Hammerdown77

Made a little progress today. I focused on keeping my firing hand loose, just tight enough to press the trigger, and gripping primarily with my support hand. It helped me to envision opening my other fingers on my strong hand AS the trigger finger pressed rearward. Just focusing on this kept me from tightening my grip as I pressed the trigger. I soon found that I could sense my other fingers were relaxed and the only thing moving was my trigger finger, back and forth. This was zen-like and only happened a handful of times, but I recognized it when it happened. I also doubled up on hearing protection, which I've been doing lately. This DEFINITELY helps with the conditioned flinch response. It's almost like someone else's gun was going off, far away, and mine was just moving in my hand. Also, put three sheets of printer paper end to end, vertically, on my cardboard target today. So I had a tall, narrow white column as a backdrop for my sights. For some reason, this really allowed me to see what the sights were doing in recoil. I wasn't aiming at anything in particular, just the top area, middle, and then bottom, so I could devote most of my focus to what the front sight was doing. I saw how different grip force on the gun made the front sight return in a slightly different place. How moving the support hand heel up a bit, rotating it more forward, had one effect, and bringing it down a bit on the grip had another. I think for me, not getting so high up on the left side of the gun with the support hand makes the sight track straighter, but I'll need more testing to verify that. It's just something I thought I picked up on today. I'm realizing that it is not only seeing that's important, but recognizing what you are seeing that is crucial as well. But you guys already know that

I have a flinch when I try to shoot quickly, on demand. Actually, after shooting this weekend, I noticed it's not there right away. It creeps in after a few magazines. I caught myself when I had the slide close on an empty chamber (thumb interfered with the slide stop) and I dipped the muzzle down and to the left as the trigger broke. If I slow down, and preeeeessssss, no push (confirmed this with a ball and dummy drill). So I need to condition my brain to disconnect the "get the shot off NOW" thought with the impulse to squeeze all the fingers in my firing hand. Easier said than done.

Haven't shot the .22 in a while, this would be a good time to dust it off. I have a Ruger 22/45 to emulate the 1911 grip angle and control position, but I see Colt is coming out with a new .22 1911 pistol (made by Walther through Umarex), so maybe I have a good excuse now to buy it! Getting into a rhythm is definitely an issue. Once I fire off the first and second shot in a Bill Drill, it feels like I get in the zone and I'm seeing the sights and the shots all impact in sort of the same place. It's just jump starting that on the first shot, rather than the third, that I need to work on.

Guys, I was hoping I could get some advice and maybe practice drills that will help me with a particular problem I have. When I'm shooting a multi-shot string, my first shot (either after the draw or after punching out from compressed ready) is pushed low and left (I'm a righty) and I'm blinking and losing the sights for the follow-up. If I shoot a string (two or more, or a Bill Drill), my eyes stay open for subsequent shots and I can see the front sight bobbing up and down. But if it's just one shot at a time, or the first in a string, I'm blinking. This has been confirmed by others watching me shoot. I can put all my shots on a note card at 15 yards if I take all the time in the world to press the trigger, but it's the speeding up that is giving me problems. Any advice to help me eliminate the first or solo shot blink, and the "NOW!" first shot push?

This may all be a moot point. I tried to put the roller handle assembly into the press, and it just would not go. I was turning it back and forth trying to get it started, and all that was doing was tapping threads into the aluminum of the press The straight handle drops right in, though. I'll be calling Dillon tomorrow about getting another roller handle assembly. I've loaded several hundred rounds of .45 ACP now, and this thing is fantastic

This isn't the aluminum roller part, it's on the black steel rod at the 90 degree bend. I would call Dillon (are they open today?), but I figured a can of Krylon or some cold blue was cheaper than what it would cost to ship it back...

Hello all, brand new RL 550B owner here, ordered from Brian. I received my kit yesterday and am working on getting it set up today. When I got the box containing the accessories and aluminum roller handle, I saw that the curved elbow of the handle had punched through the bottom of the shipping box and looked like it had been dragged across a concrete floor. It is scarred up and the finish is removed down to bare metal. I was planning on smoothing it up with some fine grit sandpaper and then refinishing it, but I wanted to ask what kind of finish this is before I started. Is the steel blued? Is it a spray on finish? I was thinking I'd just use some flat black Krylon or something, but if it's blued I could pick up some cold blue at the store today. I do have one of those "Super Black" Birchwood Casey touch-up pens, but those are advertised for use on aluminum so I'm not sure how well that would work.