boo radley

The Heinie slant pros with the Custom Glock Racing "cut" look like *exactly* what I'm after. Is installation a DIY job? A $5.00 front sight tool is mentioned, and they sell a $75 press-looking thing for the rear sight. Are these tools really needed, to replace my sights with Heinies? What about adjusting, after installation? I guess I'd need to...file as needed? thx

I recently picked up a G34, as something different to shoot and practice with; different from my 1911 .45, that is. It certainly IS different. At first I thought -- what have I DONE?, but the Glock is beginning to grow on me.... I still can't get used to the sights, however. I tried using a black Sharpie marker, and blacking out the white lines and dot, but it looked even worse. Anyone have any experience with sending the slide out to, say, Novak? Or other recommendations? All I want is a set of simple black sights -- no fiber optic, nor tritium. Fixed is ok, *provided* it hits to the point of aim. Right now, I have the sights bottomed-out, and hard right, and it still shoots high left. Many thx

Thx Steven, and others.... After doing some practice yesterday, and reading the replies in the thread, I'm starting to think what Spook said makes a lot of sense: ie, don't worry about what I think someone else is seeing, but rather worry about what *I* am seeing. Fair enough. Blinking isn't...a problem, per se, but more of an awareness issue. Sometimes I'll catch myself blinking (like a shank in golf, I don't dare use the fl**** word), but I try to be aware of it. Double-plugging absolutely helps, in the indoor range I practice in. When I'm relaxed, and shooting well, I'm extremely pleased with the groups I'm getting offhand, at 25yards, so I don't think there's a fundamental problem, it's just this nagging feeling that others are seeing more than I, as the pistol fires. That might be true, but I need to focus first, on my own awareness....

In BE's book he talks quite a bit about "seeing the sight lift", and I'm not sure I've seen anything that quite fits that description, and wonder if it's a matter of being more aware/relaxed....I also don't see the slide cycle, or the front sight in an orange silhouette, and I'm concerned I'm missing out on a good thing in life. I have a tendency, from time to time, to blink, and anticipate the recoil, so I've really tried to work on paying extreme attention to the sight picture, when the shot breaks. What I see, when relaxed: sparks radiating out around the muzzle...the top of the slide flying up out of view (and returning). That's it.

Did some testing, yesterday: 230LRN with 4.8gr 320 and ~1.270oal: av. 798 fps with CV of .63% PF 184 230LRN with 4.5gr 320 and ~1.270oal: av. 748 fps with CV of 1.3% PF 172 This was out of a Kimber with a 5" barrel. The latter was a pretty gentle load for major, though I still prefer 200gr SWC's. I also clocked the same loads out of a Caspian 'Commander'-sized 1911 I had with me, and lost 50fps consistently out of the 4" barrel. No surprise there -- especially with the shorter sight radius, I don't think I'll be using it for IPSC.

Thx, both of you -- I was thinking of starting around 4.5gr, so that sounds about right.

I've been shooting 200gr Oregon Trail LaserCast SWC's with 4.7gr of V V 320, and extremely pleased with how accurate and mild this load is. I ran out of bullets, however, and picked up 500 230gr lead round-nose hard-cast bullets. Anyone have a suggestion for a starting load? V V lists some specs for the standard 230gr FMJ, but not lead-cast. Would you expect the same amount of powder, or suggest starting at slightly less with a cast bullet. thx

Ah! The fix the problem with money, approach. Nah, my eyes are fine, reasonably @ age 40, I don't need to spend another $ on guns, or accessories, (except maybe for a timer...oh yeah, and a different holster, and...). I also hear the beep just fine, despite conventional muffs. I've thought about this a little more, and have arrived at a fact that I do believe with my heart: I cannot keep shooting as poorly as I am shooting in a match, and expect any kind of success.

Thx, all of you. I am reading and re-reading all of your replies carefully. I think XRE summed up the exact issue: it's a discipline problem, and a it's also, as Flex$ points out, a faith problem: I don't really believe yet that I don't have to rush, and that I can ignore that screaming voice in my head shouting, GO GO GO!! I know logically shooting A's and callig shots makes sense, but in my soul, I just don't have the trust. That's the heart of it, I think. The other stuff -- comparison, etc., I need to find my way through, and it's a problem, but not critical. The difference between local club/range-type matches, and even good IDPA shooters, and IPSC, is incredible, from what I've seen so far, but I still go into each stage wanting to burn it down, and leave usually wanting to burn it down with a match. Thx, y'all.

