Nick Weidhaas

I just switched from the JP (older style) to the Clark Carbon Fiber Handguard. I run a 20" JP upper and the CF handgard made a big differnce. Rifle still has a nice feel. I took 1lb off the rifle by going to the CF handgard and the ACE skeleton stock. Rifle ways 9lbs with optics now. N-

I thought some of you may find this interesting. I experienced a Kboom at a match with my factory Glock 22 barrel about a month ago (shooting limited). Case blew out where Glock bulge usually forms and sent my mag shooting out the bottom of the gun. I was loading once fired (from a Glock) federal brass. I do use a EGW undersized sizing die. Load was 180gr. Zero HP over 4.5gr. of Tight Group at 1.136oal. 172pf. Decided to try an aftermarket barrel. My factory Glock barrel would keep hits in the head at 25 yards and I figured this was as good as I could expect. Was looking for equal accuracy with more case support from the new barrel. First barrel was a Jarvis. Had difficulty keeping hits in the A zone at 30 yards. Some groups exceeded 10" . Tried three different bullet heads with same results. Accuracy was worse than my factory Glock barrel by far. Lock-up on the Jarvis was tight. I had hoped for better. Sent the barrel back to Lone Wolff and they tested it. They said they got better results with factory MagTech, but agreed the barrel may shoot different in my gun with my loads. They did give me a partial credit for the return and sent me one of their new LW barrels (unknown mfg., but no longer made by Storm Lake). While LW had the barrel for testing, a friend offered to let me try several G22 barrels he had bought, but did not like. One was a pretty new KKM barrel, a Wilson bbl., and Storm Lake bbl. I shoot all the barrels in my gun with three different hand loads. He said none of the barrels shot well for him (he shoots a G22 in production) and was sticking with the factory barrel. The Wilson bbl. shot high (a good 4" over poa) with a 5" group at 20 yards. The Storm Lake bbl shot about the same as my factory glock barrel. The KKM was a nice surprise. Supported, I put 5 shots into a golf ball sized group. Yes, I bought the barrel. It was amazing to see the different degrees of accuracy from the different barrels when installed in different guns with different loads. I shot a local match and the Area 7 with the new KKM barrel and was very happy with the accuracy. However, I got infrequent failures to feed in both matches. The bullet was not entering the chamber mouth. I buffed the KKM bbl. to ensure there were no sharp edges on the ramp and chamber mouth area. I also added some more crimp (.416) and shortened my OAL to 1.126 (180gr. Zero HP). Lastly I pulled the 15lb ISMI recoil spring and put a factory 17lb spring on my THE tungsten guide rod. No more problems and the gun feels great. (I realize changing everything at once did not let me diagnose the actual problem.) The Lone Wolf bbl. arrived and I headed to the range to test the KKM and new LW barrel with my newly modified load. I put up a target with a 3" dot. Paced it off at 18 yards to the bench. Supported, the LW barrel shot high like the Wilson and groups were in the 5" range. The KKM put three rounds, amost touching, into a nice little group. Moved the target back to 25 yards and the rounds went into a group under 3". POI is just above top of front sight, which I like. Yesterday, I got to shoot the long range 40 yard standards (99-09) and only dropped 5pts (C's). My time was slow, but I was real happy with my hits and the accuracy of my new bbl. / load combo. It was a frustrating, but interesting process. There are a tone of variables to this accuracy stuff, but you can get these Glocks to shoot. I don't think there are really any bad aftermarket barrels being made. It is a matter of finding one that will shoot in your gun with your load. Nick-

Shot this one this past Sunday. Shooting a Glock 22 in Limited. I was the last shooter and everyone was getting killed with misses. Was excited to see no misses and 115 pts total. I did not realize how slow my 49.30sec total time was until I checked it against others. My 2.3327hf only gave me a 50% classifier score. I'm a B and that is what I shot. Thought the points would have given me a better classifer, but I guess not. Live and learn. Nick- On a side note, I'm very happy with the accuracy my G22 is capable of. I've got a KKM bbl in her that really seems to like my load. Most accurate Glock I have owned. I hold upper A zone on all shots and from all shooting positions.

