practical_man

Thanks to all. I’m getting educated.

Thanks for the help! Any reason to not buy the 19 round MEC Gar, as opposed to the 17 round MEC gar?

BLUF: Please Point me to reliable magazines for this pistol from a vendor that supports the sport. Dipping a toe into the CZ 75 pool again. Haven’t had one for about a decade since I sold my 75B. Picked up one of the new-ish 75s with threaded barrel at fire sale price. Now I need some magazines. My admittedly weak search fu on this forum points to MEC-Gar. Please Point me to reliable magazines for this pistol from a vendor that supports the sport. This platform is totally new to me; before a tragic canoe tipping incident I used to have ancient S&W revolvers and black aluminum rifles. Thanks john

The recoil spring sounds light. I run an 18# in my .45 Commander. No idea what’s right in a 40. As as others have said, extractor tension or shaping would be a first thing to check. Sometimes a guy doesn’t properly radius or Polish the extractor.

Matir Consider that the arch of your foot is at the end of a long chain of muscles. It’s. Dry likely that your foot pain is actually caused by tight hamstrings. If you sit at work this can also cause low back pain when you stand. Try some deliberate stretching through the day. Focus on hamstring and hip mobility. It helped my foot pain quite a bit after a bad hip injury. YMMV. you may have plantat faciatis. A doctor can help determine that and a treatment plan. My experience with podiatrists is that they are more concerned with billable visits than treatment outcomes. Choose carefully.

I don’t know anyone that has regretted buying the best glass that budget will allow. Saving a few dollars over the life of a scope seems like false economy. $300 is the price of a single case of 5.56 blasting ammo. Not much in the scheme of things. That said, I picked up an MTAC 1-4 off a prize table several years ago and have been very happy with it on an AR. SFP reticle works fine for most shooting I do. Others may have different experience. If if you have the cash, get the best glass you can afford.

I prefer the 7075 as well. Currently using ALG Defense brand because Brownells had them on sale. Other folks make them as well. That said, my AR came from S&W with a 6061 receiver extension and it hasnt been a problem. I just like the stronger alloy. Makes me feel better.

Great job Andy. You’re on the road now and making progress. In a couple weeks the new habits will really take hold. Be strong. Resist temptation. The distractions at work are a great idea. A little hand and shoulder strength is always a bonus. Tell everyone it’s to fend off carpal tunnel Try to quit carbonated beverage 100%. It will help. Besides, a little bourbon and water just tastes better on a cold evening... Get out that tape measure as part of your progress tracking. Seriously. Just measure waist or hips. 1 data point is all you need to correlate progress. Especially when the scale seems stuck. You can probably do consistently maintain 5-8 pounds per week for a couple more weeks. Then it will slow down some as your body adjusts. At that point kick up movement a bit. Start light. You will be amazed at how much knee bends and pushups will help when you start exercise again. Just a few reps per set and a couple sets at the beginning. You’re in this for the long haul. Start steady and build up as you are ready. Focus on being just a little better each day and you will get to your potential. As as others have said, protein is key. I use ON brand protein powder daily. You can get it at Costco or Amazon. 1 scoop is 125 kcal with 25grams protein. Your body needs that extra protein when you’re under the stress of a diet. Invest in your health and make sure you’re getting around 1 gram of protein per kg body weight. The last thing you want is to lose muscle mass instead of fat. Its takes real courage to commit to a lifestyle change. You can do this. Stick with it, even when you seem to get stuck at a plateau. Just like shooting...stick to the fundamentals and do the work. We we are cheering for ya.

I have tried the Nill on K frames. Don’t like them because of the closed backstrap. I have Hogue Big Butt on my 627. They feel slightly larger at bottom than Nills; slightly smaller at top. YMMV http://4wheelguns.com/NFrameGrips.html

Andy you’re going to succeed!!! It’s just a matter of choosing to change your habits and priorities. Post you long term goal and intermediate objectives. That will help you stay committed. Post your “practice schedule”. By that, I mean the approach you are taking to get to those intermediate goals. That will help you remember. Post it on the fridge and anywhere else you will be cognizant of it. Suggestions: Keep a good diary. Write down what you eat and how you feel. Track your metric and compliance with practice schedule. It will help you find what works best for you. Use a reasonably stable metric. Measuring your waistline is a good one that’s less affected by fluid intake, etc. the scale can be maddening. Measure once a week, same day, same time regardless of what metric you choose. measure meal portions with a scale and measuring cup. Be realistic. Reducing quantities is better long term than fads like eliminating all carbs or all fats. Eliminating diet soda and artificial sweeteners is usually helpful because those things work against your body’s mechanisms to feel full. Drink lots of water. We often feel hungry when actually thirsty. Make sure you get enough protein through food or supplements. Sustaining the lean mass is important. Dry fire a little when you feel the urge to snack. Exercise a little every day, as your health will tolerate. I’m a fan of the kettlebell swing. Start slow, 10 swings for a couple sets. Increase every other week or so as you get stronger. It’s deceptively simple and effective; almost efficient in terms of time and suck factor so it’s easy to stay with it. A single 16Kg bell from your local big box store costs about $50 and will do all you need. We went through this when my wife had gestational diabetes (all 4 kids). I did the diet and exercise with her. It sucked for about a month, then you get used to a new way of living and it’s easier. Not easy, but easier. You can do this!! You will enjoy life more and have more fun with people and things you love. It’s an investment in your future. Now Get to Work!

