michael_aos

Kind of sucks the way Trijicon doesn't include any useful documentation with these. There's a thread over on ARFcom that might be useful to you. I still haven't figured out the purpose of the horseshoe. Except maybe to help guide your eye to the dot...? I ASSume the reticle is calibrated in meters for M855 from a 21" BBL (M249). I think I'm going to set mine up so the "4" reflects either 400yds or 400m (haven't decided yet) with M193 and then just shoot it to get a feel for where everything else lines up. Targets at our local matches tend to be in the 200yd - 400yd range, which is sort of a wasteland with this reticle.

Stage 9. You had to pull the rope to release the first bird. The first couple of people had some difficulty with it, so the RO told me to make sure I pulled it HARD. I pulled. Nothing. I pulled harder. Nothing. I pulled really hard....and the rope slipped through my fingers and gave me a rope-burn. Turns out the rope had gotten tangled around something and couldn't be pulled. Hoser re-routed and adjusted the thrower. All was well after that. Except my hand. Mike

The first stage on the first day "bit" me. Kind of messed me up for a while. I guess that's what I get for having such soft hands. It was a fun match and you can't beat the location (for me). I'd do it again. Mike

This was my first major match. Didn't really know what to expect. I honestly still don't understand the whole issue with the shooter being accused of using an auto-sear. He wasn't. End of story. I don't get it.... I had a lot of fun. I wasn't, however, very impressed with the RO's on Stage 4 on Saturday evening. My squad started at 4:35pm. Last stage of the day. Not sure when we finished, but it was late in the day. I understand everyone was tired and wanted to go home. Still no excuse for the calls they made and the way they ran things. Otherwise, again, I had a lot of fun. Locally I don't shoot a lot of shotgun. I was surprised how many stages featured shotgun targets. I guess if I had to pick, I'd rather have fewer shotgun stages with more targets than having a couple shotgun targets on 8 of 11 stages. Mike

Yeah, the space above is why I don't think I could fit it where my RL550B resides, even if I wanted to. So I'm thinking it would fit on about a 2' wide x 1' deep "bench". Mike

I was told a corner would be best for the Super 1050. I've maybe got 3 to work with. 2 in the "pantry", and one in the garage. The "pantry" isn't technically climate-controled, but it is more-so than the garage. If I go with the "pantry", that gives my wife an excuse for accordion doors, new floor covering, new wall-covering and more shelves. Using the garage would simply mean relocating a shelving-unit or two.

I've had my RL550B set up in a spare closet since 9/04. I'm currently loading 9mm, 38 Special, 40 S&W, 41 Mag, 44 Mag, .223 and 260 Remington. Just bought a submachine gun and Super 1050 to feed it. I don't think the Super 1050 would even fit in my loading-closet if I took the RL550B out, and honestly I think I'd rather just leave the RL550B alone and continue to load the other calibers with it. I just want to set the Super 1050 up in a corner of the garage or in the 7'x20' area we call our "pantry" and load 9mm only. Just need enough space to mount it securely and pull the handle. How much space would that be? Mike

Here's what I'm planning for local matches this year. Remington 700P LTR. 24" Lilja barrel in 260 Remington Bennie Cooley brake Badger alloy 20MOA base Badger alloy standard rings (.823) Leupold Mark 4 2.5-8x36mm M2 w/TMR reticle HS Precision detachable box magazine Badger bolt-knob Harris bipod w/Pod-Loc

Is the LT139-1 different than the regular LT139? My LT139 is marked SPR-E. Mike

I'd be "in" for a longer hammer-pin w/c-clips. Mike

Both barrels are gone. I had the M15A4 barrel replaced with a JP & free-float tube. The 700P in 223 Remington was transformed into a 260 Remington with a Lilja barrel. Mike

Just bought my first Limited gun and some magazines. I've noticed a lot of guys have little magazine-brushes that they run through the mag bodies to clear out sand. Some look like sponges, others like feather-dusters, and others look like nylon bore brushes. Who makes a good one, and where do I order from? Thanks, Mike

Here's a slightly larger copy.

I've got a custom AR-10 in .260 Remington as well. So far I've only been shooting out to 500yds, so I'm using 120gr SMK's. I have a 700P in .260 also and it gets Lapua 123gr Scenar's. I use VV N550 exclusively for each. Mike

The ONLY ammo that will even function in mine is Remington Thunderbolt. I just ordered some Winchester Wildcat, Federal Champion, Federal Game-Shok and American Eagle .22 to test as well. Mike

