Bowling Pin Match Photos

From the Pin Match at Marion County Fish and Game on April 25th, 2009. Click any of the photos to make them larger!

This is my favorite photo of the bunch - the pin on the left was just hit with a .44 bullet traveling with some speed, and you can see bits and pieces flying out the back of the pin. In the next picture I snapped, the pin is off the table and falling.

From April Pins

Here is the author of that pin's demise.

From April Pins

The pin matches always draw some of the area IDPA/USPSA guys to sharpen their skills on the pins.

From April Pins

From April Pins

Of course, the shots that are the most interesting are ones of bowling pins flying, or having chunks taken out of them.

From April Pins

From April Pins

This last photo is my favorite, because of the gun in the picture. At first, you think it's just an MP5 clone, but look closely at the fire control switch on the gun.

From April Pins

That's right...it has all three positions. I cannot tell you how much I wanted him to load up a 30 round magazine and just go "buzzgun" on those pins.

Gun Nuts: Swine Flu, Urban Legends, and more!

Did you listen to last night's Gun Nuts Radio? It was a great show, starting off with a bit of discussion on the manufactured panic behind swine flu; moving into a little bit of shotgun myths, and concluding with probably the funniest segment we've had in a while. We had several intrepid callers call in and tell us about the silliest thing they'd ever been told about guns by a fellow gun person, or a gun store employee. The three best "Gun Sillies" were these:

• Birdshot from a Taurus Judge is great for personal defense


• A near miss from a .50 BMG will take an arm off


• .38 Special wadcutters are designed to fragment on impact like flechettes

If you'd like to listen to last night's episode, you can by clicking this link to go to our show page (and if you do, make sure to check out the featured product, Blackhawk CQC Magazine carriers). If you'd like to download an .mp3 copy of the show, you can do that by clicking here. As always, you can click the embedded player on the right of the page to listen to the show, as it automatically updates with each new episode.

If you'd like to subscribe to the show on your iTunes player, you can do it in one of two ways. First, you can hit the iTunes store and search for Gun Nuts, or you can click this post for instructions on how to manually add the show to your iTunes.

On the topic of the swine flu for a second, I do want to be clear - our derision of the "crisis" has nothing to do with the disease itself, and our hearts and prayers go out to the families of those that have lost loved ones due to swine flu. Nor are we of the opinion that swine flu isn't dangerous, rather our objection and contention lies with the sensationalist media coverage of this, and the sense that they are manufacturing a crisis out of something which, while dangerous, does not warrant the level of attention that it's getting. Swine flu is dangerous, but so is the regular flu. Take precautions, wear a mask if you're traveling, wash your hands, and don't touch your face. Oh, and like I said on the show last - don't lick anyone from Mexico.

Next week's show, we'll be joined by a rep from Steel Challenge, so don't miss that!

Gun Nuts Tonight!

Tonight's Gun Nuts show was going to be left up to listeners - but as I checked the poll at 0900, we had a tie between "Myth-busting" and "What do you do when you run out of ammo". So, because that's what you voted for, that's what we're going to give you. We are going to bust some common self-defense myths. Self-defense myths include:

• Running the slide on a pump shotgun is the ultimate deterrent


• You shouldn't have a light or a laser on your gun because you'll give away your position


• You shouldn't resist an attacker


• You should birdshot for home defense because it penetrates walls less


• If you point a shotgun in the general direction of your target, you'll get a hit

It seems (as I type the list) that a lot of the myths are shotgun related; which makes sense because as home defense weapons go, the 12 gauge pump gun owns a pretty permanent place in our collective gun owning psyche. So don't forget to tune in tonight at 9pm Eastern time for Gun Nuts Radio at www.blogtalkradio.com/gunnuts!

Gun Nuts on Tuesday: Choose your own adventure

For the show Tuesday night, we are currently without a topic as the guest I had planned on joining us backed out in a recent email - so what I'd like to do is let you choose the topic for Tuesday. Comments on this thread will be open, so post your ideas and wants/desires for the topic in the comments. Gun Nuts Radio is very much listener driven, so we want your feedback on shows and ideas for shows!

