Blast Masterson

I don't think that checking brass after it's been fired is worthy of the time invested. The resize stage should take care of any issues if working properly. Checking this after reloading should be sufficient. After the shot, anything could happen to the case. A mismatched case will react differently in the same gun. I think this has the greatest bearing on the problem from using mixed brass. I would sort your brass and if you find a batch that has consistent problems, chuck them in the recycle can (or don't use them in the rifle. I have considered this as well, but have not had problems so far that warrants it. The head stamp thickness could be an issue with your particular head space. Kind of like a slightly high primer makes things hard to close. This I have noticed in mixed batch cases. It may be time for a new, or different resize die. Your problem gun may be a little tight on tolerance with the one your using. I have not shot on the same posse with you, but your loading recipe has effect on your brass as well. At any rate, the random issues your finding seems most likely the brand of brass as this is the biggest inconsistency in the scenario.

I only got to shoot the main match because of my dialysis schedule but I had a total blast! I shoot all the time with Fire and Fall Back, Cleve, and Let’s Go at two monthly match ranges in western Ky, but my mouth fell open when I first saw 3x4 in shotgun targets spread out all over the place in a match!!! I shoot them with pistols practicing with Let's Go, but never in a match! Fire and Fall Back puts together very creative monthly matches, covering all shooting styles so everyone gets a taste of stand and deliver to moving through obstacles, to include Buff Gun options. Rock Castle is a great shooting center, easy to get to, operated by great people. They can handle a good crowd on site, how ever you choose to sleep and it's a convenient drive and the match is set up if you just want a one day weekend shoot for those who are local. All in all a great place to challenge your shooting skill beyond the 'programed' stages most are used to. Where Humble Pie is served daily at no additional charge! Where else can you experience a gun fight from where you were sleeping in bed with your guns hanging on the bed post?! Let's Go; "I don't wear a hat to bed!"

This is the potential with a new GF. But it does not break the 170 and the gun is not cocked < >45 degrees down range. I have watched a couple of heavy pumping GF'ers - Duelist's shoot over the berm (which is a safety issue). If you have an excessive crossover technique, your pushing the potential for a safety issue, but you have not committed a safety till you pull the trigger. If you see someone pointing a gun at any part of themselves while shooting, it would be a good idea to point that out to them rather than try to figure out some penalty to impose. I have people tell me when I get close to the 170, or close to still moving when I close my shotgun. You don't need a broken rule to say something. When you push your limits, you come as close as you can from crossing the line...

When shooting GG there are many options in sequence preference you can use, dependent of number of targets and shot sequence. The goal is to not have to cross over guns during the sequence. If you start with a different gun, or the first target on the other side of the string, First because is takes a lot of time to get one gun out of the way of the other (for most). Second, you don't want to shoot yourself , or the other gun. The key here is, how good are you at shooting GF? This is not a good practice for those just starting out GF. You have enough to think about without adding this safety potential issue to the mix. Your goal is to come up from the bottom of the target when aiming. When you cross arms, your coming over the top and your sight picture is covering the target till you move down the target (at which time the target may not be where you thought it was). This is big when the targets are not right next to each other. It simply takes longer to aim. This is the cause of misses during a crossover.

Did you swap cylinders between two guns, and then it started?

Yes, all things concerning this subject is 'relative'. I've seen (and shot) a Short Bbl 45-70 Guide rifle with the Lever Revolution ammo that shredded a red dot scope in less than 50 rounds. It about detached my eyebrows! But this is not what we are talking about here, are we? You could learn to shoot without the cheek weld... At least you might be able to keep shooting.

Nimble Fingers, I had retina problems simply from flying in a plane. Have I flown since? Yes. Do I shoot big guns? Yes. Have I had any more issues? No. I was told for me that it is an aging of the fluid in the eye thing. Can it happen again? Yes at any time. Should you change your life because it might happen again? That depends how important that thing is your doing. I would have no problem stop using my ass kicken big game rifle and stick with black power (which is what I have done). I consider the risk to be moderate to high. Sometimes we have to change our game as we get older.

