dbagwell

+1 CR Speed belts I've always used the CR Speed mag pouches too because I like how they are compatible with a wide variety of magazines by changing out or removing the inserts - a nice feature if I ever choose to shoot a different division/gun in the future. I recently upgraded the mag pouch hangers to their new C-Bax design and they're awesome...I highly recommend those. I started with a Blade-Tech DOH holster, however, the stingray hanger and the stock DOH adapter was crap! I have upgraded to the Boss hanger and I feel like I finally have the perfect rig with all the bugs worked out. Everything is tight and solid. I have a Pact timer for live fire and I use the Surefire Shot Timer app on my phone for dry fire practice. You should checkout Taylor Freelance if you're looking for production legal baseplates.

I see lots of good comments here. I do believe it takes a certain type of person to desire to compete. Personally, as soon as I saw my first match, as a spectator, not a competitor, my immediate impression was "this is so friggin' awesome, I have to do this". I started with what I had, which was far from the typical USPSA gear. I used a Sigpro, an Uncle Mike's OWB holster, factory ammo and a few extra magazines tucked into my pockets and belt - and shot the Tuesday Night Steel matches at Rio Salado in Mesa and had a blast! It was intimidating to see the GMs blaze through those stages, but it was inspiring at the same time. I was extremely impressed by the outgoing, helpful and friendly nature of the regular shooters. They made me feel comfortable from day one and that reinforced my desire to continue. I now reside and shoot in another state, however, my experience with the people at the clubs here have been just as welcoming. One thing that I do see as a downer, especially here in SoCal is range access for practice. It seems to be non-existent and you're just expected to show up and shoot. I don't like that and I can see how that can be very intimidating to new shooters. There's a lot to know and remember and showing up "green" to an actual match, getting the new shooter briefing, and trying to have a good time is difficult in my opinion. I'd like to see some practice days and better range access at my local clubs and some method of introducing interested shooters to the game in a less intimidating setting. I think that would go a long way in attracting more new shooters to our sport.

I'm ready to build up some test loads with two different weights of Blue Bullets in 9mm. I noticed that they turn my fingers blue, so I'm concerned about this residue gunking up my seating die. Has anyone experienced an issue with this after loading thousands of rounds?

I've been very happy with my CR speed belt and mag pouches. I also use a BladeTech DOH holster. I have used the Ready Tactical IDPA holster too and highly recommend their products. I like the CR speed mag pouches because of their versatility...they can accommodate a wide variety of magazines by changing the inserts. So if you ever decide you want to shoot a different gun/division/whatever, all you need to do is reconfigure your mag pouches. BTW, the new CR Speed C-Bax mag pouch belt brackets are awesome! Rock solid on the belt and notched to provide velcro contact between the inner and outer belt surfaces.

+1 ...what guns?

I personally prefer the Gen 3 as it fits my hand well and I'm not interested in the interchangeable backstrap system. Have you tried any of them?

Thanks for the feedback!

Where do you guys get your metric targets from for practice? Any recommendations? Best pricing? Etc.? Thanks!

Production division is the way to go with your equipment...you can be extremely competitive with your G34. The most popular 34 mods for production are sights, trigger polishing, trigger connector, steel guide rod w/ 13 lb. recoil spring, grip tape, and softer shooting ammo. Search the forums for some ideas.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the only situation where the RO is permitted to handle a competitor's gun is to retrieve a dropped gun.

Absolutely not! 8.1 Handgun Ready Conditions The ready condition for handguns will normally be as stated below. However, in the event that a competitor fails to load the chamber when permitted by the written stage briefing, whether inadvertently or intentionally, the Range Officer must not take any action, as the competitor is always responsible for the handling of the handgun.

Sarge, I'm not trying to be a dick about this or debate you. I just think it sucks when consumers get jacked around by some of these so-called businesses. If/when that happens we have an obligation to share it with others. It's not bashing or a hate rant...it's simply stating the facts. Sure, maybe he's a great guy, has a good reputation, but had a bad day - I get that. Just be straight about it, most people would understand if he took 10 seconds to explain. If his supply chain was the culprit, just say that. "Sooner or later" is weak and unacceptable. I'm sure that didn't fly in the Army.

It appears to be a condensation issue to me. Are you shooting in a cool/humid region, then putting your pistol in the bag and taking it into the house where is slowly warms up later? As others have suggested, I would remove the gun after you get home and wipe it down with CLP or something similar. My dad and I exclusively used WD-40 on our duck hunting guns...worked great.

Telling the truth about an experience isn't bashing, is it? Forum rules prohibit hate rants and resolving customer service issues openly. I'm merely suggesting that we can outline the pros/cons of the businesses that we purchase from without violating the forum rules.

I love how everyone's being so PC about this Personally, it really chaps me when I place an order, pay for it, wait an unreasonable length of time to receive it, and receive vague or no responses to emails when checking on the status. It's poor customer service! That's the beauty of these forums - to receive recommendations, feedback, etc. from other members such that we can purchase from reputable retailers in our sport with confidence. To that end, I will never place another order with Kytac or OpticsPlanet...buyers beware!

+1 for Ready Tactical - excellent holster

I've been quite happy with the following mods to my 34: Warren Sevigny Sights Wolff 14# recoil spring, SS guide rod and 4# striker spring TruGrip grip tape Ghost 3.5# connector 25 cent trigger job 147gr ammo, ~900 fps

Welcome Jakob!

I don't use those mag pouches, but I have a couple suggestions that may help. Similar to the silicon spray comment above - Armor All works well (applied to mags and mag pouches) You can also hit your mag bodies with some 1000 grit paper

My son and I both have this issue with the 17 & 34 and it's usually caused by riding the slide release with a high grip. My son was skeptical so I asked him to shoot with his strong hand only (RH for him) and low and behold it went to slide lock every time. Additionally, I once saw that Bob Vogel takes a 33 round mag spring and cuts a couple turns off to fix this issue too.

I want to thank all of you for your help and suggestions. With a little help from another member I was finally able to contact him and I received my items last week.

Thanks for the info. I'll check that out.

I contacted Dave at KyTac back in early September and placed and order for a holster and mag pouches. I mailed my check and it was cashed. I have ordered from him in the past and I'm aware of the long lead times. After about two months I decided to send him an e-mail to check on the status of my order, and...no reply. Since then I have sent about a half dozen e-mails and have tried to call his number numerous times with the same result...no replies and no answer. At this point I'm just trying to determine if the guy's still alive! It's going on five months now, so I'm wondering if I'll ever get my items or if I've just kissed $200 goodbye. Any information from the members here would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Sorry, this reply is off-topic, but I just wanted to answer DaveF's question. Assuming we're still talking about a 34 with adjustable rear sights, I've found that the stock rear adjustable on my 34 does not permanently hold zero. It requires an adjustment after several hundred rounds have been fired through the gun.

Correct me if I'm wrong...the Oceanside matches are indoors, right?