Jack T

I would like to try 115 Grain JHP/TC/RN in my super. Question, who manufactures/distributes in .356? No problem finding .355 but all the .356 has been in a jacketed softpoint. Thank you

Thanks Paul, I truly appreciate the overview. I had the opportunity to shoot with you in December my first match back with an Open Gun. Having seen you shoot adds much credibility to what you have to post. Thank you, Jack T.

Roy, Thank you. I'm cutting it short here on practice time, so I just ordered 50 of them next day air. Never shot them before. Do you know Jimmy and Artie Mitchel? (Mitchel Custom Guns/Bulletworks, Breckenridge, TX) Mitch just finished building the Open Para I will be shooting there. Super people. Super job on the gun too. Again, Thank you very much. Jack T.

Greetings, This is interesting. I have yet to encounter a problem of spring bind with a "properly" designed guide rod plug/slide and stock length recoil spring. If the plug/guide and or slide are not properly machined back to full slide travel then this will present a problem because the spring will be pre-loaded more than the original design specs for the spring. (A shock buff does this too) If you have to remove coils from a properly manufactured recoil spring, (more than 2 in a gun with a full length cycle/action) the actual problem lies elsewhere (in respect to 1911 style slides). Years ago we played with physicaly shortening the cycle of the slide so that it would cycle faster. As fast as the 9X21 would cycle and with an extended ejector the original cycle could be shortened to make it even faster and we had to modify springs for that application because spring bind comes into play (with a stock spring). Actually the springs were custom made because after 5 or more coils are removed from a stock length spring the spring becomes useless. (Edited by Jack T at 7:06 am on Feb. 6, 2002)

Greetings, The Florida Open will be my first "big" match since my years of absence from the sport. Any insights or suggestions that might be peculiar to the Open? (besides good luck) Thanks

Greetings, I have never quite understood why a shooter would have a complaint about major/minor scoring and the people that I know and shoot with thru the years never even discuss it. It's not an issue. Period. If a person takes their shooting/competition seriously you have to ask yourself this question. If I am going to compete at a certain level and expect certain results, what are the equipment requirements for me to do this? Rules are rules. Acceptance. Latter PS: If you knowingly take a knife to a gun fight and lose, what right do you have to complain? (my spelling is bad tonight, hence the edits) (Edited by Jack T at 8:43 pm on Feb. 5, 2002) (Edited by Jack T at 8:49 pm on Feb. 5, 2002)

Bill, Again thanks for the book info and here is one that I think you might like for the arms. I do what are called hammer curls with two 15 - 20 lb. dumbells. I sit in my office type chair or stand, I prefer to sit so that I concentrate or isolate the particular muscles and do four count repetitions, 1,2,3,-1, 1,2,3,-2, etc. alternating left and right arms during the cadence. Try it I think you will like the results. This was the humor workout thread and some of my workouts become a joke, like the 5 mile run I was intending to do this morning before work. Latter

Greetings, Paul is right in one of his previous post where he stated you don't know the situation/reasons why a GM/M might place so low in the scoring. (I am guilty at looking at major matchs and questioning this) Before I was diagnosed with the cancer, I was a Master Class Shooter. This is not something I freely like to admit, but my mental game was weak and when I went to a major match where the big dogs were, I felt intimidated and shot very poorly. My prior classification (11 years ago) means nothing to me now because it would be a farst to try and reclaim it. I have struggled since I have started to compete again and am about to move from C to B Class. I have had a couple good matchs where I quit thinking and started shooting and won the match (defeating Masters). This is not the norm because I still have not developed a consistent mental game. I pressure myself so bad on the classifiers that I blow them. Talk about being called a sandbagger, but these are people that do not know my situation. As far as re-shooting a classifier. If you can do better, go for it. It's really no different than going to a match and some squads shoot the classifier as the first stage and some might shoot it as the last. (in reference to being warmed up advantage) Latter

Greetings all, Back to the origin of why we have different scoring for Major/Minor. I am going to be telling my age on this one, but I don't feel old. The origin of the sport goes back to Combat Shooting. We didn't have very high tech equipment back then, it was pretty much stock 1911's and wheel guns. It was not a recoil issue it was what was and sometimes still refered to as potential stopping power. (I don't want to discuss stopping power on this thread, I don't think it would be appropriate) The .45 ACP (major) was considered to have more stopping power than the lesser 9mm/38's etc. (minor), so it was determined that it should score higher than the others. If that sounds preferential treatment for one cartridge over another, it was. That was our thinking during that time and I was just as guilty (and ignorant) as anybody else. The .45 single stack was the king of the hill. Latter PS: It all comes down to shot placement. Damn, I tried but I couldn't restrain myself. NOTE: For clarification, both major and minor were considered to do the same damage with a center mass hit, but it was believed that the .45 would do more damage outside the vital area (c/d zone) than the 9mm/38. (Edited by Jack T at 5:26 pm on Feb. 4, 2002) (Edited by Jack T at 5:30 pm on Feb. 4, 2002)

