Rob Boudrie

Not everyone. A friend bought a Les Baer and a .45 case head rupture cracked the frame in 6 places - to the point where the mainspring fell out of the frame with the retaining pin intact. Les explained that this sort of damage was normal for a case head rupture, but he stands behind his work so he would offer $50 off the price of a new gun. The brass case head showed the typical rupture where the brass blew out at the unsupported part near the head. There was no indication or barrel obstruction or blowout beyond this one part of the case. The frame was sent to a metallurgical research lab where it was subjected to chemical, photomicrographic, and nital etch analysis. The chemical composition of the "forged" frame was "fully within specifications" for 1141 hot rolled resulphurized steel, with a Rockwell hardness between B82 and B83 as measured at 5 points on the frame. The parallel nature of the manganese-sulfide stringers showed no evidence of the deformation that would be expected from a forging operation. I still have the frame that was cut for analysis in the back of my safe - I think I even have the block of plastic with the etched and polished sample of the frame used for the photomicrographic 200x/nital etch analysis. I am not saying that all Les Baers guns exhibit this inconsistency between what they are represented as and what a metallurgical analysis will show, however, this kind of thing does not strike me as something that would happen by accident.

I've had some small parts wear out, but the only expen$ive part was a shell plate (small but very annoying chip on the part that holds the case rim). The most important thing is that even though you often have to pay, Dillon has parts available and gets them to you quickly - no waiting weeks like you will with some gun manufacturers. If there is a no-BS warranty on the other presses, then it would mean the warranty on the 1050 is a BS warranty. I consider that "because some people use it commerically" to be BS - I suspect a more forthcoming approach would be "because competitive positioning does not indicate that we need to absorb this expense on the 1050 machine since there are no comparable products from other manufacturers". Ah, for the old days when the Dillon salesman assured me that the 1 year limit would never be enforced on a home user except in cases of obvious signs of abuse of the press.

Finishing up a big match is like going to the outhouse for a #2 - the job isn't done until the paperwork is complete. I am sending final paperwork to the match committee in Saturday's mail (8/15). You may have noticed that registration was handled in MA but the match was in NY, hence the need for me to send paperwork. I would have liked to get this done a few days sooner, but being out of town for 5 days working the match put me in "catch up" mode immediately upon my return. This will include various reports they will use for allocation of prizes, pre-printed labels for shipping prizes and the info they need to send the activity fee to USPSA HQ. The match committee will be sending the prizes, or information for arranging the FFL transfer as appropriate, directly to the winners. I will post a notice with the match results on www.uspsa.org when the booty starts shipping. As to the chrono - I expect the proper procedure will be followed next year. Rob

I will follow up with some specific questions to John Amidon for a formal opinion on the chrono issue.

How much was "way too much"?

My thoughts on the chrono issue: From a strict constructionist view, I believe the rules were followed. Here is why: 1. Nothing in the rulebook prohibits the match director from using his/her criteria to determine what competitors to chrono. For example, if a chrono breaks half way through the match it does not mean that all competitors who previously chronoed at a power factor other than that they declared are moved back to their declared power factor. 2. The Match Director used a screening sample of one round to choose which competitors ammo was subject to the chronograph test. Competitors who were chosen to be chronographed based on the screening sample of one round through a house gun were subject to the precise chrono procedure specified in the rulebook. I am sure the match committee will discuss the chrono procedure prior to the 2010 match. I believe that the terminology was a bit imprecise. The single round through a house gun was not "Chrono test" as specified in the rulebook, but a screening procedure to see whose ammo was going to be chronographed.

He took the URL you see displayed when you click on the post number and edited it (I was going to do the same basic thing via the SQL command line). This is the millionths row added to the "posts" table (even though there are some vacancies - probably deletions), so I think it's reasonable to call this the millionth post.

Since this is a HATE forum, I'll add mine: I hate the fact that the USPS offers shippers who use the web based priority mail the ability to obfuscate the amount paid for postage - and actually features this in their marketing as a way to assist sellers recover the "handling" without the problem of showing the buyer how much of the s&h actually goes to the shipping charge. It also allows the seller to keep money if the buyer takes advantage of any refund guarantee. I've seen items for $1 with a money back guarantee - shipping not included. Shipping on the small $1 item was $20. You mean your state doesn't require you to file a "use tax" report and pay an equivalent amount of out of state purchases

The cutoff is the 10th of each month. USPSA processes all classifiers submitted by the 10th, and uploads to the USPSA web site 1-4 days later (typically - it can be delayed if the 10th falls during the nationals). The new classifications become official once uploaded to the web site.

1. Your shoot in a single, densely packed half day of fun. 2. Plenty of slots left, though the weekend slots are sparse (we've had a few cancellations so there are some) 3. You do not need to be classified (just a USPSA member or member of an IPSC eligible weekend). There is no prize table for "U". Contact me directly if you want to get in - you can pay at the match. If you book a slot and pull a no-show, expect retribution when registration for the 2010 match rolls around. If you are not from NY you should have a match confirmation letter with you that I can fax (the last date I check the PO box prior to the match is next Tuesday) Rob

1. Can they get to the forum at all? Their IP may be blocked. The system uses "APF" (Advanced Policy Firewall) that automagically blocks IPs from blocks with a history of being the source of spam/hacks/felonious mopery and the like. 2. If they can't open the forum, get their IP - Brian or I can check to see if the system is blocking it and, if so, may be able to have it re-opened.

