Jim Norman

My take is that if I have a Data Collection Device that holds up well in the field and is a cost effective item and then I have a 'Master Device' that is 5x more money and not a rugged I am ok with that. Best thing I did was to get an IPad. I grab the registration off our website, email it to my IPad, add the walk-ons at registration, delete the no-shows and sync to the Nooks. After the match, I sync back to the IPAD and process the results. I am not a techie guy. I look upon a computer in any form the same as I look upon a hammer or a rifle. They are tools to get a job done. If they work and ad do so reliably I am happy. If the newest zippity Do-Day gadget works faster, but has a failure rate that is too high, Sorry, I'll stick with my older tools that I know work. Understand I am not against innovation. I really like cartridge guns as opposed to matchlocks! And I am game to work towards improving a tool. I just don't think that having to use a collection device and a master device is a bad thing. In fact. i'd almost go so far as to say it might be a better thing. Make the data collection device rugged, make the interface easy to use with as few as possible potential pitfalls and let the Stats guy have the full tool-kit.

For the most part the LM choke seems to work really well. Tight enough most all the time, but not too tight. Shoots slugs well. I carry IC, LM, M, and IM. I've never had an issue knowing down any target with an LM choke, I have had troubles with an IC or straight cylinder.

Thanks for the update. Any word on applications?

As an Old Fart, I have a Stoeger and shoot it with 1200 and 1250fps 1-1/8 oz loads, no issues. I do have a 'kick-eze' pad installed. I also shoot an OU with the same loads and run through 75-100 rounds per session,no issues. You need to check the fit of your gun as well as your stance. Either is off and it will hurt, both off and it will hurt more. You may need to shorten the LOP, you may need a pad, you may need to adjust your stance. Find a knowledgeable shotgunner and work with him. It will pay off.

Re Plugging to 8, you are correct there. just wanted to point it out. Hate to see anyone got to Open for an oops!

OK, Way off topic, but Pat, I like your tag line: The first step to true intelligence is to call everything by it's correct name.

If I were interested in the M3K Stoeger I'd just get a stock gun and have MOA work it over. By the time you get the 3-Gun version and then have teh additional work done that you will be wanting, you will be at about the same price which is still about half an M2.

You may want to watch your tube lengths, some matches are specifying capacity maximum of 8in the tube in Tac Optics.

I'll agree with KTM300, fight the urge to shoot SC, Trap or Skeet with an Auto. You'll not have to spend time picking up hulls, you won't have them flinging across your buddies and if you decide to reload, you'll keep your hulls in much better shape. One other benefit is that you can shoot two different chokes on the same station with an OU. Do however fight the urge to go an buy without trying. A SG must fit. you can get them fit, but you want to start off with a decent gun if you're going to spend money on it!

#1, make sure the SG fits or that it can be fit. When I was looking I tried a Ruger, a friend had one and I wanted an OU. The Ruger was inexpensive, but when I started really looking I found that it didn't fit me out of the box, it was way off. So I tried Beretta and a couple others in the $2500 range, (note where I started, but where I wound up going) until I found a Citori XS Special. It fit and I have not looked back. I need more practice an dI need a minor adjustment to finalize the fit now that I've been using it. Don't cheap out, it is way more expensive to do it twice than to do it right once. The other side of that is you may not need to spend your lungs to get what you want/need. You can shoot sporting clays with an auto and they are a lot less money.

I assume that there is no further news on this match so far. Time is blocked out on my schedule should I be fortunate enough to get in.

Linda, If I ever were to run a Major match, I would not do so unless I could convince you to head up Registration and Stats. You are the best!

If I were asked, I would ask back, have you done anything to lighten up the action so that it could be unlocking a bit early? Maybe you have done so to run light loads and these are somewhat heavier loads?