I have both a TSS Benelli and a Rem 1187 from Shawn Carlock at Defensive Edge, so I can offer some perspective. My son, age 13, 120lbs or so, shoots the Benelli in open. The gun started out life as a limited gun (for me), but we turned it into an open gun for my son as it was lighter and easier for him to hold/shoot/and manipulate to load. Benny left the 21" barrel on the gun and added a 10rnd mag tube and the Arredondo loading bracket. No porting. No dot. Fiber optic front sight with Benny's flip up rear sight for slugs. He has been practicing and is in the 4-4.5 sec range for shoot, load 4, shoot. He has hit a few sub 3's, but not consistently. Given his size and experience I think he is doing great. He shot it yesterday in his first local multi-gun match and did well. Given his size, he has no problem running the Benelli with 3dr. 11/8oz loads and Rem. low recoil slugs. I shoot the Carlock 1187 in Tactical. Shawn supplied and built the gun with all his mods (interceptor latch fix, cut down ez-loader, etc.) for about the same cost as the JP Rem. A friend has a JP Rem and I shot it before getting the Carlock gun. I did not care for the rifled sights and the larger ez loader. Shawn sets up his gun with a FO front and mid bead. The gun is right on a 50 yards with Rem low recoil slugs. The JP Rem also does not have the interceptor latch fix. If you go Rem, I think the Carlock gun is a better buy. Rem is heavier than the Benelli, but IMHO it shoots flatter and is softer. Benelli has less parts to break, is a little harder on the shooter, is lighter, and costs more. Depends on what you want. Hope this helps. Nick-

Spoke with Ultramax yesterday and they are out of stock of the 55gr. NBT's. They told me they hope to get bullet heads in and be able to ship by the first part of July.

1:8 twist, 20" barrel. Ultramax remanufactured 55gr. NBT and FMJ.

Thanks everyone. I think I'm just going to upgrade him to a Meopta (which is what I use). I agree, I don't think you need two optics for open, even though you can. KISS I think works here. Nick-

Thinking about getting an ACOG / JPoint combo (mounted on top of ACOG) for my son for his open class rifle. For those of you who have tried this or currently run this set up, I'd like to here your thoughts. Pros / Cons? He has tried my JP close quarter irons mounted on the handguard and is not a fan as he has to push his face down to use the sight. He also does not like canting the rifle, so I don't think a higher dot on the handguard will be a good option for him either. Note, he is currently running a Weaver 1-3X in a Larue 1.5. The ACOG I'm considering is the 4X JP TA01 or TA31F. He likes the wider field of view on the 4X ACOG and likes the 4X boost from the 3X weaver. Big dollars for the set up and not sure if he will gain all that much over what he has. Thanks for the help, Nick-

I've installed at least 4 of the Heinie slant pro rear sights. I've had to take a little material off the bottom of the sight dovetail with a file every time. Set slide in vice, install right to left if standing behind slide like you are shooting. Tap with a nylon punch or brass rod. After I confirm windage at the range, I then take some blue loctite to the set screw and some red loctite to each side of the sight in the dovetail (just a drop). Push the red into the cracks with a q-tip and wipe off excess. Sight won't move, but can still be removed with brass punch and hammer. Nick-

G22 @ work daily in a Milt Sparks Versa Max II IWB holster. G22 (different gun) for USPSA and IDPA. Same same....... That said, a smaller gun for off duty carry has benefits. I'd probably go G19 size if I were to get something. IMHO, the subcompacts are nice to carry, but are just not as comfortable / easy to shoot given there is a lot less gun to hold on to. Nick-

+1 for Benny on an upper. He built a 17.5" rifle for my son and it rocks. Had an initial gas system problem, but he fixed it and had it back to me in a few days. No problems after that. At a recent rifle only match my son (13 yrs) was 32nd overall (his first rifle match) out of 80+ shooters and 13th on the long range steel stage shooting a TSS rifle. Nick-

George that makes sense. Thanks for pointing out the differences. I've never tried the aluminum carrier. I bet it makes a big difference, especially with the gas system tuned. Nick-

Thanks for posting this. Nick-

Great match. Dave, our RO, was awesome. A great guy who was very patient and helpful with my son (age 13) who was shooting his first rifle match. Very nice job by all. See you next year. Nick Sr. and Nick Jr.

Regarding George's comments. For the most part I agree with everything he said and he has much more experience than I. However, I chose to not play with my JP adj. gas block and leave it wide open. I have had no problems and my rifle shoots great. I run a JP15 20" upper with the lightened ss JP LMOS carrier (not the aluminum carrier) and the JP buffer (standard buffer spring). Knock on wood, my rifle has NEVER failed or shown any excessive wear while running the gas block wide open with the lightened ss carrier. I keep telling myself I should experiment with the gas block adjustment, but the rifle runs and shoots so good, I don't want to screw anything up. I shot the NY State Rifle Championship at Square Deal last weekend and a guy in my squad was shooting a JP CTR02 and in the first stage his rifle was a single shot. He told me he had been playing with the gas block. After the first stage he opened it up and it ran the rest of the match. YMMV. Best, Nick-

Carry a full size Glock 22 every day, on and off duty, in a Milt Sparks Versa Max II IWB holster. I tried a bunch and I've never looked back since trying this holster. It is by far the most stable and comfortable IWB holster I have ever tried. It also conceals even a big frame gun very well. The Dept. next door issues G21's. Many of their detectives have switched to this holster after I talked one of their officers into trying one. No regrets. I recommend matching the VMII with one of their belts and single mag pouches for a super package. Nick-

