ihocky2

I am lucky enough to live in an area with a large number of revolver shooters, and the numbers are still thin. Mid-Atlantic ICORE gets probably around 30-40 shooters. Local club USPSA matches may see 3 or 4 on a good weekend. IDPA actually seems to do better with revolver shooters. I think part of it is the fact that you only have a maximum required round count of 18, so the revolver shooters have 1 extra reload over ESP or SSP on most stages. Some stages are horrible for revolvers, but most a revolver can be competitive.

Guthsville runs a great SCSA match. Donating to Toys for Tots and a pancake breakfast on top of that, how can you say no? Mid-October in Pennsylvania can and has ranged anywhere from the 80's to the 30's, but high 60's is probably average during the day.

I am building an open single stack for Steel Challenge and some falling steel matches. I currently load a 115gr. Bayou Bullet over 5.2 grs. of AA #5 in my open revolver for steel, but am willing to increase powder or switch powders if they will make better use of a compensator with a minor load. I am looking at either the EGW 3 Port, Brazos Thundercomp 1, or Cheely 2 Port or 4 Port. The Cheely 4 Port is less aggressive than most other 4 ports, so I am not sure if is still too many ports. I like the Cheely and Brazo's because they are titanium, though I have to add a cone to the Cheely. The EGW I can do in aluminum, but still have to add the cone unless I go with the heavier stainless. From personal experience, has anyone found one of these to be more effective than another?

Thanks Warren, the stud being loose didn't seem right. Peening was going to be me next option, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something first.

While opening the cylinder on my 610, the threaded stud snapped off. I ordered a new locking bolt and the first one I was sent was stainless, but the front pin was too short and did not line up flush with the recoil shield. I returned it and was sent a MIM one that is long enough. The problem with this one is that the threaded stud is loose. Soon as I get the nut for the cylinder release snug, the entire stud spins, is this normal? Should the be silver soldered or something or is this supposed to be a tight press fit from the factory? Thanks

I am getting ready to install my first barrel in a 1911 and wanted to get a few ideas on barrels and double check to make sure I am not missing anything. What barrels tend to need the least work since this is my first attempt? I want to install a threaded bull barrel and am looking at Shueman, Bar-Sto and SVI. I have a good selection of files already, including safe sided. My first question on tools is do I truly need the lug cutting tool from Brownells or can I do if with only files? My process plan is this, please verify. Check to make sure the barrel front fits in the slide to start with, adjust if needed. Cut hood width and length. Check and adjust upper lug fit. Check and adjust front of barrel fit. Cut lower lug fit. With any of the barrels listed above, I plan to order one already chambered in 9mm Luger, while I need to finish ream the chamber to adjust for depth after fitting the hood length? I plan to shoot coated bullets, will I also need to ream the throat even if the finish reamer cuts the throat. Thanks

I have a 9mm 1911 that I want to setup for steel, using a minor load. I know minor benefits less from a compensator, but have shot comparisons that the muzzle flip is definitely reduced. I am looking to do at least some of the work myself and could use some advice on which may give me better results and how difficult they will be to achieve. 3 Port EGW cone compensator - I would have to get the barrel threaded and the slide cut for a reverse plug by a gunsmith. After that I believe I can do the install myself. I am confident with fitting the cone to the slide and at least comfortable enough to attempt fitting the compensator to the slide for the gap. Pros: uses factory barrel, so barrel fitting is not required. Cons: threading and milling has to be done by gunsmith. Costs money and timelines are unknown. 3 port EGW bushing compensator - This is the style that needs a threaded barrel and the comp is relieved to fit over the bushing. I would need a new barrel and am comfortable with fitting the barrel. This lets me avoid the gunsmith work to the slide and possibly the barrel. The trouble I am having is finding a pre-threaded barrel. Pros: avoids gunsmith work, compensator install seems like less work than cone style. Cons: Finding a barrel is hard, may have to buy an extended barrel and still have gunsmith shorten and thread it. Kind of negates cost savings. Storm Lake Ported Barrel - Should be drop in, if not it only requires minor fitting. The hang up is that I am not sure how much effect I will get from the porting. Can anyone speak to this? Pros: Cheaper option and requires the least amount of install work. Cons: Possibly less effective. Also doesn't look as cool as a compensator (lets be fair, we all want a sexy looking gun). Thanks

This thread speaks directly to me as I was sitting around last night contemplating a budget open gun for steel. I know, budget and open gun do not go together. Here are my thoughts, let me know if it sounds reasonable. Rock Island 1911 in 9mm, one of the mid range models. Swap the barrel for one with a compensator designed for minor loads. Replace the fire controls with one of the drop in kits from a better manufacturer. Add a mount and a C-More. I am thinking the Rock Island because they are decent guns at a reasonable price and since it is only for steel, I don't need a double stack. Since it is only for steel I need good groups, but not 10 shot clover leafs at 25 yards.

