Alan550

I've waited this long to respond so I could calm down from the news from Bianchi this year. Not sorry I missed it by all indications and anecdotal evidence. Next year will be interesting on the numbers attending......or not. In Virginia this year, we're running our annual events without NRA sanction to see how things turn out. So far, we've lost a couple of shooters over this strategy who are only interested in National Records and Distinguished Points that the NRA doesn't recognize it seems. We have also gained a couple more shooters who are new here, so it's a "break-even" situation at this point and we're over 1/2 full with 3 weeks to go to deadline for entries. We were the first in the US to have a mover on rails, home-built at that, thanks to our friends in NZ who sent blueprints. Ours is the 3rd largest AP match in the country so far, behind Bianchi and Crawfish for numbers. Pennsylvania held their annual Regional & State Championship AP matches in July and participation was down over 30% for both days from last year. We'll see how this ends up, but at this time, I think that NRA sanction is not necessary to have successful AP events. We've sent many thousands for dollars to them in the last few years and there has been no update on National Records or Distinguished Points since 2015 with a few exceptions. After our 2016 Regional & State Championships we submitted 30 new NRs and one tie. None have been acknowledged or posted on the web site, so in 2017 we didn't submit either of those since there were no accurate records to use for comparison As mentioned before, the NRA is only interested in the MONEY with no thought to the fulfillment of their obligation to keep current records and points listings for the shooters involved. If I pay someone to perform a task for me and they quit, I stop paying them! So it is with NRA and the only AP range in Virginia! We have donations of over $7,000 in merchandise so far and plan to spend another $2,000 for the prize tables since we can spend the NRA money on the shooters. Everyone gets at least 2 trips to the prize tables at our matches so far. There are large AP events held every year at Michigan, Missouri, Louisiana, Virginia, Wyoming and Pennsylvania along with many monthly matches that aren't listed with NRA bringing shooters from all over the country and Canada. So far, we're the only event of any size to pull out of NRA sanctioning as an experiment on the viability of holding these matches on our own. I even got an email from one of the top shooters in the country offering what I consider a bribe offering to pay the NRA fees for all our shooters if we'd get the events sanctioned! I respectfully declined so they declined to shoot here! As I understand it, the Bianchi/NRA contract with GV has expired, so maybe there is hope that the sport can continue without the NRA being involved.

We're 3 weeks out from the entry deadline and over 1/2 full. Get those entries in NOW since we filled up last year and had to turn away shooters! I hate doing that, but it has to be done because of the time constraints created by the Mover. See you next month, and THANKS for the early entries! Alan~^~

Warren, It's people and companies like you who will keep the AP sport alive. Thank you SO MUCH for your support!! Alan~^~

This is to announce the 2018 Overlord Memorial Cup and Cardinal Cup matches at Bedford, VA. {bedfordrrc.org/matches} These matches will be held on 29-30 September 2018 with some changes in procedures from the past. These will NOT be NRA sanctioned events, so consequently there will be no score reports to NRA for classification purposes, no National Record reporting and no Distinguished Points awarded from the NRA for the following reasons: 1. In 2016 at these events there were 31 National Records set and 1 tied that were not recorded or recognized by NRA in any way. No listings have been put on the web site of the records involved at this time, 20 months later. 2. In the past, National Records set at the Overlord on Saturday would be recognized, as would be the ones set at the Cardinal Cup on Sunday. This has ceased to happen. 3. By the time of the 2016 season, there had been added a new course of fire: the Barricade (Modified). These records were not recognized and I was informed that they would wait until all the match scores were sent in at the end of 2017 before awarding any NRs in that event at the end of the year. This has not happened. 4. Over the 2-year span of 2016-2017 the NRA received nearly $2,000 in match fees from our club. In return, NRA sent the Medals (Gold, Silver and Bronze) both years along with the “Regional Pins” to be given to each shooter. Our club realized a net of less than $500.00 over those 2 years after awarding over $4,000 in cash at the matches and spending another $4,000 on the prize tables. 5. In past years NRA has sent discounted entries for the Bianchi Cup Championships to be given to the winners in Open, Metallic Sight and Production. This practice has ceased. 6. Our goal is to give back to the shooters, so any excess money that we take in goes to the prize tables. We were the first facility in the US to have a Moving Target system on rails. Our members include from novice shooters up to a former Bianchi Cup Winner. We have sent as many as 6 shooters to the Bianchi Cup in some years. Money is not our goal. Building the AP sport is our main intention, but the NRA has let us down in their quest for more money and little support. With all that said, our thoughts are to spend the money that NRA has been taking while giving us so little in return so that we can enhance the prize tables for the shooters. In the last 2 years we spent thousands of dollars from entry fees to purchase prizes for the 2 day matches and have had tens-of-thousands in donated merchandise for the prize tables. There has been over $3,000 spent on trophies and plaques to be awarded to the top shooters in the different categories along with shooter “goody-bags stuff” and the cash awarded to the top shooters. We are not in the business of making a profit, simply having enjoyable matches that are well-run with great prizes for the shooters. Our thoughts are that the NRA doesn’t share our goals in this sense. Match expenses aren’t small, and the NRA has let it be known that their main interest is in the money that they receive from the events, not in contributing to the shooters or keeping the sport alive. Therefore we are forgoing NRA sanction this year to see how it turns out. The prize tables will be a bit larger due to the money that won’t be sent to NRA. If the events are a success, we will continue in this fashion in future years. If not, we may reconsider this process. With all that said, I have already received confirmation and/or entries from shooters from Canada, Missouri, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, North Carolina and the USAMU that they will participate this year. Thank you for your support of the shooting sports and we look forward to seeing you in September! Alan Strawn Match Director Bedford Rifle & Revolver Club, Inc.

