Carlos

Agree - good service from brassmanbrass.com. As for Lee U die, it is fantastic & I do not know why we do not hear about other companies offering "small base" pistol or "U" dies for pistol - especially ones that would go to the bottom of .40 brass - (you listening Dillon?). I have seen a bit about the other companies offering to make one-off custom dimension dies; but why would I bother when Lee makes an off-the-shelf carbide U die for under $20 that won't takes weeks to deliver?Sure, w/ the Lee U die, press handle pressure increased a little - until I started using Hornady One Shot (takes two seconds to put on a light coat and I agree w/ BE - if left on cases, it just makes the gun run smoother). As for reduced case life, I have not noticed it & I don't believe there is a difference. One Shot makes everything runs smooth as silk & U die means no worries about bullet set-back in .40.

As a relative newcomer to 1911s (my 1st 1911 was an STI Edge bought used in 2000), I was fascinated by a friend's once "state of the art" open .45 IPSC gun & talked him into bringing out his pride and joy for me to relive the old days of IPSC & nsee what it must have been like. Man, this gun was tricked out! It was a hand fit Caspian single stack and the cone comp had not one, but TWO big ports! It had a mag-well (tiny compared to today's wells) and the safety? Well it worked on both sides (ambi). THere was a real commander hammer with a hole in it and a special extended grip safety so this beasty would not bite you (beavertail). The mags held not 7, not 8, but 10 rounds of .45. I made some special ammo to try out his gun - 185s loaded w/ the slowest powder I had back then - N350 - enough for real 175+ powerfactor; and, it kicked like hell. Accurate though. The comp reduced flip maybe 20% over a non-comped 1911 on hand for comparison. Funny thing was, the non-IPSC shooting 1911 fans at the range that day really did think this gun was super-trick; they had little understanding or interest in current STI or SV guns. They were/are content w/ their Kimbers and Springfields built much like all quality single stack .45s over the last 80 years or so. Old single stacks are cool; I think there are better mousetraps out there these days. The trick to making the old .45 comps work was light bullets - 152 National SWCs or the inexpensive Zinc bullets at about 140grns - these would work the comp more - but no where near the level of current Super 9mm guns/ comps (which really do shoot nearly flat). Why do you want a comped .45?

Thanks for the clarification Vince! To make matters more complicated, there were both paper and steel targets behind the swinging no-shoot. Thus, if a competitor shot through the no-shoot (personally managed that twice, sorry to say) and hit the steel, it would be up to the RO & scorekeeper to make the call on the steel and negate the hit since there was little to accurately "line up" & no tell tale lack of grease ring. This stage was busy enough (requiring min. 3 reloads) that when I was scorekeeping, my attention was focused primarily on the shooter and not on the hits downrange. Despite the issues this stage raised, it was still a fun and challenging stage - as was the entire match.

Tightloop wrote: "Carlos, Fast = soft???? Not where I live, and not with heavy bullets. Maybe with 155 gr and kind of, sort of, maybe with 185gr, but not with 200gr +" Maybe I was misunderstood. What I meant was that w/ equal bullets weights, faster burning powders on the burn rate chart will shoot softer. Example: load you favorite 230 or 200 to the same 165 PF over 1) Red Dot (fast) 2) Green Dot (medium) or 3) Blue dot (slow). At 165 powerfactor, the RedDot will feel the softest, the greendot will kick, and the blue dot will feel the worst. You could also try this in .45 w/ Clays, Universal Clays and International. Straight Clays will be the most soft given the same PF. Try it loading 9mm 147s to just above minor w/ V V N350, N340, N330, N320, and N310 (no, you will not find published data for N310 & 147s) then tell us what shoots most soft. I have done it w/ all of those besides N330 and I stand by what I said; fast=soft. We are talking minimum velocity to meet PF here, no more. Anyone else care to add their experience here? GunBoy - I won't try to talk you out of using lead since you use it already, it works, and it costs less (can't argue w/ cost - but please watch out for your health) and I don't see a problem w/ Bullseye, although I prefer straight Clays for .45 because it is clean. Again, I think you are on the right track to a competitive USPSA load for .45. Tell us what you discover.

