jam-man

Tried to locate the one knee down rule in the rule book, however I could not find it. Does it exsist and if so why? I was dicussing this with some shooters at our last match and we all came to the same conclusion, it would be very dangoues to get into a set postion with one knee down. In other words you could get your AXX shoot off putting your self in a slower postion to move out of. With multiuple targets and you are flanked the split second it would take to get out of that postion could cost you your life. Am I missing something?

I just want to say thanks for posting this article. I read it very slowly and reexamined my grip. I have been a slump lately and thought what the heck, if I am going to change something now would be the time. I went to the range yesterday for a quick session and started shooting with my thumbs away from the frame/slide of the gun (Like the grip Brian uses). I was really surprised in the way the gun felt. It didn't seem if I had to fight the gun anymore and apply certain grip pressure etc.; the gun just seemed to start tracking straight up down and felt so much more natural. Splits were a little better, not much, however the accuracy seemed so much easier to achieve. The biggest thing I noticed was, now the palm of the support hand seems to make correct contact with the grip and remain there. My area is expected a lot of rain between now and Friday, (a nor’easter passing through) so I guess the next chance I will get at live fire will be at a match on Saturday.

I have owned a Kel Tec 32 (the very small pocket pistol) for over seven years. It has been my companion in times when carrying a CCW is just out of the question. The little Kel Tec always hid very nicely in my front pocket and I at least gave me a fighting chance. Well after 7 long years and 1000+ rounds, the hammer block wore out and stopped activating the trigger. I contacted Kel Tec to order the parts and assumed I would have to pay for them, instead they agreed to send a complete lower with no questions ask. It arrived two days later in a 2nd Day UPS envelope! They even enclosed an envelope with postage paid to return the lower. I installed the parts and the Kel Tec is back up running like a champ! Great little gun, they do need a little fluff and buff when they are new, but after that mine as run like a champ, until the hammer block failed. I wish other companies could even make half the attempt at customer service as Kel Tec does.

Let me say a big thanks for all the replies. I have read all the post in-depth over the last week or so. In the mean time I have done a little reloading and have not fired a single shot. I feel that the pure joy of shooting was being overweighed by wanting to shoot more competitive. I have come to several conclusions: 1. I want shooting to be my hobby and passion, I don't want it to become work. 2. Some shooters are just more naturally gifted than others and it is going to take me longer to realize some of my goals. 3. I am going to stick with my practice, however I am going to keep it fun and trust I will improve. 4. I am going to attend my next match they way I use to view them in the past; a time to enjoy great conversation and be amongst true friends, a time that I will laugh at my self some, I will shoot each stage if it was separate stage and not worry about the overall score, and mainly I will relax and enjoy myself and realize that if I leave the match have learned anything I had a successful match. I think for me the most frustrating part of the last six weeks is knowing that I am better than I have performed and wanting to prove that to myself and others. However, I will remain self confident and know that I will reach my true abilities and I will definitely have mistakes and temporary set backs, such as I am currently experiencing, along the way. Lastly, I believe that I will once again focus on the basics as recommended. I will concentrate getting a good grip during the draw, focus on the front sight, and try to keep everything smooth. Past those I am going to let everything else go and just shoot and enjoy. Thanks again for everyone’s responses.

Been an active competitor shooter for around four years. I have gone through times when I feel like I am improving a little faster than other times. I am sure everyone knows what I mean. Well about the last six months I started taking my shooting a little more serious and began practicing two to three times a week. I recognized some significant gains during that time, I really tried to clean up some bad habits and really work on my accuracy. Things went great for the first four months and I felt I was definitely on the right track and making head way. About six weeks ago things just seem to fall apart. Mental errors seem to be killing me, like shooting targets twice, when three shoots are required etc. On top of that I have been trying to really relax and just shoot. Well, to begin with it seemed to help, however now it seems I have lost my edge and also my aggressive nature. It is all most like when I step to the line I am focused, but I just can't get in gear and close the deal. The above seems to have lead to super inconsistencies at matches. About half the stages I finish in the top five, the other stages I seem to finish near the last. I feel like by actual shooting skills have improved, but everything else is just gone to crap. My primary practice is shooting paper plates at ranges from 7 yards to 25 yards. I stager them and shoot them in various manner, I suppose it is like a poor man's plate rack. I train a lot with a 22cal conversion kit and usually switch over to my normal gun to finalize my practice session. The strange thing is I can tell when practicing how far I have came in the last six months, but I just can't get it together at matches. Am I in a big slump or do I need to try something different? Different training, take a break, train harder etc. Any encouraging words or advice would be appreciated.

I just cut the top out of a gallon jug and thorw the brass in. Then I spray the brass with the water hose and shake the jug and pour the water out. Repeat this process several times and all the grass and dirt is gone. Also all the hard packed dirt inside of the brass is also normally removed. Cheap, simple, pretty quick and other than getting a little wet is no hassle.

+1 Tried many powders and also found WST to be the lowest smoke with lead. I use it in 9mm, low recoil, clean, fills the case about 3/4th, and meters well. The only negative I can say it is not as accurate as some other powders I have tried, but still accuracy in not bad. Also, very soft shooting.

We must be the same person, I think my subconison wrote this!! I went throught the same thing for 3 years, finally started working on becoming smooth and my scores improved dramtically. I also heard it every match from the good shooters, gee wish I would have listen 3 years ago.

