Carmoney

Here in Iowa we're thinking about donating the southern tier of Iowa counties to the State of Missouri. We figure it will raise the average I.Q. in both states.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neCIg0BiXbE

I really enjoyed watching the episode last night--I actually ordered up TOC just so I could see it on my new TV! (We finally have Direct TV after just using rabbit ears for the past 20 years.) I recognized several juniors I know, along with several of their parents I know. Looks like this was a really great event!

Yep, they would need the whole gun to fit a barrel. Absolutely.

1. Mostly USPSA and steel matches. I shot the IRC a couple of years ago and have participated in a couple of regional ICORE matches. In 2004 I shot the Steel Challenge with a 627. 2. Three or four times a month if you count steel matches. 3. I typically shoot 6 or 7 major USPSA matches with revolver. 4. I shoot the USPSA Nationals every year with my 625. 5. Maybe--although I think I'm shooting most of them already. I'm not interested in IDPA. 6. Why do I like to compete in the revolver divisions? It's the toughest division to run in. I like the challenge of coordinating a plan to shoot big field courses with a 6-rounder. It also helps my shooting overall, running my 1911 or XD seems easy by comparison! 7. I do think we're going to be seeing another wave of new interest in competition revolver in '09. I have been doing action work on all kinds of wheelguns for people who tell me they want to get started in revolver division. Here locally we have several guys who have taken a very strong interest in the wheel, and stand to give me some serious competition--which is exactly what I'm looking for, of course!

Smokeless powder is extraordinarily non-hygroscopic (do a forum search on that term for an interesting story on this very topic), and will easily withstand the full range of humidity levels found in the home.

Are you using a fiber-optic front sight at about .295-300"? If so, get the .360" Millett rear sight. I just ordered 10 of those babies from Brownells. I know I'll need them someday. BTW, Brownells has a Shot Shot special going right now where you get 10% off orders over $150 by entering the promotional code TAL.

So what is a "factory reload"?

Hmmm. Too bad. Millett was still a family-run business up until this. I know that only because the one time I called in needing a small part, I was transferred to a lady with the last name Millett. Guess I better get a few on order.

OK, just to play devil's advocate here for a sec.....why would another company pay good money to purchase Millett only to scuttle a large part of the product line? That doesn't quite compute, now, does it?

Sheesh. Yet another thing I'm going to have to hoard and stockpile.....

Ayoob is not an attorney and has given atrocious "legal advice" in many of his columns. David, I'm a full-time trial lawyer and partner in a 25-attorney firm. My entire practice is devoted to defending my clients in the civil courts. Our firm has defended law enforcement officers and civilian individuals who have been sued in the aftermath of a shooting incident. Based on my first-hand experience in this field, I have found Massad Ayoob's advice to be consistently solid. That doesn't mean I agree with every single position he takes, of course, but his points are always worthy of consideration. One thing is certain--through his extensive experience as an expert witness, Ayoob knows far more about what happens in the legal aftermath of a self-defense shooting than most attorneys will ever see. As you know, it's not the kind of thing they teach in law school.

What barrel profile do most people on the super squad shoot? Is it a full lug, 3/4 lug, etc? Thanks! Mostly you see the full-lug "regular" 625s (including Jerry's), with a PC 5.25" gun here and there (Cliff had one of those, but he accidentally blew it up back in the fall).

I agree but there's this: 5.2.5.3 Unless specified in the written stage briefing, or unless required by a Range Officer, the position of holsters and allied equipment must not be moved or changed by a competitor during a match. Does this get enforced or does common sense prevail? Good point, Tom. I hadn't thought of that. Fortunately prone stages are pretty rare in USPSA, I was mainly thinking of the typical ICORE standards where most of the shooters go prone on the long stuff. Not sure whether the ICORE rules address it or not.

Can't you people leave the poor guy alone? He's obviously ancient and practically helpless.... (Happy Birthday Roger!)

Bingo. If the thing works right, it might just be affordable enough to have one for each front pocket!

And you won't regret it. It's the state of the art!

Virtually everybody on the "revolver super squad" at the 2008 USPSA Nationals shot a 5" 625. If you need to keep the door open to using it for IDPA, you'll need a 4". Otherwise, get the 5" and don't look back.

By the way, if you want to figure out the best attorney to retain, do a little homework and find out who defends the cops in your area when they stand accused.

Well for starters, if you can afford to get involved seriously in the competitive shooting sports (i.e. a fairly expensive recreational activity), you can afford to (1) pay for an hour's consultation with an experienced criminal defense attorney for an overview on the deadly force laws in your jurisdiction, and (2) stick away a few rainy-day bucks in a safe place so you can at least cover the initial retainer if you happen to be charged with a crime. It's all a matter of priorities. I'm a partner in a law firm, and I drive a '93 Buick while many of the "average Joes" around this area have brand new pickups and SUVs in their driveways....

Anybody have any idea whether they will re-run this episode? And if so, when?

There have been a few instances of that happening, but the manufacturer has been great about fixing them promptly for everyone who has experienced the problem. Like any other piece of equipment, it helps to treat the product as gently as possible. Try not to bend the kydex any further than necessary to load the moonclips, and move the unit off to the side before flopping prone, etc.

That would certainly not be admissible.

My advice: Know who you would use for an attorney in the event of a problem (might be a shooting incident, but it's just as likely to be some other situation you haven't even considered). Ideally, talk with that lawyer in advance so he/she knows who you are. Leave the lawyer's contact information so it's readily available to a trusted family member that you can always reach by phone. If something happens, call that family member and let them round up the lawyer for you. Then if there is a problem reaching that attorney, the family member can work out a back-up arrangement for you much easier that you can if you're in custody. Having some cash in a safe place at home is a good idea as well, for obvious reasons.

If I remember the rules correctly, the required power factor for ICORE is 120 and only one round has to make it. So your 3.4 load would probably be just fine if you ever decided to shoot an ICORE match.