boo radley

R35 -- this load has run 100%, so far. Maybe 140, or so, at Saturday's match, and then about 100 today. As far as accuracy, I understand, completely. I have a G34 that still doesn't group worth a sh*t with reloads, despite sending it to Smyrna, waiting 5 weeks, and having it sent back with a test-target (15y), and new locking block and slide-stop. My hunch is they just replaced these parts to say they did something. Truthfully, it *did* shoot CCI Blazer not half-bad, and before sending it off, I, too, could have duplicated the test-target. My *hunch* from a sample size of 2, and talking with friends who shoot 'em, is that 34/35's are inherently 2.5/3" @25 guns, with a few outstanding examples, and an equal number, at least, if you filter internet BS, that are 4" guns.

I did shoot today -- big difference was, I had the RS trigger job in the gun. Shot a couple rested 10-shot groups, here's a pic. of the best -- 2.3", but the rest were 3" or so. Strange thing about this group was, I shot 5 with no two shots touching, then reloaded, and shot another 5. Anyway -- accurate enough. Unfortunately, I can't blame the gun for a miserable performance yesterday when it counted. All these groups were shot with the same load ~1.42", and 4.2-4.3gr of n320. I think I could tighten them up a tad with a hotter load, but at least they work.

Rocket35 -- I'm truly not the right person to answer this question; I'm brand-new to loading the .40, and pretty damn new to Glocks, too. I loaded long mostly because of Flex's warning, and some probably misguided notion that the closer you can start a bullet to the lands in a Glock, the better.... My crimp is from .420-.423, depending on how I hold the calipers, but since there's no set-back, if I jam a bullet against the bench with all my strength....I guess that's tight enough, or does it even matter? I'm going to try to get to the range tomorrow afternoon, with a new trigger, and see what kind of groups I can get. Steve

I hope you mean hundredth's of an inch (0.0X") and not 10th's (0.X")!? When I first got my SDB, I had more variation than I'd like in the OAL, myself, but something on the order of +/- 0.05". Now it's down to half that, and if I load extremely carefully -- working the handle with the same speed and pressure, seating the bullet carefully, and using the same batch of brass, it's +/- 0.01". I rarely bother, though, loading this carefully (but always safely!). My *guess*, is that the following things helped, in order: 1) experience, and consistent stroke 2) One-Shot case-lube, and 3) the Strong Mount (but I ordered that just to be able to load standing). Enjoy the SDB, man. I keep wanting an excuse to move to a 650XL, and case-feeder, but I can load just fast enough..... Next time you use a chrono, try shooting your SDB ammo head-to-head against commercial loads. I'll bet you'll be amazed at the results, if you look at the standard deviation (or CV, or whatever....).

I *am* impressed. I don't have a lot of basis for comparison, never having tried a Vanek, or anything, but my suspicion is, this breaks under 2.5lbs now, for sure. I'm shooting a match tomorrow, and won't have time to live-fire it beforehand. I don't know whether to leave it in, or not. I'll probably go back to stock, and not take a chance. I also notice, it appears there's been some work done on the trigger safety. Does yours set if you squeeze the trigger in lightly? Mine sets after I cock it, but if I touch the trigger slightly it doesn't rest. No biggie -- this is competition-only gun, of course.

Excellent. My kit arrived yesterday (after 9 business days), but I didn't have a chance to put it in. Fairly straightforward to install? I hope it helps -- I find the 35's trigger to stack up horribly before breaking, when carefully shooting groups from a rest, for example, and sloooooowly squeezing. I mean, there's no *way* I'm pulling 3.5lbs there -- it feels like 6+.

Well, did some tests this evening. Glock 35 180gr Zero JHP loaded to 1.142". 4.3 n320 = 166pf 10 shot sd = 8 4.6 n320 = 172pf 10 shot sd = 6 I had some 4.9 rounds loaded up, but didn't bother shooting them. I also clocked some CCI Blazer 180gr FP's: 181pf. 10 shot sd = 11 So it looks like 4.5 or 4.6 at this length should be *perfect*. Very nice recoiling round, too, especially with the tungsten guide-rod and THE magwell. Finally, it seems pretty accurate - 3" or less at 25y, and I'm new to the gun and still fighting the trigger.

