markwilliston

We probably bought those from the lowest bidder God would that ever be a crappy feeling to see that thing hit the ground..... GET ME OUT OF HERE!!! FUNNY

Long but fun four days of flying, got home mid morning thursday with very little sleep. Talked to Murray around noon and he said lead going down range at 3pm, way too nice of a day not to go shooting Dry fire is helping, draws are coming out faster and more natural. Did a lot of draw, 2 shots and holster from 10 yards. Then draw 2 shots weakhand and holster. Still getting used to having that ambi-safety for my weakhand thumb. Murray wanted to do some bench shooting on his gun because some work had been done on the sights. At 25 yards he wasn't very happy with how his gun was grouping, so I said "try mine, and see what it does". On the one hand I was really happy with how tight my gun shot, on the other hand, I need to spend some more time on the bench so I can shoot my gun as well as Murray did.... Dryfire tonight, more later.

I'm not at home right now so I don't have the specific numbers. But I think you will find the max load for 200gr bullet with titegroup is 5.2 somewhere in there with a much shorter OAL. Here is the Hogdon page: http://www.hodgdon.com/data/pistol/45acp.php Mark

Just got home from a 3 day pairing of late nights. I am on reserve this month (I fly for the airlines) living in Vancouver, and being based in Toronto means I have to do some sitting time in Toronto. I try and avoid it like the plague, anytime I am on reserve I try and get signed up for the longest pairing of flying I can find. Work wise it's been excellent, I am way ahead of most of my collegues for flying time this month, the goal is to be out of hours and at HOME for the last 10 days. Training wise it's not soo good. Yesterday I was a beyond tired, and just left the gun stuff alone. Tonight dry fire went well, 10 yard surrender index down to 1.2, 10 yard strong hand index at 1.4, and 10 yard turn and draw down to 1.4 I had been doing the turn and draw away from the gun, which worked well for foot placement. But after watching some video clips, and reading around here... I have been trying the turn and draw into the gun. It does seem faster, gonna try it at the range next. Reloading wise, I am well ahead of the game on practice ammo. I've got one and a half protein supplement tubs full of bullets now. Just finished loading the last of the 200gn copper JFN bullets. Cost wise, I think I may just shoot lead bullets this year. Gonna decide that over the next couple of weeks. Tomorow morning I catch the 7am flight to Toronto and my work day of flying starts later in the afternoon. If all goes well, should be home for live fire practice with the gang on thursday. Overall thins are coming together nicely

I'm using 4.9gr titegroup at 1.240 for my practice load with those bullets.

I'm new to reloading, been doing it for a year on the 550. Fortunately had somebody with a lot of experience go through the setup with me. Follow the same steps every time: Pull the handle left thumb rotates to next station right hand puts empty brass into 1st station left hand puts bullet at station three Pull the handle left thumb rotates to next station right hand puts empty brass into 1st station left hand puts bullet at station three etc.... If you have a screwup-primer didn't seat, bullet didn't seat and crushed case, somebody comes and talks to you, the phone rings, whatever. STOP look at station 2, is there any powder in the case? YES or NO, if there is any question in your mind at that point. Back up, from station one you will get a primed case, from station two you will get a case with powder in it so dump it, from station three you will have a case case with powder in it, dump it. Station 4 allready had a seated bullet. If you follow the same procedure every single time, the same thing comes out of the press every single time. You don't want to rely on an electronic device to save you from irregular operation. Mark

Work isn't supposed to interfere with shOOting Just got back from a Toronto-Dallas-Toronto-Calgary-Vancouver-Calgary turn, and it was snowing in Dallas... Dry fire practice tonight, been using Steve Andersons book. Par times for 10-year index and surrender 10 yard index around 1.3 Weak hand index down to 1.7, and reload feels good at 1.2. The new magwell sure makes it a lot easier. Reloading has gone good the little bit I have been home. Just about time to switch back to Montana golds and see what works best. Toronto tomorow...

Okay I'll up it to $60 and I will cover shipping

Practiced on range 6 today, didn't want to pick brass in the snow so I shot from the cover. That put the tagets at about 17 yards. Setup 2 targets about 3 feet apart, worked draws and transition between targets. Freestyle had good shot placement, seemed to be pushing the shots a little initially but it went away. Strong hand was good, and weak hand was a little wild Don't do shoulder workout at the gym on practice day. Bullet choice for the year is gonna have to be made pretty quickly.

Joe's Beer house?? Can't make it this year, but I could see going back to Namibia at a future date

+1 Just tried it that way, and AWESOME results. I thought I put too much water in, but it all worked out great.

