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Another 6" thread


zhunter

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I am interested to know about 6" Limited guns.

I use Blade-Tech DOH, I would think that it would be slower to draw with the extra inch having to clear the holster.

Can they be cut to be as light as a 5" gun?

I know the pros are the longer sight radius, what are the other pros?

How about cons?

There must be something to it, because I read on the forum that TGO used a 6" gun to win L-10. AND I don't want to hear the crap that he could win with anything he shoots, because, also remember, he can shoot anything he chooses. So, why does he choose a 6" gun?

Edited by zhunter
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Mine is lighter than all but one 5" gun that I have handled, and it is within an ounce of that gun. Mine is LIGHT, about 34 ounces and will lose almost 2 more ounces here soon with some trick parts.....

In Limited and L10 you can cut the front of the holster down by one inch and have the exact same draw stroke without compromising the security of the hoster.

I think the disctinct difference is the precision of a 6" gun when shot side by side with a 5" gun, with a 6" gun you can either be much more precise with the same effort or much faster with the same precision that you had from the 5" gun. I can build it to balance, feel, cycle, and shoot just like a 5" gun and get an inch of sight radius for free. I don't see how I can lose!

The only con I can come up with, and I have thought about it quite a bit, is that lower ability shooters without a solid index MIGHT have a harder time picking up the front sight on the draw and those same shooters might have more tendency to lose the front sight in recoil recovery and spend time finding it. I am sure you have seen dot shooters doing the hokey-pokey trying to find the dot, I would think that a similar thing could happen with a poor index and a 6" limited gun.

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I tried one briefly back five years ago when I made "M". I did like the long site radius, but they just "felt" a little sluggish.

I saw the "Supers" shoot six rounds moving 90 deg to me at the nationals and saw several 6" guns, Mike Voigt, TGO and Tilley in particular. Without exception they flipped more, and the reg'lar ole 5" guns seemed flattest. I'm not sure how much this matters, just an observation.

I lost interest in tracking them, mostly because I was shooting international "Standard" and they don't work for that.

I'd be interested to try one out now several years later, now that I am evolved in what I see and feel and that they have continued to evolve.

Hmmmmmmmm <_<

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I am interested to know about 6" Limited guns.

I use Blade-Tech DOH, I would think that it would be slower to draw with the extra inch having to clear the holster.

With an up, then out draw stroke (which is effective at the GM level) I don't see that as an issue.

- up, then out = the gun takes a path more like an inverted L

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Eric, are you shooting area 5? There will be a couple LIGHT 6" guns there for sure and I think we can arrange a test drive. Full weight 6" guns are PAINFULLY sluggish, lots of flip and the front sight dives down a mile when they close. I wouldn't even consider one, but you get one set up right and they are awesome.

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I shot Area 5 last year with a 5" Fat Free gun. It would be hard to get a 6" that light but the transitions are great. I like the snappy 10 oz slide with 180s. I shot a light 6" but thought the flip was too much.

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Mick, spend a little time with one of Benny's guns. The flip LOOKS higher than a 5", but it really isn't and they time out really nicely. Get the timing down on one and they just read your mind!

smoke, like anything the hot set up is whatever the guy you are talking to just spent a gagillion dollars on..... Personal preference is a big factor, I want mine absolutely as light as it will get. I am close with mine, but a couple of the guys that have shot it thought it was too light.

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Mick old buddy, I use the same powder charge that you would use in a 5" with a 180gr. except I use a 165 gr to make major. The old 6" guns had a bull barrel & had a dipping problem. The 2nd generation ones with the bushing barrels shoot flatter than a 5". About 1 1/2 inches of muzzle rise is about right. The reason more people are useing them includeing TGO is because it is easier to hit & call your shots. Hell, every man can use another inch.

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Mick old buddy, I use the same powder charge that you would use in a 5" with a 180gr. except I use a 165 gr to make major. The old 6" guns had a bull barrel & had a dipping problem. The 2nd generation ones with the bushing barrels shoot flatter than a 5". About 1 1/2 inches of muzzle rise is about right. The reason more people are useing them includeing TGO is because it is easier to hit & call your shots. Hell, every man can use another inch.