The stage in question appeared at the 1st ever monthly match at Shooters Paradise (Phil Strader's place in VA). There was a port approx. 14"x14" and 3 USPSA targets along w/ 3 pieces of steel that had to be engaged through the port. To complicate things, there was a no-shoot on a swinger just behind the port (like 6" behind it). An activator had to be shot from the start box before advancing to the port. When the swinger eventually came to rest (which took quite a while), it did indeed cover all targets such that they could not be engaged. However, there was ample opportunity to shoot all targets. One shooter questioned whether all the targets through the port were optional disappearing targets that would not incur a FTE or miss penalty if the shooter decided not to shoot them since they eventually disappeared. Others (me included) thought that the multiple exposures of the targets meant that they had to be engaged and misses counted. All 48 shooters attempted to engage the targets though some people (ok, me) taged the swinging no shoot in the process. What do you think? Optional or required?

Ha! Thought so! Go get'em Spook!

I would defer to many of the experts on the S&W list (since they are WAY too into S&W trivia) but I thought a 625 serated trigger was at one time offered - if not as a stock gun feature then as a catalog item through the custom shop. If it is a cataloged S&W product, would that not be allowed? Also, Vince - what about the limits of chamfering? Is their a measurement for such things?

GunBoy: you are on the right track w/ what you have: SWCs - (since they obviously function in your 1911) & bullets in the 200 to 185 range w/ the fastest powder you can safely use to make major (Bullseye is FAST, thus equals soft). If you don't mind using lead, go w/ it. I switched to plated at a slightly greater cost per thousand. My data for straight Clays & Titegroup agrees /BamBam since I use the same bullet - plated roundnose 200 from Westcoast. I load it to 1.260" OAL. When loading the westcoast plated SWCs to 1.145" OAL, I backed off .1 to .2 grains of clays to meet new lower 165 PF.

Good stuff! Have used it in .45 and 9mm (and the .40 is in the mail so I will soon use it in .40). Accurate, as soft as clays in .45 (though noisier - like all ball powders) goes a long way. Seems to get more and more clean as pressures increase - my hotter 9mm loads (up to 145 PF) were more clean than the 165 .45 loads. Of course, the hot 9mm loads were likely running twice the pressure of the some .45 Titegroup loads I have tried. Even w/ the extra soot, Titegroup performed like a champ. W/ newer, versatile, cheap powders like Titegroup out there, I see very little use for many of the older powders like HP=38 & W231.

Chris - I agree to a degree but as L9x25 pointed out, SV is supposed to be "building mostly "to order" guns based on a very large menu of options ala "Burger King/Wendys". They have so many barrel, comp, frame, slide, scope mount and cosmetic options (serrations and slide contours) that you are as close to a full custom gun as you can get." There have been plenty of rants here about customer service and lets just say that S_I does not seem to follow the "Dillon Reloading" school of customer service. I have called them on 2 occasions for parts I needed: a replacement tube and a longer trigger insert (my gun came w/ the ultra short and I have huge hands). The response was essentiall "go order it out of Brownells - we make the stuff, you don't expect us to sell it to you too, do you??" As for the SV tubes, they were just not out there for a while - from any of the sources. 2 calls were enough for me; I won't bother calling a third time. S_I products are nice - if you can manage to convince somebody to sell them to you. Anyway, rant mode off; lets get back to jgobbels question: Local friends and I have had great service from EGW in P.A. These guys are patient w/ shooters who call them - even those who are not GMs - and they stand behind what they sell (fair prices and good delivery time too). Never had any problem w/ EGW. Limcat: I currently use a Limcat holster and it is well made if a bit pricey. Two close friends in the area (Two in B and one in M class) bought Limcat guns including an open guns and they seem satisfied w/ Limcat's "off the shelf" guns. What you might want to consider in choosing a custom gunsmith is how do their guns perform in the hands of local shooters like you? Glossy magazine ads are great and all, but ask yourself this question: has the company you are considering buyin from built a solid reputation for customer service and reliability in your area w/ AVERAGE shooters like us - not just those who are winning every match? Regards, D C Johnson

I have shot custom gunsmithed STIs in Limited for 2 seasons and I own an SV open gun (sometimes it runs). Say what you want about S_I open guns, but I think the facts speak for themselves. Fact: There are literally dozens of custom builders puting together S_I open guns (e.g. EGW, Benny Hill, Dawson, Brazos, etc, etc, etc.). Fact: Most of these custom open guns do not cost any less and often cost much more than a stock S_I open gun. Logically, why on Earth would anyone in their right mind pay the same or more $$$ from a custom builder for a S_I gun instead of buying it right from the factory? Are these NOT the facts? If so, what do you think the facts are? You are free to reach your own conclusion about this sad state of affairs. Maybe open 9 will make other platforms viable and lead us out of a situation where everyone asks: who built your S_I?? (hint: the answer to this question is rarely "S_I did"). Funny, no one ever asks who built my Glock. Feel free to move this to the Friday flame war if its too much for the readers here to take.

