Protecting basepads at indoor matches

[windscreen]

I'm looking at entering my first indoor IPSC match this weekend, but I'm a bit concerned about dropping my expensive Dawson aluminum basepads onto concrete during reloads. Should I be?

I was thinking about running electrical tape along the edges that join the bottom surface of the pad and the vertical side walls. Any suggestions on how to better protect them?

Thanks!

-Steve

edit - 1911 applicability (for the forum) is these are on my P16 Para.

Edited January 15, 2010 by windscreen

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: Get some foam weatherstrip tape and cut to fit around the bottom and sides. You can use the 1/4" stuff or thicker with the tape already attached to it. I have not tried this but it should help. Thanks, Eric

[kend]

Find an electrical supply store and get some large heat shrink tubing, cut some long enough to cover the base pad and wrap around the bottom about a 1/4 inch, heat gun it and you're done.

[ParaGunner]

My local club has a indoor range and we shoot inside all the time. I have some DP aluminum base pads for my Para and dropped them to many times to count and have not seen any significant damage. No padding needed.

[ChuckS]

One thing to keep in mind is that if you shoot a match where mags are going to be checked in the gauge, they may measure too long if you have any thick tape on them. I have been using Dawson base pads for a long time and I just let them take their lumps. Base pads are equipment, not jewelry. Besides, if they break, Dawson will send you new ones!

Good luck at the match!

Later,

Chuck

[Chris Keen]

Just drop 'em.

[maineshootah]

Just drop 'em.

+1

If they can't stand the abuse... you shouldn't be using them.

[windscreen]

Just drop 'em.

+1

If they can't stand the abuse... you shouldn't be using them.

I'm a pretty anal guy, so I at least wanted to give it a try to protect them...searched in vain for heat shrink big enough to fit around the pad. So, I tried 3 wraps of heavy electrical tape. The first mag I dropped landed on a corner, broke through the tape and still dinged the pad a bit.

At that point I decided to suck it up, pulled the tape off the rest of the mags and didn't think about it again.

Thanks everyone for the input. I didn't realize Dawson stood behind their stuff so well; it's good to know. At a minimum, this thread will be here for the next neewb like me that comes along and asks this question.

-Steve

[Vlad]

When I started shooting USPSA a wise old man (Hi Jim!) told me that most people shoot guns, USPSA folks wear out guns. In this game you will wear out gear and guns, it is just the way it its. Given then longevity of most based pads, if you cover them in tape you will spend more on electrical tape then you would on new base pads over the same period of time.

[Dan O]

If you want, you could dip the very bottom of the base pads with that Plasti Dip stuff, like the handles on tools such as pliers and wire cutters are covered with. But wouldn't putting anything on the bottom that is covering the entire bottom of the base pad get in the way of removal in order to clean the mag out if it takes a mud bath at an outdoor match?