hopalong

Having shot a few matches in my short time shooting (51/2 years) I'll give you what I've experienced. ONE match only ............USPSA Nationals (International shooters just get on the waiting list like USPSA shooters who did not win a slot prior to the opening of the wait list...per KIM) Area match............A-6...(A-2 is also premier but too darn hard to get into) State match...........toss up between Tennessee( 2 weeks after 2007 USPSA Nationals this year 10 stages), and Missouri Fall Classic (USPSA match on Saturday, Man on Man steel on Sunday) Other match..........Florida Open. Now remember, I shoot mostly in the South East anyway but have gotten out of town once or twice. Hopalong

Darn! I really wanted to make this match this year but looks like it isn't going to happen (again) Good luck, have fun, Hopalong

Shoepop, I went to my 25 for the lighter barrel for just a little quicker transition times and it seems to have helped, but do notice a little more sight "jump" when shooting. How is the recoil on that dude with even more weight off ? It seems that is would have just that much more recoil and sight "Jump".........a good trade off for speed? Inquiring minds want to know. Hopalong

Hi Bill great question! I am the opposite of you, I shoot 6-10 USPSA matches to the 1 or 2 IDPA matches so I might can give you another perspective. It all for me boils down to the scoring..........Hit factor vs. Time plus (IDPA, ICORE) I can shoot as accurately as the next guy (or gal) so the accurate part doen't fall into play (MUCH). A Hit factor stage (USPSA) that is worth 100 points shot in 10 seconds is a 10 hitfactor stage (100/10=10) so keeping that in mind if I can now make that 10 second run a 9 and even drop 10 extra points it is still a 10 hitfactor stage....(90/9=10) so speed can be a good thing, with just a little less accuracy . Now on time plus you can throw that all away and start over.... 10 seconds with no points down is still 10, but 9 seconds with 10 points down is now 9 1/2 seconds (IDPA) so you only gained half a second but chanced losing much more. If you had taken .10 seconds longer to make sure of those shots (-10) and they were all 1 down you would still have ended up with a 9 1/2, but you took away the chance for the occasional -3 by doing so. (I hope you see what I'm trying to say) The skills used in ICORE and USPSA are for the most part identical except the scoring zone and thus the acceptable sight picture........which usually causes me to aim too much and waist time making sure that sight picture I am seeing really is what I want instead of just shooting when the sight picture is acceptable......and pretty much IDPA too, aside the cover and reloading rules. Keep shooting both, they are both good and teach good things. remember the hit factor thing at the USPSA matches though. Good luck, remember USPSA/IPSC.......Speed AND Accuracy........ICORE/IDPA Accuracy AND Speed.........looks the same, but slightly different to me. Hopalong

Thanks for the wishes, and a Merry X-mas back at you........and the rest of you wild wheelies. Gonna be raining in Tennessee so I will get to work on reloading some ammo for this upcoming year. Hopalong

Gary,Trapper, The match is quite possibly the best sleeper match out there.............I really do suggest shooting it if any way possible. for equipment questions I suggest contacting 1911operator. SAM To make the equiment problems easy............Just shoot Heavy Metal. (I need some more to kick my A$$)

Good for you Nemo!!!! Now that I got you converted let me add a little....... When the revolver bug bit me I had only a GP 100 Ruger................Now I have more Revolvers than all my other firearms combined. Hopalong

Gary, Thanks, I will check them out (again) Back during the summer while trying to get my act together for USPSA Revolver Nationals I attempted to get a couple of the .312 plain black Millets and was told they were out and were not going to get anymore due to Millet not making anymore that size, and color.....We'll see. Man that means I may be spending MORE money with them......... SAM

Bob, Give it a good testdrive and let us know what you think (please) Hopalong

Mr Smith, As for the Ratio, I have no Idea.........but I gather they (oversized thoated Cylinders) we pretty common for a few years. Sorry that's the best I can do. .454 sounds good as far as the throating size problem goes, but sounds pretty tight for the barrel..........Any of you really Technical cats know? Hopalong (they guy who doen't know much)

Jack, Sorry to hear that. I absolutely hate that too (I have lost 3 myself in 20 some odd years) Were I a betting man (sometimes I am) I would bet the river got her after she bled out getting to it. SHEET happens, you can still be proud of only losing one in your hunting career! Hopalong

I found out that shooting the revolver made my auto shooting better (I really watched the sights, and did not take any extra shots for granted) I have shot several local matches that have a second gun on the same day with both...........I usually shoot the auto loader first, then the revo and can't say I have much trouble with it. Hell........Try it, If you have trouble shooting the two leave the autos at home and just shoot L-10 or Production with the wheel as a second gun (twice the practice with the wheel and you can experiment with stage breakdown then compare runs ) Hopalong

Shoepop, You have one of many. Shoot the PI$$ out of it. and have fun. You have to watch out for two things though. 1........It most likely will not particularly like lead bullets (mine isn't the best for sure) but should do quite well with Jacketed type bullets (may or may not like plated, you need to check) 2.......Some of these guns had too large of an opening on the exit side of the of the cylinder and were inheritly inaccurate from the factory (Per Jerry) and at this particular moment I cannot recall the number he said to look for as too big but .456 for some reason sticks in my mind...........a little help here from you tech guys (all I care about is if it is accurate enough and works all the time) . Hopalong