I set up a specific load for minor open for my 929 and do notice a difference with the comp installed. It is not the same effect as a 38 super out of an auto at major, but it does help reduce the muzzle flip some with the right load for it. I would talk to Mark and see if he has any ideas about maybe a differently designed compensator that uses the same attachment. My thought is just that the opening in the top of the factory comp is too big and lets the gases out too fast. As a result you get less downward force than a few smaller openings would provide and with the gases escaping faster you get less forward push against the front wall of the compensator. The attachment system for the 929 makes it simple to machine one to adapt to the 929, it is just designing a compensator that is more effective at minor loads.

Thank you Dean and all of the staff for running an awesome match and thank you to the sponsors for helping make this possible. I'm already looking forward to this match next year. Thank you Dave for videoing Squad 1. Some great videos and gives a good idea of what this match is made of.

I have the Whiskey Arms LBC and run an empty rifle buffer that comes in just over 2oz. and a JP 25% reduced buffer spring. 18" intermediate gas barrel with the gas tuned and a Lancer compensator and the reticle doesn't move. I may need to go back and add a hair bit of weight to the buffer or step up to full power buffer spring to slow the cyclic rate. I love how the gun runs, but a few mags don't feed fast enough. My Pmag 40 and my Pmag and Lancer 30's run fine, but my GI 30's and my Pmag 20 don't always feed. My guess is that it is cycling too fast for them.

I run the DA Racer. Same concept as the Racemaster except polymer instead of an aluminum body and does not use inserts. Just as smooth and fast at about half the cost. If you are going to use it for only one gun, there is not really a benefit to the Racemaster over the Racer. For two guns, you can get a Racemaster and two inserts or two Racers for about the same price. But my revolver belt is only for revolver and my auto belt is only for auto, so two holsters work better than one for me.

I checked with a magazine in and it is not causing the problem. Apex so far says the problem is that I have the small spring sear housing block and that I need the large spring, but I am not talking with Randy or Scott so I think the lady responding is only going through the troubleshooting guide. The response that tips me off is the she says "The Apex kit REQUIRES the large plunger spring for proper function". If it was a problem with the sear catching I could understand that, but everything works fine until I go to let off the trigger. My guess is that something is causing it to bind with the USB. While it is not my favorite option, since the sight was such a bear to put on, I may have to remove the sight and pull the USB and see if that is the problem. If so I have to figure out what is sticking and why it is only during live fire.

I will try that tonight Larry. I have not tried with the magazine in, that sounds very likely to be a possible cause. Bob, it does go fully into battery. All functions are normal except for the trigger sticking.

Pictures will have to follow, but no it does not stick with the slide off. I tried bending the trigger bar a little towards the sear and it starting sticking during dry fire, but not with the slide off. I bent it back and a little favoring the frame slide and the sticking during dry fire went away. It also felt smoother during the reset, I thought I fixed it but during live fire it is still sticking. It almost seems like the "post" on the trigger bar for the slide block is getting stuck between the slide block and the slide. I can't see anything else that would cause it to stick only when the slide is on.

I had a thread about the trigger on my M&P 9L getting mushy after putting in an Apex kit and diagnosed it back to a failing trigger bar. Since this is a new issue I figured a new thread would be better. I was able to purchase a new H stamp trigger assembly and installed it. At the same time I installed the newer version slide lock since it was advertised to help with a more positive reset. Well, the reset was so positive that the trigger would not reset if I kept it depressed while racking the slide. Either a slight rack of a the slide or pushing the trigger forward and it was fine. This was all during dry fire. I put the factory slide lock back in and problem fixed, at least during dry fire. A trip to the range today and 1 or two out of 10 and I have the trigger sticking during reset. Same thing, if I slide my finger behind the trigger it pops forward and fires. This does not sound like a sear flutter issue, since the sear is catching everytime. It is simply the trigger is sticking back. With the slide off, when I push to the trigger bar over to clear the sear and reset it, I can see it is against the frame. My guess is that it is pinching somewhere, but I don't know where or what to bend. I still have the reduced trigger return spring in, I would like to fix the problem instead of masking it with a heavier spring. This kit is designed to work with the light weight spring. Where on the trigger bar do I have to bend and how much? Are there any other thoughts on what could cause this?

