mcb

Thanks for the replies, I would have to say the biggest think I am looking forward to in up coming match is not shooting fast but just the requirement to reload as part of the competition. I have shot a lot of skeet, trap and sporting clays in my time but was always disappointed that none of the clays sports I found required timely reloads. This is one of the biggest drawing point’s practical pistol shooting had for me. So beyond being safe I am looking forward to just shooting the targets and getting to reload and continue shooting as part of the course of fire. Score does not matter much to me. Last time I was allowed to shoot the course of fire twice and was pleased to see that my scores increase on all the stages from my first try to my second try. If I get a chance to shoot the course twice this time that all I ask from my scores is that they get a little bit better from the first to the second time even if it's DFL to DFL+1 I have actually spent a good bit of time just practicing the clearing the weapon at the end of a stage. I start with a few snap caps in my gun with one in the chamber. Drop the partial magazine, quickly putting it in my magazine pouch, open the slide and show a clear weapon, closing the slide, dropping the hammer and re-holstering. That was very new to me last time and I am sure it showed. I did not mind look like a newbie but I wanted to make the clearing action at the end of the stage second nature for safety. Thanks again guys for the great advice I am really looking forward to this weekend. mcb

I hope this subject is OK here in this area of the board. I have not yet screwed up but I have been reading here in the match screw up section a lot so I can try to avoid the more egregious and dangerous mistakes. This coming weekend will be my second practical pistol match, I will be shooting over at Crooked Creek Conservation Club here in North East Ohio. I shot my first match about a month ago there. It was a very simple match with four stages but none of the stages required movement or reloads. I expect far more complicated stages this coming weekend and would love to hear from the more experienced shooters about screw up newbies commonly make in matches. I have shot a lot at the range with my XD-40 so I am a decent shot with my firearm. I have practice loading, reloads, and clearing the weapon in my basement with snap caps so I am comfortable with the function of my gun. The lack of a manual safety on the XD-40 (the first gun I have own that does not have a manual safety) has made my very aware of my trigger finger discipline and so I am very conscience of that. But under the pressure of the clock and the more distractive environment of a practical pistol course what else should I being thinking about so I don't make any bad mistakes, especially safety mistakes. I was just reading j2fast’s thread about the 180 rule and although I knew the muzzle is always pointed down range it was good to read about it and put that more in the forefront of my brain. I could definitely see myself breaking that rule in a complicated stage if I was not thinking about it. So any other suggestion of things to be thinking about to avoid mistakes you guy often seen newbies make would be greatly appreciated. I am going to, first and foremost shoot safely, and then have fun, if I manage to shoot well that will be icing on the cake. Thanks mcb

Supposedly Brownells has XD magazine now 817-000-014 for 9mm 817-000-015 for 40 S&W www.brownells.com Better be quick they posted this over at http://www.hs2000talk.com a few days ago. Hopefully they still have some in stock. Cheaper than Dirt has the Springfield Armory 10rd magazines both 9mm and 40S&W pretty cheap also if your shooting limited 10. mcb

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/ More information on the 10/22 and rimfires in general then you will ever want. mcb

Thanks again guys, This IPSC style shooting is very new to me and I am completely addicted even though I have only shot one match. I have been a shooter and hunter my entire life but my XD-40 Service was my first center fire semi-auto handgun. I have had the gun about three month and have nearly 1800 rounds through it and have since picked up an XD-40 Tactical to go with my original XD-40 Service. The Tactical was what I really wanted originally but I could not find one at the time and got a good deal on the Service model. A few months later I found a Tactical. I figure I will shoot both this summer and maybe sell the one I shoot less this fall. I have shot a lot of 50ft indoor target, trap, skeet and sporting clays but was always disappointed that these sports don't require timely reloads. Practical pistol does require timely reloads and this was a big allure for me to give the sport a try. I know we are a little off my original topic but does it make sense for me to shoot Limited-10 instead of Production since I am shooting major with the 40S&W and factory ammunition. With using an XD-40 which division makes more sense? I am still learning some of the more subtitle differences between the divisions. Thank mcb

What about the XD-Gear holster. Is a paddle holster like the Fobus but more adjustable. It has four height adjustments and can be canted forward or back in 15 degree increments. I got one with my XD-40 Service and love it. Very comfortable and holds the gun securely. It will work with all model of the XD. It get the gun away from you just a touch so a lot of guys don’t like them for CCW but for IPSC type shooting they are great letting you get a good grip for drawing the gun. mcb

Your explanation makes sense Flexmoney I guess I just thought the rolling recoil would be easier to control and less fatiguing then the snappy recoil. With my limited experimenting between the 18lbs stock spring and the 22 lbs aftermarket I thought the heavier spring help muzzle climb. Maybe I will have to see if I can find a spring softer then the original 18 lbs spring; might have to try the 15lbs spring that DougC suggested. The guys over at http://www.hs2000talk.com almost unanimously suggest either a 22 or 24 lbs spring for the XD-40. Hmmm... I still have a lot to learn. Thanks mcb

Thanks guys I did not want to break the rules. Now I know I'm new around here and should probably not start and argument on my second post but I would like to explore the spring stiffness idea. First the choice of spring can't increase or decrease the total recoil impulse, darn laws of physics, namely that whole conservation of momentum thingy. Now the spring stiffness can change the length of time and peak accelerations of the impulse but the total impulse does not change unless the projectiles mass or exit velocity change. Now given I'm shooting an XD that does not have a recoil buffer of any type I would think a stiffer spring would lengthen the impulse and reduce the peak acceleration spike you get as the slide hit the stops at the full rearward position. The stiffer spring would make the slide hit the stops at a lower velocity. In my experience shooting both the 18 lbs stock spring and the 22 lbs after market spring I do notice that I have noticeably less muzzle climb with the stiffer spring. I though the reason for using lighter springs was to decrease cycle time by increasing the reward velocity of the slide? mcb

So I shot my first practical pistol match a few weeks ago and I am really looking forward to the next one in two weeks. I have a Springfield Armory XD-40 Service and have been shooting a stiffer recoil spring and one piece guide rod in it. Am I allow to shoot this spring/guide rod in the production class or does it have to be the stock weight recoil spring and captive guide rod. I have read the rule book but have not found anything the specially prohibited or allowed that type of internal change. Thanks mcb