IDPA Divisions: Stock Service Revolver

Probably one of the least participated in divisions is Stock Service Revolver. Unlike USPSA, IDPA has two separate iron-sight revolver divisions, one for revolvers that load from moon clips, and one for revolvers that load from "traditional" speed loaders. The division for your classic speedloader wheelguns is called Stock Service Revolver, and here is what the IDPA Rule Book has to say about it:

A. Any revolver of .38 Caliber (.357” or larger) or larger that
utilizes ammunition with a rimmed case and is not reloaded with a full moon clip.
B. Barrel length of 4.2” or less (as measured from the front of the cylinder).
C. Have a maximum unloaded weight of 42 oz.
D. Be loaded to the division capacity of six (6) rounds in the cylinder. Seven (7) and eight (8) shot revolvers are permitted, but may only load six (6) rounds.

Additionally, revolvers in SSR have a relatively extensive list of permitted modifications that you can make to them.

1. Sights to another conventional notch and post type (see “sights” in glossary for further information).
2. Action work to enhance trigger pull as long as safety is maintained (smoothing the trigger face, removing the hammer spur, use of over travel stop, conversion to DA only and addition of ball detent are considered action work and are permitted).
3. Grips to another style or material that is similar to factory
configuration (no weighted grips).
4. Chamfer the rear of the chambers.
5. Shortening of factory barrels.
6. Custom finishes.

So if you're looking for a gun to shoot in Stock Service Revolver, if you have a Ruger GP100, or a Smith & Wesson ModelXWhatever chambered in .357, you are good to go. Your ammo needs to make a power factor of 125 (bullet weight x velocity / 1000). Here are the muzzle velocities and bullet weights necessary to hit the power floor with a .38 Special (note - I set the power factor to 127 to give you wiggle room):

158 grains - 803 fps
148 grains - 858 fps
130 grains - 976 fps
125 grains - 1016 fps

As you can see, it's pretty easy to find ammo that meets that power factor right off the shelf. Just about any .38 Special +P load is going to meet that power factor, and then you'll be off to the races.

Gun Nuts Tea Party Show

Like we said, party like it's 1773 with the Gun Nuts Tea Party Show. Last night's show featured call ins from attendees of Tea Parties in Texas, Florida, Ohio, and a couple others. It was as usual, the fastest hour on the internet just zoomed by, with great discussion on the topic of Tea Parties, going armed, and the general motivation and mindset of the participants. The actual reports from attendees run pretty contrary to the negative reporting you may have heard in the media. But you don't have to take my word for it, because you can listen to the Tea Party Show by clicking that link. If you'd like to download an .mp3 copy of the show, that's as easy as clicking here. Or you can just click the embedded player to the right of this post, as it automatically updates with each show.

If you're interested, you can also download Gun Nuts Radio on iTunes, by following the instructions in the link. Join us next week, as we take a look at the ammo shortage, supply and demand, and other issues immediately affecting shooters!

Gun Nuts Tonight: Party like it's 1773!

Did you go to one of the recent Tea Parties held across the country on April 15th? If so, we want you to call in to Gun Nuts Radio tonight at 9pm Eastern. Tonight's topic is just that - the Tea Parties, the experience had at them, and why is the left so afraid of peaceable assembly? If you went to a Tea Party and want to share your experience with us and our listeners, join us on the show tonight by calling 347-539-5439.

We go live at 9pm Easter time on www.blogtalkradio.com/gunnuts - be there with us!

Steel Challenge Match Photos

This last weekend we had a Steel Challenge match at my home range at Atlanta Conservation Club. The match consisted of four stages, two official Steel Challenge stages (Smoke & Hope and Roundabout) as well as two stages that the match director thought up. But this is supposed to be a picture thread, so let's get to it.

This is one of my favorite pictures from the match - if you look on the ground in front of the target, you can see water splashing up from where the lead splatter hit. This is from a .22, and the effect is even more pronounced with semi-automatic pistols.

