grim death

Hi Ronnie- As I read your post I can understand your frustration. The 3GN was my 4th match.I bought my first pistol and shot my first match about 1 1/2 yrs ago and got my rifle and shotgun for 3gunning 1 year ago.So I am very new to the sport. As I said I can understand your frustration but I think you are wrong on several points: 1. Mike Voigt has asked members ( GMs thru Ds ) how to what they think about better our sport. 2. The changes that have been made and are being made are more for the beginner and intermediate shooter because Mr. Voigt and the BOD know that is the majority of members and that we also have to bring in new shooters. 3.No big dawgs at Area 6 3gun - I do know a couple of the top guys and why they didnt go, some was because there was not enough money to warrent going and some had other commitments. Most the top shooters like it when someone talks to them ( when they are getting ready to shoot a stage )about their gear, how to shoot or any other questions you have. Mr. Voigt has no problem with people talkink to him before and after matches about what they think should be happening with our sport. Great people that are good shooters like Beven Grams started me in pistol and 3gunning and does whatever he can to promote the sport. Mike Voigt teaches new and experianced shooters alike as does several other shooters. I know for a fact that if you aproach Mike Voigt,Bennie Cooley Matt Burkett, Taran Butler.Bruce Piatt or any other top shooter they would listen to any ideas that you have to better the sport and try to help you. So if you have any ideas talk to Mike Voigt at the Fort Benning match or e-mail him(he does read them and this IS YOUR SPORT ALSO). I send this post respectfully, DON AUGUSTINE

Depending on the the size of the plate, I may draw to the plate and go far to near.It is always easier to go faster going from far to near.But then again,if it is a small plate I may go paper, far to near, and finish on the steel.I have seen several gm's do it both ways.

Dave- Are you still giving cash back or plaques for prizes?With all your money I'll bet its cash!I'll see you out there. Don

Beven @ Grams Eng. (949)548-3745 e-mail teamge@gramseng.com

I run an oversized mag button and hit it with my trigger finger.No matter how bad a RO is they cannot dq me for haveing my finger on the trigger during a mag change because its on the button and the end of my finger is past the bottom of the trigger guard(I hit the button with the middle of my finger).I shoot with a guy that has a left handed release that he hits with his right trigger finger.I have tried it and have better luck with a standard mag release.

If you send the mags to Beven, he will tune the mag ,reshape the feed lips and will make sure that with the base pad on it will be limited legal.Old style svi tube will get 21 rounds and the sti tubes get 20 without a problem.The new Grams format also makes it really nice.

The red stands out better than the amber. With the close targets look over the top of the scope, it can work pretty good.

I would love to go and may if I can get a slot.If anyone goes and wants some team shirts let me know and I will take care of it. I will send " TEAM PRIVATEER AMERICA " with some killer looking embroidered shooting shirts and some screen printed t-shirts.Shoot for yourself, the USA and the USPSA,be proud and let it be known.

Has anyone tried a Robinsons Armiment?They say they are as accurate as an AR and use AR mags but do not come with a pistol grip in Cali,but they have the stud for the after market pistol grip.

Warp- They will be for all calibers and, caliber specific I believe.Beven just finished them last night and brought them to me this morning to try them out.They work great and on the bottom of the followers it now has his name and the mag tube the fit.

I just recieved my new style springs and follwers from GRAMS ENG today and they are SLICK.They are a completely new designed follower (the spring may be also but Im not sure).These are going to be the new "got to have" item.

Thank you everybody for the nice words.Pictures will follow shortly and as far as I can tell he wants a new open gun. Dave I'll be back monday night so I won't see you before area 2 so good luck and I'll talk to you when you get back.

I am finally a father for the first time and Im telling everone who will listen! We have a boy named Nicholas Ryan Augustine.The name was my wifes idea.

Pete- Try Armscore 180gr. rnfp with 5.2 gr. vvn320 @1.175" with a pf of 168.9. I also shoot these at all the steel matches with out any problems.These shoot well and they are alot cheaper.