To keep on top of the current standings, go to: gvshoot.com and click on the link. After the first day and 2 events so far, Doug is in 2nd place behind Michael Gasser (USAMU) by 3 X's! Go ARMY!

Love makes the world go around, but.........................money greases the wheels!

Andy Krantz from Bedford, VA died just after midnight into November 10th after a year-long battle with cancer. His wife, Ginger, and his son Nathan were holding his hands when he died. He was one of the original 28 members of Bedford Rifle & Revolver Club that formed in November of 2001, serving on the Board of Directors and in several officer positions including President. For the last 10-12 years the so-called Range Committee at the club consisted of only 2 people, Andy and me. I remember once after an AP match at the club I walked up to him and announced that “The range committee meeting is called to order!” He sorta snapped to attention and I said “I make a motion that we order more AP targets”. He seconded the motion, we voted and it was a done deal! That’s pretty much how our small club has been run over the years. Only a small contingent keeping it going. He was one of the most positive people I ever met. The harshest word I ever heard him use to describe someone he didn’t like was to call that person a TOAD when others would have used an obscenity much more descriptive and colorful! Andy got into NRA Action Pistol shooting in 2001 and was “hooked”, shooting his first official match in April of that year at Hinton, WV. He was the best all-around shooter in the club no matter what he picked up to shoot. Over time his accomplishments included winning Senior by a 5 point margin at the 2014 NRA Action World Shoot at Park City, KY. From 2013 through 2015 he was 2nd Place Senior at the Bianchi Cup in each of those years and at his last match this past April at the Crawfish Cup in Lake Charles, LA, he was 2nd Senior out of 24. According to the NRA website he currently holds 14 National Records in NRA Action Pistol. He will be greatly missed, both here in Bedford and on the International AP shooting scene. RIP my good friend! Alan~^~

We're over the stated limit of 65 guns, so we'll be turning away any future entries. Thanks to all who got in early this year!! Alan~^~

I thought that maybe patience would pay off in the long run, as I have no desire to bad-mouth a reputable mfg. and I was right (I think). Got a call from Dennis today saying that they are tired of waiting on a resolution from the USPS and he's shipping the parts today with the address correction in place. I'll know in a few days if it's all finally coming together when/if the package arrives. Just a normal SNAFU with the PO I guess, but it HAS been since March when I sent it back. I've begun to think that Murphy was an optimist! I'll update if I get it in the next few days. Thanks for listening to my problems! Alan~^~

The 2017 Overlord Memorial Cup and Cardinal Cup matches will be on 23-24 September 2017 at Bedford VA. We are limited to 65 guns due to time constraints on the Mover each day. Lunch is included along with water & drinks all day both days. Prize tables will be in the neighborhood of $5,000+ each day in addition to cash awards for the top finishers in each classification/division. Prize table will be by random drawing. As of 7-28-17, the matches are over half filled. Entries must be in by 9-2-17 to avoid a late fee or possibly not getting in at all, as happened to some last year. Match info here: http://www.bedfordrrc.org/matches/action-pistol-championships

UPDATE: Last Tuesday, 18 July, the damaged/empty package arrived in my mailbox! Two months after it was mailed! I took it to the PO along with the USPS letter that I received in June . The Postmaster here copied the letter and took the package to submit to their claim dept in St. Louis. I immediately called Marvel and spoke to a very pleasant lady there (don't remember the name) and left my phone # after a fairly long conversation with her. She said that I would be getting a call from Dennis Rosene who I think is pretty much in charge there. A week later, no call and no product. They've had my money since 15 May, so my thought is that they are still following up on the claim. I don't like being "in the dark" with no communication except when I call them. The mistake on the Zip code is still a mystery as to who did that, Marvel or the PO. Either way, it's been 6 months and no replacement parts that were paid-for. Alan~^~

