Grouchy Spike

https://www.cmcproducts.com/RAILED-POWER-MAG-RPM--8RD-45ACP-M1911_p_211.html Is anybody using this magazine? While not legal in SASS WB, it might qualify as legal in other competitions. "No more jams due to thin, warped, or bent feed lips. These magazines feature feed rails with at least 2 times the strength of feed lips. Guaranteed reliability."

Thanks for all of the input and advice!

HJ, you must be using a very clean burning powder. Which one? WST?

How do you clean your 1911 magazines? Well, maybe I should ask "Do you clean your 1911 magazines?" Assuming that you do clean your 1911 magazines, do you remove and clean the followers and springs, brush the inside of the tube? Or do you push the follower down with a magazine brush and swab the tube? The witness holes in Tripp magazines are staggered so it's difficult to insert a punch into the magazine to hold down a compressed magazine spring. If you have Tripp magazines do you remove the followers to clean the tube? If you have 1911 magazines that you've equipped with Tripp followers, do you remove the followers to clean the tube? When do you clean your 1911 magazines? After each match?

In my experience the most frequent cause of malfunctions in the 1911 is ammo related. Recommend dropping EVERY reloaded round into a cartridge gauge such as L.E. Wilson. If the round doesn't fall freely and completely into the gauge, fix the problem. The most frequent problem is slightly oversize bullets and maybe a Lee FCD can fix that occasional problem. If its a chronic problem, measure the diameter of your bullets. The next most frequent cause is a burr on the rim. If the round doesn't completely sit flush with the gauge, turn the round over, insert the rim into the gauge. If the rim fits, the problem is on the other end. If the rim doesn't fit, rotate it down into the gauge to remove a burr, then drop it nose first into the gauge. That will usually fix a slightly damaged rim. The second most frequent cause is either magazine related or pistol related, assuming that you've dropped the correct amount of powder. Dirty magazines, deformed feed lips. Dirty pistol, incorrect spring strength (either too strong or too weak). Enjoy sliding!

Congratulations, JTS! Sounds like you are hooked. Wild Bunch and the 1911 are a hoot aren't they? Compared to Cowboy, both are good, WB offers more pistol shooting - Sliding instead of revolving. Praise be to John Browning and pass the ammo!

I am also interested, and await the results with baited breath. :o Or is that bated breath? :-\

First, Adapt the scenario to range and target availability. I broke the local side match at the Texican Rangers into two scenarios - a Sniper match at longer range (out to 135 yds) and a Close Combat at 55 yds. Paint the targets Bright Orange (Rustoleum) for best visibility for senior eyes. Red is not so easy to see the front sight. Black is difficult to see the front sight. Sniper: 5 to 7 targets (16” circles, diamonds, or squares) beginning at 65 yds out to 135 yds, minimize double taps so that the shooter must adjust to each target distance and use different holds – 6 o’clock, 12 o’clock, center, etc. 10 to 15 rounds. Shooter’s choice whether supported or unsupported, any shooting position. Sling is OK. Write an easy to follow target sequence. Close Combat: four to six targets (Cody Dixon – 20” to 22”) at 55 yards, 10 rounds, unsupported but sling is OK. This one is usually shot standing. Write an easy to follow target sequence. For some extra fun, for those who have a 1911 or 1917 revolver, add a separate scenario with Close Combat rifle and 10 or 14 pistol rounds to use after the rifle is empty on CAS or WB pistol or rifle targets. Green Mountain Regulators in Marble Falls TX includes BAM in their monthly Long Range match. This is an accuracy match, not a speed match. Three shots each at 100, 150, and 200 yards, then repeat backwards for 18 shots. 1 point for hitting steel, 2 points if the bullseye is hit. 36 points possible. Plus small targets at 75, 125, and 175 yards for 3 points each. 9 points possible. No timer is used, ties are broken by the number of bullseyes. Further tie breaks will use a shootoff of 3 rounds at 200 yards.

Congratulations BD, you are underway at full steam. For the Swedish Mauser and Purcella’s 160 gr GCTC bullet, I had best accuracy with 13.5 gr Alliant 2400. That’s a hot powder, and I take extra care by measuring powder weight of every charge, and insuring that I haven’t double charged a case. For the 30-06 best accuracy was 32.0 or 32.5 gr IMR 4064 with Purcella’s 170 gr SilGC bullet. It’s a bit fast at about 1700 fps, but it’s deadly!

Search with Google "repair feed lips 1911 magazines" and several websites will appear with information. Brownells sells repair tools: https://www.brownells.com/guntech/magazine-lip-forming-tools/detail.htm?lid=10302

The Checkmate GI feed lips didn't last very long either. The wadcutter feed lips should last longest being parallel. I noticed that the last batch of Ruger magazines that I acquired had wadcutter feed lips. The Tripps are also wadcutter design with parallel feed lips. The new 'railed' feed lip design by CMC, if it lives up to the hype, may be the answer to longevity.

