Bret Heidkamp

Hispeed, The primer sideways thing is often related to the press being mounted where it can jiggle around. Is the bench super sturdy, bolted to the wall, etc.? If it moves the primers can get bounced - also be smooth with the action of the press. 5% is really high. as for the feeding issue, again if the bench is wiggly that would cause it. other than that, is the big plastic triangle-shaped actuator using the pistol side or rifle side? You can always call Dillon, they are pretty good at troubleshooting over the phone. Bret

So I just have to ask: Was it all A's or was everyone in timer shock? Bret

Try telling them your Lee press is so much more wonderful than a Dillon: cheaper, works just as well, etc. and you don't know why anyone would ever buy an "overpriced" Dillon. That should work. Bret

I shot a 100% in Open for this one, it was a couple years ago so I will have to dig for my scores. Our club only keeps the current year on the internet. I think the time was around 6 sec, down one or two. Bret

I have a shorty - 16" vmatch bushblaster. the bolt cycling is violent in the stock configuration, and a JP block helps. It shoots 3/4" at 100yds with decent bullets ... at least it used to... haven't shot groups with it in some time. For me, it is easier to transition targets with it, I don't like the nose-heavy feel of the 20's. Also, it is open class, so I've got it pretty well damped with a muzzle brake / comp. I have not shot a 20 in some time now - it would be interesting to compare the feel now that I've been shooting the 16 for a couple years. Bret

and I should add, if I get one designed, does anyone else want one? price probably around 10 or 20 bucks.

Anybody know if someone is making an alignment "helper" for keeping those tec tubes at the right angle? I've seen handmade ones (pads) mounted to the trigger guard to get the angle right (instead of holding the tube at the right angle unsupported, in the air). I know Grams is coming out with one soon that is a replacement for the plastic gate, but anyone have anything else? This is for a Rem 1100, by the way. Thanks !!

Ron, Sorry to hear (no pun intended!) you are having such noise problems. It also could be the comp design - are the plates angled back, straight, or forward? I've been shooting Open for years, with just the Pro Ears "Magnum" muffs and no plugs. I don't get headaches, but also I don't practice over about 350 rounds because I'm just tired of shooting at that point. I used to get headaches with the thinner Peltor / Dillon style earmuffs. It is definitely loud RO-ing an open gun (especially with barrel ports) and I've had the "joy" of RO-ing someone else shooting my gun and YIKES it's loud. But actually shooting it is not very loud - (anymore). Bret

For what it's worth, the new Winchester small rifle primers (gold primers, blue box) are much harder than the old WSR primers (white box, silver primer). So much so, that I switched to WSP instead of WSR for the 38 super. The new WSR just weren't going off, and the cure was to go up to a 19 lb. mainspring, which I don't care for. The new WSP still goes off 100% with my old setup, and has no flow issues like the old WSP did. Interesting thing is winchester currently lists 38 super +p for use with WSP primers. I no longer use rifle primers in the 38 super at all. For the AR, it's still WSR and they work fine. (I assumed everyone was talking about pistol applications.) Hope this helps.

Way to go, Ron. You will never look back. The way I see it, why race a stock car when you race top fuel?? Personally, I find limited guns incredibly boring and very lacking in adrenaline. (sorry you limited guys... this is the open gun forum). Remember the old saying: "Friends don't let friends shoot limited" at least, I'm trying to make that into an old saying. Most people that are giving you grief about it have never shot an open gun. Once they do, the only comment I've EVER heard is "I want one." take care, Bret

It was fast and furious, though!! Titandiver doesn't always follow the instructions (but for those of us that know him, that's what makes him so much fun to watch). Even though he did DQ later, he swears to this day he didn't break the 180. He practically ripped the no-shoot's head off with the gun. It was impressive to say the least. Titandiver, won't you relate that story so the rest of us won't go ripping apart stages and no-shoots by accident?

