Agent_Smith

I am partial to the M&P 15-22. I had a 10/22, but like the 15-22 much more. My 15-22 shoots well, never jams, feels sturdy and pleases the eye.

Can you shoot pistol and rifle during the same match? Thanks – A.S.

Thanks, Bob. That is really helpful. I read through that Tactical Journal article. I tried a strong and weak hand reloads, and the weak hand reload seemed more natural to me. I just don't like giving up my grip on the stocks. I'm registered for Somerset IDPA this Sunday and plan to run my S&W 686. This will be my first time shooting revolver in a match. I usually shoot a Glock 34. Should be fun, and I'm not going to worry about my scores. BTW, I changed out the springs using a Wolff kit, which was one of the options you suggested in a previous post. Modestly lighter pull. So getting back to the original question: Reloading weak hand, do all three speed loaders need to go behind the body centerline on the left side (like the rules for semi-auto magazine pouches)? I would prefer to have them in front of the centerline if that's IDPA legal. – A.S.

Where on your belt do you put revolver speedloader pouches for IDPA? Unlike with mag pouches, you put them on the belly side of your holster, right?

I've been shooting steel matches with a Glock 34 fitted with a fiber optic front sight and a plain black rear sight (classic Heinie/Dawson setup). I've been having trouble hitting the plates, always shooting too high or low. Last weekend at the steel match, I broke out the Beretta 92FS with a standard 3-dot setup just to switch things up. I immediately started connecting on every shot. It's like my vision had been restored. I'm planning to try out the 92FS at IDPA to see if it helps improve my scores there as well. Any thoughts on fiber optic/black sights vs 3-dots? Is the ideal pistol for IDPA very different from the ideal pistol for shooting steel? Thanks -- A.S.

Smith Model 60 (gotta have a snubby) Beretta 85fs Cheetah (single-stack Cheetah is the most beautiful gun out there, period) Kahr K9 with Nill grips (such a cool little chunk of metal goodness) Mossberg 590a1 (legal to have big mag tube in NJ with pump) Wilson Combat CQB (if I ever become rich enough) Arsenal AK47-style rifle with scope base (because 7.62 rounds are plentiful)

Thanks. So if you buy primers and bullets in 1,000 count lots and already have brass, average releoad cost is about 25 cents per round, right?

What does it cost per round to reload 5.56 assuming you already have the brass? Thanks GS

I placed a bulk order for 38 special a couple of months ago, which was the only ammo I could find online. Not cheap, but not terribly priced. It came in about a week ago, so now I have plenty of revolver ammo. I still have a nice stash of 9mm and 22lr from Black Friday sales, but I'm nursing it. By rotating between calibers I expect to make it through a year of matches, with little practice in between. I will begin reloading as soon as equipment and supplies become available again. And by that time I will have saved a lot of brass.

This is good news. Will pre-registration be required?

So has anyone heard of any permits issued yet it Essex? I am an "H." I have not yet called my PD. I figured I would give them a few days grace period.

I'm reviving this thread to follow up. I installed a Wolff reduced power mainspring and 14-pound reduced power rebound spring. Trigger pull feels maybe a couple pounds lighter. I put a bunch of rounds downrange of a couple of different brands and there were no light strikes. Installation was easy after watching five minutes of an AGI DVD and buying a rebound spring tool. (Getting the sucker back in the socket is such a pain that they actually make a tool just for this one step. This is a good start, and I'm going to stick with this setup for a while. It will take me a bit to get used to when the gun goes boom. I seem to expect it to take longer for the hammer to pull back and release, so it catches me by surprise, which is only a problem if I try to begin the pull before I have the target dialed in. Getting used to speed loaders will be a bigger challenge. Bob, I hope to check out your revolver at the safe table during an upcoming Somerset IDPA match. It looks like I won't be able to make April. Hoping for May. (PS: Frame-mounted firing pin. I wasn't sure when you asked.) AS

It's in the print edition.

PM sent

For 9mm, 38 special and 40 cal., is there any big downside to loading cartridges with lead bullets instead of jacketed ones? Are there any ranges that forbid ammo with lead bullets? I ask, because lead bullets appear to be cheaper, but the folks I know who reload all seem to use jacketed bullets. Thanks -AS

One other factor: Black Friday sales. All these other events mentioned above happened right after all the stores moved huge amounts of ammo on sale. I bought 2,000 rounds of various kinds during the sales (praise lord.)

Thanks for the suggestions. I got mixed opinions, tho, on whether there is a cost difference between reloading 9mm and .45. I assumed there would be since there is (was) such a big difference in price for factory ammo. Can anyone clear that up? -AS

I was planning to get a 9mm 1911 Trojan for IDPA and Knockdown steel. Partly this was an ammo cost consideration. Wondering now whether I should be considering a .40 or .45 instead. Here are some considerations: 1) I recently read a blog post saying that the farther you strayed from the original 1911 design, the more likely you were to run into problems with your gun running properly. The post counted 9mm as a type of "straying." Are 9mm 1911s potentially more troublesome than .45s or .40s? 2) If you are reloading (assuming components come back in stock and prices go back to "normal"), how big is the price difference between reloading 9mm and .45 ammo on a cost-per-round basis. 3) What speed or action shooting competitions (not bullseye) would a .40 or .45 be more suited for than a 9mm? Thanks AS

I have bought all my handguns there. I like the place. Good service. Family owned and run. Some of the people who work there are un-grumpy.

I'm going to start with the Wolff spring kit and take it from there. Just placed the order I'm not reloading right now, but when Ammogeddon shakes out, I probably will start. Tho I would like to be able to shoot any ammo through this revolver. I can't stand fussy guns. My Smith 41 drives me bonkers. Not sure about what type of firing pin, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. Thanks for all the advice. -AS

Thanks, Bob. I probably will just use the Wolff kit with the reduced mainspring and the rebound springs. What about adding an extended hammer pin to improve reliability. Know anyone who has tried that?

I want to shoot it double action in IDPA, and the DA is too heavy for me.

I want to lighten the double action pull on my Smith 686. I don't want to ship it and I don't want to travel far. Should I: A. Buy a spring kit, do it myself and let that suffice. B. Go to Rick at OMG Custom C. Go to Bullethole D. Go to Heritage in Rahway E. Go somewhere else near South Orange or very near SCFGPA (which is also convenient.) Thanks AS

I am feeling pretty patient with ammo nonexistent and many guns hard to come by. However, someone should give us a straight answer about how long it will take to complete the work. What is an OPRA request?

Which ban list? Federal or NJ?