I know the cost is prohibitive, but the ELS belt only will work if you use a Tek-Lok style attachment. The ELS clips will not go through a belt loop. I have a USPSA Production setup, a 3-gun setup and an IDPA setup. I just use a Blade-Tech holster with Tek-Lok and share that across all belts. For a long time I ran a single double mag pouch on a Tek-Lok that I shared across the belts. Over a few years I saved up and built up a multiple belts, but still share the holster. I just don't see a reason to buy 2 more. For IDPA I went with the Cabela's Last Chance Heavy Duty Belt. $25, currently $18 on sale. Plenty stiff for IDPA, similar to the 5.11 Operator belt at half the cost. Has served me well for 3 years and still going strong. IDPA doesn't require as much rigidity as the other sports since you are hauling less weight and reloading less.

Travelling down from Eastern Pa. for Saturday afternoon. Close enough to make it an easy one day trip. Seeing the stages it looks like it should be a fun match. A little bit of everything thrown in.

Thanks Bkreutz but I checked them already. They do not show it out of stock, but when you go to add it to the cart they tell you that it is not available. Stealthy, did they give you any kind of hard time about replacing just the part by sending in the bad one? It almost sounds like once I get the warranty return approved I am going to have to actually break the trigger bar. Right now it is failing, but looks normal in appearance. Thanks again everyone.

I followed the instructions I found on adjusting the trigger bar loop and it fixed the problem perfectly. I ran about 150 rounds through trying to sort out an ammo issue and then about another 100 in practice. Today at the first local match I shot since the fix it started acting up again, right on a classifier. The trigger was not fully returning to reset every time and I had the same thing where I would pull the trigger and get nothing. A quick slight rack of the slide and it was fine. I went and opened the loop a hair and ran the next 150 rounds without fail. It seems like there is a problem with the loop and it is getting ready to fail. Does anyone know where I may still be able to find a trigger bar? Everywhere I have checked is sold out due to S&W's dumb parts policy lately. Has anyone come out with an aftermarket bar or anywhere I can get one that I do not have to return this gun to S&W?

Has anyone done a comparison of trigger pull weight and feel of the factory 1/16" spring vs. the Apex 1/8" spring? My 9L has the old spring and I wanted to get up and running so left the factory. The trigger feel great and is a solid 3# pull, plenty light enough for me. Is that much really gained with the new spring to be worth the money of a new sear block?

Thanks for the help guys. I adjusted the loop open and it is working correctly again. I was rather suprised, the gap was at .019" to start with and I had to open up to .026". The striker block seems to be disengaging just fine, but that just seems to be a pretty large gap. Does anyone have a guess as to what could have caused it to close up suddenly? The striker block was moving freely, so there is no debris in it. I am just shocked that out of nowhere it stopped working.

I installed an Apex Enhanced Action Kit in my 9L a couple of weeks ago and had a great, light, crisp trigger. Shot it about 2 weeks ago and 50 rounds of no problems. I did a few light dry fire sessions since then and everything was good. Today I went to a match and all of a sudden the trigger feels mushy and is hard to get the break. It is still light most of the way and then it seems like it gets to the point that it should break and it doesn't. I have to keep pulling hard to get the last little bit of the sear to disengage from the striker. The only things I replaced were the striker block, the sear, and the springs. It is still the factory trigger and trigger bar. It seems like the sear just is not moving enough to clear the striker. Playing around on the bench I found that if I rack the slide just a few thousanths of an inch the striker drops like it is supposed to, no mush. I took the slide off and on a few times trying to see what is going on and suddenly the trigger break was back to where is should be. I got excited too quickly because after about 5 dry fires it went back to the same problem of being mushy and not wanted to release from the sear. First, does anyone have experience with this and how to fix it. Second, what happened that sitting in the safe it suddenly started failing.

I have a few pair from Radians for my wife and she has always been happy with them. She wears contacts and has not complained of eye fatigue or a headache or anything. The Crossfire line has a few nice offerings. I don't remember which ones specifically she has though.

I have been running Winchester brass with great results. I ordered moon clips from David Hearth that were made for Starline brass. After reading the binding issues being more common with Starline I decided to hold off on ordering brass and tried the Winchester I have on hand. It fits nice and tight in the moon clip with negligible wobble and I have not had any extraction problems.