Paul B

Sandoz, interesting words. My Doc had a very different take on things with me. He said his practice is almost totally weighted to the summertime when people tend to get dehydrated. His advice was simple drink water, water, and more water. He said it makes no real difference what kind of stone you have if you can keep things flushed out. He didn't even care if I had mine analyzed. He did say diet pop which was my only drink of choice is really bad so I never drink it anymore. I won't comment on whether he has webbed feet and a bill though. Both my stones were about the size of yours 7mm. They had to use the sonic machine twice and put a stint in in between. For some reason I could not take the oral morphine based drugs as they screwed up my stomach, but in the hospital they gave me dilaudid and I was crying at McDonalds commercials (isn't that soooo cute). To make matters worse I'm allergic to the IVP dye they use to find the suckers so I really, really do not want another one. I go through at least 5 bottles of water a day.

You have not experienced anything till they use the ultrasonic machine to break them up because they are too large to pass. They had to do mine twice. Then there were the stints!! A year later and I still don't feel right.

Just this weekend compared plasma and LCD side by side in 42 and 50 inch models. Can't really see a difference in quality. In fact in some models (particularly Sony) the LCD had the better picture. All viewing was from 6 to 10 feet away and all were broadcasting the same HDTV satelite feed. I sure would not waste the extra $1K (or more) for plasma. Specially considering there will be a new better thing in 18 months to 2 years anyway.

Yes, I really like those table starts where my knees have to be under a table that is about shin high and my back against the back of a chair where my magazines catch the opening. I've learned to shoot them though, but carrying the chair through half the course does slow me down just a little.

One thing I've learned many times over is that there is horsepower and then there is Japanese horsepower. The Japanese have a different way of computing it so if you want a real comparison reduce the Japanese number by about 10% versus the American counterpart and you will have a rough idea of what the real world performance is like.

I shot at least 50 matches with my Para .45 with 18 in the mag and 1 in the pipe for a total of 19. Totally reliable. Buy the Grams kit or send them to him. If you like the .45, 19 is enough to be competitive. This gives you the capacity for 2, 8 round arrays and and 2 insurance rounds and you can still reload with 1 in the pipe. By the way you probably only need 2 or 3 mags with this capacity for any normal match and save the 13 rounders for classifiers.

I'm sorry, but any federal employee or even citizen who cannot at least vaguely recognize a medal of honor does not deserve the job or the right. I cannot tell you how pissed off this story makes me. I've seen one only one in person but I recognized it and I saluted, which should have been the proper response from the dolts at the TSA.

I wish my monthly premium were only $1100. I still think we will have to have some sort of government "interference" if the medical insurance industry in this country is to step up with affordable coverage for everyone. If you've ever analyzed the profit and loss of the the big carriers you would be amazed at the shell game. They all say they are only making something like 10% profit, (which they do almost like clockwork every year) but that is of their gross premium. Actually they are really big dollar fixed cost money machines with huge salaries for the top management. Think about it, if you write a Billion dollars in premium, the actuaries can predict almost to the dollar how much they will pay in losses. Why should their profit percentage be based on the billion dollars and not on what is left of the premium after losses are paid. That percentage would make the oil industry look like pikers. Property Casualty business can be evaluated differently because often the numbers are not as big and more things like hurricanes can effect the business. I know there is no free lunch, but in the states where there is a mandatory market with affordable coverage the big medical companies are still making a ton of money. Why don't they do it everywhere ---------because they don't have to. Sorry if this hijacked the thread a little. It is still hate not rebuttal!!!

+++++++++1. Wait till you have to pay full price for your own coverage and are over 50! I am the most conservative person there is politically, but health insurance may be one of those problems only government can solve. God I hate saying that.

