kevin c Posted March 10, 2004 Share Posted March 10, 2004 Having your gun break at a major match seems to be one of those things that most contestants take pains to prepare for. I only have about 70 thousand rounds through my Limited guns, and perhaps that explains why I've only had one cracked hammer and one lost fiber optic insert in that time (gun still operable in both cases). But my experience makes me wonder just how often things break during matches. I want to know if I really need to spend a couple hundred bucks for an extra matched sear and hammer, tungsten guide rod, aftec, etc., because the breakage is so common or that it's more for my peace of mind. I've read good articles in Front Sight on prepping for a major match in terms of prematch gun maintenance and preventive parts replacement/ spares. I know what is recommended, but what is your actually experience in matches? What actually broke that threatened to stop your match? I know practice should count, but you only waste your time if your gun goes out in practice and you don't have the replacement parts in your bag. I'd like to know what you really needed to have right then at the match. The polling mechanism doesn't allow multiple entries, but please vote for what you consider the most match threatening breakage that acutally happened to you. TIA Kevin C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dunn Posted March 10, 2004 Share Posted March 10, 2004 You said "limited guns" in your post. If you have a spare gun, I'd bring that and not worry about parts. That being said: Had a front sight come loose during a match Had my hammer start to follow while function firing the day before a match (big thanks to Dave Lauck for fixing that, did require a new hammer, sear) Had two recoil masters break, one at a match, but neither time tied up the gun. Rear sight hinge pin broke, but not at a match. I carry a spare FP stop and firing pin, but no problems with those yet. All these probs were with a factory STI Lexor that got me to Limited A class, I invested in a Brazos Limited gun that has run great so far with no breakages. The Lexor will make the trip to matches as a back-up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted March 10, 2004 Share Posted March 10, 2004 Bob Londrigan wrote a very good article in Front Sight recently about this very issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted March 10, 2004 Share Posted March 10, 2004 In my Lefty - Open case it's safeties that break most often (3), followed by scopes (2) and Extractors (1). Over 8 years that's not too bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A33435 Posted March 10, 2004 Share Posted March 10, 2004 I am with John Dunn, at the bigger matches abroad i bring with me 2 identical weapons (G35's with exact the same modifications) When i wasn't blessed with a spare gun and still shooting IPSC standard division with my G34 i had to quit a match because the slide lockspring broke..... Today besides a spare gun i also have some $2.00 springs in the bag. Greetings Adrie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dunn Posted March 10, 2004 Share Posted March 10, 2004 Crap! Left out a broken extractor, not ata a match, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted March 10, 2004 Share Posted March 10, 2004 Going to a major match, I pack a spare gun, a spare whole top end, and a bag containing tools, and every part other than frame, slide, or barrel, needed to rebuild the gun. Consequently, I've never needed any of it --- but I'm convinced that if I left any of it home, Murphy would come a calling... Or are Austrian guns immune to Irish luck? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn jones Posted March 10, 2004 Share Posted March 10, 2004 i had a shok buff get twisted around and in the spring at a match a few years ago. not fun. lynn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin c Posted March 10, 2004 Author Share Posted March 10, 2004 I do have a backup match gun, but I'm not sure how many others do. My own back up is far from identical to my main gun and therefore doesn't shoot the same. Nor do I have the money to make it identical. And back when this second gun had a barrel "identical" to the main gun, it shot 50 fps (9 power factor points) slower than the main gun, using the same ammo. For me using the spare would mean bringing several hundred more rounds of ammo to a major match (if the MD would even allow me to use it) or make my one match load very hot. If I shot Glocks as well as Sevigny, or shot just Production, then I'd buy two identical guns that would be no more expensive than just one of my Limited toys. Compared to a single Open gun I'd also have enough left over to trick both up or have tons of spares. This is my first poll, and I realize now that I should have also included a "no breakage" option, which would have given me a slightly better idea of how frequent breakage actually is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Detlef Posted March 10, 2004 Share Posted March 10, 2004 I bring a spare of every single part in the gun....in the form of a backup gun! Already had to use it twice (Limited), and I don't shoot all that many matches. One breakage sights, the other a broken FP spring obstructing the path of the FP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 A backup gun is the best option. Not only do you have a ready-to-run option in the bag, but even if it breaks something, so long as it's different from what the first one broke, you may still be able to make a functional gun from the parts. The most painless way to get a backup is when you get around to wanting a new gun, eat ramen noodles a little longer and hang onto the old one as a backup instead of pawning it off on somebody else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warpspeed Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 I broke the STI sight very shortly after getting the gun and was pissed. They sent a replacement pin. I ordered a Wilson from BE. Problem solved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schmitz Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 As we are not allowed to own more than a maximum of five guns/rifles over here in the Netherlands I don't have a spare gun which I can use in a match. (and I've reached the maximum of five ) So I carry a lot of spares to every match, as there are: * matched hammer(s)/sear(s) both for Open&Standard * slide stops. * hinge pins (irons sights) * batteries (C-more)! * module (C-more) * fiber optics (once had a problem with them during a match) * a guide rod * several springs/pins (weapon/mag) * basepads The only spares I don't carry with me are the extractors/ejectors. Should I buy some? According to the results of this poll, I should, shouldn't I! DVC, Henny. PS. Guess the weight of a fully loaded range bag (should I buy some wheels as well?