38superman

A lot of mikes in the last few matches. I just need to watch the sights a little better. For all intents and purposes, an 8 round gun is Virginia count on every array. Miss and you run the gun dry and go to slide lock. Stage break down is very unforgiving also. When high round count stages are broken down into 8 round arrays, an unscheduled mag change can make the balance of the stage unrecoverable. With high cap guns mistakes are easier to cope with. Reloads are much less forgiving also. The smaller magwell and straight line magazine forces you to be spot on. When it goes right, it's smooth, but it is way easier to fumble a reload. I think reloads, more than anything else, are my biggest issue. I try to make my reloads on the move, but I end up walking through the stage instead of running because the mag change requires so much of my focus.

Fired up the 650 this morning to crank out the match ammo for the Tn. Sectional. The load is 7.1 gr. of N340 behind MG 200 JFP at 1.210 OAL. It makes about 168 to 170 PF in my gun. I guess you could call this my signature load for 45 acp. A lot of guys prefer heavier bullets and faster powders and I understand why. However, this load: 1, consistently renders 1" to 1.5" groups. 2. burns clean. 3. doesn't seem to be especially temp sensitive so I don't have to worry too much at the chrono 4. can't accidentally drop a double charge without overflowing the case. 5. Recoil is mild but the slide cycle is snappy If your ammo gives you any 3 of the above, you've got a pretty good load. If you can get all five you have a great load. I just wish I had time for some extra drills before Tennessee. Not possible, but I will get in some dry firing before the match. I really needed a lot of work before this match, but it just isn't going to happen. I made the decision to shoot single stack too late to prepare properly. That's okay. This will be a benchmark. A beginning point to work from. Kind of like those "before and after" pictures that you see in the weight loss adds. Tls

Time to crank up the 650 and get my match ammo ready. I can't wait for next weekend. This is my first level II match in since the TN sectional in 08 and I must say I'm excited.

I have always been primarily a limited shooter and I would like to think, a fairly decent competitor with the double stack gun. I'm no top shooter by any stretch but I have my moments. I dabble with single stack because I just love the classic look and feel of the old warhorse. It's never been my forte but when I have shot in single stack only matches, or the occasional club match, the result has usually been respectable. Until now. I had a long layoff, but since coming back my limited game has only gotten stronger. However, the single stack shooting has gone into the toilet. First 1911 club match was last winter and all was well. I shot the division again in the spring, just trying to remove the "unclassified" status from my profile. Then something strange happened. Suddenly I'm tanking stages and classifers like I forgot how to shoot. My single stack classifers wouldn't get me into C class. I am there, but by rule, not by percentage. I went back to the limited gun for a few club matches and...... situation normal. The classifiers were in the customary 68-78% range. A couple more decent ones and I break into A class. Before this slump, I decided to run the skinny gun for the rest of the year and take it to the Florida Open next year. So yesterday, I shot a club match in preparation for the upcoming Tennessee Sectional. It was .......... an embarrassment. I can't explain why but it has just gotten ugly. What has gone wrong, I'm not sure. The only thing I am sure about is that I cannot, and will not let this stand. I refuse to stick this gun and this problem into the darkest corner of my safe and forget about it. I will find the problem, I will fix the problem and I will master this gun. Mark my words. Tls

Its a terrible idea for a lefty. Your trigger finger is just too close to the oversized button. Sooner or later you will bump it, (usually during recoil). Then you find yourself doing a mag change when you really didn't plan to. It won't do much for your stage score, but its a great adrenaline rush.

I'm not worried. I will do what I always do. I'll go out there, shoot the best match I can put together and try to have a little fun in the process. After that, the chips will fall as they may. If you start worrying about what the others are doing, you're not paying attention to your own game. Maybe, if I have a really good day I can put a little heat on a couple of those M's.

I took the advice and ordered a Ready Tactical USPSA model. Although I don't have much experience with it yet, it seems promising. The gun comes out clean and quick. If I had a complaint, it would have to be the belt loop. The offset is made by widening the belt loop to the point that you could drive a truck through it. No big deal but the holster has a very loose fit on the CR Speed belt and slides quite freely. I put a piece of velcro on the inside that should anchor it very well. Don't get me wrong. The holster is awesome. It is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks guys.

Nothing like having half the shooters in your division ranked 3 classes above you....... What was I thinking? Oh well, with 14 competitors, I can still hope for a top 10 finish.

Just came back from the theater. It was pretty good fun. Way different from any movie I have seen before.

1. Take a break. I have taken extended periods away from the range and came back stronger. 2. Don't make practice shoots at your club the only practice. Find a place where you can work alone and do some drills. 3. A class is good but don't expect it to work miracles. 4. Get someone to film you at your next club match. You will be surprised what you notice on film that you didn't know you were doing. Study your technique, your grip, etc. 5. When you do practice drills keep good records and work with a timer. You will see progress. 6. Try shooting in a different division for a while. It keeps things fresh. 7. Make sure you do some kind of fitness training. You don't have to train like you are an olympic athlete but do some cardio and some lifting. Core strength and leg strength matters. Be patient. Everyone's progress doesn't always flow evenly. Sometimes you can plateau for quite a while and then for reasons you can't explain you have a breakthrough. Be patient,.... oh and did I mention be patient? If you press you make mistakes. Don't make it happen. Let it happen.