Vlad, for the OS holder Velcro will NOT do it. I tried. My plan is to get some short 'T' nuts, that will keep the inside protrusion to an absolute minimum

Still learning and with a long way to go, but getting better. I can now usually tell that it is a miss before the bird gets away I did hit a 22, 23 & 20 yesterday in somewhat windy conditions. Out of the gate starting on station #2 I hit 5, 5, 5 and then a 3 and a final 4. I think the three 5's might have spooked me a bit.

Being in a humorous mood this morning I was about to say Duct Tape, but then I thought better of it.

1) You must drive your fingers into the sand. 2) The sand must be HOT! 3) You must do both hands equally 4) you must wear a silk robe and have a shaved head. 5) When you are done, you must brand your forearms with a tiger and a dragon.

Both On-Site Lodging AND On-Site RV with hook-ups! Decisions. Do I drive or do I drive? I say I can't wait for sign-ups to open, but really, that is not possible, I have to wait, but I do so impatiently. Maybe it is the snow and ice and cold and wet.

We do about 2/3 of that. We register online in advance, mostly so we have an idea of how many and also to load up the electronics. We pull out one trailer per stage loaded with everything you need to build the stage. The builders build and the watchers watch, but at the end of the day, where ever you finish up, you tear it down and put it on the trailer. That has cut about 1-1/2 hours at a minimum from our too long of a day. I'd say we have, all in all a pretty good group of people. yes there are some that watch, some that think becasue they did something for a year or two 10 or 15 years ago hat they have 'paid their dues', but most people get the idea. Those that don't we take their money, but they will never really be a part of it an dthey don't know what they are missing.

I am against paying for set-up on a general basis. OK, IF we were able to set-up the night before, I could see paying 6 people to set-up 6 stages. All that should need to be done on Match day is to staple targets, but trying to do that on match day?!? I thin k as Vlad alluded to would be a disaster trying t track who did what how long. It would be a much better world if everyone chipped in an hour. Show up at 0800, head to a pit with your buds, build a single stage. Should not take more than one hour, stop at Stats, register and go gear up, walk-though at 0945, shoot at 1000. BUT NO!, Show up at 0930, start walking stages while they are still being finished and then bitch that the match starts late. Maybe you all need to plan your days a bit better. This is supposed to be FUN!, Remember? It is not supposed to be a stress filled chore! Don't plan dinner with the in-laws at 2pm when you are traveling to a 7 stage match! Don't try to sneak in a little fishing before the match starts! Get up, drive out, help out, meet a few friends, meet some new people, enjoy yourselves, shoot, put it away and go home. The 6 or 8 people that are currently doing all the work are getting tired at most clubs. one day you'll show up and be handed a stage diagram and told, you want to shoot a match? Get off your sorry butt and go build it, We are going to sit around and watch today! Or maybe we'll just decide we aren't doing this anymore. Then where will you be? Would you step up and run the match? Could you? Or will you just bitch about losing another venue? I Hope for the former, but I'd bet on the latter. Oh, and yes we are all getting tired. The thank yous we get are great, but what we really would like is about 2 hours of your time. Thank you!

We also use 1/8" material, but we put a 2x4 wood frame UNDER it with a plywood face and then cover that with sound absorbing material. We leave the back or lower end of the baffle open so impacted rounds fall free. Sadly the baffles do get a workout, but we have a fairly low ceiling.

One thing I don't think we covered, do you wear corrective glasses? or are you just looking for a pair of safety glasses with color filtration?

I ear my regular glasses as they give me distance. My shooting glasses are set up to allow me to see the front site on my pistol clearly. I don't think that they would be ideal for a fast moving clay out at 35 yards and beyond. I've worn clear and also my sunglasses. If they weren't so damned expensive I'd get another pair just for clays, rose lenses, distance only.

Maybe the clubs didn't like to play by the rules that would have enabled them to remain? Not saying that this is the case, but we only have a bit of hear-say. A place like this is going to require a level of professionalism that may not be normal to the running of a club match. just saying.

I have a QD on the front clamp and also installed in the buttstock. It allows me to carry the SG flat against my body that way as opposed to standing tall.