DarthMuffin

I have 10k of WSPs on backorder with Cabela's since 5/3. I have not received any shipping notice

Wow! That's a great job. I hope the paint job holds up as well as it looks.

I've used both. I like the SR loops better. I have had the "spacer" on the SR loop backing come loose twice, but I think I have it nailed down now. The tec-lock is nice, but if you have love handles or a "muffin top" it tends to poke you and be uncomfortable. It sticks higher above the belt and has hard square edges.

Honestly, I'm not sure. I don't suspect ammo problems because all the problem rounds rechambered and fired fine later on. It could be a combo of things that fixed it. I didn't have the luxury of time to test each fix one at a time (I didn't get to shoot for like a month... starting to get withdrawl symptoms). If I had to lay the odds down: 50% chance the 10 to 10.75lb spring change helped. 20% chance chamber checking the ammo helped. 20% chance it was just random cr*p that got in the chamber causing the problems before, and none of this had any effect. 10% chance it's not fixed, I'm just lucky and haven't done a big enough sample size.

A followup on this: I chamber checked every reloaded round, and found two that failed out of the 700 I checked. One due to bulge, one due to a nick around the mouth. I replaced the 10lb recoil spring with one of Henning's new 10.75lb springs. Checked the gun over well for burrs, nicks, etc. and didn't find anything. Hand cycled through a mag worth of rounds (same 1.175 OAL I've been using) and they fed fine and didn't have any markings on them like they were hitting anywhere. Since then I've shot about 200 rounds in practice and 2 matches worth another 300 rounds. This last match I got one fail to feed, but the failure was not like the previous ones and a tap/rack cleared it. I didn't have time to examine the failure then, it was probably mag related, possibly just dirty. Other than that it's been flawless... so I hope it continues to work as well! Thanks for the advice all.

Nice article! I've bookmarked that to send to people when they ask what the heck this shooting thing I do is all about.

FWIW, there will be a multi-gun match in the Tri-Cities this fall. I believe they were talking October. Keep checking www.ewpsa.org for info. I just joined the local club and we're slowly starting to get our act together with the big guy gone. He was one of those people who did SO much that you don't realize until he's gone.

For me... Hits: Tanfoglio/EAA Witness Elite Limited (I think my gun search is at an end, permanently) Chronopro digital chronograph (just works, no fussing) Hornady LNL-AP press Montana Gold Bullets Titegroup powder Skate tape Slide Glide CR speed belts Midway small range bag FN SLP Mk2 Techwear shirts UPLULA Misses: E3 powder (won't meter) Various rubber or suede-like grips and grip tape Progrip Midway's large range bag (nice, but just too much to lug around) HK 91 (it is possible to have too much gun in 3-gun) Rainier bullets (tumbles out of some of my guns) ESS ICE glasses w/ RX insert

I got this link in email a few weeks ago. Sounds suspiciously familiar: http://www.somalicruises.com/ I'm going to call BS on this one until I see a phone number, web site, or somewhere that mentions the company and actually offers the signup. Besides, 100 rds of 7.62x39 for about $14USD? That sound fictitional all by itself... unfortunately.

A 4th vote for Bullfrog here! I use the spray but I've used the pump too, it's the same stuff either way, just a different bottle. It works well and stays on through some serious sweating and abuse. It's the best "feeling" sunscreen I've used -- I almost don't feel like I even have any on. Oh, and I'm a natural redhead. I have lots of experience with sunscreen

So when my work calls me on my personal cell phone they'll now be paying a part of my annual taxes, right?

Have you tried hornady.com? A little more expensive but I got some there a month ago.

I'll inspect the pistol a little more closely for burrs, etc. I haven't seen any yet. I like the idea of cycling virgin rounds through and seeing if they're marked up at all, I'll try that. I did a quick polish of the chamber and ramp when I got the gun. I really like the suggestion that next time it happens to see if it's the slide or cartridge that's jammed, great tshooting suggestion. I'll start chamber-checking match rounds too. I have one idea that occurred to me this morning -- I'm shooting Montana Gold JHP bullets and I suppose it's possible the hollow point is catching on something (sort of a semi-nosedive that still manages to feed) and nicking off a bit of jacket around the HP edge. The easy test would be CMJ bullets, but I have tons of the JHP to use first so I'll see what I can find out. Does anyone think 1.175 is too long of an OAL for an EAA Witness .40?

Heck, there's a reason to buy one right there!

Am using slide-glide already, I probably should have mentioned that in the first post.

Do you chamber check your ammo? If not, you need to do it. Yes, one case out of 200 may have a bulged base that does not allow it to fully chamber. The question is when you clear the jam can you take that same round and get it to feed the next time? If it is difficult to reopen the gun which you noted then it is most likely a bulged case(s). I use a U-die and still chamber check EVERY round if I will be shooting it in a match or if it is more than just backyard practice drills. Good luck No, I did not chamber check/case gauge the ammo. I don't suspect the ammo because a: When the problem happens, no ammo will feed. The odds of having 4-5 unchamberable bullets in a row are slim-to-none. b: The bullet that failed to feed will chamber and fire after the gun is unjammed and the chamber cleaned out. I did this 3 times, using the problem bullet when I function tested. If I'm wrong here and you see some other reason it may still be ammo, I'm listening... Next time I have a problem, would it be a valid test to then case gauge the round that first exhibited the problem or could the case have it's dimensions changed by the jam? A case gauge will be on my next parts order and I do plan to gauge before big matches. For this past weekend, I thought about borrowing a friend's but I simply didn't have time to case gauge the 1000-ish rounds we used. To answer some other questions/comments: Yeah, the TG is dirty. But with powder supplies like they are, I'm stuck with it for now as I have plenty. I tried E3 but can't get the SD down to any sane levels. Want to try VV320 some day. Also, the problems happened when the gun was clean (within the first 50 rounds), dirty, and again on day two after I cleaned it the previous night. OAL of 1.175 was recommended by Henning. I think there are people here running lots longer, like 1.22. Using a Hornady seating die (Hornady taper crimp too). It's got good reviews and is supposed to be one of the better ones, but I'm not adverse to trying something else if a heavier recoil spring and chamber checking doesn't help. I'll give the silicone trick a try. Someone this weekend also mentioned they run a silicone rag through their mags after cleaning too.

