bunsen27

Jomar, Ozark is a "natural terrain" match. Last year we drove to each stage, not sure about the spacing between stages this year, but I would bet that it will be similar. You need your own shade, easy chair(???), refreshments, etc... Tell you what, you concentrate on creature comforts, I will concentrate on beating you, hows that??? jj JJ are the stages accessible by car or would you definitely need a 4x4? It's a far enough haul for me that I was planning on driving my car rather than my 4x4.

Here is the link to Apex Tacticals YouTube channel which has installation videos for the hard sear and USB. http://www.youtube.com/user/apextactical#p/a/u/0/ruCW-yACkzI After watching those you can decide for yourself if it is within your capabilities to install the parts. The hard sear/USB combo should eliminate much of the grittiness. As far as a more positive or tactile reset like a Glock or CZ you won't get that with the Apex parts. What you will get is a smooth take up that breaks cleanly at 3-4 lbs with a very short reset. As short as the reset is I personally don't think you need a strong positive reset feeling, YMMV. Dan Burwell has an outstanding reputation for M&P trigger jobs, I don't know what his present schedule or turn around time is. I believe Dan can also do a few more tricks with overtravel, ect. I have no knowledge of Accurate Iron. Hope that helps.

I agree with all your points 100%...hence my present conundrum.

Careful....... there are those who will say that changing chokes is gaming gay.... I've been following the other thread about "intent" vs "gaming" and as a n00b to the sport I'm finding it a rather interesting and an enlightening discussion. I appreciate all the quick responses. I've been running M in my gun and am quite pleased with it though have encountered a few scenarios were I "feel" a slightly tighter choke would have helped. I have a bit of a Sporting clays background so I'm accustomed to picking the proper choke for the situation. The "one choke rule" was a bit baffling to me. I thought that was the whole point of having screw in chokes in the first place. I'm planning on getting some Briley extended chokes so I can easily swap chokes. Aside from a designated Safe Area how do you all change your chokes out? On the line before making Ready under the RO's supervision or on your cart with the muzzle down? I'm new to the whole competative thing and although I always try to to practice safe gun handling I'm finding that each range/organization define it each a bit differently. I only have two local 3-gun matches from which to draw experince. Both have a "cold range" policy and no designated safe area(s). We are typically allowed to pre-load our tubes while the shotgun is on the cart (if it is a shotgun stage). However, I will be attending the FB3G and BRM3G (and memorizing the saftey instructions/rules), and I'd really hate to get a match DQ for changing out the choke in an unsafe manner. Thanks again.

I'm new to 3-gun this year, and as of yet have only shot local "outlaw" matches. I asked this question to the guy who got me into the sport and his response was: "you have to shoot the same choke throughout the match". I've read our local matches rules and saw nothing specifically prohibiting it. After reading through numerous threads I get the impression some people do swap chokes dependent on the stage design. I can see the advantage of tightening up to an improved modified, light full or even full if the stage is comprised of all birdshot with some smaller distant targets. For those that have shot some of the national level matches what is the prevelent policy or school of thought on swapping chokes at these matches? Below is the rules section from one of our local matches.

I run a Serpa for 3-gun and haven't heard anything about potential banning...yet. I use a Blade Tech Sting Ray belt holster with the DOH attachment for USPSA Production also. Both are excellent holsters, but you will find that the BT with DOH is much quicker on the draw than the Serpa.