Steve: here is another thought: N105. Sound radical? not as much as some might think. 3N38 is decribed as having a burn rate b/t N-350 and N-105. Put another way, 3n38 is right next to N105 on the burn rate chart. You seemed to have decent results w/ 3n38 over 350; why not try one small step further? Although I have been having ejector-related problems w/ my gun recently (not related to powder) I have used loads of N105 under 115 Montanas that were between 10 and 11 grains. Of course, it is a compressed load even at 1.255 to 1.260 but there are zero pressure problems in 9 supercomp. I mean zero - like it looks as if there was no compound in the primer and the round never went off. Bullet set-back? Not really possible since there is no place to go. Overcharge? again, not really possible - this stuff is pretty safe in a 2011. I run a 4 port comp .350/350/350/300 without hybrid holes.

I agree w/ John. Look at the classes where you have a choice of shooting minor or major; few people choose to shoot minor (although there are a few, of course). If you allowed Major in Production, I cannot imagine that Production would be any different than the other classes and most shooters would choose to shoot major. Good job, USPSA, for keeping production Minor only.

If you are seeking .45 ACP w/ small pistol primer pockets, the Federal non-toxic factory ammo comes with cases that have small primer pockets - I hate the stuff since it really boogers up my reloading sessions w/ the 650. No idea abou the new .45 Glock ammo though. Didn't see it at this weekend's GSSF. Anyone see one up close?

There is another precaution (which Brian has posted on previously) in using straight Clays in .40 w/ heavy bullets like 180s and 200s: never allow your ammo to get too hot or pressures can spike (like leaving ammo boxes in the trunk under the Arizona sun for a few hours). Years ago - when PF was still 175, some shooters resorted to keeping clays loads in coolers - sometimes w/ ice packs to keep pressures from spiking. Since that time, (and this part is my own opinion, not BE's) there are two factors that help make Clays use possible in .40 if you are careful: the lower power factor and (if you like them) 180 grain or lighter bullets. Both seem to help keep Clays in the safe range pressure wise. Keep it cool, load long if possible, use a supported chamber, and don't push it far beyond 165. That being said, I have inspected the cases from several competitors guns here in Area 8 that showed primers that were not only flatened, but the tool marks from the breachface were engraved right accross the case AND primer. Not surprisingly, these competitors complained of head seperations and worse. While Clays is my absolute favorite in .45 ACP, I approach it w. caution in .40.

In your experience, what is the turn-around time on these? Do you need to send the frame, or the top end, or just the trigger components? Thanks, DVC! D.

Do a search here and on Glocktalk.com and you will find lots of info - much of it is wrong. As one example, several sites suggest using a dremel tool to polish the sides of the trigger bar where it contacts the connector. Right idea, wrong tool. To ensure a flat smooth surface, use a fine stone as can be found in Brownells, not a dremel which will leave an uneven surface. There are many examples of sketchy info online - and a few good sources too.

Wrong. Glock 34s and 35s are NOT legal in Production division. They are legal under the U.S.-only exceptions to the IPSC rules as stated in the current edition of the IPSC rulebook. Peter specifically stated: "it (the 34) is not recognized as a Production division gun because of its longer barrel and less than 5lb trigger." This indicates that Peter is following THE rules - not the U.S. exceptions to THE rules. The World Shoot followed IPSC rules and every Glock there was required to conform to IPSC rules as to barrel under 5" and trigger pull of (I think) 4.5 lbs. - these are not the exceptions followed by USPSA where, as you point out, the 34 and 35 have been allowed. It is obvious that Peter is shooting outside of the US. It may not be as easy for him to simply order Glock parts due to U.S. export restrictions and whatever import restriction may apply in his country (which is?).

Good point Flex! Yar: you only have 170mm to work with and the 9x23/38 Sup/TJ/9x21/9major crowd can fit 28 to 29 rounds in that same space. In shorter mags of equal length, the 9s will generally have an advantage as far as capacity. You might want to trade the .357 for something else as the basis of an open gun.

