Buzzdraw

The .300 tall front is what it took to have adjustment left (at bottom) with the Dawson Adj. Rear on my particular G-34, both with a stock Glock barrel and a Bar-Sto. The .285 was just too short. I suggest red Lok-Tite for the front sight, after a good degrease job. Let it cure at least 12 hours, regardless of what the label says. Depending on your holster, the front sight may drag on the way out. That's bad, because it will loosen from the screw, regardless of how well Lok-Tited in you think it is. The fix is to hog out the inside of the holster (assuming its Kydex) with a rotary or ball tip on your hand grinder. Another fix is to buy another holster (I just fixed mine). You can check to see if you have a problem by placing gun in holster, then holding up to a good light. If you don't have ample light all around the front sight, you have something to deal with. The rear sight fits very tightly in the stock dovetail. After 4-5,000 rounds of 130 PF 147 gr bullets, the rear leaf is a little loose, but it seems to return to zero, so I've left it alone. The rear sight does seem prone to rust, so I simply oil it a tad after each gun cleaning. Many other rear sights will rust, so this isn't an isolated situation. All said and done, I'm very pleased with the Dawson set-up.

Another Tulsa-area outdoor range has had gravel (limestone) floored bays for many years. It was originally built that way, due to the same clay soil so prevalent over much of the Tulsa area. The gravel bays work great, being built to engineering standards to quickly wick away surface water. The top gravel surface is bone-dry within a few minutes of the cessation of any steady downpour. The water flows away through the secondary layer of gravel. Such a range floor provides consistent range conditions for all shooters, throughout a match. It is difficult to loose safe footing on a properly built gravel floored range, thus avoiding many DQ's which we all dislike. Mr. Fee has shot matches on this local gravel floored range, so he's aware of the pro's and con's of this sort of construction. I know he's tried several methods to improve the drainage of his own grass floored bays; he's made attempts to improve the USSA situation. We shot a USPSA monthly match at this gravel floored range facility on the Sunday morning following the O/L10 without so much as getting our toes the least bit wet. Overnight Saturday, the remnants of the hurricane had plastered the Tulsa area with lots of rain, as so many of you are aware. I enjoyed shooting the LPR at USSA; the range was in good condition to start, even though some stages were beginning to get a tad sloppy. I felt the pain of the O/L10 guys who had to shoot in the swamp on some stages.

One very positive aspect of Palm Pilot scoring is that there is no possibility for errors due to deciphering handwriting. Today (day 3 of the match) the RO's were doing much better on most bays, with others just getting a little better in skilled manipulation. Those bays that were running very smoothly had a system worked out that worked well on that bay.

There has to be a better way to improve match scoring, besides Palm Pilots. I do not like my lack of ability to see what score the eye strained, squinting RO is attempting to enter for me. Yes, I like that I can listen to the lead RO and watch the RO writing scores, particularly at a major match. There is no real "check and balance" with this PP method. All the shooter gets is a tiny 1" x 8.5" slip of paper with his total hits and time. The range stage staff often gets to do extra walking to score, which adds to the stage run time, which makes the match day longer for everyone (especially the suffering RO's). There have been a number of reshoots/delays due to the PP learning curve. Will we think PP's are great when the match scores come out basically instantly after the last shot? Maybe. Two years from now will we wonder how we did without them? Maybe/maybe not.

I didn't find registration times/locations on the USPSA website either. When I found my Match Info packet (mailed July 11 from Sedro) I found a blue page "welcome to nationals" inside that contained the desired info. It lists LPR registration at the range from 1-4 PM, then reopening from 7-9 PM at the match hotel. It further reads: "Shooter packets will distributed and shooters must verify their registration information for accuracy. No squad changes will be made."

Rush hour in Tulsa isn't too crazy unless two cows cross the road at the same time. No, it's busier than that. I'd suggest you allow 30 minutes, but probably 20 will do unless there's a wreck (remember the cows)? I-244 and US 169 are 6 lane highways. I-44 is an old 4 lane interstate that is under widening from Sheridan Rd. continuing several miles to the west. The HQ Hotel takes you to it from Tulsa International Airport via OK 11, I-244, US 169 and I-44. Reverse this path you took to the hotel, continuing on OK 11 to US 75 North. Exit from US 75 on 66th St. North (eastbound, that's RH) and you're on the road to the range. All the highways mentioned usually run moderately fast, except US 169 during the rush home. The backup on it, turning from I-244 can get lengthy. Some Tulsa streets are pretty potholed, so watch your front end. Beware the gravel trucks on US 169 if you value your windshield. South Sheridan Rd has significant construction from 41st St. So. to 21st St. So. OK 51 running into downtown could be a tempting route; it does have rush hour traffic that doesn't always move well. Downtown Tulsa is undergoing significant updating, with a huge new arena just opening this past week. Lots of things to see and do around Tulsa; enjoy your stay!