DCarden, I feel your pain. I've been shooting a 1911 Govt. and it was a source of great inward pride to me, how accurately I could shoot it (at least at the range, something "odd" happened in matches). So it made perfect sense to ditch this platform and now wrestle with a pair of Glocks. I, too, am shooting badly left, especially under pressure. I'm coming to the conclusion that it's a couple things: 1) Trigger. 2) Fit in the hand. I can't speak for a revolver, but I know the grip is very different for *me* with a Glock. With the 1911, it feels most comfortable slightly off-center in the web of the thumb and first finger of the strong hand, if that makes sense. The Glock grip is more natural centered exactly in the web. 3)Different strong/weak hand assembly. I'm still messing with this; I think I have nowhere near enough weak-hand pressure, to counter balance the strong hand, which seems to grip much harder than it did with the 1911. I'm also not sure where to put my strong thumb -- after thousands of rounds getting used to riding the safety, now it feels odd. I guess I should force it down, into the designed cut-out? Anyway -- just my ramblings. I shot a local match with my new G35 very recently (hadn't fired it before), walked up to the first target afterwards (a 20-yard+ shot), and said WTF?! It's like beating your confidence around the house with a cut-down broom-stick.

I looked really hard at the G24 at a local gunshow recently before buying a G35. Like you, I also have a G34 that I'm ambivalent about. IMO, the G24 was just a tad TOO funky, but that's my taste only, and this from a "U" classified L10 shooter. If you sell it, you probably won't be able to match high-volume dealers on the latest production run of this pistol ($620-$640), and if you shoot it, you'll get even less, no? I kinda disagree with Joker -- I think there's a big difference between "NIB" and "Barely Used," but in the grand scheme of things, any cost difference will probably go to pay for ammo or match fees anyway, so what the hell. Shoot it, and if you like it, great, and if not, get the 35. <shrug>

Thx Steve and Eric. That's an interesting tip on the "beep". On some stages in matches I'll hear the beep and it will seem an eternity before I can clear the pistol and start shooting - worse, in my mind, I'll be processing the concrete thought "Gee, really slow draw that time, Steve," and I know *that* isn't a good thing. This exercise is getting a little bit better, though. Messed with it over this holiday weekend. Funny how relaxed is always faster. It's also funny how sometimes I'll "jerk" anticipating the beep, kinda like how one's leg will give a sudden twitch before drifting off to sleep....

I've been messing around for the last week or so, practicing dry-fire and draws, in my office, upstairs. I'm kinda amazed, since even after buying a fancy CR-Speed rig, the times for me for this drill really haven't improved any, and I'm curious, in general, what experienced shooters would do? Put two Post-It<tm> Notes on one wall, relatively close together, and one on a second wall. Eye-level is fine. Standing with hands relaxed at sides, draw, shoot each target twice, then reload, and shoot the last target again, twice. In other words, if you call the Post-It notes "T1, T2, and T3", you'd draw, shoot T1(2), T2(2), T3(2), reload, T3(2). I've been setting my par-time to 5 seconds, and can *barely* break it, after getting warmed up and running this a couple times. This hasn't changed in weeks.

Yup, good point. I just ordered 2k Zero JHP's from Shooters Connection, and figure I'll try: 180gr Zero JHP 1.145" OAL at 4.4gr N320, 4.6gr N320 and 4.8gr N320. Sound reasonable in a G35? Hopefully one of those will get me close: I'd like to make 170PF. It's funny -- working up an accurate, consistent load was a breeze for my 1911 in .45, but it's proving almost impossible with 9mm (at least using n320). I'm hoping this .40S&W experience won't be like the latter.

Ah, thx everyone. Thought of getting a seperate press just to resize wasn't a happy one. I will just use the same n320 I've been using for .45, I guess, and work upwards from around 4.7gr. Man, there's a *ton* of data out here on this load, fortunately.

Please put my mind to ease -- stumbled over an old thread, when I was searching for loading data, that has me slightly concerned, and I'm super confused about "roll-sizing", EGW dies, etc... Bottom line: I'm planning on loading once-fired (from Midway or brassman) .40 S&W brass on my Dillon Square Deal to shoot in a Glock 35. I will run it all through a case-gauge before using it, but don't otherwise plan on any resizing beyond what the SDB does. I am *not* planning on keeping any of the brass (now twice-fired?) after I shoot it. My question -- is there a reason to be concerned for safety? I'm planning on loading to around 170PF. *Thx* -- I apologize for the rash of questions, lately, but my transformation is almost complete.

Thanks, Eric, and the rest of y'all -- very helpful information. I went ahead and just ordered the THE magwell, anyway; it seems a cheap enough experiment, and, based on the above, picked up some of those colored Jenta bumper pads, for the stock mags. I'm hoping this will increase the length *just* enough to allow use of the cheap 10-rounders for L-10; once I start shooting Limited, I'll go ahead and get the Arrendondo (sp?) or Dawson extensions, and some additional hi-caps.