Ed i dont know if the carbide removes the need for neck lube or not. I would advise it, if for no other reason than less bending moment on the neck and shoulder as the expander is forced through. I use Dillon Case Lube for rifle cases. Dump cases in plastic bag, spray in lube, shake around. This seems to get plenty of lube where it needs to go. No stuck cases yet! I size with an RCBS die less the expander ball. I then expand case neck separately with an RCBS version of the M-die. Sinclair also makes these dies with a wide range of expanders. It’s an extra step that may not be necessary. I suspect it improves consistency a little but it’s probably not at the level of statistically significant. I also load on a 550.

Thanks Sarge. That’s very good to know.

Thanks Sarge! Did you end up buying a set? If so, do they perform as advertised?

Looking to get a set of MSA SORDIN electronic muffs to replace dead Howard Leights. I would prefer to buy from a vendor that supports the shooting sports, rather than a random inter web advertiser. Looking for something like this: https://srstactical.com/msa-sordin-supreme-pro-neckband-hearing-protection-headset.html thanks -john

I owned a Beretta 391 for a while. That was before the A400 came out. Mine had a 26” barrel which worked well enough across the course. I just hated picking up hulls. Sold the gun for what I paid for it. A 30” barrel on a gas gun will be hard to get moving. The upside is that the longer barrel will help with follow through. I prefer shorter barrels on autoloaders and pump guns. The longer receiver in them makes a difference in how they handle. Recoil in a fixed breech is shotgun stout but not bad. A recoil reducer in the stock can help a lot, and balance out the barrels a bit. I have one and like it. Hard to go wrong with a Beretta shotgun

If it’s going to be your one and only, get the 12 gauge. You can get sub cal tubes for registered skeet (which is what most people do now.) Briley makes good tubes. if its its for the field, then 20 is more attractive only if the frame is smaller and lighter.

The Citori line are all very similar. Differences are minor in barrel length and rib height/‘width. I have a Lightening Citori with 30” ported barrels. It’s been a good all arounder for skeet, trap, and sporting clays. Barrel length is very much personal preference. I think stock fit is more important for a shotgun. I eventually had Graco adjustable hardware put in my stock and that definitely helped consistency.

Be sure to come back and tell us how it works out. Also, start buying shells by the case when they are on sale. Natchez frequently offers free shipping and good prices. Rogers is another good source for us. If you pay close attention you can get Remington or Federal target loads delivered to your door for less than $6 per box when you buy a flat at a time. Remington Gun Club is a good shell and reloadable. Same for Federal Gold Medal. I like those hills better than the 2 piece Winchester AA or any of the hills with paper base wads. I usually stick with 7-1/2 or 8 shot. The 7-1/2 can be used for close range small bird hunting. Not for pheasant or ducks, but absolutely for dove and quail. Enjoy. Shotgun sports are both fun and frustrating. The best part is getting in with a good squad that will coach you and offer good natured support (sometimes teasing). The social aspect of shooting sports is just great. Ignore the curmudgeons. Have fun.

Do your self a huge favor and don’t get a cheap over-under shotgun. They are more trouble than they are worth. I tried that route and learned the hard way. I now own a 12 gauge Browning Citori. Easy to find a good used one for about $1000. You don’t need a Kreighoff or Pardini to enjoy clays but you do need a durable shotgun. Steoeger won’t hold up to the high round counts without replacing some parts. Neither are any of the rebranded Turkish Huglu guns. Save a little longer and buy a quality gun. Browning or Beretta are quite popular on the fields around here. In the mean time, get a 20 gauge 870 express for less than $300 at Academy Sports and have at it. I have shot some of my best scores with my 870 hunting gun. I just hate picking up hulls.

Lighter trigger springs and bobbing the hammer are the cheapest path. Bobbing the hammer increases momentum of hammer driven by lighter springs. An easier path is Geissle, Hyperfire, or other after market trigger of your choice.

Yep. My home made tool is a lot Warren describes. It works just fine. Blue LocTite does wonders for keeping ejector rod snugged up.

This. Except corn cob that I buy from the local welding supply store in 50 pound bags. Someday i I will try out that fancy wet tumbling method.

I have the Marvel 1911 Jig. It’s accurate and easy to use. They offer a nice set of stones for it too if you call them.

It’s a great system. I have the quick change riser for my Dillon gear and the quick change plate in your photos for MEC shotgun loaders.

Thanks to all for sharing your experience. I will start with some 231 that is on hand. And a light roll crimp. I will report back with velocities and accuracy as I get data