Headshot45

Eric, keep it simple......only perform reloads at Slide Lock....UNLESS the COF has a round count bias in the last part of the stage. In other words, if the COF has you engaging 3 targets from Point A and moving to Point B where there are 4 targets...in that case, just like on the street, take out mag and put in a fresh one. If the movement is always behind cover do it in this order, take out old, put in pocket, and draw new one as you are coming out of pocket, seat mag, and right about now you are at Point B, BANG.... If there is no cover between Point A and Point B, then you would do a Tac reload from A like this....bring up new mag, take out old mag, seat new mag, RUN LIKE HELL to Point B while putting away old mag......as long as you seated the new mag from behind cover it is considered to be a completed reload......see? Simple.... see you next week Frank

TxD, I guess we are lucky at our club....my SKs are certified SOs as well, in fact our club has over 40 certified SOs, so they are watching the hits on the target for the first 4 strings. My SOs watch the gun only, since that is their job and only job. If the -3 was a miss from the head shots, then it is scored as a -5, but we paste all of the hits at this point....we make sure the SK watches the hits, and pretty much scores the first 4 strings before the shooter finishes holstering. At this point my SO moves in front of the shooter to prevent any gun handling while the targets are being pasted....this takes about a minute....and the shooter then prepares his mag for stages 5 and 6, where there is only 6 rds in the gun total, and so on....if you have any further questions feel free to PM me Frank

first of all, the SO should absolutely NOT be watching the hits.....that is what the SK is for....the SO's job is to watch the gun...... The way we handle this portion of the Classifier is simple....we score and paste after string 4, and any headshots that go into the body is a miss, not scored as a benefit of the doubt....that is an incorrect way to score the classifier. It only takes a couple of minutes to score and paste the first 4 strings of Stage 1 Frank

"When did you get all of those guns? I don't remember seeing them...." "Oh, you remember that one gun that was in there that I really didn't shoot? Well, I traded that for those 2..." "What about those 3...." "That one a guy in the club was desperate for cash and I gave him only $100 for it, that's why I didn't go away a couple of weekends ago...it was my traveling money...and the other 2 I got in a trade for a bunch of other stuff, including an expensive scope I wasn't going to use anytime soon..." "Oh, ok, thats cool..." "(whew...that was a close one...)" Frank

Ted, if I am incorrect I apologize, but IDPA HQ said that our match is the first one they have given official sanction....that doesn't mean they are correct, they may have forgotten. I would love it if some of you BE guys would come down to Florida and shoot this match....but we only have 80 spots, so if you are interested check out www.flalowlight.com and look for the dark targets on the far left....the info is all there. Frank

the UM paddle holster meets rule requirements....the belt model doesn't Frank

not sure how we stack up down here in Florida, but there are 13 clubs. The club I am VP of, TSSA, holds 3 IDPA matches per month... there is 3 Sanctioned matches per year, and when our new range is finished in Miami that will increase by at least 1 sanctioned match per year, PLUS we are holding in May the first ever SANCTIONED match that is 100% low light or worse.... I guess that puts us in the Top 50....LOL Frank

Rik, could you explain a little more on the 8# giving you a nice 3# pull with a heavy reset? I am looking to do something to my 17, but just a 3.5# trigger job doesn't feel as sure to me. This gun is not a match queen, it is a daily carry/teaching/match gun What parts do I need, etc Frank

I know this is an old post, but... kenneth, we have increased heart rate COFs all the time....unfortunately it is when we set up everything while 90% of the shooters stand around and watch....as a MD we are usually doing something so the shooters can enjoy their day, all of a sudden you hear your name being called as the shooter, you run over to the stage, LAMR, shoot, UASC, realize you shot stage 4 the way stage 5 was supposed to be shot, everyone asks if you are aware you had 209 procedurals, now not only is your heart rate up but so is your blood pressure....LOL Frank

the Uncle Mikes belt may be half the price, but the Wilderness belt is 3 times the belt, plus the Uncle Mikes belt is....well.... still an Uncle Mikes..... I have been running my Wilderness belts for years, no problems at all. All of mine are 1.5" with the polymer CSM insert.....shooters at our club have already gone through belts from Galco, 5.11, and other copies of the Wilderness, but if you want the best, call Wilderness and order... Frank

