Hello all...

[cypher]

First, allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Homero Gonzalez.  I used to shoot IPSC competitively about 17 years ago... at which time, marriage, a new job and relocatiion pretty much caused me to stop shooting altogether...  After this long hiatus I have decided that I want to start competing again.

I was an "A" class shooter back then.  I hear now they have additional classifications of Master and Grand Master.  Anyway, I stumbled across this forum today, and in reading the articles, I was very impressed with the level of knowledge and excellent advice being dispensed in this forum.

I want to get up to speed and be competitive again as quickly as possible (who doesn't).  I will be using my old IPSC comp gun in .45 ACP.  I get the feeling not too many people use that caliber anymore.  .38 supers and 9 x 21 were just hitting the scene when I got out.

I have dusted off my old Dillons and gathered up my old leather, sent my Pact Mark II off to be upgraded to a Mark IV and am ready to give it a shot.  Any advice you can give this old timer would be most welcome indeed.

My competition .45 has three slides.  The comp, a regular 5" slide and a .22 conversion.  I am not sure of the different classes yet and which my gun qualifies to shoot in.  Open and Limited I guess... (what's Limited 10?) maybe Production.  I'll have to research that some more.  Of course if any of you guys have any advice to offer I'd be more than willing to listen.

Oh, and I'm sure I'll have about a ton of questions... but they can wait.  Think of me as a newbie, cuz that's how I feel...  ;-)

Thanks in advance,

Homero

[Flexmoney]

Welcome back!  

On equipment:

OPEN class:  Pretty much dominated by double wide guns with extended mags(170mm).  Some type of 38 Super.  You are looking at 25+ rounds in the gun.  The guns are all comped and flat shooting.  Red dot optic.  165 power factor.

LIMITED:  You can do lots of modifcations to the gun.  No comps.  No optics.  Shorter mags (140mm), 20+ rounds in the gun.

Limited 10:  Similar to Limited.  10 round limit on the mags (10+1 in the pipe).  Single-stacks and downloaded double-wides compete here.

PRODUCTION:  Everything here is scored minor.  Double action guns.  Glock, Beretta, etc.  10round mag limit.  No race holster.  Holster and mags worn behind the hip bone.

Revolver:  You can use an 7 or 8 round gun...but must reload after 6 now...or get kicked to Production class.

IPSC and USPSA rules differ slightly.  The Open gun equipment race seems to have stabilized 5-7 years ago.  In Limited, many like a gun with weight toward the front to dampen recoil.

(Edited by Flexmoney at 7:26 pm on April 18, 2002)

[cypher]

Well, typical newbie... I posted this in the wrong forum.  I meant to post it in the IPSC/USPSA forum...  I will repost it there...

It's been a long day... =)

Homero

[cypher]

First, allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Homero Gonzalez.  I used to shoot IPSC competitively about 17 years ago... at which time, marriage, a new job and relocatiion pretty much caused me to stop shooting altogether...  After this long hiatus I have decided that I want to start competing again.

I was an "A" class shooter back then.  I hear now they have additional classifications of Master and Grand Master.  Anyway, I stumbled across this forum today, and in reading the articles, I was very impressed with the level of knowledge and excellent advice being dispensed in this forum.

I want to get up to speed and be competitive again as quickly as possible (who doesn't).  I will be using my old IPSC comp gun in .45 ACP.  I get the feeling not too many people use that caliber anymore.  .38 supers and 9 x 21 were just hitting the scene when I got out.

I have dusted off my old Dillons and gathered up my old leather, sent my Pact Mark II off to be upgraded to a Mark IV and am ready to give it a shot.  Any advice you can give this old timer would be most welcome indeed.

My competition .45 has three slides.  The comp, a regular 5" slide and a .22 conversion.  I am not sure of the different classes yet and which my gun qualifies to shoot in.  Open and Limited I guess... (what's Limited 10?) maybe Production.  I'll have to research that some more.  Of course if any of you guys have any advice to offer I'd be more than willing to listen.

Oh, and I'm sure I'll have about a ton of questions... but they can wait.  Think of me as a newbie, cuz that's how I feel...  ;-)

Thanks in advance,

Homero

[Wildman]

You did not mention the frame type.  If its single stack, shoot L-10. If its wide body, you might want to shot L-10 anyway.  (L-10 is ten rounds in the Magazine) Put the 5" slide on and shoot a limited division of some type.  Its hard to run with the big guys in open with a .45, but it would sure get their attention.

