BayouSlide

Yes, it seems counterintuitive but if you let it fall (outside the course of fire) you're always in the clear. Some people may wince at the idea of their plated blaster hitting the gravel, so they could save the pistol and take a DQ. I can recall this being discussed on the forum before. The scarier scenario would be people trying to trap a loaded gun that leaves their hand during the COF. They are already going to be DQed, and in trying to make the save they risk causing an even more dangerous incident. Curtis Edited: 'cause I hate tipos typos!

If it falls out of a holster due to a bump and hits the ground, RO picks it up...no foul. However, if the competitor is trying to trap it and it has cleared the holster to the point the competitor has access to the trigger, then 10.5.1 would seem to apply ( "Handling a firearm at any time except when in a designated safety area or when under the supervision of, and in response to a direct command issued by, a Range Officer.") Curtis

I bought the EGW gauge once I decided to go to Limited. If you have one, and work with it a little, it's actually very well designed IMO to measure mag length...the angle mentioned, in particular, allows accurately measuring the length to the back of the feed lips, no what what the angle of the feedlips. The two small ledges where the back of the magazine touches accounts for magazine tubes that may not be completely flat. A deeper cut out allows for basepad overhang. If you gently press down on the mag in the gauge, the spring will compress a little and then it's easy to hold it up to the light to make sure it is touching at all the appropriate points, and hence legal. Ingenious, actually. A buddy and I went in together on one after I saw how futile it would be to try to get accurate measurements with a caliper. Curtis

Welcome. Spend plenty of time poking around the threads on this forum...it's like post-graduation education for practical shooting topics. I feel sorry for you and Spanky having to face such a long drive to the EAPS match each month Curtis

I got mine years ago as a matched set from some Glock specialist supplier, maybe Custom Glock Racing, so I didn't think much about it. But in glancing through the available Dawson FO fronts for Glock, I don't see the measurement I got at first. I took a more careful look at the front sight. It is a little tough to measure precisely because the base flares out, so I took another stab at it. Here's what I got after mutiple measurements. Still doesn't seem to correspondent with the Dawson specs, FWIW. When viewed from the side, the top of the front sight could be said to resemble a shallow metal H, with fiber optic spanning the open gap. The frontmost portion, from the top of the metal to the slide base, is .270 in.; the rearmost portion measured in the same way is .280. The rear is adjustable well within the range I needed: that being said, I never zero for the traditional "post on pumpkin" six-o'clock bulleye type hold so I can't personally vouch that they would work for that kind of sight picture, but there seems to be plenty of adjustment available to make that possible if that's what you're looking for. FWIW, I would guess what I have is what Dawson sells as the .300. Hope this helps you sort out your problem better...sorry if my initial measurements were a little misleading. Curtis

None now. Closest are 1.5 and 1.75 hrs away. When I started, we had a club match 10 minutes away. But since the majority of the competitors attending the match were coming from 1.5 -1.75 hours away....well, you can fill in the blanks. Curtis

My Vanek Classic triggers have served me well in both a G34 and G17. Charlie's stuff is hard to beat and he provides outstanding customer service. Curtis

Yes, a Glock 34. It looks like 0.245 in. according to my calipers. With a FO sight, I like to use the FO dot for POA/POI when the sights are aligned. For me, when zeroed this way at around 12 yards, I seem to be close enough POA/POI for all practical purposes for our game from close up to 35 yards plus. Hope this helps. Curtis

My Dawson adjustable is still going strong after 56K rounds. I prefer the adjustable with the thin FO front so I can dial the precise zero I want for my load. Curtis

Untested (unzeroed) gear = trouble waiting to happen. Let it happen to someone else. Curtis

Over 56K thousand rounds through my G34. The first 15K or so were factory...all the rest Federals...no appreciable wear on the striker here either. Curtis Edited: 'cause I hate tipos typos!