#1 is legal #2 is legal #3 is legal in configuration 1, but configs 2 and 3 are not legal UNLESS the top half of the sights are cut off, making them a "notch" under rules definitions. Frank

as you can tell by his avatar, dirtypool used to use the carbon creations shooting shoes....now he uses skate tape on his old PF Flyers.... sorry Eric...had to do it.....congrats on the South Florida Single Stack win Sunday. It was good seeing you again, long time. We still need to get a state-wide or even a SE regional match going. Paul, I have a couple of ideas for the grips if you are interested. I played with a set, but without proper tools I really couldn't do it justice. To be honest, I used to watch the old series with Tim Allen, Home Improvement, and for the first 2 years I thought it was a documentary. LOL Frank

that's what I am talking about.....make sure on where your COF design has everybody if shot clean....leaving anybody in the open while empty? I don't mean to have ALL 12 rd COF's, what I mean is I like them for the comparison purposes. In our State match a couple of weeks ago we only had 1stage out of 8 that was 12 rds....I just voted what I like and why. As far as shooting, give me any legal stage within the spirit and rationale, tell me what I need to do and lets LAMR.... Frank

12 rd COF's I like the best because all divisions have to perform 1 reload...ALL divisions. The problem I see, and I have been a MD at 3 of the last 4 Florida state matches, is that most course designers forget about the 2 revolver divisions....I end up modifying their COFs to make them compliant. Plus, as I sometimes also shoot a revolver, it is fun to see how you stack up against other divisions in these COFs..... Personally, I think anyone who designs a COF should try shooting the design in his head with 10 rd capacities, 8 rd capacities and 6 rd capacities to be sure that is fair, not necessarily equal, but fair for everyone. Frank

Hi Will, The best thing to do is a "Redundancy Program".....ok, a little esoteric of a description, but.... By all means get the Horus software. You can even get the reticle, just do NOT get their scopes....they are not the quality of a Leupold, SB, or USO....and they have the Horus reticle as an option. The 5.11 watch is great for the simple calculations. But I would use it as a back up to your hard copy. Run the software for your load, then print out your personally customized range card. I have 2 copies with me....one is mounted to my rifle, the other is worn on my left forearm. I find that it is easier to read from the forearm and have less movement then to roll your rifle around to read the stock. I use my sniper rifles all of the time....they are not just range queens. I hunt coyote with them....it is good practice for ranging, measuring weather conditions, plotting your firing solution, and taking the shot...all without giving away your position to a predator that is looking HARD to find you.... Frank p.s. Happy Fathers Day to everyone....my 9 yr old daughter and I are going fishing this afternoon

I guess I will add my .02 here.... I was their rep in Florida a couple of years ago....I had 2 personal scopes, 1 for my DPMS 24 Special, and 1 for my savage tactical .308. I had problems with both, sent them back for repairs, and never saw them again....yet to this day.......I guess my opinion would be to avoid them like the plague!! Frank

Any of you guys have any experience with these units? I played with one for a 1911 a few years ago and found it to be fun to play with, and I just got one that came with a G21 and a bunch of goodies. It is fun to play with at our club defensive carbine matches, but every once in awhile it doesn't reset the trigger. Any ideas? Plus, does anybody make neat gadgets for them? Frank

Hi kd, My SSR is also a Ruger GP100. You aren't outclassed by an L frame by any stretch...I used to shoot one, but prefer the GP as being a hair more reliable. For a holster, all of my revolver holsters are from Ready Tactical....I find them to be slicker, faster and yet have better retention then anybody elses for a GP, but not everybody makes a holster for the GP. You will also want their speedloader holders...you can shake them upside down and the speedloader stays in, but as soon as you tug on it it is in your hand. For speedloaders, the Safariland Comp III's will do the job, but the Jet Loaders are faster. For ammo I usually will use the generic 130gr ball loads for club matches, but switch to Speer 158gr Lawman ball for sanctioned matches. Both are 38 special loads. When I feel like shooting full house ammo I shoot 158 gr soft points as I can find them cheap. Hope this helps...... Frank

I just ordered a California Competition Works magwell for my G21 from Brownells..... If the magwell from Novak really does weigh 4 oz it is too heavy to be IDPA legal.... Frank

as someone who is 50 yrs old, and has carried a 5" 1911 for 30 years, I can also add to this discussion..... I have found that for my body type, 6 ft and built like a slightly overweight fullback, I like the 19 better if carrying in a belt holster as it will clear faster than a 17, but I also have found that a 17 carries better in an inside-the waist holster as it has less tendency to torque its way out......the 19 tries to sneak out of the ITW holsters that I have....Sparks Versamax, Blade Tech IWB, Comp-Tac IWB, and Andrews IWB...mainly because of my body shape. I have friends that are, shall we say, more svelte than I, and they carry the 19 with no problem. As to IDPA, I have shot this sport since its inception, and we have a lot of guys who are classified as Expert and Master, that shoot their 17's and 19's from their IWB holster, so pick what fits you best according to your attire and body shape, and trust the set up. My personal 19 has a fully polished Ghost Rocket 3.5 connector with Trijicon Night Sights that I carry everyday and I am a dyed-in-the-wool 1911 guy! I find that the 19 carries better, is lighter, and holds more BB's.....what more can you say? Frank

