A well Earled machine

Same here. Right back at ya brother. I shot an ok match - hit the ground running and hurry through 8 stages. We started on 2 & lost the light on 9 so we finished 1 on Friday. I ate large quantities of red meat cooked over fire, drank some dark beer, smoked a good cigar. I got to R/O a fun stage with no drama or back-ups, more help than we needed and a real good friend. Yep, I'd have to say it was a pretty good vacation. Thanks to all, Earl

Hey Trav, Great idea! Just a couple of things that occurred to me; If it were one match 6 days long a guy could shoot 1 division the first 3 days and another the next 3 days or work 3 days then shoot 3 days & there are other options too. It would also be possible to shoot any of the 3 days he wanted as long as shooters could be spread out over the 6 days. The shooters who will likely be chosen for the 3GN shoot-off would want to be there for the last 3 days I would guess. As for the prize table problem I think you guys had the answer several years ago in making the prizes as close as possible in value and putting them in a black duffel bag. I liked it that way since I'm usually in the middle of the pack when scores come out and it was kinda fun not knowing what I was getting. That way a shooter could finish, go to the cargo trailer, choose a bag and head home. Results would be posted when the match was over. If you wanted to do something extra for the top guys you could. As popular as the Ironman is I’ll bet many will be there for the whole thing anyway. Not sure what I can pull off time wise but I would like to be a part of it again. My $.02 worth,

What have you guys shipped out there for ammo in the last couple of years? I know the stages will be up soon - I just wanted to get an idea. Pistol - Rifle - LR Rifle - Shot - Slug - Buck[?] - Thanks, Earl

That would be cool. If not then can we run a red dot on our 308? Still wishing I had younger eyes , Earl

Andy & Chad, How are you set for RO's on Monday? I could swing the extra day - let me know. See ya all there, Earl

Most of you 3 gunners who have been around a while know me and you know that I can't shoot very well and R/O on the same day. It turns into a waste of ammo. I’ve worked nearly all the 3 gun / Multigun nationals since 1999 and I don’t mind showing up for a couple days of setup then chasing you guys for 2-3 days. Trying to work in shooting the entire match on top of that is kind of silly – it just doesn’t work very well. Last year Charlie and Chris worked like rented mules the week prior right up to the last minute, dropped their tools, picked up their guns and shot the match. I think if you asked them they probably could have shot a better match but that’s the breaks. We show up and get done what has to be done. Most of us bring guns & gear to shoot whatever stages we think we can get away with shooting – like in the “Pat Winslow” days but that hasn’t happened the last few years. Sure it would be cool to shoot a few stages, maybe half of them, and they should be the “problem” stages – to make sure they run. If the nationals were run like other matches we could probably pull it off – but the Nationals are just that – The Nationals. We have these national championship matches to determine the National Champion – not for tired, old, crusty curmudgeon R/O’s to play on. If the match management wants’ to see if their stages will run I’ll be the first in line, gunned up & ready to “Prepare For Glory!” Either way I’ll see you all in Vegas, Earl

I turned mine in. I'll shake the tree around here and see what falls out. I should let 'em know Carl popped for dinner last year - that should real 'em in!

I like Heavy Metal for the same reason I like Revolver - it’s harder! Harder, for me, is more interesting, more enjoyable. Trapr is right, we shouldn’t water down the divisions. I’ve signed up for more than one match in Heavy Metal and started gearing up for it only to find out not enough other shooters signed up and the division was cancelled. I had to go the safe and figure out what my second choice would be. If a MD really thought he could raise the attendance in HM he might look at just allowing an optic – nothing more. Even then I’m not sure it would help get more shooters. My $02 worth,

How many of you have been shot at a match? How many people have you heard of that have been shot at a match? I'm talking about shot, not a close call, not a dangerous situation, not something that made you uncomfortable. How many have been SHOT? I have been playing this game more than 25 years and haven't seen or heard of even one person getting shot. I attribute that fine record to our rules. When it comes to safety our rules have it locked up tight. If the rules say "Guns must be abandoned in Condition 1 or 3" then that’s it. The MD & RM better have a bomb proof place to leave your gun but, for the most part, that’s not on the shooter as long as he puts it in there right. We need to be carful about writing rules - too many and some are bound to get lost - like old laws that are on the books, they may be there but nobody can find them. As for a broken gun that CAN'T be put on safe or cleared [this MAY happen once in a R/O's career] if the gun can't be fired then that’s the same as being "on safe". Ok, so you invented a new way to put your gun "on safe". We're tinkering with our guns all the time - bottom line is it can't go bang when the trigger is pulled. If it can you're going home. I also advocate MD's hiring experienced MULTIGUN R/Os. A guy should have enough time running 3 gunners to have a reputation of knowing what he's doing. The MD & RM should have one of these on each stage. Shooters pay too much to go to big matches to deserve otherwise. Putting a guy in charge of a Nationals stage simply because he's in the RM club and never worked a multigun stage much less knows nothing of how most long guns work is not fair to the paying shooter. All this may be a bit off thread but if you have a R/O that knows what he's doing then nearly all of the situations you bring up will not be a problem.