Greetings, This thread is running totaly unrelated to the topic. But, can someone direct me to a hot, controversial thread on Minor vs Major Power Factor? This is the first forum I have ever had the interest to participate in and I am not entirely sure how it works. latter

Eric, Right on. I started to mention CorrosionX but I thought the grease would be more appropriate. The stuff is fantastic for electronics exposed to the elements such as the electrical panel in a boat exposed to salt air. I do a lot of marine repair work since I retired and I always spray all electrical components with CorrosionX. I can go back to the same panel years latter and it looks like the day I built it. Can't say enough about it. Latter

Thanks Rob, I didn't want to be quite so blatant as my credability has not been established. Personally, I feel it is our responsibility at the individual/club level to take an active role and promote our sport. You guys do a great job at that level and as you said before, you provide a data base. There are so many ways we can promote a higher interest in the sport and retain our members. One reason we have a large attrition rate within our members is due to non-advancement within the classification system. For example; a shooter has weak fundamentals, made C class and has been there for two years, gets frustrated and gets out of the sport. I feel that it is our responsibility to mentor the new shooters and those that want help so that they maintain growth. I have the time, so I make myself available to these individuals on a Saturday out at the range to give them the assistance they need on their fundamentals. It's hard for them to progress when they try to do it by themselves. We need to get more involved. This sport means so much to me. When I was diagnosed with terminal cancer and started getting sliced and diced internally a few years ago, I felt that I was robbed not being physicaly capable of shooting competition again. It left a huge hole in my life, as I thrived on competition. Having been given a second chance to do it again with a clean bill of health, I refuse to take it for granted and will do everything I can to promote it. I am just full of ideas at the moment, but I have a serious head cold and need to take a break. Latter

Eric, The question on the table is, "What can be done to stem USPSA'S slow but steady decline." Where did most of the single stack shooters go? Not too many of them shoot IPSC anymore because they found other competition more readily acceptable. Tell me if I am wrong, but is it not a correct assumption that most potentialy new shooters are led to believe that they must have a hi-cap pistol to compete. I have met numerous shooters at the indoor range where I practice at night and invite them out to one of our matches. The most common reply that I get is that they don't have a hi-cap gun or can't afford one yet. They seem to think they are looked down upon for shooting a single stack. Many new shooter look at IPSC as mainly an equipment game, although those that have been in it for many years know it is much more than that. This is one reason why many shooters seek the other shooting disciplines in lieu of USPSA. When I made the decision to try and compete again, I had to start from scratch. All my guns were destroyed 5 years ago in a hurricane. I was not prepared to drop the big bucks for a new open gun and find out I was not capable of competing at the same level I once did. I wanted to shoot a single stack and find out, but everyone and their brother tried to talk me out of it. Everything feels fantastic again and I am back with a new open gun and having fun (not quite at the same level yet, but fun all the same). The difference being is that I knew I had a choice. Again, I feel strongly about recommending limited 10 to a potentialy new member as a cost effective initial entry into the sport. If he/she wants to make the initial investment for limited/open so be it. Let's promote the option, not ignor it. latter

Greetings, Having been away from IPSC/USPSA for the last 10 years for health reasons I have seen virtually little change from back then and now except for the major difference being the dominant presence of high capacity guns. Lets face it, to be competetive in this sport it takes a major investment in time and money. If I was going to race cars I wouldn't jump into Formula 1, I would start off at the local track and race what ya brung. My point, there is so little emphasis placed on limited 10 guns that one feels that for initial entry into the sport you have to invest in big buck equipment. Our sport began with the slightly modified 1911 single stack. It appears to me that the current mentality needs to be changed toward promoting the single stack, not treating it as a step child. It is an excellent entry level/cost effective gun and it is a hell of a lot of fun and challenge to shoot. PS. Place yourself as a new shooter (limited knowledge), you go to buy a new hi-cap gun and raise the question about magazines procurement. Get my drift.

Greetings, Having just re-entered IPSC after a 9-10 absence due to cancer/sugeries etc., I was a little taken back by the new classification system in regards to GM/M. I may be mistaken as memory does not serve me well here, but I believe we had a system in place in the 80's that one would have to win a major level match with so many Masters in attendance to receive this prestigious honor. It was earned, not administratively handed out. This also had a negative effect back then because it was hard to move up in classification in general (Information/Computer) and IPSC/USPSA suffered loss of membership due to many shooters quitting because they couldn't move up in classification. Personally, if I don't earn it, I don't want it, but each to their own.

Greetings, Great topic. I was diagnosed with cancer (originaly terminal) 10 years ago and underwent major surgery for the removal, etc. I had 90 % of my stomach removed among other internal parts. The cancer disapeared and I feel good again and have returned to my first love, IPSC, a few months ago. Proper nutrition is paramount to me now and I appreciated these posts. One major factor not normally brought up during the topic of de-hydration is the fact that one of the first symptoms is anxiety. How much more anxiety does one need during a major match?

Greetings, For anyone still interested, it is called Dialectic Grease and it may be found in automotive stores. It is a corrossion inhibitor utilized for electrical connections/terminals etc.