Bret Heidkamp

On the way to a Nationals, we stopped in Butte to pick up another shooter. Everyone wanted to check their zeros at the last minute, so we stopped at the range there. I was lucky enough to hit a gong at over 400 yds. with my Open gun on the first shot. Immediately unloaded and took the gun off, tossed it into my range bag! Proceeded to watch my two friends shoot mag after mag trying to hit that gong. It was cool. (and no, I'm not voting for 400 yd standards...)

?? Uh... I changed "be mandatory" to "be included"

Ouch! Bad poll? Hey, I'm just tryin' !! As I recall, the 50 yard standards have been different. I remember different par times, different types of targets (one time there was hardcover - that's a pucker) and stacking in some years vs. not being allowed to stack. This is all at Area or National matches. I do not recall having seen a shorter "standards" type of course, but I did put the option in the poll. Sorry I didn't include whatever particular distance you are referring to - you mean to vote for "mix it up" - fine. 6 yard standards? How would that work? Would you please explain your stage concept, sounds interesting.

+1 Leroy. For planning purposes, I think most folks need to able to buy airline tickets 21-days in advance so the price isn't through the roof. Plus, arranging hotel, rental car, etc. I would say 2 months min. for me, preferably 3 months (hey, and longer if I actually want to PRACTICE). It just takes time to line everything up. I for one, have tried to use my slot every year, and have needed to back out more times than I care to remember, even though I've had 4 to 6 months advance warning.

OK, I see the error of my ways. I just edited the poll to be "included" rather than "mandatory" <-- my brain wasn't thinking this morning about the impact of a word choice. That being said, I don't particularly think standards are boring. They have their own nuances and stressors - as much as any SH / WH stand and shoot classifier. They're just different, and take a different setup & mental approach to do well. Historically, I've been fine on them. I like things everyone seems to be scared of (not the people on this website necessarily, but you have to admit at a major match plenty of people are obviously concerned at having to shoot standards at 50). One thing that has gone by the wayside along with standards is the old mandatory drop to prone. (and the drop to kneeling) It's one more thing to master and it's different from the buzzer at 50 yds vs. in a field course low port. Your NPA becomes just a wee bit more important. 5 years ago I would not have held this attitude - but now that standards are gone, and it's just field courses holding one prop after another... there isn't much separating those that *really* practice everything vs. just hosing. I for one, am tired of picking up a briefcase, putting it into a basket, rub your tummy and pat your head... I think those stages are pretty lame. However, dont' get me wrong. I also really enjoy shooting on the move, and do OK at it. Single poppers and plates at 50 yds are a different beast - unless we're talking a Bianchi rack at 50. That would be interesting.

Since I'm really curious as to HOW we suddenly got rid of standards at big events in the first place (another topic entirely), I decided to start a poll. I hope USPSA will listen to whatever the results are. The poll is located here Standards Stage survey poll

Please add your opinion if you want - although there is another thread on that already located here Why do we have standards thread

Because they test your ability to shoot at distance, under fixed time. There aren't really many opportunities to shoot 50 yards in a field course that would be "practical." Shooting at 50 yds requires a different knowledge of your firearm and how to shoot it. For instance, you have to really watch your trigger prep, sight-in your dot REALLY well, have ammo that actually is capable of shooting groups, etc. etc. I feel it separates the men from the boys. (and women from the girls...)

HA HA HA :lol: I was just thinking about a round going off and heard a POP in the other room. Turns out it was a beer.

I recall being at a match in Colorado / Utah / Wyoming / somewhere around there years ago, and a guy tapped a full 45 single stack mag against his open palm to align all the rounds. BANG. Shrapnel, blood from hand, off to hospital for stitches. We all thought there must have been a small pebble stuck to a primer for that to happen. I'm rethinking that conclusion now!

I am very sorry for your loss. Words may not help the pain you are feeling right now, but you are in the thoughts of everyone here. I hope that supplies some comfort to you at this sad time.

+1 Lots of the cheap O/U's feel like canoe paddles. The fit and finish are pretty rough, too. Of CRITICAL importance is fit. Try to find something with an adjustable cheekpiece if you don't fit a standard gun. You can add an adjustable later, too, for about $150 clams. Get to the impact board (not pattern board!) and see where it hits. Try about 16 yards with an improved or so choke. Stand in your start position, put shotgun to shoulder, just like you would on a clay bird and fire immediately. Trick is not to correct it by sighting, you want the natural impact to show up. This is an eye-opener for some as their guns will be WAY off, even at close range. The only way to change this is to move the cheekpiece and recoil pad. Sorry if this was a slight drift, but I found this is the single most important thing, much more than price. The shotgun must shoot to where you look, and this is the ONLY way to tell if it fits you. That $500 saved will p*ss you off so bad later if the shotgun doesn't fit...