exactly why I carried one myself Duane....spent over 20 years carrying a 5" 1911 and just figured the G34 was the same size, but lighter and carries more BB's.......but I found out that I shoot a G17, G19, G26 all better than I shot my G34......oh well, maybe I'll try one again this year after the eye doc figures out how to get me to where I can see the sights again...... Frank

lets preface by saying I started shooting IPSC in '79....and think the sport is a great way to get trigger time AND hang out with a lot of great people, but lets talk IDPA.... I love the fact you are shooting what you use for personal defense...well, most of us are....not criticizing the Glock 34 guys, as I actually carried one for over a year....but I love the guys in our club here in south Florida that download their carry gun before coming on the range, then shoot it in the matches exactly how they carry, whether its a G19 or 26, a 4" 1911, under an untucked shirt, or an open button down shirt...no vests I love most of the COF's as they tend to be more realistic, forcing you to actually USE cover, not just stand in the vicinity.... I love the fairness of the rules....everybody said in the beginning all BW was interested in was promoting the 1911 since that was how he made his money,but as has been proven, much to the chagrin of Jeff Cooper, the DA autos have actually had the upper hand a lot in this sport...... I love the fact that at the club level there is more friendly ribbing going on between shooters, since losing to a 5'2" 50 yr old woman with a gold plated 1911 with pink pearl grips with a red heart sticker drawing from a Fobus holster usually gets you verbally spanked pretty good..especially the LE guys who come in with their macho attitudes....we usually invite them to join in a brew or 2 after the match so as to keep them from developing a nervous twitch from the embarrassment.... I love the people, some are even on this forum...even though I got blasted last year giving my opinion...... I love the fact it is NOT an equipment race....and I say that as I anxiously await my Randy Lee 625 I love totally blind stages...especially when most shooters screw it up....but I have taken a lot of heat for those.....oh well, at least I had an IPSC/USPSA GM say that it was an awesome stage, despite crashing and burning.... And finally, I love the simplicity of the whole sport, where you can compete somewhat on equal footing, whether shooting a revolver, a Glock, a 1911, a Beretta, a Sig...look at the holsters next time at your local matches...what do you see? The same 1911's? Only G34's? Only STI raceguns w/CMores? Nope, you see a vast selection of brands, types, etc, so next time someone asks "What gun should I get for IDPA?", you can honestly say, "Come out to the match, you will have lots to choose from." Frank

I use the nylon Hogues, grind down the finger grooves, build up the right side for a little extra palm swell and wrap it in tennis guaze tape...tactical black, of course....when my hand sweats the tennis tape actually gets sticky..... Frank

Mayonaise, I agree....we don't need 180 rules, we need muzzle safe points. In fact, I have made MSP's as little as 90* on some COF's as the targets were pretty much in front of you anyway, and it made for more concise gunhandling. As to revolvers, and I shoot them as well, there is no 180 infractions during loading(revos need gravity to load) or during unloading(again, gravity) and has been said as much. SO's, or IPSC RO's for that matter, who call "muzzle" on a revo shooter every time he/she does a reload, really needs to be more verse in gun handling skills as this is an accepted practice for this firearm type. Frank

to make a couple of points about this particular stage.... 1.) Nobody hit the deck..... 2.) as it has been stated, there is NO 180 in IDPA, however local ranges can adapt local rules....my home club, TSSA in south Florida, has 180 rules, and this shooter is a member of our club and a fine SO...however he has admitted to making a mistake that he will most certainly correct 3.) before any bashing of sports occurs, the gentleman running the timer was not an IDPA SO if I remember correctly, he was an IPSC RO( and I thank him and several other non-IDPA RO's for helping as the MD was short a few certified RO's), which I know trains to watch the gun as I was a CRO going for my RM many years ago....just no longer involved in IPSC at the current time. Yes, he should watch the gun...this was the SO's fault, not the shooters, as the muzzle safe points were WAY beyond 180. The shooter must be responsible for his actions, but a good SO will HELP a shooter and possibly prevent a mistake 4.) the COF was fine...no problems with it at all....anybody who thought it was a poor COF because of this incident probably wouldn't last long as an SO, because that is where you see things that would scare the best of us...LOL 5.) we all need to learn from this....it can happen to all of us....this shooter learned....and yes, he knows all about crowding cover, but in this COF a lot of shooters found themselves in just that situation, and it will continue to happen....please keep teaching and mentoring new shooters...it helps us all I think I am done making some observations, and I hope to see all of you at some point on a range having fun making holes in perfectly good cardboard. Frank CSO/SOI