Couer d'Alene (finally)

I really thought I had posted this long ago, but then realized I was waiting for my camera to arrive for pix of the shooters, courtesy of Bill Sahlsberg. I had walked off & left it @ the range.

EBMMM
Eddy Brown Memorial Metal Match
Coeur d'Alene, ID

Hi Folks,
well, the weekend is done, and what a FUN one it was! TonyC. and I left his house at 10:00am & drove down & got on the Ferry, crossed the water & headed down 405 to 90 and on east to CdA. We made pretty good time, got into CdA right at 5:00pm, checked into the Motel & then hooked up with MrAl, Rainy & MsKimmee for dinner. Talked about the upcoming match & all the particulars on that, and then headed off to get some sleep and be READY for the match.

TonyC. and I met up with MrAl, RainyL and MsKimmee from Custer Gun Club to have a really fun time at the match. As I recall it, there were 73 shooters in various class's in center fire, and @ 8-10 22 shooters.

The match was run under Steel Challenge Rules this year, which standardizes the format of the match from location to location. Makes it a lot easier when you go to a strange area in that you KNOW the rules right off. We all got to the Fernan ID gun club about 8:30 on Saturday, got signed in and had the shooters meeting, then squaded up & began the match.

Being we were squad 5, we started on range 5, with @ ten shooters in our squad. There were some really good shooters with us, sadly, me not being one of them. I finished 44th overall out of about 60 shooters. But, there's next year, when I hope to be in better shooting shape & healed from all the 'stuff' I've had to deal with this year. It doesn't help if you only have 2/3 months to get up to speed & practice. But I had good FUN ! Look out next year
MrCompleted & KeeWee were already there, as they came in the day before, after a truly adventurous trip from the Isle of Whidbey. Keewee told me all about their midnite excursion, but you'll have to read MrC.'s blog to hear the masterful storytelling of it, from himself. It's quite a tale.

I think everyone from Whidbey Island got some placement, 1st or 2nd in all class's ( Can't include myself in that.). If there were an award for the most miss's I would probably have taken 1st place. But, you know what, at least I was there, shooting with great people & having a really good time. I could be sittin' in a rockin' chair on somebody's porch, not knowing who I am, or what it's all about.

I do feel really lucky!
Well, I give up, I know I have some pics, but can't find them!!!! FOUND ONE!!!

Weekend Shoots

Hey All,

been a while since I've posted, but it's Summer time & there's tooooooooo much going on! I've been to physical therapy & am done with that. I now run through the exercise routine on my own & seem to be doing pretty well with it. I've also added in some BowFlex routines to build back the strength & mobility that I had lost,and seem to be doing OK with that.

Went to our clubs Speed Steel match a week ago, timed out with a 146.78 sec's! WHOOOOAAAA, poop city ! Last man on the totem pole, but............ I was there, and I shot, not well, but I shot. I went to the range every other day during the week & cranked off 50/100 rnds at steel, and felt OK. Then this past Saturday, went to HHRGC for their "Dirty Harry" match. Shot my 6" Mdl 29 & had a blast! Didn't do real good, but had one helluva lot of fun. Not having fun is not being able to shoot for a couple 3+ months. I find my muscles have forgotten what they're supposed to be doing when brain says "SHOOOT Dammit"!!!
But that'll come back. On Sunday, we had another Speed Steel match & I realized I shouldn't have shot "Dirty Harry" ! My shoulder was sooooo SORE I wondered if I could even unholster my "Racer" to shoot. Did my exercises, took 4 aspirin & went to the match. Had a helluva good time & shot a 112.62 time for it. Only 2 sec's behind Ms. Rainey which made me feel pretty good in that she shot in the $$$ @ Montrose down in Colorado this year. So now this week I'm back out to the range every other, crankin' out my 50/100 rounds & getting muscle memory built back. This week I'm going to the Silhouette match @ HHRGC saturday, and on Sunday we have a 22rimfire Falling plate round robin match. I'll be doing that one too. All in preparation for going to Couer de Alene & the Eddy Brown Memorial Metal match the last weekend of this month. I may not do real good, but I know darn well I'll be having some fun times.

Well. "Nuff for the moment, gotta take the GunR bud to the "BarkPark" so he can run & have some fun himself.

Laters.....................................
LouG

Tanfoglio Race Guns

Well, here we go Folks,
the looooong promised treatise on the Tanfoglio Race guns functionality & accuracy.

The Limited gun is extremely accurate and functions very well right out of the box! Any ammo, factory or handload, it seems to just eat it right up & spit it out no problem whatsoever, EXCEPT for the magazine feed problem I discussed in a previous post. I have gone through all my mags (8) & no longer have the problem !! The trigger pull is @ 4.25lbs and crisp!

