Carlos

What about the 7mm T/CU or .223/7mm from a 20" barrel?? I looked at the published data but it was all for 14" Contender barrels; out of a 20" w/ 150s it would appear to make major & the drop at 300 appeared to be 18" over 12" for the .223. Seems like it would feed from AR maks just like .223. I understand it is common to split necks on .223 necked up that much but beyond that . . .?

This should probably be in "match Screw ups" but a non-std range command nearly caused a competitor a DQ & it was all my fault! I was RO'ing a shooter who was shooting his 2nd USPSA Match (he was an LEO & knew how to shoot to boot). It is my practice that after scoring and while waiting for the range to clear, I stand forward of the 180 if folks are still downrange taping; I try to be the last one accross the 180; this lets me keep an eye on the next shooter & tells him/her that we are not yet ready to begin. I waited for the squad, crossed the 180, stood next to the shooter & while giving the range one more look over, I said, "OK". Before I could give the command LAMR, the competitor's gun comes out of the holster. "STOP! REHOLSTER!" He complied & was visibly shaken. I conferred with 2 other ROs on the squad & a CRO, & due to the fact that the range was safe AND I gave the ambigous, non-standard range command "ok", I decided to give the shooter a warning only. I expalined everything to the shooter & I am sure he will never forget that one now. Is it wrong to unholter before LAMR? Of course. Is it wrong for the shooter to unholtser if the range command is anything but LAMR? Yes - and this shooter was just as wrong as we all are everytime we follow range commands like"gas her up" or "if you understand the course of fire". It has to be LAMR & nothing else. Hopefully I will never forget to only say "LAMR".

Thanks Paul W!!! Will take a look at the PA gunshow this weekend! Now to track down some data. Regards, C.

Erik wrote:"At $77/4#, I'll have to say goodbye to N320 and hello to my old friend Clays.There must have been a high demand for nitrocellulose somewhere in the world over the past year" Noticed a shooter using Clays in .40 Major (long loaded for an STI) the other night at our local match (www.shootersparadise.com). I have criticized Clays in .40 in the past but if V V is going up that much maybe I'll take the risk, load Clyas in .40 & just keep the rounds in an ice chest/cooler during Summer. If there is one of the RamShots that works & is close to N320, somebody please name it; apparently (from post above) True Blue is closer to N350. Then we will need a load for long loaded .40. The problem I see is data; how many times have you heard shooters complain: "that V V stuff is brand new (yeah, its only been around the US for over 15 years - brand new!) and there's no data yet!!" Which company has data on Ramshot? Would they approve of a .40 major/ 180 grn load using one of there faster powders?? If the VV prices increase, I'd give RamShot a try.

1st I turned on the news over my lunch hour and the FOX affiliate in the DC area had a positive story about shooting Sporting Clays by one of its female field reporters. Way to go Fox!!! She visited a sporting clays center in gun-unfriendly Maryland and was coached by one of the center's instructors. The instructor happened to be an Asian guy and it occured to me that any liberals watching the story must have really hated the fact that the story was not only pro-gun but also multi-culty! HA! She even hit one of the "rabbit" targets on live TV (take THAT PETA!). Then I opened the Washington Post and found a story on the front page of the Style section about the Thompson submachinegun display at the NRA Museum! Instead of a portrayal of the NRA as the mother of all evil-right-wing special interest groups, the Washington post had a favorable report of the National Firearms Museum's display of historical Thompsons. Front and center were pics from saving Pvt. Ryan and a shot of the Museum display with the granddaughter and great-granddaughter of John Thompson! I spent the weekend building a 1911 on Saterday and shooting a club match Sunday. I was not looking forward to Monday but its been a great day to be a Washington area gun owner so far.

Well I happen to own one of those barrels; it is a Schueman barrel that is manufactured with a raised rib as is used on SV open guns only there are NO ports in the barrel. It is exaclty the same as Schueman's .40 barrels used to build IPSC Modified division guns and it is even inscribed: "DANGER EXHAUST PORTS READ MANUAL" The model is GH40CNM1. It is banned by USPSA for use in Limited division; you can confirm this by calling SV since they build guns using this barrel. Can you build a gun that does the same thing that IS legal in Limited? Sure. The barrel I have lets you run a very light slide with a rather heavy barrel. You could simply use a tungsten sleeved .40 barrel. Then to lighten the slide you could make use of the popular lightening techniques like holes, flat topping, etc. to achieve a similar effect. Thus, you must ask: would the use of my barrel "allow you to do something that "could not otherwise be accomplished under the rules"? No. Has SV produced 500 of these? Probably. So why is it still banned? As it is, my barrel sits in the parts drawer unused. Instead, I shoot a regular .40 STI Edge Model. Only on my "STI Edge" the lower is an SV shortened to open gun length. The barrel is KKM. The slide is a black parked modified STI with an old millet sight and slide cuts to match. The trigger is TriGlide. The grip is not recognizable having been modified extensively. The magwell is off an old airsoft SV as is the front sight. I run a modified Swenson thumb shield safety and an SV grip safety. Like I said, its an STI Edge & perfeclty legal. I anyone needs my Schuemann barrel . . .

