Carmoney

We're open to suggestions--perhaps this could be a theme for the entire match? Here are some concepts we are already considering: Start position: Seated in chair, hands grasping respective ears of blow-up doll, handgun is loaded and holstered as per ready condition in Rule 8.1.1 and 8.1.2........ Start position: Lying on bed next to cow, with bottle of Rohypnol tablets in strong hand.....

Interesting. That's the same thing I have heard from other folks, including Randy. There must be something different about the way rimfire ammo ignites, huh?

Nope! Size doesn't matter. (At least that's what Cliff always says.....)

Very cool! Reminds me of the ray gun in the Zombie-killing bonus game from Call of Duty 5.....

Yeah, the same concept applies. I've Carmonized plenty of the older-style hammers with the hammer nose, it works just as well. I have always heard that you should not cut down the hammer weight on a rimfire like a 617, like Tom E. says. I have followed that advice and probably even passed it on to others. However, I really need to experiment with it, because I can't see any reason why the same concept wouldn't apply with regard to rimfire ignition. You would think even with rimfire, a fast slap would be better than a slow crush. When I have a little time one of these days, I'll cut down the hammer on my 617 and see for myself. The worst that can happen is I have to replace the hammer, right?

We'll use the regular "low ready" start position, no holster will be needed for the rimfire match.

Can you think of a better excuse to order up a couple of 617s and a bunch of DS-10 speedloaders???

Here are a couple shots of Carmonized hammers, one in my 625 and the other in lrjet's 627.

All other things being equal, we can get the DA trigger pull about six ounces lighter by radically lightening the hammer. This is the purpose of Randy Lee's aftermarket hammer. The alternative is to cut down the stock hammer. This process has become known as "Carmonizing" but I didn't really invent it. The photo attached below is from a book published several decades ago! I have found that I can remove roughly half the weight of the stock hammer, mine are actually slightly lighter than the Randy hammer. Randy's hammer allow the internal key lock mechanism on the newer guns to be maintained--on mine, the lock system must be disabled. The other advantage of a lightened hammer is that it reduces the "hammer crash" that you can feel when the hammer falls. It's subtle but unmistakable. We can take the DA trigger pull a bit lighter with the newer guns that use the frame-mounted firing pin system. However, this is heavily dependent on the firing pin being used. I have had the best results with the earlier Ti factory pins--the ones with the rounded tip that measure about .495". These are not being made anymore in favor of a newer shorter and pointier version that apparently helps with the California drop tests--my supply of the "good" firing pins is slowly dwindling. I am not a fan of the aftermarket extended firing pins from C&S, having had multiple problems with them in the past.

Right. I think Craig's information regarding staying in Ames would be useful for those who arrive in Iowa the day before and want to spend Thursday night close to the Colo range. After that, though, it will make more sense (and cents?) to find a place down around Osceola. Anyway, there are plenty of options between Colo and Osce.

OK, devil's advocate mode switched back on for a minute: Let's be honest here, PPC is pretty much a dead sport, and Bianchi (NRA Action) is dying a slow and painful death also. (I'm not being critical here, just making an observation. My own original favorite handgun discipline, bowling pin shooting, is likewise a dead game these days.) More to the point, PPC and Bianchi are fundamentally slow-fire games in which a heavy barrel can be an advantage, not so much for recoil absorption, but in helping to stabilize the sight picture. But a muzzle-heavy revolver is exactly what you don't want for ICORE or steel shooting--heavy barrels are not ideal for making fast transitions from target to target. Now, there are custom barrels that aren't heavy barrels, and that would be a whole different thing altogether.....

OK, everybody listen up: In USPSA Production Division, revolvers are exempt from the size requirement--it does not need to fit in the box! Also, revolver speedloaders and moonclips are exempt from the usual belt position rule--you can wear them up front. (See USPSA Handgun Rules, Jan. 2008 Edition, Appendix D4.)

To follow up a bit on the motel info Craig posted, it might make more sense to plan to stay in or around Osceola, since two days of the match will be shot there. This town is right along I-35, so there are always plenty of rooms available. There will be some neat 4th of July activities in Osceola that weekend, which might make staying down there a lot of fun for the whole family. More info will be forthcoming. If push comes to shove, the Des Moines area hotels/motels are roughly halfway between Colo and Osceola.

Hey, that's as good a reason as any. OK, devil's advocate mode off now!