Hmm...trying to get a G35 set up for L10 (initially) and later Limited. Modifications and accessories I know I want, are a CR-Speed holster (since I have one for my 1911, and like it), Dawson/Heine sights, the Ralph S. trigger kit, based on postive reviews here, and a tungsten guide rod. I'm not so sure about the magwell. Do y'all consider it a "must-have?" First, it's already much wider and easier to hit than my 1911 SS. Second, there seems to be a vocal minority that has had problems with them. Finally, will something like the THE brass magwell work with stock 15 and 10 round Glock mags -- ie, no basepads or special baseplates? Thx

Another question on these pouches: do y'all keep them above the belt hanger or below? Does it even matter? I figured it was better to swivel them so that the holder would be oriented above the belt, but I noticed the lettering on the hanger was now upside-down, and wondered if that wasn't "right."

Interesting thread; I've wondered the same. Now that I have a G35, it gave me a chance to pull the tops off, and examine the locking blocks closely. To my eyes, and probably poor use of a dial calipers, I don't see any difference between the two locking blocks, except one is stamped "4" (.40) and the other stamped "7" (9mm). Also, one is 4 grains heavier than the other -- 205 vs. 201gr. I'm not sure how significant this quarter gram difference is.... Here's a picture: I also took a picture of the two pistols side by side. The only difference I can detect is that the extractor on the 9 is bent. Kevin -- what extra pin does the 40 have?

Um, the end of September, at least I haven't heard otherwise. In retrospect, it occurs to me I should have bought a .22lr Conversion for my Kimber, then shoved a brick of Thunderbolt<tm> in my suitcase. "2500 rounds?? Shit, I brought TWICE that, Frank. Let's do some shootin'!"

Aaagh...this was getting ridiculous. No sh*t, I was having trouble *sleeping* rolling a new gun purchase around in my mind. Funny how I can spend hours perusing the spec's of a potential pistol, online, or browsing different vendors, yet when it comes to DRY-FIRE, 15 minutes is a chore. <sigh> Ended up buying a new Glock G35 today, at an area gunshow for $550 cash. All in all it makes sense, I think. I can swap parts as/if necessary between this and my G34. A couple hundred dollars more for some accessories, and a good holster, and I'm set. Verily I lusted for an STI Edge, but....maybe down the road. I appreciate the many suggestions.

<checking....> Oh. Thanks!

I bought a couple of CR Speed Vera Mag Pouches. One of the parts included in the baggie is a slim plastic piece about the side of a jumbo paper match. What on earth this for? The instructions don't reference it. As an aside, does anyone else think ResComp writes some really poor documentation? Gear seems good, however.

Thx, Kevin -- out of curiosity, did you end up becoming a Glock person after that? Or did you go back to your Beretta? And I agree -- whatever I bring, I am planning on using in the upcoming and future matches. Just not certain whether it will be something completely new, and here the Devil tempts me, or a gun I already own. One issue with my Kimber is that I'd really like new sights first (I went to work with a file, not so long ago, and the results aren't pretty), and a magwell, so that's also a concern.... To change the subject a little -- what's the cheapest way to ship ammunition? UPS? Will the USPS allow it? I started reading through the regs, and never did find what I was looking for.

Yeah -- a friend asked, "What the hell are you going to be doing -- shooting while eating lunch??" I'll see, I guess! Cost is certainly a concern -- I can easily rationalize a new/used SVI, but I'm not sure I can *justify* it, if that makes sense. Remember the beating Blue Bear gave the Million Dollar Baby? Well, my wife.... Mind you, I'm not ruling this completely out -- I could sell a few odds and ends on eBay, sell the G34....But if I'm going to spend $1.5k+ for a pistol, I'd rather take my time, and get *exactly* what I want, though I think Benny Hill probably makes it! L-10 is my thing at the moment, but both Limited and, especially, Production, seem to have far more shooters in my area, and I'd naturally like to shoot matches against as many people in my Division as possible. In fact, I bought the G34 thinking towards Production, at some point. This is boiling down to Glock vs. Non-Glock, really. And the prospect of wrestling with 2500 rounds of .45acp. R-n-R -- I didn't know you could put a G35 slide on a G34; good info, thanks. It would be a little cheaper, but if I go that route, I'd probably just assume get a used G35, since I'd not want to put the magwell off/on, etc., but it's something to keep in mind.

BigSlick -- I promised a picture, but am unable at the moment to FTP to my hosting website. If you still want a picture or two of my SDB, send me a PM and I'll send it as an email attachment.