Morgan

These are all through a 5" STI barrel, mixed brass, WSP primer. Note that all are loaded LONG, and all are ABOVE BOOK MAX. 180gr Montana Gold JHP, 1.220" OAL, 4.55gr clays, 945 fps/170pf. 185gr (187gr, actually) Precision molycoat, 1.223", 4.2 clays, 916/171. 180gr Black Bullet International molycoat, 1.220", 4.3 clays, 940/169. 185gr Colorado Cast lead, 1.220", 4.0 Clays, 925/171. Soft, accurate - fantastic loads. As others have said, Clays MUST be loaded long. I wouldn't go under 1.200", and run a fairly strong crimp.

I'm looking to try a hollow steel guide rod for an STI Limited gun - been playing with weight and distribution lately. Anyone know where I could get one, or should I just have my smith hollow one out for me?

Buy it for a steel gun and a training gun, but not for Limited Minor.

Alfie - I was using Speed Shooter Specialties tungsten and steel guide rod, and ISMI springs. I now have a tungsten guide rod for sale, cheap .

Cy - I did a bunch of testing with tungsten and stainless guide rods and different spring weights, and settled on the 13# with a stainless rod (M&P9). The 11# took longer to settle after shots (the muzzle "bouncing", if you know what I mean). I thought the 11# would be better (running a 10# in my Limited gun), but the 13# was definitely faster and more controllable (Bill drills). -Morgan FY51526

Feeling faster isn't the same as being faster. Put it on the clock. I find that head snapping on medium to wide transitions is faster and more accurate, especially if you can stay relaxed. -Morgan FY51526

I shoot a USP45f in L10, and usually do okay (don't talk to me about stage 4 today). The USP is also my duty gun, and I quite like it - accurate, NEVER jams, fairly fast, and it's fun to beat people with a weird (for IPSC) gun. I know I'll get an STI/custom eventually, though. I've made B class, just barely, but I can tell you what works for me with a USP. First - reload for power factor and recoil impulse. 165-170 pf is much easier to control than 180-190, and different powders/bullet weights feel different and work differently. The stock sights are okay, but I've found that thinning the front and opening the rear up help a ton with speed of aquisition and a bit with accuracy. I have long arms, which exacerbates. My front sight is at .120", which is as thin as one can go with my duty Trijicons. My rear is opened to .160". Start by thinning the front, then open the rear if you feel it's necessary. Stock are about .130 front, .150 rear. Skate or stair tape helped me quite a bit. I put 3M stair tape on the frontstrap, under the trigger guard, and on the sides of the grip. I put skate tape on the backstrap, as the stair tape was too grippy to adjust my grip quickly if my draw wasn't right. You have to shoot high thumbs, just like a 1911/2011 platform. I've installed the safety/no decock plate ($10 and two minutes) to avoid inadvertant decocking. My long monkey thumbs required trimming back the slide stop, as I occasionally bumped it, and while it never caused a problem I didn't like it (another $20). The Match trigger group (about $100, and easy to install yourself) is WONDERFUL, worth every penny. Enjoy the games and your new gun!

I normally shoot L10 with my duty USP45. I've shot the USP40, and find no real difference between the two in simple drills.

I shoot an HK USP45 in L10, as it's my duty gun. I do OK (for me). I've played with my USP40, thinking it may be faster, but it really isn't. Now if I can just get the department to authorize STI...

Hi all! Coming out of lurker mode with a question... With the new season (my first full USPSA season) coming up, I've decided to try some new sights (I've found the sight discussions here quite illuminating). My duty gun is a full size USP, so that's what I'm competing with for now. The Dawson sight seems to be well thought of, and comes in different widths - Dawson said if I could get the dovetail dimentions they probably have a sight for it now. If not, they're willing to do a custom for me. Cut to the chase - does anyone have the USP dovetail dimentions? Do they match any other common dovetail?