George

Let's not dig too deep into the fact that magazines are expendables. They wear out and have to be replaced on a somewhat regular basis. How that is done here in Kalifornia is still a mystery to me ;~) BTW Erik, I love the term Caliban. It sums up my feelings perfectly.

Concerning fired cases fitting in ammo gauges without re-sizing. I have noticed that fired cases from my Colt HBAR (NATO 5.56mm Chamber) will not fit back into the L.E. Wilson ammo gauge (.223 SAAMI). In fact they stop about halfway in. Only about 30-40% of fired cases from my JP open rifle will fit back in the JP gauge (the ones that go in are a real tight fit at the base). Cases fired in the JP rifle will always check OK in the Wilson gauge without any resizing. I have an Eagle EA-15 upper that has a fairly tight chamber and fired cases from it consistently stop about a 1/4" from fully seated in the JP gauge. But they will also almost always fully drop into the Wilson gauge. This tells me that full length re-sizing is the hot ticket, and that the L.E. Wilson gauge is cut closer to the SAAMI maximum than the minimum. BTW, almost all factory ball that I have checked is a nice fit in the JP, and a very loose easy fit in the Wilson. I also find about 1-2 per hundred in factory ball that will not fully drop in the JP gauge. And I have even found a couple of factory rounds that wouldn't check in the Wilson gauge (about 1 in 500). The moral here is to get an ammo gauge that reflects YOUR chamber, and then religiously check everything before firing. I can not tell you how often I see fellow shooters loading factory ball into mags at big matches right from unopened boxes. It only takes one bad round to ruin your whole day.

My .02 worth I used to use RCBS & Lee .223 dies too. I switched to Dillon dies for all my .223 loading last year. I also used to use the L.E Wilson .223 SAAMI ammo gauge but stopped trusting it for match ammo after I had some malfunctions in my open rifle that traced back to oversized cases. The gauge that I use now is the JP Enterprises one. It is cut to minimum SAAMI dimensions. In my experience, ammo that drops in & out of it will function in most anything. I set the Dillon sizing dies to just contact the shell plate (RL-550) and the crank them in an additional 1/4 turn. About 95% of cases pass the JP gauge with this setting. Any less and it starts to get nearer to 50%. I firmly believe that semi-auto rifle cases should be full length resized every time you load them. Function is (just about) everything! I also taper crimp with the Dillon die (just a little). To get the best crimp results I chamfer the outside of the case mouth at 45 degrees with an RCBS de-burring tool, and then ream the inside of the case mouth with a Lyman VLD reamer. These extra steps give me a very polite crimp that (I believe) seems to strike the best balance between accuracy and safety concerns. The hand work on the case mouths also gives me a good feel for cases that have odd wall thickness and gives me a chance to weed them out prior to loading. I use the Scharch Mfg. 100% processed 1x LC brass and have been getting very good results with these methods. BTW, I hit the cases with a little bit of the Dillon lube and run them right through the press in one pass just like pistol loading. When I do the final gauging of my match ammo, I wipe the lube residue off by hand to keep them from being a little tacky. Practice ammo I just shoot it like it is. I have had no problems with this lube & load method for about the past two years. I use 1x cases for all my match ammo. Whatever I get back is the loaded once more as 55gr ball practice ammo and then not picked up after the second (third, actually) firing. I used to load my WW cases 4-5 times for Hi-Power, but that is a different story, and different brass. I also agree with LC cases not liking to be worked a lot of times. (Edited by George at 2:02 pm on Nov. 4, 2002)

I would leave this damned state in a minute if my business wasn't tied to the local market. If/when the legislators here starting making more stupid moves, all considerations go out the window and I'm gone! (Edited by George at 11:47 pm on Jan. 6, 2003)

The .30 caliber M1 Carbine is another good option that will shoot real well out to 100 yards (maybe even 200 if the wind ain't too bad). A 110 grainer moving 1900-2000 fps meets USPSA minor by a decent margin. The little carbine handles real well and would be a winner on short hose courses. I think it's a pretty good looking gun too! BTW, hi cap magazines would be the biggest hassle with any choice you make. Ah, Kalifornia, I love you so ;~) Regards,

Howdy, If you don't already own an AR-15 type rifle (prior to December 31, 2000), you won't be getting one in Kalifornia (my home state too!). This limits your choices to the M1A, or the Ruger Ranch Rifle (Mini-14). I have seen customized Ruger 223's do very well against AR type rifles. The M1A will do a good job too! Check out this link for the pros & cons of the M1A http://www.brianenos.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard...2&topic=228 Regards,