Now, the Open Class Gun is another story ! I think I ran through probably six (6) different powders and I have NO idea how many different load varieties with each one. The best powder I found was Alliants Power Pistol. With the 8 barrel ports & a three chamber compensator, it seemed to work the best. In 2nd standing was IMR 7625, and the reason for that is the amount of powder to case size and 125power factor that I wished to achieve. With P/P I can load 5.4gr with either a 124gr bullet (PF135) or a 115grbullet (PF125) with an COL of 1.120 and Win Small Pistol Primers & brass. I had a trigger job done on the OCP and brought it down to 2.25lbs, that seems to help considerably. I also am using a 10lb recoil spring & 13lb hammer spring in it, and it functions flawlessly!

Yesterday, I participated in a Speed Steel Match @ CWSA and had absolutely no malfunctions of any kind with the open class gun. I realized this after the match was completed and was extremely pleased by the fact. Now, all I need do, is to get myself back to normal function with my left arm & right shoulder working as best as possible.

Last week I saw the Orthopedics Doctor, who told me I had a torn rotator cuff & tendon in my right shoulder. I knew something not too cool was going on because it kept getting more & more sore and immovable without extreme discomfort & tryng to work it enough to shoot. I can't pick up my gun with my right arm, and I can't grip much of anything with my left hand, so I'm sorta up the creek with almost no paddle. I was told I needed surgery, but have opted to not do so until November, when we're done with the shoot schedule. Besides, three surgeries are enough for the present. I did consent to a Cortisone shot into the joint to alleviate the pain & discomfort and to help with mobility.

As for the functioning of both my Tanfoglios, I am well pleased. Another shooter in my group yesterday, was asking how I liked them, I told him they are a great buy for the money. I let him shoot both after the match, and he has decided to buy a Limited Class gun and abandon his S&W Sigma. Although he seemed to do well with it. I think he liked the heft & the feel of the Tanfoglios grip in his hand. Also the fact that they both drop the brass right in front of you in a nice little pile. Other shooters were chasing brass everywhere & all I had to do was to bend down & gather it up.

Well, there you go, If there are any questions about either gun, leave a comment with your E/M.
'Nuff for now................................
Ta Taaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
LouG

Bowling Pins 4/20

Hi Folks,

Here we are post weekend matchs, and it's sort of a let down. Saturdays match at HHRGC wasn't. It was soooo cold & sleety/snowy/haily/rainy that we by passed the match and stayed home, warm & snug & prepped for the pinmatch on Sunday.

Well, it was still cooold, rainy/haily/sleety/snowy at times & coooold! We had about nine hearty souls come out for the match, but most wiser people stayed home out of the blustery cold weather. I entered Open Class centerfire, revolver & 22rimfire. here were no shooters for the C/F iron sight class when I signed in, and I was the only one there that had a BigBore revolver, so we didn't shoot that class, nor did we shoot iron sight 22's. So it was sort of a limited class match.

I timed in 2nd fastest in OS/CF, and don't remember who I shot off against 1st up, but I think it was TonyC. My 2nd round was against Ms. Rainy, she tookj the 1st table, I took the 2nd, and then won the shootoff to face MrAl for the top spot. He took one, I took the 2nd, and then on the shootoff I had a misfeed & he took the class with me 2nd & MsRainy 3rd.

Then in Revolver class, it was ChrisC. & MrAl 1st round with MrAl taking it, then TonyC. and I 2nd round with him eliminating me (NO surprise there) then ScottS & AlanV. had their shootoff & it ended up with ScottS. as the winner. The class finals were TonyC. 1st, with ScottS. 2nd & ChrisC. in 3rd.

LarrieF showed up at shoot time & entered 2 guns in I/S class, he took 1st(9mm) & 2nd(45) over ChrisC. with his 45.
weren't a lot of people in the class. Then it came time for Rimfire pintops.

I timed in fairly decently, and went off against MsRainy who promptly retired me in the shoot (Revenge is 'Sweet', so they say.). And then goes on to beat out everyone for the class win (HoooooRah!)! But, there'll be next time. One way or another we always seem to shoot against one another. MrC. and MsKeeWee didn't make the match. MrC. had some construction going on ( a Tennis court or some such endeavor) and MsKeeWee said, "I'm NO Dummie, I'm not going out in the cold & wet & freeze my little bum off". So as you can see it was a rather limited match. Oh well, there's always the next one.

ScottS. took some videos, so I'll post those of me timing in.






'Nuff for now, got to see the MD on the morrow about my shoulder to see what the "HELL" now...............

Ta Taaaaaaaaa...............................

