Clay1

You have more rounds loaded on yours but I am using a 450 and I like the manual movement. Not for speed but I load rifle cartridges on it and I like to weight each powder charge on a scale. For pistol shooting under 50 yards - you don't need too, but precision rifle reloading I consider it a must. I don't reload for 9mm. Maybe I would if I had a 1050, but by saving $20/1000 it would take an awful long time to pay for itself over the Blazers that I shoot and love. Wrong place to post this I know, but I hate chasing brass.

Can't answer the question as it relates to "production class" but can answer it as it related to SSP in IDPA. The second generation G34 never existed as a gun so it would not be allowed. It had to be offered at one point. The reasoning behind the Glock slide stop and ext. mag release is that at one time or another all of the guns were offered as such from the factory. Rick

I post regulary on the blade forums and have a special affinity for steel. It's an up close and personal thing. The only thing that I can say is that it would be hard to defend yourself, not on the street, but in the court room with one. My personal feelings. If you were on your way to court after a shooting, which weapon would you have rather used? A 870 pump gun loaded with bird shot or a pistol grip benelli, with heat guard, tactical sling, cut barrel etc. The point is that your jury would find it easier if you shot the guy with your rabbit gun than your man killer. Knives are tools. It would be easier politically to defend yourself with a blade that you use to cut boxes and string with that you always carry as a tool and you had to press that into service to defend your life instead of buying the "tactical made to slice men" blade. I hate politically correct things and thinking, but if you end up in court one day over it, one makes your attorney's job easier and one doesn't. You don't need a huge blade but push daggers are out for the same reasoning for me. I use to carry a neck knife. After talking with many officers they would consider one to be a concealed weapon more than a 3" Microtech, Benchmade or Emerson blade held in the pocket by a long shot even if the blade is under the legal limit for your locale. It's more about intent. A small fixed blade or a folder with an exceptional lock would be a recomendation. Spyderco's lil'temperance is a wonder small blade with big blade features, many of the benchmade's with the Axis lock are also relatively inexpensive and built solidly. Come and join the fun or just read: www.bladeforums.com/

super cool. It's nice that S&W is sponsoring a great team. Would like to see more manufacturer involvement.

Ron, was involved with another club in the past. An archery club. I was on the board of directors and was very active in the club. Shooting 5+ days a week. I lived archery, had a couple of local sponsorships and thought that I could fling a splinter of wood (really they were a small core of aluminum surrounded by carbon fiber) with most of the best of them. Literally did hundreds of hours a year for the club besides holding a BOD position and the work that the position required - all match results, newletter etc. My third term, I didn't quit but finished my term and did my job well to the end. I then did not even join the club on the fourth year. People said I would be back. Had an indoor 300 bow, a bow for broadhead competition, a bow for 3D competition (IBO) and a hunting rig. People would come to me for tuning work etc. When I left I was absolutely so fried that I haven't picked up my bow for even a couple of days since I left. That was in 1995. I loved the sport, but burnt so bad that I can go back. I vowed at that point in my life to never hold a position in any club again. I've been tempted a few times but have lived by that rule for 10 years. The point of the rambling is that if people don't get some help we will lose people that are motivated and love the sport altogether. It was sad to leave, but not that sad that I ever wanted to go back. I'm having a great time with the shooting games that we discuss on this board and do help more than most. I just don't give life, blood and everything to a club anymore. There is more than just shooting even though it continues to be who I am by definition. It's how I come to see myself, but I also am a father of three and have been with the same woman for just about 24 years, married 21. It's not right that people ask you to give up your life for a club, but everyone should be able to pitch in most shoots for 1/2 hr. Sorry for the long ramble.

surprised that brim doesn't try to eat the craw. The brim is small and the craw is probably big. Those eggs will look good to the brim too.

Sandoz, you don't even need to build a pond do you? Looks like a wonderful view to wake up to in the mornings. If you can shoot just out your door even better.