"From what I've heard, there's so many of the things running around, they have to bolt cow-catchers on the fronts of their cars. At least that's what my friends told me when they visited." Right you are Eric. They are called "Roo Bars" and everybody that drives much out in the boonies down there has them on their vehicles. I figure that you would also need good windshield wipers too ;-) (Edited by George at 3:29 pm on Oct. 22, 2002)

I have tried a lot of lube options and have decided to stay with light-medium oils, in & on the bolt carrier for my open rifle. It lets me clean everything real fast with no muss & fuss, and allows for semi-dry running in real gritty/sandy conditions. I would not want to get a lot of dust into a heavily greased upper receiver. That’s lapping compound. Where I do use lithium greases or SlideGlide is in the buttstock spring cavity. This I keep well greased and only clean and re-pack once in a great while. It really cuts down on operating clatter, and smooths out the cycling impulse a bit too. I only lube the bearing areas where the bolt carrier is actually contacting the upper receiver (inspect the wear marks). Use lots in non-gritty conditions. Use minimal lube and clean often in gritty conditions. I use BreakFree (or anything similar) for all bolt lubrication. Keep putting a few drops of lube in the bolt carrier holes as you shoot and it will keep the bolt from getting hinky as carbon builds up. I tried the heavy grease routine in my HBAR for Hi-Power shooting. It was OK with full on gas systems and hefty loadings (S69 @ 2800fps) in that venue. When I used my HBAR for IPSC I soon found that it was not as slick for many reasons :-) At the moment I am using MolySlide (NECO) on my HBAR bolt carrier, with the buttstock spring cavity full of SlideGlide and BreakFree on the bolt lugs and rings. Hows that for a mongrel method of lubrication! Haven't done anything but dribble some breakfree into the bolt carrier holes and swab the barrel out for quite a while now. For my JP rifle, I use lithium grease in the spring cavity, JP#1 lube on the lo-mass bolt carrier, and JP#2 inside the bolt and on the locking lugs. The upper receiver and bolt assembly are cleaned and re-lubed every 150-200 rounds. This regimen has given me 100% reliability with properly sized ammo. The bottom line is function. If the rifle runs reliably, then the lubrication method doesn't matter that much. I am wondering what other folks favorite lubrication recipes might be. (Edited by George at 10:31 pm on Oct. 8, 2002) (Edited by George at 8:48 am on Oct. 9, 2002) (Edited by George at 11:21 am on Oct. 9, 2002)

"in the context of shooting paper" "we tend to think along the lines of two hits per target to score" (Pardon the edit, Kurt) This brings to mind a couple of questions. A: How does everyone feel about the Multi Gun Association scoring method of "any two hits", or "one A hit" on paper to "neutralize" a target. B: Is "neutralizing" a target as opposed to "shooting" it PC, and who gives a damn about PC anyway? I have shot a couple of matches scored that way recently and I think I am starting to like the method. I see noticeable improvements in ease of scoring for the RO's and match staff. It also seems to allow for some new ways to scr#*% up, and reward yourself, and anyone who knows me knows that I'm always looking for new ways to lose points :~) Any thoughts out there? (Yeah, I know this is a bit of a thread drift, but I started the whole mess anyway!)

Somehow I am getting this picture in my head of Maxwell Smart (Old TV character from the sixties) getting whacked on the head with the "Cone Of Silence :-) The right tool for the job is indeed the thing here. If i'm gonna be punching paper & clanging steel at under 400yds, I want a semi-auto .223. Further out than that, or with something other than paper & steel, I'll take my .270 with a 135-150 grain projectile doing about 2800fps. In high tech circles, the TIM is referred to as the BIM (Biological Input Module) and most malfunctions are traceable to it. In motorcycle racing we used to refer to it as the "Shifter Activator" and once again it is where most problems start (and end). BTW, I stepped in it first, as is my usual way ;~) Regards, George

1/2 MOA is 1.5" @ 300yds. No rifle is 1/2 MOA without a decent trigger & TIM (Trigger Input Module). Heavy .223 bullets don't wander round much nowadays at 200-300yds until the wind is real fierce. I used to shoot hi-power with S69's at 2750fps and didn't see wind up to 15-20 mph having much say at 200yds. The 77's fly like they are gyro stabilized out to about 300yds. I have become a real convert to what a heavy bullet in .223 can do. Check out Glenn Zedickers book The Competitive AR-15 (The Mouse That Roared) http://www.zedicker.com/ In the end it all really depends on the TIM (see above). First shot is last shot with a rifle if you are doing your job.

