Jim Taylor

Sometimes you need to turn sensors on their sides. Best regards, Jim Taylor

Just a quick note to say well done. For controllers, I recommend a mini PLC from Splatco in Australia. The web site is www.splatco.com.au They are easy to program, i.e., you don't have to learn ladder logic. I have one that I am planning to use to control my Bianchi Mover and eventually to control a turning target system for the Practical and Barricade Events. Best regards, Jim Taylor

I am currently shooting 126g MasterBlasters at 1050 fps with OAL of 1.135" and 3.9g W231 out of a 5 in. barrel. These are polymer coated bullets and run about 75 fps faster than jacketed bullets with the same powder load and internal volume (OAL, for identical profiles). I would start at 4.0 to 4.2g of W231 and work from there. For the Glock 17 you may want a slower powder like HS-6. Used a ton of it while shooting Glocks. The Zero bullets are a high quality product. Best regards, Jim Taylor Glen Allen VA

Eric is correct. Nitriding is commonly used to harden extrusion dies for better dimensional control and longer life. The nitrided layer is very thin and variations can not be seen with the naked eye. My guess is they shot a round on top of a lodged bullet. I have a Scheumann barrel in my Bianchi Cup Open gun and it is extremely accurate. Best regards, Jim Taylor

CED 7000 is a great entry level timer. CED puts their money where there mouth is in regard to support of the shooting sports. They were a recent Stage Sponsor of the 2006 Virginia State IDPA Championships. We gave away 12 CED7000s on the prize table and they were gone in a flash. Best regards, Jim Taylor

One thing I am not is stagnant. One thing I probably am is hebephrenic schizophrenic..... No man, you are too organized.. Jim Taylor

Merlin: IDPA Rule Book Page 20. Barrel replacements are allowed in original caliber only. I have a G35 with an EFK Firedragon 9mm barrel and no other mods. Shoots like crazy and never malfunctions. It has more than 20,000 rounds through it. This rule is unfortunate, but that why they call it a rule book. Best regards, Jim Taylor

Just a quick note about the German Open Action Pistol Championships held last weekend in Philippsburg, Germany. The match is a first class operation from A to Z. Held at the largest private shooting range in Germany near the southern Germany town of Philippsburg, the match had entrants from 10 countries. At the same time, a huge police pistol (PPC) match was also being held on the range. The range itself was originally built by the German military. It was taken over by shooting organization who promptly let things fall apart. A private group has taken over recently and turned things around in a very effective and impressive way. This range is the most impressive I have seen anywhere in my short shooting career. The management of the match was as good as I have seen. Scheduling was flawless even with some delays due to afternoon thunderstorms. The computer match setup and scoring system is simply awesome. It is database driven with barcode shooter identification and lots of other goodies we just dream about. Complete scores were available the day of the match. The target systems were very nice. Also, reflecting state of the art in that CED timers are mated to wireless units which transmit to wireless receivers to the electro-pneumatically powered turning systems and plate rack. Simple, robust, and reliable. The match management by Wolfgang Nothnagel, Jens Bork, Andre Schroeder, and the RO staff was also impressive. Decisions were made quickly and fairly and at the lowest level. Obviously, all were trained and on the same sheet of music. In spite of the huge PPC match going on at the same time, there were no obvious conflicts and the schedule was strictly maintained (outstanding coordination on what I thought might be a major problem) Thanks to Wolgang and Thomas Koller, I had the right papers to literally walk through German Customs with my shooting paraphenalia with no problems at all. Equally, my return home was uneventful. And lastly, what can I say about the hospitality extended to me there by all? I have never been treated better and I appreciate everyone who went out of their way to make me feel welcome. The weather was hot and humid. Europe has been experiencing record high temperatures. Even here, planning was noticable as cold drinks were easily available and of course cold beers were mandatory after shooting. I highly recommend that each of you consider joining me next year at the German Open Action Pistol Championships. With my very best regards, Jim Taylor Glen Allen VA USA

