Carmoney

Edited -- Thanks Tom E for the correction.

I checked on the Surgis, they're all OK too.

Are you saying the grip screw is interfering with the mainspring and won't let you completely tighten down the strain screw? If so, you should get rid of the grips and replace them with something that won't cause that problem, or you will need to fit a strain screw of a different length and then re-arc the mainspring accordingly. I say this every time the topic arises, but I'm going to say it again here--strain screws are not "adjustment screws." The only good strain screw is a fully tightened strain screw. Ideally, fully tightened with a drop of blue loctite for good measure. If the strain screw is too long, shorten it. If the spring needs adjusted, adjust it. But one way or another, tighten that SOB down all the way. Otherwise, it WILL loosen up someday when you least expect it.

Heck, I dunno Jess. I've never worn out the barrel on a revolver. Maybe Warren or Patrick would know.

Looking forward to it, Craig! My 1911 season is officially over, so I hauled out my 8-shooter last night to start getting some trigger time on the thing. It was our weekly USPSA match, so I declared Limited minor. My plan was to shoot the match ICORE style, and try to get all A hits, right? Well, that plan went out the window as soon as the buzzer went off--I was definitely spraying them way too fast. Only got a couple weeks to settle down!

Yes--mandrino! Make sure it has smooth (not serrated) jaws, and tighten it down firmly so the extractor rod does not slip.

I'm a big believer in the Power endshake bearings, and have used them in my own guns for 20+ years. Properly installed and lubricated, they last pretty much indefinitely. The only times I've ever seen them get torn up is when people attempt to use them to reduce endshake down to absolute zero--which is not at all what you want anwyay. The surface of the bearing is harder and smoother than the end of the yoke barrel or the interior surface in the cylinder--in fact, simply installing a bearing will often make the cylinder spin noticeably more easily and freely. The only downside I see to the Power shims is that they require the extractor assembly to be taken apart, which is not something most revolver owners should be doing due to the risk of damage. The reamer is very useful for truing the end of the yoke barrel. The extractor removal tool is unnecessary--a simple smooth-jawed hand drill chuck is much cheaper, faster, and easier to use.

Yeah, good luck with that. If your letter is met with the same kind of response I received the last time I tried to communicate with IDPA headquarters, you may decide to stick with other games like I did.

I'm with Tom and Jess and anybody else who recommended an 8-shooter.

He said he was shooting a Springfield from their custom shop. That would be a smart move. We shot on the squad behind Dave's squad today. I watched him shoot several stages and everything I saw him do was spectacular. For Dave and Rob to knock down the top two spots under such miserable conditions......with bags on the targets half the time, water on their glasses and dripping down their necks, and freezing cold hands......well, that's pretty amazing if you ask me! I really thought one of the nice weather guys was going to win it this year.

Yeah, kinda like hemorrhoids are fun. I'm only sorta kidding....I really like the Single Stack Nats, and will keep on shooting the match, but it's sure not because the match has interesting, inventive, or truly fun stages. They're either stand 'n' shoot or have very controlled and relatively minimal movement. It's certainly a good test of fundamental shooting and gun-handling skills, but there are very few strategic options, and very little opportunity for true freestyle shooting of the style that I personally call fun.

For those who may not have seen it, on my work order form the owner can specify exactly what type of primers/ammo will be used in the gun, then I tune and test the gun with that particular type. Most people check the box for "well-seated Federal primers only" because it allows the action to be fully optimized. I personally hand re-seat the primers on all my own match ammo, and of course I use Federal primers only. I squeeze them until they are below flush and starting to flatten.

Paul, if it's creating a problem you could try filing it or peening it. Otherwise, the bushing can be replaced. If it's a newer gun with the frame-mounted firing pin, the bushing can be replaced fairly easily with common hand tools. If it's an older gun with hammer nose, the bushing replacement requires a special staking tool which generally means a trip back to the factory.

When the firing pin hits and the cylinder is still turning. Hammer falls and then it locks up....subjecting the pin to a shearing force. Every gun I have broken a firing pin on has been out of time on at least two cylinders. You're saying that the primers on live rounds can exert enough of a shearing force on the firing pin to cause it to break, just because the hammer drops before the cylinder fully carries up? Sorry Forrest, but I don't buy that theory for a second. Much more likely you just had defective pins.

Looks good. Now show us a video of your weak-hand reload so we can compare! I spent 17 years doing it that way, and finally concluded that there are big advantages to keeping the gun in the right hand and reloading it with the left. The weak-hand reload translates much more readily to reloading an auto, and you're a whole lot less likely to break the 180 or fumble the gun. However, either method can be used very effectively, and ultimately it's all about which style feels best, and is the fastest and most consistent for the individual shooter.

You mean the Ice House? Where if you arrive too late at night for anyone to be at the front desk they just leave the master key out so you can let yourself in? Kinda like Otis in the Andy Griffith Show? Yeah, I've stayed there.

You're good to go with SSS.

Roger that.

I'm excited about shooting the IRC this year! (Actually, I've barely touched my revolvers lately--early each year I switch over to the 1911, to prepare for the Single Stack Classic each spring, and just to change it up a little and keep things fresh. Next week I will break out the wheels for the summer.) I have only shot the IRC once, with my 625. This year I'm going to shoot Limited again, but with one of my 8-shooters. I guess I need to figure out which one is most accurate at 50 yards, huh?

I don't get it. Why would the timing have anything to do with the firing pin?

Aaron Do not dry fire the C&S pin without snap caps. Those instructions are on the package. The factory pins forward travel is stopped by the cross pin that retains the firing pin. The C&S pins forward travel is not limited by the retaining pin. Without snap caps the C&S pin will only stop it's forward movement when it collapses the firing pin spring and then slams into the back of the firing pin bushing. You will eventually cause damage to the pin, spring or will beat the pin bushing loose from the recoil shield. With snap caps or normal firing they are fine. The older pins were bad but I have found no fault with the new C&S pins other than not being able to dry fire them without snap caps. Good advice, Gregg. A couple moons with snap caps in them would be a good idea.

A couple years ago I pretty adamantly argued against the use of extended firing pins. In fact, if you run a search on this topic, I am sure you can still find plenty of that discussion in the archives. I have softened my viewpoint somewhat. The main reason for my partial change of heart on the aftermarket pins is that the current factory firing pins (the California drop-test compliant version) are so dang awful. The original .495" round-tip factory Ti pins worked great--even in lightened competition actions--but the California pins tend to causes all kinds of misfires if the action isn't full factory strength. I still have a small quantity of "good" factory pins in my inventory, but when they are gone I will be switching to either the C&S pin or the Randy Lee pin. I have also been informed by a reliable source that C&S has made some manufacturing changes that have improved the quality of its extended pin. We had too many reports of breakage before, and I personally experienced broken C&S pins in several of my own guns several years ago. However, I am trying to keep an open mind and give the product a second chance. I do use them on 617s now, but recommend that 617 owners avoid dry-firing in order to prevent the possibility of pin breakage, and more importantly to avoid dinging up the chamber edges.

Maybe not in Uruguay.

Jerry, I have always found that the illiteracy jokes are best directed at the Revolver shooters from Tennessee and Oklahoma.

WTF Jerry? Are you under the impression that despite my 20 years of formal education (all of which was obtained north of the Mason-Dixon line, I might add), I haven't yet run across the word phonetic?