[j1b]

Welcome Cypher!

The neat thing about this forum is that we look forward to learning as much from you as you will from the great people in here.

I agree with Wildman - if you're going to shoot a .45 (which is a supreme way to go by the way) go either limited or limited 10. The Wilson mags in 10rd are pretty awesome. You'll want to invest in some.

JB

[cypher]

Thanks Flex... good info.   Looks like I'll go with Limited ten to start.  

Question:  How do people get around the High Cap mag ban if you are getting a new gun built?

Thanks,

Homero

[Flexmoney]

People pay top dollar (actually, some are priced decent) for the old hicaps that are still around.  And, you can still buy any replacement part for a hicap to fix-up your pre-ban hicaps.

[cypher]

Well thanks J... I don't know what after all these years I would be able to offer you guys in the way of knowledge (you guys are SHARP).

But it is very refreshing to hear you say that and I really appreciate it.

I saw you shoot about a million years ago at a match... Stroh's/Crowfoot in Ohio... I think it was in 1985...  I was in awe. I'd seen a few good shooters but you were on whole different level.  It was both educational and inspiring, not to mention a little intimidating at the time.

It was my first big match.  I traveled all the way from Jersey just to shoot it.  I had major butterflies and blew some stages, but overall I had fun.  I shot against your dad, he came in HI-C (I was a C shooter too at the time).  I was a little bit further down the rung. =)

Of course it didn't help that my loads chronographed under the power factor floor for major and I lost some points because of that (but hey, if I had done my part, it should not have maded a big difference).  When I got home, the first thing I did was plunk down some do-re-mi for Pact Mk II Championship timer w/chrono.  I think I ended up finishing 10th in C and maybe Hi 40's overall.  I was encouraged by the results and I returned to  my training with new vigor and sense of purpose.

Anyhow... didn't mean to be long winded.  Thanks for the kind words...

Homero

[Shooter Grrl]

Duplicate topic - check the IPSC & USPSA forum.

[cypher]

J... I have to apologize... I mistook you for someone else with those same initials.  My bad.

In any case I still appreciate the warm welcome.

Thanks,

Homero

[bonedaddy]

Homero, welcome back!   It's good to have you here.

In your situation, I would probably just remove the compensator and shoot limited10 or limited.   There's a great deal of fun to be had either way.

[cypher]

Bonedaddy,

Thanks, that's exactly what I intend to do.   Can you recommend a good holster to go with my Safariland rig.  Should I just get whatever Safariland is offering now for a 5" 1911 or is there something better?

Homero

[Flexmoney]

cypher,

Here is one thread on holsters:

http://www.brianenos.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard...=1&topic=75

Try out the search function.  Search for the word "holster".  There are other good threads.

[bonedaddy]

That's a tough one Homero.  Everyone has a different preferences.  When you left the sport there probably weren't too many options.  But now, you can buy a holster for just about any preference.   Right now I have an 010 and an 012 from Safariland.   The 012 is adjustable for everthing from barrel length to day of the week. And conveniently,  our host sells the entire Safariland line.

   

http://www.brianenos.com/pages/holsters.html#holsters

      Now IS the time

              -Sam

                       

(Edited by bonedaddy at 2:58 pm on April 20, 2002)

[Duane Thomas]

Well I'm prejudiced, but to me Lim-10 is THE class. The 5" .45 is THE classic IPSC gun. You can run your old gear, go out to the matches, if your see anything out there holster/mag pouch-wise you just can't live without...then you'll know. And you can know, if you show up out there with a 5" .45, you'll be competing in Lim-10 against people running basically the same level of technology. Take the .45 into Open or Limited and that's not gonna be the case.

[cypher]

Thanks Duane... that is exactly what I'm going to do...  The only reason I asked about the holster was that all my 5" holsters are either iwb or concealed.  My only competition type holster was for my comp.  Guess I'll use one of those to start with, after a while I should be able to figue out what's out there now that would suit me.