I hear ya. It was such a common-sense statement from the wife, though, and I'm really, really, computer-literate. 4 websites...2 companies making products for the shooting sports...client / server network at work... If you pull the heatsink and fan, you'll see the chip type (you may have to remove a bit of heat sink compound, just be sure to replace it).

Shred, you should see this Vista thing. Everything is rearranged. "My Computer" links & icon is gone, not that I used it anyway. Sytem Rating: Windows Experience Index: Unrated Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.20GHz 3.19 GHz Memory (RAM): 1022MB System type: 64-bit Operating System I'm going to rate my experience index, all right!!! I did pop the turbo-intercooler high tech whirlygigg whatchamathingy off the processor, now I need more heat sink compound. aarrggghhhh..... Chip said Intel on it. I think what we ended up with is a dual-core Pentium. Sauerbraten is a FPS open source code game. Kind of like Doom or Quake, but interesting in that you can toggle to "edit" mode immediately during the game play. Don't ask me why they named it after something my parents used to cook for dinner. Check out www.sauerbraten.org

Sometimes it just takes someone to smack you upside the head. Check this out: I'm sitting here trying to install a patch so I can play Sauerbraten for the first time. Turns out I have a choice: 64-bit AMD, or 64-bit Intel. For the love of GOD I can't remember what chip is in the machine. I know it's 64-bit, though. Me to my wife: "Honey, did we buy an AMD or an Intel chip in this box? I've got some stupid Vista system overview screen up and it says Intel. But it says P4." The wife says, "Can't you just look?" Me: "I am looking!" Now I've got the trusty old "device manager" screen open and it says we have TWO processors, both Intel P4's. I'm confused because I thought it was an AMD64, and why on earth are there two Intel P4's?? Shouldn't this at least say Intel 64-bit something or other? My lovely wife repeats, "Can't you just look?" me: I AM LOOKING! Wife: No, I mean, can't you just look on that little square? on the motherboard? Can't you just open the case and LOOK? D'OH !!!! OH MY GOD... I am truly humbled.

Necessitating a plan be in place, with review, and specifying qualifications or numbers for attending personnel is a great way to get our matches closed. How would you like to go to a club match and find out there wasn't an EMT, Delta Medic, ER Doc, or such at the match so it was canceled for the day? What about an area match that can't start on time because the EMT isn't there yet? That's what I see with this thinking. That being said, I do believe an emergency kit is an good idea, that can be as simple as some cravats, gauze rolls, and a CPR mask (pretty much what I have in my vehicles) - or a full-on Delta loadout. I don't see requiring another piece of paper to be a good idea; it is a knee-jerk feel-good reaction just like reactionary gun control laws. Demanding a plan be in place leads to: Who writes this plan? Uncle Frank, the insurance carrier, or some new Nationally recognized body? Who reviews and approves this plan? How much will they charge every range in America for it? What is their political orientation? Anti-gun? Pro-gun? For how long? When will that political wind change? You can easily imagine the slippery slope this represents. What would the plan look like in New York or California? I can tell you: it will look like a box of ammo for anti-gun zealots to use on us. With all due respect, the "comprehensive medical plan" is a very bad idea for these reasons. I am not advocating the stick the head in the sand approach, either. We already have a "good Samaritan" law which prevents suits against people attempting to render assistance to others that are hurt. That, along with a basic med kit is all we should be talking about, in my opinion. Remember, many med kits come with the idiot's guide to bandaging and a CPR flip chart for those not in the know. Please keep in mind the whole concept of emergency aid is to stabilize (ABC's, splints, etc.) and get them shipped off to be someone else's problem (meaning an ER doc at the local hospital). This may sound short, but ranges absolutely are not field hospitals. My background: several seasons as a ski patroller with our team treating on average 20 people / day for everything from head vs. tree, skier vs. skier, falls out of chairlifts, to simple torn ACLs or altitude sickness. I have treated plenty of injuries, including puncture wounds (no GSW's). I have decent training in outdoor emergency care, and practical field experience, lots of it. Perfect for what we're discussing here. My opinion is stabilize as best you can and make them someone else's problem - a rifle range is not a trauma center. We are not equipped and we will never have the ability to treat a GSW to the point of sending someone home. Lastly, I believe the track record for IPSC is much better than any other shooting sport. That likely has a lot to do with our "cold range" and muzzle direction rules which are strictly enforced. I've seen plenty of sweeping in trap, skeet, sporting clays, and that's with a shotgun that will permanently remove a body part! I can't count the number of times I've said "watch your muzzle" to others at non-IPSC events. Please don't shoot me in the back for this the next time you see me, it's my opinion on the matter.

High first shots can also be a barrel fit issue.

