Deaf Smith

TDean, There are many cases of LEO instructors being killed while training, all because someone 'forgot' the gun was loaded. No, not only no, but blankety-blank NO. They should not allow any gun, loaded or unloaded, to sweep anyone. Flat DQ (Disqualified), right there. It is just an accident waiting to happen. Sure, the gun was supposed to be unloaded, probably was unloaded, but one day, just once, a year from now, it WON'T BE UNLOADED. I suggest you stay away from matches that are run by people who will not enforce safety rules, even if you are not hurt, someone else may be hurt there, and some slick lawyer may try to sue everyone who was there. There are plenly of matches run by good people who know better, and I would go to their matches. Deaf (Edited by Deaf Smith at 10:26 am on June 11, 2002)

I would look closely at the Lonewolf company. If you get a Glock 22, they have a 9mm barrel that drops in, uses the same extractor and ejector and I believe even the same recoil spring. Add to that, an AACK .22 conversion kit and you have a 3 gun 'gun'. You can burn up .22s for basics, then just drop the slide off, pop on the AACK .22 slide, swap magazines, and bang away (I should know, I have one for my 17.) Yes, you do need a 9mm magazine (or .40, depending on which way you are going). Glock mags are NOT like Ruger ones (secret.... Ruger .40 mags work in 9mm and vice-versa. Yes, I have seen it work, and work well, even the post-ban 10 shot .40s will hold 14 9mms, funny isn't it?) In fact, I believe you can get a simulations kit for the Glock 22, and then you have a training gun to boot (but, I hate pointing an almost real gun at people, Police instructor in Arlington, Texas shot another instructor dead in a training exercise because he forgot he had his real Glock on him, not a simulations setup one.) I would look into the 22 coverted to 9mm, not the other way around.

I am planning on a stage for our next IDPA match, using a pair of twisters, a popper, and a swinger (boy does that sound like some weird group of people...) Anyway, the popper will be hit first, and as it falls it will set off the twisters and commence the swinger (halfway behind a barricade) to start doing their thing. Does this look to complex for newbie shooters? I personally think, as their gun will already be out (and fired) before the targets start moving, it should be ok, but... I have never set it up, so we will find out on that day! Deaf

Shooter Grrl, Since I shoot IDPA mainly for serious inter-personal reasons, and I have been told you will preform as well as you do on your worst days, I shoot even when I know it is not worth the effort (actually, it is worth the effort). I RO (or should I say SO) the matches, and half the time I dream up the stages. We So's don't even shoot till everyone else has gone thorough, and as a result, dead tired (or actually, I do shoot the stage I am running first, just to show the others how not to do it). Unless you are sick, and can give the others the same sickness (but what are friends for, right?), then go and shoot. You will learn what you can do on your worst days.... as that is what it will be! Deaf

I, strangly enough, consider the Glock 34 a far better house gun than a competition gun. With the extra barrel length, and a plus 2 magazine, one has basicly a .357 20 shot pistol using such as Triton or Cor-Bon ammo. Add the M3 tactical light underneath, night sights, and it becomes one heck of a weapon (yes, I own one set up that way and have never shot it in competition). Now for IDPA, I shoot a Glock 17. Good enough. Now if the ranges were longer.... Deaf

I shoot IDPA as both a test and an experiment. I use to shoot IPSC quite allot, but IDPA, with the lower round count and, with good SOs, a emphasis on tactics, and proper technique, is more to my taste. I do high round counts in practice, so I am not interested in high round counts in matches. Our local matches have no trophies (except a computer printout) and only in the State and regional level are any given. That's ok with me. In IDPA, at the local level, I can experiment. Just as IPSC shooters prefer targets at longer ranges, IDPA they are generally at shorter ranges (in fact, I suspect soon they will get even shorter). At the short ranges (5 yards or less) gives me the chance to put into practice true hip shooting at speed (kind of like BE's egret stance). We are talking about stages where there are 3 shoot targets and the time count runs no more than 2 seconds for 6 rounds. You will find hip shooting a very interesting way of shooting with a far more mental aspect than those using sights (and one heck of allot of ammo used). Deaf

"Where life has no value, death sometimes has a price." I find this so appropriate with the happenings of 9/11 in view. Deaf

I'll try them both! Wonder if I could put a gas check on the base of the bullet? If it gives a more accurate load than Wal-mart fmj, then I will use it in IDPA (I want the load to just fly past the 125000 power floor.) Wonder if a heavier bullet, say, 135 to 140 gr, would work even better. Does anyone make a SWC shapped lead bullet for 9mms? Just got a Heinie replacement front night sight for my carry 19 as the origional shoots about 4 inches high. I wonder if the origional Heinnie front sight I bought will fit my 17c as I have plain black Heinies. We will see. I now have my competition geer 'permanently ' afixed to a set of short pants so after work I can slip them on and do as much dry firing and firearm manupilation as I can when not a range day. My wife tolerates this (she is a horse rider and competator, english style) as she understands competition. Thanks for the load advice, I will start a bit low and work up the 4.2grs. Deaf

