http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_17087113?source=most_viewed
That's 1 of 2 possible things:
1. An act of War.
2. An act of International Terrorism.
I don't care which you call it.
I want some bloodthirsty, rampaging Devil Dogs down there YESTERDAY.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
New Brass
One of the points of frustration I've been dealing with for rifle shooting has been quality of reloads. In particular for .308 Winchester. I've been fighting some extreme velocity variation that manifested itself in a very embarrassing way at a match, with one round falling about 6-8 feet short of the target at 500 yards and slamming into the concrete berm that shields the pit crew.
That particular problem was due to my case trimmer having an oversized case mouth pilot. I've learned that I have to resize after trimming in order to get ideal case neck tension.
Last match, I shot a 176-3x from slow prone, and once I got dialed in to my zero I was ringing 9, 10 and X hits with only the rare 8. I lost out with about 8 or so rounds while I tried to "dial in" from the 7 ring. Lowest score I got on any one shot was a 7, but I walked almost all the way around the bull before finally finding the center. I could have had 10 more points if I started zeroed or at least closer to it.
However, my brass is all part of this batch of Federal once-fired stuff that gets soft easily. Then there's 100 rounds each of various other headstamps. I've got brass in so many varied stages of firing (once fired, three times fired, four times fired, Winchester, Remington, Federal, MagTech, Lake City, etc) that I can't predict how the lot will shoot.
I've been in need of some new brass for awhile, so today I ordered 500ct of Remington nickel-plated brass. The nickel will make my brass easier to distinguish from other competitors, and the lot of 500 will allow me to shoot new virgin brass at the next 8 or 9 competitions before I have to start shooting once-fired brass. It's my hope that the nickel coating will better protect brass from dings during extraction and give me extended brass life. It's about a $20 premium over standard brass in lots of 500 so it wasn't too painful as an experiment. If I get one more loading out of them than standard brass then they'll be worth it.
And the lot of 500 will make it easy to work with:
-the same headstamp
-the same firing
-in lots of cases in the same weight
That particular problem was due to my case trimmer having an oversized case mouth pilot. I've learned that I have to resize after trimming in order to get ideal case neck tension.
Last match, I shot a 176-3x from slow prone, and once I got dialed in to my zero I was ringing 9, 10 and X hits with only the rare 8. I lost out with about 8 or so rounds while I tried to "dial in" from the 7 ring. Lowest score I got on any one shot was a 7, but I walked almost all the way around the bull before finally finding the center. I could have had 10 more points if I started zeroed or at least closer to it.
However, my brass is all part of this batch of Federal once-fired stuff that gets soft easily. Then there's 100 rounds each of various other headstamps. I've got brass in so many varied stages of firing (once fired, three times fired, four times fired, Winchester, Remington, Federal, MagTech, Lake City, etc) that I can't predict how the lot will shoot.
I've been in need of some new brass for awhile, so today I ordered 500ct of Remington nickel-plated brass. The nickel will make my brass easier to distinguish from other competitors, and the lot of 500 will allow me to shoot new virgin brass at the next 8 or 9 competitions before I have to start shooting once-fired brass. It's my hope that the nickel coating will better protect brass from dings during extraction and give me extended brass life. It's about a $20 premium over standard brass in lots of 500 so it wasn't too painful as an experiment. If I get one more loading out of them than standard brass then they'll be worth it.
And the lot of 500 will make it easy to work with:
-the same headstamp
-the same firing
-in lots of cases in the same weight
Sunday, January 9, 2011
January: 2 down, 1 to go
OK, I'm already 2 for 3 for January shooting events.
I did Steel last week with a time of 119.24 seconds. There's a 10 second penalty for doing 3 hits on one target rather than a 2+1 combo (5 seconds per miss).
I learned: Don't go with multiple batches of reloads. I have two different types of 124gr LRN bullets. I know that one batch hits lower than the other. I suspect it's because one bullet is significantly shorter than the other despite being the same weight. This results in more case capacity and lower pressures on ignition. Probably lower velocity is causing the lower impact. Or less recoil somehow due to the lower pressure causing less muzzle rise, or something. But one set does hit lower than the other. Part of why I had that 10 second penalty was due to this. The 2+1 was in a vertical arrangement. I put 3 on the "1" target that was below the "2" target.
So, I've spent the last week loading up about 1000 rounds of pistol ammo, all 100% identical.