From Steel April 18th

One of the "non-traditional" stages, called Shoot 'N Scoot, involved four large rectangular plates that had to be engaged on the move. You had to move at a diagonal to the plates, which created some interesting problems for right handed shooters. Some choose to shoot the 4 big plates strong hand only, and then go to a two handed grip to engage the 10 inch round stop plate at the end of the line. There was a lot of running on this stage.

From Steel April 18th

From Steel April 18th

The fun thing about taking pictures for these matches is looking at the moment that you froze in time - wondering what the person was thinking while you're snapping away.

From Steel April 18th

And of course, it wouldn't be a Gun Nuts photo set if I didn't get at least one photo with brass in the air.

From Steel April 18th

The guys at Atlanta CC put on a great match as usual - as soon as the scores are emailed out, I'll get them posted up here. If you're in the Indy/Metro and looking for some shooting, check out Atlanta Conservation Club's schedule of matches, and you won't be disappointed.

Edit: The Match Results are now available in handy .pdf format! I didn't do poorly, finishing 7th out of some 30-odd centerfire shooters. Seeing as I was running my Para 7.45 LDA with full house .45 ACP rounds (gotta practice that trigger), I'm pretty happy with a top 10 finish, as well as having the third best stage time on Smoke & Hope (I even beat the Open shooter on that stage, sweet). Roundabout really killed me, for some reason I couldn't get dialed in for speed - I was accurate, but really slow on that stage, and that's where I lost most of my time. Next match, I'll have to bring out the Tac-5 and see what I can do with my "real" Limited gun.

Steel Challenge at Atlanta CC

If you're interested and have ammo to burn, there is a Steel Challenge Match this weekend at Atlanta Conservation Club. Click here for the details!

Testing. If you can read this, text 2 blog is now enabled on my phone. Who needs twitter?

James Yeager on Gun Nuts

Did you listen to Gun Nuts Radio last night? Because if you didn't, you missed a great show. We were joined by James Yeager of Tactical Response, one of the leading self-defense schools in the country. The topic of conversation ran the gamut from the self-defense mindset, to the value of playing games such as IDPA, and even to a discussion on gear. You can click this link to download the show, or click the next link to download an .mp3 copy of the show.



James was a great guest, and we're planning on having him back again in the future, as some of the topics we just glanced over could have entire shows devoted to them. I can't encourage you strongly enough to listen to us live, as it's the only way to get the full Gun Nuts Experience, including live video feed of the host during the show. If you'd like to subscribe to the show, you can follow the link for instructions on getting Gun Nuts on iTunes.

Join us next week for a Tea Party wrap up show. As you know, today across the nation in "celebration" of Tax day, conservatives, libertarians, and people who are just generally fed up with the spending habits of the government are gathering to protest the outrageous taxation being levied against us. Next week's show will be all call-ins - we want to hear from you, and from your Tea Party experiences.

Gun Nuts Radio Tonight: Self-Defense!

So let's listen to Gun Nuts Radio, tonight at 9pm Eastern time! This evening's show will be a discussion of self-defense tactics, training, and gear; all of which is especially timely in light of the recent public shootings. One of the topics we'll be discussing will be ABC's recent "experiment", where they set a bunch of students up to fail at defending themselves from an armed shooter. We'll address what you can do in that situation to increase your odds of survival.

Joining us for tonight's show will be self-defense and firearms instructor James Yeager, of Tactical Response, a training school located in lovely Tennessee. James will be live on the air, talking to use about tactics and training, and hopefully imparting some of his experience on to Breda, our listeners, and me. You can join the conversation as well - all you have to do if you have a question for James or us, a comment on self-defense, or anything along those lines is call in. Without callers, the show gets pretty dry, so join the conversation by calling us 347-539-5439! Don't forget, we're live at 9pm eastern time at www.blogtalkradio.com/gunnuts!

