2011 Dillon Precision Calendar Prize

Damp and chilly. Brrrr!

The humidity was high and, with the cool 58 degrees, there was a decided chill to the air as we shot the Bullseye 900 last night. Everyone wore a light jacket or a shirt atop a shirt. I "warmed up" with 22 caliber and kept its temperature-sensitive ammunition in my pocket.

Spirits were initially muted, probably by the chill, but once we settled into the Slow Fire match, moods picked up and the usual side comments were heard as shots went downrange.

"Hah! An X!"

"Damn."

"Somebody (!) jerked a shot on my target."

"All right!!"

Bill, Felipe, Hank, Len and myself made up the small group that braved the cool damp to shoot the Luck Target, the 900 and to compete for the evening's prize, a new 2011 Dillon Precision calendar.

Bill tossed the coin and it came up heads so the Luck Target went to the high score. Yours truly, shooting his Smith and Wesson model 41 with Ultradot, tagged my model number's points over the requisite three holes to win.

Then, in the 900 that started promptly at 7:00PM, the biggest group was the combined Sharpshooter, Marksman and Tyro classes. At the start, therefore, it was announced those shooters would be competing for the calendar hanging on display over the registration table.

Firing a variety of calibers, when the final scores for those three competitors were tallied, they were within ten (20) points of each other. Hank took first place and was decidedly pleased with the Dillon calendar and its attractive and "on topic" photographs.

Congratulations, Hank!

Between the small group and the chill, things moved along rapidly. We finished slightly after 8:30PM. One shooter jokingly complained he might have to drive around the block a couple of times to avoid setting a dangerous precedent by arriving home so early after Nighthawks.

November is one of those twice-a-year months with five Tuesdays. Next week will be that "fifth Tuesday of the month" and that's when Nighthawks shoots an L-Match. If you haven't shot one before, you have a real treat in store. Think of a gigantic X ring with an even larger 10 ring. Everyone shoots much higher scores; this is a great ego-booster after those tiny B-16 Slow Fire bullseye or the 3-second face time of the International Rapid Fire targets.

What's your record X count? Are you ready to break it?

"Wow, I cleaned the target!" will be heard more than once next week. Maybe you will be the one to shout it out next Tuesday?

Here are the details in case you've forgotten.

• Next: L-Match 900 November 30th.
• What: Nighthawks (every Tuesday from mid-September through mid-June)
• When: Tuesday evening (practice earlier if you wish)
• Time: 6:45PM Luck Target, 7:00PM Competition (arrive early to set up)
• Where: Pistol range, PR&GC, 915 W. Olney Dr, Phoenix AZ 85041
• Cost: $5 members, $10 non-members
• Ammo: 100 rounds suggested (more if you want extra practice earlier)
• Extra: $1 for a Luck Target (cash prize!)
• Beginners: Always welcome
• Format: Bullseye 900 on 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month, International [Olympic center fire] on the 2nd and 4th, and a Police "L" Match on the twice-a-year 5th Tuesdays. Shoot one- or two-handed as you wish.
• More: Reply to this email with your request (mailto: ed@flat5.net) Or call me, Ed Skinner, 623-203-9038 (cell), 602-866-8910 (home)

See you "On the line!"

Veteran's Day, November 11, 2010

"We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to resist violence on those who would do us harm."

George Orwell

 

To those who have come before and to those now serving, you have my ever-increasing gratitude, and my solemn promise to perpetuate what you have given us.

Six Inches Is Not Enough

1911 Recoil Springs
Old versus New
(Click for bigger)

... for your wadder's recoil spring.

Here are two 1911 recoil springs, one heavily used and the other brand new. The difference is obvious - the old spring has "taken a set" and is visibly shorter.

In my wad 1911, this old spring was failing to seat about one in twenty (1:20) rounds. In Rapid Fire, that's an alibi, perhaps even a second malfunction in that same match*. In Slow Fire, while a misfeed can probably be dealt with, it is still a distraction; it will throw you off your shooting plan. Consequently, your score may suffer from lack of concentration. Remember, "Matches may be lost in Timed and Rapid, but they are won in Slow Fire." You need every point, every X to win.

A new spring for a full-size 1911 is 6.75" long. I installed this one during a match and the misfeeds stopped immediately. No more alibis.

And while the best measure of a recoil spring is its resistance during recoil -- this is a 13 pound Wolff spring, by the way -- a simple ruler may be all you need.

How long is long enough? That's a tougher call because it really is that resistance to recoil that stores up energy in recoil and then uses it to strip the next round from the magazine, "ker-chunk" it fully into the chamber, drive the slide forward so the barrel link is drawn fully to the rear and, finally, to fully mate the barrel and slide locking lugs. Anything short of that and the recoil spring has failed to do its job.

But too short?

That's easy.

Six inches is not enough, guys!

____________________
* Note: In a typical 900, there are four matches: the Slow Fire match (two targets), the National Match Course (three targets), the Timed Fire match (two targets) and the Rapid Fire match (two targets). The rules state you can have one alibi in a match but that's all. If your gun malfunctions a second time in that same match, or during the alibi string itself, you're out of luck.