I imagine that some of my other misses can be attributed to my mixed loads too. At this point I'm good for 6 or 7 sessions. Maybe as many as 9 if my accuracy is high enough... each night requires 96 hits, typically. I tend to shoot about 125 rounds a night.
And, I did High Power today. This was a 50 round match with 20 slow prone, 10 rapid prone, 10 rapid seated and 10 slow standing. I did a 176-3x, 80, 80 and 66 for a total of 402-3x.
No misses, so that's good. I've had bad results with standing the last few times out, flubbing up 1 or 2 shots with misses. My rapid prone was well centered, but low. 2 minutes higher and it could easily have been a 92 or higher, with a couple more X's. I muscled the seated too much. I tried cross legged and couldn't find a good NPOA from there, and I went open legged instead. Even then, I was muscling my support hand upwards. Need to rediscover how to control seated elevation. I was all over with it. 2 10's, 2 9's, 2 8's, 2 7's, 2 6's.
Standing, I'm lucky if I can hold 12MOA. More dryfire practice. A must.
All in all, I'm pleased with the 402-3x score. And the slow prone score. And that I've concretely identified places to improve. with 3-4 months off of shooting rifle in a disciplined manner, it's better than I had anticipated. I also think it's a personal best for this format of match.
I did Steel last week with a time of 119.24 seconds. There's a 10 second penalty for doing 3 hits on one target rather than a 2+1 combo (5 seconds per miss).
I learned: Don't go with multiple batches of reloads. I have two different types of 124gr LRN bullets. I know that one batch hits lower than the other. I suspect it's because one bullet is significantly shorter than the other despite being the same weight. This results in more case capacity and lower pressures on ignition. Probably lower velocity is causing the lower impact. Or less recoil somehow due to the lower pressure causing less muzzle rise, or something. But one set does hit lower than the other. Part of why I had that 10 second penalty was due to this. The 2+1 was in a vertical arrangement. I put 3 on the "1" target that was below the "2" target.
So, I've spent the last week loading up about 1000 rounds of pistol ammo, all 100% identical.
I imagine that some of my other misses can be attributed to my mixed loads too. At this point I'm good for 6 or 7 sessions. Maybe as many as 9 if my accuracy is high enough... each night requires 96 hits, typically. I tend to shoot about 125 rounds a night.
And, I did High Power today. This was a 50 round match with 20 slow prone, 10 rapid prone, 10 rapid seated and 10 slow standing. I did a 176-3x, 80, 80 and 66 for a total of 402-3x.
No misses, so that's good. I've had bad results with standing the last few times out, flubbing up 1 or 2 shots with misses. My rapid prone was well centered, but low. 2 minutes higher and it could easily have been a 92 or higher, with a couple more X's. I muscled the seated too much. I tried cross legged and couldn't find a good NPOA from there, and I went open legged instead. Even then, I was muscling my support hand upwards. Need to rediscover how to control seated elevation. I was all over with it. 2 10's, 2 9's, 2 8's, 2 7's, 2 6's.
Standing, I'm lucky if I can hold 12MOA. More dryfire practice. A must.
All in all, I'm pleased with the 402-3x score. And the slow prone score. And that I've concretely identified places to improve. with 3-4 months off of shooting rifle in a disciplined manner, it's better than I had anticipated. I also think it's a personal best for this format of match.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Shooting Resolutions
I've made some New Year's resolutions related to shooting:
1. Shoot centerfire pistol with a purpose at least once a month. Steel match, a class or some sort of competition.
2. Shoot centerfire rifle with a purpose at least once a month. High Power, a class, or perhaps a 3-gun match.
3. Shoot rimfire pistol at Rio Salado's rimfire steel matches once a month until there is nothing more for me to learn from the experience. I bought a Browning Buckmark pistol, a decent holster and 5 magazines to facilitate this.
4. Shoot rimfire rifle at Rio Salado's Tuesday Tactical Rifle matches once a month. Start off with my Marlin 795 with Williams peep/fiber optic sights, but consider the purchase of a more "tactical" .22 rifle once I learn more.
This is a LOT of shooting. That's about a brick of .22 a month, 150 rounds of pistol and 50-100 rounds of rifle ammo. 1800 rounds of pistol ammo a year (~$150 or so if 9mm reloads), $240 worth of rimfire ammo, and $400 worth of .308 ammo.
I've added all these events to my Outlook calendar on my computer. Fortunately, the rimfire rifle and centerfire steel matches happen on the same nights. This is still a 3-day per month commitment at a minimum.
