Alan550

Over the past 8 years the Bianchi Cup has been through many fluctuations insofar as participation goes, with a low number of 154 shooters in 2009 to a high of 282 in 2014. A break-down of the statistics is very informative, when analyzed. The overall numbers drop from last year is 23%! Over the 7 years prior, the Cup averaged a 10% increase per year. The number of shooters slowly increased from 154 in ‘09 to a high of 282 in ‘14. This was due, in part, to increases in Metallic & Production shooters. Metallic went from 29 in ‘09 to 68 in ‘14 with Production increasing from 28 to 90 between ‘09 & ‘15 primarily due to the fact that the NRA decided to pay prize money to the top 50 in Production with only the top 20 in Metallic & Open getting cash awards. This year the format was changed and the reduction in shooters went like this over last year’s numbers: Overall = down>23%, Metallic = down >20%, Production = down >51%, Newcomers = down >65%, Juniors = down >41%, Women = down >25%. International shooters dropped from a high of 61 in ‘14 to only 43 this year. Many previous US shooters’ and sponsors’ names were conspicuous in their absence this year. There has to be a reason beyond the usual excuse that it’s the economy, etc. The format change is rather like Communism; it looks fine on paper, but in practice, it sucks! It may be great for the spectators and the media coverage, but for what I call the “support shooters”, the ones who pay to shoot but stand relatively no chance of coming in at the top of the lists, get nothing for even being there as opposed to years past. Add in the extra 2 days of meals and hotel bills and it’s fast becoming cost prohibitive for the lower level shooters to have a reason to come out and shoot. Why spend another 1-2 day’s hotel bill for a “free meal” to see only the top shooters walk away with everything of any decent value that was donated with the intent that all shooters would have a chance at that merchandise? All the donated firearms, with the one exception, were presented to the top overall shooters instead of during a random drawing as in the past. Vendors were asked to pay more (in cash) for tables at the Vendor’s building as opposed to merchandise as in the past and any donated merchandise was given to the top 20 instead of being included in the random “shooters bags” as in the past. I wasn’t there, so I don’t have a “dog in this fight”, but I have participated in at least 12 Bianchi Cups since 1998. In running the largest AP matches east of the Mississippi, I want to have at least some input though. This is headed in the WRONG direction! I have contact with many of the top shooters in the world, and from what I’m hearing many, if not most, won’t be back at Columbia next year! That’s what a police officer would call a “clue”! NRAHQ listens but they don’t hear what’s being said! When the program was turned over to a “Bullseye shooter” who didn’t listen to the “support shooters” it could only lead to catastrophe and that’s seems to be what’s happened here! The current format is great for the spectators and the media, but for the participants, not so much. Just my $.02 Alan~^~

Locator buttons, powder funnel, powder die & .40 dies. You'll be all set.

Only one shot fired @ the 15-yd line on one string of the mover. Either an equipment malfunction or he forgot to reload. Terrible thing to happen, but it happens to "the very best". Those cameras can really screw up a shooter!

The 4th & 5th place shooters (Greg Davis {Greginva} & Kevin Angstadt {Actionpistolero}) are from our little ole club here in the foothills of VA. Greg also got 1st Revolver, 2nd Lawman and 3rd on Barricades with a round gun! Congrats guys! Alan~^~

He's referring to the old style primer flip-tray. I got mine in the 80s when I bought my 550 (not 550b) and he's correct. It is too small for the Federal primer containers. Don't know when they upgraded to the larger one they sell now. The old one is brass colored and the newer version they sell now is black.

I don't have a dog in this fight, but I'm gonna chime in here anyway. The first time I saw a "crouched" position for the start of a "prone" stage was several years ago by a shooter at our range who was shorter than average , (the name is unimportant at this time). In the past few years, I've seen numerous shooters assume that position before going prone on the Practical & Falling plates. When I questioned one of them, he demonstrated the "start" position used by HP shooters @ Camp Perry when going from standing to sitting in that event.....crossed ankles and crouched! They start out in the sitting position and merely stand up without moving the feet from their previous position. This particular individual is a retired SF Lt. Colonel from the Special Forces and knows whereof he speaks. If that's allowed in HP @ Perry, why not something similar in AP? Technically, it's not "creeping" since there is no movement involved, only a "different" starting position from the "usual". As long as the shooter is "vertical" i.e. standing on two feet and looking at the targets, it would seem to me that this would be acceptable. Since there has been, to my knowledge, no ruling from an NRA Referee on this, it can't be prohibited. I've been wrong before, so prove me wrong this time.

Best bet is to get a set of calibration weights..............cheaper than the $50.00 scale you mentioned. Either that or have someone with an electronic scale weigh a bullet or similar item for you to use as a check-weight.

