Remember when.......

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: Man, I started too late in 2006 to see these guns in there hayday. I still think they look very cool Thanks, Eric

[DMS42]

Here's a couple that I used in the Mid to Late 80's.

The top gun is an Essex with a BAT single comp, bottom is a Caspian build by Ron Sharp. It has a 6 in. barrel with 1.5 in. weight -- Pin Barrel.

View of Bat Comp, Clark Super Comp and Pin Barrel.

wow..Ron Sharp..that is a name I have not heard in a long long time. did you shoot down in the Boise area??

Used to go there from Spokane to shoot IPSC type matches. I usually would pick up a friend from LaGrande, OR on the way. I and others stayed at Ron's place many times and even went to my first SOF match in 1984 with Ron. At one time he and Gary were in the commercial cast bullet business.

[eerw]

Here's a couple that I used in the Mid to Late 80's.

The top gun is an Essex with a BAT single comp, bottom is a Caspian build by Ron Sharp. It has a 6 in. barrel with 1.5 in. weight -- Pin Barrel.

View of Bat Comp, Clark Super Comp and Pin Barrel.

wow..Ron Sharp..that is a name I have not heard in a long long time. did you shoot down in the Boise area??

Used to go there from Spokane to shoot IPSC type matches. I usually would pick up a friend from LaGrande, OR on the way. I and others stayed at Ron's place many times and even went to my first SOF match in 1984 with Ron. At one time he and Gary were in the commercial cast bullet business.

I remember Gary's bullets..I moved to Boise in 1986 and shot at the Nampa club for a few years before moving away.

[eerw]

My first open style gun was a single stack 38S, bomars.

hot setup was a .45 mags with devel follower modified to hold 11.

then add a Ross Deane bullet proof PDP2, shot this at 1991 nationals

then a P9 9x21 three port comp, with a Ross Deane PDP2 for 1992 and 1993 seasons.

eerw, I totally remember. OOOOOOHH! Three port comp.. "Why don't we make it 4 port?" I asked my gunsmith, He replied, "You don't need it, there's no more gas hon that last port" Show's me the compensator.. "See, the last of the three ports has no lead in it!"

Funny the 5-chamber 5-port comp and the 6-chamber 8-port would still flame cut the baffles, there was plenty gas.

remember we didn't have as many cool powders back then. I can remember loading blue dot and when AA7 was big deal.

Robbie shooting jacketed 130FMJ was HUGE!!!

[calishootr]

lets not forget that pachmayer(sp) made a mild fortune off the IPSC community when he made steel lined rubber grips, no more splinters in the hand from blown cases trashing expensive wood grips, back in the day, you wernt a shooter if you hadnt gotten 'super face' at least once

I waited 16 weeks for the then hot setup a Springfield 2 port comp from the custom shop in 38 super, put a dot on it a while later, then stood in line to get my hands on one of McCormicks nifty plastic frames....man... i remember complaining about 60 bucks for a complete mag was waaay out of line....hehehe

[triplesinglestack]

I remember when.... they were all .45's.....you had 9mm .45's, .38 super .45's, double stacker .45's chambered in .38 super...the list goes on, nowdays, they are referred to as 1911's and 2011's, and who has heard of 400 corbon anyways?

[flack jacket]

My first open style gun was a single stack 38S, bomars.

hot setup was a .45 mags with devel follower modified to hold 11.

then add a Ross Deane bullet proof PDP2, shot this at 1991 nationals

then a P9 9x21 three port comp, with a Ross Deane PDP2 for 1992 and 1993 seasons.

eerw, I totally remember. OOOOOOHH! Three port comp.. "Why don't we make it 4 port?" I asked my gunsmith, He replied, "You don't need it, there's no more gas hon that last port" Show's me the compensator.. "See, the last of the three ports has no lead in it!"

Funny the 5-chamber 5-port comp and the 6-chamber 8-port would still flame cut the baffles, there was plenty gas.

remember we didn't have as many cool powders back then. I can remember loading blue dot and when AA7 was big deal.

Robbie shooting jacketed 130FMJ was HUGE!!!

Remember using 135 gr Hard cast lead from Bonus Bullets or Surefire, shooting 9x21 at 180 PF.... Was saving the D&J bullets 135gr fmj for "big matches"...... Yup AA7 was the hot ticket.....