Try here http://www.safetyglassesusa.com/ I have been searching for a color of lense that I like the best. You can order some safety glasses for $5 - $10 bucks and wear them to couple of matches, determine what color/style you like then spend the real money on a good pair. The great thing for me is I have found a $8.00 pair of safety glasses that I like better than my Willey X's. They ship quick and I have been happy with the company. I really like the option on the website of selecting the Safety Glasses by lens color. I have settled on a light red and have been very happy with my $8.00 safety glasses. The other good thing all the safety ratings of the glasses is listed. Good Luck.

+1 agee with you on almost everything. Like I said before I know IDPA had to draw the line somewhere. The bad part is the line was redrawn (not drawn) and when it was redrawn it elimanted some really nice weapons that were used then by long time competiors. I still don't get the logic behind the rule change, was their a company making heavy mags? Or did the board just not think enough shooters used the weapons that would be elimanted? Or did they want to get rid of these weapons? Does anyone know why the rule was added that a empty mag had to be weighted with the gun?

Can you explain this to me? Guess my math is weak. 147-115= 32 grains 32grains x 18 rounds = 576 576 grains converted to oz = 1.33 Oz I suppose if you wanted to be real techincal then you would make out the differenc in the wieight of the powder etc. The point I was tring to make was elimanting several weapons due to few ozs didn't make any common sense. But, I understand the line must be drawn some where. Just wish they would have left it drawn and not redrew it. Only problem is 10 rounds is the max you can load in IDPA so the weight difference is even less, like 0.7 oz. I think you should just weigh the gun, why make people have to go buy new mags or a new gun just to play a game. I was speaking of weight of my carry gun, I do carry 18 rounds. I was just trying to make the point that just changing the type of ammo could had weight to the gun. And I shoot IDPA with what I carry. I have weighted my SP 01 it will not make weight without spending around extra $120. If the money was well spent, i.e. improvement to the gun it would be fine. However, purchasing 10 round mags are a real waste of money. Oh, well no use in crying of spilled milk. I choice to shoot and support IDPA, so I will accept the rules and move on. Maybe no new rule requirements in the future will eliminate possible new shooters and also eliminate excellent carry guns. Adding the 2.5 to 3 oz before really eliminated some high end guns in the ESP division, however something tells me the weight requirement will stay were it will stay now.

It's for the same reason that weighted grips are illegal. Extra heavy magazine components, extra weight can be a competitive advantage. The only problem is that the rules aren't specific enough. They don't specify that each and every magazine used in the match must comply. ETA: By the way, there are plenty of 1911's with otherwise legal modifications that don't make weight due to the manufacturer deviating from mil spec in frame and slide design. It doesn't matter which game you play, you can whine about the rules til you're blue in the face to no avail. It's much simpler to just live with them and make the best of them. I came to the same conclusion that they were tring to elimante some heavy factory mags. Just seems the unfournate asspect is it elimante some guns doing this. The rule concerning mags seems fairly straight forward so, I guess I still must scratch my head a little. I agree with your last statment, it just sucks to have to buy $50.00 grips and $35 10 round mags to shave a few ozs. But like you stated simpler to live with rules and let it go. I will say that overall I agree with most of IDPA's rules and am thankful it exsist.

Can you explain this to me? Guess my math is weak. 147-115= 32 grains 32grains x 18 rounds = 576 576 grains converted to oz = 1.33 Oz I suppose if you wanted to be real techincal then you would make out the differenc in the wieight of the powder etc. The point I was tring to make was elimanting several weapons due to few ozs didn't make any common sense. But, I understand the line must be drawn some where. Just wish they would have left it drawn and not redrew it.

Actually, back when IDPA started up, I interviewed Bill Wilson for an article, and he stated the size requirements for IDPA were built around the Beretta 92 as max. That would make sense, being that the M9 replaced the 1911 and is close in size and weight. Does anyone know the logic behind the rule change concerning a empty mag in the gun? Maybe I would feel better about it if I understood the logic behind it. It juse seems a convient way to elimnate a lot of ESP guns that would go head to head with 9mm 1911's. Let me say this again, I support IDPA 100% and Mr. Wilson as done a heck of lot to support IDPA. So please don't anyone take that I am tring to bash IDPA or Mr. Wilson. It just seems the empty mag in the gun rule, elimanted some great weapons for no good reason.

I am not trying to 1911 bash, I have zero problems and they are great weapons. The only point that I was trying to make is that it seems that all weight and size requirements are set around 1911 platforms. I can see people screaming if the weight restrictions for SSP were 24 oz, which is about what a Glock would weigh with a magazine. As stated in the above post a lot of really great guns that make excellent carry weapons were eliminated in due to the last rule book change. I never want to see IDPA become an equipment race, however I do carry my SP 01 at times and I don't see any reason it should be excluded. Keep IDPA to its roots, shoot guns that you would carry. For what it is worth the so called full length dust cover on the SP 01 is really a beefed up light rail. If CZ would have stopped the light rail 1/4 of inch from the muzzle then it would have legal. I know IDPA has to draw a line some where, but draw the line using some common sense. Examine the size of the IDPA box and compare it to a 1911 with a mag with a base plate and see how close it is, then look at the weight requirements and see how close the 1911's come in. The only conclusion I can come to is the weight and size requirements were drawn up using 1911's. This in sad because it does exclude some other nice carry weapons. No matter what I will keep shooting IDPA and support it, I just hope no more guns are excluded due to silly rule changes.