OK, I agree. I just think it's easier not being the ONLY newbie on a squad. Mike

Just some more thoughts from a beginner: As a newbie, the "prizes for everybody" at big matches is appealing. -- Here in Colorado Springs, we have a store with probably the largest gun selection in the state. They aren't even aware of what games are played locally, let alone what equipment is desirable. -- I understand it's the "indian, not the arrow", but some "good / better / best" type lists would be useful. Or lists of equipment people are using, especially broken down by division / classification. Sure, once you're a Grand Master, you can use a slingshot and win (equipment doesn't matter) but newbies are concerned about equipment. Might as well give us an answer. -- Maybe try and squad the new shooters together? -- Locally, we've had "Wednesday Night all steel" matches that brought out several new shooters. The thinking is it provides a relaxed environment and minimal equipment to get started. Also hoping this exposure will entice shooters to try other games as well, but I'm not sure it's actually working. Mike

Just some random thoughts and observations as a newbie with very limited exposure to the wide-world of IPSC / USPSA / 3-gun. I bought a single-stack 1911 in .40 S&W, to compete in Limited-10 class. Thinking it would be an inexpensive way to get started, and then transition to an STI Edge Limited gun eventually. Then I bought a single-stack 1911 in .38 Super, which happens to play nicely in IDPA ESP. Then a single-stack 1911 in 9mm with our local Wednesday-night steel matches in mind. None of these are particularly suited to USPSA 3-gun / Outlaw 3-gun. In my own little perfect world, it would really be ideal if I could play all the games with a single (preferably 9mm) handgun without being at a (theoretical) disadvantage. I wish someone had told me how "handy" it is to be able to reconfigure gear based on each particular stage. I'd have bought mag-pouches with Tek-Loks, velcro, etc. A bandoleer. Somehow I still keep having to dig into my pockets to find buckshot / slugs / birdshot. I wish there were more venues for bolt-guns / precision rifle. Pistol-caliber-carbines / subguns ROCK! My Remington 1100CM is a little ammo-sensitive, but its never let me down. As I look around, probably 80-90% of people shoot Benelli's, so I'd have probably gone that route. I don't know how the logistics would work, but I really do like the concept of pitting high-capacity low-power against low-capacity high-power (minor / major). It currently feels like there's no advantage to shooting major pistol / rifle. In fact, it's a disadvantage. Just thinking of the rules were written such that it helped "level the playing field", perhaps more people would already have what they need to come and play. Either that, or make it easier for a newbie to figure out what to purchase from the start. Mike

As with most, I'm guilty of being intimidated. I'd have never come out to a match on my own. After that, the biggest hurdle has been specifically which equipment to purchase. I know, everybody is going to say "it doesn't matter" and "just use what you have in your closet" and "don't buy anything until you're sure you're going to like the game, etc, etc, etc". Heard it a zillion times. And yes, I understand the perspective. But once we get past that, and realize nothing in the current arsenal is really suited well to the task at hand, it would be great to have some specific recommendations. What works, what doesn't work. Why. Why. Why. What's winning. What most people use, etc. Perhaps its just my personality, but I have a hard time gathering specific equipment details during a match. Can't touch anything. Everybody is wearing hearing protection. People are shooting. Targets need to be taped and steel reset. Brassing. There's not a lot of time to sit and chat. And there's no telling if the random person you're chatting with is someone you should be taking advice from anyway. It's hard enough telling my wife I just spent $1K on a new toy. Then telling her I have to buy a DIFFERENT $1K new toy because the other toy isn't actually what I needed after all. Yes, given enough time and money, I'm sure it will all come together. I'd just like to learn from somebody ELSE'S mistakes. I would like to say a huge, HUGE, thank you to Tom Freeman and Zak Smith. If they hadn't pushed, pulled, dragged, goaded and generally resorted to everything but calling me names (they might have even done that too), I'd have never made it out to a match. Mike

I bought a 3001N tripod and 3130 head from Wolf camera. Mike

I picked up a Springfield "loaded" stainless 1911 single-stack in .40 S&W. It was in the "discontinued" rack for $499. Added a S&A magazine well & black Micarta grips. John did a trigger-job. Add 10rd Tripp Cobra Mags and off to the races. I don't recall any issues at all. Mike

I gather the 3221WN is essentially identical to the 3021. Tell me more about a ball-head? Mike

OK, looking at Bogen. I see: 3221WN Wilderness Tripod - $169 And then for heads: The 3265 grip-action ball camera head ($95) looks interesting, but I bet its hard to control. The 3433 - 501 Pro Video Head ($139) specifically mentions spotting scopes: Mike

Full-size tripod. It's a Zeiss 15-45x65mm. We do have some big camera shops here in Colorado Springs, but again -- not a clue what I'm looking for / at. I'll look into the Bogen stuff.

I finally bought a spotting scope. Something general-purpose; for shooting, as well as camping and maybe hunting. Now I need a good tripod. I've tried a couple inexpensive models and I just haven't been happy with them at all. I've hit some birdwatching and "optics" sites, but the array of options and vast price differences scared me. Any suggestions on a "good" tripod? Mike