[KellyTTE]

Cool blasters guys. Pieces of competition history.

[tunakilla]

My first open style gun was a single stack 38S, bomars.

hot setup was a .45 mags with devel follower modified to hold 11.

then add a Ross Deane bullet proof PDP2, shot this at 1991 nationals

then a P9 9x21 three port comp, with a Ross Deane PDP2 for 1992 and 1993 seasons.

eerw, I totally remember. OOOOOOHH! Three port comp.. "Why don't we make it 4 port?" I asked my gunsmith, He replied, "You don't need it, there's no more gas hon that last port" Show's me the compensator.. "See, the last of the three ports has no lead in it!"

Funny the 5-chamber 5-port comp and the 6-chamber 8-port would still flame cut the baffles, there was plenty gas.

remember we didn't have as many cool powders back then. I can remember loading blue dot and when AA7 was big deal.

Robbie shooting jacketed 130FMJ was HUGE!!!

Remember using 135 gr Hard cast lead from Bonus Bullets or Surefire, shooting 9x21 at 180 PF.... Was saving the D&J bullets 135gr fmj for "big matches"...... Yup AA7 was the hot ticket.....

II remember my Ernie Hill belt that was only a size 36

[outerlimits]

no guns but seriously old comps...

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...8&hl=plaxco

[earlbob]

II remember my Ernie Hill belt that was only a size 36

that got me to thinking...I still fit in my Ernie Hill belt I bought back in 87 or so. Got it on right now as a matter of fact. Bought 2 of them, one for gittin dirty at the range and another to impress the girls with. Got my moneys worth out of the first one, the second still looks brand new! And I will be shooting with it (the first one not the show model) real soon. I remember talking my friend Art into ordering an Ernie Hill holster and belt for his home brewed Colt long slide built on a 6 inch Clark barrel I think it was. Can't be sure but I think I ordered a 8 inch holster for him. It was one looong holster for a 1911.I called Ernie back a couple of weeks later asking if he had a time frame of when we could expect it and he was kind of flabbergasted. Seems he thought the order I had placed was Brian Enos calling him up and messing with him. I assured him we was really wanting it so he finally did make it and Art finally got what may be the longest 1911 speed holster custom crafted by one Ernest T. Hill in existence. I liked Ernie, he was pretty friendly on the phone, but then again most shooters and the folks in business working the trade are to. Hope he's doing well.

earl

Edited February 16, 2010 by earlbob

[HI5-O]

Yeah, I remember my first comp gun...it was a Cogan Custom in .45ACP with bomar rear site, a gilled compensator, the slide tightener on the front of the dust cover, pivoting trigger and 8rd Wilson mags with brass base pads all in a Ernie Hill Leatham/Enos holster (still have it) as well as the Ted Blocker holster that was used by Tom Selleck. Shooting 155gr lead SWC bullets.

Don't have that gun anymore. And the belt is a little too small.

[Braxton1]

Here ya go. Nastoff 45 from 1986.

...and not ONLY a Nastoff gun, but a Leatham/Enos model holster from Ernie Hill Speed Leather!

I am reminded of having to carry a hammer handle in my shooting bag to bend the steel lining back into place whenever I'd land on it while going prone.

(Ooops. Didn't see all the replies to the original post. Was a little too quick on the draw.)

Edited February 18, 2010 by Braxton1

[ShooterSteve]

Went to my first match in 1987 with a SW 686 and got my ass handed to me by a bunch of girls with tricked out 45s. Packed my kit and headed to the Gulf. Started getting my subscription to American Handgunner (about two months behind as it made it to Bahrain by Navy mail). Found out all the girls that kicked my butt were national champions. Tough local crowd! Saved my per diem money and bought a Combat Elite when I got home, and no, just because your tax dollars paid for it, you can't have it back! Put a BAT comp on it, SA magwell and a kings trigger and sights and it was bad to the bone. Later stepped up to a Gold Cup built by Blake Gann. That gun is still the softest, best shooting gun I have by far. If I could figure out how to get more than ten rounds in it I'd still be shooting it now. I also shot Ernie Hill belts and holsters, now my son uses the belt with updated holsters. There is no way I can get in the belt now. I just don't understand how that works. Don't use a belt for a couple years and the dang thing shrinks WAY up. Whats up with that?