So frustrated -- feel like kicking rocks, after matches. I know to slow down. I know to collect a good sight picture (when it's needed), and see the front sight lift. I know I need to follow through. I've bought and read BE's book. But, when the buzzer goes off, I lose my rational brain, and hurry. Sometimes, I'll even see the front sight out of alignment, and STILL pull the trigger. The thing is, it's not like I'm all that fast, anyway....I tend to be significantly quicker than the folks I've started shooting local "IDPA-style" stuff with, and that serves to put me near the top, but I'm pissing-away a TON of points in -3's and the odd no-shoot. But in IPSC, while I've only shot two 'official' matches, so far, my times are so far away from those of better, experienced shooters, it's not even funny, which is why it's super infuriating to have stages where I'm shooting 60% of the points. How do y'all conquer this, or at least tame it? Did you have an "ah-ha" experience, where you shot slowly but smoothly, and Lo!, you won the match? Did you resolve to deliberately stall a match or two? Or, did some of you just get better at shooting on the edge? <sigh>

I'm pretty much resigned to the fact that $130, or so, for a timer is money well spent, if I'm going to practice and improve in any kind of disciplined fashion. Thinking about the PACT ClubIII, since I can easily rent a chronograph at my range for the few times I'd use it. My concern is that I mostly shoot in an indoor range, and while it's very seldom crowded (perhaps one or two other shooters in my immediate vicinity), I worry abotu the timer picking up their shots, as well. Are these things fairly selective? Can I crank the sensitivity down, so that it will just pick up my shots, and ignore someone 20' away (although they might be shooting a centerfire rifle)? I think I'm asking for too much.... Thx

Ha ha ha! I didn't even think of that option -- it makes perfect sense!! Man...This is why I'm finding this sport like...the most fun thing EVER, now that I'm married, anyway. Thx XRE and Jake...Let me ask this, though. Suppose 10 yards of movement needed, from point A -> B, as well as a reload. I think it would be faster for me to reload without moving from point A, then concentrate on running as fast as possible to point B, rather than try to reload during the dash. Is that more or less the "text-book" approach?

Still really new to all this, and shot a fun match recently that has had me thinking ever since, and I'm wondering what more experienced shooters would think/do.... Here's the deal: those of use shooting single-stacks were limited to 8(+1), which I was. 6 targets -- 4 shots to the body, 2 to the head, err, upper A/B. I thought, hmm...put 4 in the center of the first target, move up, shoot two, move exactly horizontally (targets were same distance/height) and put two in the upperA/B of the 2nd target, then reload, etc., like a square sine wave pattern. The problem is, this got confusing as hell after the 2nd target, especially when my pistol jammed. Someone else, with a lot more experience, said he'd shoot it by reloading between targets, and he'd never have to re-aquire the same target, and the extra reload he'd have to do, was inconsequential. In retrospect, I'd have to agree. It seems like even simple arithmetic and reloading plans, weigh on my mind like a bad divorce, when I get to the line.

As a newbie, myself, I am making (unfortunately I have to use the present tense) mistakes left and right, but none have been safety-related. They seem to fall into 3 categories -- those related to gun handling, those related to lack of experience with competition, and those related to rushing from being caught up in the heat of the moment. It's the last that infuriate me -- I'll finish a stage, and completely forget to shoot a target, for example. Or, if it's "2 in T1/T2/T3 then 2 in T3/ T2/ T1," I'll put 4 in T1, T2, but only 2 in T3....Similarly, I'll rush and not see the sights, nor call my shots, and end up with one A and one mike on the upper A. The good thing is, as I get a little more experience, things are starting to slow-down, and I'm becoming more aware, paradoxically, in less clock time! The second category, I don't worry about too much: these are mistakes that I hopefully will correct with experience -- for example, I'll stand in one spot and try to ping these hellacious cornering shots on steel, simply because I can see 'em, rather than move, and get an easier shot, and I'm going to have to move *anyway.* That kinda stuff. Finally, I'm working to get better with gun handling. I shoot a 1911, and have started running into jams, now that I reload. , and have to get quicker at clearing. Or, if I shoot an IDPA-style match, I'll get flummoxed by the 'reloading with retention,' or having to wear a cover garment, since I dry-fire and practice for IPSC. Heh -- nothing like having the mag slip out of my hand, and go flying towards the berm, during a reload. Anyway -- my $.02, as someone who's simply a single step or two farther down that path than you.