IDPA Divisions: Enhanced Service Pistol

Part 2 in the continuing series on the competitive divisions of International Defensive Pistol takes a look at my favorite division, the Enhanced Service Pistol Division. From the rulebook, here's a description of the division:

Handguns permitted for use in this division must:
A. Be semi-automatic.
B. Be 9mm (9x19) or larger caliber.
C. Have a maximum unloaded weight of 43 oz., including an
empty magazine.
D. Fit in the IDPA gun test box measuring 8 ¾” x 6” x 1 5/8.”
with an empty magazine inserted.
E. Be loaded to the division capacity of ten (10) rounds in the magazine plus one (1) round in the chamber. Should division capacity not be achievable because of lower magazine capacity, load should be to maximum mechanical capacity of
magazine plus one (1) round in the chamber. Competitors must use the same capacity magazines through out the competition (Example: if you start with a 9 round magazine, you must use that capacity magazine throughout the match). Pistols approved for SSP may also be used in ESP and CDP depending upon caliber, even if the pistol in question has a full-length dust cover. However, should the pistol in question have a modification that removes it from SSP, it must meet all other division criteria for ESP or CDP, again depending upon caliber.

In recent years, there has been a bit of a resurgence in this division - previously it was populated primarily by guys running 9mm 1911s and the Browning Hi-Power. However, IDPA classified the Springfield XD pistol as a single-action only pistol (and correctly, based on my understanding of the action), which means that the popular pistol from Springfield in 9mm will put the shooter in the Enhanced Service Pistol division. While not as popular as the Stock Service Pistol division, this "boost" has allowed ESP to grow as a competitive division and has helped to attract more shooters to the sport.

Myself, I'm an ESP purist - I run a 1911 in 9mm when I shoot this division, but that's because I figure that an all steel handgun is going to sit down better in the hand than a polymer gun. Nothing against the XD, I think it's a fine pistol. The fun thing about ESP is that at the club level matches, it's also the place where you are most likely to see a USPSA shooter with a tricked out Limited Gun. Since single action pistols in .40 S&W fall into this category, it's where all the USPSA Limited/10 guns shoot. You'll often see the fastest course times out of ESP shooters, as they're running their semi-race guns right to the edge of the performance envelope.

The next division we'll be discussing will be the most popular IDPA division: Stock Service Pistol. Keep checking the Gun Nuts Radio Blog for more on IDPA!

IDPA Divisions: Custom Defensive Pistol

Part 2 in the series on the competitive divisions of the International Defensive Pistol Association finds us examining the flagship division of IDPA - Custom Defensive Pistol. Many IDPA purists feel like this is "the" division that serious IDPA shooters run in, and from a historical sense that's reasonable. IDPA was originally founded by IPSC shooters (including some guy named Bill Wilson) who felt like IPSC had slipped too far from its roots as "practical" shooting sport. Most of the Founding Fathers of IDPA were 1911 shooters, who favored the handgun in its traditional .45 ACP chambering. As such, much of the original IDPA culture was built around the 1911 as a defensive pistol.

Handguns permitted for use in this division must:
A. Be semi-automatic.
B. Be .45 ACP caliber.
C. Have a maximum unloaded weight of 41 oz., including an
empty magazine.
D. Fit in the IDPA gun test box measuring 8 ¾” x 6” x 1 5/8”
with an empty magazine inserted.
E. Be loaded to the division capacity of eight (8) rounds in the
magazine plus one (1) round in the chamber. Should division
capacity not be achievable because of lower magazine
capacity, load should be to maximum mechanical capacity of
magazine plus one (1) round in the chamber. Competitors
must use the same capacity magazines through out the
competition (Example: if you start with a 7 round magazine,
you must use that capacity magazine throughout the match).

Additionally, on your CDP gun, there are certain modifications that you're allowed to make. .45 ACPs in Custom Defensive pistol are allowed to have expanded magazine wells, full length guide rods, internal accuracy work, and a few other items. Of course, with the modifications the gun must still fit in the IDPA box as mentioned above.

Note the magazine capacity restriction - 8 rounds mag in the magazine, which again comes from the division's original intent to be the home for .45 ACP 1911s. However, in recent years there has been a trend in the division at the competitive level towards polymer guns, as evidenced most recently by David Olhasso's victory at the Winter Nationals with an M&P in .45 ACP. While I don't think that Glocks, XDs, and M&Ps will ever supplant the 1911 in CDP, you see more and more of them at club, state, and national matches in this division.

