cowboy85306

If you can stand another compliment on that fine Garand, I say Great job! The stock and handguard work so well executed, the color match in your photos is superior. Clearly you spent the time the job required. Admirable!

I own and have owned a handful of Springfield Armory 1911a1s, and have two DW 9mm 1911a1s. ( a PM9, and the commander-sized Guardian ) Just my opinion, get the PM7. I've never been more satisfied with a 1911 than I have with either of the DWs, or my Colt Special Combat Gov't in .45ACP

Agree with Joe4d- found that 4.5 WST and 200 gr ( LSWC ) is soft shooting, but would let the slide lock back after the last round in my late 1980's built Springfield 1911A1 ( limited gun ) Had to bump it up some.

Howdy- Used a lot of 231 back when I shot .45 ACP in USPSA in Florida. Was fortunate enough to get to go to the Nationals ( as an alternate in my club when someone better couldn't make it ) in 1988 in Barry, Ill. Everyone was upping their charges for the trip, as 231 had a rep for running slow in the cold. These days I like WST for .45 ACP, though got my best accuracy ever with a slight "overload" that I will not post here.

Howdy- if the gun cycles ok and does not short stroke ( slide locks open after last round, etc. ) try a heavier crimp, or, as others have suggested, a modest increase in the powder charge. Sounds very nearly like what I experienced developing a .45 Schofield light load to shoot in my Vaqueros years back. Used 165, 180, and 200 grain bullets with Trail Boss. Going as light as the data listed I got unburned and partially burned powder spewing out. Increased the crimp and problem decreased, upped the charge and all was well.

Along those lines- I have such a problem when loading .38 Specials using MIXED HEADSTAMPED brass. The problem there being the case lengths are all over the place, and when the crimp is just fine for the short ones, the longer cases buckle. In autoloaders, not as big a problem by using taper crimp, and by ( as noted by several others ) , crimp as a separate step after bullet seating, though the result of finding a "happy" medium is that the short ones get somewhat less crimp ( and less bullet to case neck tension ), and the longer cases, of course, get more. To avoid most of the problem, separate your brass and adjust dies accordingly.

???? Bullseye was the original powder used? Doesn't sound right at all. .45 Colt was a Black Powder round, originally. Just saying, don't mean to cause a stir.

SEVERAL + years ago, I thought to shoot Production class with a G34- Looking at the rules for same, I was amused at how much more it was going to take to field a competitive Production gun. DK trigger set up, Barsto barrel, Dawson sights , forget who's recoil spring system . Gun shot well! Guess it should have, considering the outlay for this Budget catagory ( yeash, I know, less than an Open class gun, but far more than a box-stock Glock ). Then, my disability came to be, and all that stuff was a moot point anyhow. That's life, I suppose.

Alas, though Titegroup is right there with Bullseye on the relative burn charts I have, and Bullseye remains one of my least favorite powders due to the fact of it being ( for me, I know SOMEONE will chime in to contest this ) downright filthy to clean up after, in either semi auto or revolver. Titegroup is a bit cleaner, and really decent behind jacketed or coated bullets. I have some experience with Accurate #2, which is a faster powder, and gave me good results in .38 special ( with little charges of powder in a case that really wants to be charged with something bulky- TrailBoss, maybe though that doesn't meter worth beans through my powder measure , and have no clue how it does in 9mm ) Just tossing this out there- RAMSHOT True Blue is likely worth a look. Seems to have wide application, from their data ( available free on line ). Just as a point of interest, YES, I too use WSF as my go-to powder for 9mm. It works my guns well, and I like it. I do not use it for anything resembling a low end magnum load. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that a big number of posts on any particular forum makes anyone an expert at anything, aside from maybe keyboarding. I don't make forums my life's work, have been into ( single stage press) hand loading and ( progressive press) reloading since the mid 1980's, have never made a firearm into scrap with a kaboom load. Not claiming to be a ballistics expert, just saying .

