Importance of having a properly calibrated powder scale

I just found out that my Dillon powder scale is not calibrated. I calibrated it once a few months ago and never bothered to check it. Recently I’ve been getting weird results in my powder charge compared to others in the shooting community. I’m always 2-3grains behind everyone else.

I checked it today and it is confirmed that my scale has somehow, changed/moved to show a 2-3 grain discrepancy.

Pulled some of my old ammo and confirmed that I’ve been reloading my .45 ACP revolver rounds soft. It should be 3.7grs of Clays but it turned out that I was reloading them with 3.5.

Now I have over 500 rounds of wrongly loaded ammo that I need to go “waste” and properly reload them using the correct charge.

So, lesson learned. Always double check your scale.

The 1911 Pistol is its own Toolbox!

Awesome article by John L Marshall. I just found this recently courtesy of Dave a buddy of mine. When John Moses Browning designed the 1911 pistol, he also ensured that you do not need any additional tools to disassemble or reassemble the gun. Here are some of the parts that are used as tools for the 1911.

Read the whole article here : http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/tech/toolbox.htm

9mm rounds successfully loaded! Ready for Chrono

Just got my reloading components in today via the awesome Powder Valley Inc. Loaded up 40 rounds of 9mm and ready to chrono them out of my Glock 19 to see if they make minor power factor (which is 125 or 125,000).

 

Recipe is :

• Berry’s Plated 124gr bullets
• 3.7 to 4.0 gr of Hodgdon Titegroup powder
• Federal Small Pistol Primers
• Various Brass
• 1.121 to 1.130 OAL

 

Time to head to the range!

Solved the Mystery of the Light Strike

As you’ve all know, I’ve been having issues with light strikes for the past 4 matches with my revolver and ammo. I’ve talked to numerous experts on multiple forums, tried many ways to fix it, from increasing trigger weight, hand seating primers etc. None worked properly. Until one day, I shot a USPSA match at Paul Bunyan with brass that I’ve shot and reloaded 3 times after getting it from a friend.

All 100 rounds shot perfectly, without one single light strike. The next 100 rounds were brass that I’ve not used before and there were two light strikes. I pulled the light strike bullet, deprimed it and lo and behold! This is what I saw :

the primer pockets were crammed up with crud, not just black soot/carbon from normal wear, but white powder like substance. The brass that worked well, didn’t have this crud anymore because I’ve shot and reloaded them several times.

This is how the primers looks like :

The fix that solves all these problems, is to clean the primer pockets. I took a small screw driver and scraped all the white crud from all my brass.

Now I’ll not have any more problems YAY! Finally!

Kimber Solo-Carry

I love Kimbers. I have three 1911s and all of them are Kimbers. I saw this blog post on http://www.kimber1911pistols.com that Kimber will be releasing / announcing a new gun called the Solo Carry. It’s not polymer, and it’s not a 1911, which is really interesting.

here’s what the quote says :

In early 2008, we undertook a project whereby we would do what other companies do not.  We insisted on obtaining the direction of our retail partners to help us design and build a new product.  Most of you helped extensively in this process by providing us invaluable input, some through surveys, some through meetings, and some through personal conversations. We condensed and measured your recommendations, then married them with what we insisted a Kimber MUST BE, and went to work.  Tomorrow you see the results.

I suspect that this is Kimber’s entry into the micro-9mm market like the SIG P290, Ruger LC9 and Keltec PF9.

Source : http://www.kimber1911pistols.com/blog/kimber-solo-carry/

*UPDATE*
I was RIGHT!! 🙂 Micro Compact 9mm pistol!

1911 Ultra Tool for stripping Kimber Ultra Carry series.

Owners of Officer sized 1911s have one common problem. It’s a chore when we need to strip the guns down for cleaning or maintenance. The officer sized guns like the Kimber Ultra series of pistols, have a short recoil guide rod and it needs to be compressed before the slide stop can be removed. Usually, you’d have to insert a small pin (I use a bent paper clip) into a hole in the guide rod to capture the spring, and then trying to hold the paper clip in place while trying to disassemble the gun.

That’s where the 1911 Ultra Tool comes in. Designed and Patented by Richard Ketchum.

You insert it into the guide rod after locking the slide back, as per the included illustration :

Looks like this :

then move the slide forward a little, and the take down groove will be aligned perfectly with the slide-stop. From there, disassemble the gun per normal. Here’s a picture of the captured recoil spring and guide rod.

 

He sells them off his site at http://www.1911ultratool.com./ and has models for Kimber, Colt, Springfield Micro Compact, EMP and Para Ordanance Hawg for $25.

USPSA Revolver Match at Paul Bunyan on 1911

Was really fun! we braved some snow, hail, rain and light fog all within the time taken to shoot 6 stages! Paul Bunyan has one of the better facilities in the NW for shooting practical pistol. Great range layout, lots of parking too! Just wished it wasn’t an hour away from my home.

Here’s the video I recorded :

 

and some pics :

Crimson Carried–My new Carry .45!

Just found a buyer for my Springfield XDm and traded it for a Kimber Ultra Crimson Carry II. I’ve been looking for an Ultra sized 1911 for a while now and just managed to find one.

It’s so small, light (about 25oz empty and 30oz loaded 7+1) and has an integrated Crimson Trace lasergrip.

It fits into my Landshark Leather holster (that was made for a Commander length 1911) perfectly. Time to start carrying this one

Finally Contour!! We’ve been waiting long for this!

Contour is adding Bluetooth to their excellent sports camera so that we can use a Bluetooth compatible phone to act as a live viewfinder. This has always been the sore point with this camera, the in ability to see what you’re recording. I’ve been using it for almost a year now and through trial and error, managed to understand where I should point it. Using a live viewfinder would simplify things a ton!

Here’s the press release : http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/05/contour-adds-live-viewfinder-to-its-contourgps-helmet-cam-real/

Also looking at the post made by Engadget, Contour is finally releasing a picatinny mount.

Double YAY!

Top Shot Season 3 Casting Call! Looking for Couples/Pairs!

You’ve watched it on the History Channel, now it’s time for you to apply! Do it together with a friend or your loved one. This is going to be a fun season to watch!

 

http://pilgrimfilms.tv/casting/topshot/