Why don't we consider to have a ePostal (read email) Match? Let's pick out the Stages. If mover availability is an issue, then go with Los Alamitos, Ambi Plates, Speed Load Challenge, Crawford Barricade, Military Pistol or other match that we invent or might modify to suit our needs. We could run the match every week or two. We need someone to head up the effort, consolidate the groundrules, post the scores, etc. Note that I have a complete setup (thanks to Chuck Thomey for the mover) in the Richmond VA area. My mover area is a little tight but it is functional. You'll have to pay a $5 guest fee to shoot with me at Black Creek. Also, let's make a concerted effort to introduce a new person or two to the sport. I now have 2 IDPA shooters practicing the Plates and Practical (out to 25 yds) and they are getting hooked big time. They are using their IDPA gear (Glock 17s) and are raving about the improvement in trigger control in just a few sessions. Heck, I even ran the same 25 yard Practical at an IDPA style indoor match back in the winter and the shooters had a blast. And we recently shot the Plates in the Wednesday afternoon match that I run at Black Creek. My fellow IDPA shooters have seen the tremendous improvement in my shooting since my involvement in Action Pistol. I try to tell everyone I can about the good things that come with Action Pistol shooting. When they tell me that the guns are too expensive, I tell them to shoot their Production gear until they feel the need for better equipment. Almost every shooter I know blames their equipment for non-performance, but I can tell you that the hours that I spend in the gym each week have been the single biggest influence in my improvement. At the basic level, it is the operator not the machine. I went to the Bianchi Cup with no mover practice at all and still did very well on the mover because of the fundamental practice I had put in. If each of us committed to bring a new shooter to the Cup next year, we would double the entries and within a few years have over a thousand entries there- and probably be thinking about it being strictly invitational again. I can tell you that if we make the sport grow at a grass roots level the sponsors will begin to line up. As a housekeeping issue, let's discuss this without thread drift and criticism of the NRA or of each other. I think it would be fun to do while uniting and focusing us on getting our sport healthy again. With my best regards, Jim Taylor Glen Allen VA USA

One of the regular wags wondered if they mispelled "Tactical". Jim One of the regular wags wondered if they mispelled "Tactical". Jim Of course, I misspelled misspelled. Jim

Dave I might not be able to shoot my pistols, but I am handy with a camera (Thanks, Jason). Jim

Olean MO I was thinking that if the Missourians would prone (pum intended) to bundle the Bianchi Cup with this event, it just might save the Cup (pun intended). Any ideas out there? Jim Taylor Featherweight Division

I was just thinking that this should run in conjunction with the Bianchi Cup. Jim Taylor Featherweight Division

Gee Kevin, Thanks for the "lesson" on how to draw a weapon from a holster. I never made the comment you reference in your last sentence. My comment was only about having persons on a firing line with loaded weapons, and some "start" forward of others. A huge difference, and no offense taken. I think you need to send your description to USPSA or other shooting disciplines that have and enforce the 180 rule, and perhaps they will change their 180 rules and sweeping rules. Convince them that since under your description the muzzle would always be directed in the desired area, and the safety will never fail, and the the failsafe safety will always only be taken off at the appropriate time and the trigger finger will always only touch the trigger after all other conditions have been met. Oh, and the grip acquired at the holster will always be perfect, and a loaded gun has never been dropped. Then a 180 rule would not need to exist. That Kevin is BS! Does your explanation change the FACT that their is a live person forward of the person who is drawing a loaded gun from a holster? Or even if the gun were not being drawn from a holster there is a live person forward of a loaded gun. Further picture the event at BC this year, where a competitor had a malfunction at the 10 yd line, and during the clearing process he discharge a round that hit the adjacent competitors target. Now invision that discharge by the competitor toward the rear, with a competitor forward of him. Now consider the angle of the muzzle hitting the other competitors target. Certainly it raises questions for concern. Kevin, I agree that it can be done safely and is done safely 99% of the time. But safety precautions are directed to help cover the other 1% when things don't go quite to plan. Fundamental shooting safety protocol is such that there be no one "forward" of the shooting line, or in the case of NRA AP "line of shooters" since that "line" may look like a W or a V. In a standing and prone firing line, then there are some who are forward of others with loaded weapons. This is an unsafe condition.....period. The risk may be acceptable, but it can not be described, nor defended as safe. We are going to have to disagree on this one, sorry. Martin I am with Martin on this one. While shooting Plates and Practical with Metallic Sights at the Cup, I had Open shooters going prone next to me with start positions behind the prone mats. It was a little disconcerting to say the least. Of course all this would be moot if all shooting was done from standing (or kneeling). It is not safe have a gun shooting behind another shooter. Just one accident would be all it would take to make us all wish we had paid a little more attention. So, here's a suggestion on solving. Ban going prone on the Plates. No prone at 25y on the Practical. If part of a shooting group is standing at 50y, shoot them separately. It won't take that much extra time. Somehow, it doesn't seem manly to go prone at less than 50y. Jim Taylor Glen Allen VA PS: As a relatively new Action Pistol shooter, I have never experienced going prone at 10, 15, and 20 yds. Therefore, I do not yearn for the good old days.

Prelimianary Bianchi Results Above link is to Pistol Australia. Funny that the Aussies had daily updates on their website while we have to rely on good work of Grant and Helen. Note that Expert Results were not posted. Thanks to Pistol Australia. Congrats to all that were there. It was a blast. Good going, Bruce. Jim Taylor Glen Allen VA http://www.pistol.org.au/Results/International1920Match.php Sorry, the link didn't work. Copy and paste above. Jim Taylor

Ted: Note that the shooter did this intentionally on both strings 2 and 3. I thought a 3 second procedural for not observing the COF and another for not using cover in each occurence was appropriate. I think this was an incident of sandbagging.