Howdy- I have several snubbies to feed, and though with me shooting them, they do well with 158gr bullets, I've come to really appreciate JHP 125 gr. bullets in them ( still like the 158's in K and L frame 'Smiths and Ruger 38/357 GP100s ). A standard for me has been the ZERO brand 125 JHP and 4.5 gr HP38. I used Win. Small Pistol primer as I have a bunch on hand. By all means, check carefully and observe best practices in handloading, as YOU are in control of the product, including the decision to assemble whatever you use.

Positively agree. One of the first criteria is the loaded round must feed in YOUR gun to run it! Ditto for the work up of specific data that will chrono where you need it in YOUR gun , with accuracy that is acceptable for power factor achieved. Take notes regarding results and go from there. I have never hit an ideal load by best guess without work up.

It could be a heavy hammer spring, though in a CMC trigger I would doubt that. It could be the buffer ( too heavy; is it an H,or H2 or H3 buffer?) It could be a heavy Buffer ( Recoil) Spring. Absolutely agree with plan to put standard trigger group in the rifle, and try again. If it does the same, your now trashed CMC trigger was not the cause. If buffer and Buffer spring are standard stuff, ( sort of easy to check the buffer, even if it is heavy but not MARKED as such. Mistakes happen ). A gun that is under-gassed will short stroke.( I not an expert, have had several over-gassed carbines that performed better with a H or H@ buffer installed.) As your upper was tried on a different lower, that seems to be ruled out.

While this is so, it does not mean that Bullseye is the BEST powder for .38 special, It is economical, due to the low charge weights for loads using it, BUT- for me, it burns dirty, and, being a flake powder, does not meter nearly as will as, say, Titegroup, which is right there with Bullseye on relative burn rate charts. Trail Boss powder is good at what it does, but, again, does not meter well. I actually got better consistency using it by strapping a vibrator ( looks like a cartoonish , large beetle, used for settling cranky infants ) to my powder measure. Now someone will observe that this may cause static build up and be an ignition hazard.

Precision Delta! 9mm 124gr JHP. They feed well and can't beat the $89/ thousand if you buy 2 thousand or more.

Howdy. I have been using the tweaks found here and elsewhere, but for the problem of the Allen bolt that fastens the shell plate with enough downforce to allow the two ball detents to operate with certainty, ( and not a bit too much force, which prevents this ), I came up with the following fix I've been using successfully on my press for a year now. I removed the Allen bolt , and took it to my local hardware store, which has a comprehensive selection of fasteners ( more than most places ). I found they stocked threaded studs of various lengths and threads, with one end that accepts a hex ( Allen) wrench. I selected one I felt would be longer than needed, as I planned to cut off any extra ( which I had to, but I digress ) I then found a Nylock nut with the same thread. I would reuse the flat washer from the original bolt set up. In doing the mock up fitting, I found you do not want to bottom out the stud in the threaded hole the bolt had been used in- the press will not operate if you do. Just Sayin'. Long story short- used some blue lock tite on the threads (DO NOT USE TOO MUCH! ) letting it partially set up prior to screwing the stud into that center bolt hole, leaving enough exposed thread so there is enough exposed when the shell plate and washer are in place to use the Nylock Nut to tighten down and secure the shell plate. The desirable part is that the Nylock setup is NOT dependent on torque to stay put- you can now adjust to use as much or as little pressure against the shellplate as your press likes. To keep from disturbing the stud when removing the Nylock Nut to change shellplates, hold it with an Allen wrench and turn the nut ( a lot like setting adjustable rocker arms on rocker arm studs ). For the priming system, keep it fastidiously clean. Kind of a pain, but it works better. IF you have a problem with it picking up primers, you may need to adjust that rod the roller runs on. The plastic bracket that fixes it to the press at it's top has some adjustment possible. If you need a bit more ( as did I ), VERY modest bend can be applied, ( i mean less than you can visualize ) but, remember, THAT is ENTIRELY up to YOU. Just passing along what works at my house on my press!

I throw CBC and Aguilla straight into the recycling bucket- for me, the CBC was both shorter and tended to bulge a bit with bullet seating. Sometimes have primer seating difficulty with S&B head stamp range brass.