I'll see if I can answer all your talking points: 1. I like the different back starps quite a bit. Dependent on your hand size you can adjust the gun to fit you. They are easily removable (no roll pins to punch) and are quite inexpensive to replace ($2.35/grip at Midway USA). They can also be easily customized for texture with either a soldering gun or wood burner. 1B. The magazine release button it positioned quite well IMO and can be easily swapped between either the left or right side of the frame. I have smaller hands and run all my mag releases on the right side of the frame. It took me about 3 minutes and a ball point pen to swap it around. 2. Not sure what your looking for here, but it has adequate curvature and texturing to be easliy located and to remain in contact with. 3. I've experienced no binding or sticking issues. Also, the slightly larger base pad helps with firmly seating the mag IMO. 4. There are several places that do trigger and texturing work. Apex has their drop in parts and a few more on the drawing board. Several manufactuers produce aftermarket sights including Dawson. 5. Filed stripping is quite simple. I haven't done a full take down on the gun because I know my own limitations. 6. Quite adequate serrations and very smooth slide operation. As of yet nobody has produced an extended slide release lever.The factory one is a bit anemic, much like a factory Glocks. 7. It's eaten and shot quite accurately every type of factory ammo I've fed it regardless of bullet weight. 8. I haven't had any issue so no need to contact S&W though I do believe they have an excellent reputation for customer service and I believe their firearms come with a quite extensive warranty. 9. You didn't state exactly what your intended purpose for the pistol was though it was assumed based on your questions that it was principally going to be used for competition. I'm new to USPSA and 3-gun this year. I started with a stock Sig P226. After having the internals polished, short trigger installed, hammer springs reduced it was an EXCELLENT competitoin gun...except for the DA first pull and the ergonomics of it didn't suit me 100%. I did my research between Glock, S&W M&P, and SA XD(M). I am fortunate enough to have a local gun store that sells all 3 brands and have rental guns to try. After doing a side by side of each I settled on the M&P. The glock didn't fit my hand and I wasn't crazy about the trigger. XD(M) felt great and shot well, but it had a lot of muzzle flip IMO. M&P had a crisp break (although the take up was longer than a country mile) and the muzzle flip was minimal. There wasn't anything horrible wrong with the XD(M) or Glock I just preferred the M&P more. All 3 pistols are within $50 of each other cost wise and magazines are roughly $22-$28 dependent on where you shop. One thing that did swing me was the ease and relative low cost of trigger work. For the M&P you have Dan Burwell, Apex Tactical, Cold Bore Customs, ect. For the SA there is SA, Canyon Creek, and one other I can't recall but the XD(M) trigger work is typically $150+ while the M&P work is typically less than $100.

I really like how you utilized the dual gun mounts for the long guns and the beach umbrella! I'm thinking of changing the gun mounts on mine and may go the same route. Very nicely done!

Good to know, thanks. I underestimated the distance/drive time. I was thinking 8-10 hours while Google maps is indicating 16-17. This would be more of a full week vacation rather than just a few days away from work. I'll have to double check my shedule. I hope I can make it, looks like a great match!

I found out that I have some extra vacation this year due to a planned facility shut down no longer occurring. Are there still open slots for the match? Thanks in advance.

I agree with you on the 4 MOA targets as a minimum. I've just started shooting 3-gun this year and started out shooting TI because I prefer them. One of our local 3-gun matches is also just getting started this year and the first match had 10in targets offhand at 100yds and 4in at 100yds off a standing rest. Where I ran into trouble was the 200yd targets were 6in flashers with no backer. I just couldn't get a consistant sight picture, and for those shooting irons a 4MOA target size is about the smallest you can accuartely get a consistant sight picture on. I've sinced switched to a 2x-7x optic and have no issues with the longer range targets. Coincidentally, the most recent match saw larger 8in targets at 200 yds and some very nice backers to add contrast. I may go back to irons next season, but for now the Dark Side (Tactical Optics) has a firm grasp.

I think he might have been asking about the updated 2010 application form that Linda emailed competitors about earlier in the week. She mentioned that it should be available Sunday May 16th. I believe she was in Charlotte NC this weekend for the NRA meeting, and is likely traveling back to SC today. There are some nasty thunderstorms in NC & SC she may have run into. I'm sure the application form will be available early this week. No reason to panic, she will let us know very soon.

Several of the guys I shoot with do this also and have convinced me to go this route. The Calf Comp Works shell holders I use just don't go on or off a pistol belt easily, and it's a pain re-rigging between stages. Tactical Tummy....I'll have to use that because Lord knows I've got one.

It was the Jan issue, thanks for the info. I was able to find a copy of the article and found it quite interesting.