Forgot to add, I have a Glock 19 tricked out almost the same way (Metroplex night sights the only thing different.) This is my 'backup' in case the 17c breaks down during a match (never has happened, but then, I always have a backup match gun no matter what kind of gun I use in a match, including revolvers.) It to just works and works. Even have a Briley barrel in it. I would use it as a carry piece except Briley barrels have very short throats which do not work well with Cor-bons at all (and that is what my OTHER 19 and 26 use.) Deaf

Yes, about 2 weeks ago I cleaned the whole firing pin assembly, extractor, and such. Just alot of crud. The firing pin looks fine to me. I reassembled then shot about 200 rounds. Strange. Had a few jams with the cases not ejecting. Then it all went away and the gun was back to normal (as in flawless function). Went to a local peace officer's benefit match and won the man-against-man contest. The 17 just kept a-chugging. Do note, one of the cops had a 1911 he swore he could trust (he could not understand why I use a Glock.) Did not go 3 rounds when his whole front end, bushing, plunger, and spring went downrange. I am sure everyone understood what would happen if that happened on the street. It is not that I dislike 1911s, I have 4 of them, it is my respect for the Glocks durability and reliability.+- This 17c, while ported, I use a Briley match barrel (non-ported) for IDPA. Added the 3 1/2 connecter and extended (Glock factory) slide stop and Dillon's Glock tape for a better grip (still testing it, as I never add to my carry gun what I have not shot out of my competition guns.) Heinie sights. Nothing has failed. The only gripe I have is the Briley barrel was made for lead bullets yet I have been using fmj. I just got to start reloading to see if I can get anywhere near the accuracy I get from my Kimber Gold Match .45. Deaf

I use a Glock 17C in IDPA. Also have 'Lightning Strike' titanium firing pin. So far, over 10,000 rounds of factory loads (yes, I reload, but with Oshmans and Wal-mar selling CCI Blazer and Winchester 115 9mm for $6 a box, even picked up PMC 125 fmj for $5.50 by the case. That makes it hard to want to reload.) Not one misfire. Question is, have any of you used a titanium firing pin? Any problems? Durability? Misfires? How about dry firing? Another question... I use a Briley match barrel in my 17C (that allows me to use the ported barrel in IPSC, Briley in IDPA), any ideas, if I start to reload 125 lead bullets, what a good IDPA load would be? Deaf

For many years I have been active in TKD (Tae Kwon Do) and Tang So Do. Once, at a test where I saw a practitioner testing for 2nd black do some very incredible sparring at speeds that just dropped my jaw (in amazement as I, thank goodness, was not sparring him). Part of the test was a series of questions, some quite thought provoking. When asked, "what does black mean" referring to the belt he wore, he said 'emptiness' for now one knows they don't know and no matter how much one knows, how much one excelled, one will never be perfect, but striving for perfection betters oneself. I never forget that. Deaf

I second Duane. Used a set for over a year. You can roll on it, hit it against poles, let rain get on it, and it works every time. Same with Blade-Tech holsters (In fact, in our club, Fobus works fine to, and many of our guys, being kinda short of funds, fobus is getting real popular. I use a Fobus holster for left handed practice, might get one of their magazine pouches for left handers and try them.) Wonder if Uncle Mikes new holsters and gear in Kydex work good? We have not seen any around here yet. Deaf

Ron, Many years ago I shot IPSC. Made class A with a P-35. Then for about 8 years, I stopped compeating (but not shooting). I, along with a friend, put together a IDPA club about 2 years ago. Been shooting in matches ever since. Have expert in SSP, CDP, and SSR, and Sharpshooter in ESP (wish we would cut it down abit, each qualification is 90 rounds!) I missed MA, at our last qualification, by (get this) .24 seconds. I will be in the Arkansas State Championships as an expert, oh well, if I made MA I would be at the low end of MA, if you know what I mean. I will try again in a few months as I plan on the Texas State Championships in Sept. Try and try again. I might even shoot IPSC in limited soon (wife kinda worries about how much time I spend with my guns and not with.....) Deaf

Brian, I will try that this weekend (Thank Goodness it is Friday!) It also reminds me of a indoor range drill. Where I am at, the indoor range as a special function on their keypads that, depending on the programming, will move the targets backwards and forwards and turn them edgewise several times. I have used their function to draw, fire two as the target flips from edgewise to facing me, then rehoster, wait for the target to move and flip again, then draw and repleat. Had to hurry as a few times it flips and moves quite fast. The range owners know me well enough to let me 'draw' (most people there are not allowed to do that.) The targets would do this from 3 yards to 20 or so several times flipping edge wise. Made me really keep my finger off the trigger (Glock with 3.5 pull!) Deaf