sinnsyk

For a while yesterday I was looking/hoping that we could make a big round button in a one-piece. It's really close, the only problem was a relief cut that I don't think we can get to from that same operation. I ordered the 420 material today and we're getting the mag release first turned on the lathe with all the fancy 'catch' cuts etc. Then we're setting it up in the CNC mill and profiling it to slide into the frame. It'll be a much tighter fit that the factory so shouldn't have much wobble that we see today. While trying all my frames which are from 10 years back up until 2009, there's enough variance that we can't make it to a 0.001" fit, but it'll be snug.

Are you happy with how hard / easy it is to push the mag release as it is now ? If it can be made harder you could find something to stuff in the hole to put more tension on the mag catch. Yesterday we worked all day prototyping the new mag release we'll come out with. It'll have adjustable tension plus a detachable button. The adjustable tension will hopefully fix the issues you are having and you could tune to where you're touching the release, but not releasing the mag without a proper intentional push. I just had a big run through today with the heat treat, gunsmiths and the two machinists who are helping me on this project. After much back and forth we are going to make the machined mag release from 420 stainless steel. This is the same tough material we are making the firing pin from and it allows us to harden the steel so it'll be a tough sucker. I'm also making a new lighter spring which will allow for a wider range of tension adjustment. We will make at least one, possibly two buttons and probably available in both stainless and anodized aluminum (red / blue) to match red / blue grips.

The same guys who make my grip screws will be making the magbutton screw. Not sure if they can checker it or if it'll be that big of a deal since I'm thinking the screw will be countersunk into the button. I personally prefer a button that is angled backwards as I have ran a weld-on solution on my open gun for years. In fact, SVI liked it and copied my button which those of you who own an SVI gun can see how their button is. I'll make a button that comes out and back at an angle so that it will be 'in my opinion' ergonomically reachable. The button on my open gun is so easy to reach it's ridiculous. We can also make a few blanks that are drilled for a screw, but would need filing or further machining if you'd like. I'm not sure what the need would be for a multitude of buttons, but that will be the nice thing about this threaded magcatch, you can make and add any type of button you want.

I just got the first prototype magreleases from my lathe shop. On Sunday me and my machinist will work on making them fit the frames tightly. We will also try to make an adjustable tension setup with a set screw that can be adjusted to put more or less tension on the magcatch spring. This will be hugely advantageous as I've always had to cut my magcatch springs to get the tension/feel I want. On top of that we will tap and thread the magcatch to allow for a button to be screwed onto it. I will have a custom screw made with a T10 torx head with the lowest possible head print. We are going to make some angled mag buttons that you can screw on after you've installed and adjusted the tension. I will make some to my idea of what I want, but of course you could also make your own if you want. Anyone who wants to post a picture or a drawing of a mag button they like please do so. It helps to give me as many ideas as possible. We'll probably only make one unless there's a good reason to make a couple of different designs. Please join in if you want to be heard and influence the development process. ;-)

The Double Alpha thumb rest I have in stock is the one that fits the IPSC Standard Box. It's not too small and I think it's nice. ;-)

Having a magazine that collapses to legal length (flexing) is already been done and found unsportsmanlike. Of course that road has been traveled ;-)). Just before or during the World Shoot in Ecuador my buddy in Canada had the pad & mag setup that way, but got shut down by IPSC. I was up there training prior to the match and it was a pretty neat idea. And the feeling was exactly as expressed here... neat until it gets caught. So then what's the point ? I believe the point is to compete sportsmanlike and though bending the rules to our liking I agree with officials that it could be seen as cheating. My machinist is running H-141 pads and I told him to make some that are 0.030" longer with a 0.015" thinner floor. We looked at making the pads from steel, but the machining time and tooling cost wouldn't be worth it. If we can get 0.040" - 0.050" more space just by creating a slightly more extreme pad the cost of gaining another 0.010 - 0.020" is huge in comparison. You would need to file more off the rear of the feedlips for the mag to fit the gauge, but it'll work. I'll have the pads soon along with a re-supply of regular H-141 pads. :cheers:

You're absolutely right. Jim emailed Saul to let him know and Saul took it off his shop right away.

Jim... you wanna chime in ?

Already tried the sky diving thing. Worked on getting my license 20 years ago and got through 19 jumps before the winter blew in. Scary and fun. I'd do it again if someone wants to throw me out of a plane without requiring a jump license. I just don't want to go through the process again. One of the guys I got to know back then had a chute collapse on his 2nd jump. The pilot of the spare came out first, then the pilot of the main. He grabbed both as he realized they would both open at the same time, tangle up and he'd be flat toast. So he kept his head cool, suddenly had one in each hand, cut the main and finally released the spare which he landed with. Another guy we watched did a hook turn too low and broke both his shin bones. He screamed pretty loud. Took them six hours per leg in surgery. I had a blast and miss it. Hope to do it again some day, just got to find a pilot who's a little flexible..

