Revolver? Die on the vine?

[-JCN-]

So to others reading, @fireman1776 is a good buddy of mine. 
 

After he texted me, I offered to do the same thing with component training and tracking for him in CO. 
 

I might do Production attempt at GM while he goes for CO M. 
 

My last Production classifier was a hundo almost a year ago. 
 

 

But…

 

Like I said… I have different projects in different phases of suspended animation…

 

There’s my 40SW Single Stack major build. Because I have ~15k rounds of the 40SW Syntech just sitting around…

 

 

It’s a Les Baer that I moved some parts over to, including a custom (by me, lol) mainspring arch to match my CZ index, and cut and drilled the front sight to fit a 1.5mm fiber. 
 

 

The Wilson Combat mags aren’t extended enough for the magwell. 
 

So I could get extended base pads…

 

Or…

 

 

 

I also blended the internal lip to frame. For a 1911, I don’t really need a large magwell. 
 

I’ll do some calculations. 
 

Part of my goal will be to also improve skill with platform so I can make the Steel Challenge goals too. 

[-JCN-]

So tonight after daughter’s swim lesson, I’ll do some baseline dry testing and calculation of Production versus Single Stack (major) and see which one seems ”easier” for my current skill sets. 

By optimizing grip angles, it doesn’t take much train up time for index on different platforms. I like variety and changing index angle is a lot of retraining that I just don’t have time for… especially if I don’t have to. 
 

So for my Glocks, I’ve reduced the humps. For my 1911/2011s I use arched mainspring housings reduced by about 1/3 to match ergos. 
 

My time is worth way more than the cost of guns so rather than work my index around the gun, I work the different guns around my CZ index. 
 

For classifiers, I am assuming that my reloads are going to be the weak links for most platform changes. 
 

My recoil control is pretty good so if the extra speed from major scoring offsets the less intuitive reloads, it might be worth it. 

.

Edited February 26 by -JCN-

[-JCN-]

Okay, going to work SS I think while my buddy "J" works CO.

 

Using same back calculation:

 

 

 

I don't have a lot of data for SS Major, so I don't have a good sense of whether it's realistic.

 

But that's part of the fun. Getting data to figure out what needs work and then figuring out how to improve it.

 

While also optimizing equipment to best work with your physical limitations.

 

I like classifiers and classifications as a separate sport from USPSA field courses. It's almost like Steel Challenge in that regard.

 

[-JCN-]

Two points of clarification:

 

Yes, I know for El Pres that major scoring is different... but I'm also planning on offsetting that by allowing myself more charlies. I just didn't update the spreadsheet to reflect that disparity.

 

I think that SS reloads are more difficult in general than CO reloads with a Shadow 2. Similar to my revo work with V, I'll theoretically have to work harder to get same times as J in minor with an S2.

 

Will get some baseline data soon.

[-JCN-]

V was putting in the work today. It guilted me enough that I put in my 10 accountability reps. She's gonna smoke me, lol.

 

[-JCN-]

IDPA: I might change my IDPA plans to do a 9mm 1911 in ESP if I’m focusing on SS in USPSA classifiers and Steel Challenge. Right now I’m equity rated as EX for ESP (CO/PCC MA) but even being kind of weak in irons, I could still probably bump to MA at a large event. 

[-JCN-]

Day 8:

 

SS major baseline. 
 

Step 1: check zero. 
Step 2: check RSA balance

 

Too stiff. Went down on spring. 

Step 3: check rapid split vision and mechanics. 
 

Less dip. Same kinds of splits. 0.17-0.19s.
 

 

Step 4: Check 10 yard vision at speed.
 

Worked some representative 10 yard strings. 
 

I think I can tighten up the groups with some work. 
 

Step 5: Checked draws (this is a skill that carries over from most of my other guns and handling): 0.63-0.67s. 
 

 

Step 6: Check reloads. They were rough. Many biffs and botches. I forgot about 1911 reloads… it moves the top dummy round so that it binds on release when reloaded a few times. 
 

I forgot about my previous dry solution where I would put a spent case on top of the dummy rounds to prevent binding. I have to remember to bring some 40 brass home next range session. 
 

So I think the goal is viable with some dedicated work. 

[-JCN-]

Accountability drill:

 

V is keeping me honest and motivated.