You've hit the nail on the head here. The only difference between 9L and th 9Pro is the trigger and sights. These are the first two things people have changed or worked on to suit their preference so they typically opt for the lower cost model. I went with the 9L and installed the Apex parts myself (moderate mechanical apptitude). I really like how the trigger is now compared to the factory. I'm still working on what type of sights I prefer. Factory so far is fine other than I've blacked out the rear dots. If you do decide to go with aftermarket sights REALLY do your research on front post height and rear sight combination. It can get VERY confusing quite quickly, which is why I still haven't changed mine. I was at a 3 gun shoot this past week and three of us in the squad were running M&P's. I had the 9L while the others had the 9 Pro. We did a little side by side comparision after the match and both of the 9 Pro guys were asking me how hard it is to install the Apex parts.

Yep, that server got pounded pretty good. Hopefully we all have faster interwebz than everybody else. I'll be curious to see how many hits it took in the .25- .75 seconds after it rolled over the bottom of the hour. Best of luck to all!

I'm curious to read the article since I presently shoot a Sig in Production and am a big fan of Sigs. I joined USPSA in March so my first issue of Front Site arrived yesterday. I was hoping they would send me the previous issue also, but no luck. Which issue is this article in or can I read it in the members area on the USPSA website somewhere? I haven't explored the website much yet. Thanks in advance.

I've always been impressed with a Sigs level of accuracy out of the box. I have a P220 circa '87 that has always been a personal favorite of mine. I came across a used 9mm P226 (circa late 80's) in Dec, purchased it, and have been shooting it in Production since January. I really enjoy it, even though everybody tells me I should have bought a Glock. (I did just purchase a M&P9L though.) I had a local gunsmith install a short trigger ($25) and an 18# hammer spring from Wolf ($2), plus polishing everything up nice (feed ramp, trigger bar, ect). DA is barely 9lbs and SMOOTH. The SA is a crisp 3.5lbs. Reset is a bit longish but managable. I've heard nothing positive about the currebt SRT system. I can't speak for any of the available work out there, but just those small changes made a HUGE difference in shootability to me. Since several State and Federal agencies issue Sigs as duty weapons, so finding a competent and qualified armorer isn't impossible. Nor is it impossible to find a good deal on a used duty weapon that has a low round count with some holster wear. I'm still running the stock sights and grips. I tried the Houge grips and they felt great, but they added a bit too much girth to the grips for my hand size, even with the short trigger. The DA first pull can be a slight disadvantage on mid-long range targets, but with practice and a reduced hammer spring it's not too bad. As an added bonus the SA trigger does help alot with the longer shots, IMO. I'm using factory mags from (www.topgunsupply.com ,a Bladetech dropped-offset holster (DOH) with the Stingray belt loop (SBR), and Fobus double mag pouches on a Bianchi belt. I started with a Blakhawk Serpa, but now much prefer the Bladetech for USPSA. You can definitely be competive with a Sig in production. Good luck and remember that it's just a game and a great way to take our favorite toys out of the safe and play with them.

I too originally placed an order with Botach, but due to the continual backorder situation canceled it. Fortunately I saw the prior post about Velocity Shooter having the mags in stock so I sent my business there. By complete serendipity I received my Bladetech DOH M&P holster the same day, from MidwayUSA, only to find out that it was the 4" and wouldn't fit my M&P9L. Fortunately, Velocity Shooter had the 5" in stock and Tony was gracious enough to combine my two seperate orders and save me the extra shipping cost. I'll definitely be sending more business their way in the future.

I received my Apex hard sear and striker block on Sat. I had them installed in ~20 min after watching the instructional videos, then following along. Very easy to install and the resulting trigger is exceptional! I don't have a pull weight scale for exact poundage but ir feels just touch heavier than my 3.5 lbs Sig trigger, so I'm guestimating ~4 lbs. Very smooth with a significant reduction in reset (40-50%). Still not an exceptionally tactile feeling reset, but with the short reset I'm not sure it will matter much. I didn't install the reduced power spring for the striker block (being overly cautions), but I will likely go back and install it. Flork, what exactly does the reduces striker block spring help with again? Thanks again to Apex for the great parts! I'll be very interested to see what other aftermarket M&P parts Apex cooks up in the future. A striker or trigger bar perhaps?