Check the side where the actuating lever fits into the plastic block that moves the slide. That block should travel the full distance allowed in order to line up the chamber so the powder can drop. Just don't overdo it or you'll break the block. Don't ask how I know that! Without full travel, you'll get a partial powder charge or none at all. Alan~^~

^^^^^^^^ This is the only time in the history of man that you'll read "650" and "garbage" in the same sentence!! Alan~^~

But it matters what the RO's do with it in the meantime! I run WST for Bianchi loads that are Minor for sure, but when the ammo got put in clear plastic bags in the sun for 2-3 hours, I got called to the chrono every time so they could fire from my gun. It wouldn't make 120 PF in their 5" 38 Super and my ammo was 9X23 from a 6" barrel. Even then, the "greenhoused" ammo was much slower than if it hadn't been in the sun. (WST is inversely sensitive, hot temps slow it down.) Alan~^~

In March, I sent a Unit #1 back with a cracked slide after an email exchange with them. I was told it would be a while before they could get to it, due to some of the people being out of the office for a couple of weeks. I was willing to accept that since I was in no hurry to get a replacement. Fast-forward to May 15 and I get a call telling me that they are ready to ship the needed replacement parts and some extra recoil springs that I requested. I gave them my CC number and was charged for the parts with the promise of shipping within "a couple days". After 2 weeks, I called and was told that they shipped everything on May 16. Since I hadn't received the package, they put a trace on it with USPS. Turns out someone had transposed 2 digits in the Zip code and the package was in Iowa (I live in VA). The box was empty when they found it, and Marvel told me they'd ship a replacement after they handled the claim, since it was insured. Then on June 10, I get a letter from USPS telling me how to handle the claim for a "damaged" shipment. Since it wasn't my place to file the claim, and I couldn't produce the damaged package, I sent, by email, a scanned copy of that letter to Marvel. Another week went by with no communication from Marvel, so I called them. They obviously don't check their email very often and hadn't even seen the one from me, so nothing had been done. The man said he'd handle it from there and get out the replacement parts "in the next few days". Yesterday, I called their 800 number and got a recording saying that the voicemail box was full and I can't even leave a message. So here I am at the 4 month marl with no replacement for the cracked slide and they have my money! Is anyone else having "communication problems" with Marvel Precision? I don't want to wait too long to file a dispute with my CC, or there will be no recourse to either get the parts or my refund. Alan~^~

Here's a link to a Wikipedia article that may be it. It's listed under "defunct" manufacturers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_%26_B_High_Performance_Firearms

The 1050 takes any standard dies.....RCBS, Lee, Hornady, etc. Alan~^~

The Super 1050 has a longer stroke than the original 1050. The older one can't handle the longer rifle rounds that the Super does. Alan~^~

