Col. Mortimer

Matches are held during the winter as long as field conditions and the weather permit.

The stages will be included in the email sent out on Sunday, 10/30. As soon as I receive the email, I will post all the information. If I remember correctly, the fees are the same as always; $20 for non-members and $15 for members. I think there are six stages. Classifiers are usually short and simple stages.

If I remember correctly, there will be no rifle or shotgun side match. The classifier matches usually have the highest attendance. Therefore, they take longer to run and there is no time for the side match. The official email should go out in less than a week. I will post it as soon as Ron sends it out.

What's the OAL with the N320? Most use at least 1.170" and some going to 1.20" or even longer. My Glock mag limits me to 1.135".

Thanks Ronnie: It worked out. They are changing the schedule next month.

Anyone receive the email this week?

Just to reinforce the point, I get a 170 PF with a Montana Gold 180g, CMJ and 5.4g of WSF and 70 degree temps in my Glock 24 with a 6" KKM barrel.

Check out GT Targets in Lower Providence, PA. His prices are good and he has a large selection.

That's why I stay with good quality mags. It seems the cheap ones never work well. I'm good for sub-carbines. I'm trying to resist my next purchase but resistence is futile.

It was a good day. I remember you because you are "Mike S" and I am "Mike D". You have all winter to find a .45, revolver, lever action and semiauto carbine.

Geno: You are off to a good start. You cannot go wrong with a good quality pistol like a 686. Now let's get you an automatic pistol.

Yes, I was also surprised also as none of the reviews or posts I read mentioned these flaws. I am not sure what you mean by a range gun. The Buckmark comes in a number of variants including a 4” barrel. The Beretta Cheetah is nice but the $700 price is ridiculous and Beretta’s customer service gets poor reviews. I went through GunBroker just to see what would be comparable to the Thunder and there does not seem to be much choice in .22LR. My friend had a Walther and it was a dog so I would not buy one of those. There are many similar pistols in .380ACP and 9mm if you wanted to go that route or try a .22 revolver. Keep checking around. I am sure something will catch your eye.

I just bought a Thunder. Range review after testing this weekend. My first impressions are disappointing. CONS: The safety is heavy and stiff. It takes a significant effect to engage/disengage the safety to the point I feel there is a danger of an AD. The mag release also takes a lot of force to engage. The magazine follower is tight causing it to move stiffly. The trigger has a lot of take up in single action but the break is reasonably clean. PROS: The pistol fits my hands well and has a good, solid, heavy feel - especially for a .22. If the .380 Thunder has the same safety, mag release and magazine problems, I would say pass on it. The Ruger LC9 is a much better pistol and is about the same size. You would be better off with a Buckmark or a Ruger for your wife. BTW - Just by showing up, you already have friends here. Welcome aboard.

My friend owned one. It jammed constantly. Then it was recalled by Walther. They drilled a hole in the slide and installed a pin. He said it looked very sloppy, like it was done in your garage. The gun never worked right. Rays (RIP) gave him a refund. There are so many great .22's out there (Ruger or a Buckmark, why go with a hit-or-miss gun. I just picked up a Bersa Thunder. Once I clean it, I'll get a range review posted. PS: MY Buckmark shoots everything, including Golden Bullets.

Since you are in West Orange, Cherry Ridge is the way to go. 200 & 300 yard range and it's about an hour away. Plus they have some fun rifle matches.

You cannot go wrong with a quality pistol such as a CZ. A CZ will get you into the game. Once you see what's going on at the matches, see what others shoot and try out different pistols; you can add to the collection. Shongum is about an hour and a quarter from JC so you can shoot our matches. The Tenafly range is much closer.

I can reload .45ACP with lead SWC bullets and it's cheaper than the other calibers I reload (9mm and .40S&W). Plus, the recoil is less than a .40S&W and the hole is nice and clean. I also shoot the 2x4 matches and nothing beats a SWC for cutting a board. PS: Shoot a USPSA or 2x4 match and try to go back to "plain old target shooting". Ask, Maks and others, it's an addiction.

The reason competitive shooters use the larger calibers is to make Major Power Factor. The scoring for Major is more forgiving of off center hits. However, it also depends on the division in which you shoot. If you are shooting in Production, go with 9mm since there is only Minor Power Factor in Production. The idea is to shoot in the division that is best suited for your pistol.

I have used them for years. Ask for Bruce Smith, Sr. He gets in early in the morning.

Generally, how big is the turnout? People come and go but there are usually about 20 people there at any given time. About how many matches can you compete in an hour? Depending on how many people are there, 2 or 3. Plus there is a side target you can practice on during a match. I assume we don't have to come as a team and that we can be paired up with other singles, correct? Correct.

Another question, some of the ones I have seen say up to .357 mag. Can I shoot a .223 at that? No. .223 hits with more energy in a smaller area. There are steel targets specifically designed for rifles. Buy one of those. What would be the worst case scenario if I shoot a steel target with a higher power bullet that its rated for? Damage to the target including cracking it, breaking it or putting a hole in it.

Can I just go and pick up on of those small steel targets from Dicks and shoot my FMJ's into it? Check the package to see what they can handle. They may be for .22 only. Will they ricochet? They may. That is why they have to be angled downward. It is more likely you will get splatter (bullet fragments). Do I have to buy hollow points? No. Good targets can handle FMJ. Do I need a specific steel target?? Yes. They must be rated to handle centerfire pistol. My friend has these and they are good. http://www.gttargets.com/ . Go to the bottom of page and look for "Steel Targets and Bases"

Ron Guman has cancelled the October 1st match due to rain. Let's hope for good weather for the November classifier match.

Last match of the year. This thread covers it all: http://njgunforums.com/forum/index.php?/topic/23243-2x4-matches-at-cherry-ridge-first-match-april-30th/

Maks: I am glad a played a part of the past year. Bigger and better things in the year to come!