Nice gat Mark! EAA does ask a lot for spares & upgrade parts & they often leave a lot to be desired as far as customer service; you likely know about the CZforum.com site and the registered user there named Ossi (Alex)- I think his website is something like saavysurvivor.com but he should be able to beat EAA's price on that ambi safety. Regards, D., TY44934

Have burned over 10 lbs of plain Clays in .45; all of it above the 165 PF and all loaded on an XL 650; though Brian used it in .40; Clays was just as trouble free for me in .45 and I will not hesitate to use it again of I ever switch back to .45 Remember that many of the problems with Clays & .40 came at the OLD PF of 175. To keep pressures down with any Clays load, I would not leave loaded rounds laying in the hot sun during summer; but, then again, would that be a wise idea with any Major load?

Welcome Flyingfrog! You are a good man for doing the research 1st; my load in my 1st year of USPSA was straight, plain old Clays under a 200 gr. PLATED round nose (you are talking about the copper electro plated RN?). As you noticed from Hodgdon's data, it is not possible to make major with a 200 grain plated bullet and straight Clays using published limits. I used a charge (use at your own risk) of 4.5 grains of straight Clays under a WestCoast 200 RN loaded to 1.260"; this made new major out of a 5" STI Edge. I never had pressure problems of any sort. The STI had a ramped, fully supported barrel. Again, use at your own risk. Keep up the questions! We are here to help. Regards, C.

Welcome Sergio! Good choice on the SV - it is a great gun. WHat country are you in? Perhaps the forum members can best suggest a magazine source once we know where you are. Regards, Carlos

Mark: make sure you have an extra from EAA; the ones from CZ won't work as they are "small hole" & held in/ rotate on a smaller dia. solid pin. THe EAA rides on a larger dia. pin & they use a roll pin. Not sure it will break; its pretty tough stuff. As for springs, in a pinch an AK-47 extactor spring cut down will work in place of the EAA extractor spring. There are better ways to do this like spend the $$$$. Since Mark does not have the $$$ right now, he needs workable options. I'd go for it; beats sitting at home & missing all the fun.

Dr. Phil is extremely opposed to your having constitutional rights - at least those covered by the 2nd Amendment. Something about wanting to "save children". Dr. Phil: if you want to trust your children to nothing more than a 911 call & begging for mercy, go right ahead. I'll protect my family as I see fit, thanks. Keep your opinion off my rights.

Having used West Coast bullets in my .45 Edge, I found best accuracy with little to no crimp. This was a tip given to me by a friend who shoots bullseye competition. Problem was: if there is NO crimp how can you avoid the danger of possible bullet setback? I switched to hornady OneShot case lube (thanks Brian!) and a Lee brand "U" or "U"ndersize resizing die. This gave the "coke bottle" or "hourglass" shape to the rounds that Brian talks about in his excellent video. It also prevents setback. Not surprised to hear that others got better accuracy with some crimp; just goes to show you must expirement with your equipment to find what works.

Cost factors (cash-strapped student) are probably what is keeping mpolans from simply buying & having a 9x19 barrel fit. I agree that the real wear is on the extractor since that is where every round of 9x19 will be "headspaced". If you don't mind the occasional jam & you are willing to keep an extra extractor/spring/ roll pin handy, this might just work until you graduate & they pay you the big bucks (but sadly, you will not have any time to shoot then). As for chamber erosion with minor power factor 9x19 in a 9x21 chamber, if this were such a problem, wouldn't there be lots of warnings to never ever use 38 special in .357 magnum? Or to never ever use .22 short or long in a .22 LR chamber? Instead, lots of .38 (even hot .38) goes through .357 chambers with no problem besides excess residue ahead of the short case.

Though I am not a revolver shooter, I noticed Major (for USPSA) loading data for .38 Special in the Lee loading handbook; 200 grain Lead bullets at, if I recall, 870 fps. None of my other published data sources list this weight bullet for .38 special.