While I'm one the subject of equipment.  I have ten mags for my .45... all eight rounders but they all function flawlessly.  In fact in the over 17 years that I've owned it, my gun has never jammed... and I have to tell you, I have fed it everything under the sun.  Not so much as a hiccup.  Anyway, getting back to the mag question... I guess I'll need to buy some 10 rounders.  I've done some searches on the forums but I would like to know a little more.  Which 10 rounders are best?  McCormick is substantially less than Wilson or Brown... Thoughts?  How many do you think I should start with?  Maybe I should just be old school and shoot with the eight rounders.... Nahhhh.  I gotta buy something...   =)

Homero

[Duane Thomas]

Wilson. Definitely. I'd blab longer but someone's waiting for the library computer. Gotta jet....

[Al Capizzo]

I'll certainly agree with Duane about buying Wilson's.  They're worth the extra money.  But don't let the lack of 10 round mags stop you from shooting a club match or two.  In my area at least, you can get along fine 80% of the time with 8 round mags.  

Al

[Flexmoney]

You might check out the 1911forum.com, they have a whole section devoted to magazines.

http://www.1911forum.com/forums/forumdispl...&forumid=19

Dig around, Wilson is not everybody's favorite.

I don't have an opinion.  I did buy some McCormick Power Mags to check out (8 & 10 rounders).  They can be had closer to $15 than $25...if they work, why pay more.

[Bill Schwab]

I own and use the Wilson 10 rnd & Ed Brown 10 rnd mags, and my vote goes to the Wilsons.  

FYI: my Ed Brown 10 rnd mags are made by Metalform.

Bill

[Singlestack]

I have and use both the CMC Power 10s and the Wilson 10 rounders. I tend to use the CMC mags more often just because they are not as long as the Wilsons and I feel like they handle better doing speed mag changes (something you will get good at or you will get trounced shooting Lim-10).

[Duane Thomas]

The Big Three of 10-round .45 mags are the Wilson, CMC and Brown. I prefer the Wilson. I just haven't had very good luck with the folded metal follower used in the CMCs (the old Devel/Shooting Star 8-round design now owned by CMC). I've found it quite prone to popping over the slide stop inside the gun, pinning the empty magazine in the gun and necessitating manually holding the mag release button down while you RIP the mag out of the gun. In a match this eats up valuable time; on the street it can get your killed. I'm sure there are people who've never had this problem. What can I say, I am a slave to my experiences.

This follower design usually will not lock the slide open on an empty magazine. We could argue about whether this necessary. I like my gun to lock open when empty. Personal preference.

I've also heard many people complain about the design of the overtravel stop on the CMCs causing the floorplate to shear totally off the gun if you slap the mags in too hard.

On the Ed Brown the mag is way longer than the Wilson, and manipulating the "big skinny stick" is already more challenging than a standard mag to start with. Also Wilson runs a really thin baseplate to keep overall length of their 10-rounder within reason. The Brown has an inch thick "slam pad" stuck on the end of it. Could someone PLEASE tell me what sense there is in sticking an inch thick slam pad on a mag that's already sticking out the bottom of the gun about two inches 'cuz I can't figure it out.

The Brown has a metal follower; the Wilson's followers are of fyberfill nylon. According to Bill Wilson, in his experience the only parts that ever break on a properly set-up 1911 are the portion of the slide stop that contacts the follower inside the gun, the firing pin stop, and the extractor, in that order. The reason the slide stop breaks is because metal followers beat the living hell out of it when they hit it to lock the gun open on an empty mag. The "soft" nylon doesn't abuse the slide stop nearly as much. I know some people have complained they've occasionally broken the follower on the Wilson mags. They don't understand. That's not a flaw, that's a design feature. If anything's going to break it's a helluva lot easier to just drop a new follower in a mag tube than send your gun off to a pistolsmith to have a new slide stop fitted.

Buy the Wilson's. It's worth the extra 10 bucks a pop to have something that works over the long term.

[cypher]

Thanks Duane... Good advice.  I think I'll take it.  Although, I have to tell you I have used the Devel followers in two Devel mags and about 8 Colt mags for the better part of two decades without so much as a hint of trouble.  But I like the strength of your conviction.  So I'll buy the Wilsons... Thanks for the advice...

Homero

[Flexmoney]

Here is one thread from the Magazine section on the 1911forum:

http://www.1911forum.com/forums/showthread...p;threadid=3535

There are other threads.  Seems like people have good luck with the McCormick Power Mags too.  Other threads talk of some guns liking one brand of mags...other guns like a different brand.  I'd think about trying one of each brand to see what your gun is partial to.

Natchezz sells the 10 round Power MAGS FOR $17.  I think our gracious host, Brian Enos, can hook you up with some Wilson mags.