OK, let me play devil's advocate here for a sec: Lrjet, what are you trying to accomplish by installing the Douglas barrel? If you're planning to use it for Bianchi and want the wings and underlug and stuff, I can sure understand that. But for steel matches and ICORE shooting, what improvement are you looking for? Better accuracy? More weight? Less weight? To answer your question regarding comps, my opinion is that a comp will make no appreciable difference at minor power factor. Some may disagree, but in my opinion it's purely a placebo thing. We played with all kinds of revolver comps back when we were shooting pins with wheelguns (at much higher power factor), and I'm here to tell you there's no real benefit to them. Jerry messed with one for awhile, but went back to a plain ol' 8-3/8" stock barrel. I have a 25-2 pin gun made by the late great John Nowlin with a special ported Shilen match barre, and truth be told it's really not any softer or more accurate than my stock 25-2. And most of the top ICORE guys are perfectly happy using factory barrels. Now, all that said--if you just want the satisfaction of owning a full-house custom Open revo, there's not a thing wrong with that. I just think it's unlikely that you're going to experience a significant performance improvement by installing the Douglas tube, comped or not.

Sam C.: "Tell Craig dream on."

Hey Duane, Sure, you can shoot any centerfire you want for the Open match on Saturday, whether it holds 6, 7, or 8 rounds. An Open revolver can have porting, comp, etc. (although these don't do much on a revolver at minor p.f. anyway!) Some people will probably choose to shoot a 625 over a 627 anyway, due to the slightly faster reloading capability.

Hang in there, Allison.

Details are posted on the Match Announcements sub-forum: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=78136 So who's up for this?

OK, everybody--here are the details on a brand new revolver-only match coming up 4th of July weekend in Iowa--we're calling it "Three Days of Revo!" Friday, July 3: Rimfire Revolver match, held at Tappe’s range near Colo, IA. This will be a 9-stage Steel Challenge-style match, each stage will have 5 audible steel plates. 5 strings per stage, the best 4 will count for score. In order to keep things moving, speedloaders (DS-10 or equivalent) are required. If my math is correct, the round count is 225 rounds if you don't miss. Saturday, July 4: Open Revolver match, held at Osceola Organized Practical Shooters range near Osceola, IA. This will be an 8-stage USPSA-style match shot with any centerfire revolver (including 8-rounders). Those of you who’ve shot our Back-to-Back and Iowa Sectional matches over the past few years can attest that we always set up excellent stages at OOPS–this event will be no exception! Poppers will be calibrated for 120 p.f., round count will be approximately 200. Sunday, July 5: Limited Revolver match, also held at OOPS. This will be essentially the same USPSA-style match as Saturday, only this time you must use a 6-round revolver of .40 caliber or greater. There will be two divisions: Iron Sights and Optics. Each shooter will declare a division ahead of time, and stick with it throughout the weekend. Plaques will be awarded to the top three finishers in each division at the completion of each match. Top junior in each division will also receive a plaque. There will also be a “King of Revo” trophy awarded to the aggregate winner in each division–Iron Sights and Optics. In order to qualify for one of the King of Revo trophies, the shooter must complete all three matches in the declared division. The aggregate top junior in each division will also be recognized. This competition will be heads-up, USPSA classifications will not be considered for this event. Cost will be $20 for each match, or $60 for all three. Juniors shoot for half price. For this first year, we will be limiting this match to 45 shooters each day. First come first served, but preference will be extended to shooters who are signing up for all three days. I'm sure this match will sell out quickly, so don't fool around and miss your opportunity to participate in this event. We will have an entry form posted here and on our website shortly. For more information, contact one of the following: Jay Tappe: shooterdoc@netins.net Mike Carmoney: carmoney4@aol.com Sam Anderson: samrander@gmail.com Don't let that cheap entry fee fool you--we really expect this to become a feature match, particularly for the dedicated wheelgunners out there. Where else could you possibly shoot 625+ rounds through your 617, your 627, and your 625, in a back-to-back-to back match like this? It's gonna be an absolute blast, and what better way could there possibly be to celebrate America's independence than to shoot the most American of handguns--the revolver!

That's too bad. But what kind of vet charges $400 for euthanasia?? That's frickin' robbery.

C'mon man. I can tell you from both personal experience during shooting and from talking to the best shooters in the world...they watch their sights. When they don't...they tend to miss. I've had a ton of cops come through my range with these same ideas....and there are a lot of bullet holes in the ceiling to prove it. Instead of telling us what the top shooters do....email them and ask them for yourself. Everybody should keep in mind that Dwight Stearns is a top competitive shooter in his own right, and has been extremely successful at the highest levels of several handgun disciplines. Whether you decide to agree with him or not, his thoughts are worthy of attention and consideration. So listen up. (And then afterward, we'll burn him at the stake for his heretical preachings.)

Has Jeff ever really been "fine"?

Happy Birthday, Louis! (And hey, look on the bright side--at least you got some normal genes from your mother's side.)

Good thing there's no mention of "Dirty Sanchez" or he would really be confused.