Boz1911, .338 is my favorite caliber for hunting, from antelope to elk. You nailed it on the "eliminates tracking jobs" It is the one-gun hunting wonder. That being said, I only shoot it out to 600 yards, and it does have a brake. In fact, I don't own any rifles without them anymore. All of my rifles including the tactical competition ones have brakes that I shoot past 1000 yards. Anybody that complains about a brake being too loud, or even more silly - "reduces accuracy" (really, some people will say that...) just is not enlightened yet. (Our howitzers and M-1 tanks seem to get just fine accuracy with brakes). Pretty much all the brakes work. You won't make a mistake. I've shot JP, Badger, Gentry, my own designs, F2, Vais, and Henning's brakes. Wear earplugs and pick a brake with big chambers, like the Henning brakes we sell, but if you shoot prone absolutely do not pick a brake with holes in the bottom! You will be sorry as the shower of dirt engulfs you. Shooting without earplugs, as so many do when hunting, is just asking for it. Brake or no brake, wear the plugs. Here is what I do: When hunting I always keep plugs in my ears, the non-foam kind (they are yellow and look like they have 3 discs, EAR makes them) but not pressed in all the way. I can hear fine. When I'm about to take a shot, I have time to press them in, it takes only seconds. Any long shot, you've got time. Using these and not the foam plugs is the key. If I'm hunting later in the season and it's cold, I have my slim electronic muffs on. They keep my ears warm!

It just pops out like an internal snap ring, run a small screwdriver under it to start it. Unless you have a riveted one, which was used on the older 700 series (and a bunch of other series numbers). If yours is riveted, you can see the rivet from what I remember. It goes right through edge of the bolt. It is also a good idea to place a small drop of oil behind the extractor so it doesn't bind on the bolt body. The extractor can crack, chip, and build up brass under it causing it to fail to extract. As long as you clean and maintain it, it should be fine. Regarding the Sako concept, remember the marines beat the tar out of the 700 308 and they didn't request a change to a Sako extractor.

Also check out www.precisionrifle.org if you ever get to this side of the pond and want to shoot a practical long range match. The forums have some posts on long range technique, but are having a tough time getting rolling. Not much traffic yet. I'm personally not too keen on snipers hide, too many posers! You can find some info there, but have to sift through a ton of fluff from the posers.

Only magnum calibers need the Sako conversion. Standard calibers (308, etc.) do not need the conversion. Check your extractor, carry a replacement with your field gear at all matches + a small screwdriver to swap it out.

In the Ackley verison, look at RL 19, VV160, VV165 or VV560. Start at low to mid 40-some grains and work your way up. Do a ladder test. Only way to work up rounds that run and not go insane. With the Ackley, my shooting partner just shot a 1.25" group at 700 after ladder testing a couple weeks ago. I was bummed because mine was 1.75" These are only 3-shot groups (so they don't really count that much, but I'm still proud of them). The 260AI in a bolt gun is a very accurate round.

That is probably because the threads are too loose for red loctite. You can't use red to fill larger thread gaps and it isn't anywhere near as strong as 620. 620 is the shizet, it is the highest temp loctite plus the psi strength is almost 3500! It is what all the top flight 'smiths use to hold comps. I have no idea what the Brownells product is, anybody know exactly what it is?

Propane torch, be gentle. If the comp has flat sides, use a big crescent wrench and pad it so you don't scratch the comp. Clamp the barrel in a soft jaw vice, and heat the thread area until you can turn off the comp. If you accidentally turn the comp metal to a new color (which you shouldn't because the Loctite will soften way before that), you can bead blast it later. Clean the threads perfectly and use #620 LocTite on the comp. Don't use the loctite primer, it weakens the loctite and you probably won't get the comp screwed on before it hardens. You can use a plumber's fitting brush on the internal comp threads.

Friggin' awesome comments. This is what a Nationals location is all about. Barry, IL never did it for me. In fact, after sweating my *ss off at the old S&W Millenium match there, I boycotted Barry. Even though I earned a slot every year, if the Nats were there, I didn't go. I absolutely hate that place. It's an armpit full of mold and 90/90 weather (sorry if someone from here lives there - no reflection on the people). Why on earth should a major event, which for many is a vacation, be held in such a crappy place? Oh yeah, there is just SO much to do in Barry. Missoula rocked, as usual. The staff and RO's were awesome, the scenery is always a treat (did anyone notice the "river view" from the road in the afternoons?). I thought the BSPSC did a great job on the running of the match and the items up to them. That range is simply beautiful. Not to mention we saw Jojo's ugly mug in a full color photo in the paper, front page of the Outdoor section. What other cities would do that for a shooting sport? Also, FYI that isn't the first major match held there. BSPSC and Missoula hosted Area 1 twice already.