Participation in CDP has been flagging lately. At last year's nationals, the division with the most shooters was Stock Service Pistol, with CDP taking 3rd for overall number of shooters behind Stock Service Pistol and Enhanced Service Pistol. I have noticed however that at the local level, a lot of shooters who start out in SSP or ESP eventually end up shooting CDP guns just for the fun of it. There is something that feels "right" about running a fullsize 1911 in .45 ACP. Call me irrational, but I wouldn't trade my CDP guns for any plastic fantastic. I like the feel of a heavy steel 1911.

Ultimately though, I feel that the introduction of high capacity guns like Glocks into Custom Defensive Pistol is a good thing. As long as people are showing up to shoot the match, and are shooting in different categories, then our sport is growing. Ultimately, that should be the goal for any competitive shooter - keep our sport strong.

Gun Nuts Last Night

Did you miss last night's Gun Nuts Radio? If you did, don't worry - because you can still download it by clicking on this link. It was a great show. I took the night off, which was the first time since the show started in June that I've had a night off, so I figured I could probably stand to take a day. Breda hosted the show by her lonesome, and it was a great show. If you want to grab an .mp3 copy of the show, you can click here to download or just click the embedded player below.



Also, Gun Nuts Radio is available in the iTunes store. If you've got an iTunes account, just go to the iTunes store and search for "Gun Nuts Radio" and you'll find our show. Or, just click here for instructions on how to subscribe to the show's RSS feed using your iTunes player or even a Zune.

Thanks to Breda for hosting, and for all the great callers who joined the show last night, including our first international caller! It was a great show, and we'll keep the momentum rolling into next week with a show on self-defense and tactics for a mass shooting situation.

Gun Nuts Radio: The Breda Hour Part 2

Don't forget to tune in tonight at 9pm to Gun Nuts Radio. I'm actually taking a much needed week off, as I haven't had a vacation since uh...I don't remember when, so you're going to be Caleb-free on tonight's show. It'll be all the Breda you want for an hour. She's got a pretty neat idea for the show in the works, so if you don't listen, it's your loss. Don't forget, the show goes live at 9pm, and you can join the conversation by calling 347-539-5436. Join Breda tonight at 9pm Eastern time at www.blogtalkradio.com/gunnuts!

Atlanta CC IDPA Match Results

The match results for April 4th IDPA Match are available, to see the full results table click here. Here are the winners by division:

• CDP Champion: Graziano, Gary 124.53


• ESP Champion: Giddings, Caleb 112.58


• SSP Champion: Sughrue, Mike 121.99


• ESR Champion: Schultz, Dale 221.92


• SSR Champion: Ross, Dave 204.32

As usual, the team at Atlanta Conservation Club put on a great match. The stages were a mix of speed shoots, one USPSA style stage, and some very challenging stages involving swingers, shooting on the move, and weak hand shooting. The IDPA matches at Atlanta are always rewarding for shooters both new and experienced, as there will be a stage that tests your skills.

Next month's match should be interesting as well - as usual I'll be there blasting away, but I'll also be designing a stage at the next IDPA match at Atlanta. If you get to a stage with the maximum legal amount of movement, the max round count, and the max amount of steel, there's a good chance I designed that stage.

See you next month at Atlanta CC!

9mm NATO Ammo

Now that's a fun topic right there - as in, what's the difference between ammo that's loaded to 9mm NATO pressures and ammo that's loaded to 9mm Luger pressures? First off, you have to establish that there is a difference, because there are people out there who will fight and argue that NATO spec ammo is exactly the same as commercial 9mm Luger. It's not, trust me. Aside from the obvious difference in bullet weight (9mm NATO is 124 grain, most commercial plinking 9mm ammo is 115 grain) rounds that are loaded to NATO spec are loaded to a higher pressure than rounds loaded to industry standard.

The ammo industry uses something called SAAMI Standards to establish the pressures that ammo should be loaded to. The SAAMI pressure for 9mm Luger ammo is around 35,000 PSI, and C.I.P (think European SAAMI) rates 9mm Luger ammo at 34,080 PSI. According to documentation, the 9mm NATO rounds are pressured at 36,500 PSI (again according to CIP). That means that when compared to standard 9mm ammo, the 9mm NATO ammo is running a higher pressure, analogous to a 9mm +P load, which SAAMI rates around 36,000 PSI.