Putting it to print right now, to help keep myself honest in regards to it.
1. Shoot centerfire pistol with a purpose at least once a month. Steel match, a class or some sort of competition.
2. Shoot centerfire rifle with a purpose at least once a month. High Power, a class, or perhaps a 3-gun match.
3. Shoot rimfire pistol at Rio Salado's rimfire steel matches once a month until there is nothing more for me to learn from the experience. I bought a Browning Buckmark pistol, a decent holster and 5 magazines to facilitate this.
4. Shoot rimfire rifle at Rio Salado's Tuesday Tactical Rifle matches once a month. Start off with my Marlin 795 with Williams peep/fiber optic sights, but consider the purchase of a more "tactical" .22 rifle once I learn more.
This is a LOT of shooting. That's about a brick of .22 a month, 150 rounds of pistol and 50-100 rounds of rifle ammo. 1800 rounds of pistol ammo a year (~$150 or so if 9mm reloads), $240 worth of rimfire ammo, and $400 worth of .308 ammo.
I've added all these events to my Outlook calendar on my computer. Fortunately, the rimfire rifle and centerfire steel matches happen on the same nights. This is still a 3-day per month commitment at a minimum.
Putting it to print right now, to help keep myself honest in regards to it.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Handgun Grip Angle: Practice, dummy!
I've recently come to the conclusion that, with few exceptions, handgun grip angle and so called "ergonomics" are just about the most pointless thing to consider when shopping for a pistol.
Why?
For two reasons.
1. The new shooter. If this is truly a new shooter, then he or she has little or no fundamentals to draw upon. His evaluation of a grip angle may be done while gripping a pistol incorrectly. We've all seen the actors in cop procedural shows that grasp handguns way too low on the grip, or even those actors that think it's good practice to put your thumb directly behind the slide of a striker-operated semiautomatic. These are over-dramatized examples of improper grip... but if you don't know how you're supposed to hold a gun then how on Earth do you suppose you're going to know if it fits right when you are holding it?
2. The serial gun buyer. The guy who is looking for the "perfect gun." The guy who spends $500-$1000 on a gun and runs it for half a dozen range trips before getting bored with it (or blaming supposed deficiencies of the gun for less than optimal results downrange), then spends another $500-$1000 on another gun, and another half a dozen range trips with that one. This guy doesn't have 10k rounds through any 1 of his guns, and any one of his guns is barely past the break-in period before he's drooling over the counter at the gun store again. This guy listens to the Glock "grip hump" bashing, all the praise for the 1911 grip angle, but probably couldn't tell you what gun was in his hand if you blindfolded him and tested him... with his own handguns.
I've seen phenomenal Glock shooters.
I've seen phenomenal 1911 shooters.
I've seen phenomenal CZ/Witness shooters.
I've seen phenomenal revolver shooters.
I'm worse than the people in any of the above 4 categories that I'm citing. Heck, the revolver shooter I see regularly at the steel matches outshoots my times, using his revolver, and me using my XD.
I guarantee that there is a common thread with all those shooters above: They all have tens or hundreds of thousands of rounds through the same gun or at least the same platform. They all took classes using those same guns (though now they are the people that TEACH the classes). And they spend more time practicing draws and magazine changes than they do learning about the latest Glock or 1911 blessing/curse/fad.
After tens of thousands (or even a few thousand, depending on practice techniques) of rounds, it doesn't matter if you're shooting a Glock with "an unnatural grip angle" or a 1911 that "feels like St. John Browning poured its blue steel goodness into your hand and it molded to your form..." You'll have an instinctual feel for where your thumbs and hand webbing are supposed to have contact with your pistol. You'll instinctively know how that relates to your sights, and how your hand should feel for presentation of the top of the slide to your eyes for targeting.
What matters, then, for gun shopping?
Access to control surfaces. Slide release, magazine release, safeties, decockers, the ability to clear a jam quickly. Do you have to release a positive grip on the pistol to accomplish any of these tasks? If so, you need to consider a different platform.
I've watched my complaints about my XD vanish, one by one, for each thousand additional rounds I put through it. I used to have a pretty strong dislike for this pistol, and even had apprehension about putting it back on my hip. It's been up for sale twice with no takers.
