Parallax3D

Someone on here, (can't find the thread), also suggested treating your C-More lens with Rain-X, to make it easier to remove the grime. I just bought a CK Arms gun in 9 Major with 3 popple holes, and I switched it from a vertical offset mount to a Cheely horizontal, because that's what I'm used to, so we'll see how it goes. I tried the Cheely setback, but it interfered with my thumb rest and the extended Zig racker that I ordered. (Zig racker was hitting the body of the C-More with it that far back.)

Not a huge issue, (I can do it myself.) Just surprised that it wasn't done on what is essentially a custom $3,500.00 open gun. It's one of those things most open shooters seem to like to have done, since it's not required by USPSA rules, and it keeps it from being a problem on strong-hand/weak-hand stages, (which is where most grip safeties fail to activate.)

Two things can cause hammer follow that is caused by trigger bounce when dropping the slide, 1. Not enough tension on the center leg of the sear spring. 2. Not enough pre-travel in the trigger. (You need a minimum ammount for your half-cock notch to work, but even that may not be enough to prevent bounce from tripping the sear when you have a light trigger pull. Increasing it will increase takeup, but decrease the risk or trigger bounce.)

Well, there you go. (Guess I'd better weigh mine.)

From what I've heard, this is a known manufacturing issue in STI slides, (too little material in that area of the slide), and nothing to do with the type round being shot out of it, or any slide lightening that was done. Mine cracked there too, (right at the front of the ejection port), and the gun was originally a 38 Super that was converted to 9 Major. I bought the gun used, and have had it three years, and I just noticed the crack recently. I've probably put 20-25K though it in 3 years. The person I bought it from may have put about 7-10K through it before that. Guy I bought it from was using TrueBlue and Silhouette. I've been using Autocomp. I believe that STI will stand behind them and warranty the slide as long as it's not cracked in an area that was lightened.

I think you missed the part of the OP's post where he had an ULOADED gun, and cocked the hammer while it was still in the holster, and the RO warned him. That's what this entire thread was about, and it's NOT a DQ, or even something you can warn the shooter about. I think YOU missed where the definition of loaded does not specifiy cocked or not. Show me where it says it matters if it's not cocked. It doesn't matter to ME if it's not cocked during the "make ready", and I would not DQ someone for having a mag in the gun without it being cocked at that time if it's not. I would make them fix it, because it is not inherently unsafe, (you're making ready to shoot anyway!), but that's not the rule. Like I said, I think definition is intended to cover things like live ammo or snap caps in a mag or gun OUTSIDE the COF.

I just picked up a new CK Arms gun in 9 Major, and it has 3 popple holes and a Cheely 4 port comp. I've been using 124gr MG with 7.2 gr of Autocomp in my old gun, (custom 6 port comp, no holes), and I didn't seem to lose any velocity. It still chronoed around 1390-1400 fps. Should be good for 172-173 FP, same as before.

Well, if you put a loaded magazine in the firearm, it is loaded (Loaded firearm - A firearm having a live round, empty case or dummy round in the chamber or cylinder, OR having a live or dummy round in a magazine inserted in the firearm.) If the firearm is loaded, then you can't have it in your holster without the safety being applied (8.5.2.1 - For a single action self-loader the safety must be applied.) In this situation, I can see that this would be a DQ according to 10.5.11. In the case of the OP, I would say that is not a DQ'able offense and I hope the OP informs the RO about it so they can learn from it. "Make Ready" is not over until the competitor assumes the start position. If I put a mag in my gun, then holster it, (no round in the chamber, no hammer cocked), you're telling me that it's a DQ? You're crazy! You're going to DQ someone for a mag in a gun, even if the gun is not chambered and cocked, and they are under the supervision of the RO the entire time? There are rules and then there is idiocy. I'm fairly sure that is NOT how the rule is meant to be interpreted. The definition of "loaded" is written that way to prevent people from having guns with a magazine in them, (even with dummy rounds), when NOT attempting a COF. That covers walking around and in safety areas.

If the Double Alpha ShotMaxx is legal, (and I do believe that people are using it in "spy" mode), then I don't understand why an Apple Watch would be banned. It's just a smart-watch. I don't know what benefit it would give anyone.

After the RO gives the "make ready" command, all bets are off. An unloaded gun with a cocked hammer in the holster, a gun with a magazine in it, or a fully loaded gun is 100% legal. That's the entire point of "make ready." You can't START with a loaded gun without the safety on, but there is nothing that says you can't have the hammer back on an unloaded gun in the holster during "make ready." "Make ready" doesn't end until the competitor assumes the start position. Have you SEEN how long some pros take to make ready?

Hey, the RO said "make ready." At that point, you're allowed to do pretty much anything, up to and including dry firing, practice draws, and even taking sight pictures with a loaded gun! If he didn't want you messing with the hammer on the gun, he shouldn't have told you to "make ready."

The funny thing is, you don't really notice the noise when you're the one doing the shooting, (unless you're in a confined space, of course.) The one who DOES tend to notice the noise is the poor RO who is standing right behind you.

