Flatland Shooter

My daughter did bumper damage to her compact car the other evening. Included some undercarriage damage. Not nearly as bad as the car in the video. Total estimate for her car (thus far) $2835.00. This guy is looking at big $$$. Sorta like a rough landing. A good landing is one you can walk away from.

Thanks Keith. That what I hoped for. Bill

From the forum I understand that a good gunsmith can alter my ParaOrdnance magazine catch to allow the use of STI magazines. But is there anyone out there that will sell the modified catch? It sounds like something there may be a decent market for.

Tightloop, I guess I'm a little sensitive about this. A while back I was "across the fence" from a nut case with a 30-30. (This was employment related.) He even had his 10 year old patrol the perimeter with a single-shot .410. He didn't like what anyone else was doing so he wanted to drive them all indoors and far away from him. He knew the law and pushed it to its limits. Built himself a target range with a 3 foot high berm. Line of sight above the berm included our equipment and a neighbor's house. We show up to work and he tossed a few tin cans on his mini-berm and started shooting. He caused lots of problems, scared a lot of folks, and as expected, finally went too far. Nobody got hurt but the lawyers made a mint. Last I heard, he lives in the middle of nowhere in an old double-wide. And it will be years before he can afford to replace that old 30-30.

If just starting out, you might consider a Ruger "Single Six" or some other single action .22 LR. Its good to get the basics and when just starting out, may minimize any "brain fade" problems. She will need to physically cock the hammer before each shot.

"I am shooting steel as if it is Virginia count." I like that. Simple but very useful. I may be the only person who has not thought of steel this way, but I will now thanks to "zhunter".

"Not to hijack the topic, but a note to Flatland Shooter...In TX, the CHL says you can carry Unconcealed while on property under your control, either you own it or the owner says you can have unlimited use..." I agree 100%, here in Texas you can carry any firearm you want on your own property, but my point was the "waving it around". I'm concerned about the neighbor that will not distinguish between you dry firing into a target taped to your fence versus "brandishing a deadly weapon". You can carry open on your property or on any property with the owner's permission in Texas, but you can not do it in what a reasonable person would consider a "threatening manner". Unfortunately, the definition of "threatening manner" may be determined not by you but by the little old lady on the other side of the fence or the officer dispatched to investigate. In several locals its considered "threatening" just to point a red laser pointer at someone. Not right, not fair, just the way it is. I tend to err on the side of caution.

If you don't call your shots, there is nothing left to do but go to the next target. If you hit it, you get the points. If not, you get the penalties. Therefore, I try to call 100% of my shots, but my lack of practice means that my "calls" are not always correct. Shooting major, I want to "watch my sights" put all shots closer than 8 yards into the "A" zone. Moving out from there to 25+ yards I want to see "center mass" and feel this will give me an acceptable "C" hit. If it seems my sights may not have been there, I usually shoot an insurance shot. If I have no idea where my sights were when the blaster went bang, then I definitely need to put another round downrange. Good plan, just doesn't always work that well. The worst for me is steel plates. I call the shot but still hesitate to see it fall. Gotta work on this. At first I felt calling my shots was slowing down my shooting, but after a while it becomes second nature. My times will never be great, but when I pop an extra shot, it always increases my points. I now try to lower my times by efficiency of motion. Old people don't run real fast!

"Or just welding a couple of Para tubes together." I'm trying to work up enough nerve to try this. Just found a good TIG welder yesterday. He did a stainless steel repair for me yesterday and did an excellent job. When told about my Para tubes, he said he would be glad to give it a try. Just hate to cut up two working tubes for a science fair project that may or may not work. Have you worked with two Para tubes welded together? If so, what is the final length of the new tube and how many rounds will it hold? How well did it work? Inquiring minds want to know. Bill

"It's just easier to buy a 170mm tube." True unless you shoot Paras. No 170mm tubes to fit ParaOrdnance guns are currently being made. An alternative if you really want a 170mm tube is to take STI or SPS 170 mm tubes welded up and recut for Para's mag catch. Or, if you are starting your magazine collection from scratch, you could just get a gunsmith to alter your magazine catch for the STI tube. In my case, I've got a dozen old style (shorter than current manufacture) Para magazines. For me, an Ammosmith or other extended basepad may make sense. Bill

Somewhere on the forum we were advised of such a contraption for Para magazines. Increased capacity to 27+1. Ammosmith c/o Rick Scalen in Gillette, WY 307-686-6004. Let us know if you get one. HTH Bill

Once you have registered, your phone number registration will be effective for 5 years. It will be illegal for most telemarketers to call you, and you will be able to file a complaint if a telemarketer does call you. The website www.donotcall.gov provides information about filing a complaint.