Duane Thomas has published an article in the July 2018 issue of Dillon’s Blue Press magazine, describing the cause of the 1911 magazine ‘lips spread’ and the jam that it creates, and proposing a functional limit of the width between the parallel feed lips of the wadcutter design. If you’ve had jams because of ‘lips spread’ you will want to read this article. Check it out!

Has anyone tried this powder? Rumor has it that it is a reformulated 231 with additives to reduce copper fouling. Maybe even fowling too. I would be interested in the powder residue compared to WST.

I forgot to mention that the Green Mountain Regulators near Marble Falls incorporate a BAM match into their monthly Long Range match on the 4th Sunday. Long Range shooters shoot three targets at 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, and 400 yard lines for the precision sighted rifles, and BAM shooters shoot three targets at each 100, 150, 200 yard line and then backwards 200, 150, 100 yards.Eighteen (18) shots on these targets. Circuit Judge added three smaller targets for BAM shooters and three for Long Range, bringing the total to 21 shots. While shooting BAM rifles out to 200 may not seem much challenge, there are bullseyes within each target scored for 2 points whereas hitting steel is one point. This is the challenge. I don't think that a BAM shooter has cleaned the match yet, although several have come close. This is not a timed match, scored on points and any tie is broken by shoot-offs which are increasingly difficult until the tie is broken.

Here's what I know, or think that I know: BAM started in Texas at Comanche Valley Vigilantes when Dusty Boddams and Captain Jarrett et al decided to put their old military bolts into action as a side match. It caught on and Goatneck Clem introduced it into either WR or EOT and Evil Roy supported it. Now the rifles have been included in the CVV WB match in Doughboy category. Hondo Tweed and the Oklahoma Territorial Marshals are using the old bolts too. Hondo might tell us what they are doing. After Dusty Boddams put a BAM rifle in my hands and said 'shoot' during the side match at the 2014 Texas State WB match, I carried the 'infection' down to the Texicans Rangers and the BAM shooters now number about ten with eight more 'lurking' with rifles but not yet shooting. There are about 24 or more shooters spread from south of Austin through The South Texas Pistolaros in San Antonio to the Texas Riviera Pistoleros at George West, and east through the Green Mountain Regulators at Marble Falls, through the Willow Hole Cowboys at North Zulch, to the Louisiana border. Plus two west of Austin. Way west at Anson. At the BAM side match during the Texas State Cowboy match, the president and vice president from the Butterflied Trail Regulators showed up with their 'new' BAM rifles and threw some lead downrange and I'm looking forward to hearing about their exploits in that club. Brazos Belle joined the game too with coaching from Crooked Bullet. Mechanical coaching, she don't need shooting coaching. Canyon Jim from the South Texas Pistolaros smoked some 30-06 rounds at the targets too. The Willow Hole Cowboys incorporate a full-fledged Wild Bunch category in their Saturday Cowboy matches. Since Shadow Doc and Odessa have BAM rifles, the club has incorporated them into the match WB match in a separate category shooting at the Cody Dixon targets. I looked at those CD targets last year and they are not large and close. Shadow Doc and Doc Profit used my 03A3 several months ago to put on a demonstration of hitting those targets, unsupported. I was impressed! For a while the Texicans allowed BAM rifles in a Sunday match Cowboy 1911 category as a take off on the Cody Dixon category but that's no longer allowed. It was a hoot! The 1903 and 03A3 lead the numbers in this area, followed by numerous versions of the Mauser. The K31 is a sneaker. If any other clubs using the old bolts in either BAM or WB, share your stories and ideas! What models of rifles are y'all shooting? The sure way to expand the game is to carry some extra ammo to a BAM match, invite the uninitiated to shoot five rounds (or more if you have the ammo). Most of us will be HOOKED immediately and begin looking for a rifle. And more rifles. If there is no established BAM match, survey among your club members for those who have old military bolts, talk about using them in a friendly competition and about BAM side matches. You will be surprised at the number of cowboys who have an old military bolt in the safe. Is their military bolt rifle modified? It might not fit the rules for BAM matches, but to kick start some competition, invite them to participate in an Open category. Improvise, grow the game!

Has any Slide Action Shooter tried the 1911 magazines from Sarco? And I'll drag this conversation over from the SASS wire: https://www.sassnet.com/forums/index.php?/topic/273532-1911-magazine-recommendation-wild-bunch/

I'm mailing registration Monday for this grand event! Hondo promises a great time over three days! Is anybody else signed up yet? http://cowboy.okcgunclub.org/

This sounds like a more realistic game to play with 1911s and the Model 97/12 - use of a military rife! Please publish a follow-up report on this category!

