Alan550

Well, I've waited long enough, so here goes. There's a movement afoot, for lack of a better term, to pull away from the NRA, and do to them what IDPA did to IPSC. So far, there are 3 countries on board: USA, New Zealand and Canada. For lack of a better name, we came up with ICASE. International Confederation of Action Shooting Enthusiasts, with all due apologies to Jerry Miculek and ICORE! We, at our local matches, are going back to the 1997 rule book where touching the barricade isn't forbidden, nor is prone shooting forbiden for any class of firearm. If a shooter wants the scores turned in to the NRA, and wants to abide by the 2004 rules, that's their choice. Within a couple of years, NRA is going to change things so much that you won't have a "Bianchi Gun" anymore, and the only place the new rules will be in effect will be at the Cup. There are several clubs here in the US that are going this new route, mainly on the east coast and in the south. For new shooters coming in wanting a classification card from NRA, we'll allow them to shoot as they please, whatever positions or equipment that was allowed in the 1997 rules. As time goes by and the Bianchi cup attendance dwindles so badly that it's finally disowned by the NRA, ICASE wil be organized well enough to keep the sport alive. As you've probably read on here already, we were basically told to "go to hell" at the Cup this year by the Rules committee. That was the largest shooter's meeting I've seen in my years at the event, and the people who put out the money were told that their opinions don't matter. Some shooter's there (NZ) spent over $6,000 just to be there and shoot. When there's that much acrimony at a shooter's meeting and the powers-that-be ignore it, there's a serious problem with the sport. Sorry for the long post, but we're going to higher places with this sport without NRA backing and I had to get the word out about the "Columbia Conference of 2004". Alan~^~

This may not be "Politically Correct" , but here goes. I noticed that the first person to "clean" the mover with Metallic Sights was on the Border Patrol team. Is it ironic that maybe he gets more practice shooting at 10-feet-per-second targets than anyone else there with metallic sights? Just a thought! Alan~^~

rhino, Here's the listing from my May 9 post: 3.2.1 Production Firearm - A semi-automatic handgun or revolver which is or has been a catalogue item readily available to the general public equipped with metallic sights. Customshop firearms are not allowed. The firearm shall have no visible external modifications except as follows: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There's a list of modifications, but the production thing is pretty self-explanatory. Caspians aren't "production" and some others that are custom made. "If it ain't factory, it ain't production"! Alan~^~

Here's what it says on the NRA web site under Rule Changes: 3.2 Metallic Sight Firearm - Minimum caliber is 9x19mm (9mm); a semi-automatic firearm with no more than a 6 1/4" barrel in length; the front sight not to extend past the front of the slide and the rear sight not past the rear of the slide by a 1/4". A revolver’s barrel will not exceed 8 5/8" in length; the front sight not to extend past the front of the barrel and the rear sight will not extend past the rear of the frame. The following items are prohibited: (a) Wings ( Peep, ghost, optical or electronic sights © Orthopedic grips - no part of the grip may encircle the hand (d) Thumb rests (e) Compensators or ported barrels 3.2.1 Production Firearm - A semi-automatic handgun or revolver which is or has been a catalogue item readily available to the general public equipped with metallic sights. Customshop firearms are not allowed. The firearm shall have no visible external modifications except as follows: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ So technically yours would be Production. The idea behind "Metallic Sight" class was to allow Caspians and the like that are not made as production firearms.

Alan might know his rule book, but he (I) blew that one! The 80% is right but it only takes a 1536 to make Sharpshooter. The 1728 takes you into Expert. And Kevin's got the percentages right. Sorry I missed that one guys! Alan~^~

Rhino, It takes a 1728, or 80%+ to make Sharpshooter. Try the 800 # for NRA to order the rule books. Shipping is more than the book will cost. Alan~^~

"Practical: (3 strings) 10 (1-1) (2-2) (3-3) 3, 4, 8 sec 15 (1-1) (2-2) (3-3) 4, 5, 6 sec 25 (1-1) (2-2) (3-3) 5, 6, 7 sec 50 (1-1) (2-2) (3-3) 7, 10, 15seconds" The 8 sec. stage at 10 yds is weak hand only too! Alan

Yorktown Optical makes fit-over shields made of polycarbonate in clear, smoke and amber. Any reputable Optical shop should be able to order them for you. Alan~^~

Grant, According to the "Tentative Schedule of Events" that I received from Rudy, the Q&A session will be on Thursday, May 27th at 8:00 P.M. There is a * next to all the times with a note at the bottom "All times are subject to change". Maybe they plan to post the change at 2:00 A.M. and schedule it for 5:30 A.M. so no one will be there! Then again, maybe if I post this, it'll just give them an idea. Should be an interesting meeting this year, since all the AP Board members won't be there. I understand that Phil is going on a cruise or something!

