radny97

I also recommend the 160 gn bayous. I’ve loaded them hot and not and been very happy. I would recommend HS-6 for your desired purpose. Be sure to use a magnum primer with this powder for consistent ignition.

I’ve gone through this process with lots of experimentation. I recommend bayou bullets 160 gn. Their bullet profile makes for very fast entry in the charge holes. In therms of powder, i tried a few. W231 was accurate but both temperature and case position sensitive. Bullseye was great but a little dirty. N320 is great but expensive. I tried the new Sport Pistol and it was pretty good but i haven’t tested it enough to give a full opinion, but all things point to it being a great powder. My favorite right now is American Select, as long as you can get it to meter right, since it is large flakes. Super soft and super clean super accurate. 4.0 gns over a 160 gn bullet gives me 127 power factor. You could scale it back to get the power factor you’re looking for. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Honestly, run them with the old data. The new manuals are sometimes appropriately cautious, and sometimes seem to be written by lily-livered pantywaists. In this case it appears to be the latter.

I’ve bought from them and had a good experience. They seem to specialize in heavy for caliber offerings.

You need moonclips. And buy the TK Custom ones. They don’t bend like pretty much every other brand. You’ll waste money trying others. There are lots of good moon clip holders. Personally i like the Speedbeez holder on a DAA belt. But there are many good ones. The 627 is the go to gun for USPSA and ICORE limited and Steel. There are many more options if you want to try classic division in ICORE. In IDPA the 625 is popular. For holsters there are also lots of good ones. I like the safariland competition holster. On ammo, 38 special and 38 short colts are popular. If you don’t have a big stash of 38 special brass hanging around then i would consider going right to 38 short colts. Starline sells the brass and Lee makes a three set of dies. Use a 9mm taper crimp die to finish. You can load them to light 9mm load data. Only shoot in 357 mag guns. If you go with 38 special, you’ll have to get into the +P loads to make power factor. Good luck!!

Yep. Also, those saying revolver can get grouped in with production and single stack as the “beginner” group have clearly never shot revolver. When i put down my revolver at my local matches and pick up my tanfo (which is rare) i generally win the match. Revolver is SO much more challenging and makes me a better shooter. Also, getting the moon clips, belt, etc. is way more work and expense than bringing your only gun to a match to try out competition for the first time. And yes, Production is not for beginners. It might have been back in 2000 but no longer. IDPA is where most beginners with their out of the box gun go. I say keep the 10 round limit in production. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Those aren’t flattened

That would be my guess as well

Right now I’m running 135 gn bayou over 3.7 grains of American Select in 38 Short Colts. Makes 130 pf. Before i made the switch to 38 Short Colt i was running 160 gn bayous over 4.0 gn of American Select in 38 special. Also made 130 pf. Good for both ICORE and USPSA. I have large hands so the snappiness of the lighter bullets doesn’t really affect me that much. I tend to prefer it over the push of a heavier bullet (to some degree) because with the snap of the light bullet I can return to target very quickly

I’ve gone through your exact process in the last two years. If I were you I would plan on eventually moving to 38 short colt if you like it enough. But for now stick with 38 special. Have a couple thousand brass casings around. As the starting press I would recommend the lee classic turret. It allows you to have the advantages of learning kind of like single stage but it’s a lot faster. About 150 rounds an hour. I experimented a lot with plated bullets but ultimately found that I preferred coated bullets. Bayou bullets cater specifically ICORE and has the right taper on their bullets for fast reloads In revolver. But there are lots of good bullet makers. Use taper crimp with coated bullets. Lots of powders work. You want something super clean, not temperature or case position sensitive, not prone to double charge (ie no titegroup), and fast burning (for the lower recoil). I tried WW231 and it was temperature sensitive and i eventually got some flakes under the ejector star, causing a stoppage. Bullseye was better. VV320 is perfect but a little expensive. I eventually settled on American Select (which is great as long as you can get it to meter right.) good luck

This represents an incredible amount of work. My hat is off to you sir.