Really Benny? I don't see that in the USPSA rule book - are you referring to another match's rules? If we say that fore grips bump you to open if they touch then the same applies for mags and I know a lot of guys who have Ralph's cool thing on the bottom of their mags for just that purpose. A fore grip resting on a prop isn’t that big of an advantage - one of those fore grips that has the pop out bipod may be but we have a rule for that. We should be carful about how many rules we create - it's getting so that to be a good R/O you need to spend so much time "in the book" at home to stay up on everything you don't have time to practice with your guns at the range. Just some food for thought, Earl

I've had this SS MSH for a while and think it would be cool on my Para which is black and brown . I'm not too hung up on appearance but a SS MSH on a black and brown gun would get me laughed off the range. Does anyone have experience with making Stainless a different color? I want to do it myself rather than send it off and pay a bunch of $$. I like to do as much of my own work as possible. I've looked at the paint Brownells has but haven’t seen where it covers SS - maybe I should call them. Any help is appreciated, EJ

Jon, Years ago I started spraying the face of my 625 cylinders with a product called Carters Compensator Spray - I may have got it from Dillon, not sure. It makes a big difference as to how much fouling sticks to the inside of the cylinders. I prop the gun straight up and spray the face and let the residual run into the cylinders. I used to go to the safety area after each stage to brush the charge holes clean and now I may do it once in a match. It works for me. EJ P.S. Do you get over to Kitsap often?

I agree with the idea that if you're halfway into the stage and your gun pukes it's a crummy deal but it's all on you:) If, however a shooter comes to the line, loads, waits for the beep, engages [aims at] his first target and gets no bang - and is not able to fix it right there he should - IMHO - get another chance to run the stage. I may be a soft hearted CRO but I believe you should be able to give the stage you best shot. Again, IMHO, that is where the line should be drawn - "No first shot, you get to fix your blaster and try again." I know this is not quite what 5.7.1, 5.7.4 & 5.7.6 say but I think it's the right thing to do. Say you start shooting and your slide leaps of your frame [or whatever], as long as you can put it into Cond. 1 or 3 and place it into the proper safety retention device [bucket] you should be able to pick up your next gun and continue on. It may take a little more time to make the busted gun safe and you'll get the FTE's and mikes for that gun but you should be able to finish the stage. I pretty much get a free ride but you folks put a lot of time and a whole lot of money into a major match and I think you should be given every chance to [safely] earn all the points you can. It's my job [as I see it] to help you do that within the confines of the rule book. There's my $.02 worth, EJ

9.2.1.3 All steel rifle targets will be checked with a 16" barrel A2 firing 55 grain Federal ammunition. taken from the Larue rules... Hopefully to be applied to USPSA multigun matches... You might be there awhile with a 16" barrel. I think a HB bolt w/ a good optic is still the way to go. Kind of a "One Shot, One Kill" type of deal. I haven't the data to support it but I understand a .223 makes as much speed as it can in 14"-16" - the extra barrel length just adds accuracy. EJ

What do you all think about wheel weight bullets coated with Roster Red lube for .40 minor in a stock barrel? EJ

Doug, For the next time there is a big a$$ sight vice / tool at the range - in the office, where the Dunno's, I mean the RO's hang out. EJ

I've used Botach and CDNN. If money is the same I would go with CDNN. Botach lists things as clearence that they don't always have. You get tossed betwwen the sales and shipping dept.'s. I just gave up after a couple of weeks and a bunch of phone calls. Just my $.02 worth, EJ.

I had a line on a G-35 to 9 conversion barrel but was a day late & a $ short. I came accross a few G-17 mags thinking I would do the conversion trick. I think I'll give 40 minor a try then let the 17 mags go to someone else. Thank for all the insight, EJ

That’s it! I'm buying a wood burner at Sears tomorrow and doing my G-35! Thanks for the inspiration, Earl

This is just what I've been looking for for my son. The 45 Spartan I have is a bit too much for him. I haven't tried a minor load yet and don't really want to mess with re-springing it so a 9mm may be just right. I'll work a shift of OT and put in a call for one soon. Thanks, Earl

+1 for opening up the ports but then you really need the Eric Wesselman o-rings - the extra gas burns up the stock type. EJ

+1 for the Choate with the clamp - use a longer bolt and double nut or a Nylock nut. It may not absolutely be necessary to run a clamp but it seems to be a good idea.

The 870 I bought a few years ago had a dimple near the far end of the mag tube I had to grind out and smooth. I also radiused and polished / smoothed the stock follower. Nobody has suggested a pistol grip stock but I rack mine faster with one and thus am less likely to forget to. You'd be surprised at how many shooters I've run who shoot at a bunch of close stuff, take carful aim at a long target only to hear the gun go "click". I'm standing right there and I know they haven't racked one in and it kills me to not tell them. Anyway, a pistol grip stock seems to be a good mod. You'll probably want to stay away from the side saddle that has a plate you bolt on then attach the shell holder with 6 screws. Even with thread lock those things always seem to end up on the range floor [with your needed ammo] 1/2 into the stage. You will be much happier with the 3gungear.com side saddle. I like the feel of the "field" forend over the "LE" one so I cut out a notch big enough to clear the rounds when I rack it. I'm a lefty so you may not like that mod but it works for me. EJ