Now, I just don't care what pistol I carry. I could just as soon trade my XD for a 1911, a Glock, a Browning Hi Power, or a Beretta 92. As long as I can run a few hundred or a thousand rounds through it to learn it intimately, it doesn't matter.
Why?
For two reasons.
1. The new shooter. If this is truly a new shooter, then he or she has little or no fundamentals to draw upon. His evaluation of a grip angle may be done while gripping a pistol incorrectly. We've all seen the actors in cop procedural shows that grasp handguns way too low on the grip, or even those actors that think it's good practice to put your thumb directly behind the slide of a striker-operated semiautomatic. These are over-dramatized examples of improper grip... but if you don't know how you're supposed to hold a gun then how on Earth do you suppose you're going to know if it fits right when you are holding it?
2. The serial gun buyer. The guy who is looking for the "perfect gun." The guy who spends $500-$1000 on a gun and runs it for half a dozen range trips before getting bored with it (or blaming supposed deficiencies of the gun for less than optimal results downrange), then spends another $500-$1000 on another gun, and another half a dozen range trips with that one. This guy doesn't have 10k rounds through any 1 of his guns, and any one of his guns is barely past the break-in period before he's drooling over the counter at the gun store again. This guy listens to the Glock "grip hump" bashing, all the praise for the 1911 grip angle, but probably couldn't tell you what gun was in his hand if you blindfolded him and tested him... with his own handguns.
I've seen phenomenal Glock shooters.
I've seen phenomenal 1911 shooters.
I've seen phenomenal CZ/Witness shooters.
I've seen phenomenal revolver shooters.
I'm worse than the people in any of the above 4 categories that I'm citing. Heck, the revolver shooter I see regularly at the steel matches outshoots my times, using his revolver, and me using my XD.
I guarantee that there is a common thread with all those shooters above: They all have tens or hundreds of thousands of rounds through the same gun or at least the same platform. They all took classes using those same guns (though now they are the people that TEACH the classes). And they spend more time practicing draws and magazine changes than they do learning about the latest Glock or 1911 blessing/curse/fad.
After tens of thousands (or even a few thousand, depending on practice techniques) of rounds, it doesn't matter if you're shooting a Glock with "an unnatural grip angle" or a 1911 that "feels like St. John Browning poured its blue steel goodness into your hand and it molded to your form..." You'll have an instinctual feel for where your thumbs and hand webbing are supposed to have contact with your pistol. You'll instinctively know how that relates to your sights, and how your hand should feel for presentation of the top of the slide to your eyes for targeting.
What matters, then, for gun shopping?
Access to control surfaces. Slide release, magazine release, safeties, decockers, the ability to clear a jam quickly. Do you have to release a positive grip on the pistol to accomplish any of these tasks? If so, you need to consider a different platform.
I've watched my complaints about my XD vanish, one by one, for each thousand additional rounds I put through it. I used to have a pretty strong dislike for this pistol, and even had apprehension about putting it back on my hip. It's been up for sale twice with no takers.
Now, I just don't care what pistol I carry. I could just as soon trade my XD for a 1911, a Glock, a Browning Hi Power, or a Beretta 92. As long as I can run a few hundred or a thousand rounds through it to learn it intimately, it doesn't matter.
Friday, August 13, 2010
The Southpaw Conundrum
Been practicing magazine changes this week, after being so close to the 100 second barrier last week at TNS that it hurt! Mag changes appear to be my slowest point to work on for now.
As a stinkin' southpaw, to operate the safety on my current preferred pistol (a CZ-75B in 9mm), I have to shift my grip slightly so that my index/trigger finger can scrunch back to the mag release, push the release, insert a new magazine with the right hand, re-shift my grip back around, drop the slide release (if locked back), then re-address the trigger.
I need to eliminate those two grip shifts. They cost me at least 10 seconds throughout the course of the TNS match on all 4 stages and the several mag changes required.
I pulled the Springfield XD9 out of the safe in response to this. There's a lot of things I don't like about the XD product line: In general, I dislike striker pistols. I dislike trigger-dinguses. There's something not quite "right" about the contour of the grip on the left side of the grip safety, it grinds against the index finger metacarpal uncomfortably in a way that a CZ or 1911 does not do.
However, it DOES have an ambidextrous magazine release.
I've been practicing using my left thumb to release mags. Almost no grip shift and as I practice, the shift becomes smaller and smaller. Less attention to detail with my left hand, so I can focus on moving my right hand more quickly to the belt for a fresh magazine.