My 25-2 is a 6 inch version. It has the factory milled sight (all part of the barrel) and I have a Millet .360 on it. I needs a .312 as at 20 yds it shoots just a little too high (have to shoot 6 O'clock hold on the plate rack and I preferr a center hold). The Millet has been discontinued for the older guns that take the longer, squared off front end of the sight. and Brownells is out and will not get any more. Carmoney mentioned another source(Midway?) but I cannot remember it. Good luck finding one, The Millet was the best for the money in my opinion. Hop/Sam

Yep! Makes a person feel pretty good to see that kind of thing. Every time I see a C-5B (The BIG one) I smile a little........(18 of them have my "mark" on them somewhere) Hopalong

Best Bullets for the money!!!!! I have been using the .40 cal 180s and the .45 cal 230s for two years now and have not had any type problems, or complaints..........just wish Joe and crew were closer to me so I could just run by and pick some up when I need them. Btw, the bullets are just as accurate or better than Montana Golds in my guns. Unless your gun just doesn't like them (I really doubt it though) you can't go wrong. Hopalong

Come on Chris, it'll be fun. I shot the wheelgun at the KY 3-gun match and had a blast. But.....I think I will do the single stack .45 with 10 rounders for this one. ( Personally I'm a traditionalist and tradition is .44 or bigger, but I can live with kicking some .40 short and weak ass ) Don't know about the Pump/auto in HM we'll have to see......... The More Heavy Hitters the better!!!!!!! Hopalong

Alright!!!! Since there are only 3 divisions, It would be great to see a good pile of heavy metal shooters. I challenge you other Heavy hitters out there to attend this one. maybe we could be the largest division?????? See you there, since I had to miss Ft. Benning you folks have had it. Hopalong

There you go Nemo!!!!!! Ask and you shall recieve. (man and I thought I might be getting a reserve 25) HOPALONG

Darn Bob! That is what I was thinking. I guess I'm getting slow, better practice up for you speedy guys. Nemo, You cut that barrel and I will be very mad. IF you want a 4 inch gun borrow Cliffs 5" 625 from Randy and file the last inch off. Really, 4 inch 625s are not hard to find. AND should be affordable (4-500 bucks) I have not paid more than that for any of my S&W wheels. (should you decide to move the 25 in favor of a 4 inch gun please contact me) HOPALONG Oh yeah, shoot the PI$$ out of it.

Tony, As one of those "Multiple Division shooters" I will give you my thoughts on this. Your personal goals will generally guide you where you want to go. I started in limited and zoomed to A class in about a year and a half(well satisfied with my progress at the time). I then went to Revolver until fairly recently when a hand injury and burnout played a major part in my shooting "Life". All in all.........shooting in different division has its good points and bad. the biggest bad is you will take longer to get profficient at all of them, but it can be done. I personally recomend holding off OPEN until you are quite satisfied with shooting the other divisions (You know where that point is......not anyone else) Open guns do teach you good things about shooting no doubt but I think they also are so specialized they can weaken the skills unless you really stay on top of them. Yes there are good examples of multi division shooters that are quite talented in many divisions.............some names that come to mind............ Manny Bragg, TGO, Dave Sevigney, Chris Tilley, Max Michell, Travis Tomasie......I think you get my drift. It all boils down to your own goals...........If you want to, go ahead......that is part of the great challenge of shooting. I do recomend shooting a Revolver competitively in USPSA, IDPA, ICORE as it will teach you so much about Shot management, course of fire management and plain ole Sight management. I helped me more than I ever thought it would with shooting the other divisions. Good luck, Have fun.........That is really why most of us do this shooting thing! Hopalong/Sam

Smitty, Kinda what I had in my minds eye when we were talking on the phone. Good buck for sure. I almost got one yesterday evening with the dodge...........glad I know how to see them before they are in the middle of the road. Enjoy the venison, I sure do. Hopalong

Bwana, Carmoney only makes it down south of the Mason-Dixon line once every 3 years or so................As far as I know he hasn't been back since his first Florida Open when Cliff explained the fine art of ass kicking with a Revolver to all of us there. (yes Dan and I were there too to get our share) And No I will miss this one with the 25, someone else can have it this year...........I have a vendetta with a some of my autoloader buddies that has been sitting for 3 years. and back to the original rant...... We only have so many good weekends, too bad things work out the way they do. Kansas took away a good many from us last year. Hopalong

HATE I missed it, but just could not get away after all. I'm sure it was fun, and what's the chances of Computer problems............AGAIN!!! You guys/gals won't be so lucky next year............work will just have to kiss my A$$ See ya round. Hopalong

Hi folks, Let me start by saying that the 3 clubs closest to me are not good places to host a rifle only match (not enough room). But...... I just happen to know a good bunch of guys at a range in Anniston Alabama that just hosted the A-6 3gun match that has 2 nice places to stretch you out but not take you to the next county......(With a couple of shotgun side matches? ) Maybe................... Alabama Section Rifle match????? Mark??? Looks like you could easily get 60+ shooters................... I'd bet $$$$$ you can get plenty of help. I also have a friend in Louisiana that has a most excellent range that with some time and organizational skills would be a premier place................only hitch is there is not any local help aside from the owner of the land so actuall set up and destroy would be a major undertaking. But................. Like when I started this thread it was to see how much interest is out there not just because I wondered, but to let others know if they had such an idea too. Oh and all who have offered, Thanks for all the offers of help and I might take you up on them. Or any one else who might attempt something like this. Hopalong/Sam