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Leave Production alone. You can make L10 SS only if you like. Makes more sense (to me).

I've been going for just a little shiny ring on the rim when I crimp, BUT I also turn the bullet nose down on my bench and push hard and remeasure OAL to make sure it doesn't change. Is this a bad, good, or indifferent idea?

Your vision is going to be different than mine, so YMMV. It sounds like you might like the Dawson FO front with plain black adjustable rear. I have shot this setup on a friends G35. It is nice but if it were mine I would widen and deepen the rear notch. If you start this way your only a Heinie rear sight away from a change. Or start with the Heinie's and you can switch to a FO front later. I have the Dawson FO front, .100 I think with a black Heinie slant pro rear. The FO front helps me pick the up the front sight quicker, and the black square outline around the FO rod gives a nice sight picture for longer and more precise shots. Thread drift: So, Duane and Erik, I've been out of the tactibilly loop, what's the latest on tritium vs. non-tritium? TomB

Through my G35 with a Barsto barrell: 5.0 grains Titegroup= 193 pf, slightly faster than lead, about 40fps faster than jacketed. 4.5 g TG was still 178 pf. My chrono is a cheapy but I don't think it's too far off. The Titegroup with the moly's is smoky, not quite as bad as lead but close. I only had a few to chrono so I don't know about leading. My friend with a Para .40 says with time he picked up 80fps over the jacketed. I like the bullets alot but I will be switching powders.

I like Dale's plan and would gladly ride along, but I know him and his partner a little so I'm sure it would be entertaining. Hey, didn't BE hisownself travel the country reloading as he went? From a practical standpoint my biggest worry would be eliminating the possibility of powder bouncing out of the primed case before I could place a bullet on it. Heck, with a 1050 just mount it solid and reload enough for the both of ya when you get there. That'd take all of an hour or so... TomB

"Buy a 9mm so you can shoot for cheap" is the best advice here by far since you don't reload (yet). Any of the major makes that hold a minimum of ten rounds in the magazine will be fine, whatever you like. Avoid the really cheap guns (Hi-point comes to mind). Heck, just grab your Dad's Glock and go shoot a match. I can almost guarantee your perception will change by at least 90 degrees.... It's the most fun thing I do, well at least in the top 3.

You ricers have me intrigued. Do you use any polish with the rice? I've always used about 25% walnut with the finest ground corncob I could get, add a dash of polish or Brasso.

I'm going to go way out on a limb here. A Glock 17 will shoot cheap 9mm, start in Production division, the gun will be competitive. With a decent belt holster, mags and mag holders you could be in the game for about $600-650. If you never get into reloading you are still shooting pretty cheaply. If you stick with our sport you can turn the G17 into an Open division gun, sell it and get a 1911 style Open gun, or just keep it and pick up a nice deal on a used gun. There are some petty cool looking G17 based Open guns being built, you can find some in our picture gallery. I've never shot one myself, but I am drooling. If you decide to not shoot anymore you could get most of your money backfrom a stock G17. Welcome and good luck.

I thought you meant a Ford Taurus, the car. Makes more sense that way...

Good job Rich! Keep a cool head and use your sights. Please update us when you can, and thank you for serving your country. Tom Bergman

Try Popguns on the corner of E Washington and Post Rds. (317) 897-8660. I also sent you a PM. TomB

I think your shooting pals will respect you more if you come right back to shoot again, I mean this weekend or the first available match. Takes a lot of courage to get back up after a knockdown. People know that and will like you better for it although they may watch you a little closer for awhile. Thanks for sharing, that alone shows your character. TomB

Whoa whoa whoa! DT, you are using a G34 for carry, USPSA and IDPA? Sorry for the thread drift, but what is going on here? I can add that I mic'ed a G35 to a SS 1911 and the differences in dimensions were neglible. I think the 1911 is more "roundy" so smoother to carry IWB, but the G35 is lighter and holds several more rounds. I suppose a lot would depend on the carry method. Maybe this could be a new thread? The Glocksters would like to know what you are up to, I'm sure. Tom Bergman

Thread drift for Caspian 45: If you can make it just across the state line to Indiana, just south of Terre Haute, D-Lo is putting on some fantastic local matches the third Sunday each month. Set up at eight, start at ten. I think it's www.wvps.com, if that doesnt' work pm me or D-lo or 3QT. TomB Ron: You can come shoot with the KY-IN folks anytime and I doubt if anyone will accuse you of being a paper master. Shoot it baby, just shoot it. Whatever is the most fun for you.

Brass is easy to see in the snow, but hard to pick up. Hot brass melts the snow, then it refreezes immediately, especially at 11 degrees F. Plus your fingers get really cold and it's hard to shoot afterward. Brass recovery with snow=bad juju. It was 50 degrees and sunny here (Indiana) yesterday and we were saying how beautiful it is.

One of my regular shooting buds buys a cheap used Para P16, Accu-rails the slide/frame, throws the rest of the parts out and has a gunsmith build the rest. Sweet guns, run great, have a steel frame.

Duane, Would that be like a "peace through superior firepower" type thing?

No(to the steel). If there is any area to go overkill it is in the solid mounting of the bench.

Thanks for sharing the gun pics, they are nice. What I really like is the use of the term "Old school". That is the shanizzell. tomB

Shocked is the word. I was in Navy boot camp at Great Mistakes (Great Lakes Naval Station) in the winter of 1984. I was a squad leader and the Company Commander had us stay back from dinner to iron our squads underwear (I'm not kidding). I was hungry so I had a guy sneak some packages of crackers from the chow hall. I put some under my pillow and some under my buddies pillow. Then we had a suprise bunk drill (strip your bed and remake it). My buddy forgot about the crackers and they went flying across the room when he whipped the pillow off the bed. Oh boy. The CC lined us all up and was telling us how he was going to mash us all night until somebody confessed. I stepped out immediately and said, "They are my crackers." I still remember the look of shock on his face. This was actually a pretty smart guy, I guess his experiences had taought him that no one would take respnsibility. TomB

Thank you, J &J.

Jake, I wasn't able to attend the 2004 Area 5 match, but I do know several of the folks who made it possible. Would you please share some constructive comments on how the the match could be improved? Thank you, Tom Bergman

Doug's my new hero. I'm just glad that someone who can crush a Volkswagon with his bare hands is on my side. TomB

Nice work, Rhino. BTW, did you forget about giving me lessons in AR'ing? Or maybe you don't want to admit I was your student Hey, it's not your fault if the student doesn't practice what he's learned.

No bagging. Oh, wait, I thought this was about shooting classifiers I just holster, it's a Glock, it likes to play dirty.