First big match.

TN State Chapionship matches are coming up. So far I've only been shooting 900 matches with 22 only. But I'm interested in shooting in a bigger match. I'm thinking of the 22 agg, 22 EIC match, and service pistol perhaps. Maybe DR. Is it ok to shoot just some of it am not the whole
Program?

The state match entry forms I've seen have a pick & choose menu for which stages (matches) you wish to shoot.
They MAY also allow you to shoot the full course with .22 (don't know how it would be scored).
I think that 22 across the board was an option at Perry.

Tim, generally the match directors don't have a problem with it, but I would reach out to him/her to let them know your intentions. Preference is usually given to those who are going to shoot the entire program if all lanes are full.

Thanks guys. I had already emailed the match director ahead of posting here but I was just curious of others experience or knowledge of the sort. I'm just not sure my arm would hold up for the whole thing and the later part of the match would tank. I'm younger yes but not used to shooting that much over two or three days.

At some State matches you must shoot the 2700 to be allowed to shoot some of the other matches. Terry Labbe of magnus bullets is one of the match directors for match masters range and puts on the Tn state match maybe he will reply with the answer. But why not shoot the whole match you will have to be there both days as the matches are split up some on Saturday and some on sunday, shooting beats sitting around waiting

Heck I'll just call him. Him and I saw a match last weekend. He helped with my jam issues with the 41.

Tim:H11 wrote:Heck I'll just call him. Him and I saw a match last weekend. He helped with my jam issues with the 41.

Shoot the whole 2700. I know you'll do well with all the calibers

Ha! You haven't seen me with a 45 in sustained fire. I'd do better with 00 buck!

Tim:H11 wrote:Ha! You haven't seen me with a 45 in sustained fire. I'd do better with 00 buck!

That 45, she is cruel    Soft load that bad boy and you'll do fine.  20 seconds gives lots lf time for X's

You have to start sometime, Shoot the entire match!!

I'm running 4.0 gr of Bullseye with a 200 gr LSWC, 19# hammer spring, 18.5# recoil spring, recoil buffer, squared off firing pin stop, iron sights only, no rib, and it's about 4# crisp clean break on the trigger. Mid string the trigger feels heavy or stiff. I get wild flyers. Off the bench the gun is ready. In my hands... Well it's me that's not up to snuff yet. The recoil still gets me even with the gun set up like it is.

Froneck wrote:You have to start sometime, Shoot the entire match!!

+1

Tim  that's a lot of recoil spring.. Std recoil spring is 16lbs. and that covers 230 ball ammo

I run a 14.5 in my EIC/ball gun and its' fine with heavier loads.

going lighter such as a 12 lbs spring should let you run lighter loads on the short line..

No rib no dot. Any lighter of a spring and my brass goes down the line.

Tim:H11 wrote:I'm running 4.0 gr of Bullseye with a 200 gr LSWC, 19# hammer spring, 18.5# recoil spring, recoil buffer, squared off firing pin stop, iron sights only, no rib, and it's about 4# crisp clean break on the trigger. Mid string the trigger feels heavy or stiff. I get wild flyers. Off the bench the gun is ready. In my hands... Well it's me that's not up to snuff yet. The recoil still gets me even with the gun set up like it is.

Ok lets tweak that gun a little for bullseye, drop recoil to a 15 lb remove the recoil buffer put back the standard firing pin stop, buy some zero or magnus 185 fmj-hp bullets and load them to 4.5 of bullseye .469 crimp, oal of 1.208 make sure the trigger is 4lb if you want to use it for cmp match or 3.5 if only for bullseye. now practice! get a brass catcher.