Yeah...<sigh> I figure it's kinda like working on one's golf game, but only being able to use the putting green at the clubhouse, and never being allowed on the driving range. I *am* shooting paper plates, in fact -- simply because they make a cheap, portable target. Lately, I've been putting 2 or 3 up at 25 yards, and shooting one as carefully as I can for groups, and the other(s), a lot more rapidly -- as soon as I have a sight picture. I could buy a timer (something I need anyway), and track progress in this exercise, and do things like shoot 'Bill Drills' from the low-ready, but it would be nice to shoot outdoors, and work on movement, too, and multiple targets, so I think I'll explore some other options.

Hey folks -- this forums continually helpul, and I'd like to go to the well, again. I'm newish to the game, and really want to maximize my practice time, which requires careful allocation considering work, wife, responsibilities, etc... Anyway. I have been shooting/practicing at a nearby, public range. It's indoors, with up to 100 yard bays, and is never crowded. It's $10 an hour, though the folks working there are pretty lenient about not charging if you go "over", and as I mentioned, close -- about 12-15 minutes from my house. Those are the pro's. The con's are: one can only shoot paper. While technically the range rules permit drawing from the holster, it's only possible if a staff member is free to supervise, and go with the shooter to another bay, against the berm -- so it's usually not possible. Multiple targets are not permitted. Targets have to be more or less in line with the shooter, since the berm is so far away -- the shooting angles are very restrictive. Oh, the range is also somewhat dark, although this might not be a bad thing since when I shoot outside at a match, I'm amazed how bright my non-illuminated sights are! The paper-only rule doesn't bother me as much as not being able to set up multiple targets, and draw and transition between them. From my limited experience this seems a pretty fundamental drill. There are some private ranges/clubs in my area, that would be somewhat more permissive about how/what I could shoot, but they have their own set of items to consider. For example, several want members to volunteer 4 weekend days a year: a very reasonable requirement, but from past experience, surprisingly difficult to juggle! Most of these clubs require 1hr or more driving time: that makes it impractical to shoot for an hour after work. Cost -- I'd probably save money, since the dues are around $150 +/- year vs. $10/hr, but then there's the gas issue. So I know, or imagine, anyway, a lot of you aren't able to walk out the kitchen door, and shoot in your back-yard, either. How restrictive are your ranges, and what items do you *require* for your practice? I guess I'm wondering if I have a good thing, with the nearby public range, despite the restrictions, or not. I realize there's plenty one can practice on a single target, even without drawing, but it would sure be nice to set up IPSC-"like" stages, and actually practice 'em. Thx!

Hmmm...My bench seems pretty stout. It's a surplus, heavy office table, and I screwed the back edge to a 2x4, which I had attatched to studs in the wall. I also screwed and glued a heavy sheet of plywood to the top. It ain't moving much. If I were getting inconsistencies in the powder throw, I'd worry, but instead it seems very precise -- just a 1/10th of a grain less than the initial setting running a single, empty case through the machine. The variations in COL bother me a bit more, but I shot up 250 rounds yesterday, and they all fed and ejected 100%, and I was getting consistent 2"-3" 5-shot groups rested at 25yards -- reasonable for a production 1911, I think. Next batch of ammo I make, I'll try One-Shot, and really focus on working the press smoothly. (Actually, I need something to seal or cover the plywood, on the bench but that's another thread. I'm seriously thinking about ceramic tile).