Howdy- I use the specialty sizing die that Evolution Gun Works sells- it is made for them by LEE, BUT has different specs than the LEE die. Do NOT buy the regular LEE die and think it is the same as the EGW die- it isn't! The EGW is tighter, and sizes the case closer to the base; it was just what my Nowlin barrel needed to run ammo from my press reliably. I also recommend seating and crimping separately ( not to seat and crimp in one operation ) I'd started doing this with my .454 Casull loads, and found it to be useful in so many other applications, for solving bulging caused by loading with cases having mixed headstamps ( like my 9mm, .40S&W, .38 special , etc. ) where case lengths will vary more than if they were all the same make .Yeah, I know, with taper crimps it doesn't matter, except it does, just a bit less, until you start to chrono your ammo, and find those shorter cases don't end up with the velocity you get from the longer ones, and your standard deviation gets too wide- but that's another story.

No misunderstanding here. I took you you at your word, and logically extended. No offensive taken nor intended. Hope the same was true from your end.

Agree not necessarily precluded on barrel length alone, but- when have you seen a competition gun that was considered ready to go straight out of the box based on barrel length alone all else being equal with a "standard" model ( Clearly, we are taking about Ruger revolvers here , not something from STI, or even S&W Performance Shop , which also may be massaged for better performance ) ? Heck, even a Glock 34, with a somewhat better trigger from the factory, is NOT recommended to be used for defensive purposes likely for fear of being labeled as the tool of a murdering ambusher who tried to improve his chances of killing someone who didn't need to be killed. Of course, if you only have one, you use what you have and take your chances. As an aside, I had in recent months past, bought a Glock 34, and was astonished ( well, at the "Production" moniker, anyway ) at what it took to get it "Race Ready" for PRODUCTION class, in which you CAN use an out of the box gun ( from the approved list ), and if your skill level is absolutely Master Class, you WILL be waxed by someone else who is near to your ability and has all the legal mods on his model 34 . To bring the aside into the current situation, if I where to buy such a revolver for Competition, I would be shooting it to assure no defects, then taking it to a master 'Smith to be made into a competition gun for the advantages it would afford me. Woe unto me if I subsequently used same in a defensive situation . From that standpoint, win the battle, lose the war. Even if not convicted for a premeditated shooting ( look at this gun, worked over to be a more efficient killing machine, and this guy waiting for his big chance to use it, justified or not ! Poor little Billy, who fell in with a bad crowd, was turning his life around ! ) the civil suits would be ruinous ( where a civil suit going to trial by jury requires only a simple majority to find for the plaintiff ) and you could lose everything except the clothes on your back, so to speak. For me, box stock guns only for defense, the exception being better sights which arguably decrease risk to uninvolved third parties . Just sayin'

Howdy- I have seen these on line, and see that most if not all the members commenting here do so from a competition based viewpoint, which is fine, but also NOT Ruger's main source of sales for double action revolvers, so on that count, good call by Ruger. In the past, I had pined for on of those N Frame S&Ws ( 8 or 10 shot, I forget which ) that was in .38 Super; gave up as it was made of Unobtainium, and I would not have carried something that big or expensive anyway. Eventually, I found a S&W Model 24-3 .44 Special N frame.What an enjoyable gun to shoot! Still, far too uncommon to carry ( and to potentially taken in evidence if I was forced to use same ) , so continued to carry Glocks. Now Ruger comes out with these two. Both suitable for carry, though the 5 round capacity of the GP100 in .44 Special is one down, but it is smaller than the Redhawk boasting 8 rounds of .357. NO I would not feel either to be suitable for competition, unless in a Concealed carry style exercise. Just Sayin', if sales would support same, I could see a one time run of the 8 shot Redhawk in the future, but it would NOT be something anyone would simply be able to go out and buy on a whim- just like the added capacity Smith N Frames.