 

Who will be the first one to have 10 sub-2 second reloads without errors!

 

[-JCN-]

Day 9:

 

I could feel it in my right forearm a little this morning. 
 

I’m almost 50 years old, so I have to be very careful about working within my body capacity. I can’t pound things without injury. 
 

I have a tendency towards Shooters elbow on the right. I think the inflammation causes adhesions with loss of power and significant pain if I let it get bad. 
 

What has been helping is the 25 pound dumbbell curls with different forearm positioning to stretch out and break the adhesions. 
 

I don’t think that high round count sessions with major ammo is going to be viable for me and what limited sessions I do will have to have lots of PT weighted stretches before and afterwards. 
 

I’ll get a sense of how viable it is. If not, I’ll change to Production. 

[-JCN-]

Dry practice tonight:

 

The 1911 even with the shaved magwell... needs the extended mag basepads for more rapid seating. So I ordered some. I think it'll help.

 

I am very inconsistent with the 1911 reloads and think the extended pads should help, but basically I need more practice time.

 

 

V is improving as well.

 

 

 

She could use a little more aggression on the mag drop and slapping down to the fresh mag. But it's improving.

 

We are both getting a little more consistent and improving overall, but we are still having flubs.

 

 

There may be an issue where her par time beep is masking / blanking the actual trigger press at the end and there's the possibility that the times logged are the seating the magwell times.

 

But doesn't really matter because dry times aren't live times anyway. We'll get some direct data at the range on Thursday and whatever it is, is whatever it is.

 

We are just working efficiency.

 

Edited February 28 by -JCN-

[-JCN-]

Bah…

 

I think my right forearm is unhappy enough with shooting uncompensated major that I better scrap that plan or else risk injuring myself to the point where I affect my other goals. 
 

So I’ll have to think about it some more. 
 

Options are:

Work SS minor: HFs are still easier than Production….

 

Work Production: would transfer over to CO/LO and I have muscle memory with CZs. 
 

Work LO Alien: mainly for skill building and to shake out the new platform, not to make a classifier goal. 
 

The older I get the more I embrace that physically I have to respect my limits and that’s okay. 

[-JCN-]

Day 10:

 

More decisions. Right arm feels a little better, but I think SS major probably isn't a good idea.

 

I looked at some other classifiers and ones with partials really require major scoring.

 

Like hit factors for "Eye of the Tiger are higher in SS compared to Production."

 

So I'm thinking SS major and minor are off the table.

 

Plus, outdoor matches are starting up again and I might want to work a primary competition division.

 

Because "going fast" still means hitting targets.

 

I looked through my emails and I think I probably still have 10k 9 major rounds available to me. It's probably enough to compete and practice this year. I don't really want to make Open GM because I'm nowhere near a GM field course performer. Same thing with LO. I'm happy to be an M and perform as an M. But classifier skills aren't my weak spot for performing at that level of classification.

 

 

So still deciding today / tonight. I think SS major is going to be out and SS minor might be too specific of a skill set to work. Might be better off with Production.

 

 

 

[-JCN-]

Okay, tentative goals for this year:

 

 

These are kind of stretch goals and it may be a 2025 thing. Some things aren't in my control, like which classifiers get run and availability of matches. But it's what I might try working towards.

 

Working Production as a secondary classifier goal might be less work since I have a CO background and I feel pretty comfortable with CZs. I'm just not great with irons and could use some work.

 

If I'm working a Shadow 2 in Production, then Steel Challenge divisions of Limited and CO might be reasonable too.

 

I'll have to think of how I track progress and practice.

[-JCN-]

[-JCN-]

Production dry:

 

 

Did a couple 0.8x reloads too.  I’m not very consistent but I don’t think it’ll take much time to get back up to speed. 

[-JCN-]

Revolver Dry:

 

 

 

[-JCN-]

 

So confirmed that V's reloads yesterday were mis-timed into the blanking period.

 

Pretty pleased with the improvement for both of us with one week's work.

 

Improved consistency and improved efficiency. That's the name of the game.

 

 

[-JCN-]

Day 11:

 

Decided to set up the LO Alien. 

Optic plate looks like it takes an M4 screw. 12mm was too long and 8mm seemed short. 
 