LouG

Two Match Weekend

Here we go again.........................

There are 2 matchs coming up on the weekend. A Silhouette Match @ HHRGC on Saturday, & a Bowling Pin Match @ CWSA, on Sunday!!!

I'm going to shoot the Silhouette Steel Match @ HH with MrPicuda & possibly my Henry 22Lever Carbine. Don't know how well the carbine might do, but between now & the weekend I'll find out. Silhouette Matchs are shot at 40, 50, 75 & 100yds with a rimfire or centerfire pistol & the same for rifles. I shoot the rimfire class's. Shortly I'll have a load worked up for my 22Hornet Contender & will shoot centerfire also. Looking forward to this one. MrPicuda seems to running good (FINALLY)!

I plan to shoot about 5 class's at the Bowling Pin Match. Open Centerfire, Iron sight Centerfire, Revolver, Big Bore Revolver & 22rimfire for pintops. Hope everything works well, I'm getting tired of NOT placing better than 3rd , or, being eliminated in the 1st round because I can shoot a good qualifying time, but not quick enough in the matchup against MrAl, or TonyC, or MissedHer Completely!
We'll see just how well it all comes out.

I'll give you all the Gory Details next post.

Ta Taaaaaaaaaa.......
LouG

KItsap Match Plus

Well hey folks,
here it is another week gone by with a FUN weekend in the past. WE (MrC.,WayneF.,TonyC., and I ,) all made the trek to Kitsap Rifle & Revolver Clubs Fun Steel match on Saturday.

They put on this match the 2nd Saturday every month. It's really a fun match, but the Ferry ride over, ( You need to be at the Ferry Station by 6:15/6:30 to insure getting a ride) to Port Townsend, the hour ride on down to Kitsap, the Match, and return trip works out to a 12 to 13 hour endeavor. But still fun to shoot the match & meet some new people that are gun enthusiasts like me.

We started off the match at 10:00am and by the end of the 2nd round I had to retire both my TRG & Picuda and resort to the old tried & true Ruger22/45 to finish out the match. Had a 'squib' load in the TRG, and didn't have a rod with me to knock the bullet back out to continue. OH well.................. I broke it down & just put it back in the case & figured I'd just shoot MrPicuda. Guess what!!!! The dang thing began hanging up on the 2nd round in every magazine I had with me. Can't compete that way. So, MrP goes back in the case too. I dragged out the Ruger & had a fun match despite all the other mechanical woes of the day. Haven't heard from JohnD., the Match Director, on what the results are, but I had fun & that's what's important.

TonyC. used my S&W22A & had a really GOOD day. I think with the scores I saw, he may have taken the 22rimfire class. We put a new target grip on it before we went down & he said it handled much better than with the skinny squishy standard grips. Can't wait to get it back & try it myself. He said he was going to buy the Target Model with bull barrel & bells & whistles this week. I guess he must like it the way he was shooting!

Then on Sunday, we had a Hanging Plate Match, which MrC. has elucidated the particulars on his blog, so I won't go into the details here. Again, I thought I'd try MrP out after cleaning & working it over somewhat. But...... to NO avail, same thing. Hanging up on feeding the 2nd round. What the HECK??????? So, I again dragged out the Ruger, shot the match, & ended up dead last! Guess I was somewhat disconcerted about the malfunctioning Picuda. We have two class's, Iron sight & Optic sight. MrC. took 1st place in optic & MrAl. ( Evil Al as MrC. likes to say) took 1st in Iron sights. The results are up on CWSAonline.org, if your interested.

After the match, I took the Picuda & MrAl over to the pin range so he could watch the function of this wonderful looking pistol. The conclusion that he reached after watching several malfunctions & looking into the bottom of the mag well, was that the bolt was dragging on the ejector. KEWL!!!! I headed for the house, broke it down, & YEP, the ejector had a shiny ridge running right across the middle of it. Out comes trusty Dremel tool, a few minutes work, some blue marker pen & re-assemble, work the bolt & break it down again to look. Yep! Needed more, so I ended up after @ 3/4 teardowns & polishing trick, finally achieving success! No more drag marks, and a resounding 'CLACK' when the bolt was released. HOOORAH, now to try it out.!!!

Being that there's a Silhouette Match next Saturday, I re-mounted my Simmons 3X10 scope back on it & headed out to the range. The only malfunctions I had were with Federal bulk cheapie ammo. I tried some AutoMatch ( Perfect), and also some CCI MiniMags( again PERFECT function). Set out a couple of targets at 25 & 50 yards & proceeded to check sightin. At 25yds, I shot a 1" group of ten rnds, & at 50yds, a 1.5" group of ten rnds. SOOOOPER! So I figured as long as I'm here, I can get in some practice time.
What a joke! I find that with my left hand, still not real strong, and my right shoulder giving me a pain, (right where I sit) I have a real hard time just holding on target. HAYSUS CREESPO !
Well, gotta get the old exercises going cuz there's lotsa shoots & fun to be had, & I sure don't want to embarrass myself with really poor scores. So break out the weights, unhinge the Bowflex & get back into routine exercising!