"except that part about deforming innocent Sierra Matchkings" Hey Kelly, I am actually a little bit kinder to the MatchKings than it would seem. After case prep (trim, etc), I use a Lyman VLD reamer to put a real shallow lead in the case mouth for the bullet The crimp is just enough to flatten the reamed portion against the bullet. I checked by pulling a couple after the crimp and comparing against a couple of uncrimped, and there was no visible difference. The shallow ream lets the case flatten against the jacket instead of turning into it. This method gives me just slightly better accuracy (by a rats ass) than the uncrimped version, and the crimp makes me feel just a tad better (mojo/juju stuff I guess). BTW, I won the long distance rifle stage at the Area 1 3Gun with a real old "shavetop" AR that held about 1.5 MOA with 55gr ball (Hadn't gotten the JP yet). So yeah, 1.5 MOA works just fine, but I do feel a good bit more confident shooting a 1/2 MOA rifle. Just gotta watch out for overconfidence ;~)

FWIW. I have come to my own conclusion regarding sub MOA performance in an IPSC rifle/ammo combo. It is not just desired; it is required! Sure, you can accomplish everything in 3gun using factory ball ammo. You do not need a tack driver to do well either. But you can do it all a little faster with a sub MOA rifle/ammo system when the shooting is at real rifle distances. I believe (1) MOA is the absolute minimum you should accept from your rifle/ammo combo, and closer to 1/2 MOA is better. I think of the reticle in my scope as the center point of a cone of certainty (COC) that radiates out from the muzzle. The COC is the maximum distance from the crosshair aim-point, at the time of firing, in any direction, that a round will impact (this assumes shooting a zeroed rifle at the zero distance). For a 1 MOA rifle the COC is 1” @ 100yds, 2” @ 200yds, 3” @ 300yds etc. With a sub MOA rifle/ammo combo you will be able to take long shots faster. Why? Because you can spend less time refining the sight picture and still get a guaranteed hit. Example based on 10” MGM flasher target at 300yds. A 1.5 MOA rifle/ammo combo has a COC of 4.5” at 300yds. Divide the COC by two and subtract from target diameter. In effect you are now shooting at a 7.75” diameter target, because that is the diameter you have to hold to guarantee a hit. If you hold closer than 2.25” to the edge of the target, you have a reasonable probability of a miss due to random round variances. Therefore a more refined sight picture is required, and that translates to added time (an extra shot is even more time if it becomes necessary). The same scenario plays out with points on upper A/B areas at moderate distance (50-75yds), and full paper targets at long distances (100yds plus) A 1/2 MOA rifle/ammo combo has a COC of 1.5” at 300yds. That means that the 1/2 MOA system only has to hold inside 9.25” to guarantee a hit. That is a measurable advantage in anyone’s book. This means a little more than squat at the distances most rifle stages are testing our skills at (I hope that will change sometime soon). But, when those paper targets get out beyond 100yds, and the steel is getting real hard to see without optics, it can mean a very great deal. Here is a scanned image of a group shot earlier today. It was fired from my open rifle (20" lightweight JP 1:8 bbl), prone with a bipod at 100 yds. <img src=http://glinder.home.netcom.com/salejpeg/s77at100yds.jpg height="287" width="314" border="0"> The load is a Sierra 77 HPBT (not moly coated) over 24.0 of Varget. Kelly is going to wince, but I do (taper) crimp with a Dillon, die and it does not hurt accuracy in the slightest. In fact, my tests without crimp had the groups opening up a little vertically at 200 yards. I get a 16-18 fps average variance over a chrono with the crimped rounds. The un-crimped rounds gave an 20-24 fps average variance with a few 30+ out. That would seem to account for the increased vertical spread (about 3/8”). Last diatribe. In retail there are three rules. Location, Location & Location. In competition, it becomes Function, Function & Function. Take my advice and get an ammo gauge that meets, or beats your chamber specifications and check everything in it. I use an L.E Wilson SAAMI spec .223 gauge (Not 5.56mm Nato) for most of my rifles. I use the custom cut gauge that JP Enterprises makes for my JP rifle. Basically, if it doesn’t gravity drop into, and out of the gauge, it doesn’t go into the rifle. You would be surprised at how many factory rounds don’t pass this test. This is not as simple a subject as I am making it out to be. There are many variances in chamber dimensions and one size does not fit all. But a SAAMI spec gauge is still a good idea. All of my AR’s are various versions of SAAMI .223 specs (the JP rifle I have brings new meaning to the term “tight chamber”). AR’s, keep em clean,, gauge your ammo, and function will follow you wherever you go. Regards, (Edited by George at 8:37 pm on Nov. 29, 2002)

