Norther

One drill I like is to set up two barrels 6 or 10 feet apart with two steel targets at an easy range. Walk in a figure 8 around the barrels while firing at alternate targets, never stop moving, through several reloads. It's an ammo-eater though I also do it dry-firing around the house, walking around and clicking. Important to practice in all directions, forward/back and sideways.

This is pretty interesting stuff, everybody's got their own way of doing it. I'm right handed, right eye dominant, and have always shot both eyes open. Interestingly, I don't focus on the sights at all, because of the double image thing. Instead, I seem to focus on the target while looking through the sights. On harder shots (40 yards +) I do tend to close my left eye, but not always. It works for me. <<Later edit>> I was thinking about this post and had to go get a gun and look. Sure enough, I get the double sight image with both eyes open, but I guess I'm so used to it that I never notice. I just always use the clearer sights on the left. Easier to deal with double sights than double target. Maybe I need to practice more...

Even though it may be based on a Browning design, it still does not meet the primary criteria of being a "1911 production type pistol". Not too familiar with the P220, but I think it may be closer to a Hi-Power than a 1911 anyway, both Browning designs.

A Ti cylinder would be lighter than a short steel one. Maybe cylinder weight makes a difference for you. I wonder if shorter cylinders are more accurate, due to a shorter bullet jump to the rifling. Probably not enough to make a difference.

I thought the PC guns have a shorter cylinder, which makes the action smoother or trigger better or something. If you look at the catalog pictures, the PC definitely has a shorter cylinder than the JM. Interestingly, my JM has a slightly shorter cylinder than my .45 Colt 625MG.

Making use of what you have can be a good thing, but... I like to win. To be competitive you will want a moonclip revolver, and the 625 is king. I shoot a 625JM 4", but the consensus here seems to be that a 625PC (Performance Center) with a 5" (or longer) barrel is the way to go. Only 4" barrels are currently catalogued. I just started shooting revolver this summer, and am having far more fun than I expected to. I was just going to get classified "C" and quit, to round out the 6 divisions, but now I find I don't want to quit just yet. Maybe after I make "A"... This is despite the fact that I am generally the only revolver shooter in our local club. I guess I'm saying try it, you'll like it. It's especially fun to beat Open shooters

Blowing up your gun from an overcharge is hardly revolver specific. I'm shooting Titegroup now. I have read some references to it being unsafe before. How can it be unsafe if you stick to published load data?

I was saying "very reliable" not very seriously. I do not believe I'd buy another S&W 1911.

My carry gun is a Commander-sized Scandium-framed S&W 1911PD. I've had it since...2007, I think. I have at least 3000 rounds through it (and LOTS of dry-fire), and overall I've been pretty happy. It is very reliable, except that it's broken 2 mag catch locks and the plunger tube fell off once. Oh, and it had a case of "hammer follow", for which it went back to S&W. S&W has been great with service on it. I like its light weight, and don't find it punishing at all. I shot it quite a bit in USPSA until I got my SA Trophy Match, and I even killed a small black bear with it. If the bob-tail was available then, I'd have bought it instead.

I've been thinking about that one myself, only I think I'd go no-gap. Might as well, if you're using their basepads anyway. I'd get to get rid of the locking mainspring housing on my Springfield.

That would seem logical, but TK Custom sells special .031" (rather than the standard .040) .45 ACP moon clips specifically for S&W 625 .45 Colt cylinders cut to use moonclips. Their moonclips for the .45 Colt are .025". Maybe I'm misunderstanding something. Maybe they can't machine off that last bit to allow a .040 clip without removing too much thickness off the extractor?

I debated doing this to mine, but decided not to. The recut cylinder would not work with standard .45 ACP moonclips, but a much more expensive thinner one; TK Custom sells the moonclips. Of course, you'd need different moonclips for the Colt and ACP. Also, the two loads (at least my loads) are highly unlikely to shoot to the same point of aim, so the sights would need to be adjusted every time you switched. I solved the dilemma by buying a friends 625JM. A new gun is the best answer to any question

My hands aren't small, but I thought they were a bit thick on my 625JM. I put them on my 625 Mountain Gun .45 Colt; maybe they'll work out there.

One thing no one is mentioning, comparing the major/minor scoring with SS division, is that in SS minor gets only 25% more shots than major. In Revolver, an 8 shot would get 33.33% more. A bigger advantage. Personally, I just started shooting USPSA in revolver just because I felt like getting classified in all 6 divisions, and it's the last one. I'm only a C so far, but I think that'll change soon, and I am having a blast even on the long courses. At least I'm beating some of the semi-autos now... USPSA and steel challenge are the only games in town, but this winter maybe I'll drive the 5.5 hours one way to get to an IDPA match. ICORE sounds fun, but not available here.

I like the Comp-Tacs I've been using. They are the doubles, but they are spaced far enough apart that the mags don't interfere with each other These are the only doubles I've seen that have separate tension adjustments for each pouch, so the tension problem you mention doesn't happen.

I think you can buy the reamer from Brownells for about the price of getting it done. Then you have it for other guns. Haven't tried it myself, but it looks pretty simple. Item # 513-000-001.

I've never fired an STI, but they look and feel good in the store. I do like my SA more than other brands I have tried. As far as the SA ILS mainspring housing, you don't need to change the housing but just the spring cap. Recommended to use standard length mainsprings, but it does (invisibly) disable the lock. Who uses it anyway?

I have a 5" 63. It remains my first choice, but I haven't tried a 3". It's not really a lightweight gun, I can't imagine recoil or muzzle flip being a problem for anyone, even in a 3". You could probably find a 5" on one of the auction sites, like gunsamerica.