One Match - 2 dumb mistakes

[t0066jh]

My Tripp Cobra mags are "broken in" and easier to load than when they were new and, they perform well....until

I loaded 11 rounds into a 10 round mag and couldn't figure out why the mag wouldn't seat while reloading on the move.....took 3-5 seconds to figure it out and reload with a different mag. Just like focusing on the magwell, I need to watch the bullets and COUNT while I load them into the mag.

I was concerned about an accidental extras shot while shooting strong hand and weak hand strings on a 6 shot Virginia Count classifier.... so being smarter than most people I loaded only 6 rounds in the mag. It worked great on the strong hand string but I must have limp wristed the 5th shot weak hand. The slide locked back and it was an O Sh moment. Solution, load em up, strengthen the hands and practice some weak hand shooting.

I'm getting to old to keep learning "the hard way"

Edited May 3, 2011 by t0066jh

[Crooner]

I have a story that fits this topic perfectly. Back around the mid-1980s, I was competing in the National Guard National Shooting Championships at Camp Robinson, North Little Rock, Arkansas. This was a combat shoot using off-the-rack 1911A1 .45ACP shooting GI hardball. During one of the stages, I had a failure to feed. I reloaded the magazine for the alibi string. The failure to feed happened again and I dropped 30 points.

It's no wonder it happened the second time. I reloaded the same defective round. Upon closer inspection I saw that a spot on the shoulder was crimped over. Here is what I learned:

1. Even GI factory ammo can be defective.

2. Never reuse a cartridge that failed to feed or fire.

3. Never use the same magazine for the refire or for the rest of the match for that matter.

Since then, I closely inspect every round before the match and inset them, one by one, into a barrel that is removed from the firearm. At the same time that I check for proper fit and headspace, I can make sure that there is a primer in place. I then weigh each round to determine that the cartridge has powder in it. I haven't had any problems since.