When I shot the double tap last year they had a 24 round stage where Manny took a miss by only shooting 23 rounds as he could load 22 + 1. He won the stage and was over a second faster. There was no time to reload. It was a sick high hit-factor. I wouldn't go to 9 coil, but 10 could work if you only use the mag when absolutely necessary. Because of that stage last year I thought of making a slightly larger basepad with an even thinner floor. You could do that and shave more off the back of the magbody. The pad could also be made out of steel which would allow to make the pad floor probably only 0.020" and hold up. Just reducing the floor would give you 0.030" plus making the pad 0.020-0.030" is doable if you accept shaving more off the rear of the magbody. This was something "i had to do", but forgot. Also I don't know how many will be interested in such a pad as it's pretty extreme. let me know, we could possibly make a few in steel that's longer with a thinner floor and 22 is absolutely achievable.

yup been told that already, but thanks for the advice. I'm trying to get used to holding my hands up higher and holding a lower tuck. Not there yet. We did 2 training runs and one race on Saturday and two races today. I kept improving so happy about that. Finished in the middle and have lots of training ahead of me. Next season it's all on.

Inspired by the Olympics and really, really missing Alpine Ski Racing, I joined the Rocky Mountain Masters racing program and came out of ski racing 'retirement'. Last time I competed in skiing was 26 years ago... so for my first race it of course had to be downhill. Here are some pictures from this weekends downhill race. This is for the most part an 'old boys' competition, but open to anyone from 18 - 80. Some of the top guys are previous US national ski team. And some have never competed before. Sort of like going to an USPSA area championships. We have a great local training program and I'm gonna focus on Giant Slalom and Super-G. Pictures by Emma Hall. Thanks to her I got these great shots. She suffered her way through deep snow and trees to get a good spot to take these pics.

All is on my asap schedule. The shop is running H141 pads and H069 mag wells right now. The mag release is a two shop job and as soon as I get them from the first shop we will take it to a final stage. Assume it'll be 1-2 months due to waiting on the shops. The adjustable flat trigger we talked about the other day and it'll be on right after the mag well unless the mag release is ready to go. We will also work on - a fixed rear sight for limited - lower, more appropriate fiber optic sight for the match (probably 0.105" x 0.140") - black front sights (no fiber) that you could file height to match fixed rear and probably a few other things..

The new 9mm mags are in, a large shipment came in on Friday. I was up at the machine shop for 24 hours straight working on new magwell so haven't had time to check them out yet. But they do have the spacer in the back which makes me very excited ! ;-))

Yes I've got my plane tickets, hotel, car and match entry booked and ready. I'll be shooting my big bad Canyon Creek Tanfoglio Gold Team V8 in Open in Serbia ;-) I think the entire Norwegian group is staying at the match hotel ; continental in Belgrade. I heard that Norway don't use the same stupid people who picked the national team for the European Rifle Team 2009, so maybe I'll have a chance to be on Norway's Open team this time.. Not saying I should automatically qualify for the team, but the two times they've excluded me from the team (European Open 98 and European Rifle Open 09) they should take a good hard look at the results.. Just saying.. I warned them and it still pisses me off

Maybe I'll be able to post a picture this weekend, should do the final touches tomorrow.. ;-))

Hey Rob I noticed I missed your call the other day. Guess you were wondering about the pad ? I have a small frame Stock II and used it to develop the H-550S pads. It's based on the same design & fit as we've done on the H-141S and has same feel & fit as it would on the large frame. It's tight, but in my testing & design should be exactly what you're looking for.

What are you shooting at the Europeans this year and which gun ?

At the US Nationals in Montana a few years back, Todd Jarrett had a case with no flash hole, causing him a major jam and lots of points. Last year at the European Rifle Championship, Johan Hansen of Sweden had a swedish military 5.56 ammo do the same time. Note; Swedish Military factory ammo ! Shit happens, but better in competition that war I would think...

I have done some pre-ordering in the past and as my new magwell is right around the corner I may do it again. By Friday I may have a decent picture to give everyone an idea. Pre-ordering will of course save you money over ordering when it's all said n done. The new magrelease is also ready soon. Maybe I'll do a page with pre-order / specials where it could be a 'fixed page' based on my current shop design and taking pre-orders of whatever newest project I'm working on. As my new webshop gets finished it'll be easy to add a single pre-order product. Easy.

