Chris Christian

Thanks for the links & data. Sorry to be late saying that but the computer crashed Sunday and I just got it back and working tonite. Will be talking to those folks in the next week or so. Thanks again for the info. Chris Christian

A Big Thanks to everyone who provided sources... both PM and Forum. Sorry to be late in saying that but hard drive crashed Sunday... just got it back from the Techie and running. I will be contacting them next week, and I'm sure they'll have a lot of good infor for the article. Chris Christian

+1 to the file ( I use a flat Swiss file). I've thinned many a front sight for my old eyes. I normally mic it first. Most are around .125. I prefer .100. I thin one side of a .125 sight to about .118... mic... then thin the other to get the .100. If you don't do it exact... you just make a click or two of windage adjustment on the rear sight. It's easier than it sounds. Chris Christian

Cherryriver, Thanks for the feedback. Just wanted to know. I see a lot of new revolver shooters (and SS certainly would be one) that are quite willing to dump a mag from their familiar semi-auto... but seem to be far more retentive with speedloaders. Can't explain it... just observed it. Chris Christian

Just a thought... but how did the gal feel about slamming the Comp III into the gun and closing the cylinder to just let the speedloader fall where it may? I have seen a number of new revolver shooters who are looking for some place or pocket to put the empty loader instead of just going back to find it after the COF is over. It's kinda tough for me to tell them "Just let it drop", and actually have it sink in. I sometimes feel like I have left a trail of "bread crumbs" after a USPSA stage.. with all the speedloaders I have to go find (although many squad members will pick them up for you... a very nice touch, and I reciprocate by collecting their magazines after they shoot... I think that's a very nice courtesy that reduces stress on all the shooters...they have enough on their minds during the scoring without worrying about where their gear is). I just wondered how she handled that. Chris Christian

I'm a Contributing Editor to Shot Business magazine, which is the official publication of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, and the folks who put on the SHOT Show. I have a possible assignment to interview gun shops/dealers who actively promote and cater to Three-Gun/Multi-Gun shooters... whether with guns, accessories, or knowledge/advice. The sport is minimal in my home area, but if anyone knows of a shop that does this... anywhere in the United States... that might like to be interviewed for this article I would appreciate contact info (shop name, contact name, phone#, etc.) Please feel free to PM me with the data if you would rather not put it on an open forum. To the Moderator: again, I apologize in advance if this is not an appropriate subject for this forum. Chris Christian

I'm a Contributing Editor to Shot Business magazine, which is the official publication of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, and the folks who put on the SHOT Show. I have an assignment for Shot Business to talk about gun shops that actively promote, or encourage, or cater to, handloaders... either by providing instruction or seminars, or in other ways. If anyone knows of a shop like this... anywhere in the United States... that might like to be interviewed for this article, I would very much appreciate contact info (shop name, contact person, phone#, etc). Please feel free to PM me on this if you would rather not do it on the Forum. To The Moderator: I hope I didn't cross any lines here. If so, I apologize in advance. I just figured this would be a good spot to place this plea for help. Chris Christian

One certainly would. But IDPA HQ... for whatever reason... disagrees. Chris Christian

.45 GAP is fine in ESR. That division has a minimum caliber (9mm) and any cartridge from there on up that can safely make 165 PF is GTG. The GAP is perfectly legal. Chris Christian

There is no specific "failure to engage penalty" in the IDPA rule book. That infraction is addressed under the heading of not following the requirements of the COF as to engaging targets with a specified number of rounds... or deliberately not firing rounds at a specified target because your score would be better even with the down points... or failing to fire the minimum number of rounds as specified for the COF target array. Some of the above might be PEs... some might be FTDRs. The FTDR would specifically apply if a competitor failed to engage a target while having ammo available to do so because (in the opinion of the SO & MD) they felt their score would be better without doing so. Putting shoot through rounds onto a target while "engaging" a different target does not mean you fired the required number of rounds at the target that received the shoot through rounds. If you didn't aim and fire at that target... or attempt to...It's still a penalty... take your pick as to which one. Chris Christian - Cerified IDPA SO

It is fun. Especially when you start beating some of the bottom feeders that were yawning when you stepped up to LAMR. Chris Christian

This may be putting too fine a point on it, but if the COF description said the shooter will engage each target with a minimum or three rounds (Vickers) or three rounds only (Limited) then "engaging" T-2 and counting on rounds to shoot through and hit T-4... without specifically aiming at and engaging T-4... would be a procedural at the least... because T-4 was not specifically engaged. Another way to look at it is in failing to fire the minimum number of rounds required by the COF description. Subjectively, that could also be a FTDR. In any case, it would draw a penalty. Chris Christian

343... Quick thought on shooting As. If you're shooting USPSA with a Major caliber (which it sounds like you are) a fast C will normally score better than a slow A. In IDPA the A hits (O Zone in this different scoring system) are preferred, unless the targets are beyond 20 yards, in which case a fast -1 normally beats a slow O. I primarily shoot IDPA in Stock Service Revolver (Minor caliber)although I do shoot the same rig in USPSA for some outside the box practice. I stick with the shoot As there... but if I was running Major I would speed up and not worry too much about Cs. Chris Christian

If you put .38 Special cases on a trimmer... trim them to short colt length... they still say .38 Spl on the headstamp. Hmmmm.....I hadn't thought of that. But, it would make for more positve ejection, and take about .4 - .5 grains less powder to make PF... hmmmm. Chris Christian

Safariland makes plastic pouches... I know they make a three holder pouch (I use one for USPSA).. don't know about single holders. The 3 load pouch works great with Comp IIIs if you remove the small plastic removeable insert it comes with. As for IDPA, I took a .44 caliber, leather, double speedloader holder that had a covering snap.... used a sharp knife to cut half the snap away, and found it to be great for a pair of Comp III .38 loaders. I have to unsnap to load them into the holder, but with the cut out I can just grab them and pull. And, they pass the "upside down" test perfectly. No problem from even the pickiest SO. Most leather holster companies off one. Chris Christian