I need to find a suitable way to rig a 1911 with an ambi mag release (looking into the Smith & Alexander ambi mag release), as well as a CZ. Or, I need to find a new pet 9mm platform with ambi mag release controls and all the features I like of the CZ-75 series. Fabrique-Nationale's FNX-9 looks like a potential contender. Not sure what else is out on the market.
In the meantime, though, the XD9 is back on my hip and on rotation for TNS.
As a stinkin' southpaw, to operate the safety on my current preferred pistol (a CZ-75B in 9mm), I have to shift my grip slightly so that my index/trigger finger can scrunch back to the mag release, push the release, insert a new magazine with the right hand, re-shift my grip back around, drop the slide release (if locked back), then re-address the trigger.
I need to eliminate those two grip shifts. They cost me at least 10 seconds throughout the course of the TNS match on all 4 stages and the several mag changes required.
I pulled the Springfield XD9 out of the safe in response to this. There's a lot of things I don't like about the XD product line: In general, I dislike striker pistols. I dislike trigger-dinguses. There's something not quite "right" about the contour of the grip on the left side of the grip safety, it grinds against the index finger metacarpal uncomfortably in a way that a CZ or 1911 does not do.
However, it DOES have an ambidextrous magazine release.
I've been practicing using my left thumb to release mags. Almost no grip shift and as I practice, the shift becomes smaller and smaller. Less attention to detail with my left hand, so I can focus on moving my right hand more quickly to the belt for a fresh magazine.
I need to find a suitable way to rig a 1911 with an ambi mag release (looking into the Smith & Alexander ambi mag release), as well as a CZ. Or, I need to find a new pet 9mm platform with ambi mag release controls and all the features I like of the CZ-75 series. Fabrique-Nationale's FNX-9 looks like a potential contender. Not sure what else is out on the market.
In the meantime, though, the XD9 is back on my hip and on rotation for TNS.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Back to Steel
I went back to steel 2 weeks ago. Ran the CZ-75 with Winchester WWB factory 115gr FMJ ammo. Got done in 112.71. This week, I took some cheap reloads (mixed brass, CCI small primers, 122gr LRNFP bullet) that I cooked up. I was worried about them because I hadn't had time to shoot them at the range prior to coming out, to see if they might not work properly.
No need to worry. 100% reliability. They shot cleaner than the WWB. I cleaned the gun tonight (two weeks ago, as well), there was just a smidge of carbon blowback inside the slide and at the barrel's ramp. Leading down bore was gone after 15-20 passes with a bronze brush wet with Hoppes. Very quick and easy cleaning.
Time tonight was 104.09.
I did some light 'smithing work on the CZ, too. I replaced the factory front sight with a fiber optic one. Mounted the slide in my drill press and drilled out the necessary hole in the replacement front sight post. 100% successful, no problems encountered at all. POI = POA still.
I need some heavier CZ magazines, though: Even with the drop-free mag brake, completely empty mags don't always drop free. Gonna have to find a few mags with extended base-pads that are heavy enough to fall free. I guess it's okay if they take a few more rounds, too.
Shooting the CZ in "Limited" division, loading mags to 16rd capacity, holstered with safety on and single action first shot. If I were to shoot in "Production," I would have to limit myself to 10rds in the mags and first shot would have to be DA. At least, that's how I understand it. Still trying to fully figure out the divisions.
No need to worry. 100% reliability. They shot cleaner than the WWB. I cleaned the gun tonight (two weeks ago, as well), there was just a smidge of carbon blowback inside the slide and at the barrel's ramp. Leading down bore was gone after 15-20 passes with a bronze brush wet with Hoppes. Very quick and easy cleaning.
Time tonight was 104.09.
I did some light 'smithing work on the CZ, too. I replaced the factory front sight with a fiber optic one. Mounted the slide in my drill press and drilled out the necessary hole in the replacement front sight post. 100% successful, no problems encountered at all. POI = POA still.
I need some heavier CZ magazines, though: Even with the drop-free mag brake, completely empty mags don't always drop free. Gonna have to find a few mags with extended base-pads that are heavy enough to fall free. I guess it's okay if they take a few more rounds, too.
Shooting the CZ in "Limited" division, loading mags to 16rd capacity, holstered with safety on and single action first shot. If I were to shoot in "Production," I would have to limit myself to 10rds in the mags and first shot would have to be DA. At least, that's how I understand it. Still trying to fully figure out the divisions.
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