Thx, Travis, and everyone. I'm absolutely delighted with this purchase, and can't think that I could continue to shoot .45acp, and practice and compete without buying a progressive press. I'll try to get a more consistent stroke. I think, too, I need to increase the bell a tad, since it's fairly tricky to rest the bullet on the cases, without a little tilt. It doesn't seem to matter, except it will fall over sometimes, jamming everything, and then I have a to pull out the needle-nose pilers to remove the brass buttons, and shuffle the cases back a station. I do wish Dillon made those buttons easier to remove/replace. Travis -- I'll try tweaking the charge when actually running, but as long as I know that it's consistent, and it seems to be, it's easy enough to just adjust with a single case, and just set for .1gr over what I want. This is fun stuff, too! There's a really nice sense of accomplishment, looking at my filled blue boxes of ammo.

A couple questions, after setting up and putting about 500 rounds through my Dillon Square Deal that I recently got from this site.... Initially, I had a lot of problems with primers that weren't fully seated. I started to blame this on the brass, but, when I really threw the handle firmly *up*, the problems went away. Is this normal? Do you really have to make a conscious effort to work the handle up, hard? I'm having to do more than a full, smooth stroke. My concern is, when I really work the handle, I seem to get a lot of variation on OAL, at least with the SWC's I'm using: anywhere from 1.245" - 1.220". Second -- the powder measure seemed *extremely* consistent with the V.V. N320 powder I was using, but it always metered .1gr less than what I set it for when using a single piece of empty brass. It's as if it flows a little differently when the machine is in full swing, with work going on at all 4 stations. In other words, I take a fired case, put it in station 2, and work the handle, and pull it out at station 3, and weight the charge: say 5.0gr. I'll repeat 4 or 5 times. Then, when I'm cranking out the rounds, I'll stop every 25th cartridge, or so, pull it out and station 3 and weigh -- it's almost always 4.9gr. Not a big deal, but I wondered if this was normal. Otherwise, man, what a *great* thing this is! Plenty of accurate ammo to shoot.

Well, I took 3 boxes to the range last night, and shot them through a chronograph, 10 shots ea., and now I'm scratching my head.... Laser-Cast 200gr SWC 4.7gr n320 @ 1.260" 5" barrel: 816 fps. This was clearly the most consistent load though: spread was 32fps and SD was 11. Same load with 5gr, and my average was 841 fps, but the spread for 10 shots was over 100fps(!) and the SD was a whopping 32. Could that .3gr really cause that much inconsistency? Or did I just not work the handle consistently on the Square Deal, or otherwise make some loading error? Same load with 4.4gr, and I forget what the average was but it was under 800fps, and it was somewhat consistent. Standard deviation for 10 rounds was like 19, or 20. So the 4.7gr load seems to be very consistent, and it's certainly easy-shooting, but doesn't make major, as-is. Here is VV's data: The VV manual shows a 1.240" OAL, 200gr LSWC load w/ N320 starting at 4.7gr making 888fps out of a 6" test barrel. Would a 1" shorter barrel and .02" difference in OAL make that much difference -- ie, 888fps vs. 816? Wow. So I need to make some changes. First, I want to load to the bullet mfg'er specs, at 1.250". I'd intended to, but either the SD drifted a little bit, or else my measuring technique with calipers was off (more likely) because the loads are 0.01" longer...Second, I'll try 4.8gr. I don't think I'm liable to be challenged by a chronograph in a match, anytime soon, but I don't want to cheat, regardless.

Thanks again, all. Got the Dillon SD, set it up, and managed to crank out a few bullets w/out killing myself. I did make a few mistakes: I didn't realize one was supposed to put a clip on the clear end of the primer tube. I turned it upside down, to load, and....yeah. I also didn't realize at first that the primer is seated on the upstroke, and many of the first batch had primers barely pressed into the pocket. Had a few problems with the RCBS 505 scale, too -- it's a PITA, to use, and I wish I'd spent the money to get a digital one. Otherwise, things went pretty smoothly, and I have 3 sets of 25 rounds at different powder levels, to try tonight. I worked up a few primer-less dummy rounds to determine the COL, which needed a little tweaking, and they seem to cycle fine in the Kimber, at least by hand. I see why calipers are a "must-have." I can see the SD being an efficient little monster, once I get comfortable with it, and I'm impressed with Dillon's customer support -- called them twice with minor setup issues/questions, and received a human almost immediately, and knowledgeable, friendly answer.

