Carmoney

Coolest? $2,000 in crisp new hundred dollar bills, sprinkled over my head from Richard Davis' perch, after my very first shoot-off at Second Chance. Many years ago.

No way, Dave--Dan's old 625 is going in a little shadow box on my wall!

John, nice to have you join us here in the Revolver section of the forum. Bud Bond is a great shooter, and a really great guy. We were really happy to have a shooter of his stature (along with several other bona fide notables) join us at the inaugural Big Dawg Steel Match here in Iowa this summer. Sam and I had a great time at the Rocky Mountain Regional ICORE match back in the spring, and we intend to make it back out again in '06, if at all possible. Mike P.S. For those who've never met Bud Bond in person, here's a rare photo of him with an auto-pistol.... Bud Bond

Dan, I'll be the first to admit that I just sorta run around and shoot. Someday when I have more experience I hope to be able to glide through a stage with the same exquisite artistry as a master like Cliff.

Dave, I always shoot with my eyes tightly closed. Like this:

Mike, You're going to like 'em! rwmagnus, here's what we're talking about: http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/Pro...VER+SUPER+SIGHT By the way, I have nothing at all against gold beads.....just happen to like fiber-optic and plain black a little better.

Dude, you just had three of us tell you exactly what sights to order! I think you're making this a little too complicated.

The jungle thing reminded me of these guys at the Ashland Lake Gun Club in Ohio who've been running the "Francis Marion Memorial Swamp Fox Assault" match for the past 24 years. http://www.ashlandlakegunclub.org/FranMan/fran_man.html Check out those photos--sure looks like some old-school fun to me!

Oh my God......here we go......let me guess......you were using that old shot-out beater at the Fall Classic....... OK, Dan, now seriously--just fix your 625. The hammer stud is replaceable, and the rest of the gun is probably still perfectly fine, at least for a back-up to your newer one if nothing else. I've got several high-mileage (but maintained) wheelguns that still work great, including that 25-2 that Sam's using. If you don't want to mess with it, sell it to me. I'll fix it and consider it my Rolla trophy!

Mike, you'll be OK with that combination. I use a "center hold" rather than "6 o'clock" but I generally have my gun sighted so it shoots an inch or so high at 15 yards (old habit from my pin-shooting days), so it's probably not very different from your own preference. The rear sight on my 625 is pretty close to the middle of the elevation range, plenty of adjustment available both up and down. By the way, I'd recommend you give your business to Brownells. They've been very generous to our prize tables this season. Yeah, 'cause I've really been keeping that Millett sight thing my own special little secret......

Chuck, I understand.......should've seen me trying to shoot L-10 today with a 1911 and 10-round magazines......not pretty.

I've had really good luck slicking up the newer guns with the MIM parts. Tell you what, they typically don't need as much work to make 'em smooth! Funny--I was suspicious of the MIM stuff and the frame-mounted firing pin at first, now I actually prefer both! My IPSC gun is a newer plain ol' 625 with MIM parts, and I'll stand the action up against just about anybody's (other than Randy's...) for smoothness. It's really been a great gun. Remember what Jerry was shooting at Nationals? Regular, non-PC 625 with MIM guts. Mike

Hey Mike, The Millett rear sight assembly is absolutely worth the investment--better by far than the factory unit or the aluminum Weigand replacement blade. Go with the .360" Millett and the .300" SDM f/o up front. Mike

The JM model might be worth the extra money, if you like a gold bead and Jerry grips. I personally do not, and would much prefer a nice used "regular" 625 in the $425-450 range. From what I've seen, the JM model offers no advantages over the base 625 in terms of accuracy, smoothness of action, or anything else. Mike

Just got home -- excellent match! Nine cool stages, very efficient management, lots of good shooters in attendance, even the weather was beautiful. Congratulations to the winners--can't remember them all, but I know Chad Rutherford won Limited and Emanuel Bragg took Open. (Open????) I'll definitely shoot this one again next year! Mike

Y'know, it's a funny thing.....all summer long I thought I had switched to a Dan-style reload, then he comes out to the Fall Classic and breaks it down for me.....turns out I am doing it completely different from him. Hell, Dan's pushing latches and flipping cylinders and pushing rods with various appendages that you can't even begin to imagine..... It's craziness, but man it sure is fast!!

I've read about this concern here on the forum, and it makes me curious.....has anybody ever actually seen this happen at a USPSA match?? Somebody getting DQed for bringing the barrel too far "up" doing a Jerry-style reload?? It seems like you'd have to do something just grotesquely weird with your left hand while you're thumbing the ejector rod to point the barrel even slightly backwards and break the vertical.....right??

Gary and Jerry, You guys are obviously happy with the work you've had done at the S&W factory. If you want it to stay that way, do not pull the trigger on one of Randy's competition revolvers. Mike

I am already scheduling my work into the first quarter of '07. The date and location for the '06 USPSA Nationals could have and should have been announced long before now. Somebody needs to get on the ball. Or so it seems to me. Mike

I'd be highly interested. If I remember correctly, though, the date for this match is in September '06.....and I've also heard rumors that the USPSA Nationals may be in September for '06. That could be a problem....

Chuck: If I understand correctly, you would not need a USPSA class to shoot this match (although if you consider yourself a true competition wheelgunner and want to run with the big dogs, you will have one!) Prizes will be awarded pseudo-Lewis system, only using the USPSA percentages listed, in similar fashion to how the Single Stack Classic has been done the last several years. Right, Hop? (By the way, Chuck, I suspect you're just kidding around, but if you actually buy into the IDPA silliness that speedloader guns can't compete with moonclip guns, you haven't seen Bubber in action. I have--just last weekend in fact--and man is he fast with those speedloaders. Also, don't get too terribly surprised if I show you my "real" moonclip carry gun, OK?) Hopalong: Rarely have I allowed the entry fee to dictate whether I shoot a match (although the price increase for the Florida Open this year leaves me a little bit cold). I'd happily pay $100 per match ($200 total for both days). Might want to offer a little price break for those shooting both days. And although you know I have a vested interest here--consider both price breaks and school scheduling needs for junior shooters! You're describing a match that people will attend from all over the country, so travel costs will be the real issue. Put the match at a range near the cheapest airport to fly in and out of (if there is such a thing), because that will make a real difference in the attendance, I suspect. (Is Memphis a hub for any of the airlines....?) This is exciting stuff--glad to know it's still a go! Mike

I agree with Hop. You will not get a true competition action job from S&W. It will not happen. The guns are great raw materials, but I have never yet seen an action, regular stock or performance center, that was really suitable for what we do, out of that factory. Better to just do it right the first time. Randy Lee is not the only professional 'smith out there who can create a great revolver action, but right now he is recognized as the best. If you're somewhat handy, consider learning to do your own action work. Thoroughly understanding how these things work can be a real advantage in identifying and preventing problems. Mike

Wow--18! That's great! I'm really sorry I didn't sign up, I had no idea there would be so many wheels there....unfortunately, I'm way'n the hell over budget for the year as it is.... Good luck to Lucky Dan and all the rest of the revo competitors!

All I know is I left for a few minutes to go get Cliff some more beer, and when I came back he appeared to be El Conquistadee.

Sorry Dan, but I gotta hold tough on the point series thing. I've already deliberately thrown one match this year, to help out a buddy...poor little guy had lost his mojo down in Ecuador and really needed the boost... Hell, even after throwing three misses and purposely popping a no-shoot, I still had to come up with an elaborate story about miscalculated results in order to make sure he got the plaque. I can't start feeling sorry for everyone. So if you want to win that fabulous point series prize package this year, Dan, you're going to have to earn it the old-fashioned way.