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted March 12, 2004 Share Posted March 12, 2004 You should consider bringing a friend and a gear-sharing-in-case-of-failure agreement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeahyeah Posted March 12, 2004 Share Posted March 12, 2004 I would just take my son's identical SV and use it...he's young and will have plenty of time to have fun, some other day!! After all, I paid for it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin c Posted March 12, 2004 Author Share Posted March 12, 2004 LOL, yeahyeah. Unfortunately, MY son is only 12, and doesn't shoot. Mebbe I could borrow his Game Boy Advance if my gun gives up the ghost during a match. At least I won't get bored. Well, I've got a rough sense now of what parts tend to go out in a limited gun (keep em coming, folks, and thank you, all poll contributers to date). I also hear what some are saying, that a second gun is a good option, though, again, I think that is an expensive proposition for many. Perhaps a competitive M or GM or a pro w/ sponsorship money at stake would think it worth while, but for the rest of the alphabet soup that makes up the majority of IPSC membership and of most match rosters, I wonder. Also, I still didn't get a denominator for my question (what percentage of shooters have experienced a match gun breakage). So, on to my next polls. Kevin C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeahyeah Posted March 12, 2004 Share Posted March 12, 2004 AH...Kevin let's just keep my comment between us, no need to bother Jesse with it. I talk a big game, but when It comes right down to it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin c Posted March 12, 2004 Author Share Posted March 12, 2004 Not a word... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Dunlop Posted March 12, 2004 Share Posted March 12, 2004 I guess because its not over till the fat lady sings, I carry a spare trigger group, extractor, bomar blade and hinge pin, slide stop, firing pin stop, guide rod, and a set of springs. The only time anything broke, it was an extractor. I had a spare, so I completed the match. I'm intereseted to know if anyone has put a serious round count on a tungsten guide rod without a shock buff. The gun feels so much better without those things? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric nielsen Posted March 12, 2004 Share Posted March 12, 2004 What I see the most by far is ambi-safety problems. Most of these people are right-handed. 2nd place would be extractor tension failing. PS - more people have their AMMO knock them out of a match rather than the gun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin c Posted March 13, 2004 Author Share Posted March 13, 2004 Good point, caspian28r. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schmitz Posted March 13, 2004 Share Posted March 13, 2004 None of my friends owns a SV over here, 'cause they are expensive. So pitty me, I should buy wheels for my rangebag and spares for my SV. I don't have a son with a spare gun, pitty me... So solving this problem, I have to search for a woman!? ? and then wait 12 years?!? DVC, Henny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufus The Bum Posted March 13, 2004 Share Posted March 13, 2004 In my experience, this is what I see go wrong with other peoples stuff: 1: AMMO, AMMO, AMMO. Poorly loaded ammo is the #1 killer 2. Extractors (VERY close 2nd) 3. Magazines, dirty, home-tuned, junk magazines 4. Front-Sights 5. Dot-Gun batteries. I still see people going to major matches without a spare. 6. Guns that are "sick" before even coming to a major match Best advice I could give would be to send your gun in to your gunsmith at least once a year or more to have it tuned. He will check the trigger job, check for cracked or worn parts and retune it with new springs. Money well spent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.Hayden Posted March 14, 2004 Share Posted March 14, 2004 I would just take my son's identical SV and use it...he's young and will have plenty of time to have fun, some other day!! After all, I paid for it! Adam - that's just mean! Kevin, I've seen, but not had: A bushings break, 2 piece Para rod break, and a slide stop extractor, although it didn't break, it went flying. That shooter was going to have to give it up (no spare), until someone found it a few shooters later. 2nd place would be extractor tension failing. I would guess this was number 1, but it was probably like that when they came to the match Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TriggerT Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 In my experience, this is what I see go wrong with other peoples stuff:1: AMMO, AMMO, AMMO. Poorly loaded ammo is the #1 killer 2. Extractors (VERY close 2nd) 3. Magazines, dirty, home-tuned, junk magazines 4. Front-Sights 5. Dot-Gun batteries. I still see people going to major matches without a spare. 6. Guns that are "sick" before even coming to a major match I would agree with this list. Extractors would be so close, that they might be first, but it's not like I keep track. Just this past month at our club match, shooter had the extractor in Les Baer snap off. He had an extra, but he left 4 steel standing on a stage because of the break. Personally, my problems have been: #1 Extractors #2 Magazines #3 Front Sights I haven't ever had any ammo problems, but I shoot .45. Seems to me that most people with ammo problems are either 38 super, or sometimes .40. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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