Carlos

"very adament that this would be the next big thing once the mag issue was sorted out." Well that is the rub; for USPSA, NO ONE knows what the magazine capacity is going to be because 140mm magazines do not exist yet. Put Bevin Grams on the project & I would bet that the mags become competitive (capacity wise) with either the STI or the Para .40s in USPSA. For IPSC/box rule mags, maybe our Brazilian friends can do better than the factory 16 rounders? If not them, then what about somebody changing to a different follower or baseplate? Finally, as for cost comparison, Dawson & Brazos sell the stock STI Edge for between $1600-$1700. True, thats a lot less than $2400 price tag for the Sig. HOWEVER, those same two STI dealers also sell the Edge that they put together themselves: Dawson for $2199 & Brazos for $2499 (these guns are still 2011s that start out as parts from the same STI factory, are the same action type, same caliber, etc). If the $1600 Edge works perfectly well & is supposed to be reliably competitive right out of the box, you would have to be stupid to spend an extra $800 for one - that is unless that $1700 Edge can somehow benefit in competition from an additional $800 worth of parts & gunsmithing. Suddenly a $2400 Sig (thats supposed to be reliable without extra gunsmithing & comes with a Sig recoil master) does not seem so ridiculously overpriced as a possibly competitive USPSA limited gun. I am not about to switch since I own 2 of the CZ Standard IPSC .40s & I am not one of the fanatical Sig fans (I primarily shoot either an SV limited gun or my CZs) but now that the magazine ban is over, its time we had some real brand competition in USPSA's Limited division. I think it was a good move on Sig's part to support our sport with a dedicated product like the X5. I think every gunmaker should produce a dedicated Limited gun. Regards, Douglas

www.shootersparadise.com I registered. My alias used over there is actually my first name (Douglas). There is even an "Ask Phil" section on Phil's forum. Good stuff! D.

Sorry you will not be shooting the local matches with us here in Nothern Virginia, but our loss is Colorado's gain. Glad we met & we'll see you again soon - maybe at the Nationals? Regards, Douglas www.shootersparadise.com PS 6" Hawley Custom SVs & N310 forever!

Here is an option: forget about drilling the frame for a "dot" & just run another top end in 9mm major that has the J-Point mounted on the slide. - You have little money due to recent graduation from college? 9mmMajor is the least expensive to run of the popular open .355s (9Supercomp, .38 Super, .38 Spercomp, 9x23Winchester, .38TJ, .38 Lapua, etc)..40 & 9mm run the same ejector IF you do not have to worry about clearing a scope mount on ejection. Downside to this plan over your original plan is: extra cost of slide & magazines. .40 open = same slide & mags; 9mm = not interchangeable. Upside is: same capacity as other .355s & you save $$$ on a frame mount & different ejector. Shoot Limited in the AM & just switch top ends to shoot open in the afternoon squad. You also suggested $1500 for a used open gun. Why go used? A brand new CZ Champion 9x19 is about $1200 (from autionsites) Both Angus & Mike Eagleshield (CZ-USA's gunsmith) have commented about running the Champion with NEW 9Major (powerfactor for open has been lowered to 165 now); the gun can take it. A lot of time has passed since it was popular to shoot open with the old Tanfoglio P9 (the guns Springfield armory bought from Tanfolio prior to 1994). Those guns had to endure 175 to 180 powerfactor 9mm & later had to all shoot 9x21. They did this with old double based powders available at the time. Since then, we have lower PF, better powder, safe 9Major loads & the CZ is an exceptionaly high quality gun. Its something to consider. You will still have to find a mount & buy a C-more or an OKO, but it should be very competitive.

We look forward to shooting with you in the VA-MD section (website: www.vamdsection.org). At this time of year, there are only 2 shooting venues functioning in the section: 1) the unofficial (but top quality) match they run down in the basement of NRA's headquarters just off Rt. 66; they have quite a range set up in the basement & they hold monthly competitions 2) Shooters Paradise in Woodbridge (www.shootersparadise.com for details). Phil Strader owns the facility & often shoots the monthly club match. The rest of the clubs in the section should be up & running in a few more weeks. Black Creek is set to start soon & Todd Jarret sometimes show up there. Fredericksburg will not be far behind. MPSA out at Thurmont has become a great local USPSA club (and I just became a member at Thurmont so I'll see you there). Can't help out w/ ammo. Sorry. See you at the range & welcome. Douglas

Great luck w/ the non-AETs I have used. Wil makes a top quality barrel. Noth the cheapest, but the quality is there.