'Nuff for the moment, more shoots coming up this weekend..........................................
LouG

Well, Here we are again Folks,

  Been recuperating with my arm stuff, so not alot
has been going on gunwise.
I have shot a couple of Silhouette practice matchs,
and a Bowling Pin, tried a rifle but absolutely no
go on that!
Last Saturday, CWSA had it's 2nd Bowling Pin Match
& I was in full participation. I shot the 1st B/P
Match in Optic Revolver only.  This time, I did
almost every class.  I wasn't real good at it, but
I was there & shooting!  I didn't do too bad time
wise, but got eliminated in the 1st round in each
class.
NO biggy !!!   I WAS THERE ~!
I had FUN & that is what is the most important
aspect of the whole idea of shooting. I had sent my
SooperDooper 1st Class Open Race Gun (Mr T) off to
a guy to have a trigger job done on it & WOW, is it
ever GREAT.  Trigger pull is now 2.25lbs & slick
as can be !  I Love it !  Full report to be done
shortly.  But I can tell you, it's worlds different
from before.  I can now shoot almost any loading
without it doing the wrong thing at the wrong time.
I also unlimbered MrPicuda with an L/G red dot sight
on it and participated in one of Mr.Completlys
E-Postal matchs.
What a blast, that thing is really accurate, much
more so than yours truly.  Although, I did hit
8 out of ten of the Fly targets as supplied by Mr. C.
Here's that Target.


Mr C & I, and various & sundry other characterizations
of CWSA shooters are going to Trek to Kitsap
Peninsula Gun Club in Silverdale on the 12th of
April to shoot a Fun Steel match there. After that
match is when I'll do the report on Mr T's all around
performance in competiton.
We have a Falling Plate Match coming up this next
Saturday, the 5th, at CWSA & I plan on shooting
the Picuda barracuda in that. Gotta get in some
practice time with it for sure. I was really
pleased that I was able to shoot the BPM last
Saturday, even if I did "pay the price" the next
couple days with a sore, stiff & tingly hand from it.
That didn't stop the grin though!
Really enjoyed myself as I hadn't done very much
shooting since last October.
GOOD TIMES are ahead though, and I am looking
forward to doing as much shooting as possible.

'Nuff for the moment, will keep
things going as much as possible

LouG

I'm a BAD American ?

YES, I'M A BAD AMERICAN

I Am the Liberal-Progressives Worst Nightmare. I am an American.

I believe the money I make belongs to me and my family, not some Liberal governmental functionary be it Democratic or Republican!

I'm in touch with my feelings and I like it that way!

I think owning a gun doesn't make you a killer, it makes you a smart American.

I think being a minority does not make you noble or victimized, and does not entitle you to anything.

I believe that if you are selling me a Big Mac, do it in English.

I believe everyone has a right to pray to his or her God when and where they want to.

My heroes are John Wayne, Babe Ruth, Roy Rogers, and whoever canceled Jerry Springer.

I know wrestling is fake and I don't waste my time watching or arguing about it.

I've never owned a slave, or was a slave, I haven't burned any witches or been persecuted by the Turks and neither have you! So, shut up already.

I believe if you don't like the way things are here, go back to where you came from and change your own country! This is AMERICA.

If you were born here and don't like it you are free to move to any Socialist country that will have you.

I want to know which church is it exactly where the Reverend Jesse Jackson preaches, where he gets his money, and why he is always part of the problem and not the solution. Can I get an AMEN on that one?

I think the cops have every right to shoot your sorry ass if you're running from them..

I also think they have the right to pull you over if you're breaking the law, regardless of what color you are.

And, no, I don't mind having my face shown on my drivers license. I think it's good..... And I'm proud that 'God' is written on my money.

I think if you are too stupid to know how a ballot works, I don't want you deciding who should be running the most powerful nation in the world for the next four years.

I dislike those people standing in the intersections trying to sell me stuff or trying to guilt me into making 'donations' to their cause.

I believe that it doesn't take a village to raise a child, it takes two parents.

I believe 'illegal' is illegal no matter what the lawyers think.

I believe the American flag should be the only one allowed in AMERICA!

If this makes me a BAD American, then yes, I'm a BAD American.

If you are a BAD American too, please pass it on.

We want our country back!