of having very powerful prescription eyeglasses - very poor eyesight without glasses. One little trick I pulled this year, is bought a pair of glasses with the help of local optician, which are a compromise between reading glasses and distant glasses - a single lens that is perfect at 3-20 feet (front sight to most local club targets). I can't read with them, and I can't see a 9mm bullet hole at 40 yards, but at most distances, I have a good compromise and can "see the front sight and target" a lot better than anything else I've tried. All that said, I just purchased my first Open gun - still waiting for it - it really sounds like a lot of fun, and I'll be able to wear my usual eyeglasses, and see the target at 50 yards. I love Limited, and having fun with it at most Clubs, but one club I go to is dominated by guys with Open guns, and they stick small targets at long distance every month - and I'm hoping the Open gun will help me with that. And, it should be more fun at larger shoots (regionals, etc) where they have more small targets/longer shots. Can't wait for the Open gun to arrive - my wife is going to be a Widow Woman for at least the first three months. Jack

Seems like the CED7000, Pocket Pro and Pact Club are all pretty good, but I'm practically deaf - with my muffs on and inserts in my ears, I can hear very few timers go off - but, once in a while I can hear one at a match (I'm one of those guys who have to be "hit in the head" to start:(( Does anyone know which of these timers is the Loudest, or has the lowest pitch to the buzzer going off? Jack

Howard, thanks for all the advice - when you say "pull it down", do you mean more than the usual dissassembly of the top, barrel and bottom? At what point do you try to keep the barrel unfouled with copper? Do you recommend shooting some lead thru the barrel to help "condition it"? How often do you soak the gun in a cleansing solution? Any recommendations for lubes or cleaning agents? Jack

I'd like to thank everyone who responded to my last post, asking what type of 9mm race gun I should buy. Got lots of comments - split between the Dawson Trubor and a custom gun - I couldn't wait long enough (all the great gunsmiths everybody recommended are busy and will take 4-6 months to get me a new gun), so I ordered the Dawson Trubor - hope to have it soon:)) Anyway, here's the question: I plan on stripping the new gun, cleaning and lubeing it, and then firing 100 rounds thru it - repeat the cleanign/lube part, and fire another 300-500 rounds. Clean & lube again, and shoot more rounds. Any other suggestions as to how you would "break in " a new gun like this - Dawson is going over the gun and mags for me, first. Thanks, Jack

I'a a newbie to this forum but I've been shooting IPSC for a while, and thought I'd chime in: The 9mm and .40 have advantages and disadvantages, depending on Your situation: - advantages of the 9mm are: 1. if you currently own a 9mm, and are familiar with it, and like it, and use it for other things (defense, IDPA,etc) it is The Perfect gun for IPSC 2. if you don't reload, or want to reload, it is perfect. 3. I wonder if the disadvantage of "shooting minor" is overcome by the hi-cap & lower recoil? I have been using 9mm for IPSC all year, and have come to the conclusion, that for me, the disadvantages of 9mm are overcome by the hi-cap/no reload. But, that's personal - some people Love to reload. I'm a C class shooter, and for me there isn't any pressing advantage to switch to a .40. Fifteen years ago, I was also a C shooter, and I switched to a single stack .45, and reloaded for it - and I was sorry that I ever did that - even then the advantages of the 9mm were greater, for me as a mediocre shooter, than any advantage the .45 gave me. The .40 has the obvious advantages mentioned by most people who've answered the post. If you use a .40, you must reload, and it's not an easy task for a newbie to reload .40 to make major - it's not difficult, but it can be tricky for someone with little reloading experience. The biggest advantage of the .40 is that when You get to the point when you're shooting really well - and you're at the top of your performance - and you want another edge to propel you a few points higher - you might then consider the tradeoff - you might still want to stick to the 9mm. That extra recoil vs the faster shooting of the 9mm - up to You. Good luck, Jack

I'm new to this forum, and new to Open guns (I've been shooting IPSC with a Browning Hi-Power 9mm) I'd like to get any experiences with buying an Open gun: I've narrowed it down to the STI Trubor or STI GrandMaster, in 9mm - I plan on shooting it with factory loads at first, but like the idea that I can load major later, if I wish to. My questions: 1. Anyone happy or unhappy with their STI 9mm? 2. Any advantages/disadvantages to the Trubor vs the GrandMaster? Looks to me like most of the differences are cosmetic? or are there significant (trigger pull, accuracy, reliability) differences? 3. If the gun needs work (trigger, accuracy esp) who do you recommend sending it to your staying away from? I'm in New York State, near the Pennsyvlania, New Jersey, Connecticut borders. I'm considering either EGW in Pa, or Bedell in NY. Any others? 4. What options are a good idea to add on? Thanks for any help you can be. Jack

Off topic a bit, but I see you have experience with STI 9mm's. I'm thinking of buying an STI 9mm very soon, and have some questions, as a newbie: 1. If I buy either the GrandMaster or the Trubore, who should I send it to for customization ( (better trigger & accuracy)? Or are they okay as comes from factory? 2. What are advantages/disadvantages of the GrandMaster vs the Trubore? 3. Are you happy with the STI 9mm? Thanks for the help. Jack

I shoot a Hi-Power 9mm minor in Ltd IPSC, but interested in buying an open gun - probably like to stay with the 9mm for ease of reloading - Anybody have any used Open 9mm's for sale? Jack

I'm interested in buying a new gun - what type do you have, and how much are they? Jack

I'm currently shooting a stock Browning Hi-Power - which is pretty nice, but I don't get super accuracy from it - maybe 3" groups at 15 yards with Remington factory ammo. I'm wondering if anyone has tried using oversized lead bullets, like lightweight .357's to improve accuracy? If so, any suggestions on starting loads for WW231 powder? Thanks, New Kid on the Block Jack