"I'd consider a blue or red gun and/or talking to my neighbors." I'd be afraid to wave around even a hot pink gun. And blue is now a factory color at CAV. http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...868&hl=blue

"Chicago has had a ban on civilian posession of non-registered handguns, and has not accepted civilian registration for handguns since 1982, so I doubt you'll find much." Good Lord, I had no idea that any town outside of Kalifornia was so anti-gun.

"He had to attach the basepad with packing tape." Or you can use some of the colorful duct tapes out there for the custom "redneck" gunsmith look!

You say you have a handgun carry permit. In Texas the CCW requires you keep the gun concealed, so the permit will not help in this situation. Even if you do not point the gun at someone (your word against theirs), just waving a gun in the air will end up in a visit from the police. In my case, I live on a 1/2 acre lot heavily treed on the perimeter with good neighbors (all are shooters/hunters). I still will not carry a gun outside and hold it in a "shooting" position. Every once in a while I want to see how different color lens in my shooting glasses work under different sky conditions with the red dot scopes on targets with different backgrounds. Even in this case I will not carry a gun outside so instead I have a spare red dot scope and carry just it into the backyard. Bill p.s. I hear that no matter how well photographed, pictures with you holding a row of numbers in front of your chest is not acceptable for use in passport or drivers license photos. Some sort of interagency rivalry?

I live near Houston, possibly the humidity capital of the United States. Consider installing a Goldenrod or similar dehumidifier to your gunsafe. The Goldenrod is designed for safes, uses very little electricity, and does an excellent job of protecting your firearms. A good cleaning to add a level of protection against fingerprints, etc possibly left on the metal combined with the dehumidifier, you are all set. Bill

I don't have access to a range that allows drawing from a holster let alone "rapid fire". Other than a weekly match, dry fire practice is all I've got. Fortunately my better half tolerates targets scattered thru out the house. Two laps around the house equals a nice 32 round field course using a mix of full size, 2/3 size and 1/2 size targets along with a few paper pepper poppers for good measure. Thought about an airsoft, but my better half shot that down quickly. Bill p.s. To eliminate a visit from the funny farm patrol, I keep the blinds closed during my mini-matches (also at my wife's suggestion).

Still not working for me. Tried on two computers without success. The drawing files work great. I'll try again later. Thanks. Bill

Jake, I was trying to review the video on your reloads but it indicates the file has been removed (both reload videos). The two drawing vids are still accessible. Have they been removed or is it on my end? Thanks. Bill

And the Matt Burkett website has a section for dry fire practice that includes par times you set yourself. Try it. Bill

Thank you gentlemen. Bill

Was looking at an STI ad in Front Sight for some of their Limited guns. The one that caught my eye is the "Trusight". For those unfamiliar with the Trusight, the front sight is mounted on what I can only describe as an unported compensator. The ad says its a one piece barrel with an expansion chamber. Now for the question. I was rummaging through the gun safe and came across and old Para Open gun from the 80's. Its a tack driver with Bomar rear sight and the old Wilson LE single port comp. No cone, still used a barrel bushing. Pretty much useless as is. On the LE comp, the single port is located forward of the front sight. Would it be a "Limited" legal gun if I removed the port leaving about 3/4" of the original comp with the front sight on it. When done, it will look very close to the STI Trusight, but is obviously not a factory offering. Next option would be mounting a front sight on the side and either cut and crown the barrel and replace it. But dang, I hope the first idea will work. Just sounds like a neat project. Bill

In my case using glasses set for optimum vision at 28" works well with iron sights. An 8" steel plate at 40 yards (invisible to my naked eye) is slightly blurry but the front sight is perfect. Also consider getting the lenses made out of nearly indestructible polycarbonate. Bill

Depending on the barrel, you may also need to have it trimmed to fit. A 5" barrel usually works well with a cone comp, but if the comp uses a conversion cone, a 5.25" barrel may be needed. Also, the bore of the comp will need to be aligned with the barrel and reamed to .008" over the bullet diameter. EGW comps are intentionally bored undersized to allow the gunsmith to accurately ream the comp out to get the most out of it. Bill p.s. And its getting tough to find a good barrel to comp alignment reamer. Mine disappeared in a move back to Texas and I'm having trouble finding a new one. Anyone with a 9mm reamer in good shape want to get rid of it?