So what does this mean for you? Well, a lot of people recommend treating 9mm NATO rounds the same way you'd treat a 9mm Luger +P, which is to say understand that it's loaded to a higher pressure than your garden variety 9mm Luger ammo. For the casual shooter, this means a couple of things: don't put 9mm NATO ammo in older guns. Only use it in modern, robust guns in good condition. Remember that 9mm NATO is the standard service cartridge for something like half the planet, which means that it's in use in wide variety of pistols, including the following:

• Beretta M9


• CZ-75


• Browning Hi-Power


• Glock 17 and 19


• All manner of Sigs


• HK

The short answer is that an occasional diet of 9mm NATO isn't going to hurt your gun, provided it's a well made modern gun. I certainly would not put 9mm NATO ammo into a Hi-Point, because I don't want to eat the slide and I don't trust a blowback operated gun with a zinc slide to stay together. But if you're running a Springfield Armory 1911 in 9mm, or a well made pistol from a well made manufacturer you should be fine.

However, what you should be aware of is that a steady diet of 9mm NATO ammo, or 9mm +P ammo is going to increase the wear and tear on your heater. If you're just going to the range every now and then, it's not going to affect you very much. However, if you're shooting 500-1000 rounds a month, you will end up seeing internal wear quicker than you would with standard pressure ammunition. But if you find a good deal on a bunch of 9mm NATO ammo, and you're worried about running it in your Glock 17, you should be fine.*

*User assumes all risks when using overpressure or +P ammo, and accepts that using firearms is inherently dangerous

Running with a Gun

In the first (and admittedly rough) video from Gun Nuts TV, I'm talking for a bit about moving and shooting. Not shooting on the move, but firing from a fixed position and moving to another fixed position.



The hard part about moving with a gun is controlling your muzzle direction when you're running. While it's hard to see in the video due to the camera's location, I'm running at about a 45 degree angle, relative to straight downrange. When I'm moving, you can see that the muzzle of the gun is directed downrange, across my body. Before you can start sprinting across your range with a loaded gun though, you need to practice that muzzle control aspect.

A good way to do that is to set up a drill like what I have in the video - where you're moving in between two fixed shooting positions. When you first start with the drill, you should just walk the space between the two positions, making sure to keep your finger out of the trigger guard, and keeping the muzzle of the gun pointed downrange. As you get comfortable with this, you can gradually increase the speed to a slow jog, and from the eventually work your way up to what I like to call "The IPSC Wind Sprint" - the drill posted in the video, run over the course of about 200 rounds of ammo will definitely give you a decent workout. It was 50 degrees outside yesterday, and by the end of my practice I was sweating.

All you need for the drill are three targets (and stands), and two fixed objects to mark your shooting position. Here's an idea of how you can lay this course of fire out for your training. The link goes to a .pdf file of the course of fire layout. If you have access to the facilities, this a great beginner's exercise, and a fun way to spice up your shooting! Practice this enough, and soon you'll be sprinting from one shooting position to the next!

From 04-01-2009

Well the movie never ends

It goes on and on and on! Last night's Gun Nuts Radio was a fun show - especially for a show that essentially had no topic. Hit the link to listen to last night's show, or if you'd like an .mp3 copy you can click here.



Last night, I did forget to mention our Sponsored book from Amazon.com: The Zombie Survival Guide. If you don't own a copy of this book, you should. Not only is it a fun read, but there is actually some decent survival information in there. Although the gun stuff in the book is a little hit or miss, it's still worth a few bucks.

One of the items that we only glanced off of was how firearms are often treated in media. Very rarely will you see a character in film or movies treat a firearm like it's tool - often they (the firearms) are either revered or loathed. One of the best portrayals of a "proper" attitude towards firearms is Robert De Niro's character in Ronin, when he says "it's a tool". That kind of candor towards guns is pretty rare in movies and TV these days.

Check out the show from last night. You won't be disappointed. Also, go ahead and subscribe to Gun Nuts on iTunes. Click the link for instructions on how to do that!