Friday was a beautiful day, so decided to go back out for a practice. Started off with Bill drills, gonna get that baseline for the start of the year. Shot it 9 times, 2 didn't count cause of B's. Best time 3.2 with a 1.7 draw. Did Strong and doubles, and weak hand doubles. Shot placement was good, almost no tape outside of A. Weak hand thumb still getting used to being on top of the safety. Good practice

First live practice of the year was thursday. It was a learning experience, but not really the shooting kind. I had a magwell from STI install, and came right from the gunsmith to the range. Get all setup, load and make ready. Put the mag in, mag falls out. Great, I left the gun at the gunsmith without the mags.... find an allen key so I can get the magwell off and practice. Okay, it's all good now. Gonna start the year off with Bill Drills. The buzzer goes, good draw, bang the slide doesn't close after the first shot... The extractor didn't grab the one out of the chamber. Mag out, clear the one out of the chamber and start over. BEEP, BANG, same thing.... mag comes out, lock the slide, sorta take a look at the extractor (aparently didn't look good enough) looks dirty. Try again, BEEP, BANG, wtf..... lock it open and take much closer look the extractor isn't dirty the just plain broken Back to the range bag, for the spare extractor. It goes in okay, but can not get the firing pin stop in. Take it out, nope gonne need some work to get the firing pin stop and extractor together. That's enough at the range for one day :-)

I'm not much for putting stuff down on paper, so this will be my training journal. A bit of background, haven't got a clue where I heard about IPSC Honest, it just happened and FAST! I went and watched a match, was lucky to stick with an awesome squad, and I ordered a gun on the monday. Always wanted a 1911 in .45ACP so I ordered an STI Trojan 5.0 It's not the perfect gun for IPSC, but it's a keeper. Actually borrowed a gun to do the black badge course, and shot my first match a month and a half later. I was very fortunate to meet Murray Gardner, he did my black badge course, and has been coaching me since. Finished the year with our BC provincials and got top of the D, oh so close to C My previous job had me gone for extended periods of time, when I was home it was awesome and I did a lot of shooting, but I never ever caught up with reloading. 10pm the night before provincials I was still loading my match ammo.... NOT this year! As far as my gun, hopefully I am done tweaking it for now. It's had a nice trigger job, Tungstein guide rod from EGW, polished up the insides, 12 lb recoil spring, ambi safety, and magwell from STI.

Picking brass in slightly melted snow is not cool Damn things sink, but the snow is like a rock. This is not supposed to happen in Vancouver!

Appreciate the comments, had Joe Dlask fit one of his extractors today. Aftec on order and will run that when it shows up. After yesterday, all new/spare parts will be fitted and tried out at home before going to the range.

You get home from the range and an hour later your gun is still frozen

Any recommendations? I'm shooting an STI trojan in .45 and broke the extractor today. Thought I had it beat, cause I bought a spare from STI. Went to my gun bag pulled it out, and the stupid thing would not fit. The firing pin stop wouldn't even come close to sliding on the extractor. So I packed up and came home. Did some sanding on the extractor and got it to fit, although not as good as I would like. What are you guys using for Extractors, I want another one for my range bag and it is not going to be from STI. On the bright side, I am glad it happened on a practice day, and not a match day

Have you been cycling the gun with practice rounds (no primer, or powder) to confirm the bullet isn't setting back?

I have made great use out of my Dillon bullet puller over the last year, until a couple days ago... I was doing setting up a load on my 550, and put a bullet with no primer or powder in the puller to take it apart. I wacked it on the concrete and plastic when flying everywhere! WTF!!! I'm looking at what flew around the room trying to figure out how the hell it came apart. Words of wisdom, don't ever wack it on the concrete upside down. I don't know how the hell I did it, but anyone the platic nut that holds the bullet shatters when you do that.

Lee, It sure is nice when the problem is "What gun do I want??" I'm on the early front side of the shooting learning curve, bought an STI trojan in .45 and have started shooting IPSC this year. The .45 isn't perfect for IPSC, but I have always wanted one, and this one is a keeper. I'm sure I will buy other guns, I just wanted to start with a .45 and everyone should have a good one Shooting like alot of other sports has it's "levels" they look at production as the beginer level because it costs less, then you move up to Standard, and when you get really really good and wanna go all out, OPEN is the top. To me that is backwards. Production is about the toughest category to shoot, double action first shot, no mods etc... Standard is great, you can do a lot with the gun, I'm having a great time with it. Open is where I wish I could have started. Compensated barrel and optical sights, it doesn't get any better. Particularily for the older crowd (that's not me) that are having a little harder time seeing that front sight, optical is pretty nice. The couple matches I have been to have had a few little old ladies working through the stages with their open guns having a great time. If you haven't tried an open gun, see if you can borrow one. Just a consideration, cause it really is fun. I'm gonna get one at some point :-) Good luck with the search

It's gonna be a Level III match 20 stages 375 rounds minimum

Still setting up for a practice load, I had what I thought was gonna work out really well today. The bullets are a copper jacketed 200gr flat nose that I had used in ealier in the year. With 4.7 gr of Titegroup I guess there just wasn't enough pressure cause it was soooooo dirty.... it made a mess everywhere All part of the learning curve The RO who has used those particular bullets alot said to try it again at 1.230 so I will try that and see what it does. On the bright side, they fed great.

Thanks guys, I can happily say I haven't had that problem yet... that one primer looks like it's never gonna come out....