perttime

Last time I had a table start, the designer had marked separate areas for handgun and "all magazines to be used".

It was a long time ago (not sure what rules applied then), and I recall it was an outlaw match in some way, in any case.

Done that at least once. It wasn't necessarily the best way, but I figured it was the only way for me not to get confused in the forest of no-shoots.

I don't think Beretta makes any bad shotguns. Do you have a specific thing for what you want to do with a shotgun? Beretta calls the A400 Xcel Parallel Target a Trap and Sporting Clays gun. My impression is that people tend to like shorter and faster handling guns for Skeet. For clays, I'd go for an O/U shotgun - but that could be just because it is the usual thing in my part of the world. Anyway, just about any reliable shotgun will do the job, until you are good enough to appreciate the finer details. Some have a great time at clays ranges, using their 3-Gun shotguns....

There's more than one way to carry a rifle, holding it by the pistol grip. Clearly, his way wasn't ideal.

I see that USPSA has a more strict definition than IPSC. In IPSC, "downrange" is anywhere where you are allowed to point the gun, and "uprange" is anywhere where you are NOT allowed to point the gun (simplified the phrasing a bit). http://www.ipsc.org/pdf/RulesHandgun.pdf Last summer, one stage had an "uprange start", defined as: "standing anywhere within the shooting area, back towards target number 12" (the target nearest the back stop). Everybody started at the same spot but broke down the rest of the stage in very different ways.

Sure you can. I think it will be low pressure loads, for loading to Major. I used N340 to make some soft 357 Magnum loads and thought it was a little sooty, until I used enough to raise pressures a bit.

Accidents can happen - but a course with tests and hands on practice is pretty good at pounding in where you should point your gun and what you should do with your trigger finger.

Nope. Front strap is clearly below belt level. The back strap reaches well above the top of the belt which is all that IPSC requires. The hanger is attached with 3 bolts....

Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon I Sporting should be good. All the important stuff but not too many frills. As long as you feel OK about the barrel length. I'd definitely go for a 12: better availability of ammunition and you can get very light loads if that is what you want.

Yep. All sorts of cuts have been passed as being cosmetic but IPSC has been drawing the line at cuts that go all the way through the slide. ... I would be fine with defining Classic as Standard-with-SS-mags, but that is not the way the powers that be see it....

For shooting clays or birds, the rear stock is really your rear sight.

Maybe something else that is Italian and starts with P ... Perazzi? A durable and high quality shotgun would be nice, but the price will go up from cheap Remingtons and such. Italians make good shotguns with all action types. Benelli and Beretta, for example. Thing is, even the plain ones cost more than any cheap shotgun - unless you get a great deal on a second hand one.

... You can be pretty sure a popper goes down when you hit it with a .45 ...

Did you find comfortable adjustments?

Not quite sure about it being that high, and height is not easily adjustable. I don't have it on hand right now.

Many seem confident that they never need more than 10 rounds.

The Matches that I've gone to, recently, mainly go for two different definitions for starting location: - standing anywhere within the marked shooting area or - shoes touching marked spots on the fault line.

I decided to go old school(ish) for IPSC Classic: https://www.sportshooter.de/en/equipment/holsters/for_pistols/sickinger_range_master_pistol.htm Not quite sure if it would be legal for USPSA SS.

One way to see the mag positions is to put them where your hand will naturally go, down and then backwards - keeping your wrist naturally straight. Looking at the photo, looks as if the magazines are pointing away from your body. Maybe too far to be legal? That might force you to turn your wrist to get a good grip with the index finger along the front of the mag. Let your hand and straight wrist be your guide.....

Did anybody mention having the strong hand thumb on top of the safety lever? https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2011/10/jason-steiner/get-a-grip/

Do you have some shotgun now? People get OK results shooting whatever shotgun, as long as you have chokes to match the task.

You occasionally come across a stage where there's enough distance for "brute speed" to matter too, but yes, efficiency is important. Just yesterday, I set up a little drill with two "boxes" a couple of meters apart: draw and shoot one, move to the other box and shoot one. I discovered that I was taking forever to shoot, once I got to the other box. Unfortunately, I was out of ammo when I realized it. I need to remember there's a target there, and set up for it, well before arriving at the next location.

Get a 12. Ammunition for shooting clays has light charges anyway and everything is more available in 12 gauge.

I consider my Glock "the boring gun". The 1911 and the 6-shooter revolver are the fun ones.