David Olhasso

Not all JHPs are created equal. One example where the competiton head is not valid for "other uses" is the Hornady HAP (Hornady action pistol) line of bullets. These are specifically not meant for anything other than competition. If you want a Hornady handgun bullet for other uses, then it needs to be an XTP.

sorry, I have never used a Ranier bullet. For major super loads I use 125gr HAP. For minor super steel loads I use the 115 remington. But then again, I don't shoot that much open or limited anymore.

I have had succes with all the brands below. Each was consistent in geometry and in weight. Hornady HAPs or XTPs. Montany Gold. Remington 115s. (Not the 180s. the rem 180 jhp has toooo huge a hollow point)

The bullet length shouldn't really matter. What matters is where the bullet contacts the seating die. If the seating die is perfectly flat, then there be be almost no variance in oal between rounds. If the seating dies is concaved and the geometry of the bullet tip varies, then huge variations in oal have been observed. The reason I question whether the bullets are STAR is that on multiple occasions with 2 different calibers, I have seen huge variations in the bullet tip geometry in the same box.

your not using STAR bullets are you?

When I load 38super on my 1050, I move the powder drop to the "powder check" location. If I don't I get powder everywhere but in the case. There is no need to fabricate a new return rod. Just angle the powder drop directly towards where the return rod connects to the press, and remove some of the tension on the return rod by loosening adjustment nut. Also, changing the angle slightly where the return rod connects to the press helps.

And if the company went belly up tomorrow, I would be thrilled!! Realize that this is the same company that is partnering with NJ to create a smart gun so that NJ can deny its citizens the right to purchase any handgun that does not have the "smart" technology in it.

I assume that you will be shooting INDOOR at the S&W academy. If so, you will need a good pair of court shoes as all the floors are concrete. Also, wear a baseball hat to prevent brass from bouncing off the walls into your glasses. Some of the ranges in the old building can be cold while the new areas can be much hotter. Clear glasses are much better indoors than any type of tinted ones.

Not much chance for a Factory Gun Area Match. Only 136 competitors showed up for 2002 A8 FG Champ, and that is just not enough people to justify all the work that an Area Championship takes.

The idea is not to force the first shot off with a bad grip or bad sight picture and then have to adjust the grip or the sight picture for the second shot. Get the gun gripped correctly, the sights lined up and then take your first shot. The issue is magnified when shooting a DA/SA. If you get the first shot off quickly but then have to adjust your grip or trigger finger placement for the second shot, then what good was the really quick first shot?

I'd be willing to bet that most people on this board send more lead downrange with their competition guns than does Strader. I do not know the actual numbers, but for the 2002 season, I seem to remember that he shot under 10k rounds thru his limited gun and nearly all of that was in matches. When he responds, I am sure that Phil can give you actual numbers on his rounds downrange because he keeps an incredibly accurate log for each of his guns. As for his limited gun: It is a well built STI with a nice trigger that doesn't jam. Not sure of any of the other details.

Clean my dies? About every 20-30k, but then only if they are dirty.

Flex: Interesting point. 9.2.2.1 states that in a Virginia Count stage the number of rounds is fixed and time stops on the last shot. US 9.2.2.4 states that in a fixed time stage the number of rounds is fixed. Your logic implies that there is a difference between the number of rounds and the number of scoring hits in a VC or Fixed Time stage. I feel that the rule book implies that in stages where the number of rounds is fixed, the number of scoring hits matches the number of rounds. If the scoring hits and number of rounds can be different, then a VC stage with 10 required shots, but only 5 scoring hits would be legal. The rule book is vague, but if a fixed time stage with 20 scoring hits and 300 rounds is legal, then so is my crazy VC stage described above with 10 required shots but only 5 scoring hits. now what?

A Fixed time all steel stage is legal as long as it is not all plates. The defination of fixed time also requires a fixed number of scoring hits. If you want to have a fixed time stage with 20 pieces of steel, then by defination, the stage will be limited to 20 shots with a 5 point penalty being assessed for any extra or overtime shots. A fixed time stage without a shot limit or with a shot limit that is greater than the scoring hits is not a legal USPSA stage. Even though such a stage is alot of fun to shoot, it is not legal.

This question really is pandora's box. Here is an abreviated version of what I understand to be the rules IPSC production: Parts available from the factory ONLY. No external modifications except sights. Only internal modifications can be made by the Factory. Only changes to factory parts can be polishing. No removal of metal from any component allowed. Replacement grips are OK if the profile the factory. 5lb trigger USPSA production: Parts available from the factory ONLY. No EXTERNAL Modifications except sights Internal Modifications to increase accuracy or enhance trigger are OK. This makes replacement of barrels and replacement of internal trigger components legal. (note that the trigger pad is NOT considered an internal part) 2oz change in factory weight allowed. Typically this means that tungsten guide rods or Haarts guide rods are OK. Make your trigger as light as you want. IPDA SSP Trigger jobs are OK Replacement trigger parts are OK Replacement grips are OK No External modifications except sights No guide rods replaced with heavier versions. No extended magazine release unless it COMES on YOUR model No extended slide stop unless it COMES on YOUR model

There are at least 3 or 4 companies that do grip reductions/recontours on Glocks. Basically, the hump is filled with some soft of polomer material, then most of the hump is removed, the trigger guard is undercut a bit more, and optionally the finger grooves are removed and a beavertail is added. I have a 35 done by Arizona Response systems and it is fantastic.

