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aclundwall

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Everything posted by aclundwall

  1. I don't think that there's any evidence that a recoil spring serves as a decelerator or a shock absorber. This is completely incorrect. A recoil spring is a COMPRESSION COIL SPRING. Its entire purpose in life is to RESIST compression. Quoting: "When you put a load on a compression coil spring, making it shorter, it pushes back against the load and tries to get back to its original length. Compression springs offer resistance to linear compressing forces (push), and are in fact one of the most efficient energy storage devices available." A recoil spring is installed parallel to the slide along a guide that controls the path that the spring follows. That means that the actual weight of the spring will resist the rearward motion of the slide in whatever progressive weight the spring collapses. The rearward motion of the slide on a gun with a hammer is also slowed by the interface of the hammer and the firing pin stop --- which is controlled by the main spring. Edited... never mind.... Seth replied while I was typing....
  2. I was under the impression that most of the 9major guys are loading in the 1.170-1.180 range. I'm loading my 38SC ammo at 1.240, and so are most of the guys I know. What am I missing?
  3. You make a good point... if the hammer/sear holes are jacked up, that's going to complicate things. I've only ever come across a couple guns where these features were mislocated, and it's been a long time ago. I guess I'm getting spoiled by working on mostly new guns.
  4. I'm sure I'll make friends with this:-) The 'weight' of a recoil spring is the force it imparts at it's fully compressed position (in the gun, slide all the way back). So think about this... How much actual difference do you think there will be in terms of impact to the frame if you change the recoil spring weight by a couple pounds? The total force that propels the slide backward is relatively constant, depending on the consistency of the ammo, and is a LOT more than 9 or ten or 12 lbs... Changing the recoil spring weight by two lbs simply adds (or subtracts, if you go up in spring weight) that much to or from the total force needed by the frame to stop the slide when it bottoms out. Sure, it's a dynamic load, which has the effect of multiplying that two pounds somewhat... But in the grand scheme of things, it won't make much difference in the life of the components unless you're already right on the ragged edge. Personally, I use the lightest spring that still works reliably. Regarding 'worn springs', it's my humble opinion that this topic is way overblown. My experience is that springs settle a bit at first, and then stay that way a very long time, unless they're subjected to high temperatures or corrosive environments. And by high temps, I mean much higher than they see in a pistol... I quantitatively verified this to myself some years back... I built a little device to measure recoil spring weight...cause I was sick of trying to equate a 9 lb Wilson to an 11 lb wolf.... And these days, I measure the spring at it's fully compressed length, and then label it's package with that number. This way, it's a known quantity, regardless of spring brand. Eventually, I got curious about how 'sacked out' the springs in my guns were, so I started measuring used springs. And I found that after many thousands of rounds, the spring was about the same as after it took it's initial set! Not exactly the same, but almost always within a pound or so. I think the worst case I came across was the 9 lb spring in my SS9mm measured 7.5 lbs after about 12k rounds. But it was still running like a top. I replaced it more out of curiosity, so I could compare it with a new 9 pounder. I wound up changing that out for an 8lb. If you want to take some energy off your slide, fit a new F/P stop with a smaller radius... Makes a bigger difference than two pounds on the recoil spring, and you don't have the nose dive you get with the heavier spring. Just my $.02.
  5. The Wilson jig is nearly indistinguishable from the Ed Brown jig. In fact, my first one may have come from Wilson.... I agree about the hammer jig... I set the height the same way, with a feeler gauge held in place to keep the stone level and tell me when to stop. I haven't had any problem getting reliable triggers down to two pounds. All my uspsa guns are at two pounds, and are very safe and reliable. My carry guns are more conservatively configured, of course, but two pounds (and less) is well within practical limits.
  6. Yes, both of my ceramic stones are white, but a black one would occasionally be handy to have. I've just never gotten around to ordering one.