First it's not logic, it is about psychometrics. Second, the 'heater' I referenced is what your talking about. There are also dehydrators that absorb and hold moisture (it's not a metal rod). I am a thermodynamic engineer; I don't give a crap about what they call there stuff, it DOES NOT lower the humidity in the air, it changes the relative humidity which is the air's ability to hold moisture( ie. it's relative). It has nothing to do with the amount of moisture, it has to do with changing the dew point temperature (or wet bulb temperature). Adding heat prevents condensation from occurring by raising the safe temperature. An electric light bulb would do the same thing. The electric heater your talking about raises the 'sensible heat' in the safe. The moisture is 'latent heat' which never changes when you add sensible heaters to the space. All your changing is the relative humidity. The only metal rod that will 'dehumidify', would be a dielectric rod that freezes the moisture out of the air. As I stated, the moisture still stays in the safe on the rod and is not removed from the inside of the safe. As you stated your talking about a 'heating rod', this is something else all together. Hope this helps. It is not something most people properly understand. But it's something I work with every day.

Leather in a gun safe is like throwing a wet sponge in there with your guns. Please avoid the misconception that the quantity of moisture in the safe changes when you add heaters etc. The air does not 'dry out' from heating. Only the relative humidity changes, which has nothing to do with the quantity of moisture in the safe. Heaters are to prevent condensation, not remove moisture. So when you put your leather in the safe, your adding moisture which will not affect the leather condition because the moisture is still in there. It's your guns that suffer because your raising the dew point temperature to where it will turn to water because of a slight lowering of the safe temperature (like having the A/C on in the house). Safe dehumidifiers absorb moisture, but that moisture is still inside the safe. So refrain from adding more moisture than necessary by keeping leather in the safe.

There are two moisture issues to consider. Hygroscopic absorption of water vapor into the powder (simply exposing it to humid air) and condensation of water vapor of the air space in the containers. If you move your powder in and out of a conditioned space in the summer, you are subject to a much larger abouts of moisture issues than if you leave it in humid but stable air (that remains above the dew point of the ambient air).

That was my point (not clear). Some stages can be shot better (thus faster) using one or the other sequence. ie. A GF transition in a stand and deliver vs. changing position would lead to 'blending' one or the other. All things must be considered in GF. Sequential cocking, Dbl cocking, one gun, two gun, next gun, lead change etc. Anything to quicken transition (which is where most time can be saved (as your saying). Yes, your correct, you can not re-holster when targets are split. You must stage them (without either being cocked). In this case I shoot duelist (but still Dbl Duelist) as a GF as not to take the chance of brain fog. I assume the reason for the rule is there is a high probability to holster (or drop) a cocked revolver. GF transitions can be more complicated than just shooting two pistols. Thus GF is not as big of an advantage as it appears because you have two guns out.

Now that was all too simple.... The only advantage a GF has is that they can shoot either way, depending what is advantages to the stage sequence/transitions. If your shooting Dbl Duelist with two guns drawn all the time as Gunfighter, your not going to keep up with other GF'ers after 10-12 stages. If you can keep your brain straight switching between GF and Duelist, all the power to you. Shooting the same way every stage for years does not make for a well rounded shooter able to adapt to change in stages and things off the clock. I want to play Cowboy, not just Quick Draw. Allowing a Dbl Duelist to draw both guns, just to be faster, is a disadvantage for the Traditional Duelist when you have the option to do it as a gunfighter already. No changes are required when it is already allowed in another category.

Target sequence determines which is faster. Which take you longer, drawing the 2nd pistol Duelist or re-acquiring sight picture 10 times GF? Sweeps are faster GF. Dbl taps (or more) take longer.

That is exactly what I got called on which I mentioned in one of my first posts. All traditional shooters shot before me, I got called on it when I didn't shoot it in a sweep like everyone else. By the way, the TO corrected all the spotters.

Round counts.