mont1120

As a lefty, I use the Comp Tac with drop and offset.

At the Western States Single Stack Classic, I would say .45 was used as much as the two other calibers. I shoot, now hold onto your daughters, a .45 and its a Kimber...........I can hear the catcalls now. Would not shoot any other caliber for SS. I also have an STI Eagle in .45 that I used in L10, but that division has a funeral pending. (Well, not quite yet becuase states with 10 round limits, or in OR which is going to be Limited 5, .45 would not be all that outdated). As far as reloads, 17 plus 17 equals 34, which almost always leads to 3 reloads on a long stage. As has been argued until there is no fur on the dead horse, I like .45 recoil better then .40. Also, I can actually see hits on targets with geezer eyes. The cost of 200 grain bullets compared to .40 bullets is a non factor. Look at what we spend for matches. Having said all of that, I would use a .45 in Limited only because I have one. The .40 is the way to go in free states.

I have both a 4.5 and 5.25 XDm and use the Comp Tac kydex drop and offset holster. One holster holds both for lefties, and I have not had a gun pop out of the holster yet. It sits very well on my hip, this is taking into consideration I have a nice tire around my belly in the way. You get a kit with it to configure any belt size, and how it fits for you. Great stuff, Amazon even has em.....

AOC approved, I hear that her and Bernie are starting a liberal shooting org to counter the NRA. It's called the American Socialist Society of Shooters, they will be known as ASS'S..............

I can safely raise my hand on this item. Turns out most of my feeding issues were related to my reloads in my Kimber. Just because they worked well in another 1911 does not mean anything. There are times you need to pay close attention to the food that feeds the bear, otherwise things go really bad at the most inopportune time. My good friend bought the SIG Max, and I would get that model for sure. I shoot a Custom Kimber, and have a RO as a back up, but that SIG Max, well it is really nice. I think what frame feels the best in your hand is the pick. I certainly would not go super cheap. You will end up trading it or sinking a lot of extra money into it.

I dabbled into making an Open XDm years back, but it was really just tinkering around, it was a .40 caliber 4.5. Anyway, you will definitely need the trigger parts, and for the Red Dot mount I used a Neumount style, which wraps completely around the frame, and is secured by the accessory rail. It is rock solid. You will need a special holster however, as the mount gets in the way of most holster setups. The CR Speed open style mount is the one that works with a little bit of the plastic removed. This would give you a really reliable and top notch shooting firearm. I dont shoot much steel, so my system gathers dust. I gave the threaded barrel to my son with the comp, he thinks it is pretty cool. For what you are wanting to do, it would be fun.

Well, they are Gluck shooters, there is that.................

Already found a new OSP far less cheaper then buying a used XDm 4.5 and having it cut.....

Felt the recoil was really slapping his hand instead of the normal recoil impulse, plus he feels the axis height is disturbing.

I got started in CO by installing a Springer Precision CO mount on the %.25 frame I had in .40. That was when the round count was limited to 10. I had decided to shoot minor .40, and I really liked it. When the rules changed to 140MM mags, it was time for the 9MM. I did go with CZ, and I think it is the best gun I have. Having said that, had the OSP been out with the XDm, thats what I would be shooting today. My friend just bought the SIG, and he hates it. He is also the one who bought the Gluck, so there that is............

While I admit my main CO competition gun is a CZ, my back up was a G34 Glock. I just never could get used to the strange angle on the Glock, or the way the trigger felt. Even with an Apex aftermarket trigger kit install, it still made me shoot about as bad as can be possible. Out the door it went, and now I am awaiting an OSP 9mm XDm. Have a Vortex Venom and new trigger ready to go. I feel the XDm platform is so much better, for me at least. It may just send the CZ into a back up role. I shot a .40 XDm in 3 gun and Limited 10, and other then some crazy reload issues, shot it very well. Sorry Gluck, your time was short, perhaps your new owner shall let you see some sunshine........

XDs and XDms shoot lead fine. My only warning is NEVER EVER shoot a combination of .40 cal PMC brass, with Unique and lead 180 grain bullets, I had case head separation 4 times that blew my XDm frame and cracked it. Same combo of components every time.

Blue Bullet shooter here. I have found the HY-TEK coating to be sticky at times, and have had some makers of them send me a batch that were stuck together and badly coated. To me the Blue coating is more consistent. I won a box of the newer Gallant bullets last year, and the coating seems similar to the Blues, the difference is the coating is gold colored. Blue Bullets has never messed up an order, is a huge supporter of the USPSA program, and I never needed to send anything back. I cannot say that for some other HY-TEK companies.

On my SP-01, I had CZC mill the slide, and bought the two plates I needed, one for the optic, and one to move back to production. All you need to do is unscrew the two plate screws, push out and extractor pin from the slide, and the change is complete. The fit is absolutely right on the money, there is no extra play between mounts.

Thanks

What bench height is the best for sitting down and loading. I too have a torn up back. I have a new 550 ready to go.

oops sorry

Appendix D2, Production Division Rule 21.5, USPSA rule book allows any internal part to be replaced as long as it does not externally change the appearance of the gun. Rule 21.6 allows for the replacement of the trigger, you are good to go in USPSA.

Be careful dropping the spring weight too much, it really effects the hammer spring action. The two work together, and I found myself firing a round with no trigger reset any reducing the guide rod spring. Any weight added to the muzzle helps with recoil, and as Sarge says, go with heavier bullets, 147 or 135.

Just an outside opinion, there seems to be quite a bit of movement towards Carry Optics and PCC. I would venture to say the big sales have gone to CZ, SIG, and Glock to compete in the CO arena. STI has zero product to compete in that group. As far as single stack, local sales have trended over to the 9MM, or the old warhorse .45. It seems .40 is falling out of favor. It has no place in CO, PCC, or Open. I love my old STI Eagle in .45, but since Limited 10 has all but died, I dont have much use for it. Having rarely shot the Limited class, I have noted those moving to CO have come from Limited, the Production shooters seem to have stayed where they are at. So, maybe STI sees the writing on the wall, and from a business sense consolidation in troubled times makes a lot of sense. Gun sales will more then likely stay flat for two more years until the next election, and then watch out. I will bet the Dems will win the next election, and if you thought the last run on guns and reloading component was bad, watch out. buy early, buy often. STI may be making the right moves we just do not see yet.

Other then what they have on the website, no. You can try going to http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp and look up various charge there. I also recommend WSF for the 9MM. But, everyone has a favorite on here, and really, most of them are right on, it is just a matter of preference. I would stay with faster powders for 9MM since the lighter bullets work better with the faster burners.

I can tell you what overcrimping does for ya, makes a nice huge hole in the target since the bullet is hitting it sideways...................

For Blue Bullets, the 3.1 for the 147 and 3.8 for the 124's is about right in my CZ. I recently loaded up a bunch of the Gallant 135 grain rds, used 3.3 of TG, but the really nice factor about the Gallants is I found they will seat in almost any brand of case, (yes, even the dreaded CBC and Aquila villains) at a decent OAL. I'll stay with the Blues for match ammo, but will stick with the Gallant for the sole reason I can load even the most obscure 9MM brass I have on hand.

I take the CBC, Aquila, and S&B brass and load it with 115 gr or MG 124, RN bullets only. Most other bullet profiles just will not seat properly in these thick cased brass. Just this week I did try some 135 Grain Gallant bullets, and believe it or not, they did not crumble the case and create a bulge that would keep the finished round from fitting into a .40 chamber........... I just use them for practice rounds that can scatter to the four winds at the range for all I care.