I actually didn't have a good experience with WAP. I tried it when it first came out (1995 or so?) in my open gun and it seemed to contain a burn rate control that sandblasted my comp. You could see quite a bit of pitting on the plates after just a couple thousand rounds, so I quit using it immediately. Bret

Ha ha ha Wow, you guys have enough money in your clubs to build walls? We usually have the squad just join hands downrange to act as the "vision barrier." When a shot passes through it, you know. It is interesting how you guys thought I meant walls when I didn't really say what I was referring to. I'm not posting here anymore - I'm taking my cleats and going somewhere else. But then, finding meaning in some of my posts is more difficult than finding a mexican war hero... For the record, and those wondering what the heck GM and titandiver are ridiculing me about, I was referring to platforms, decks, bridges, etc. built from flippin' wood. Unless it doesn't rain where you live ... Spidey-man

I've used them for years. I don't shoot without them, period. One thing that wasn't really mentioned, though: WATCH OUT ON WET PLYWOOD - you have about zero traction. Bret

OK, honestly, first try I got a message box that says: Your response time is: 0.4 seconds Nice, you oughtta go pro !! Oops. Kinda reminds me of when I hit a 24" gong a couple years ago with my 38 super at 450 yards on the first shot. I unloaded and immediately put the gun back in my range bag before my two friends asked me to repeat it. They emptied their mags trying to hit it. Bret

Wow. I have to say this thread both longer and more interesting than I ever hoped for - the first one I ever started here turned into a 6 'pager!

I checked out the Leupold at a dealer show not too long ago. It is sweet! A true 1X (not 1.75X like the leupold 1-4) and they said the scope is going to get a 4X mod soon. Currently, it is only 3X. Downside is the price. Even the non mil-spec model is 600+ at dealer !! For me, I used to have a 1-4X Leupold but I absolutely cannot stand any magnification on close targets - it makes me slow down too much. So, it was back to the dot which is a P5 variable - big dot for up close, tiny dot for long shots which I can easily change on the run. It is a compromise though, I don't like shooting a dot past 100 yds. Bret

Let me throw this out there too: 1) I'm not talkin' about payouts or prizes 2) The point made about making pro and then becoming non-competitive is a very good one. In this age of computers and their ability to number crunch, we could create any kind of formula to tackle that issue. Such as, you make pro, and if you don't compete for 2 years, you go back to amateur. Or, if you don't make the top 16 for 2 attempts, you go back to amateur. 3) I realize alot of the top GMs got there by blood sweat and tears. I'm just saying that alot of them are SO dominating that they could compete amongst themselves as pros now. This could be the top 16 overall finishers more than one time over the past 5 years to begin with. 4) I really kind of forgot about the club level with this, but thanks for adding that to the mix. For Open, that list would look like: Angus Hobdell Doug Koenig Eric Grauffel Henning Walgren Jamie Craig Jerry Barnhart Jerry Miculek Jethro Dionisio JJ Racaza Joe Kessler Jojo Vidanes Matt Burkett Max Michel Jr. Merle Edington Mike Voigt Rob Leatham Ron Avery Tawn Argeris Todd Jarrett Travis Tomasie Point is, we can be as creative as we need to be, and I honestly think these individuals are way above everyone else - even if they are privateers or paid pros. Either that, or maybe it's time to stop touting us as an Amateur sport. (?) Bret Travis, thanks for agreeing with me! I'll see you in Oregon this year - no Diamond Motel there, I hope. :-)

The cure for the spent primers going everywhere is to rid the machine of the little cup entirely. Replace it with a floor-length piece of vinyl tubing. Stick one end of the tubing up into the hole in the frame casting (I think 3/8 works) and run the other end into a jar with a hole in the lid to fit the tubing. Bonus is not having to empty that pesky little primer cup all the time! Thanks go to a fellow shooter in Butte for this one. Bret

Well, looks like we'll have to wait a bit longer for 9mm major. Here is a copy from the board minutes, which are released for the public per Area 1's motion, so this shouldn't be considered confidential (in other words, don't get mad at me for posting this). 9mm Major for Open Division Area-1 moved that the Board go into Executive Session at 15:10 pm Area-4 seconded. Motion carried. Area-1 moved that the Board exit Executive Session at 16:10 pm Area-3 seconded. Motion carried. Area-2 moved that, since the reduction in Power Factor from 175 has changed the circumstances that resulted in the 1990 resolution against 9x19 Major, the resolution is hereby voided Area-4 seconded. Area-2 called for a roll-call vote. Area-1 No Area-2 Yes Area-3 Yes Area-4 Yes Area-5 No Area-6 No Area-7 Yes Area-8 No 4 in favor, 4 opposed. President No [tie-breaker] Motion fails. Area-1 moves to waive confidentiality on this issue to allow immediate disclosure of the outcome of this vote Area-3 seconded. Motion carried.