Howdy- AGREE with speed too slow to be accurate. Have experienced this repeatedly in CAS where many shooters attempt to use truly minimal powder charges ( on the theory that "Big and Close" steel targets only have to be heard, so grouping does not matter ) and the ratio of miss vs hit increases ( along with flintlock style hang fires ). In my PPC revolver, I've NEVER gotten my best grouping with the "classic" load of 2.5gr Bullseye behind a 148 gr wadcutter; the stupid gun, which has likely never read about what is supposed to be best, LOVES mid range speeds with 158 SWCs , but NOT with coated bullets- it also likes lead and lube!

Howdy- I can relate. Though I am not wheelchair bound, I developed what is currently thought to be a Vestibular Disorder in the spring of this year. Have not been able to work since, have my last scheduled Rehab appointment this week after being told that after as many visits as I've had, if I was going to improve further, we would have seen it by now. I was ordered to use a cane for balance, as I have had many falls since onset .I know that I'm not as bad off as many , BUT>>> any kind of "shoot and scoot" competition is currently out of the question, as it is unsafe for me to participate. Shooting my rifles from a bench ( like at Ben Avery) - have not attempted as getting my stuff to the line, and setting targets 100 or 200 yards away is , again, too much of a test currently. Heck, at the indoor range I use, I lean against the partitions on each side to get some kind of shooting done, as I realize I am now a target for predatory miscreants who see a chance at maybe a quick buck or two ( about all I carry now ). What to do? I did sell the Glock 34 I'd gotten dressed out for Production *( after swapping Glock Factory parts back in ; shall sell the DK trigger set up separately , may cut down the BarStow customer fit barrel down and thread it, depending ) I have sold some "extra" CAS guns, but still have my "originals" . I have the S&Ws that I like to shoot for training, ( a couple for showing off, like the out Royce Weddle PPC gun that drives tacks ), and a stable of 1911s . I have rifles whose fates are to be determined. I know that in my current situation, when gone, they cannot be replaced. I guess that is the point of this post- be sure before you sell your guns.I don't plan on learning to play cards.

Howdy; I have two Kimbers, a Stainless target II, and a Grand Raptor II. The Raptor is a .45, no slop in it, shoots well, feels right. The Stainless target II is something of a story in itself. Bought it new because I wanted a 9mm 1911 platform pistol. I was impressed with it for a while ; shot well, accuracy was more than I could use. It was great fun! Then, it started having the fired case escape the extractor before the case was entirely out of the chamber. The fresh round , coming into play from the magazine, would then tie the gun up. I figure more extractor tension was needed. I was happy again, for a while. Within less than 500 rounds, the problem was back. Retension again. Good again for a while. Then back again. Parked it for a time, shot other things. One day I pulled it out and measured the breechface by trying various caseheads in it; discovered the one size fits most Kimber breechface, which would easily accept a .38 Super casehead, and a .40 S&W casehead . I thought back, remembering my first .38 Super comp gun, made starting with a Springfield Armoury 1911 A1 in 9mm. The Smith had to use a cutter to enlarge the breechface on that one to accept the .38 Super casehead ( it would be years until the first "major 9" attempts, and eventual invention of things like 9x23 and .38 super comp ). ANYWAY, I bought a Nowlin barrel ( the one that was not an entire "gunsmith fit" proposition ), and instead of a thorn in my side, that Kimber is now a joy to shoot, though it did take additional cash beyond the purchase price to get it there. Could I have sent it back to Kimber? Sure. How would the problem have been approached? Well, we cannot know now. I would guess as with most warranty work, if they put another extractor in it and it worked for a magazine full of rounds when tested, it would be proclaimed fixed and sent back. If the problem recurred, and I sent it back again ? Cannot say. The extractor and breechface are fine, however, with the larger casehead and longer caselength on .38 Super brass,

Howdy; had a fella I had the good fortune to meet put the spurs to me to come see the site of Brian Enos, who I'd admired back when I used to shoot IPSC,( having left at the start of the double stack revolution, when I could not afford to buy new competitive equipment ). More recently did SASS, though have been meaning to get back into it ( work has been an inflexible thing since moving cross country to AZ going on 5 yrs ago ) . Time to catch up, get back to , well, something like competitive shooting. Thanks for listenin'