Start here; MGM Targets

Try this one on for size. Mount an Optima 2000 (a Docter would also be a great choice) right on the scope tube (behind turrets). It doesn't have to vertical, mine is 45 degrees to the right. It's real fast, just tilt your head a fraction and the dot is there. I think it is easier to acquire than the tube type dot sights other folk are using on open rifles. JP Enterprises makes a mount for the Optima that fits 1" diameter scopes. IMHO a red dot is the fastest close-in sight for an open IPSC rifle. Unless of course, you are Bennie Coolie or Michael Voigt. In which case, box stock AR iron sights, or a real low power variable scope is the hot ticket for the close stuff. Far too! for these guys ;~)

I wanted to get a 24" heavy bbl on my JP upper, but John Paul recommended that I get the 20" standard lightweight. I am very glad that I listened to him. The upper handles way better with the lighter bbl. The JP 20" lightweight match bbl also shoots better than any longer & heavier bbl I have used before. I am getting 1/2 MOA consistently with Sierra 69's on 25.0gr's of 748, and get just under 1/2 MOA with Sierra 77's on top of 24.0gr's of Varget. I do all my group shooting at 200yds with this rifle because that is where I like to zero at, and it seems like such a waste to only shoot this rifle at a piddlin' 100yds. I have printed an "Honest To God" 10 shot 3/4" group at 200 yds with the Sierra 77. Not bad for an IPSC rifle. Yeah, I know you don't need that kind of accuracy for 3gunning. I just have to have it anyway, cause that's the kind of guy I am. I agree with Kelly about match support. These guys really care about the shooting sports. Derrick is a nationally recognized High Power Rifle shooter (Grand Master, I believe), and John Paul is a Master level IPSC shooter. You will always see his name near the top of the rifle standings at the 3gun nationals. I say, support the folks that support our sport.

I have been shooting heavy (150 gr) lead bullets in my Glock (17L) for years with good results. My favorite load is 5.4gr AA#7 under a 150gr LSWC. I use a WW magnum small pistol primer and seat to 1.115" OAL. FPS=915, PF=137. This load works well on steel and has almost no recoil. The 17L has a 5.25" bbl so you may need a slight increase in charge weight to get similar PF with shorter bbl lengths. I get 875 FPS for a 131 PF in my SIG 226 with a 3.5" bbl. A 160gr should give similar results with the proper powder charge adjustment (use a tad less). 875 to 900 FPS is the max you will need to equal 9mm factory hardball PF (140) I will admit it is an oddball load, but it works great for me. The slower powder makes the recoil impulse real soft, and the magnum primer keeps the velocity consistent with the small powder charge. I get a max spread of 15-20 FPS (906-923 FPS/10 rnds) and the load is real, real accurate. 5.4gr is the lightest load that will cycle my 17L & 226 reliably, and lock the slide back on last round.