I disagree. You almost got the last round in. You are likely using the wrong length ammo. What?!?! Its all the same right? 2 &3/4" right? The length of 2 & 3/4 ammo in the real world is all over the place. S&B 2&3/4" slug: 2.442" Federal HiShok 2&3/4 2.364" Remington Reduced recoil 2.320" Fiochi low recoil Buck 2.325" S&B Buck 2.545" PMC low recoil Buck 2.455" Differences seem small but multiply those by 9 & you can come up short. When I bought my Winchester Super X2 & took it to the 1st club 3 gun (the unofficial match at NRA HQ) I was really disappoined to find that my "9 round gun" only held 8 rounds of S&B buck. I thought: "what the ***K?!?!" This gun was sold as holding 9 rounds of 2&3/4 & these rounds are not even close to that long. I simply had to switch to Remington. THere may bhe other fixes to the problem. But I wish the companies would come clean on actual shell length & gun/extension capacity. D.

Your reply got me wondering about the compiled data w/ 115s (very little). However, a couple of things about Major9 115 are apparent: 1) Its handload only. While there are major 124 loads, I have never heard of factory major 9 w/ 115. 2) It should only be attempted by the most experienced loaders & fired from the strongest guns. An STI Open 2011 would be appropriate. An antique blowback 9x19 would not. Those warnings out of the way, I looked a the old data (has not been updated in years) listed for a different caliber on Jeff Maass site. He lists major 9x21 data. Many of the loads have an OAL too long for a 9x19 - particularly the CZ & Tanfoglio/"springfield" P9 built on the smaller frame & allowing a max OAL of about 1.161" or less. I own a custom barrel Glock designed for Open9 & 1.155" is about the longest I can load. Don't assume you can shorten any listed loads without sending pressures through the roof/ blowing up your gun. Don't say I did not warn you. However, most 2011s & other 1911s specifically designed for 9 major will allow a longer OAL in the mag & MIGHT have enough free-bore to take 9x19 loaded to the spec.s on Jeff's old site. The powders listed for 115 9Major were: N340, N350, 3N37 (probably 3N38 too) N105, AA-7, HS-7 & SP-2. Some of these loads meet old Major (175) so the might provide a comfortable cushion for meeting 165. Anyway, the site is: http://home.columbus.rr.com/jmaass/documents/hl9x21.pdf Thanks for bringing up the topic; maybe the general trend to avoid 115s can be reversed. I'm open to the idea. D. Anyway the site lists several loads that just meet or slightly exceed

EricW: Agree with you that the Caspian Limited 40 is a more immediate threat to STI/SV in USPSA Limited division. Why? Sig X-5 vs. Caspian - that is sorta like "New, undeveloped USPSA technology vs. old, well-developed technology that (in Caspian's case) has been on hold for 10 years due to that stupid magazine ban" The trick to both in USPSA is developing 140mm magazines with competitive capacity. If the X-5 is anything like the 228s I have fired (including the new steel framed version) the bore axis is still a bit high for my taste. Maybe the X5 sits lower in the hand. The 226 does tend to be reliable & quite accurate though.

Excellent link, CzechM8 - thank you. Looks like the gun was designed by/for IPSC & not USPSA. Appears that the 14 round magazines are box-rule magazines & not 140s so only time will tell as to what the real USPSA capacity will be when the mags are made 140mms - 17, 18, 19, or more .40 rounds? Too soon to tell. I am working on increasing the capacity of my CZ Standard IPSC with 140mm magazines. Easily up to 18. I know that 19 is clearly possible & with the right follower, I may get it to 20 for a 140mm magazine. Who is up for R&D-ing the 140mm Sig X-5 magazine?