I'll give that a try, thanks. I also ordered one of Henning's 10.75lb springs too. Once I'm ready for it I'll go straight there and forget the 10lb one.

I have a Witness Elite Limited that I bought new and started shooting this year. I've shot it in 2 local matches and many practice sessions without any issues, except for a few nose-dives that I seemed to have fixed by going with a longer [than .40 SAAMI spec] OAL. This weekend it (and me -- my brain is full, can I be excused?) really got a workout at a training class with Max Michel and Travis Tomasie (Max really likes the gun, btw). The gun was giving me problems failing to return to battery. It happend 4 times, and each time it pretty much puts you out of whatever you were doing (if it were a match, I'd have had to DNF the stage). The symptom is that it stops about 1/4", maybe a little less, from going into battery. The slide won't go forward. With great effort you can pull the slide back. The first time it happened I field stripped the gun and found a small piece of brass stuck on the front edge of the chamber. Removed that and it was fine. The second time it happened I just ran a bore snake through it and it was fine again. The third time after cycling about 4 rounds through it eventually started feeding again on it's own. The fourth time I just put the gun away and went to my USP backup gun. Going to the USP after the Tanfoglio I feel like I'm driving a truck on an autocross course, but at least it goes bang EVERY time. I don't think it's out of spec ammo because each time I tried cycling in a few more rounds and even changing mags with the same result. It happened both early in the day when the gun was clean, and later on after 700 rounds. The gun has a 10lb recoil spring, 13lb hammer spring, Henning XL firing pin and titefit slide pin . Ammo is once fired (most from a Glock) Winchester brass, WSP primer, 4.7gr titegroup, 180gr Montana Gold JHP, 1.175-1.180 OAL, ran through an EGW "U" die and taper crimped to about .421. I feeds fine, save for one nose-dive with a really dirty mag. Any ideas guys? I'd appreciate any input since it's not really reliable enough to use in a match at this point. Thanks.

If I were the chrono guy and I got a gun dripping with oil, I'd first fire a few shots into the berm and *then* take the chrono reading At that point, as the chrono guy, it's mine to do with as I will and there's no rule saying I can't "un-oil" it either. +1 on all the suggestions for truly random sampling. There are lots of ways to do this (not that I've ever ran a major match -- back seat match directing here). I'd probably pick a random time to sample each squad, such as barge in when they're in the middle of a stage and ask everyone in the squad to give you 10 rds from their front-most magazine and warn them that if the rounds come from anywhere else they'll be DQ'd under 10.4.

On their web site at http://www.maxmichel.com/ClassStatus.htm Or do you mean the schedule for this weekend? It's 9A-5P both days.

I ordered some WSPs from Cabelas about 2 weeks ago. I get an automated email from them every few days saying they're still on back order and scheduled to ship 6/30. I put 4lbs of Titegroup on the same order to combine hazmat fees and there's no ETA on the powder yet.

I used to work for a concrete/gravel company and they had a windshield hotline because this is so common. If you do need to file a claim, make sure you know the time of day, location, and if possible get a truck number or license plate. That will let them verify that they had a truck there at the time. Also, when asked the rock flew straight off the truck and hit your car, it did not bounce off of the concrete first If you met the above conditions, the claim was usually paid without any further trouble.

The Shilo Inn is only $97/night and pretty good (although I personally haven't stayed there in 5 years or so). The Clarion is a mile or two closer and just a few bucks more, it's also a pretty good hotel. If you're looking for a bargain, you could even stay in Pasco or Kennewick. Kennewick is the biggest city with the most hotels I think. Richland is about 15-20 minutes from the range, and Pasco/Kennewick are only about 15 minutes farther than that. DrShooter: got start times or round counts yet? I need to get my butt-a-reloadin'

Another way to approach getting this unblocked is to ask the filter company to recategorize it. You should get a "blocked by websense" or some other software name. Go to their site and they usually have a way you can submit miscategorized URLs. This won't be instant, it'll take a few days or weeks for them to add it and for your local company to download the updated database. I'm the firewall admin at my company, and the filter companies aren't perfect. There are a LOT of web sites out there and they can't get them all perfectly.

Todd had a similar problem at the 2007 Nats in Missoula too (I got it on video somewhere). He had what he thought was a squib, looked at the RO, who didn't flinch, he said "I'm gonna blow up the gun", RO was still a rock, so he kept shooting ... and didn't blow up the gun. The rumor later that day was he was using some brand new brass that didn't have the primer hole drilled all the way through. If that was the case, the RO should have stopped him, otherwise he made the correct call. I don't remember hearing a squib, but I also wasn't in the RO's spot. I seem to remember Todd had other gun problems earlier in the stage and it wasn't going well, so perhaps the RO was just suspicious. When I went through RO class the teacher advised us to watch for a competitor who's doing poorly, then pulls a mag out of a pocket or somewhere odd, and suddenly gets a squib. What you would find is an upside-down primer which sounds like a squib but isn't, so the shooter gets stopped and gets a reshoot. Now there's a rule about not using mags from pockets unless you don't have a choice. I assume exactly for this reason. To get back on topic -- if I see a competitor's gun losing parts I'm stopping them. I'm right next to them and I also don't need a frame fragment piercing my face, thanks.