Packet? Nope, no packet and I'm a regular registered competitor. Maybe Sedro can help me out via email. I'm just gleaning my info from the USPSA site. Lots of good info there.

Tulsa missed out on heavy rain from the hurricane. Today (Wednesday September 3rd) only a gentle 1/3" from the system, with no significant amount to follow. Pretty Oklahoma weather for LPR; 85 days/60's night, some clouds. Dumb question; what is the location for Registration and what are the hours?

The shooter knew (if I understand the COF) that a reload would be required to complete the course. Failure to do the reload (and thus shoot fewer rounds) is a clear FTDR offense. Even if the shooter messed up by accident, it appears that a FTDR may have been required.

AFTEC 38 Super is not intended for the 9mm. Get 9mm specific part.

If you have a 9mm specific slide stop laying around (or on a 9mm gun) put it in and give it a run. Some gun makers try to get away with a .45 stop in 40 S&W; the 9mm stop may do the trick. If the spring quality is poor, i.e. they are taking a short set quickly, then the only option is a better quality spring. Do not stretch existing springs as they'll die quickly afterwards.

The key is that a single barrel is LOW cover, thus kneeling is required. The shooter may pivot around, to "pie" to engage the targets, thus the 50%/100% rule changes with each new target engaged. Helpful Hint: Never crowd (get your body very close to) a barrel, barricade or the like. It's much easier to shoot around if you are back a little. Can't be too far back or cover issues may crop up.

We shot 08-02 and 08-04 on weekend of January 13th; no patch yet. Paper form are on USPSA website, choose bottom LH choice "Additional Content", then under "USPSA information" choose last item "forms". You get to print off one form per division shot, as well as the summary sheet "Level I Classifier Activity Report". Next catch a goose, yank out a quill and open the India in bottle to start scratching. No huge deal.

EZwinScore 3.02 does not support the 08 series of Classifiers until a new version is released (date uncertain). In the interim, matches using these will have to report them on the hand-written forms available on USPSA site.

EZwinScore 3.02 does not support the 08 series of Classifiers until a new version is released (date uncertain). In the interim, matches using these will have to report them on the hand-written forms available on USPSA site.

EZwinScore 3.02 does not support the 08 series of Classifiers until a new version is released (date uncertain). In the interim, matches using these will have to report them on the hand-written forms available on USPSA site.

Especially with new brass, I'm a believer in a little light-duty case lube with pistol-caliber carbide dies. Cheap lanolin hydrous (in tube at a good drug store) will greatly ease the press stroke, while not deactivating primers or powder. A 1/2" long string of the stuff from the tube, rubbed between your palms and then rubbed lightly in 300-400 .38 Super cases will do wonders. Apply to your clean brass just before you load, as the white cream evaporates away in a few hours in the open air. I have used lanolin hydrous for years with all straight wall pistol calibers, for both new and used bass.

That snap cap (with moderately resilient primer replacement) will also take wear and tear off the breechface when dry firing. I run snap caps on all my semi-auto's and revo's these days, just because I have broken parts and don't like to fix what I can avoid fixing.

An addendum to set-up notes for 08-04 is that T-2 has hard cover to bottom 1/2 of A-zone, per USPSA HQ clarification. We're waiting on patch to be able to run scores for a patch involving 08-02 and -04 too. Our Club shot it on 1-13. Hopefully the patch will allow us to enter the 6 Classifiers we just shot on same 1-13 as a Level I Special.