Technically, there are so many errors in the poem for the nit-pickers out here, that it isn't worth reading. It starts out only 4 days after the shortest day of the year when there is no "streak of dawn" that far north, and the stars don't "come out", they stay out for weeks, but with all that said, I among many others admire the rhythm & rhyme scheme this guy came up with. My favorite line is in red, and I try to live by that one line, as should we all IMO. The Cremation of Sam McGee by Robert W. Service There are strange things done in the midnight sun By the men who moil for gold; The Arctic trails have their secret tales That would make your blood run cold; The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, But the queerest they ever did see Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge I cremated Sam McGee. Now Sam McGee was from Tennessee, where the cotton blooms and blows. Why he left his home in the South to roam 'round the Pole, God only knows. He was always cold, but the land of gold seemed to hold him like a spell; Though he'd often say in his homely way that "he'd sooner live in hell." On a Christmas Day we were mushing our way over the Dawson trail. Talk of your cold! through the parka's fold it stabbed like a driven nail. If our eyes we'd close, then the lashes froze till sometimes we couldn't see; It wasn't much fun, but the only one to whimper was Sam McGee. And that very night, as we lay packed tight in our robes beneath the snow, And the dogs were fed, and the stars o'erhead were dancing heel and toe, He turned to me, and "Cap," says he, "I'll cash in this trip, I guess; And if I do, I'm asking that you won't refuse my last request." Well, he seemed so low that I couldn't say no; then he says with a sort of moan: "It's the cursèd cold, and it's got right hold till I'm chilled clean through to the bone. Yet 'tain't being dead—it's my awful dread of the icy grave that pains; So I want you to swear that, foul or fair, you'll cremate my last remains." A pal's last need is a thing to heed, so I swore I would not fail; And we started on at the streak of dawn; but God! he looked ghastly pale. He crouched on the sleigh, and he raved all day of his home in Tennessee; And before nightfall a corpse was all that was left of Sam McGee. There wasn't a breath in that land of death, and I hurried, horror-driven, With a corpse half hid that I couldn't get rid, because of a promise given; It was lashed to the sleigh, and it seemed to say: "You may tax your brawn and brains, But you promised true, and it's up to you to cremate those last remains." Now a promise made is a debt unpaid, and the trail has its own stern code. In the days to come, though my lips were dumb, in my heart how I cursed that load. In the long, long night, by the lone firelight, while the huskies, round in a ring, Howled out their woes to the homeless snows— O God! how I loathed the thing. And every day that quiet clay seemed to heavy and heavier grow; And on I went, though the dogs were spent and the grub was getting low; The trail was bad, and I felt half mad, but I swore I would not give in; And I'd often sing to the hateful thing, and it hearkened with a grin. Till I came to the marge of Lake Lebarge, and a derelict there lay; It was jammed in the ice, but I saw in a trice it was called the "Alice May." And I looked at it, and I thought a bit, and I looked at my frozen chum; Then "Here," said I, with a sudden cry, "is my cre-ma-tor-eum." Some planks I tore from the cabin floor, and I lit the boiler fire; Some coal I found that was lying around, and I heaped the fuel higher; The flames just soared, and the furnace roared—such a blaze you seldom see; And I burrowed a hole in the glowing coal, and I stuffed in Sam McGee. Then I made a hike, for I didn't like to hear him sizzle so; And the heavens scowled, and the huskies howled, and the wind began to blow. It was icy cold, but the hot sweat rolled down my cheeks, and I don't know why; And the greasy smoke in an inky cloak went streaking down the sky. I do not know how long in the snow I wrestled with grisly fear; But the stars came out and they danced about ere again I ventured near; I was sick with dread, but I bravely said: "I'll just take a peep inside. I guess he's cooked, and it's time I looked"; ... then the door I opened wide. And there sat Sam, looking cool and calm, in the heart of the furnace roar; And he wore a smile you could see a mile, and he said: "Please close that door. It's fine in here, but I greatly fear you'll let in the cold and storm— Since I left Plumtree, down in Tennessee, it's the first time I've been warm." There are strange things done in the midnight sun By the men who moil for gold; The Arctic trails have their secret tales That would make your blood run cold; The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, But the queerest they ever did see Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge I cremated Sam McGee. Alan~^~

The 9X23 is definitely a stronger case! Max operating pressure for that round is ~65,000 PSI, and the others are around 35,000 PSI. It was originally based on a .223 case trimmed down to .900" (same length as the 38 Super) and stuffed with a 9mm bullet. Factory rounds are a 124 grain bullet @ 1,450 FPS from a 5" bbl 1911, the ballistic equivalent to a .357 Magnum 125 grain bullet from a 4" revolver. That's pretty hot stuff from that round and it's a tapered case similar to the 9mm. In fact, you can use 9mm dies to reload that round too. It has no rim so it stacks well in a mag compared to the 38 Super. The 38 Super Comp eliminated the rim as a sort of copy in that respect, but it's still a straight wall case like the 38 Super. Alan~^~

Considering that 2 years ago before Mr. Willing took over, there were 268 shooters, and last year after he took over, it dropped to 205. This year, so far, there are only 180 signed up and entries that are received now have a much higher entry fee than before now ,so fewer will be signing up this late. A police officer would call that a "clue"! Midway's name is nowhere on the logo or name of the match this time around. Not a major sponsor anymore and maybe not at all! Alan~^~

I just got an email from Damien Orsinger confirming that Dennis HAS resigned! Alan~^~

David, That's strange since one of YOUR sponsored shooters uses it! I think Travis' feelings would be hurt that you didn't know that about him! Alan~^~

This isn't necessarily for SC only, but a young fellow who shoots with us started NRA Action Pistol (Bianchi Cup) shooting as a 9 year old with a Ruger .22. He graduated to centerfire in his teens and stayed interested in that type of shooting. He won the Lawman Category at Bianchi in 2014 after becoming a Deputy Sheriff here in VA after he was old enough to go to the police academy. I'd guess 9 isn't a bad age to start 'em as long as they display the gun handling skills you mentioned at that age. Alan~^~

I use Firefox and have Adblock Plus in my system. It keeps the ads on YT from showing up at all before the video and all other ads unless I deactivate it for a specific web page. I love it! And it's free as well. Alan~^~