jwhittin

With only the barrel installed (no slide) and the stop pin inserted, does the slide stop move freely into the slide lock position without the plunger? If no, stop pin is catching or binding. If with light pressure it moves into lock position with the plunger & spring installed that should be fine. I suspect the slide stop is just short enough it doesn't work with certain mags. Remove the slide (you can leave the barrel on) and you should be able to see if the mag followers are engaging the slide stop or not.

So it happened before the buzzer when you were doing your pre-check or after the buzzer because you forgot your precheck?

I Just turned 50 yesterday. So far so good Scope job scheduled for Oct.

All the 22 conversion kits I've seen and the one I have are aluminum slides. Not likely to cause any problems with a steel frame. If it fits properly and operators smoothly, even on a LW frame it should be fine. Just make sure you install it according to the manual and periodically check for signs of unusual wear.

I would defer to the equipment manufacturer's instructions. It may depend somewhat on the technology. For my photo sensor type chrono it states a minimum of 10 ft between the muzzle and sensor for high velocity rounds and at least 5 feet for slower velocity rounds. For practicle distances like 10ft to 15ft, its not going to make any difference in measurements. At matches I've shot that use other types of sensors, they still ran about 10 to 15 ft between the muzzle and the first sensor. The second sensor was another 3 to 5 feet farther away. Biggest factor is the measurement statistics and how you load to meet PF. As a general rule, my loading velocty is the required velocity plus 2 time the measured standard deviation (there is a good reason its not 1 or 1.5). This gives my a high degree of confidence that even with unknown factors, I'll be able to pass. Kinda drifting off the main topic but thought it was worth mentioning.

I'm a relatively new RO and I also shoot Steel and IDPA. At our local matches I notice the ROs (including myself) were not consistent with our commands. So I made a wallet sized cheat sheet with USPSA, SCSA, and IDPA official commands and passed them out. And I always verify the range is clear by scanning the stage and checking behind all visual obstructions before issuing the Make Ready command. That's a very basic safety issue. I guess if you get in a hurry or are relying on others to clear the range, that's when bad things can happen.

A little late but I just happen to catch this thread. My favorite load for USPSA using my 5" Les Baer is 200 gn Berry's Plated FP, CCI 300, OAL=1.225, with 5.4 gns of Titegroup. That gives me about 860 fps. For IDPA, I bump up the charge to 5.6 or 5.7 gns for my 4" and I get about the same velocity. Hope this helps.

If you like to learn about how the 1911 works and are willing to put the time in, you might consider buying a good starter and fixing it up over time. I say this strictly for target and competition use NOT carry. My first comp gun was a DW Valor for $1300. I learned to do a few of the minor upgrades and it was a great value at half the price of a Wilson or EB. There are some good new and especially used options in the $1000 to $1400 price range if you don't want to take the plunge. I picked up a used LB Extreme Tactical two years ago for USPSA. Paid $1600 and have put 40K rounds through it. It runs great and I know it will last another 40K.

I know people that have this problem. On occasion, if I don't get a good grip it happens or I will feel the safety interfere with the trigger but not stop it. All my 1911s have the memory pad. So the memory pad and practice getting a good grip is sound advise.

Lots of great suggestions! And a lot of them deal with the mental aspects rather than just techniques and equipment. Thanks!

I shot IPSC with my DW Valor for a season. Definitely a great value for the $$. One note. I added a S&A mag well for competition and had problems seating the 47D mags because they were flush with the base of the magwell. If you add a magwell, you might want to find a magazine with a larger base for competition.

Hi All. I really like this site! I'm a competitive shooter and I want to improve my skills. Seems like this is the place to be. Cheer! Joel

Hey Robert. Use to live in your area. Now in Colorado. Ever try a 1911? I like to harass the glockers. I've tried them but do not care for them at all. 1911 all the way!!! Joel