  7. By 'Trigger Jig', do you really mean a SEAR and/or hammer jig? I assume so, and that's how I'm answering.... I have the Power Custom fixture that the linked article refers to. And it's a nice piece of equipment. The PC fixture gives you the ability to vary your sear angles. And through buying different adapters, you can work on guns other than 1911's. If that's important, then it may be that this is the fixture for you. I sold my Ed Brown Sear Jig when I bought that fixture, because I thought I'd probably never use it again. But then I wound up buying a new one, because a it's so much faster and easier to use. If I were to make a recommendation, it would be to buy the Ed Brown sear jig (Brownells, 087-000-011) for a fraction of the price of the Power Custom fixture, and then use the savings to buy some good quality stones. Later, if you find the Ed Brown jig limits you, you can always buy the other fixture. There are other sear jigs available (I think Marvel makes a couple), but I've got no experience with them. You need the stones, no matter what fixture you buy. I have two that I use exclusively for sears... both are 6" long and 1/2" square... one is a fine India stone and the other is a fine ceramic stone. I get close with the India stone, and the ceramic stone puts on a mirror finish. I have another ceramic stone I use for squaring up and setting the height of hammer hooks. If the hooks are way out of spec, I'll use a trigger track file to initially square them up, and then finish with the stone. I've read that article many times. One of my biggest problems with it is the part where it instructs you to measure the disconnector spring tension. In reality, that's pretty difficult to do with a spring scale. Nothing beats old fashioned experience for this part of it. If you don't already have it, your first purchase should be Jerry Kuhnhausen's .45 Auto Manual, Volume 1. Brownells has it, it's part number 924-200-045. Pay attention to the safety checks he presents for verifying that the newly fitted hammer/sear is safe. Art
  8. I placed two orders for .38 SC brass from Starline in the last couple months. Both times it was 'on backorder', and both times I received it about 10 days or so before the date listed on the website. I don't think you'll have trouble finding it, so long as you don't wait till the last moment. I just started shooting Open myself about 3 months ago. I was leaning towards a 9mm major gun, but then a friend had a nice .38SC for sale. I bought it and haven't looked back. The load I'm using (7.8-9 grains Autocomp + MG 124 gr JHP) doesn't come close to filling the case, so I don't have any problems with powder spillage. Yes, picking up brass does suck, no question. But my friends and I all mark our cases uniquely, and we help each other pick them up at local matches. When I practice, I ususally stop every 150 rounds or so to pick up brass, which gives the gun a chance to cool down. I'm pretty happy with .38SC, but I'd probably have made 9mm work too... Art
  9. James, Glad to hear the Lyman tumbler worked well. In my experience, the inside of the cases never do get "clean", no matter how long you run your tumbler, so don't sweat it! I had my first 550 mounted directly to the bench, years ago. My current loaders (one 550, and one 650) are both on strong mounts. The strong mounts are worth the cost, IMO, but you can get by without them if you have to. If I remember correctly, your bench needs to have some overhang.... I can't remember if anyone else said so... But I recommend a can of Hornady one-shot case lube. I spread a couple hundred cases on an old cookie sheet, and give them a quick, very light dusting with the lube...roll them around a bit, and hit them with another light shot. Whether you're loading cases by hand, or with a case feeder, it REALLY makes a difference in the way they go through the dies. One can lasts me for probably 8-10K rounds. Good luck, and enjoy your reloader! Art
  10. Thanks guys... Dan, can you remember where you got that reamer? I googled "nowlin compensator reamer" and got nothing but links back to this thread, and the reamer I already have :-). Other than the one I already have, which I got from Midway, the only other reamer I found is from EGW... but it was the same price and there was no picture, nor did it say who made it. I assumed it was the same reamer I got from midway, but I don't know that for sure. Warren, I tend to agree that my existing reamer is useless. However, I have a couple problems with putting the barrel into the lathe.... To perfectly align to the bore, I need to indicate off the bore. Normally, I put a gauge pin into the bore, and indicate it at the muzzle, and then again at some distance away from the muzzle. This allows me to both center the muzzle and ensure the bore is concentric with the lathe's turning axis... But in this case, I'll have a compensator on the barrel. I can't use my normal method, because the gauge pin would be obscured by the comp.. And I cannot simply use the outside of the barrel (hoping the bore is concentric), because the hybrid rib prevents me from indicating all the way around the barrel. I could just chuck it up in the three-jaw and hope... but that's really not very accurate. And I'm not even sure if the three-jaw chuck will clear the rib (My actual barrel is waiting for me at the post office, I'll have it in the morning). Feel free to point out holes in my logic... In the meantime, I think I'll send an email to EGW and see if their reamer has a longer pilot bushing than the one I'm using. Thanks again guys...
