Djp55

Thanks, downloading some of the podcast now to give it a whirl.

I know this topic has been asked, but I think it is helpful to ask again for something like this as new info can be out there. I'll be traveling a lot and won't be able to shoot much for the next month or so, so I'm looking to keep my head in the game by upping my knowledge base. I have read Anderson, Bassham, and currently working my way through Enos. I listen to Anderson and Stoeger podcasts. I'm looking for books and podcasts that can help me keep gathering knowledge. I know the Stoeger books are supposed to be good, but I'm under the understanding they're mostly dry fire drills, which don't help me too much without gear. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

One thing to be cautious of using 115 grain off the shelf - through my M&P Pro 5" I was not able to consistently make power factor with some of the off the shelf loads. Many were in the 124PF range. Just keep this in mind for if you are going to a match where there will be chronoing.

I've been listening to the Stoeger podcast at work and they mentioned this in one I heard today. I don't remember off the top of my head, but an episode in the higher 180s or lower 190s. If I find it tomorrow I'll update but worth going out to find.

Shot a match on Saturday, ran Steel Challenge RFPO. Learned a few things. First off, I still don't know how to present a gun with a dot from low ready. With the exception of smoke & hope, I was slower than my production gun. I reached out to an instructor I worked with at Origin Shooting here in Virginia and we'll work on my dot shooting. I know I need to rezero, since I didn't do that since I bought it and I'm shooting consistently high, every shot. I was told by someone on my squad to blade my body since I'm shooting one handed for now, still due to injury, and that definitely helped. It was good learning, and I'm hoping to translate that with a bit of work into better scores for NSSF Rimfire Challenge and Steel Challenge next month. While I'm stuck shooting rimfire only, I'm under no illusions that I'll be winning, just looking to improve each match over the last and get more trigger time.

I like the 3.2TG with a Blue Bullets 147, 1.16OAL. Works well out of my setup, makes a 133-135PF.

Maybe I'm stupid but I find it impossible to believe that just one company can make a quality press. I'm sure every brand has a nuance, so just trying to make the best of what I can. If it continues to have issues maybe I'll try a different brand, but was just looking for anyone with experience in this platform to share some knowledge is all.

The last few days I've been a bit busy, but took 10 or so minutes each day to work on finding the dot coming from low ready on the steel challenge gun before this weekend's match. I know once I find it I'm pretty fast with it, can transition it well and all, but still having one hell of a time with that first acquisition. I'll keep at it a bit tomorrow, and I'll try to get some video from the match and see if there is something obvious I'm doing wrong.

Just got my Pro Chucker in today, was setting it up and had the luck of getting the old style primer system, and both that came with it broke before I even had the press fully set up. I called and they're shipping me some of the new ones for free, but does anyone have this press and have suggestions of how to make sure these new ones fare better? Any other tips or tricks for this press (don't say return it and get a Dillon)?

Ha, so simple it makes a good bit of sense, thanks!

Thanks for that, I guess worst case just scrub them as best I can and feel for sharp points.