 

The heads of the screws I have were a little wide for the 507 comp so I ground and shortened them. 
 

 

 

I usually measure screw depth with the optic off and then shorten accordingly. 
 

I picked the 507 comp instead of the SRO because the Alien barrel is so low in the frame that I wanted as short of a deck height as possible. 
 

 

 

[-JCN-]

Range session:

 

Went through reloads with V and identified some fundamental inefficiencies to change so we didn’t do accountability reloads today. 
 

She worked on splits and transition speed and accuracy and I did some feasibility testing. 
 

Tested Production mechanics:

 

3A1C at 10 yard 0.20 split pace. With some work it’ll improve. 
 

Zeroed Open guns. 
 

 

Recoil tested the Alien. I suspected the factory RSA was oversprung with my past history with the other Aliens and watching video of other people shooting. 
 

It’s pretty much the rule that factory guns are oversprung for gamer ammo. 
 

This was no exception. 
 

I bring my angle grinder to the range when tuning springs, lol. 
 

Cut two coils (including end coil). 

 

 

Still a whiff oversprung, but better. I might trim more off later but I don’t know how this gun will break in and there aren’t a lot of spare parts around. 
 

These were the first two zeroing shots at 25 yards….

 

 

There’s a chance, I could just switch over to this gun earlier… I have to think about it. Outdoor matches start up this weekend…

[-JCN-]

Okay… 

 

 

[-JCN-]

There are reasons why I have so many half baked plans in various states of completion, haha.

 

To be fair, the Alien plan has been percolating for about three years. I bought the first one in 2021 but the grip angle was too far off from what I have been training with.

 

It took the Creator edition and the new LO mag bodies to make it viable for me, though. And enough spare parts that I can even consider running these.

 

Soooo....

 

Another revision of plan:

 

Going under the working assumption that: Nobody cares how many GM ranks I have. Especially if I just trained up for something and then let the skills atrophy.

 

I still have some pride on the line in wanting to do well with my friends at matches.

 

How about this tentative plan (for now):

 

1. Run LO and have a classifier goal... to consistently put down M classifiers. No hero, no high risk. Just reproducibility. I would be happy to be an on-demand, bomb proof, bona fide M.
2. Keep going with revolver for my irons.
3. Scrap the Steel Challenge and Production plans for now. Because nobody cares.

[-JCN-]

Okay, I’m in for now. 
 

With USPSA heading back on track and the LO gun not taking as much tuning as I had anticipated (reliability still unclear). 
 

I’m going to take advantage of the opportunity to train with a motivated student. The Steel Challenge stuff I can do when I’m older and movement becomes more challenging. 
 

I had some injuries that kept me from really shooting pistol in earnest and that’s why I did IPDA last year, to ease back into it. 
 

But after meeting V last Fall, her enthusiasm is infectious and I find myself being able to piggyback off of that. It has changed my goals, in a good way. 
 

So I might try getting back into USPSA pistol and see what happens. 

[-JCN-]

So there are magazine availability limitations to make capacity. 
 

 

P10 extensions work but they don’t add much capacity. 
 

I usually practice classifier reloads with 10-15 rounds in the mag. Easier to seat and faster to get up and in. 
 

I took the smaller magwell from the Alien Creator to practice with the Springer Precision extensions. There’s a slightly larger one available too. 
 

But much smaller than the LO magwell. 
 

 

 

I’m used to CO reloads without magwell and I figure practicing with a more stringent requirement will help technique. 

[-JCN-]

I didn't want to practice, but V did... so I did. 

 

Was happy I did, after a little warm up really tried pushing speed on the revolver reloads.

 

Logged a few of my fastest dry revolver reloads EVER. Into the sub 1.5 range. Excited that things keep improving. Couple of flubs but I'm trying to push through them and still log a time.

 

[-JCN-]

Shot a match with V. Went okay for us. I had a malfunction with the Alien where it didn’t strip the next round in a loaded up mag (2nd round). 
 

Gun was pretty dry. Lubed it and it ran fine the rest of the match. 
 

Teething pains expected for a new gun getting used to it. 
 

There really isn’t much difference shooting wise. I did keep feeling for a safety (which it doesn’t have). 
 

I think I’ll get more efficient as I get more comfortable with the gun.