First off, it will answer your original question. Beyond that, you'll see inconsistencies in your rounds if they exist. For instance, first shot out of the holster where the powder starts against the bullet (muzzle down to start) will probably be a different velocity from subsequent shots where the powder is distributed along the side of the case. Different velocities = different point of impact if there is much difference between them. With that charge, as Sarge said, it seems like a low dose and your velocities can be all over the place because of powder position if for no other reason. Get yourself a new "toy" and try shots from different starting positions for the powder. Hold the gun muzzle-down, tap the side a couple of times and slowly raise it and fire a shot through the chrono.....repeat a few times. Then try a few after holding it muzzle up with the same routine and I think you'll be surprised at the differences in speed. At a Regional match several years ago, we had a shooter that wasn't going to make PF on the first 2 shots over the chrono. We tried the muzzle-up routine I listed above and the 3rd shot took him over the minimum enough to make it. There's a guy who shoots a revolver with us regularly and his first shot has a much different muzzle blast and cylinder gap flash from his subsequent shots that he attributes to the powder being toward the front of the cartridge at the beginning of his run.

Exit pupil is determined by this formula...... Objective (front) lens diameter (in millimeters) divided by the power = exit pupil diameter in millimeters. Ex. 50mm objective divided by 9 (highest power on a 3-9x) = 5.56mm exit pupil. As the power increases, exit pupil shrinks.

There's all sorts of caveats here too. Unless you remove the ratchet mechanism, you won't be able to back it up enough to get the case out. If you DO take out the ratchet, and are in a normal loading sequence, you won't get a full re-size, powder drop, seat or crimp because the shell plate will advance when/if you raise the handle & shell plate all the way back up. If you don't go all the way back up, there's also a chance of having partial and a complete powder drop both in a case doing this since the powder slide could go far enough to drop part of the "load" the first time. I'd think just doing a visual check before dumping in the brass would be a better idea........JMO....$.02 Alan~^~

Our club carries insurance for the club & the BoD members separately/jointly. Nothing that a shooter signs in the way of a "release" is worth the paper it's printed on. Gotta take care of the club/officers first!

Don't have a PDF, but here's a place to order some of whatever size you need at a cheap price for stick-ons. http://www.uline.com/BL_1215/Blank-Circle-Inventory-Labels We use the 4" black ones for NRA Action Pistol centers and they beat the prices at most "paster" suppliers.

Yep, and this will be her first year in GS! I wonder if they changed and added it just for her?

Ummmm, those aluminum pistons have steel piston rings making the contact, so there's no aluminum-on-steel contact with moving parts. Right?

All Rx lenses are nothing but a series of prisms. The farther you get from the optical center, (OC) the more image displacement you get, especially in a stronger Rx. Most Rx shooting glasses have the OC moved up and toward the nasal corner since most people look through that portion of the lens when in a shooting position, either rifle or pistol. Head position gets more critical the stronger the Rx.

By raising the whole tool head (and the dies) the dies would no longer be making contact with the shell plate, hence not full-length sizing on the magnums?

I got a check for the depreciated amount they determined, and that was that. No negotiation or difference allowed between replacement and value.

The rod that hangs down from the top of the press that moves the primer slide back to pick up a primer.

I had that NRA insurance during a break-in that cost me plenty! They "depreciate" the guns that you list with them, and don't take into consideration that the guns usually "appreciate" over time. Can't remember the exact numbers, but I really lost on those break-ins/burglaries even with their insurance. Go anywhere BUT NRA for supplemental coverage!

Check the activation rod too. It may need bending to make things line up right. That was a problem on my old 550 from the mid-80s. It tends, over time, to not line up straight and kicks the slide to one side, locking it up in the position towards you as it tries to pick up a primer.

For the first time, NRA is going to start recognizing Grand Senior (70+) National Records! It got added to the rule book this year for the first time! Alan~^~

Be sure to check for corn cob in the hollow-point if you tumble 'em before the case gauge. It will inevitably fall into the action and tie up the gun at the most inopportune moment!

"chamfered all 6 cylinders on my revolver"

Perfectly legal, since there's no "safety" to deactivate. The referees at check-in will look at you funny, but this one's a no-brainer. If it doesn't exist, it can't "operate".

Talk to the person who orders them for your local club. They may add your order to the club order to save shipping in bulk quantities. I do this for NRA AP targets when our shooters want a box (100) for their own usage. For USPSA targets, you might want to check here: http://www.nationaltarget.com/product_info.php/ipsc-p-176 They want $82.00/100 if the order totals over 1,000 and there may be a Club discount that's not listed there. Best bet though is probably what Sarge suggested...Shooters Connection!