I love the Zero 147 gr JHPs and have used them successfully for years over 3.3 grs of Titegroup in my G34. Just make sure to stock up when they're available. Very nice handling load especially when coupled with a 13# ISMI spring on a stainless guide rod (I shot USPSA and a guide rod change might not be applicable for your IDPA division, though). Maybe I'll have to give the MG CMJs a try...I actually have a five bullet sample pack from the competitors goody bag from a recent match. Curtis

Blake Miguez seldom gets his butt handed to him at an Area championship, let alone a local one. Don't diss our hometown guy Curtis

In looking for markers, aren't you misdirecting your focus: you should be focusing on targets. Seems like it would be a crutch and better to avoid from the get-go. As far as the rules, I guess it would depend upon your interpretation of 4.5.1. 4.5.1 The competitor must not interfere with the range surface, natural foliage, constructions, props or other range equipment (including targets, target stands and target activators) at anytime. Violations may incur one procedural penalty per occurrence at the discretion of the Range Officer. Curtis

The same as if you handed over your Production pistol minus the guide rod so it could make weight. Your pistol made weight/your mag made length. Now you get to use it in the configuration in which it passed Curtis

Definitely 10 round strings. Another good idea is to use brass with the same headstamp for major matches with chronos: it reduces another potential variable. You've already said you're chronoing under the same temps you expect at the match. Under all those conditions, I would not be comfortable with a load that left any round under minor floor if I were shooting for 133 PF. I've seen similar chrono setups at matches vary from my chronos by a factor of 2-3 in either direction more often than not. Curtis

FWIW, I have three G17 (17rd) mags with Arredondo +5 mags that I use for non-USPSA 3-gun matches. Two fit the gauge as is, one would definitely require minor filing on the rear feed lips to fit. When I checked a buddy's Dawson SNL-basepad equipped STI mags before Area 4 this year, none of them fit the gauge. Rather than file the feed lips of his tuned mags, he bought Dawson basepads that fit. None of my STI tubes (one was a close maybe) fit with the SNL basepads: the Brazos tuned mag with the SNL does, just barely. All to illustrate the point that mag bodies and basepads do vary and I know plenty of people who have never checked their equipment in the box, scale or gauge who got unpleasant surprises at the chrono stage at a major match. Curtis

I've used Zero bullets since I first began reloading. But the increasingly long dry spells is becoming more bothersome. Montana Gold makes 180 JHP for.40/10mm...now if they only made a 147 gr JHP for 9mm then I'd have an alternative. Curtis

Factory part threaded for small set screw. For best results, smooth and round the tip of the screw that will contact the trigger bar. Curtis

BTW, my STI will run factory length rounds just fine, but your OAL would require lower starting loads than what you will probably get from most people here, me included. Play it safe, start lower and work up. Curtis

In my STI I run 4.7 grs of TG at 1.18 OAL with Zero JHP. Switching to MG 180 JHP requires 4.8 grs for the same power factor. YMMV Curtis

Trust him...this man knows his eats...you can take what he says to the bank, er, the buffet. Curtis

After a number of years shooting Glocks in Production I finally took the plunge and picked up a used STI .40 from their Austin era. I could sense it's potential but it had obviously had a checkered past and left me a bit underwhelmed. It sure wasn't three times the gun that my trusty Vanek-triggered G34 had been for 56,000 rounds, but I had sold three of my Glocks to afford a pistol with a great single-action trigger and this wasn't it. After talking with Bobby, I packed it up and sent it to him for a full workover. Over the weeks, I lost track of the number late night/early morning e-mails I exchanged with Bobby, a few times getting responses within minutes, as he patiently answered questions or made changes on the project. I began to wonder if he ever sleeps...if there was award for the hardest working man in the gun business, I'd have to nominate him It's been a long while since I ran into somebody who really went the extra mile for me over something that mattered a lot to me. Bobby, this one's for you Curtis

Good plan on shooting what you're used to. You'll have enough on your plate without running a gun you're unfamiliar with for 12 stages. See you there. Curtis