I have the TK hammer and trigger (ultimate master job) and it’s been 100% reliable for me. I’ve only used Federal primers with it.

Lee FCD is a roll crimp. This used on bullets with a cannelure. I would try a taper crimp die first. Or you could try some bullets with a cannelure.

I picked up some at sportsman’s Warehouse last week. And a few months ago i got 5000 online. You just have to be vigilant at the big online retailers and be willing to pay a premium for them.

It means gripping the gun in such a way that you are fully controlling (driving) it. It’s not pushing you around and you’re essentially shooting flat. It takes lots of work on grip strength and grip technique. I’m by no means the best at it, but i understand it i think.

^^^^^^^^ this this this And i happen to like the challenge of perfection.

With quite a bit of experimentation my results mirror those of iDescribe. Less felt recoil from heavier bullets at the same PF may also mean more muzzle rise and slower cycling . With appropriate grip pressure and driving the gun, there’s no reason to shy away from lighter bullets, and it may help you a lot.

Lee makes a three die 38 short colt set. Then use a 9mm taper crimp die for your 4th die. I use the Bayou 135 gn for mine as well. But i would be wary of titegroup since it can pressure spike and burns so hot it’s not ideal for coated bullets. I have found that 38 short colt is pretty sensitive to OAL (meaning i see lots of velocity and pressure variation with OAL changes). So be vigilant about OAL. My preferred load with the 135 gn bayou is: 3.7 gn of American Select federal primer OAL is 1.15 Makes 130 pf (Tested at my elevation of 4500 feet just after it rained and at about 55 degrees, so you should be good make power factor just about anywhere in the country with this load.) i have also has good results with VV320 and 38 short colt, but haven’t worked up a competition load for it yet. Good luck!

You’re really not getting it. I own a high capacity tanfo. I know how the game is played.

I’ve never said it was unfair. It’s totally fair. We can all shoot a Tanfo or 2011 high capacity in .40 and we’re all on the same playing field. But that’s not very inclusive and gets boring. Major/minor is about inclusivity, not fairness. You want to shoot limited 9mm? There’s a place for you. You want to shoot 45? Yeah we can do that. You want to try the next generation platform from XYZ gun company? Come on down. But inclusivity gets lame when one platform (high capacity 40) has a clear advantage over others. I’m not whining. I like shooting major. I like shooting minor too, but i do it less for the obvious reasons. Im just pointing out the inconsistencies in the rationale for the major/minor system and batting around some ideas for addressing those inconsistencies. If that makes you feel defensive and threatened then maybe it’s not those vest wearing idpa shooters who get the label of ‘pansies.’ Your words, not mine.

You’re so respectful and pleasant to have a conversation with.

Interesting. Yes possibly dropping the pf and allowing 9mm major in limited might even things up. Or alternatively raising the PF for major to 185 might even things up a little too.

Good questions. I’ve got some 45 loaded that will only make about 140 pf. I might do a comparison on steel. I can say that the recoil impulse is about the same as a 9 when loaded that light.

I’m not suggesting that the FBI testing is the end all be all that will ever come down on the subject. I understand the arguments between foot pounds v. momentum very well. And I do agree with you that there are good criticisms against the foot pounds analysis and in favor of the momentum analysis, as you have implied in your comments. But the FBI report is the most current information. And it was well funded and thorough. Can you point me to another modern, expansive, thorough, and well documented and tested study that contradicts the conclusions the FBI reached? If not then quit trying to kick me out of your sport because you don’t like what I say.

So the rules are Arbitrary, or in other words, not based on anything, including not based on whether higher energy rounds do or do not cause greater damage to targets? Don’t touch the rules because they are sacrosanct? I’m not even proposing a rule change. I’m just suggesting that the current rules for major/minor are inconsistent with the best current information regarding the differences between high-energy and lower energy rounds. Sorry if that makes you feel threatened.