The fact that USPSA has declared that measurements taken with the box at a match may be considered definitive. Use of any other box would put the match in a position of having the match director and/or arb committee measure the box used to determine if it had the correct dimensions. Interesting with the tolerances - what they mean is that a box oversized by an amount less to or equal to the tolerance amount is acceptable. Of course, if the USPSA box happens to be 1/16" over, people will start building guns to take advantage of it ... which will be fine unless a future run of boxes is exactly on size.

Careful about the plumbing ... doing unlicensed work for other people can open yourself up to some real problems, even if you do the job correctly. The plumbing licensing board might let you flush someone else's toilet, but that's about as much as you can do without a license.

Incorrect. What is on the web site is, but definition, "up to date". It won't have all classifiers but, by policy, the new classifications become effective when released to the web. The classifications become effective when released to the web - there is no "advance release". In the old days, matches could send the file to HQ to verify member numbers. Today, if you use the on-line squadding system, you can use the "Verifiy registration data" feature to get a difference report of all entrants whose names do not exactly match the provided membership number.

I took the Armalite armorer's course last summer and the instructor told us the proper torque was between 30 and 80 ft-lb, and to use a regular automotive torque wrench with the armorer's wrench (that's what that 1/2" square hole is for), and to be sure to keep the torque wrench lined up on the same axis as the AR wrench (handles pointing in the same direction).

Worth it if you doing it on upgrades (frequent flier miles; getting lucky and being bumped for first class; etc.) or if someone else is paying (no, USPSA does *NOT* pay for first/business class for ANY business travel). Not worth it if paying out of pocket (at least given the modest depth of my pockets).

Someone I know (age 75) who had it done was very please with the results and told me he was surprised to learn his refrigerator was white - he had spent years thinking it was yellow.

I've added generic data import list to the enhancement candidate list (which USPSA is tracking)

Prize policies are posted on match announcements on www.uspsa.org/squadding: Prize Policies Recognition Awards (plaques) will be awarded by division and class, with one award for the top performer in each division per class, and one additional award for every 5 competitors. Merchandise Prizes will be awarded top to bottom by division. This is a strict performance based distribution of prizes. In the case of gift certificates, the prize is the certificate (i.e., redemption issues are between the competitor and the sponsor)

Not entirely true. If the RO notices that a mover is not set, a popper not yet engaged was never set, or some other range equipment failure, it is appropriate for the RO to stop the shooter to save time, target holes, primers and ammo. If the untaped targets were to rise to the level of "range equipment failure", it would be acceptable for the RO to speak up and stop the shooter. Under the rules, untaped targets are not necessarily a re-shoot. But, the procedure of "if a score can accurately be determined" presents this interesting scenario to consider: A 9mm or 38 super shooter fires a stage with untaped targets from a 45 shooter. If there are no M's with the smaller caliber, a score can be accurately determined and the score stands under the rules. If there are any misses with the smaller caliber, it is not possible to determine if one went through a pre-existing 45 hole, therefore, determining an accurate score is impossible and a re-shoot is mandated. So, if an entire stage consists of untaped larger holes, the competitor gets a "reshoot if miss, score stands if his/her run is clean". I'll try to remember bringing this up the next time the rules are up for revision, so that a re-shoot is mandated if an accurate score cannot be determined even in the event of one or more misses, so that this "re-shoot conditional on how the competitor shot the stage" loophole is removed.

What is the reason for the contact? If it's for something other than seeking employment for a US LE agency, please PM me with his email address and I will forward it to a police helicopter pilot I know (I will not take it upon myself to give out his email address). rob

There will probably be a couple of hundred packages arriving at the shop. I think it would be an abuse of hospitality for each of these 200+ people to email the shop and expect them to look for your package. It's much more effective to use the UPS tracking number online and, if you are concerned about the package being "left at the door", just send it "adult signature required".

The default timeout for the PHP sessions on the server was set to 24 minutes. I've increased it to two hours which should help.

Ship UPS ground, using these markings: www.uspsa.org/orm-d You must drop this off at a UPS depot or arrange for a UPS pickup (which you can do from www.ups.org). UPS Stores and other shipping intermediaries will not accept ammo.

www.uspsa.org -> select "Addtional content" then "classifiers by state" (or go directly to http://www.uspsa.org/cgi-bin/db_class_summary.cgi) "Total number of shooters in database" is current members. The There are actually 58,082 people who have been issued member numbers (this number is not displayed on the above page). Of that 58,082 members 35,279 have classifiers on file and 11,230 have shot a classifier since January 1, 2008. The numbers are slightly out of date since the web page database is updated monthly - the actual count is currently hovering just under 18,000.