Okay, this is going to be way boring for most, but should answer some questions. Homeowners forms are often similar, as mentioned previously, since they are usually copied from one of 2 major insurance industry organizations - ISO and AAIS. These organizations develop the forms and the companies adopt them. The problem is that most every company makes exceptions to the standard forms and the normal consumer is probably not going to catch either the meaning of the original language or the exceptions. In my experience 99% of consumers do not read and/or understand the "insurance speak" in most policies, even if they are supposed to be plain language. You need an interpreter and sometimes you need the interpretation in writing so buyer beware. Coverage for firearms in the Homeowners is limited, usually to $1000 to $2500 depending on the company but most companies offer what's known as a "Floater" or specific coverage for firearms. This can be either by schedule of firearms or on a "blanket" basis (each firearm does not have to be listed). The rates usually run from $.20 up to over $1.00 per $100 of values. The coverage, though, is usually all risk and can apply everywhere - even outside the US (you will have to check each policy). These may or may not have any deductible - the good ones don't. In this area companies vary greatly and you might want to consult with an agent or an experienced adjuster to know exactly what is offered. Some "floater" policies will just give you the money if the gun is stolen others may try to replace it (from who knows where). Another source for gun insurance is the NRA who gives away some coverage with membership and you can buy more. This may not be the broadest coverage, but it is somewhat convenient. There are also other markets like the NRA, but they may be more expensive. One note of caution. When you ask your agent about the coverage do not be too pushy until you know the company's political approach to underwriting guns. Some do not like them because they think they create a liability problem. Yes, your Homeowners liability does cover you for shooting activities as long as the loss was not "intentional" but some may have a specific exclusion for shooting activities. This exclusion can show up mysteriously after you insure your guns. You can usually tell who does not like firearms by their rates. Ask for their rates for other sporting equipment like golf clubs and if the firearms rate is more than double then you have a potential problem. My advice is go for the specific insurance with your company if your have more than $10,000 in guns. Less than that use the standard Homeowners and supplement it with something from the NRA. As is always the case you have to make your own decisions and review your own forms as each situation may be different.

You may get better advice from others, but I would not try to fix that kind of crack. It looks like it mirrors the trigger bow slot on the inside and may be the result of just trying to shave down the Para frame a little too much or simply a bad casting. I would probably send it back to Para and ask for a replacement. Welding it would also probably mean recutting the trigger bow channel. I have heard of this kind of crack in Paras, but none of my 5 have ever developed one. It's time for a new frame. I have actually seen this kind of crack more often in an S_I as people shave the grips down so if you take to the new one with a file be careful.

Try a Grams follower with the stock Para tube and spring and the Dawson basepad and you will get 22 in the mag. With one in the spout you can start a stage with 23 in the gun.

Ok, but let's be reasonable. I will try to pick out physical attributes of the stage as markers for shooting, but you should never make them for yourself. That said, if you have shot many matches at all you have probaly had to smooth the surface of a start box so you are not standing in the pit someone else left in the gravel. I also remove rocks and brass from tarps laid out for a prone position. Don't consider this as re-arranging the course - it may be just restoration. It technically could fall within the rule though. Also what about the chair that slowly sinks into the mud until you are sitting about 8" off the ground. I have been known to pull these out of their holes also.

Don't despair. I've actually found it easy to work on my Para triggers. Have 3 open guns with 1 3/4 lb triggers and 2 Lim guns with 2 lb triggers. First, throw away the stock parts and buy a quality hammer, sear and sear spring. It doesn't make much difference who makes them, but it may be a little easier if you get the matched sear and hammers from one mfg (look in Brownells or go directly to one of the mfg). I use a 17 lb mainspring with 2 coils cut off but this may vary by gun. By the way none of my hammers follow and one of the open guns has over 100,000 rounds over the trigger group. If you have not done much of your own gunsmith work let a smith do it as it took me probably hundreds of fit-remove-bend-fit-remove cycles to get the right balance between the various spring tensions and parts. With modern parts a lot is the balance between the tension of the left 2 prongs of the sear spring. This can be done with a 3 or a 4 prong sear spring. just buy a quality spring not one from the parts bin at the local gun show. Good Luck.

I have hunted wild boar with a handgun. The load I used was a .44 Mag handloaded with a 240 Gr Sierra JHP over a lot of 296. Boar was 275 lbs. The lead part of the bullet went all the way through and the jacket stopped in the opposite side skin. Hog went down like a stone. With the right bullet a .357 should be more than adequate, but as always with good shot placement and a HP bullet. Some .38 super can be loaded to the same balistics with a good hollow point bullet so it should all revolve around shot placement. If that cannot be accomplished it is less than humane. Interesting statistic I once heard was what cartridge has taken the most elephants and it turned out to be the .303 British because there were just more of them there - doubt if it was always an easy kill though.