  11. I'm building a new open gun. I got a compensator alignment reamer with which to align-ream the compensator to the bore once I get to that step. This reamer has short pilot bushing... it's about 1/2" long. Then there is a step in the reamer about 3/8" farther up, at which point the reamer goes to it's full diameter. I notice a couple things... First, the pilot bushing won't go in the bore of a .355 barrel. And even if it did, the reamer has to be inserted almost all the way into the compensator before the bushing even reaches the muzzle. So, I'm thinking that my original concept of how this tool is to be used is all wrong... I thought that I'd insert the reamer, and the pilot bushing would reach the bore and allow each port wall to be reamed as it went further in. Of course it comes with no instructions.... I don't think that the pilot bushing is there to center the reamer with respect to the next comp port hole... because for one thing, the pilot bushing is loose in the compensator holes. And even if it weren't, what good is centering the reamer with respect to the already drilled holes in the comp? The whole point of the reamer is to center the comp holes with respect to the bore, right? I have a lathe...so I can make another pilot bushing that will fit in the bore... but even if I do that, the pilot bushing won't REACH the bore until the reamer is already through the comp ports furthest fromt the bore... I guess I could make a longer pilot bushing.. and maybe that's what I need to do... but I am hopeful that someone here can straighten me out before I re-invent the wheel.... Art
  12. I was wrong... the timer was only $17....This is a link to the one I use http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xgg/R-100685884/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053 It has two grounded outlets, so I can use it to run both tumblers. It doesn't specifically say, in the item description, that it has a countdown timer, but it does.
  13. I've got two tumblers, a new Dillon CV-750 (??) and an old Franford Arsenal. Both work pretty good. As far as noise goes, I think the Dillon is a little louder, and it's DEFINITELY hotter running. Both seem to have a certain point where adding more brass makes the noise level go up exponentially. I suspect it's this way with all of them. I bought a little digital lamp timer at home depot so I could set the tumblers to run for a set time. It was about $20, if I remember right. It works great, but I lost the instructions, and I can't remember the steps to reprogram the countdown timer
  14. My recommendation is a Lee Factory Crimp die. IMO, your dillon sizer die with a Lee FCD will give you great results. If you had dies other than Dillon, I'd definitely reccommend the U-die as well, but in my experience, the Dillon sizers are also undersize dies. Admittedly, they have a slightly longer lead-in than the EGW, so they won't size down quite as far... but I just don't think it's enough of a difference to justify the expense. I use range pickup brass, some of which I'm pretty sure has come from USPSA major nine guns, and I still only get about 1 in a thousand that won't drop cleanly into a case gauge. My experience with .40 has been the same, FWIW. I really believe in the FCD... I use it in all the calibers I load. Art
  15. Thanks, Gman... That's what I figured. But with my luck, I figured I had better confirm before ordering. After I posted this, I sent an email to SVI just to be sure. I just got an email reply from Brandon, and he confirmed that the insert thickness has NOT changed.
  16. Hi, I need a new insert for an old SVI trigger (not a silver one). Although it does not explicitly state as much, it appears from SVI's site that the inserts are the same thickness that they used to be. Can anyone confirm (or disprove) this? Thanks, Art
  17. I have been using Oakleys for years. I have, among others, a set of M frames and half a dozen lenses. I have used this setup for mountain biking and shooting for years. It is getting to the point that the M frame itself no longer holds the lenses very tightly. But they are still serviceable. I've also got a pair of half jackets with several sets of lenses. However, I just bought my first open gun, and now find that in addition to custom ear plugs, I am going to have to wear muffs when I'm actually on the line. The Oakleys prevent my ear muffs from making a good seal because the frames are kind of bulky, and for this reason, I just ordered some Rydons. I have several shooting buddies using them, and was impressed with their fit and the clarity of their lenses. Art
  18. I am being told Clays is not a good powder for the 40 is this true? Is it just not good for the Glock 35? Thanks Chris The recipe above, I believe, is calling out for UNIVERSAL Clays.... that's not the same powder as 'Clays'. Hodgdon offers Universal Clays, International Clays, and Clays. They're three totally different powders. I've used Universal Clays in .40, and it worked, but I didn't care for the feel of it. I usually use Titegroup, but mostly because of it's economy. My major .40 load is 4.35 gr Titegroup under a 185gr Precision, 1.190", WSP primer. I've not noticed it to be reverse temperature sensitive, as some have noted, but I hibernate when the temp goes much below 60 degrees. I do agree that it burns a little dirty, and if you shoot indoors, you might find it smokes too much. But it's not so dirty that it affects function.