Matt Kartozian of Custom Glock Racing was good enough to provide coverage of the SHOT show on his website & he posted a picture of Sig's USPSA competition Limited gun: pictures Among the special custom features, it appears to have a factory mag well, the frontstrap has real checkering, its single action only, it has adjustable rear sight, its heavy stainless steel with a long/heavy un-grooved dust cover and a price that is comparable to a working model of the STI Edge (MSRP $2499). Best of all, there is no de-cocker & instead, it has a frame mounted safety right where God & John Moses Browning intended it to be (same as 1911). Along with the CZ Standard IPSC .40, it looks like the Sig could give STI/SV some meaningful competition in Limited this year - at least equipment wise. Anyone know how many rounds of .40 the Sig holds in a 140mm? Here is a link to Matt's sight that will allow you to get his complete coverage of the SHOT show (thanks again Matt!) Regards, Douglas www.shootersparadise.com Moderator Edit: Fixed the URL. There are three pictures of the SIG at the top.

Forum member Kingman developed such a load & posted data on the other 9major thread. Believe he swithced to 124s though. General trend has been to use 124s - likely due to excessive pressure issues with 115s.

Tractor Ted wrote: "BE VERY CAREFUL! The rulebook still has an inclusive list of mods you can do to a gun, and lightening it is not on that list. As a matter of fact, lightening the slide is on the list of non-IDPA allowable mods. Personally, I would shave a little hear and there on the grip area of the frame, but be neat and tell no one." Are you required to shoot with the grip panels & grip screws in place? Could'nt those simply be removed? You have not altered any part on the gun & the slide is not affected. Also, what about the sights? They are allowed to be replaced in all IDPA classes so what about instaling the lighter Glock plastic sights in place of the heavy steel factory sights? Might save some weight. I think there a likely several unnecessary parts on most guns that could simply be left out or "lost" & thus not constitute any modification to the gun. For example, what about leaving out the grip safety & ejector pin entirely on a 1911? Not the most comfortable to shoot without the safety (nor would leaving off the grips) but its within the rules & it could get you back into the game. Just a thought. Regards, D.

Matt Kartozian of Custom Glock Racing has been kind enought to post daily coverage of the SHOT show (including pictures of the new AMERICAN made glock frames & the new Glock models) on his website: here it is: http://www.custom-glock.com Thank you very much Matt! Regards, Douglas www.shootersparadise.com

I am not Matt, but I can tell you that such malfunctions are certainly NOT normal. You list: "I have had hammer follows" Thats a new one to me - even with gunsmithed triggers. You are certainly right to be concerned & returned it to CZ since following is usually followed by doubling. Not good. First I have heard of it though. "light primer hits," Have only seen that with hammer springs reduced to the min. weight & then clipped. If you are using the stock spring, I would drive out the FP retaining roll pin & clean the upper, the re-assemble DRY. Also, stop using CCI/speer primers or surplus military ammo. "fail to extract" I had an old Solothurn AT-84 that had this problem until I replaced the extractor & spring (though likely only the spring needed replacement). In a pinch, the extractor spring from your AK-47 will work when clipped down to fit. You are not using Wolf 9mm are you? "and premature slide lock issues" My friend Bernie claimed the same with his CZ75B when he loaned to to me; it NEVER locked open on me with about 5 types of 147 grn bullets in loads I made for it. Same gun - I had no slide lock problems. Differences? Bernie uses Blazer 115 & I handload 147s (long too - 1.155"). More likely, Bernie's grip caused his thumb to hit the release. Definitely not normal though for a CZ. Regards, Douglas www.shootersparadise.com