For my Son, Benny Hill set up a rifle with a 17.5" upper and Clark carbon fiber handguard to save weight. Very sweet........ Nick-

Assuming a TA11 or TA31 (I had a TA11) I zeroed mine at 50 yards. If you have the donut reticle, use the top of the reticle as your poa at 50 yards. The donut reicle is 4 moa (minute of angle) which basically means the donut or recticle will cover 4" at 100 yards, 8" at 200 yards, and 12" at 300 yards. I was pretty much poa/poi from 50-200 yards using the top of the donut. Inside of 50 yards the bullet will hit low because the bullet is still climbing to meet your line of sight (reticle). At 300 yards your bullet will generally drop about 8". So you can either put the top of the donut on the neck for an A zone hit or you can shoot poa/poi using the bottom edge of the inside of the donut reticle. The above is a general rule of thumb and depends on your ammo, barrel length, etc. Hope this helps. Nick-

Highly recommend TJ. Have done two classes with him. He shows you very quickly the game is not about shooting fast, but efficiency of movement. His stage break down instruction was amazing. Nick-

Carry a Glock 22 daily and have put a bunch of rounds through a 17 and 22. That said, I shot a M&P last week and was very impressed. It felt real good, sat low in the hand, pointed very well, was accurate and felt recoil was mild. Really liked the gun. This is no repackaged Sigma. Nick-

Another vote for the 147gr. Atlanta Arms Ammo. Very nice stuff. Before that I was running the 115gr. MagTech. Also pretty soft, but I like the feel and accuracy of the Atlanta Arms Ammo. Guns I've shot with this load are aGlock 17 with a Barsto and a SV 9mm. Nick-

Started shooting 3gun with a TA11. Loved it for the longer targets, but could not get the hang of it up close (slow target transitions). Added a JP close range iron sight and this helped, but still had problems with targets in the 40-60 yard range that were out to far for the JP irons and a little close for the TA11 (small FOV). I switched to the Meopta Meostar in November '05 and love it. Gives me 1X CQB (huge FOV) and 4X long range capability in the same scope. Daytime dot is very nice (nice size and brightness), reticle is uncluttered, and glass is clear. I don't dial dope with this set up so I can't comment on tracking and repeatability. I use a 50 yard zero and know my poa/poi from 0 to 330 yards (farthest I can shoot). I had a very small hair or piece of thread inside my first scope. Meopta NY shipped me out a new scope and gave me a FEDX account number to ship back the old scope. Great QC. New scope has been great. Only negative is when looking through the scope with both eyes open, my left eye will sometimes pick up the illumination dial on the left side of the scope. I'd see a ghost image of the knob inside the scope. At first this worried me, but I found I didn't see it when shooting. Nick-

My son is 12 (13 in March) and has been shooting since he was 8. He started with a .22 rimfire rifle and pistol. Great guns to learn the basics of marksmanship with as the recoil is very mild. He progressed to a single stack 1911 in .38super when he was 10. At 11 I got him a Limcat SV Open based on a recommendation from Todd Jarrett. It was a really good move, but obviously an expensive option. Watching my son develop, I'd recommend the following given your budget. If your Son's hands are big enough to to hold a high cap, I'd recommend you get him a Para P16 .40 and initially down load it to minor. This will allow him to progress with the same gun, eventually shooting major loads. If you get him a 9mm or .38sup, 1911 he will be forced to shoot minor (scoring disadvantage). The .40 allows you to shoot both minor and major. If the Para is to big for him, get him a single stack .40 and he can shoot the 1911 Div. or L10. Both of these guns will also let him shoot IDPA as they have a bushing bbl. Just as important as picking the right gun for you son is getting him the right instruction. My son has trained with Todd Jarrett and was lucky enough to get selected to go to Camp Shoot-Out for AREA 7 last year. This quality instruction really helped him improve. It has been pretty cool to watch. Feel free to PM with any specific questions. Best, Nick-

I have a JP15 with a 20" med. weight bbl., 1:8 twist. It is amazingly accurate with both Ultramatch 55gr. NBT and Blackhills 77gr. match. I've never had a malfunction of any kind in over 2K rounds. I've tried an 18" upper, but don't think there is much to be gained over the 20" upper. Folks say the shorter/lighter guns are easier to drive and target transitions are faster, but I didn't see any substantial advantage. YMMV... Best, Nick

Rob gave me 2 boxes of this ammo to try. I thought it was great. Ammo was very accurate out of my SV (as accurate as my handload, 180gr. Zero HP w/4.7 gr. TG, 1.190OAL). POA/POI was the same as my load. It felt nice and I had no failures of any kind. The only downside (if you can call it that) was that the load was not as clean as my TG load. It is definetly an option to consider. I did not chrono the ammo, but as I understand it, shooters that buy this ammo at a match will get a pass on the chrono station. Hope this hepls, Nick-