More than likely, yes. I stopped putting holes in mine since I had to bump the powder up from .2-.5 to get the same PF. It all depends on your barrels, size of holes, how many, etc. Always START LOW and work up slow using a chrono - watch for pressure signs. Do not use the exact recipes we list since every barrel and setup is different. Just chronoed my loads in my new CK Arms gun last Saturday. 124gr MG CMJ, 7.2 gr WAC, 1.170 OAL, SRP. In my old gun, (Schumann barrel, 6 port comp), I was getting 172-173 PF. In the new gun, (KKM barrel, Cheely 4 port comp, 3 popple holes), it seems to be making the same numbers. I was consistently in the 1390-1400fps range, I was rather surprised myself, since I was expecting to need more powder. Bottom line, you pretty much need to do the chrono work.

LOL! You mean I have to line up that red dot, (fiber optic), inside the rear notch?! I forgot how to do that!

I've got an SVI medium-length flat trigger, and I like it. I think the advantage is that no matter where your finger touches the trigger, it's always the same feel. If you're shooting really fast, (think of something like CM 06-03 "Can You Count"), you're probably slapping the trigger, so having the trigger "feel" the same every time you touch it is probably an advantage. Never seen a "reverse curve" trigger.

40 Open is a waste of money, time and effort. Not enough gas to work the comp. You'd have to load very light 135gr bullets to really take advantage of the comp and gas, and not many companies make them. The mag capacity puts you at a disadvantage right from the start. Basically, you aren't going to be competitive running a .40 open gun. That's why practically nobody does it. I'll admit that I did it for the first 6 months that I ran Open, but I've been shooting 9mm Major now for the past 3 1/2 years.

And STI has known problems, with their slides at least. They tend to crack near the front of the ejection port. Company size and age does not always equal quality.

Hogwash! It's not disabling it if that's the way it's designed to be that way when you manufacture it. There are no "gun police" who decide whether it's ok for a manufacturer to disable a grip safety.The thumb safety is the primary safety on a 1911 style pistol. 1911s have been designed with grip safety's for over 100 years. Its a liability issue for a gunsmith/gun builder to sell a gun with a disabled safety. Now once the customer gets it, they can do whatever they want to it. Let me know when you find a builder who will sell you a gun they made with a disabled safety device. If they do, bet you have to sign a release of liability. Novak does an in-house conversion called "the answer" that totally removes the 1911 grip safety. AFAIK, no "release of liability" is required. This smacks of the age-old argument of "gunsmiths won't do trigger jobs that are below X number of pounds because of liability," A gunmith has no liability if the gun operates as intended. If you ASK them to disable the grip safety, they can't be liable for anything, because it's not faulty work. And if you want to get technical, the original design of the 1911 had no THUMB safety! Just because something has always been done that way, it doesn't mean it's the correct way.

Yeah, I'm going to switch it to a 90 degree mount, (Cheely of course.) Too used to shooting a 90 degree to switch. I had already ordered a Cheely mount with the gun, but when I found out it had popple holes, I had to send that back and get the setback version, (to keep from frying the lens.) I've also got an extended Brazos Zig racker for it, and the G.a.s Pedal thumb rest and SVI flat trigger, like my old one had. That stuff will have to wait until next week to get fitted, since I have a steel match tomorrow. Hopefully changing the mainspring cures my weak ignition problem. I'll find out tonight.

My old open gun, (made by Darren Mulford, Benos username ExtremeShot), for comparison. Darren makes his own comps too.

I got the Thunder in 9mm Major. CK Arms hi-cap modular frame CK Arms magwell with insert CK Arms firing pin stop CK Arms tuned ejector CK Arms barrel link CK Arms drilled and tapped mag release CK Arms grip screw/bushing kit CK Arms carbon steel slide CK Arms C-More mount STI polymer grip, double undercut, contoured, and textured Aftec extractor EGW fire controls Wilson hi-ride ambi thumb safety Ed Brown memory groove grip safety KKM Precision bull barrel Slide Ride optic XL firing pin Wolff springs Standard guide rod and reverse plug Wilson SS slide stop Brazos Zig Racker slide racker (It's got two ball detents.) We'll have to see how it runs with my current load with the Cheely comp and the popple holes. My current load for my old gun, (which has a cracked slide right now), is 124gr MG, 7.2gr WAC, 1.170 OAL. That usually gave me between 172-173 PF in my old gun.

Hogwash! It's not disabling it if that's the way it's designed to be that way when you manufacture it. There are no "gun police" who decide whether it's ok for a manufacturer to disable a grip safety. The thumb safety is the primary safety on a 1911 style pistol.

Probably lawyers. Wasn't pinned on my $3,500 CK Arms open gun either. Again, not something that can't be fixed, but definitely something I'd expect to be done already on a competition gun from a custom builder, as oppsosed to a larger manufacturer like STI.

Phhhtt! I can change it from 2.5# to 2# in about 10 minutes. Nothing to get worked up over. I just dropped $3,500 on a new CK Arms open gun, and it wasn't lighting off the primers on my major ammo, (WSR primers.) The trigger was 2#, but the hammer fall seemed pretty weak to me. Took me about 20 minutes of tinkering. I replaced the mainspring with a 19#, (which upped the trigger pull to 2.5#), then tweaked the sear spring until I got it back to around 2#. The hammer fall is much heavier now. We'll see how it sets off the primers this afternoon after I get off work. Point is, it's nothing that can't be adjusted by someone that knows what they're doing. Certainly nothing to cancel an order over, if that's the gun you really want.

They're not going to start dropping the lowest ones until you have more than 6.