Mark is on the money here. He is a guy who shot this sport as a junior in Europe in the late 80s and early 90s and has shot in many parts of the US; he has seen the sport grow from Open/standard only to the multiple deivisions we have now. His experience has value. Q.What was the point of prize tables? A. To get competitors to use the donated prizes & thereby promote the company that donated the prize. Q. Who gets the worthwhile prizes today? A. Only the top shooters (Texas state limited excepeted). Q. WHere do the prizes go? Right to the USPSA classifieds, gunbroker.com, e-bay. Can anyone claim that that the current "prize table system" works? Works how? Please tell me how it benefits the sport, because I cannot see it. I am curious as to others' thoughts on this matter. Regards, C.

GREAT NEWS! Stolen comp/KKM barrel recovered! Brian H. is a master machinist and a true craftsman; the work is beautiful and you can see a picture of my new upper on his website. I received exactly what I ordered; a 4 port Ti comp on a supported KKM barrel built to John's (Mad Scientist) specs. The concept behind the comp design is also John's. In addition to the amazing custom comp, Brian used a process called "EDM" or electrodischarge machining to create 3 small hybrid ports. This process removes metal through spark-erosion and creates hybrid holes without leaving the accuracy-destroying burrs typically caused by drilling. Brian also milled a slot for the ports in the Glock slide I sent him (though Lord knows how much tooling was destroyed getting through the Tennifer coating!) and to top it off, he custom fabricated a guide rod! The KKM barrel is short chambered & I will do the chambering (likely this weekend) so I should be able to post a report next week.

The purpose of the HB is to retain the general outside shape/profile of the 230 grn Roundnose with the weight of the 185. The only way to achieve that profile/weight combo with lead is to take material out of the base. This also has the virtual effect of increasing case capacity, thus lowering pressure; all other factors being equal.

You wrote: "I'll be experimenting with Berry's 185gr HBRN plated bullets over VV n-320 (will be starting with 4.5gr @ 1.125" COL). Any load or spring suggestions?" I helped a good friend set up his XL650 & that same load! (Berry's 185 HBRN + N320). Only change we made was to load it out to the magic 1.260". Due to the extremely large cavity in the base & longer OAL, we got lower velocity than in the V V manual (no surprise) & had to bump up the charge a little (still stayed inside book loads). We were going for major, not the minor you seek for Prod. Check the new V V data online; there may be an N310 load for 185s & that would be even better than the excellent N320. Get a lighter spring & you are money.

Results are now posted; found them here: http://www.downzero.com/CY2004/WN2004_final.xls David: good shooting! How was the match? Which gun/holster did you use? What other guns were used by the top 5? Regards, C.

Agreed, for loads only intended to slightly excede major. However, I happen to know that Harley is interested in loads such as 147s that excede 1300 FPS (such loads being useful for pins, hunting, etc. I have only loaded 115s & 124s in Starline brass & my SV has a supported barrel. I have, personally sectioned starline 9 Supercomp and Win. 9x23; the Winchester brass was significantly thicker. I also sectioned .38 Supercomp and it appeared identical to 9 Supercomp. Best call Starline & see what they have to say. But again, I would not hesitate to use Starline for normal 124 & 115 major+ loads.

Wow! Not the response I expected but thanks for clueing me in Nik! I thought I was missing something. Regards, D.

Checked S&W's website, as well as IDPA and the site links posted on www.glocktalk.com, sigforum.com, the highroad.org, sportshooter.com, etc and it appears that no has calculated the results of the IDPA winter nationals (or if they have, no one bothered to post results). It only takes a moment to post to the web. WHat's up? WHo placed where? How long does IDPA normally take to calculate who won the Nationals? Thanks & looking forward to posting of the results. Regards, C.

Here is a link to an MSNBC.com story about the resignation of the recently elected chairman of the board of S&W's parent corporation: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4385728/ Looks like he failed to reveal convictions from 30 years ago; appears small until its revelaed they were for armed robbery. Ooops. When they were owned by British subjects (remember, those Brits are not citizens with rights but rather "subjects" who are "subject" to the whim of the crown) I was quite angry with the deal they penned with Rodam-Clinton, et al. I was optimistic that maybe S&W had turned a new leaf with new ownership; I own a 625, a 686 and a 340PD and they are good quality guns. Now it looks like more trouble for this poor old company. Sad state of affairs really.

" I've NEVER, EVER, EVER seen a "positive" story on firearms covered on television. GREAT point SigLady! Sure, cable will once in a while have a show to appeal to shooters but take any of the 4 big networks (FOX included) news shows: anything positive? Not that I recall. Even that bastion of liberalism, National Public Radio did a positive radio story on Cowboy Action back in the CLinton years; they recently did a piece on a reporter going to, of all things, a TOY-gun show buying a vintage cap gun (over the objections of his wife) and he confessed he understood gun ownership's appeal. Sadly, you will never hear anything like this from ABC, NBC, CBS or FOX (or especially those anti-gun, anti-semites over on CNN).