That's what the city thought too. Believe it or not the pond isn't taxable, but a swimming pool is very much taxable. It is just for the fish no people. The sides are totally verticle for predator discouragement. If one of the egrets or herons etc even takes a step in the pond they are in 8' of water right now. There is no fishing ledge for the birds to stand on or a raccon for that matter. It's fairly extreme with two 12" bottom drains that have aerators on the top of them, 2 4" midlevel drains on the side of the walls, and 2 skimmers on the top. The filtration will be feed water from the bottom, middle and top of the water column. There are twelve tangenial pond returns: they are kind of like pool jets without the restriction of flow and more water movement. This will cause currents in the pond so that it is self cleaning to a certain extent. The whole thing is made with rebar and cement block. I started out with 10 pallets of block last year and hand laid each one of those wonderful concrete building units 90% by myself. There is horizontal rebar on every other course of block and verticle rebar every 8" for the whole perimeter. The floor will be rebar on 8" centers and a total of 10" thick. If I die I want to come back as one of my fish. There food comes shipped in from Japan and if you ever saw anyone baby a dog those dogs have nothing on my babies. They eat from your hand and the largest is about 28". They are inside of the house now in a very small 1000 gallon system in the basement. When they get into 15,000 gallons they should really take off. 32" fish are not uncommon and they live 30+ years even though legends say up to 200+ years, but that is mythology. Don't get me going too much on ponds or I will talk your head off. There are 3 great web sites that I would suggest for those of you that might have an interest: http://www.koiphen.com/forums/ http://www.koicommunity.com/forums/index.php http://www.koimag.com/ I trade fish related answers for good weapon info.

In between shooting I am trying to finish my pond that I started last year. It's 36X12X8'. A 10 X 12 section of it is just for filters called a filter house and the 24X12'X8' will be over 15,000 gallons of water. It will have 4 pumps to run the system and 4 seperate filter systems. I can get goofy about these fish as I do about guns. Strange combination I know, but watching the fish is an experience in relaxation like I have never known. Been doing the fish thing since '95 and it still pleases me. I travel with the fish to fish shows like people would to dog shows. OK, I'll stop talking about fish on this board and talk about guns again. Rick

I have another hobby in that I keep nishikigoi. They are a colored Japanese carp that some refer to as koi. These fish and the bird that you posted a picture of don't get along. My fish just like to swim and those birds think that my ornamental fish are dinner. I've heard those birds don't like the taste of lead, whether it comes from a 9mm minor a a major 12 gauge load. I wouldn't know from experience because those birds are also protected by federal migratory game bird laws. But they are not welcome in my neighborhood - you keep them wherever that may be.

Eric, the thing is that I own a Pact MK IV and have tried the chrony a few times, but could never get it to work. Maybe overcast day, maybe because it was indoors, but mostly because I haven't read the manual. Now that is worse than not owning one!

Was at a nice club within the last couple of weeks. Oconomowac in Wisconsin. Love those indian names don't you? It was a simple 5 station arrangement. They offer about 1/2 price to anyone that comes out and sets targets on Saturday for the Sunday shooting fees. Damn good idea and it doesn't run the regulars into the ground. After the shoot most of us just packed up our station. Started by 9 am finished by noon. Very, very cool and even made Momma happy that I was home before the end of the day. It might sound like you are giving up income, but what you are saving is probably worth the discount. Just thought that I would share.

Have a pair of G34s. Just set up one of them to shoot ESP for the other game (idpa) and one is set for SSP/production. Most of the rounds are through one gun. But have shot only 3000 rounds since mid Dec. I guess that I am averaging about 1000/month. I've chased brass much of my life. Whether the brass was from a rifle or from my shotgun in the form of AA cases. I'm just plain sick of it. I don't enjoy bending over and picking up cases full of mud, gravel etc. If I was shooting a .40 or 38 super comp etc, I would be chasing cases again. I have had absolutely none - nada - problems with both G34s and the Blazer aluminum case. It's a dream come true for an ex-reloader. Actually 10,000 rounds through my Mec 9000G did it to me one shotgun season. Sporting clays was the afliction. I love to shoot but reload out of neccessity not enjoyment. When it came time to buy a pistol for competition the ammo cost was definately a factor and 9mm won in my mind with no close 2nd place contendors. At $100/1000 before tax, you won't hear me complain. On a fox hunt once I shot my 3rd dog with a particular piece of brass and lost it. I went home grabbed the metal detector and went out in the field and found that piece of brass. My name is Rick and yes I am a brass chaser that now buys Blazers.

harmongreer, thanks for the nice recap and explaination of the selection of bullets based on weight and target selection. Nice to know. It was funny in that I have never had any steel not fall over with the Blazers and decent hits and this new shooter that was just watching what was going on asked me about the power of the 9 and knocking over steel and then this happened. Strange things some time occur with special timing.