Hey Julien Yes, for both 38 super and 40 S&W when I'm loading with new brass I remove the resizing die, but replace it with a decapper only. The reason for this is to not change the 'perfect straight' shape of the factory new 38 rimless and 40 S&W brass case. Currently I only reload using Starline brass which has always shown to have the highest quality brass. Back on the topic.. In current Tanfoglio magazines it is extremely important to keep the reloaded case as evenly straight as possible. Even using a resizing die will change the contour ever so slightly. Using a resizing die typically creates a slight cone shape which when trying to get as many rounds as possible in the mags can cause nose-dives. For my 40 I push 19 for IPSC Standard and 38 super you can get 27 - 29 in the big sticks depending on mag body / pad & spring/follower. When you're going after these capacities, having a straightest possible case makes it easier to fit them in the mags, plus it ensures less to no chance of nose dives. You can easily spot nose dives issues waiting to happen. With a fully loaded magazine, if there is a gap between the top and second to top round, it may cause a nose dive. The second to top round functions as a feed-ramp for the top & feeding round. If there's a gap, it will allow the top round to follow the second round down and cause a nose dive. The problem is really rooted in the shape of the magazine bodies which is difficult to fix. I know the factory is working on new 9mm and then 40 S&W mag bodies which will possibly make these reloading quirks be gone. The purpose of using a decapper die only (available from Dillon, Lee etc) is to ensure there is a flash hole through the case. It's happened.. not to me, but I've seen it at US Open Nationals and European Rifle Championship. Not fun. If you're reloading, both 38 rimless and 40 S&W I would recommend resizing using a push-through die. There is the Gizmo push-thru plus Redding makes a pretty cool one. It will ensure the case is resized all the way to the bottom. When resizing in a reloader, the case sits in a shell plate and it's impossible to resize the case all the way to the bottom. This is the point of the 38TJ case which has a higher bottom cut that eliminates the need for sizing the case so far. There just isn't metal that needs resizing as far down with the 38TJ. Problem is Starline is out and doesn't have enough demand for it since most doesn't understand it's benefit. A couple of years ago I talked to them about making a 40 case on a similar principle to reduce the need for trying to get rid of that bottom belly. Another way to reduce the problem is to have a barrel with a tighter chamber. Typical factory chambers are loose which allows the case to shape with a belly. I have switched to a Briley barrel in my 38 super with a tight chamber. The problem is highly reduced because the case doesn't blow out of spec. Once we've got 40 barrels made I will install a Briley 40 barrel with a tight chamber in my Limited 40. My six inch already has one. ;-)

Thanks for the feedback Chris. Suggestions like your helps me a lot. I will work on getting the magwell, magrelease and possibly the new hammer & sear ready first. Then I'll put several packages together. We're also working on the new shop which I'm not sure how the packages will work out with options etc, but I'll figure out something. The cool thing about the new store is that I will also be able to have coupons which can be used during specials etc. I think it'll be pretty cool. Always seems like flexibility is the key. I do want to create several 'new gun' packages as well as several small packages of similar parts that make sense.

I get orders much higher than the $399 many times a week. Ordering 'a package' as in all businesses and sports should be awarded by a lower price. What's going to be interesting is to see how many this type of package will be beneficial to. This is why I've made it fairly flexible for shooters with 2,3 and maybe 4 Tanfoglios in their safes. Once a loyal enthusiast, many end up with a Stock II, a Limited and a Gold Team. Not all guns may be up to speed with all the goodies, so it could be great for some. And yes, for new time shooters it's a sweet deal, but not all want to jump in with both feet right away. I still think that a 'go all the way' package is going to hit home run if it's offered as a regular package on my site. As I've mentioned it won't be as sweet as it's going to be on this trial run during olympics, but I'll create a sustainable package deal once I get the magwell and the magrelease ready. Then maybe we'll do a poll on the site to figure out what upgrades "can't live without" I'm open to input on this and what types of packages you want to see.

Thanks Mo. Yes, trying to really step it up for anyone who wants to buy a complete package. And for those who do, I've added some additional options.

This whole package deal is more of an experiment for me as anything to see how I can build a page that encompassed a multitude of options, giving a great deal for those seeking to buy a larger package and save at the same time. Plus offer mix n match for those with several style of guns. I just added options to choose the new small frame H-550S basepad & spring package. They will fit the IPSC Standard Box for Limited and Stock II guns in small frame (European versions). Great for anyone with small frame 40 S&W or 9mm. Also added H-141S basepad & spring package for small frame. Suits Gold Team V12 and V8 in small frame 9mm. This allows for someone who has a Limited 40 large frame, a small frame Gold Team V8/V12 and/or possibly a Stock II who want to trick several guns. Just trying to make a fairly simple package deal with some flexibility. Of course it won't fit everyone's needs, but the whole point is to buy a package, save big and hopefully get everything you need or get some spares that can come in handy. Please, any feedback on this type of package will be appreciated as it may set the beginning of a package type webpage. Though it won't be offered at these rock-bottom prices.