Ok, here is what my JP full house open IPSC upper mated to my lower with JP trigger group installed cost me. Competition upper (lo-rail) w/ low mass operating system, large diameter handguard, adjustable gas block (under long handguard), 20" lightweight 1:8 stainless match bbl (not the superlight), full house muzzle brake (not the tactical comp). All of the above was $1000 complete. The full on trigger setup with speed hammer installed in my lower on oversize stainless pins was $250. Add $75 for the Armalite QD scope mount, $50 for the JP on-scope Optima 2000 mount, $200 for a J-Point (Optima 2000 version sold by JP) because you have to have a red dot for the pistol stages we have to shoot rifle on all too often, but that's another diatribe altogether. I supplied the Harris bipod & Leupold Scope (any high quality low to medium power variable will work here). This whole setup makes one hell of an open IPSC rifle. Total cost without scope & bipod on my lower was $1500. Strip away everything but the upper and trigger system and you are at $1250 (you have to have the JP trigger/hammer group to have the low mass operating system in the upper). I think the value here is incredible. When you see his custom machined competition upper, and feel the JP handguard in person, you will be awestruck. When you check the trigger & shoot it, you will realize that these rifles are worth every penny. Here is a photo BTW, anything Accuracy Speaks does is equal to JP's stuff in actual usage and ultimate performance. It comes down to look and feel at this point. I do however, believe that the JP recoil reduction system works better as a whole than a comp alone on any other rifle system, just my opinion. BTW, BTW, IMHO, the JP large diameter handguard does indeed fill the hand completely (Kelly, you may be thinking of the slimmer one that some folks are getting on their JP rifles to use with an exposed gas block and match type iron sights). BTW, BTW, BTW, the prices quoted above are rounded off to the nearest 50 or 100 bucks, and do not include shipping costs.

If I was not going to shoot anything heavier than a 68-69 grains or lighter than 50-52 grains, I would choose a 1:9 twist. Like Kelly mentioned, the 1:9 should shoot pretty much anything you can put in the magazine, and IMHO would probably be the best all round choice.

I used to have to wear a glove on my left hand when I shot long rifle stages with the old free-float handguard I had. It was 1/4" thich aluminum with a couple of slots for cooling. It got hot. I now have the JP large diameter handguard (covers gas block) and I can shoot all day barelefthanded. It stays cool and looks cool too. It is really light, and has the slickest sling stud setup I have ever seen. 5 Stars *****

I have a JP trigger group with the speed hammer. It feels no faster (to me anyway) than my tweaked up colt trigger parts were before the JP parts were installed. I have shot a friends AR with one of the AS trigger systems and IMHO the AS & the JP feel about the same. The JP triggers are single stage (typically). The AS system I tried was a two stage. I thought my old trigger group with tweaked colt parts was very good until I put a finger on the JP and AS rifles. Then I realized how good a trigger can really be. The difference from an OK setup to something like these type of systems is truly unbelievable. BTW, the JP speed hammer is required if you use the JP Lo-mass operating system with light weight alloy bolt carrier. This system really works! The lo-mass bolt carrier, the adjustable gas system and the reduced throw distance for the bolt all combine to remove cycling impulse. There is next to no recoil impulse left after these systems and the muzzle brake do their job. The JP speed hammer is really only needed to prevent damage to the alloy bolt carrier during cycling. (Edited by George at 9:30 pm on July 9, 2002)

Match Fee = $125 Ammo (1000 Rnds +) = $150 Watching me do a select slug drill (3 times) on stage 4 = Priceless -- George,

By the way, since I was unable to get time off to attend the Superstition Mountain 3Gun this year, I can not in all fairness say that it is not the best 3Gun match going. I will rectify this grievous mistake next year. One thing I am sure of is that the 3Gun Nationals have not been the best "bang for yer buck" lately. It is great to see 200+ folks at the 3Gun Nationals, but I have been quite disappointed with the stage content. Since it is the "Nationals", I will return. The Area 1 3Gun was a really good match in my book. Great stages with some actual rifle shooting available on a couple of them. The overall cost (travel & lodging included) was pretty reasonable & the hospitality in the Bend area was second to none. This is also one that I will definitely go back to next year. Regards, Geoffrey Linder, TY11141

I also went to the MGM "Ironman" 3Gun. I had the best time I have ever had at a match. If I could only go to one match next year, this would be it. On average, I spent as much time shooting any single "Ironman" stage as I did shooting all 12 stages at the 3Gun Nationals. Slugs at 100 yards! Rifle shots out to 600 yards! Pistol shots at 75 yards! Lotsa reactive targets. It ain't IPSC, it's actually fun! I expended about 1150 rounds total. Most folks were shooting about 140-150 rounds per stage. Equipment reliability & ammo load bearing systems were the most important factors in making it through this match. For once, it was nice to see more DNF's than DQ's at a match. IMHO, if you like 3Gunning, then this is by far the best 3Gun match there is. Geoffrey Linder, TY11141 (Edited by George at 7:58 pm on July 6, 2002)

Thanks Guys, Sounds like a pretty simple thing. I haven't seen a modified one, so I am assuming that the cut would need to be slightly over primer width and parallel (in a vertical manner) with the tube slot. Regards,