I tried the shock buffs and did not like them. I use a 11 lb spring in my 96 vertec with power factor at 135. The lips of all the factory mags and pro-mags are too long and need to be cut back to make feeding of light loads 100%.

velocities increase as I remeber

And I thought USPSA production rules were messed up! In IPSC production, 1. I can use any part the factory offers. So if I want a part that isn't offered, all I need to do is to have the factory offer it. 2. I cannot modify a factory magazine. 2a. But I can make my own magazine (as long as it is the same outside dimension.) 2b. But, I can buy an aftermarket magazine (as long as it is the same outside dimension.) 2c. But, I can replace the follower in the aftermarket magazine with a factory follower. 3. A trigger job by anyone other than the factory is not allowed!! 4. If I want to refinish my gun, it has to be done by the factory!! 5. If my spring wears out, then I have to get a new one from the factory. What happened to bring what you got? This division has become more complicated than any other division!! Is this comical to anyone by me?

one more thought. Is this a new batch of bullets? Try an old batch of bullets if you can. Try to Mic the current batch against a set of old heads.

Rocket: Barrels tend to get slower as they get shot out so it is odd to see yours getting faster. Now that you cleaned it, did the groups tighten up? My guess is that even a shot-out barrel should do better than 10" at 40 yards. Is something on the gun broken? 10" at 40 yards sounds like a cracked slide, cracked bushing or cracked barrel lug.

A bunch of production division questions. 1) Is a trigger job done by the factory "performance department" legal? Obviousily any replacement parts will be factory provided parts but those parts would probably be polished and detailed. 1a) If "yes" to #1, then what about a trigger job done by a non-factory gunsmith as long as factory parts were used? 2) Some parts wear out and must be replaced: specifically springs. Can springs be replaced by 3rd party springs rather than paying for the factory ones? These include firing pin springs, mainsprings, extractor springs, and most often, recoil springs. I know the answer will probably be NO, but I believe that the spirit of production division was to not prevent such replacement. Almost all shooters I know replace worn recoil springs regurarly, and then almost never are they factory replacements. Even more importantly, how could something like this be policed? Springs wear out over time. Just leaving a gun with the hammer cocked for an extended period of time will reduce the spring tension. Similarily, leaving a gun locked to the rear will reduce the spring tension. Many gun manufactures buy their springs from 3rd party vendors and those vendors change over time. How could an RO possibly verify that a spring in a given gun did or did not come with the gun or from the factory. 3) If the factory offers a solid guide rod from the "performance department", can it be used? 4) If the factory offers an extended magazine release button from the "performance department", can it be used? 5) If the factory offers extra thick basepads, that do NOT add capacity and still fit in the IPSC box, can they be used? 6) What constitutes an aftermarket magazine? If I buy a "tuned" factory magazine from a gunsmith, is it an aftermarket magazine? The part started out as a factory part, the gunsmith modified the part, the gunsmith put his own engraving on the part, and then sold the part as his own part. In the automotive industry, a part such as this would be considered an aftermarket part. 7) Can you replace the spring in an aftermarket magazine? 8) Can you replace the follower in an aftermarket magazine with a factory follower? 9) Can a "carry bevel" to remove sharp corners job be done on the frame. I consider this "polishing and detailing" of a factory component. 10) After 5000 draws, my gun is looking a bit crappy. Can I have it refinished? Can it be refinished in a different color than from the factory? Does the sandblasting necessary to remove the old finish constitute an illegal modification?

The blade-tech dropped & offset is legal for IDPA only if you are female. But if you order a Tek-Lok from blade tech alone with your dropped and offset holster, then you can easily remove the holster body from the dropped & offset piece and attach it to the Tek-Lok piece to make an IDPA legal holster. Of course if you have another $50 or so, it is soooo much easier just to buy a blade-tech belt holster for IDPA and a dropped & offset for IPSC/USPSA.

Vince, I thought I was presenting my opinion about the production rules. I don't recall insulting you or anyone else who worked on the rules other than to say that the division has been "messed up" by those that must make restrictive rules..... Although I strongly believe in production division, I happen to believe that it is flawed. If my opinions on the rules are seen as a "barrage of offensive and insulting remarks", then I appologize. It is not my intention to insult anyone but to merely point out the rules in production division that I feel are bad. Let me clarify: I believe that any practical sight should be allowed. I believe that not allowing the XD is not productive to the sport. I believe that the rule disallowing the XD should be changed. I believe that forcing a shooter to use the gun in a given way is stupid. If a DA/SA shooter wants to cock the hammer for the first shot, then who cares? The gun is still a DA/SA type gun. I believe the rules should allow/disallow a given gun and not specify how the shooter must use that gun. I believe that making a part legal just because the factory sells it is stupid.

For USPSA (NOT IPSC) I am not familar with your holster so I'm not sure of its legallity. If it is a "race" holster then it is NOT legal. If you need a new holster, I would get a Dropped and Offset holster from ww.Blade-tech.com for about $65 delivered. You need to have the grips installed. But if the factory sells grips more to your liking then you can buy them. If the factory does not sell the grips then you cannot use them. You can of course, apply grip tape over your grips. Production rules on magazines are iffy at best. The current interpretation is that the magazine length must be no longer than the factory supplied magazine. The rules do specifically state that no weighted attachment is allowed. I suspect that replacing the plastic piece on the para 10 round mag with an aluminum one would add such a tiny amount of weight to not matter and any RO, MD, RM who ahd an issue with it should be beaten. Heck, replacing the factory spring with a wolff spring adds at least a tiny amount of weight. Also, there is no reason why you could not buy an aftermarket 10-round mag for the para.