Toot, toot, Ned! Awesome news, Congratulations to the Dixie Desperados for stimulating such interest! What did the group think about 7-round magazines? Load'em up and shoot? Is there interest in Bolt Action Military Matches among those slide action shooters? Dusty Boddams and the gang from Comanche Valley Vigilantes in Cleburne TX are hustling some new shooters for this game. Read the latest issue of the Chronicle, about page 40.

A nine-year old, sitting in the back seat of Dad's truck while Dad was in a convenience store, stopped a carjacker from stealing Dad's pickup. Seems that the engine was running, carjacker opened the door and climbed behind the steering wheel, and young Larimore pulled up his pellet gun, pointed it at the carjacker's head. The carjacker caused some other excitement - read the article linked. I wonder whether young Larimore said something like "Make my day, punk!" http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/12/27/9-year-old-points-pellet-gun-suspects-head-stops-alleged-carjacking/ I am reminded of an incident involving grandson Eagle Eye Kane when he was ten. He spent summers and holidays with me, learned to shoot at age seven, was cowboy shooting from age eight with both a SxS and a M97. This story was related by both Eagle Eye and his mother. Seems that toward nightfall an uninvited guest trespassed into the front yard. The dogs bark changed from alert to continuous barking. Mom went to the front door, saw the intruder (not well dressed) and told him to stop, that the dog would bite. The intruder ignored her and the dog, continued walking to the steps on the porch. At that time Eagle Eye appeared in the front doorway with a loaded Ithaca Mag 10 at port arms, and said "You better leave" The intruder put up his hands, walked away. Mom asked Eagle Eye where he learned that defensive technique, and he said "Grandpa told me that when something like this was happening, the intruder wasn't stopping by for coffee so I better be prepared to use force." The training paid off, Eagle Eye didn't shoot but was prepared to if the threat moved closer. After reading the link above, Eagle Eye related another incident that happened a year ago at age 15. He was home alone toward sundown on a winter day, heard a vehicle in the driveway, looked out the window and saw three hooded guys trying to load his Dad's old junk Honda Gold Wing onto a trailer. He tried to reach his mom by phone, but she didn't answer, so he called Dad at work. Dad said "I didn't tell anybody that they could have that Honda." Kane grabs the Mag 10, walks out the front door, shouting at the three thieves. One runs away, another says "Kane, don't shoot! It's Wesley, your cousin, don't shoot!" Seems that Mom had given Wesley permission to remove the bike, hadn't told Dad or Eagle Eye. Kane should change his cowboy alias to 'Shotgun Kane' or "Shotgun Eye' or some such appropriate alias!

There are three Texas Stars, spinning at the start of the game, and one Star is two counter-rotating Stars for a total of four. https://www.1911addicts.com/threads/humbling.41702/ This is the way to shoot'em! Can any Wild Bunch shooters match this? Even come close?

The WHC shoot monthly on the 3rd Saturday, and that match includes both cowboy and WB categories. Sometimes on the same posse, but if WB numbers are 5+ they will form a separate WB posse. Def Willie can confirm but I understood that they will offer this WB/BAM category next year, beginning with the first shooter to shot up with a 1911 and a BAM rifle! Shadow Doc is making efforts to reload for his new K31. No videos yet.

Def Willie at the Willow Hole Cowboys in North Zulch, Texas told me that they will offer a Wild Bunch / Bolt Action Military category next year. The BAM rifle is substituted for the cowboy lever rifle, and shot at the Cody Dixon targets, five or six rounds. The CD target distance varies by club and terrain, somewhere in excess of 50 yards, maybe out to 80 yards. This category is approaching a battle scenario! More fun - sliding, pumping, and cranking! Where is North Zulch do you ask? About 23 miles ENE of Bryan/College Station, Texas and 100 miles N of Houston.

Hey JFN, it's a done deal for sure. I can agree that Stage Point System is better than Rank Point System, to a point or maybe after a point. I think that Griff's idea is top shelf: "Overall scores are sorted based off the fastest time of ANY shooter on that stage. Category placements are simply pulled from that overall sort." I'm calibrated for time and penalties. The presentation of the stage Point scores removes that benchmark. Stage Point System for me is akin to buying a box of Sugar Cookies (the Match) and upon opening the box (the score sheet), I find that the cookies have no sugar (time and penalties). Perhaps the solution for me is to bring my own sugar and dust the cookies, 'cause I do prefer to slide instead of revolve when I shoot!

OK Happy Jack, considering the problem with and objections to Stage Points, what will the WB committee do?