[Bob Hostetter]

<<First Hi Caps in 1991>>

I had my first high cap 1911 in 1988, in fact I still have the frame.....

Edited February 19, 2010 by Bob Hostetter

[kimberacp]

Anyone remember John Dixon? He had a special Para Orndnace frame "gold color" that was...special!

[Bob Hostetter]

He was out of Texas iirc.... That Para frame was made out of berylem(?) copper and at that time the mags were only available in 45acp.

[eerw]

He was out of Texas iirc.... That Para frame was made out of berylem(?) copper and at that time the mags were only available in 45acp.

yeah..those were pretty cool. I remember seeing modified 45acp tubes to hold 38 super..and see Matt Burkett throwing on over the berm when it didn't work

[Bob Hostetter]

Ya, I built one in 10mm (the 40 hadn't been invented yet) for the extra capacity and fought with it for about 6 months getting the thing to feed 100%. then the frame broken and I gave up and went with the EAA in 9x19, then 9x21. Never have liked Para's ever since. Had an early TRI as well, still liked the EAA better.

[tunakilla]

<<First Hi Caps in 1991>>

I had my first high cap 1911 in 1988, in fact I still have the frame.....

Bob, you know who this is. I will buy that frame from you soon haha. Funny how old school some of us are.

[jaredr]

this whole thread has me thinking of the michael mann movie "thief" with james caan...

[martyg00]

The first Hi-Cap used in the USPSA Nationals was in 1988 or 1989, I believe in 1988, in .38 super and was built and shot by Otto Matyska, ("Ottocomp") of St. Louis. This frame was designed and cast by him with magazines from Europe with the capacity of 19 rounds.

Since the rules at that time were vague about mandatory reloads he ejected the magazine and just as it cleared the pistol he reinserted the same magazine.... this prompted a rule change later.

This frame was retired a few years after with some cracks in it. I'll bet that frame had 100k rounds through it at 180 or better power factor. I personally shot about 500 rounds through that gun.

The interesting thing is that frame bears a striking resembalance to the Caspian Hi-Cap..... which is the Hi-Cap that Otto built for me in 1993 (my fourth Ottocomp Open Gun) that I continue to compete with today, complete with an Aimpoint Comp XD and a Red Buff scope mount.

Oh the memories!

Marty

A-7424

Open since 1987

[Bob Hostetter]

May have been the 1st one used at the Nationals but by 1988 a couple of guys on the west coast were building them. The picture I posted was of a 1911 that the grip had been sawed off of and a new grip pieced together to take S&W Model 59 mag's. It was built in 1988 by Mac's 45 Shop in Seal Beach, Ca, and it wasn't the first one he built. Boland was also building them the same basic way but much prettier at the same time. Bruce Gary may have also been playing with hi cap european 9mm's with comp's on them around the same time. I seem to remember him playing with some H&K P7's I think. Somewhere around 1989 Doug Kenoig won the World Shoot with a CZ/P9/EAA type pistol and shortly after that the race was on. At the time we were all shooting 9mm major at the higher power factor (175?) and then after the Caspian and TRI came out they banned 9 major. A lot of people thought the reason behind the ban on 9 major was to get rid of the wonder 9's and get people back to shooting 1911 style guns like the Caspian and the TRI. Whatever the truth was it worked, everyone went back to 38 Super requiring the longer mags and allowing TRI/STI/SVI/Caspian to own the sport ever since. They had to change the rules for the Caspian because the magazine had to extend below the grip frame to hold enough ammo to be competitive with the TRI. The rule changed immediately after the USPSA President (DAve Stanford) started shooting a Caspian...go figure.

Catching the mag and reinserting it was referred to as an "Arizona reload" out here in the southwest. It was a little tricky and you had to practice it to get good.

[Braxton1]

Does anyone remember the "Colt" that Bill Wilson built for Jerry Barnhart back in the early-90s? It was a Colt frame that had the magazine area removed and Wilson fabricated and welded up a complete new middle section & trigger bow that would accept CZ-75 magazines.

[eerw]

Does anyone remember the "Colt" that Bill Wilson built for Jerry Barnhart back in the early-90s? It was a Colt frame that had the magazine area removed and Wilson fabricated and welded up a complete new middle section & trigger bow that would accept CZ-75 magazines.

I remember seeing that gun at that nationals on Wilson's table in the vendor's tent. I'll have to see if I can find my photos.