Sad thing is that, as an organized shooting sport in the USA, we, the IPSC community, are the ONLY ones that require magazines w/ more than 10 rounds. We alone have the vested sporting interest here folks. I am speaking now to those who shoot Ltd and Open & have not sent letters or made phone calls or joined NRA/GOA/or equivalent - you have what you want for today so you can't even lift a keyboard-finger to help everyone out? Our children face the prospect of the eventual elimination of Limited and Open - though I suppose they might still let shooters have Open-10. If you do not believe this will ever come to pass, then ask the IPSC shooters in the UK how they like being limited to shotgun and .22 rifle IPSC; or how the Japanese enjoy IPSC w/ airsoft BB guns (kinda takes the "power" out of DVC, doesn't it?). The republicans will not hold the white house forever; take the opportunity to change your (and our children's) future; write letters, make phone calls and VOTE! By the way, here is a link to a part of the website above that will tell you exactly how your state's legislators in Congress have voted and it predicts how they "might" vote in the future on this issue; a few well-placed letters to some of the fence-sitters could ensure this harmful law sunsets as planned. http://www.awbansunset.com/scoreboard.html

Yes, it would qualify in Open as long as it made the 165powerfactor. BTW, Sig has always been allowed in open since it is not "9mm" or 9x19. The so-called ban on "Open 9" applied only to 9x19 loaded to old, then new-major and under a certain OAL (a length that coincidentally allowed it to fit in 1911 magazines but not fit in many foreign make guns like the Glock). Glad that the BOD directive has been rescinded - it was about time considering the number of off the shelf 9x19 loads that can meet new lower major.

Steve - I can just picture Hank Hill himself uttering those very words - nice one. Eric - I am guessing you have a year or two on me (35) & I can't come close to your Red Dot story but I do recall a little hole in the wall bar in Carlisle PA where way back in the late 80s, you could get beer "to go" after hours; only problem was all they had was beer on tap (and mostly sold out besides Miller) so you left w/ a plastic gallon milk jug of rapidly warming Miller lite! American enterprise spirit at its best!

HAHAHA - now that you mention it, I have see the really, really old square Unique cans in some of the more seasoned gun store - thank God it was just for display! Any wonder that "Unique" rimes w/ "antique"??!? I've used blackpowder that left less residue! (well almost). What confounds me about this stuff is how popular it still is! I ask guys who use it, why? I usually get a response akin to "Its all they sells at the gunstore" or "it don't costs as much as them fancy, new-fangled powders!" or "Grandpa used it and ifin it was good enuf' fer him, well then..." In my case, nothing beats FREE, but I will not miss Unique once this supply is finished (nearly there).

Friends and family all know I reload so over the years they have given me spare,leftover, unused or otherwise orphaned components. I decided to turn some of these into 9mm practice ammo! A buddy needed an STI slide stop and I gave him my spare w/o expecting anything in exchange - but I got about 500 of the124 grn RN hardcast D&J bullets for my part. Some time before that, another friend showed up with a trunk full of old powder (many jokes about a "rolling bomb" were made that day). He handed it out to us depending on who would use what - and I ended up w/ 2 partial cans of 2400 and a 1/2 can of old Unique. I have always hated this nasty, dirty, smelly stuff - there are so many newer powders that do a better job for the same price - but free is free so I determined I would use the Unique. The can is the old coated cardboard canister style w/ the red plastic stopper! I checked and the powder passed the "smell test"; it also passed visual inspection for deterioration (no apparent oxidation or breakdown) so in it went into the 650. FOr primers, I used a partial box of 1000 WSP primers that was given to my brother at the bar by one of his drinking buddys. Origin and age? WHo knows? They are the old plated style and the trays had a suspicious light gray powder on them, but a test showed they were still viable. Cases were range pick-up brass - some of it from commercial relaoders Atlanta Arms so its impossible to tell how many times these cases had been reloaded. A 2 hour trip through the walnut followed by a dusting of OneShot and they went into the hopper. I followed an upper mid-range load from the Speer manual (4.3 to 4.4 grains) but increased the OAL from 1.130 to 1.140 just to be on the safe side pressure wise. I also brought a squib-load rod to the range just in case. Results: Accurate? Yes! Cheap? Yes! Filthy? YES! I could not believe how much more smoke these things made indoors! (did not do my health any favors last night!). Since these were bare lead, I chose to shoot them out of a Steyr M series 9mm I have. After 100 rounds, the cleanest part of the gun was the interior of the barrel - the hardcast left no noticeable leading. However, there was black crud caked everywhere else - especially the frame around the top of the magazine well and locking block area. The cleaning is not fun but I enjoyed shooting up the free components that I would never have used in competition. Once the lead bullets are gone, I will go through the "free samples and recovered components" box.

No problems here; SV in 9x23/9supercomp; 2nd owner & maybe 2000 rounds w/ small rifle primers but the gun is on its 2nd barrel and has maybe 50,000 to 60,000 rounds through it - all w/ small rifle primers.