Clay1

I agree with JD45 on two points weight and getting that extra piece of metal out of my way. One comment on two piece bases and rings and that is of lapping. I think lapping rings is something that not very many people do and it will do a couple of things for you. It will protect your expensive scope in making sure that there isn't a high spot or a pressure point on your tube. I find it mars the tube much less so that if you take the scope off and put it on another rifle one day the ring marks are either not there at all or are much less noticeable. It will reduce any stress on the tube from unaligned rings. Sinclair has a very nice reasonable priced kit that I use. I lap all my rings now except verticle split rings like the Talleys that I have on my Weatherby. Here's a link: http://www.sinclairintl.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi Rick

In a recent thread talking about speed Brian Enos commented on focus and so did others in the thread. You might find this one helpful: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=25927 Rick

Cute Jane, but I will take a Brat here in Wisconsin over a hotdog anyday. On loading to division max or 10+1 there are times that they will have you load less rounds so that you slide lock at a particular point in a string of fire. I always thought it was a procedural to load less than the 10+1 and most of the time it is, but there are courses of fire that are legal that specify only 6 rounds in the gun so it isn't a 100% rule all of the time. If there are no instructions to the contrary you load 10+1 or to capacity. Now are you really confused? I'm a cross over shooter too who started in IDPA and have shot mostly USPSA for the last couple of months. Next weekend is our State IDPA shoot and I just know that I will drop a mag on the ground. I know that I should not even think those thoughts, but dropping that mag is instinctual at this point in my shooting. I shoot an USPSA match tomorrow and then all week I will be practicing my reloads with retention. Since the RWR and the tac reload are interchanable there is absolutely no need ever to do a tac reload. In USPSA terms it would be like saying that you can reload from slide lock or do a speed reload. Everyone knows that if you reload from slide lock are you throwing time out the window. It is the same for the tac load. It takes longer and there is no reason to do it ever. IDPA calls it an emergency reload (slidelock) and reload with retention are the only two to practice. A speed reload (dropping a mag with any rounds in the gun) is illegal. You should know what a tact load is, but there is no need to practice or ever do one. Rick

JP, one thing about IDPA is that the have a REQUIRED ATTENDANCE safety meeting before EVERY shoot. They go over the high points of the safety rules every time. Many clubs will also put on what are known as "new shooter clinics". These will go over the rules and give you some limited exposure to range time as well. These are a great way to get introduced to IDPA. To get better at the game it is like anything else in life, you get back out of it what you put into it. Yes, there are those that are naturally talented but for each one of those guys there are a hundred of us that just have to grind it out to get better. If you only shoot the matches and don't practice you will get one thing out of the experience. If you dry fire once a week and shoot live fire once a week and then a match on the weekend that is another level. The shooters at the top of the game dry fire for literally hours a day and shoot live fire multiple times per week and a couple of matches on the weekend. They are at a different level. It is one thing to throw rounds down range, it is another to practice the right technique. I highly recomend Brian Enos book which you can buy very reasonably here: http://www.brianenos.com/store/books.html and Matt Burkett's series of DVDs here: http://www.burkettvideo.com/ There are few things that are better than investing in ammo and the above two I would consider better investments than ammo. Good luck with your training. Rick

For those interested here are two links: http://www.uspsa.org/ and http://www.idpa.com/menu.htm. The USPSA link has a spot to enter zip codes to find local clubs. Rick

Still as a relatively new shooter, I really appreciate the help that the RO can give me on league nights. On match day, even a club level match, I expect to be on my own. That's where my training should kick in. On the fiance getting all of the help. It could be about people wanting to be macho and trying to show there expertise, but it might be that she is a pretty girl and that has a way of drawing attention from men no matter what activity you are doing - shooting, shopping etc. Take it as a compliment and then work on kicking their rears. Long ago, I learned for myself to let people make mistakes unless they ask. That's what I do, but on the other hand I appreciate the help personally. It's not an easy cut and dried type of answer.

I'm not Wakal but try Mobil One on that blade. It is not a rust preventative, but your Sebbie doesn't need that, but it is a hell of a lubricant.

Thanks for the great comments Brian appreciate the insight. I understand quite well that I am not where the better shooters are. It seems like I need to make somekind of decision to either go for it, or do nothing more than I am now. You either pick up the pace or you backslide there is no standing still. The next level of commitment is a substaintial one. Thanks again, Rick

Which comp-tac holster? Bluntly I run a locking paddle which is meant to tuck into the pants and it doesn't seem to lock in place very well with the CR Speed. I think it stays more solid just using it with my Wilderness belt. I bought a CR Speed and with my gear I have never shot a match with it. I think that it would be the cat's meow with a race holster or even something like a bladetech dropped and offset. Just my experience.