That makes sense. I knew SWC's were handy for Bullseye, and can appreciate how a larger hole might turn C's into A's.... Earlier today, I emailed Laser-cast, asking about OAL, and got a very prompt reply (man, gotta like that, in a Co.): they suggested 1.250" as recommended for their bullets. Since the press hasn't arrived yet, I amused myself a few minutes ago making a dummy round with a pair of pliers, and sure enough -- at 1.235" (squeezed it too hard) -- there's a bare sliver of shoulder exposed; I'm not sure I'd want to go any shorter.... The V320 was $79 for 4lbs, locally, (plus 7% sales tax), and 1k Winchester LPP primers were $19.95. I didn't want 4lbs, nor did I necessarily want V320, but it was all the store had, and this was the 2nd store I had visited. 500 of these Laser-cast bullets ran $26.45 plus, say, $10 shipping, since I ordered some other things from Midway. I've been saving my brass, and that I can find, and have around 1k pieces, give or take. So hmm....1k rounds will cost approx $100-110 all things being equal, and I was paying $19.95+ for Winchester White Box at WalMart, a chain I'm not much fond of, and much more at other stores. So I'll be saving around $100 per 1000. Now I just need to shoot 5000 rounds to pay for the Square Deal, tumbler, scale, and other items. And I don't have a gun, c.f.: the 'MIM Parts' thread. <sigh> Despite my grumbling, I'm looking forward to this, and like the idea of a softer-shooting, accurate, customized load in .45acp. Still -- beginning this path would have been a whole HELL of a lot cheaper if I picked up a used Glock 9mm, and a couple thousand rounds of surplus ammo.

This is helping a lot, thx. I still am confused about the SWC's advantage, or prevalence in IPSC/IDPA, though. I would think if there was even a chance it wouldn't feed as well as round-nose, the design wouldn't be used, but almost everyone I talked to that handloaded, last Saturday, was shooting SWC's. I realize my sample size is pretty small, however! Xre -- I appreciate the link to the 320 powder data. Suppose I work up a couple dummies that are 1.200" long, and the feed well, as I rack the slide. The mix/max range for this powder is 4.7/5.1. If I pick "4.8" as a number, load 10, and as long as they're fast enough to make major, I'm done, right? Surely it will still be softer than the factory 230gr FMJ? At my range I can rent a chronograph for a nominal fee. The major power factor for L10 is 170?

OK -- while waiting for my Square Deal in .45acp to arrive (ordered through this site), I've collected calipers, a used scale, a reloading manual, a case gauge, primer flip tray, and bought a used tumbler on eBay. I just bought 4lbs (the minimum I could find) of Vita V-something 320 powder, 1k large pistol primers, and ordered and received 500 "Laser Cast" 200gr .452 SWC bullets. I'm just...saving money, hand over fist, with this reloading business. Anyway. I have a couple questions, if y'all don't mind. First of all, I ordered SWC's because I felt I *should* order them, but what advantage do they offer in IPSC? I'm wondering if I shouldn't have ordered something in a round nose, instead -- I have no idea how they'll feed in my Kimber, and if they hang, I'll be extremely unhappy. Second, before I start chewing through these 500 bullets, and powder, I'll want to work up a load, no? What's a good sample size? 3 different powder charges? 10 of each? Adjust the powder thrower on the SD, build 10 bullets, adjust it again, build 10 more, then see how they shoot? I'm after something softer-shooting than the 230gr copper-jacketed RN factory stuff I've been shooting. What about the OAL? This exact bullet type isn't listed in my Lyman's #48 manual. Is it reasonably safe to accept the value for another SWC profile, and just set it to that length? I'd like as few variables as possible. Thx all.

The thumb safety on my Kimber Custom II broke as I was cleaning the pistol after my first IPSC match. At least it waited until I was done. :/ I believe the part is MIM - there is a faint "flash" line on the back, and the inside looks like powder....I'll attach a pic. It's considerably irritating waiting for Kimber to send me a new part; I'd hoped to have it by now. In the meantime the gun is in pieces. <sigh>