+1 to Comp IIIs. They fit the same holders as the Comp IIs and you don't need finger grooves on the holder side. The IIIs have an extension that makes for easy grabbing. You can use your Comp IIs for the initial load off the clock, which saves having to refill the IIIs all that often. Chris Christian

A definite PE for "failing to engage" each target with the required number of rounds specified in the COF. Shoot throughs do count for score, but counting on shoot throughs to "score" two targets without specifically engaging the second target would be 3 secs if I was SOing that squad. As for FTDR... a subjective call. If the shooter finished the COF and then bragged about his frugalness, and how he intended to not have to fire rounds at the second target to save time... I might issue one. I agree it is not a well thought out COF... obvious shoot throughs should be avoided. Chris Christian

The rules clarification regarding .38 Short Colt brass is not on any "official" IDPA web site... just a privately run, and admittedly "unoffical" web site. But, it was relayed to me in a phone con with Robert Ray. Given that the Rule Book says yes, and the clarification is not officially posted, it would be interesting to see what the MDs call would be at a Sanctioned Match. Chris Christian

+1 to Short Colt working well in Safariland or HKS speedloaders. Unfortunately, Short Colt has been ruled illegal for IDPA SSR division. The Rule Book says you can... a Rules Clarification from HQ says you can't. Chris Christian

As a previous poster noted, there are times when a RWR makes tactical sense in a IDPA match in terms of COF speed. As for the Real World... I have been through a couple of shoot houses with an unknown number of targets in multiple rooms/hallways. It made a lot of sense to me to RWR after clearing one room and before entering the next.. and I would have done it in real life as well. I developed that midset and RWR speed/confidence shooting IDPA where either the COF required it, or the situation made it the best tactic. I can understand the reason RWR is a part of IDPA. There are times it's valuable. Chris Christian

In my case, I think wins last longer... largely because I have the trophys to remind me. Losses are just another match I didn't win. Chris Christian

I use the 333 when I shoot USPSA. It works with my L frame Comp IIIs well. There is a small piece of plastic stuck into each opening that is designed to use with Comp 1 and IIs. If you leave it in (it is removeable) the Comp IIIs will fall out when you run (ask me how I know!). Remove that and the Comp IIIs stay in just fine. Chris Christian

I forgot to mention the counting to six part (thanks Cherryriver, because it is very important!) With only six before a reload you will have to do some serious stage planning. Think about what are the closest targets you can take, where you will reload, what targets are next, and what lies down the road. If you are playing with a Texas Star or a drop turner, you have to plan your reloads to get there with enough rounds in the gun to deal with it... especially drop turners or disappearing targets. Math is a big help, because you don't want to see a drop turner that requires two rounds... engage it... and hear Bang-Click. At the risk of offending the semi-auto fraternity, I will note that revolver shooters need be gifted with a higher level of stage planning skills, math skills, and intelligence, in general. Chris Christian

WOW, there's a good question! Let me see if I can help. (1) I consider it very important that you have grips on the revolver that allow your hand not to shift under the lengthy movement the trigger requires. The gun has to stay solid in the hand on firing. (2) They also need to be slick enough to allow the required hand manipulation needed to eject empty cases, load new ones, quickly establish a new grip, and hit the target with the first round after reload.... finding the right grips for you is IMHO very important, and I am not a fan of rubber grips... to tacky. (3) A smooth trigger is a must. It doesn't really have to be the latest & lightest on the market... just smooth. A good 8.5 pound pull beats a jerky 6 pound pull. (4) If you are shooting a speedloader gun as opposed to a moon clip gun then I would polish the individual chambers. A moon clip has one solid mass coming out to eject empties. A speedloader gun has six individual, and very lightweight, objects that have to be extracted via the ejector strike & gravity. Powder residue can impede ejection there, and ejecting the empty cases is half the reloading process. Nothing is worse than bringing a full speedloader to the gun and finding one empty case didn't clear the cylinder... you then need fast work with a pinky since the hand is occupied with the speed loader (ask me how I know!). Beyond that, it's a matter or practice. Work on "rolling" the revolver... get everything moving at a smooth cadence and make your target transitions within that cadence. The DA pull (don't shoot SA... too slow and too much hand manipulation between shots) allows you to transition at a smooth rhytm. It should be bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang as you move across a target array... and not bang-bang, pause, bang-bang pause, etc. Lastly, I'll note... in my personal opinion... that spending a few months on a revolver will greatly improve your semi-auto shooting. The trigger control, iron grip for sight alignment & accuracy developed (you can't spray & pray with a revolver) does wonders for your semi-auto shooting. Chris Christian

The 686 is rated for .357 Magnum pressures. A 180 slug only needs 925 fps to make major. I shoot 180 jacketed loads (Speer Silhouette TMJ) with 5 grains of 231 in .38 cases to get 780 fps for a Minor match load from a 4-inch GP-100, and that load is only slightly over .38 Spl +P levels. 4.6 grains will get me 720, but I feel that's cutting it to close to the 695 fps I need to make 125 PF with the 180. Powders like 231, HP-38, Unique, and others in that general burn rate can get you 925 fps (only 145 fps more than my Minor match loads) from a 4-inch barrel in .38 cases, without getting anywhere close to .357 pressures, and the recoil shouldn't be much more than my Minor loads. From a six inch barrel you would have even less recoil and could likely make the PF with less powder than a 4 inch gun. It's very doable... safely... if you like your gun and shoot it well. Chris Christian