Don't you think that the top guys are usually sponsored shooters and get paid to shoot what a particular company has them shoot? I am more interested in what the results of the equipment survey is for all shooters. I expect to see some more CZ this year and more XDs but I think that the Glocks will again rule production with nothing really even close to their dominance in production. Just one guys opinion.

General Chang, this is a website that is very reasonably priced. You can check out the pricing on many of the Chris Reeves blades there: http://www.newgraham.com/newpage2.htm Wakal, honestly the Sebbie is more my style for about the same money if I were going to buy one for myself. The passarounds are opportunities to try blades that you might not otherwise. I've been involved in three of them that's all. A spydie Karambit, the new Benchmade 635 and this one. The Chris Reeves stuff isn't full custom, but it is very high on the quality scale and a gift of a lifetime. Zak, I hope that all of my kids, grow up like you. Rick

Besides firearms I have always had a passion for finely crafted blades. Many like fixed blades or autos or whatever. I have a sweet spot for tactical folders in the 3 to 4" blade lengths. Today as part of my involvement with the bladeforums.com/ website, I recieved a passaround knife made by Chris Reeves called a Mnandi. It is a gentleman's folder of very nice quality and craftsmanship. She is a Chris Reeves Mnandi with African Blackwood beauty. She doesn't belong to me, we just borrow each other nice blades so that we can get some personal experience with different makers. It's called a passaround. If nice blades interest you come on over and visit once in a while. This is a link to Chris Reeves for anyone that might be interested in seeing the blade. I still don't know how to post pictures - sorry. http://www.chrisreeve.com/mnandi.htm Rick

Happy birthday everyone a little late. Rick

I will agree with CNEMikeMan. On the cheap the Bladetech molded will get you there. I have a couple of Comp-tac holsters that are my choice these days. Locking paddle, but tell Greg exactly what belt you are wearing and that it will be for IDPA and you will be set to go. Rick

True story - rifle not handgun. Old boy and military surplus 4831 and 243 win cases. Dip them, shake them off and stuff 100 grain bullets in them. Bang, bolt won't open. Beat it open with a hammer. Rem 700 action. The bolt face now has the brass welded to it and it is taken to the local tech school and the bolt face is milled to remove the brass. Now that is not only totally stupid, but just plain outrageous. It happened years ago, but true story. NO - I wasn't the shooter, but do know the man. Rick

Congrats Flex!

Maybe I am slowing down on the draw at greater distances, but since I have only watched Matt Burkett's a few dozen times and heard him say the same thing over and over doesn't necessarily mean that I listened. I really think that I don't trust my index like I should and I hesitate to overly verify the sight picture. As Brian would say it is learning what you really need to see and no more. On a type one focus I do not even see the sights but focus on the target and just trust my index and the trigger goes bang fast (for me). On the 10 yarders I do think that the muzzle movement at the end of the fast draw (I think - but will verify) bounces some and my speedometer (eyes) wants to see it settle more before the pull trigger command is given to the brain. It does bother me that the time over doubles. Something to work on. Thanks again for all of the comments and good ideas. Rick

Eric, you are going to have to have a paid Costco sponsorship if you keep this up. I think a couple of times in the last week, YOU BE the COSTCO MAN. They must have earned a good customer with you. Rick

"I'm pretty tempted to refill a bottle of Astroglide with Mobil-1 and use it at matches just for shock value. " The shock value is that you have an empty bottle of Astroglide to begin with.

They have your email addy, your name and now: "I just got a reply yesterday requesting the make and model of the firearm!?" I'm sure that they will request your soc number, finger print, driver license and car plate numbers right before you enter the state.

Call and talk to Comp-tac and tell them about your time constraints instead of just taking it for granted and they will take care of you. I love my locking paddle. Have two of them. Splurge and get the chainmail finish - way cool. Rick

You could feel the excitment when your mind was moving faster than your fingers typing the post. I followed just fine though. Congrats to you. It must be love.

Focus is on target and then shift to sights as they arrive. I did read someone say before that they almost cause a blurred vision focus so that when the gun arrives it is in focus. Was that in the Enos book too? Something to try.

Yeah for Tom Mainus, a local fella from Wisconsin with a wheel gun finished 10th. Congrats Tom. Rick

Thanks for the comments guys. Loves2 the .8 was referring to an in your face target and not a 10 yarder. In that same sentence I did say 10 yards at 1.1 or 1.0. Thanks for the comments and the tips. I have a ways to go to get better that's all. I shot a league night tonight and then after everyone left I hung around and shot another 100 rounds. Ben, thanks for the comments. Have a long way to go. Obviously, I am not as motivated as some of the dry fire gurus or I would be better by now. Still have a long way to go to come close to you. You guys are right though the in your face target is not the target to be great at, I would much prefer to shoot better at the 10 yarder and if I could always shoot below 1.5 at 15 yards I think I would be happy - until the next goal is reached.