I too have launched a tungsten guide rod down range - twice! Broke both at the base. Some friends can shoot them and never have a problem. It may have something to do with the fit at the guide rod head ( it must be totally square with full contact or it may have something to do with barrel geometry) I just don't know. In my case it was just not worth it for me to buy another one. I finally solved the problem with a hollow steel guide rod that was originally made to be mercury filled. I lost the mercury and filled it with melted lead shot. It's now the same weight as tungsten and has the strenth of steel. No more problems. There is a way to repair the tungsten guide rods that was explained in a previous issue of Front Sight (I don't remember which one but some one might). It involves drilling and tapping the rod and head for a steel machine screw so you would be reinforcing the rod with steel. I tried to do this at home, but it is really difficult to center and may best be left to a gunsmith. A lot of people think steel is enough. I will say I have an old really heavy tungsten rod (5 oz) in a .45 and it has never broken, but it is soo big it requires special springs. Certainly tames the .45 though. I think Wilson used to sell them but it is another vendor now. YMMV.

I don't care what action shooting sport it is. If someone gets muzzled in a course of fire the person controlling the gun must go bye, bye. Anything else is asking for a major catastrophy.

My Para has a Scheumann bull barrel in it and am getting excellent accuracy. I do use one of the reverse spring caps with a lug at the top of it which contacts the bottom of the barrel and makes the barrel slide fit perfect (cannot remember who makes these, but you can find them in Brownells). I do like the extra weight in the Para. It is just enough. By the way, do not expect a drop in fit. Even though the bull barrels can have the same cut they will have to be fitted in the Para.

There is no question in my mind that this should be a DQ for unsafe gun handling. I do not buy the "movement" logic, though, as that could easily be misinterpreted. If I'm shifting the gun from a high target to a low one while standing erect in the exact same place and I glance away from the sights to the target and have my finger on the trigger, I'm DQ'd. Sorry but that is not "movement" as defined in the rule book. All that is moving is my arms and eyes and I can't take my finger in and out of the trigger guard that fast.

I like to use an extended mag release as it let's me shift my grip less when I reload. I have, however, in the past had the mag drop problem on certain draws when I just did not get the grip right. This was specially a problem with my weak hand shooting. Part of the cure was more practice draws as I found this to be the single most important thing for accuracy and speed specially on short courses. If I can get the grip right every time it makes a huge difference in my times. A bad grip just screws every thing up before I get started. I once had an early master class shooter (before there were GM's) tell me he knew when he was going to make master because he could actually adjust his grip as he drew. With that said I found that if I removed the lower half of the extended mag release I never hit it on the draw. My left had went neatly into this space even if I miss the draw just a bit. YMMV. There still is the problem of the table start, but you can handle that other ways such as laying the gun on the other side and practicing picking it up that way. If it's an open gun no problem there with a slide racker.

I've been to major matches before when the weather was miserable, the bays had turned into "mud rinks", the targets could not be seen because of clouded up covers and I, along with everyone else was wet and cold. I've also been to some that were so poorly designed that people were backed up for hours on certain bays Then the story comes out in Front Site or some other forum, even this one, that the match was great and all had fun. Let me be the first to say all did not have fun. Just once I'd like to hear someone say the match "sucked" and why in spite of good efforts by all and we hope it's better next year. It would be a heck of a lot more interesting and much more honest feedback for the match organizers. I know, I know the glass is half full, but sometimes it's full of rain or snow and that's just as good a story.

NO!

+1 Vlad. Don't ask to "peer" into my bag. It won't happen. The day this sport declines to that level at certain matches (even if caused by a few bad eggs) is a good day to avoid those matches. If cars etc. are subject to scrutiny, just announce it in the match app. so those who feel strongly about it can avoid the match. I've RO'd CRO'd and been a MD many, times and that is simply not acceptable match management behavior and not supported by any rule I've seen. If there is a question about one competitor then re-chrono them with the ammo they are using to shoot the match.

Any match official may ask me to see if any of the other ammo in my bag is major and I may volunteer to show him my match ammo from my bag, but no one will go pawing around on my person or my bag. My relationship with the match, the people and the organization will be happily ended at that point. I've too often carried ammo for others or for other matches. I've been in out of state matches with both steel and ipsc loads in my bag. Thankfully, I usually only carry a stage bag with my ammo for the day in it. No one will go back to may car to look through the rest of my things.

Glen, thanks for the information. I don't want to send this thread down too much of a sidestreet, but that really is about the weirdest thing I've ever seen happen to a slide. I have cracked the slides on 2 open guns. Once I wouldn't have known it except I was cleaning the gun. The other actually caused the gun to stop working. It went single shot and I (stupidly) actually finished a stage with it in single shot mode. The internal Para parts are really not good and I replaced all of them as soon as possible in my LTD gun. It would be interesting to see what Para says about the slide - even if what they say may be self serving. Caspian actually warns that their slides will not hold up under continuous 115's but a .45 slide just should not let go like that even in a kaboom.