TMC

Hi all, I'm looking for a fix for a problem that just started. I just had my Para based open gun plated by Tripp Research. The gun looks great now but won't cycle everytime. The failures have been shot stroking meaning the empty case will sometimes end up back in the chamber, or it will stove pipe, or the round being stripped and chambered will get hung up half way in. The thing ran fine before being plated. The last time I shot it was in early November. Specs. are Dawson Comp, Caspin slide lightened, and a 10# spring. Shooting 124's in 39TJ brass with 8.4 of 4756. I tried an 11# spring but that made it worse. I didn't have a 9# to try today so that's on my list next time out. I'm wondering if I have a combination of factors working aginst me. It is much colder now than in Nov., the plating could have tightened things up a bit but if it did I can't feel it. Could the colder weather be affecting the load? I'm running the really light oil. I remember from another thread about using heaviery springs in lighter slides but when I did that it got worse. Any ideas? (Edited by TMC at 5:02 pm on Jan. 10, 2002)

TDean, How secure is the ranges hold on the land? Maybe its on its way out. Our club was displaced 5 years ago by an encroaching golf couse retirement community and we still don't have the county o.k. on using the new site. Just before we had to close the gates for good we had framed homes along the side of 100 yard range and we could only shoot on days when no one was working.

Has anyone seen a price on it. No info on the website.

One guy at our club had 65,000 (in 5 months!) when he replaced the barrel in his open gun shooting Montana gold 115's at 175pf. I know another shooter with 150,000 through his limited gun shooting Lazercast 180's and its still going strong.

As far as other speed on plates there is this guy with initials be who puts one shot each on two plates from the draw in like . 89 or some amazing time like that. Man do I need practice!

On the new Todd Jarrett video he does it in 1.99 sec. with his open gun. WOW!

SG, you and me both have one for the "hate" section. I too alway get my mag long after everyone else does.

I built my open gun because I'm cheap and can't help but tinker with things. I used a Para frame I had, got a Caspian slide, Clark threaded barrel, Dawson comp and a C-more. I had to have the barrel professional shortened but all of the other fitting I did myself (with help from Layne Simpson articles). I bought tools from Brownells figuring I could use them again, and I have numerous times. I shot it for a year "as is" but recently had a local gunsmith lighten the slide and comp and evenup the profile of the two. The gun runs great now and shoots flat enough for B speed. I'm into my gun for about $1250 in parts including the frame. I can't even begin to tell you how much time I spent fitting then sorting the thing out. I did enjoy the challenge though, for me that was part of the fun. As far as brass goes I've used them all and for me TJ brass seems to be the best as it come out of my Para mags the smoothest. I've seen lots of guns run flawlessly with regular Super brass so who knows? Hope this helps..

This need to be talked about more, these RO's need to remember tha this is a game and is supposed to be fun. The RO sets the tone for the stage. Some are great, fun and the stages goes along well, everyone is happy and willing to help out. On others the guys are jerks, it puts allot of people on edge, shooters are bitching and moaning and the stages seems to drag on forever.

How about implied approved actions during "load and make ready". At the 3-gun nats I got scolded for checking to see if the light on my shotgun was on afer I loaded it. The guys yelled at me and says that a "no-no". I looked at the RO and said "you said load and make ready and thats what I'm doing" then he gives me this BS about well you can't take a sight picture with a loaded gun. I said I didn't read that in the rule book and he says well it there. After shooting the stage I ask to see the book, and he got all defensive and goes off on "well not specifically but at this match you can't do that" and "just ask the CRO". This same guy said nothing when a few minutes later Jim Clarck did the same thing. Little Napoleons!

Thanks for the clairfication singlestack Shooter Grrl, As far as using a .22 at the match you'll have to check with the MD, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

The difference is the gas system, the 1100 is older and basic where the 11-87 has a few other parts incase of overcharge loads its easier on the gun with less chance of breakage. I shoulds have used "comp" instead of brake. JP calls it a recoil eliminator. It has ports that direct the gas up and back to tame recoil and muzzle rise. Yea the Benelli is up there, I've seen used 1100 for about $200 and new one's run about $500 +/-, that's why I have one. Go the the Richmond 3-gun at the end of the month I'm sure most of us would be happy to let you try out the different guns.

Most of the 3-gun shotguns are eigher Remmington 1100 or 11-87 (which have a ton of aftermarket accessories) or Benelli. The Rem is available in a light weight version though with light weight comes more recoil. Having shot both, the Benelli seems to have more felt recoil than the Remmington. I have a JP brake on my open 1100 which is pretty effective at dampening the recoil and keeping it on target. As far a caliber goes stick with 12 ga. if you want to shoot 3 gun. 20 has a smaller pattern, is not major and it is harder to knock down steel with 20 ga. Buy a few cases of the cheap 12 ga ammo and shoot it alot to get used to getting it up on you shoulder right (keeps the brusing down), and you'll get used to the recoil. Hope this is helpful.

One other issue your may want to think about is how you hold the gun during a reload. I hold the gun by the barrel right in front of the receiver as it feels like the best balance point. Because of this I had to put my Holosight about 3-4 inches down the barrel so I wouldn't crash into it when spinning the gun over to reoald.

I use Para tubes with Dawson pads, unmodified Para followers and Arrendondo Para + 10% mag springs uncut and 21 fit no problem with room for the reload. I have not done anything to the inside of the tube but did tune the feed lips. First and last round feed the same.

Lots of talk in here about making the PF with .223. How does 7.62x39 do? Does it make major? Major PF for rifle is 340. Looks like alot of the production stuff uses a 122 grain bullet so it would have to go 2,787 fps. I don't know the ballistics of this round but I have seen AR's set up for it and there is alway the Mini-30. Any info.

I have a JP on my 1100 and it shoots really flat no matter how fast you pull the trigger the gun does not climb. I don't feel that it lightens the recoil all that much and hardly at all with slugs. I have not tried it with the reduced recoil slugs so many people at the 3 gun nats were using. I do not have a complete JP gun just the comp installed on my gun. My gun is sensitive to loads though and after about 150 rounds I have to clean the recoil/gas rings as it begins to have stopages. My buddy has an 1187 he bought from JP and his runs like crazy no matter how dirty. There are some differences like the mag tube is chromed or something and the gas system is a bit different. All that said it shoots flatter than any other ported or comped shotgun I have seen or shot.

One aspect of these loarders is in the gun itself. When I first installed my loader and tried it the first shell would stop half way in the rest would end up on the floor. You need to break the sharp edges on the reciever at the mag tube entry and polishing that area. My 1100 had really sharp edges that would catch the plastic on the shells. After doing that I've never had a problem with a reload.