As mentioned above your recoil spring is very heavy. I wouldn't shoot jacketed bullets until you shooting mid 90's on long line with lead. Save your money! If I remember right you are shooting a RO in stock form; with minor changes. Your 4.0 should be fine for the long line, but I would probably use 3.8. If your pistol will cycle 3.4-3.5 I would use that on the short line. Your RO will come out of battery fast with stock barrel so I would leave the square firing pin stop in it if it will function. For short line reduced loads change recoil spring between lines; thats what I do.
Have fun at the match   The competition is what drives ya to get better. Learning how to grip and squeeze a 45 takes time and effort and a match is a great place to do it. The 45 seperates the men from the boys......so man up :l)
Jon

Jon Eulette wrote:As mentioned above your recoil spring is very heavy. I wouldn't shoot jacketed bullets until you shooting mid 90's on long line with lead. Save your money! If I remember right you are shooting a RO in stock form; with minor changes. Your 4.0 should be fine for the long line, but I would probably use 3.8. If your pistol will cycle 3.4-3.5 I would use that on the short line. Your RO will come out of battery fast with stock barrel so I would leave the square firing pin stop in it if it will function. For short line reduced loads change recoil spring between lines; thats what I do.
Have fun at the match   The competition is what drives ya to get better. Learning how to grip and squeeze a 45 takes time and effort and a match is a great place to do it. The 45 seperates the men from the boys......so man up :l)
Jon

Yes Jon I'm shooting a stock range officer with the following modifications or changes - 

-The mainspring housing is stock but the internals were switched to a standard setup to use standard springs. Not the ILS parts. A 19# hammer spring rides inside. 

-the sear, disconnect, hammer, and sear spring were replaced. 

-The firing pin stop plate was replaced with an oversized square bottom one. My ejection was sporadic and someone here suggested that the extractor was "clocking". A snug fitted plate seemed to solve that issue. It does function with out flaw with a flat bottom. 

-I added a recoil buffer 

-In effort to reduce recoil I opted for a heavy recoil spring. I was also told (here) to use the heaviest one that the gun would function with. This way my brass wouldn't launch half way down the line. 

No other modifications made other than grips. I use the factory open adjustable sights.

My recoil spring in the iron-sighted Range Officer is 14lb and cycles both the 4.0 and 4.5gn of BE Zero JHPs as well as 200gn LSWCs.

Tim:H11 wrote:-In effort to reduce recoil I opted for a heavy recoil spring. I was also told (here) to use the heaviest one that the gun would function with. This way my brass wouldn't launch half way down the line. 

If you shoot softer loads you don't have to worry about the brass ejecting as far. A brass catcher helps as well.

Heavy recoil spring will ADD to felt recoil when it slams too hard back into battery. Use a spring that reliably ejects them. For your lighter loads they will fall closer to you. Don't let ejection pattern/distance govern your recoil spring weight. Feel is important; felt recoil.
Jon

Slow motion photography has shown clearly that Jon is correct (as usual). Need to drop recoil spring down to no' more than "standard" 16 lbs.

I agree with Dave, why shoot 230gr when 185 is legal for service pistol? Definitely remove the buffer it does you no good. They were the rage in the late 80's at Perry now I doubt you can find them in commercial row there. They shorten the slide travel and can lead to feeding problems.  Determine the best charge for the 185gr bullet then lower the spring weight so that it will lock back when the last shot is fired. The gun will be more enjoyable to shoot and your score will increase. remember to do a lot of dry fire with it.
 Note many shooters that were chasing a leg shot the ball gun in the NRA match so as to prepare for Service Pistol.

I say shoot the whole thing, why wait. I always shoot my best in a match. You'll get a true assessment of where you are. I have a Range Officer for EIC and it shoots just about anything with a 15 Lb recoil spring. I mentioned in another thread that I'm experimenting with 4.5 WST for long and 4.0 for short 185 gr zero. No issues. I also suggest a much lighter load for sustained fire! I've used that gun for pin shooting with 3.2 gr Bullseye and 255 gr SWC. Range Officers are great:)

It was never an issue for me to shoot the DR cause I always shot the whole 2700.
But I remember something in the match bulletins that you could not just walk in and shoot DR, you had to either shoot a part of it or the whole 2700 to be able to.
To negate the process, just shoot the whole 2700, whether it be .22 only or mix it up.
I would just jump in with both feet and get it under your belt shooting the .22 and .45
You will not regret it.

Clarence