AH1356

The North Tennessee Practical Shooters will host our regular monthly match on March 12th & 13th. This match will feature 2 regular stages and 4 classifier stages, so it is a good chance for new shooters to get classified or for anyone to update their classification. On both days registration opens at 8:00, with shooters meeting at 8:45 and shots downrange at 9:00. Afternoon sessions start 1:30ish. Come to as many sessions as you like and shoot the same gun or different guns & divisions (only 1 gun per session, obviously). Stage info to follow. As always, new shooters shoot free. Here's the link for more information, or post or PM me with any questions. DVC, Aaron

I'll try to remember to bring some extra 9mm mags. I'll be doing registration so come find me and we'll see they fit. They run great in my Trojan but ymmv. Aaron

The weather is looking pretty good for the weekend. See you there.

Anybody who was bitten by the competitive shooting bug today (and everybody else who was there, for that matter) should come check out next weekend's USPSA match. 5 challenging stages, 133 rounds, lots of steel targets, lots of movement. First time shooters shoot free. Check out the thread or PM me for more info. DVC, Aaron

Here are the details for next weekend's stages: 5 great stages, 133 rounds. Lots of steel, lots of challenging shots, lots of movement. This one will be a lot of fun.

Better not show that at his school ... ;-)

The North Tennessee Practical Shooters will host our regular monthly match on February 12th & 13th. On both days registration opens at 8:00, with shooters meeting at 8:45 and shots downrange at 9:00. Afternoon sessions start 1:30ish. Come to as many sessions as you like and shoot the same gun or different guns & divisions (only 1 gun per session, obviously). Stage info to follow. As always, new shooters shoot free. Here's the link for more information, or post or PM me with any questions. DVC, Aaron

"objects fall 33.3ft/sec so 1/10 the height = 1/10th the time." This is not correct. Objects accelerate when they fall at about 32 feet per second per second. In a full second an object starting at rest will fall 16 feet (starting speed = 0, end speed = 32 FPS, average speed = 16, time = 1, rate X time = distance, 1 X 16 = 16). It will take almost a half of a second the coin to fall 3 feet if it starts at a dead stop. Gravity - it's not just a good idea. It's the LAW.

There is no half-way between a single action only trigger and a SA/DA trigger, and no $400 gun will be likely to improve on either One option is to spend $400 on ammo, pick a pattern, and practice. It's the archer not the arrow.

There will be a stage similar to the one in the video this weekend. Lots of steel. A lot of people get freaked out by steel, but don't let it psyche you out. Here's the secret on steel: keep your "Clang" to "Bang" ratio as close to 1 as possible. Simple, right?

I tried to send it but it didn't go through. Here's what I tried to send. Sorry for the delay: Warren, I was where you were a year and a half ago. This is a friendly bunch, and the only thing I warn new shooters about (other than obvious safety issues, etc.) is that this sport can be very addictive. The short version is that you can shoot either your .45 or your Glock. They are both legal in a couple of divisions, so you'll have lots of options. Stages can be up to 32 rounds, so you'll need extra mags. Holster must be worn at 3:00, so no shoulder holsters or small of back holsters. We do not require cover garments, so dress for warmth and mobility. The match is 135 rounds (plus misses & makeup shots) so I'd bring 150 rounds to be sure you have enough. I run registration, so look for me at the trailer. I'll try to answer other questions later, but the info link on our club site (NTPS Home Page) and uspsa.org have lots of additional info about equipment, rules, etc. Thanks, Aaron

PM sent. Come out and join us. No worries about it being your first match. Everybody has a first match once. I was totally hooked after mine.

USPSA Match January 8 & 9 at Dickson The North Tennessee Practical Shooters will host our regular monthly match on January 8th & 9th. On both days registration opens at 8:00, with shooters meeting at 8:45 and shots downrange at 9:00. Afternoon sessions start 1:30ish. Come to as many sessions as you like and shoot the same gun or different guns & divisions (only 1 gun per session, obviously). Stage info to follow. As always, new shooters shoot free. Here's the link for more information, or post or PM me with any questions. DVC, Aaron

If subsequent rounds feed OK then it's probably not an issue with the feed lip dimensions. Is the 10-round magazine relatively new? If so, the spring tension is applying too much pressure on the 10th round, and the recoil spring cannot overcome the resulting friction. I have had similar issues with my 10-round mags (Wilson Combat ETM 9mm). There are two fixes. The simpler fix is to leave the mag loaded overnight, unload in the morning, repeat for a week or so, and see how it performs. The less simple and more permanent fix is to remove coils from the mag spring. On my Wilson ETM mags cutting off a coil has the added advantage that it makes a full mag easier to seat. If you cut off too much of the mag spring then the last round in the mag may not load reliably because there is not enough tension left, so go slow. Both of these will reduce the pressure the spring puts on the 10th round, which will give the recoil spring a better chance of stripping the round from the mag.