What a load of BS! Gil has always had the attitude that Action Pistol is sorta the "red-headed step-child" at NRA anyway, since he comes from a Bullseye or High Power background, I forget which at the moment. There were so many e-mails against this new prone rule that they outnumbered the ones in favor by at least 4 to 1. What we need is more Action Shooters on that committee and not so many bureaucrats who know absolutely nothing about the sport. The write up in either the Rifleman or Shooting Sports had the wrong course of fire for the mover that's shot at the Cup, and those are NRA publications! So they send someone to cover it who can't even get THAT right! (Soapbox mode off) Whew, glad to get that off my chest!

Stock shooters have been shooting the plates standing for a couple years now, so I don't think that will make a great deal of difference for them. I don't think the plates will be the deciding factor there! Stock will have the biggest problem on the mover, since "lead-factor" mounts & scopes dominate the Open Class. Just my $.02

Funny! I've been to 4 of the last 5 Cups and they paid money to the top 20 in Stock and Open. There really aren't "prize tables" as in USPSA, but "bags" that are already made up by the prize committee that are given out in the order of finish, all the way to last place. In NRA Action, there are 3 classes: Open, Metallic Sight, and Production.........check out the rule book. Think you have us mixed up with another discipline. Alan~^~

TJ shot in '01 and finished 22nd with a 1908-154X. Hasn't been back since, as you said. Alan~^~

Greg, What part is it scratching? If it's the trigger guard, I have no suggestions. But if it's at the muzzle, there's replacement "muzzle platform" that uses a spud inside the muzzle instead of the "cup" that comes from the factory. That might remedy your problem if you're getting scratches on that part. My 1911 has a stainless frame, and there are some marks on the trigger guard from the 012, but I really hadn't noticed until I read your post. I guess I worry more about performance than cosmetics. Alan~^~

You may have the shellplate cranked down too tight, so that the detent ball underneath can't re-align the shellplate in case you haven't stopped it at just the precise spot that it needs to be. I run mine down tight and then back it off about 1/8 of a turn. Be sure that the ball is lubed pretty good too. This will help the plate rotate a bit easier as well. Hope this helps. Alan~^~

To quote the country boy when he saw his first giraffe: "Ain't no sich animal!" One of the guys in our club has been in search of some 10-rd 9mm mags and they just aren't made.........seems there's market, but nobody makes 'em yet. Alan~^~

Lefty, I'll say ditto on the lighter bullets for that caliber. I run 'em kinda hot at 4.9 gr. of Titegroup behind a 125 Hornady HAP and get about 1250 FPS. Works great on plates, and I still get some effect from the comp at that velocity. Alan~^~

You won't have to change the primer system since both calibers use small primers.

This just "bites" in general! I will not be going to the Cup this year, after going to 4 of the last 5, for the very reason that they changed this rule. It's a good shooting event, lots of fun with good people attending, but no more! I also understand that Phil won't be there either as he's planned a cruise for that week. Ironic, isn't it, that he won't be there to hear the complaints in person!? Oh well, so much for us "little guy's" opinions, huh?

I'm using the RCBS and HATE it! I spent the better part of a day weighing bullets, separating the 125s from the other weights in .2 gr increments. Came back in a few days to weigh more ( had nearly 7500 total to weigh) and just for grins & giggles, decided to re-weigh a few of the first batch. They ALL checked .2-.4 gr different from the first weighing a few days earlier!!!!!!! So I gave up on separating them at all. Alan

They're from different mfgs but use the same mounting bracket as the old Tasco.

"Is Trivex also opaque to UV light? How well does it resist scratching? Polycarbonates are great for lenses, except for the fact that it's so damn easy to scratch them." Rhino, I came to this subject late, but the Trivex lenses you refer to do block UV and are much more scratch-resistant than Poly. I've hated the poly lenses since I first saw them introduced in the late '70s. Tough? Yes they are, but will almost scratch if you sneeze on them! The Trivex is definitely the way to go. BTW, I'm an Optician in VA, so I know whereof I speak..........most of the time anyway! Alan~^~

The 38TJ is a sort of compromise between .38 Super, .38 Super Comp, 9X23 Win and 9X23 Super Comp with a thicker case webbing than the .38s much like the 9X23s for more strength. TJ changed a few minor measurements from the 9X23 and made it a proprietary cartridge with his initials on it. It shoots great in my 9X23 and reloads easily in that caliber dies and shell plate (.223)

To add to what tightloop said, all the gun info should be there as well, including bbl length and number of rounds through that particular gun at that time. Chrono and group size for future reference when the bbl starts to wear out. Alan~^~

You might want to try a Clark or King's Gun Works 4-leaf spring. They allow a lighter pull due to the splitting of the center leaf for separate pressures on the disconnector & trigger-return pressure. I also ground off some of the side of the sear leaf (about 2/3 of the length of it) to weaken it some and make "tuning" it easier. The 4-leaf configuration just makes sense on a lightened trigger pull. Mine runs consistently at 1 3/4 # and my shooting partner has his down to 1# with the same setup. Just my $.02 Alan~^~