I am a huge CZ fan & I think the CZ-75B in .40 with minor 127 PF reloaded ammo is pretty close to the ultimate USPSA Production gun. HOWEVER, you are obviously shooting IPSC, not USPSA, so the rules & gun selection are different. For example, the .40 CZ is way down on mag capacity for Production division so you are better off with your 9mm CZ for Production division. Here is why you should keep shooting the CZ: 1) In IPSC production, you have nearly as many rounds as the Standard division guns so you will shoot match stages nearly the same. I.E., you will get the same match experience without more expensive .40 ammo & without having to pay all those extra Euros (plus the huge licensing hassles in Europe) for a new gun. Only down side is minor vs. major scoring, but learning to earn max points by shooting minor & going for all/mostly As will certainly help you in the end. 2) At the last World shoot, a glock happened to come out on top thanks almost entirely to the huge talents of Mr. Sevigny. The next 5 finishers in Production shot a CZ or a clone of the CZ - all in 9mm. (Note - they used 9mm in Production because of the magazine capacity advantage). The numbers favor the CZ (unless you shoot as well as Dave - & no one has yet). 3) Move up in rank with that heavy Production trigger ( Production division in IPSC has a minimum 1st trigger pull weight of 2.27 kilograms) and when you later decide to replace the CZ with another pistol in another division, you will be well-practiced in a steady trigger squeeze - a technique that will help you win. Starting out with a light trigger turned me into a trigger slapper (bad habit I am working to break). Keep shooting & keep us informed of your progress. Best regards, D.C. Johnson TY-44934 Arlington, VA www.shootersparadise.com

For "He Man" in the VA/MD section, we follow these rules: Shotgun: Pump only & must be 12 gauge; no optics porting or speedloaders Rifle: has to be 30 cal. or greater Pistol: must be .45 ACP although other "manly" calibers like 10mm, .44 magnum, etc. considered on case by case basis. First match I shot, I used an AK-47 (SLR-95 w/ dual grip setup & 40 round mags), and 870 & a CZ-97B-SA (.45 of course). Second match - same except I substituted a Springfield M-1A for the AK. Check out: www.mpsa.net Regards, D.

"So the sponsorship wasn't the reason I switched, I was switching anyway. " Me too. As a B limited & C Production shooter, no one pays me to shoot their guns so I choose based on what works. After most of a season wasted on a Glock 17 (the GSSF model) I switched to a regular CZ 75B loaned to me by a friend (thanks Bernie). Result? Better accuracy & it felt a heck of a lot better in my hand plus it shot more like my 1911s (steel frame, steel slide - vs. plastic flex-o-frame & weird trigger). After I gave back the 75B, I bought the 85 Combat that had: extended mag release no series 80 safety overtravel adjustable trigger (that is allowed in Production division unlike "speedbump") adjustable sights & a couple other features. As for a trigger job, you can get about 80 to 90% of it simply by ordering & installing the lightest Wolff brand hammer spring (15 or 16 lbs). Until the CZ made, double-action copy of the STI EDGE (also known as the SP-01) comes out in 2005, the 85 Combat is the ideal Production weapon. Regards, Douglas www.shootersparadise.com

Siggy- sorry to hear of the Nutria problem in ole' Eugene; I remember once hitting a squirel on my 1st motorcyle & I found it quite slippery; I can only imagine what a nutria might have done to my traction. Regards, D. PS: Not missing SF at all.

Good lookin' gun.

What gets me about San Francisco is the attitude of most of the people that inhabit the place. Its like everyone is constantly on one big LSD flashback to 1969 where they think they are leading a hippy street protest & are just itching to get in your face to tell you that they are morally right & you are wrong and you should be ashamed of yourself because its somehow all your fault (not theirs). Nearly took a job there in '99. Glad I did not take it.

Nice lookin' pistola! Regards, C.

Good point. All other "30 round mags" are not really 30s - at least not reliably. Just because one can actually stuff 30 in there does not make the mag functional in a sport where the gun must run 100% of the time. THey should all be called "28 round mags". The HK 30 round magazine not only holds 30 actuall rounds of .223, it will work when loaded to 30 (giving a useful & reliable starting capacity of 31 round, not 29 like everyone else). But at the $47 I paid for the one I own, I will not be giving any more $$ to HK (unless they release the 416 uppers they are sitting on). D.

Production? I would have to predict: 1) Todd Sindelar 2) Sevigny 3)Angus 4) Matt Mink 5)Petros (or some combination close to that) Limited? 1) Strader 2)TGO 3) Seeklander 4) Erik Lund 5)Manny 6)TT 7)Voight Open? EG, Tilley, Norris, Francisco, TJ, Bradshaw, Eric, Max & at least a 1/2 dozen others all have a shot though I can't predict the order. I am sure I left out several contenders. Good to see the high level of competition going into 2005. Regards & DVC!, Douglas

Agreed. Excellent post. D.