  19. When you drop a box of 100 primers, you will only find 83 of them. No matter how hard you look. However, if you want to find them, simply cut a piece of metal with your chop saw. The sparks will find all 17 of the remaining primers.
  20. No matter what, I was still shooting, instead of sitting on my arse. That's a good thing.
  21. For the record, I liked stages 3, 4, 12, and especially stage 8 (the one with the 35 yard targets). I would also have liked stages 7 and 16 if they hadn't been split into separate strings. And, I'm OK with a short, point blank, tac sequence stage now and then. Just not 4 or 5 of them in the same match. FTDR seems to be saying that all the criticism is coming from people who did poorly, but that's not necessarily the case. In fact, except for the stage where I earned my procedural, I did pretty well on those short, boring stages. I shot the 7th fastest overall time on the El Prez, and 32nd fastest overall on the standards, even WITH an unfortunate failure drill on the last string. And, I managed to eke out a tropy in spite of several malfunctions that occurred, ironically, on the stages that I actually thought were fun and interesting. So, the stages that I liked the least were the ones, generally speaking, where I did the best. Surely that proves that I'm not lobbying for a match more closely tailored to MY practice regimen!!! All I'm saying is that I thought it was kind of boring, compared to all the other matches I've went to since last year's Nationals, and not a particularly thorough test of all the skills native to IDPA shooting. Art Lundwall
  22. Well, my issue is that they're boring COFs. Nationals is a big deal. By the time you enter, pay for travel, lodging, expenses, you're into it several hundred bucks or more. Plus, most people have to take at least one day off, and most probably take more than that. So, when 5 of 18 stages are nearly identical courses of fire, I feel a little gypped. Look, this club has hosted the nationals several times. They have plenty of room for more intricate stages. And, they've had a year to plan. I think that they could have come up with a few more interesting stages. In some of the strings, they dumbed it down so much that they even went so far as to tell you where to point your weapon before the buzzer! They painted a red dot on a wall, and you started the string with your weapon pointed at the dot. Now, I can understand starting a weak hand only stage at low ready. But, these were freestyle stages... It wasn't all bad. There were some stages that were OK. But overall, I felt it was kind of boring.
  23. Ahh, yes, you're right. There was another one. The one with the swinger. I kind of liked that stage. The one next to it, with the car on it's side though.... Seems like I just kept leaning. And leaning. And leaning...... Still though, it seems they went to almost ridiculous lengths to shorten the stages, rather than build in a tac load. And I agree... all reloads should be on the clock. If it's such an important skill (knowing how to reload while retaining unused ammo), then why banish it such that no one benefits from practicing it? Art
  24. I never thought I could see so many variations of the point-blank 1-1-2-1-1 stage. We did it once kneeling freestyle. Then the same thing kneeling weak hand. Then the same thing standing, but the gun in the IDPA box. Then, weakhand with the gun on TOP of the idpa box. Then sitting on a four wheeler (oh, wait, that was completely different, it was FOUR targets, not three). Then while you were standing behind a bar. Wait... from behind the bar it was three to the body, left to right, then one to the head, (again)left to right.... then another one while you were holding bags of garbage... It seemed to me that in an effort to get away from on-the-clock tac reloads, they wound up with way too many short, multi-string, no movement stages. Yuck. What did the tac load do to fall out of favor, anyway? Did they start using it in USPSA and not tell me? Seems just a couple years ago, it was like the most important skill you could have. We even had two types. Now, it's the ugly stepchild, spurned and avoided like the plague... There was one required tac load in 18 stages, and that was on the national standards. Just seems odd to me.... Art
  25. Sorry, no, I didn't keep accurate groups size data. I do know, however, that through the Schuemann barrel, each load will shoot under 2" at 25 yards rested. From a ransom rest, or a better shooter, perhaps they will do better. The springfield barrel shoots slightly larger groups, in general, than the gun with the schuemann barrel does.
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