Hey all, I want this really to help myself see how I (hopefully) grow and get better as time goes on. I've been shooting for a lot of my life, growing up plinking an old 22, and when I got my "big boy job" out of college I essentially started collecting guns with the intent to some day compete. Never been much of an athletic type, but figured this could be my sport. I eventually settled on the M&P platform, so I use my Pro 9mm in production. I am currently unclassified in everything. I've shot Steel Challenge, 3 gun and NSSF Rimfire. I should be classified in Steel Challenge, but somehow my scores didn't get sent in right when other shooters from the same match got classified. If anyone knows how to get that fixed, that'd be an awesome side effect of this post. Point is, I'm likely a C shooter. However, due to an injury that will keep me from 2 handed shooting for 3+ months, I bought a Ruger Mark II to use for anything that I can find that has a rimfire division so I can keep shooting. As of now, I try to dry fire at least once a week and live fire once a week, and shot at least 2 matches a month, with classes thrown in as available. I've learned from Steve Anderson (books and podcast, not yet lucky enough to take a class and meet him) the importance of dry fire and a training schedule. I need to up my training schedule to get better results, and in about 2 months I'll have time to do that. I really am subscribed to the mental game aspect and try to work on that all the time, as I see benefits from that in everything. Also prior to this injury I was working on physical fitness, because I can't think of a situation where it would hurt to be in better shape. My training right now is learning how the hell to use a dot on that 22. I've never used one before the NSSF match I just shot on Sunday. The rifle I borrowed from a friend didn't like any ammo I used and I was clearing jams one handed the whole day. My pistol had few enough issues that it was a non factor in my poor performance, I'm typically a decent pistol shooter. I was 3rd to last, granted I was the only one shooting with one hand. I was having no issue picking up the dot on the rifle, since I had a dot on my 3g AR until recently, so it was mostly second nature. The pistol, I just couldn't do it. It seemed like I was bringing the gun up as if it were my M&P (17° grip angle) when it was a Mark II (55°). I think the angle was throwing my presentation way off. Not making excuses, just an analysis. My practice (exceeding my training schedule this week) has just been consistently finding that dot and then speeding it up. I'll be doing a SC match Saturday (again, one handed) and see how it goes. The last few matches I've been 3rd of 12+ production shooters, but I'm not going there to hit that pace, just shoot the best match I can. You need to set goals so you can attain them. My initial goals (deadline: October 2018): -A Class in at least one division (preferably production, but contingency of rimfire pistol if necessary due to injury not healing up) by end of October 2018. I'll be happy in USPSA or Steel Challenge, but ideally both. This should be doable with my anticipated level of participation. -I want to be top two consistently in my division in local matches. -I need to learn better AR shooting for 3g. Harder for me to qualify, but this is by miles my weakest aspect of the game. I'd say 65% first shot hits on steel out to 400 is reasonable, with over 80% hit in two shots or less. -Keep level of participation high. 2 matches (can substitute classes) per month, 8 months of the year. Allows for off season and contingency for work and the likes. Also keep regular training schedule. -Continue enjoying myself while doing it. That's why I shoot, it's fun. It is a big difference from my two jobs. Both jobs are stressful. I keep doing it to relax, get my competitive nature running and enjoy myself. I want to be the best shooter I can, but not at the cost of why I shoot. I hope to continue updating this with my notes from matches, and likely a bit lesser extent my dry fire and live fire. I will achieve the goals set forth, and once I do that, I will set the next ones. I think feedback is critical to success, so if you made it this far and stay with me, I'll take all I can get. -DJ

Titegroup is what I've been using. It isn't dirty in and around the barrel for me, maybe a bit on the lower but nothing a quick cotton swab can't clean up. I found a PDF a few weeks ago that has burn rates. I can't attest to the accuracy of it independently, but could help give you an idea since people generally are looking for a fast/medium/slow burn rates for x/y/z application. Burn Rates - 2015-2016.pdf

The mags I got are majestic arms, as they are the same as the ones it came with (at least same baseplate markings). I do reload and have a wet tumbler with the stainless cleaning media, would that do it? Just body of mag, springs or no?

This seems like a dumb question, but then I remember there aren't any of those, just dummies like me who ask them :). I just got a rimfire open gun because I've got one hand out for the next few months, figure it can keep me competitive. I bought some extra mags and was having minor feeding issues, I think due to the fact the old ones were "polished". Does this literally mean shined up? How does one go about this? Words of wisdom/caution are appreciated. It's a Ruger Mark II if that matters any, but guessing the response may be generic anyway. Thanks in advance.

I've used this bullet with 3.9 gr of titegroup and a 1.150 oal in a Glock 34 and M&P Pro and both got sufficient velocity for a ~130PF

I used to love Freedom until I got 3 back to back to back bad batches, where about 1 in 3 failed to fire. Never again. LAX reloads are great plinking rounds for 9 @ 18¢ but when I got around to chronoing they don't meet PF. Started reloading with a cheap hand press, takes forever but gets the job done and teaches the basics. Now I pay less per round and after firing my hand loads my girlfriend said that the 9mm LAX stuff we had been shooting for a year or more felt like a 40 in comparison because of how much less snappy the hand loads are.

Awesome, thanks!

Perfect, just what I was looking for. Any brand suggestions?

Yeah I'm loading 9 in the 12-15¢ range and is substantially better than the stuff I was buying at 18¢

Is that a strange load?

I reload ammo for the both of us. I run a 13# in my M&P, running 147s over 3.2TG

Hey, I'm looking for a tungsten guide rod for my girlfriend's gen 4 Glock 34 for her birthday. I shoot M&P, so I don't know but I've been told there are some special snowflake circumstances with the gen 4, guessing due to the two spring captive guide rod. Can anyone make a suggestion, she generally shots production if that helps any.

For anyone interested, they're response was essentially use the picatinny adapter on the AR and get a keymod > picatinny adapter to run it with. I actually have to run it a hair off the rail do it falls off every 4th or so shot. They essentially said tough luck on the M&P issue though.

I bought one of the Lee's at Cabela's and tried it out and it didn't work out of the box. Metal wasn't too the proper tolerances so the shell holder didn't fit at all. Returned, bought the RCBS.