Just what I wanted, the master of the "6" has spoken :D

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There are six inch guns and there are six inch guns.

Six inch guns can be set up, like Benny Hill's Fat Free, to use five inch recoil spings. There is likely a noticeable difference in timing of lightweight six inch guns with the different recoil systems.

A five inch gun will always have the potential to be lighter than the lightest six inch gun, but the lightest limited gun is not the best answer for all shooters. If Light was the answer for all Limited guns, Dave Skinner would discontinue the EDGE because no one would be buying them. Then there are also all the Tunsten Guide Rods and Heavy Magswells that nobody would buy.

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Well Bob, a slide and barrel together need to weigh a certain amount to function correctly and last. That weight isn't any different in a 6" gun than it is in a 5" gun. There is a point where you can't get the reciprocating parts any lighter or the slide will outrun the magazines, but that leaves you with the rest of the gun. Both can use the same frame and small parts. It is my opinion that a 6" doesn't have to be any heavier than a 5", and that in fact it can be just as light as the lightest of 5" guns.

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The 6" gun that Robbie used to win L10 had more slide cuts than swiss cheese & harder to see because the slide never stopped moving. I would swear that after his mag change he fired 2 shoots in mid air going prone which was more of a flop because of the knee braces. It is hard to tell if the man is a machine or a machine made to look like a man. Think 6 million dollar man.

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I'm chiming in as a new owner of a Benny Hill 6" fat free owner. I LIKE IT. I've been shooting a P16 for 3 years now, tried an Edge for about 3 months and felt like I was shooting/swinging a brick. Heard the 6" hooplah, asked some questions and got some answers. Sent Benny a pile of $$$, and I'm happy with what I got. Slide runs as fast or faster than my current blaster, transitions way better (it's lighter), and after a practice session I was hitting an 8" plate at 20 yards in the 1.2x's consistantly, which is about 0.15 better than I ever did with the old blaster. I can't see this as doing anything but get better/faster as time goes on. Everyone whom I let fondle/shoot it comments on how slick it is, how smooth the slide action is, how light it is, how well it moves from target to target. No one has yet to have a negative comment regarding the 6" gun.

Now, as a testimonial. We recently shot the Summer Blast in San Antonio. The night before after we drove up my buddy's truck was broken in to and his luggage and shooting equipment were stolen, including his Edge, 8 mags, and ammo. I lent him my new 6" fat free to shoot the match with, and I used my regular gun which is now a back up. I can say, and so does he, that he's never shot a better game. He marveled after almost every stage how well the gun was doing for him, and couldn't stop talking about how well he was shooting. On the way home he told me that when he gets to replacing his limited gun it will more than likely be with a 6" version. This said after using it in exactly one match, 215 rounds.

Yeah, they are all that and a bag of chips. :cheers:

Edited by ken hebert
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OK . Now for my 2 cents worth. I have been shooting a 5in standard frame and slide SV for over 10 years in uspsa. Mine is lighter than most. (internal machining). HSMITH loaned me his newly completed sti 6in . All I have to say is WOW what a difference . So far I have put almost 5000 rounds thru it . I like it so much that HSMITH is building me one . Thanks Howard. I am currently master class in limited and open. 89% in limited. Since I started shooting the 6in I have moved up to 92% and shot my first 100% classifier. I love this gun. If you are thinking about getting a 6in limited gun do it you will not be disappointed. Lighter is better.

Darryl D.

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zhunter I'v got two 6 in gons one is a Benny Hill fat free that I got a cuople years ago and loved it. Last year I had a full 6 in built with a 5 in dust cover and it's super heavy I am thinking about cutting down the dust cover and having the slide lightened. I think fat free is the way to go! Someone said some thing about area 5 I will also be there If you would like to test drive one or both send me a pm.

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