Need the group's input on this one. While shooting Stage 3 (Strings 2 and 3) of the Classifier, a shooter did not take a knee to shoot around the barrel. The shooter is not physically impaired. What's the ruling? Thanks, Jim

Gentlemen and Otherwise: I cast a YES vote in your poll. I will not write a letter or complain to the NRA. It's like complaining to George Bush, a verifiable and certifiable waste of time. I'll just continue to be an American even if we have dumbasses running the country. I just started shooting AP last year (thanks to Jason Koon), and am hooked on it. I like the purity of it, the mental as well as physical challenge. For the last seven months, I have been in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where there is no such thing as freedom of speech or, God (Allah) forbid, actual shooting. I am glad to be back home where others can bitch and I can have my vicarious jollies. I've just commissioned a new Metallic Sight gun (3.5 # trigger, etc.). Jason and Kevin have helped me tremendously, and thus can claim responsibility for adding at least one more competitor (or grist for mill, if your prefer) to Action Pistol. Since I never experienced going prone for shooting plates, I couldn't really figure out what the big deal was. Now it's about trigger pull and grip safeties. Today was my first time on the range in a while (I got back yesterday). Even though it rained a little, I can't describe to you the feeling I had. Back home, getting wet with American rain on a shooting range. It doesn't get any better. Thanks for letting me put my one riyal's worth in the discussion. Jim Taylor Back in the CSA (er, USA) Glen Allen VA

Dirty Steve: I had same problem when I started shooting Action Pistola. Just couldn't seem to shoot any kind of a group. No consistency, etc. I spent a lot of time on my belly shooting paper plates at 50 yds. A consistent technique evolved. I start with body angled about 45 to line of bullet flight, strong side foot in the rear. I actually align my shooting mat (magic carpet) as above. When I am down I can see the sights without any distortion. Also the higher you can mount your sight the better. SOme put prone pads on the base of the pistol. Your more flexible and less rotund individuals can face the target and shoot, but the rest of us have to get on an angle. It's like the first rule of welding.... Assume a comfortable, relaxed position. Play around with it until you find that sweet spot that is yours, then practice getting into that position consistently. Jim Taylor Bored in the KSA Riyadh

Just a few words on Advantage Arms. It will last a long time. I have over 50,000 rounds through mine with no discernible wear. I also have a failure to slide lock every once in while. Couldn't figure it out but decided to try my standard tired and true cycling fixer upper. Get some of Brian's Slide Glide Lite, apply generously but judiciously, and watch it go away. Jim Taylor Riyadh Saudi Arabia

Believe stages for Barricade are 10, 15, 25, 35 yds. Par times as given by other poster. Jim

Changing sights is like treating a symptom instead of the disease. Consider the following: Multi-focal contact lens in your dominant eye, standard distance correction in other eye. You'll give up a little distance acuity, but your focus is supposed to be on the front sight anyway. Take your pistol into your eye doc's office and experiment until you have the right lens. If you shoot with both eyes open, so much the better. I see my plain old black target sights like a twenty year old with this set up. If contacts make you squeamish, go by your local dive shop and pick up a stick on lens that skin divers use to read their gauges and dive computers. Trim and place in middle of your shooting lens, dominant eye. I've experimented with all kinds of sights, but the sights are not the problem. Presbyopia is the culprit. Now about those arthritis pains............ Jim

About a month ago, I went to my Optometrist for my annual eye exam. I took my pistol in with me. After the standard exam, I was fitted with a multi-focal contact for my dominant eye (right) only. When I shoot, I now wear a single vision contact in the left (non-dominant) eye and the multi-focal in the right. I can see the sights as sharp as can be. The net result is a tremendous improvement in my accuracy and speed due to transition improvement. My doctor worked with me by trying various lens combinations until I was happy. Note that you will lose some distance accuity (but your dominant eye should be focusing on the sights anyway). By the way I am a single eye shooter and this works like a charm. It feels like cheating. Best regards, Jim Taylor

Here's how I tightened one of my G17s up. Mike rear frame rails. Add a little for clearance, say 0.002". Find a hex key or some other steel part (I used a file) of appropriate thickness. Mark where slide and rear frame rails interface when in battery. Remove slide and insert hex key or other part identified above. Peen with a ball peen hammer. You'll have to hit it like you mean it. When hex key is tight, pry out and do other side. Results will be lighter trigger pull, and some increase in accuracy (although hard to quantify). It's not hard as long as you don't have a personal attachment to the slide and watch your fingers. Jim Taylor

Use rice paper in the dovetail cut.