RIIID

The hot set up today will be a relic when a new trend is started, from one year to the next things change. What's old is new again and what's new becomes old. The biggest reason Tanfoglio"s and CZ's are popular is the trigger parts are better so a good trigger can be had. The weight is just a bonus, if the triggers were poor few would switch just for the added weight. As for chasing after manufactures to stay supportive by providing a Division just for their product doesn't make good business sense. When their product isn't selling the numbers they want they will discontinue said product and move on to something else. Good marketing has sold a lot products that end up sitting in a safe or traded off for a fraction of the cost for the next hot new marketed product. Slide mounted optics have been around for almost 2 decades and all of a sudden they are the hot new item because of good marketing. Rich

I used to shoot a 45 top end for practice and matches leading up to the SSC(4 to 6K rounds). A week before the SSC I would put the 40 top end on, practice a few days and a match then go shoot the SSC. Switching to the 40 felt like shooting minor compared to the 45. Rich

If it's about carry guns, the round count should be 5 rounds because that is what my snub nose revolver holds. It also has to be frame mounted optic because revo,s don't have a slide. You can't leave out the revo's they are Prod. legal too! Hopefully come February next year this will be put to rest(RIP), then we can get to a more serious new Divisions in the works. Rich

Each region/country has an organization affiliated to IPSC. For USA it's USPSA, there are no individual members of IPSC. Rich

I have never heard of them keeping the parts, they put them in a plastic bag and return them with the gun. Rich

If a gun fails the safety tests, Springfield pulls out the aftermarket parts and replaces them with factory. If they let the gun go out knowing it failed they could be held liable if something were to happen. Rich

You can get a Springfield cut front sight and fit to you cut, they are like .350 wide. Rich

I got an official one from USPSA or was it EGW, now that I see Gary's post. Rich

I know a couple shooters who do it, only because they are missing part of their index finger from accidents. Rich

Counting can be shots fired or extra rounds used or what the stage being fired dictates. There should always be a round in the chamber when doing a reload. Waiting for the gun not to fire is just as bad as pulling the trigger a few times then realizing the slide is locked back. You should also be able to tell when the slide cycles on an empty chamber. Rich

More pictures please. Those grips and front/backstraps are attractive to me. Go to the Canyon Creek dealer forum, look at the SSC prize gun thread. Rich

Something like this in .40. Rich

It's about time, good job Phil. Rich

First start with the XDm 5.25 or the XD Tactical and after 10 years or so buy another one for a back up. Rich

Coming from the maker of solid tungsten guide rods, the 5.25 XDm has three choices. #1- 3/8" rod that is the same size as the factory guide rod and weighs 4.1 +- ounces, the most popular choice by far. #2-5/16" rod that uses 1911 recoil springs and weighs 3.1 +- ounces, 1911 recoil springs are a lot easier to find than the factory size spring and more weight choices. #3- 3/8" rod that is used for the XD Tactical and weighs in at 4.7 +- ounces, used by several Bianchi Cup shooters. If you want the most weight possible tungsten is the way to go, filling the rod with lead can work but not the most benefit in weight. Rich

Sad news, a good friend that will be missed. Rich

Mounts for the Comp are around, CPMI is a good single side-DAA had one at one time. Weigand made a dual side along with Springfield Armory. Nowlin and SV had a carbon fiber type mount. Rich

One might think so but NO, the recoil spring is opposed by the firing pin spring. Going too light on the recoil spring will let the firing pin spring to pull the slide back("out of battery"). Rich

Check out Nighthawk, I've got one that will work with thin grips. Rich

The welded area will generally be harder than the base metal. If the metal is prepped correctly welds can be hidden. The most common error is when the metal is media blasted, the weld being harder won't match the surface texture of the rest of the metal. Welded areas need more attention when being prepped. PVD finishes will hide welds easier than say hard chrome. Rich

Discount pricing has gotten less or no discount at all, they are forgetting who got them to where they are today(gunsmiths). Rich

Why is this thread in the 1911 style pistols section shouldn't this be in sti's dealer forum? Rich

Springfield will go with what sells, as in large numbers of units. I'm sure the Custom Shop will do this if an individual asks for it. SV is the only company that has thought of the correct way to do it and that's a slide made wider for a proper mounting area. Rich

Caspian will set you up with what you want. Rich

It's about 0.10" from the top when you will hit the firing pin safety block/spring. Another 0.045" can be removed from the slide and off the bottom of the safety block. The spring and possibly the block will make contact with the bottom of the scope which could be a problem. Also at this depth the bottom of the extractor will need some metal removed. The last one I did to the 0.145" depth I used a mounting plate that I thinned down. Another problem to look at is the mounting screw pattern of the sight, it might be too wide for the slide so the mounting plate is a must. Rich