George, when you get so many that you can't use them anymore I would be glad to be second on the list.

Made an old guy smile. Nothing brings a smile to an old guys face faster than a young woman. Enjoy yourself.

Got a call from my Godson, he's an engineer - clears mine fields. He's been in four years already and they reupped the kid for another F---------g 14 months. He wants out but can't get out. I'm going to misspell the words but he said falujah was quiet compared to Fob---- where he is. He called to say his good byes in case he didn't make it out this time around. Damn shame that they keep him in so long and don't rotate people that have never seen the real shit. First run at it was 16 months straight in bagdad when all of heavy stuff was going on. Took him to his first USPSA match when he was home. He had problems in that he shot all of the targets infront of him including the no shoots. Can't blame him a bit. Hope he comes home soon. Little bumbed about it today. He has done his time and more than most already. I don't get this bullshit!

Thanks for the link. I have the two rule books, USPSA and the other one (idpa) on the desktop of the computer. I use them both often. Given it was a local match I doubt I would have done anything differently. If it was a qualifier stage, I might the next time, but given again, that there were not 10 people in my division I had nothing to gain or loose. I love to shoot as many matches as I can. It gives me more trigger time under match pressure conditions. I just haven't found a way to duplicate that feeling in any practice session. Thanks again for the info and I learned something new, again, on this board. Rick

Recently introduced my family and myself to Thai food. I am the one in the family that loves hot. You know it's hot when your head sweats. They also have marvelous dishes for the rest of the family that don't prefer things quite so hot.

You're probably right on the 140 out of the G34. I was just using factory specs. I'll do a search under calibration to find out the process since I have never been involved with any squad that has ever asked for calibration.

I really didn't mean to make this post a complaint about the match. I think that there were only 4 or 5 guys in shooting production like me and I just take these local matches with a grain of salt anyhow. If nothing else I finally figured out if that damn thing wouldn't fall with a center of mass hit, I shot it in the head and it fell. The question was more specificially with some marginal steel hits. What would be a more ideal load? The blazers make 131 for a power factor which isn't that close to the 125. Would it be better to shoot a 115grainer at 131 PF or a 147 grainer at 131PF? Power factor is based on energy numbers I know, but old guys like me that have read some of Elmer Keith's work and still believe in momentum think that there is a difference on game animals. Don't think my bud Elmer ever shot any USPSA though. Remember the pendulums of the old days? What would rock it more a 115 grainer at 131 PF or a 147 at 131 PF? Maybe this thread should be rather, what is your favorite bullet weight for USPSA for 9mm minor and why?

I could be wrong, but I thought at last year's nationals for the equipment survey that Montana Golds were the number one bullet used. Someone must like them.

I was shooting a match last weekend with my G34 loaded with Blazer 115's. Never ever had one steel target that I hit right and it didn't go down until this guy asked me at the beginning of the stage if I ever had problem with the 9 and steel. I said no. I went on to hit in the round target zone the steel 3 times and also shot low twice (not that low) and it wouldn't go down. 5 rounds into a target and it wouldn't drop. Had to drop it by making a head shot on the steel. Now that target was falling over so easy someone elevated the back part of the stand so that it would fall over too easy right before I shot - I didn't say a word and just focused on the next targets. This match was just another opportunity to pull the trigger. So should I write off that situation to a one of or should I be looking for another load for my 9? I know that some shoot very powder puff loads with 147s. Would a heavier bullet be better for steel?

I think the questions could have been worded differently. I am inbetween doing everything possible and just doing my share and no more. I have been someone who did everything that I should do plus about what 10 other members should do. I stopped that. I'm not a free ride kind of guy at whatever I do. No matter what match I'm at I help brass and tape, score whatever they need. I find it funny when there is a group of 8 of us at a station and I am the only one taping. Makes me smile. Rick

Does Academy do mail order?