8th Annual Badlands Regional IDPA Championship April 26-27, 2008 Tulsa, Oklahoma The all-scenario stages are awesome, but straight forward. AM or PM squading for Saturday stages. 2nd day everyone shoots AM, so you’ll start home early on Sunday afternoon. • 16 stages/200 rounds. • Experienced SO’s and staff. Certified SO’s on every stage. • Superb 1st Class Facility. Ample close parking, flush bathrooms, AC Clubhouse to eat in; everything convenient. Range is 15 minutes from HQ hotel. • Great random prize table to include guns and lots of gear. • Dual computer stats, running on Beach Bunny software, for speed and exactness. • Many things to do in Tulsa area, including world-class museums, shopping, restaurants, and more. Past shooters have repeatedly commented that the Badlands is the best match they attend all year long. Cost: $85.00 (includes competitor full lunch both days.) NO entries will be accepted after April 16, 2008 This match will be limited to the first 150 shooters. Copy and paste link: http://www.tulsashooters.com/OilCapital/Badlands/default.htm (Cursor on, press “Ctrl: and click simultaneously).

Bare leather and Kydex can be kept clean to help minimize wear marks on the gun. Suede tends to pick up fine grit over time and can be nasty to gun finishes when so loaded. Enjoy shooting your FRT "funny round thing". Comp-Tac makes a locking paddle holster that several people use.

Many years ago it wasn't too unusual for clubs to own loading equipment here in the U.S. Not too many people reloaded and they certainly did not shoot as much as most do now. These were single stage or turret presses by and large. An issue with a community loader will be training in the safe use of the equipment. Another will be storage and who is responsible for machine maintenance. The Dillon 550 will work fine for what you propose. Your club may even want to have loading parties, to share the cleaning/sorting of brass, loading primer tubes and the like. The guy running the press needs to be able to stay totally focused on what he's doing for safety reasons.

If you are reloading mixed brass, for safeties sake find the thinnest case wall brand in the lot and load to that. The coke bottle shape is a good indicator that your sizing die is taking the case down far enough for your bullet. I have my own spec's for TC per cartridge and the .420 for 40 S&W and .375 for 9mm are what I run too. If you run too big on the taper crimp you risk bullet setback into the case; not a safe condition. Too much TC distorts the bullet and wrecks accuracy. I am a believer in the measure COL, then push bullet nose into soft wood moderately hard, then remeasure COL method to check for bullet retention.

There will be a seat-in process when you change hammer/sear or take grip frame apart to clean re-grease the hammer/sear contacts. It make take a few dozen rounds, especially if there is any roughness in new parts. All grinds are not of the same quality. Make sure your process to use the pull gage is exactly the same each time, with direction of pull perfectly parallel to the gun, on the same spot of the trigger. I've seen changing pull weights before due to poor heat treat of sear springs.

The magazines are going to present two problems. The first is obviously the capacity, but we know we can download full cap magazines; we do it all the time especially in SSP . If we are limiting mag cap to the point we have to buy odd-ball mags, then the other problem presented is finding less than full capacity mag carriers. I can smell a cottage industry developing here, but they will cost more being a specialty item. Maybe our friends in full-capacity challenged states can help us with finding them; they've already had to deal with this. As far as principles, let's look at these: I. Promote safe and proficient use of rifles and equipment suitable for self-defense. II. Provide a level playing field for all competitors to test the skill and ability of each individual, not equipment or gamesmanship. III. Provide separate divisions for equipment and classifications for shooters, such that rifles with similar characteristics are grouped together and people with similar skills compete against each other. IV. Provide shooters with practical and realistic courses of fire that simulate potentially life threatening encounters, or that tests skills required to survive life-threatening encounters. V. Offer a practical shooting sport responsive to the shooters and sponsors, with unprecedented stability of equipment rules. VI. Offer a practical shooting sport that allows competitors to concentrate on developing skills they already possess and fellowship with like-minded shooters in a safe, controlled and constantly evolving and growing environment. Now where have you seen principles very similar to the above? Regarding COF and Safety Rules, we have adopted this one regarding muzzle control. "All loaded rifles must always be pointed downrange within an area defined as within the left and right edges of the target area and below the backstop or berm . This includes during loading, unloading, reloading, remedial motion or while the competitor is in motion during the COF." Not only does this rule increase safety, but it also makes good tactical sense. We do limit magazines to 40 rounds capacity max. After considerable discussion, we banned rifles capable of full auto/select fire. Actually our biggest current item of local discussion in our Practical Defensive Rifle is what constitutes a legal magazine pouch. Some of our more game-orientated shooters want to bring their open-top Kydex carriers to the match. My comment is will the gear survive the "go chop wood in forest all day and then run" test? If the gear under consideration will take a little debris, will allow the shooter to wear them all day, and if the gear is practical, then maybe it's good enough.