I was tossing around this idea with a friend a while back, and would like to hear some opinions about this - Background we all know: The USPSA Nationals are generally won by the Todd, Rob, and Jerrys of the world. Now, Rob was a paid pro for years by Springfield, and I'm not sure about Todd and Jerry. USPSA was and still claims to be an amateur sport. Unfortunately, it is a bit of a mixed bag as to whether or not someone is an amateur, and too hard to use a metric like their financial backing. In my opinion most true amateurs don't stand a chance to win the Nats due to a list of issues - time constraints, etc. My proposal is this: If you win the Nats, you are a Pro GM. If you finish in the top 16 more than twice, you are a Pro GM. There are two Nats winners - Pro and Amateur. The reasoning: The reasoning is that a structure similar to this rekindles the ability for the up-and-comer or true amateur to win a national title AND that person will most likely rotate quite a bit. Also, they probably won't be part of the break-away group of GMs that usually occurs at a major match. (Looking at the % breakdown, the top 16 are often what I would call a break-away group at the Nats finishing a good chunk of % ahead of the remainder. Whether this is because the super squad pushes each other to new heights or whatever - it won't matter.) I went back 5 years and looked at who placed in the top 16 more than one time. It was pretty much a who's who of our sport, containing the top GMs. Well, the "rest of us" would really have a shot at winning a true amateur title this way. I realize this new class stands the risk of becoming clogged with Pros but looking back at the Nats results doesn't show that. Even in the top 16 there are several names that don't shoot our sport anymore. What do you think? Is this ridiculous? Is there a better way? Or is this totally out to lunch? Bret

No problem - It just struck a nerve because I try my hardest to be welcoming and helpful to people. I have also taught ISPC at my local club, and while I'm no Todd, Brian, Rob or Jerry, I can pass on quite a bit of knowledge. So, it just hurts when I hear about any shooters regardless of classification souring others on this great sport. Don't let those people get you down (which, it doesn't sound like it) on the rest of us "good guys" in the sport was really my point, I guess. Bret

And to add to what Rich said, ask your section coordinator for a copy of the by-laws so you can read for yourself how slots are distributed. This should be public knowledge in your section and not a mystery. Our section awards slots based on "slot matches" AND the section match. You get points for each, and the combination is what earns you a slot. However, if I remember correctly, it goes by ranking also (even if an A shooter beats a Master, the M would get the slot) which I believe is going to be revised for this season, thankfully, because that is a little skewed. Bret

I agree with Shooter40. The new designs take a lot of attention. I use a Lim right now, and have used just about everything in the past. The lim is great - absolutely nothing jabbing you in the leg while you're running or shooting low ports, etc. It feels "free." BUT, it is very easy to pop the gun out of the holster if you aren't locking it in. The locking lever is painless to use, but if you don't use it (which I usually don't when starting in a box standing), and you sit down into a chair, all you have to do is TOUCH the muzzle on the chair and your loaded gun will pop out. (not to scare you away from a lim or ghost, but I saw this happen I think twice at last years Area One with loaded guns, resulting in DQ's) You absolutely must pay attention - however, it is a dream to draw from and run field courses with !! I personally wouldn't go back to a regular holster at this point, but it's definitely another thing to be conscious of. One other thing with the Lim, you can switch from your open to limited gun without doing any holster adjustments whatsoever. Johnny Lim is pretty slick!! Bret

The other thing that happens with C-More sights is the dot module face gets dirty. If you've noticed it getting dimmer over time and fresh batteries don't do the trick, it's probably covered with shooting residue. Do a couple of things - clean the dot's hole with a clean Q-tip and some isopropyl alchohol and see if it doesn't improve. If that doesn't work, a more aggressive cleaner may. However, the black paint on the module may come off, exposing the brass underneath (the dot still works). I used to have to do this alot with smaller dots, like an 8, because they would both go out of round and get dimmer. Just be sure to use something that evaporates 100%. Bret