I usually run the stage right to left because that allows me to reload more naturally, (and faster) on the move, but not always. The key question you have to ask yourself is: What is the fastest way I can safely run the COF? It's always fun going the wrong way down a one way street on the walkthrough There are times when I encounter a stage with a left hand advantage but they are rare. The worst situation is the stage that the designers tuck a target way back behind a wall at the edge of the shooting area. The idea is to make the shooter reach around the wall and force them into an unbalanced position to make the shot. The problem is that if a right handed shooter has to stretch out and reach around an obstacle, it may be impossible for a lefty. In this situation you may be forced to shoot weak hand. I would hope that good stage designers would consider this and mirror it. Put the same shot on both sides. Unfortunately this situation usually pops up at the tail end of the course. I have complained about this sort of thing in the past, but I have resolved never to do it again. If someone else voluntarily made the effort to set up a course, I will keep my mouth shut and shoot it. If it's a problem as a lefty, I just deal with it. I consider it the "southpaw tax". Tls

I now have my very own squad. Squad 20 shoots Saturday and Sunday. I guess the shooting order will be easy to remember.

I think I'll wear my NTPS team shirt. Just for old times sake.

The app is in the mail. SINGLE STACK. Squad me with Corey. I want to see how the big dogs do it.

Not that you need to hear it again, but ....Anglin. He is the LDA guru.

How are you going to get good if you don't use it? Look, we don't care what you do in the privacy of your own home.... I hear you BB, The little angel on one shoulder says: "Pick one and stick with it". Better to take the gun you shoot best and work to get better with it. The little devil on the other shoulder whispers: Who do you think you are: Manny Bragg? Drag out the skinny gun and go have fun. Which one will win?

Firearm : STI Edge Range: 25 YDS Primer: CCI 300 Bullet: 230 PRECISION DELTA Powder: TITEGROUP OAL: 1.260 Muzzle Velocity:756 Charge:4.8 1st Group: 1.564 2nd Group: 3.179 Ave Group: 2.372

Captain Chaos here. I work in an engineering office. Need I say more?

Okay Tony - I just checked my mail box and for some strange reason I have yet to find your application? I will be there, just waiting for payday to scrape up the dough. I still can't make up my mind what to shoot. I would like to break out the hand cannon and leave a trail of magazines across middle Tennessee. But.....its time to face facts. I love the skinny gun but I'm just not that good with it. I'll probably just oil up the Infinity and let the good times roll. Either way, I'll be there. Tls Braless Tony? ... don't know who that is but if some guy shows up wearing a bra, (or looking like he needs to) I'm changing squadding assignments.

"Excuse me, I hope you don't mind a bit of advice". "I watched your last run and I noticed something you may want to pay some attention to". "There are various rules that all clubs follow for safety and violations can get you disqualifiied". "For example, breaking the 180, dropping the gun, things like that". "One of those rules is that you have to keep the finger out of the trigger guard whenever you are reloading or moving". "Its only allowed to touch the trigger when you are actually engaging the target". "It looked to me like that's something you might want to work on". And that's how I handle it. Make it known that there is an issue, but be polite about it. Tls

I started out shooting an S&W 645 which is a double action 45 with 8 rd mags. Since this was the gun I carried at that time, I chose L10 division. I could have shot production with it but who shoots a .45 in production? Anyway, I upgraded to a .45 1911 and continued to shoot L10 with 10 round mags. There was no single stack division at that time. IIRC the magazines were Wilson Combat. If you are going to shoot a 1911 in any division, the one mod I couldn't live without is a fiber optic front sight. The next thing on the list would be a magazine well. When you start shooting the 45 in single stack (notice I said when, not if ) sell the 10 round mags and invest in a set of Cobra mags. Its money well spent. Other upgrades can follow as time and money permit. Tls

So, what's the latest. Do you have enough SStk shooters to recognize the division? If not, how many more do you need? Tls

I really don't have a big belly. Just a 100 lb buffer against Anorexia. Tls

Brian, We've never met, but believe me when I say I'm sorry. There's really nothing that anyone can say to make you feel better. I will only say I'm glad you had a lifetime to spend with him. Tls

Bandog, If you are left eye dominant you absolutely should be shooting southpaw. If you want to shoot Single Stack, you only need to make sure the blaster has an ambi safety. As for the mag release,... index finger. Even on guns with an ambi mag release, I always use the index finger. I've never been able to use the thumb without having to shift my grip on the gun. That is (for me anyway) a major disadvantage. Don't even think of giving up. Adapt. You can do it. Tls