Flexmoney Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 At our local steel match, we ran a "J-frame challenge" division. I got the idea for this a while back, probably after reading a thread from HeadHunter on another board. I had bought a J-frame over the winter and I need to wring it out and see what works and what doesn't. Let me just share the email that I sent out: Hey all, I need to learn how to shoot my airweigh J-frame. What better way to put it to the test than to have all of you guys kick my butt at a match. My 642 is off to S&W to get some repair work done. It should be back in a few weeks though. I'm thinking Steel Challenge is the place to put them to the test. 5-shots. Next month is out, because of the Area 5 USPSA match. So, lets do this in July at the Steel Challenge monthly match in Circleville. (3rd Saturday, July 16th) That match runs quick. Don't go bringing any cheater guns (like steel frames, long barrels and big grips), unless that is all you have. Bring your little/light carry guns. Tell everybody. Get them out to play. We can probably lend gear, as needed. (Chad/Jason, can you forward this to Madison? Ask him to use big targets and keep them really really close for me.LOL) Have fun, Kyle 614-43GUNS1 ------------------------------- after the match report ... We had our "J-frame Challenge" at the local Steel Challenge match yesterday. I think there was about 8 of us and we all squadded together. All were experienced shooters. It was a good time and a great experience. BillOH brought out quite a bit of toys, and we did a little show and tell after the match. Steel Challenge is a good format (fairly readily available) for running the 5-shot snubbies. -------------------------------- From BillOH: This match was a lot of fun. I hope they do it again in the future. One stage had only 3 shots per run and the rest of them had 5 shots. Early on it was discovered that missing was a mistake. With the time penalty for missing, most shooters reloaded to make up the misses. We did 5 runs on each stage and your worst was thrown out. Might be interesting to not throw out any runs. There was some real good shooting by the J-Framers. I expect to see our scores beat many of the bottom feeders. Shooting J-Frames were 1 USPSA GM, 1 USPSA M in Revolver, 1 IDPA Master in SSR and I think the rest of the shooters were IDPA Expert/USPSA B Class level or better. An extension cord was run to the Safe Area to power the Dremel that was used to trim some grips after a few speedloads turned into slow loads. All steel was set at about 7 yards to about 12 yards. There were a lot of 18"x24" plates and some 8" round. Results haven't been posted yet but it was a close race as far as I could see. I shot a steel Taurus M-85 with the front sight modified like HH does and the rear notch has been widened and deepened. Most of the rest shot stock 442/642s. Something I have discovered as I searched for the perfect carry gun. A J-Frame is almost too big for pocket carry even with small grips. If I put grips on a J-Frame to make it easier to shoot, then it's too big for pocket carry. If I'm going to carry a J-Frame in a belt holster I can carry a Glock 26 just as easy. If I'm going to holster carry a G-26 I might as well put a plus 2 base pad on the mag. If I'm going to holster carry a G-26 with a plus 2 base pad, I can holster carry a Glock 19 just as well. It was interesting to compare and shoot the different size guns at the show and tell. I recommend everyone shoot your carry guns in competition once in a while. That way you can shake out your equipment and see how it and you work under pressure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Nesbitt Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 This is what it looked like. Lots of fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Nesbitt Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 Flex, do you think this thread might get a better response in the Revolver Forum since it's more about revolvers than Steel Challenge? The results are in. About what I expected. Placement pretty much followed each shooters competition skill level. I've been thinking about what we might have learned. If the problem to be solved is 5 shots or less and your worst run is thrown out, then a J-Frame isn't too far behind the curve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted July 19, 2011 Author Share Posted July 19, 2011 Flex, do you think this thread might get a better response in the Revolver Forum since it's more about revolvers than Steel Challenge? Lets try it there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westczek Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 This sounds like a great idea. I often run my j-frame on the plates alone at the club, but a little friendly competition would make it more interesting. I need to work-up a real gamer load... Westczek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M1911 Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 That's some pretty fine shooting with a snubbie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmoney Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 (edited) Very cool! Long ago we used to run a "New York reload" match on steel targets. The first gun could be anything, but we limited the number of rounds in the cylinder/mag. After you emptied it, you had to dump it and grab your backup snubby (i.e. the "New York reload") to finish the string. It was fun and challenging. (Note: One of my buddies was known for using one of those "cheater guns" at this match--it had a 2-inch barrel and tiny grips, but it was actually a highly-customized K-frame that was pretty doggone nice to shoot. He made up for it, though, by running a stock 4" S&W M-13 as his main gun, so it was all good. In order to protect his identity, I will refer to him only by his first name and last initial--Massad A.) Edited July 20, 2011 by Carmoney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M1911 Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 In order to protect his identity, I will refer to him only by his first name and last initial--Massad A. I will say this for Mas - unlike a lot of gunwriters, he can actually shoot. I took LFI-1 an 2 from him way back when. And he demonstrated every technique before having us do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted November 20, 2011 Author Share Posted November 20, 2011 We ran the J-frames again a month ago. Then, our Steel Challenge match director added a match on to the schedule for this month (good weather). Chad, Steve Anderson and I shoot our J-frames again, with a catch...strong hand only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suicycle Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Very nice. I had my 640 out saturday in a BUG match. I'd like to carry the extra speed loader and use it in a club IDPA even though it ain't legit it could be a lot of fun. A good workout with carry gear. I never realized how slow my draw was out of leather IWB with a J frame compared to a big glockl and kydex. I mean REALLY! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Anderson Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 That j-frame stuff is humbling, but the gun looks so cool with titegroup fouling on the barrel that I'm not gonna clean it! I may have sucked, but I sucked less each stage! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Neill Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Some years ago I ran a side match I called "Snub Gun Fun" - It was a table start and required 5 rounds. The only rule (besides safety) was that the barrel had to be shorter than 4" My intention was to get the small guns out and shooting. I thought then, and now, that techniques for shooting the small guns well may differ from shooting full size guns. Later, I proposed IDPA add a snub gun category, but they decided not to at that time. About two years later they added the BUG category. Guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snertley Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 I still have not tried shooting my J frame in a match yet but I have shot my XD subcompact out of a Versimax 2 holster for production class. Its a lot of fun shooting the short guns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted November 22, 2011 Author Share Posted November 22, 2011 That j-frame stuff is humbling... Yes, very eye-opening. So many carry these guns, but don't shoot them much. They sure aren't magic. I am glad we are getting to work on them some in competition. Thank goodness for Steel Challenge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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