Carmoney

I disagree. I would strongly recommend avoiding learning a reload technique that involves the muzzle going straight up or straight down. IDPA may not have a 180-degree rule per se, but USPSA and ICORE certainly do. Once reloading habits are established, it's hard to make adjustments. I've seen people DQ'd at major matches for violating the vertical 180.

But isn't that the whole reason we have divisions in USPSA?

Before we get in a huge uproar about custom barrels, let's all take a reality check and remember that most stock S&W revolvers are plenty accurate enough for the games we play. There are some incompatibilities to keep in mind--for example, the 627-4s chambered in .38 Super seem to do better with larger diameter bullets than the .355" bullets that are often marketed for .38 Super. No big deal as long as you know what you're dealing with. As a general rule, the stock tubes shoot just fine. Does anybody remember the year that Mickey Fowler won the Bianchi Cup (a game where 50-yard accuracy is truly important, unlike most of the stuff you see in USPSA/ICORE/IDPA) with a 6" 686 using the stock barrel with a simple bolt-on Wichita underlug? That opened a lot of eyes. Everybody thought you just had to have a fancy aftermarket barrel for Bianchi.....Mickey proved otherwise. If there's something about a particular aftermarket barrel you like, and you're willing to spend the bucks--hey, go for it! But don't delude yourself into thinking you're going to automatically enter a whole new world of accuracy by replacing the stock barrel, because that is not likely to happen. Or so it seems to me.* (*credit goes to Bruce Williams for that phrase!)

Yeah, you're right Flex. I should have said the people who complain about "carnival" or "circus" stages are usually those tho can't shoot worth a crap.......except Ron Avery. Now my statement is much more accurate.

The people who complain about "carnival" or "circus" stages are usually those who can't shoot worth a crap.

Ron, if you're halfway handy, you might want to think about giving it a shot yourself with a Kart EZ-fit unramped barrel. The barrel and installation kit will cost significantly less than having Wilson do the job, and if you pay attention and follow the instructions, the results will be excellent. Just another option to consider.

I rank it right up there with my most brilliant jury trial victories.

Advantages: 1. Eliminates peening at the cylinder stop notches that is sometimes seen on stainess cylinders (and I believe largely caused by rough gun handling practices). 2. Because the Ti cylinder is lighter in weight, it reduces the shooter's perception of the cylinder rotating on its axis. This may arguably reduce DA trigger pull, but the difference is pretty minute. 3. The gun will feel lighter. This can be an advantage, and allow snappier transitions from target to target. Disadvantages: 1. Some (but not all) of the Ti cylinders are sticky. 2. The gun will feel lighter. This can also be a disadvantage by reducing absorption of felt recoil. 3. Cost. For most shooters, they're not really worth the cost. For those who have the peening problem, they're worth every penny.

I mailed my group's entries on 12/14 and have received no confirmation. Should I be concerned?

IDPA's ESR division is certainly not a growth area. SSR has become somewhat popular, particularly in the Northeast, but largely at the expense of ESR. USPSA Revolver Division continues to gain popularity, which is one reason for the fact that used 5" 625s are climbing in value. With all the retro models in their line, and with the 4" 625 still being made, you would think it would make sense to continue offering a 5" version. I must disagree with the suggestion in another post that if S&W discontinued the 5" 625, it must be for rational business reasons. They have some of the stupidest products imaginable in their line right now. A 5" barreled Model 60--gimme a frickin' break here.

Can you roll-size rimmed brass?

It was nice to finally see a decent mention of the Revolver race at the USPSA Nationals, and I was glad to see Cliff pictured in the magazine instead of some old stock photo of Dan Carden wearing the pith helmet.

Can you get Armscor (Phillipines) firearms where you live? If so, you can bypass the middleman.

Just happened to check out Trijicon's website and noticed this: "Genuine Trijicon® ACOG® scopes can be identified by three distinguishing characteristics: Every ACOG® will be marked with the serial number on the top of the scope, both on the eyepiece and the main housing. All Trijicon® ACOG® scopes have a statement on the left side of the unit indicating that the sight contains tritium. The words “Trijicon® ACOG®” are forged into the main housing and appear as raised letters."

If he paid $79 for it, it's a fake!

Why do I get the feeling some people still think the Spartan is made by STI? (Not that there's anything wrong with the Spartan, or most of the other Filipino pistols on the market.)

In my experience, polishing the chambers ultra-smooth is a waste of time and elbow grease. Ensuring the chambers are reasonably free of lead build-up, that's another matter. In .45 ACP, ensuring the chambers are the correct dimension is another big issue (most unaltered 625-2s and 625-8s have chambers that are too tight). I also agree with Bubber on using a stainless brush on the chambers. Bronze brushes are pretty ineffective.

You do understand that we pay him more than $50K a year, right? It's not unreasonable for us to expect him to do his job, and do it right. Or so it seems to me.

It's funny.....some people are inherently more gentle on their revos, and some treat their guns pretty roughly. I can specifically think of one of my friends (who is a very experienced competitive revolver guy), who always slaps the cylinder closed really hard with his open palm. Much harder than I ever do, even when I'm running through a stage. It's just the way he does it, and it works fine for him. (But it sort of makes me cringe when he does it to my gun!) Still, I wouldn't think slapping a revolver closed would really do anything to the extractor, unless the front lock has a really stiff engagement. I do think slamming the revolver closed will accelerate the peening to the cylinder stop notches that we have seen on stainless S&Ws.

Sounds to me like you need to take control of the situation right now. Sniveling and groveling at her feet may provide a short-term solution, but in the long run they will condemn you to a life of hell.

Yeah! Since when did Merlin Orr acquire only one of anything???

I almost always say 5". But if you're going to shoot IDPA with it, you can't use a barrel longer than 4".

Make sure you check out vids of both strong-hand and weak-hand reload styles. Somewhere around here is a link to a short video of Spook shooting a stage (El Prez, maybe?) on an indoor range over in the Netherlands. Also, Pat S. made a video of Cliff and I shooting the same stage which would be a nice contrast between the two methods--Pat even added some smooth jazz background music--anybody have a link to that one?

I don't believe in social responsibility. I won't go into the politics of such a topic, but a society cannot have responsibility. Only individuals can bear responsibility. Maybe I wasn't clear. I'm not talking about a society having responsibility, I'm talking about individuals bearing responsibility to the society. Or more accurately, individuals preparing themselves to take financial responsibility for the harm they may potentially cause to another individual. For those who are not really wealthy (and willing to part with some of that wealth in the event something bad happens), this requires acquiring adequate liability insurance. Those who neglect or refuse to do so are being individually irresponsible. As I stated before, if I ever accidentally hurt someone, I will feel really terrible--but at least I know I have enough insurance to compensate the harm I caused, at least in most situations. It's not just about protecting my own assets. It's also about doing the right thing.

Congratulations to Louis! As a fellow Eagle, I am mindful of how much effort it takes to achieve that rank. I'm proud of him! For the past couple years, I've been in charge of hiring the new attorneys for our law firm. During that time I have seen several resumes that mention the candidate's Eagle Scout status. When I see that credential listed, that candidate has automatically passed the initial screening phase of the interview. (This is not just my way of favoring fellow Eagles, by the way, it's good sound business practice.)