I, like most peole I shoot with (in limited class ) carry three mags and one in the gun.That gives you 80 rounds to start the stage with.

Pete- Talk to Beven @ GRAMS ENG (949 ) 548-3745. I would hold off on getting the Dawson +1 pad until you talk to Beven. When he tunes the tubes he reshapes the lips and makes the bodies function correctly, he also has his own springs,pads and followers. If you talk to him he can give you alot of insight. Hope this helps. grim

Rufus- It could be any of several problems, and I hve found that when some companys have said that thay have tuned a mag all they have done was polished them and put their name on them. Call Beven @ GRAMS ENG. ( 949 ) 548-3745 , he reshapes and tunes the mag , spring and followers to run great. With his tunning package on a sti mag you can get 20 , .40 cal bullets in the mag with no problem. Give him a call you won't be sorry- they don't call him the " MAG GURU " for nothing. Good luck grim

I load 5.3 gr @ 1.175" with a .40 cal 180 gr. armscor with a pf of 168.8 through a sti 5" edge and it works great

I wanted to start shooting some manual rifle but I'm not sure on a set up.Are people shooting .30 cal guns with a heavy barrel or will a varmint gun work ( rem vssf 22-250 )?How far do the targets usually range? Thanks for any help grim

About 2-3 months ago I asked the same question about what shotgun to go with and why.Kurt gave me some very helpful insight. I have hunted and shot many shotgun matches but was new to three gun and did not know what to look for. All the points that have been brought up are valide but I wanted a gun that would help me and not just one the top shooters had.( Most of them could shot a rubber band gun @ 95%)I went to GRAMS ENG. and Beven explained as much as he could on what I needed to look for in a shotgun.That alone made a hugh difference.So my 2 cents is this- talk to someone like Beven Grams or Bennie Hill and ask what is important to look for in the gun and try a couple.

Maybe I'm asking it the wrong way. Are the match winners at big matches ( area & nationals) or matches with a good prize table, are the winners usually shooting an open gun?I too am a firm believer that practice and dedication will get a moderately skilled shooter better and further than a person trying to be moderatly good because of their eguipment.

Flex- In Sept.of 2002 I bought my first pistol.It was a brand new STI EDGE,I put a long SVI trigger in it ( set at 1 1/2 lbs ) a stainless guide and a GRAMS tungston mag well on it for balance.I have been spending alot of time at the range.I also have been shooting steel matches as well as ipsc matches almost every sat. & sun.I am starting to win my class almost every weekend but I'm falling apart on my classifiers.I do want to get an open gun because they look so cool and it seems that when I get to a level where I could get a match win I would have to have an open gun.Should I wait until I get an A or a B card.I did get to shoot an open gun with a tri bred(?) comp with a bushing barrel. Is that a good way to go or is a cone barrel with a added comp the way? I know that open is the way I want and need to go to eventually get to the top of the game.What way will help me the most? Thanks for the insight, grim

I have been shooting a pistol, of any kind, since 9-02. Before I knew anything about the sport I saw a picture of an open gun and thought that was the coolest thing that I had ever seen, and I had to have one.The first couple of people that I met said that since I had never shot a pistol before that I should start with a limited gun and learn how to shoot.I like shooting limited and I am starting to win my class at the local clubs I shoot at on a regular basis. Should I wait until I move up in class to switch to an open gun? Did I really need to start with a limited gun or could I have started with an open gun? My brother wants to start shooting now and someone told him the same thing about starting with a limited gun. Is this true? Thanks, grim

Is it three days of shooting or can it be shot two days ( sat & sun ) or is there a banquet on Sunday that limits the shooting to Fri & Sat?

Beven- So thats how its going to be huh? When you mount the optics on the gun how will it hold up to the recoil of a shotgun.With the mount that you have made I know it will stay mounted a lot better than epoxy but how will the dot hold up? grim