I have already learned

[Rcoe]

My first competition is tomorrow. I went to the range today. My holstering and reloads are good. I'm shooting ok at speed. But the most important thing I learned is that it a terrible idea to mess with a working gun the night before your first shoot. After launching the new return spring, and the old return spring, across the shop, I'm smarter now. On a positive note, my shop is spotless, and I will be shooting tomorrow.

[Hi-Power Jack]

I learned that lesson about 25 years ago.  

 

Cleaned and reassembled my 1911 (that's all we shot 25 years ago)

and left out a piece    

 

Drove two hours to the shoot, fired one shot, and drove two hours home.

 

NOW, if I reassemble my firearm, I fire it to make sure it's all there

(apparently, I'm NOT).   

[GrumpyOne]

9 hours ago, Rcoe said:

My first competition is tomorrow. I went to the range today. My holstering and reloads are good. I'm shooting ok at speed. But the most important thing I learned is that it a terrible idea to mess with a working gun the night before your first shoot. After launching the new return spring, and the old return spring, across the shop, I'm smarter now. On a positive note, my shop is spotless, and I will be shooting tomorrow.

Your next lesson is to remove a 1911 firing pin under low hanging, unprotected, fluorescent lights. Please post when you have completed the lesson. LOL!

[Rcoe]

Lesson 2 learned. Make sure your gun likes the ammo you plan to feed it. My Beretta could eat blazer all day. My CZ regurgitate it all match. It ran S&B perfect, but I ran it all during break in. I spent 8 stages learning how to clear failures. Its probably good my first match didn't go smoothly.

Edited May 25, 2020 by Rcoe

[broadside72]

Photography light box FTW!

[nso123]

On 5/25/2020 at 10:13 AM, Rcoe said:

Lesson 2 learned. Make sure your gun likes the ammo you plan to feed it. My Beretta could eat blazer all day. My CZ regurgitate it all match. It ran S&B perfect, but I ran it all during break in. I spent 8 stages learning how to clear failures. Its probably good my first match didn't go smoothly.

I see this quite a bit when folks jump into reloading their match ammo without much reloading experience.  I watched a friend who is an M class shooter struggle last weekend because they didn't fully understand OAL and how it can throw the brakes on everything when it is wrong. 

[Farmer]

An old jewelers trick is to take your machinists apron and thumb tack it under the bench where your sitting. Catches those small stray parts that run away. (Like the detent ball On a  Remington 700 Safety) Just remember to release it before you stand up!!

[Hi-Power Jack]

3 hours ago, Farmer said:

An old jewelers trick is to take your machinists apron and thumb tack it under the bench

 

I leave an empty box under the reloader - usually catches everything     

[Gunsnjeeps]

I do some things in clear plastic bags.  A couple of years ago I built an AR lower in my popup camper.  While installing the take down pin retaining pins I shot one into the canvas roof over my head.  I heard it hit the canvas but not land in the bedding.  Luckily, PSA has 3 in their assembly kit.  I found the lost one a couple of days later.

 

Forgot about putting the cap for my 1911 recoil spring into a laptop screen.

Edited June 15, 2020 by Gunsnjeeps