The North Tennessee Practical Shooters will host our regular monthly match on December 11th & 12th. On both days registration opens at 8:00, with shooters meeting at 8:45 and shots downrange at 9:00. Afternoon sessions start 1:30ish. Come to as many sessions as you like and shoot the same gun or different guns & divisions. 6 challenging stages, including a classifier, with 134 rounds minimum. As always, new shooters shoot free. Here's the link for more information, or post or PM me with any questions. DVC, Aaron

You get what you pay for, so get an STI. In my opinion, there is no better 1911 in this price range than the STI Spartan. Increase your budget a bit, and the best stock 1911 for the money is the STI Trojan. Increase your budget beyond that, and go full custom - built from an STI frame & slide. Notice a pattern?

It was a great match. Thanks to Brian and everyone who helped with setup. Bring on more 8-inch plates at 50 yards for time bonuses! BANG ... wait for it ... CLANG!

NTPS will host our fall Steel Match and King of the Hill Shootoff this weekend (20 & 21 Nov) at the range in Dickson. Setup and practice on Saturday with the match on Sunday. 9:00 start both days. 120-140 rounds for the match, maybe another 100 more for the shootoff. All targets are steel. Some fall, some just ring. Some standing speed shoots, some stages with movement. $20 for a ton of fun. Here's the link for more info & directions to the range: NTPS Club Information

I am "the guy who does registration" - also known as Aaron. Come introduce yourself. I'll be wearing an Indiana University hat. I'll put you in my squad and help out any way I can.

Depending on how many rounds your mags hold you can get away with 3. The CZ is probably best set up for production division, which would limit you to 10 rounds per mag. But it is also legal in Limited division, where mag capacity is limited only by the length of the mag itself. If your mags hold 15 (just guessing) then you could start with 45 rounds, which should be enough to finish a 32-round stage (32 is the maximum rounds per stage). It's not an ideal setup, and you would be at a competitive disadvantage against other shooters in limited division, but at least you could come out and shoot.

The North Tennessee Practical Shooters November match will be this weekend (11/13 & 14) at the range in Dickson. 6 stages, 137 rounds, and as always new shooters shoot free. Lots more info here: NTPS Home Page DVC, Aaron

I can vouch for that. A little over a year ago I was a total newbie and Tim took me under his wing. Now I'm totally hooked. NTPS has a very deep talent pool, and everybody is very welcoming and helpful, especially with advice on equipment, technique, etc. Come out and give us a try on the 4th & 5th. First time shooters shoot for free. We only start charging after you're hooked ;-)

Last year's match was awesome and many shooters had multiple trips to the impressive prize table. This is not a match to miss!

Dropping in a trigger can be easy, or hard, or dangerous, depending on the parts. I recently replaced my hammer and sear in my 1911. When I did so the trigger bow was long enough that it engaged the sear even with the grip safety engaged. It would also drop to half cock when closed the slide from slide lock. I really like the trigger (it's a Caspian flat aluminum trigger, one of those "love it or hate it" deals), and I tried for hours to get it dialed in, but it could not get it to function safely. I put the stock STI trigger back in and it works perfectly. Moral of the story - don't assume that any part is "drop-in," and don't go shoot it before you perform all appropriate safety checks. Twice. Just my $0.02.

Thought I'd chime in as well since last summer I was where the OP is now. I was lucky enough to be invited to shoot with NTPS by a fellow TGO'er. Everyone there was welcoming, generous with good advice and very focused on safety. What do you need to know? Others have said it, but 1) safety, then 2) accuracy and finally 3) speed. If you aren't safe then fix that before you hurry! How long to be competitive? Totally depends on your definitions and expectations. I am competing against myself, as are most shooters. While I am much better now than I was 6 months ago, I also understand the sport well enough to have a better sense of how much I have left to learn. The next NTPS match is 13 & 14 February. They're a great bunch of people. New shooters shoot their first match for free, so you've got nothing to lose. If you want more info feel free to PM me.