Gun Appreciation Thread

[noob15]

Did you ever train with Costa?

 

[Unregistered]



Did you ever train with Costa?

I did not. Like I mentioned above, I shoot mostly IPSC / USPSA rather than the tactical style of shooting Costa/Haley does.

I trained with Todd Jarret, Max Michel, and Ben Stoeger. Good friends with the latter.

This is Ben shooting our Provincial match up here in Alberta, Canada earlier this summer.

[VIDEO][/VIDEO]

 

[mimo]

That's some fancy gear there. More details on your pistol and rifle builds?

However, cargo pants are a no-no on SF. I'd recommend a 12oz Minnis Fresco, as you're into custom orders.

 

[Unregistered]



That's some fancy gear there.  More details on your pistol and rifle builds?

However, cargo pants are a no-no on SF.  I'd recommend a 12oz Minnis Fresco, as you're into custom orders.

Hah! These have a pocket that perfectly fits the rulebook for IPSC. I'm a Chief Range Officer so I do unfortunately need the pocket. At least these ones are rather flat and don't puff up too much. Even worse, I often compete wearing lululemon shorts

The pistol is based off a STI 2011 hi-cap frame, with a SVI steel grip. Uses 1911 parts, but in a grip/frame designed for double-stacked mags. My long mags for shooting in the US can hold 29 9mm rounds, for a starting capacity of 30 rounds with a loaded chamber. A red dot sight allows for much faster target acquisition and transition since I don't have to align iron sights. The compensator on the end of the barrel is designed to redirect gas upwards and backwards, which reduces both the felt recoil and the muzzle rise of the gun. This allows for much faster follow-up shots since the gun isn't moving much from the original point of aim. You can see below that even at the end of the recoil stroke, the gun has not flipped much at all.

My rifle is built from Rhino Arms out of St. Louis, MO. Custom billet receiver is lighter than the usual forged ones - looks unique too Carbon fiber handguard and ACE stock tube. 16" mid-length gas system that runs an adjustable gas block and a severely lightened bolt carrier group. My gas system is basically set up to have just enough to cycle the gun (the light bolt carrier really helps too). Less gas = less recoil, again allowing for faster follow-up shots. I can fire and hit with 2 standing non-supported shots at a torso-sized steel target at 150 yards with about a 0.18 second split easily with the way this rifle is set up.

 

[noob15]

I did not. Like I mentioned above, I shoot mostly IPSC / USPSA rather than the tactical style of shooting Costa/Haley does.

I trained with Todd Jarret, Max Michel, and Ben Stoeger. Good friends with the latter.

This is Ben shooting our Provincial match up here in Alberta, Canada earlier this summer.

That's cool. I'm the opposite LOL. I'd like to take a class from some of the USPSA guys one of these days, but all I'm going to have time for next year is a trip to Rogers.

I asked about Costa because of your grip on the rifle since it's so similar to what he popularized.

What red dot are you using? It kind of looks like a C-more mounted sideways, I've been an aimpoint guy for so long now that I really don't recognize the other ones. It's a nice setup and that BCG is crazy.

 

[Unregistered]



That's cool. I'm the opposite LOL. I'd like to take a class from some of the USPSA guys one of these days, but all I'm going to have time for next year is a trip to Rogers.

I asked about Costa because of your grip on the rifle since it's so similar to what he popularized.

What red dot are you using? It kind of looks like a C-more mounted sideways, I've been an aimpoint guy for so long now that I really don't recognize the other ones. It's a nice setup and that BCG is crazy.

I find that the action shooting disciplines (USPSA/3gun etc) tend to have massive influence over the tactical shooters. The Costa grip has been used for a while in the 3 gun circuit because it allows for very fast driving of the weapon system (heh) from target to target. Likewise with the concept of having a red dot mounted secondary to a variable power primary optic. Or the slowly but surely trend towards pistols with red dots (albeit micro dots that are slide mounted into the rear sight dovetail).

The red dot on my pistol is indeed a Cmore mounted sideways. The sideways mount allows the dot to basically be at the same height as iron sights would be at. This means that I can go between pistols in different disciplines whilst maintaining the same muscle memory for indexing the gun.

That rifle is really something that has to be shot to understand how much we can control recoil. It kicks as much as my 10/22 does. Much louder though

 

[noob15]

Oh, no argument from me, though I'll point out that red dots were used by HSLD guys dating back to Vietnam and that's about as tactical as you can get.

A lot of "tactical" shooters would be loath to admit how much the so called "gamer" disciplines have contributed to their own version of the sport. I'm not one of them.

I believe you about the rifle. I just can't stand muzzle brakes despite what they bring to the game. The concussion from even 5.56 is unpleasant to me when you're in a solid structure.

I get a kick out of the cult of personality that appeared around Costa and the whole Magpul Dynamics thing when they came on the scene.

As a guy who's never taken a action shooting class before, I was wondering if you had any recommendations on where to start. I've been thinking about broadening my horizons, but the only plans I have right now for the coming year is Rogers like I previously stated.

 

[brokencycle]

How much do your custom guns improve your scores? I mean, if you had to shoot with stock versions of your guns, do you think your scores would be significantly different? Have you ever tried it?

 

[Unregistered]



Oh, no argument from me, though I'll point out that red dots were used by HSLD guys dating back to Vietnam and that's about as tactical as you can get.

A lot of "tactical" shooters would be loath to admit how much the so called "gamer" disciplines have contributed to their own version of the sport. I'm not one of them.

I believe you about the rifle. I just can't stand muzzle brakes despite what they bring to the game. The concussion from even 5.56 is unpleasant to me when you're in a solid structure.

I get a kick out of the cult of personality that appeared around Costa and the whole Magpul Dynamics thing when they came on the scene.

As a guy who's never taken a action shooting class before, I was wondering if you had any recommendations on where to start. I've been thinking about broadening my horizons, but the only plans I have right now for the coming year is Rogers like I previously stated.

I had no idea red dots were used back in Vietnam! Learn something new everyday. That's pretty awesome!

Oh the comp is definitely something else. The concussion is quite immense, and I almost always double up with both earplugs and earmuffs when shooting the rifle.

I appreciate what Costa and Haley did as far as bringing firearms manipulation training and technique to the forefront. They emphasized safety and the need to practice above all else, and I think it's a good message that has spread to even the non-tactical crowd.

I don't know about courses teaching shotguns / rifles unfortunately. But for handguns, I really highly recommend Ben Stoeger. He is the US national champion several years in a row now. Most importantly, he is truly self-taught and has succeeded through critical self-analysis and break down of techniques. I bring Ben up here once a year to put on courses and they always fill up. His website is http://www.benstoeger.com/

Other top guys I've shot with are talented and things just came naturally to them, which makes it hard for them to teach.

How much do your custom guns improve your scores?  I mean, if you had to shoot with stock versions of your guns, do you think your scores would be significantly different?  Have you ever tried it?

I shoot in a division that only competes against others using firearms that are similar to mine. It's called "Open" division, as in "everything goes". A stock version of my gun would be something like a 1911. Without the compensator and red dot sight, the shooting would be slower. Hits would be about the same, since I'd just take a fraction longer to get proper sight focus on each shot.

Other divisions are definitely available. Single Stack division only allows for the classic 1911 guns. Production division (which is by far the largest division in number of participants) in USPSA/IPSC uses stock firearms with very limited modifications allowed. Bone stock guns along the likes of Glock 17s, S&W M&Ps, etc are very common. I don't compete in these divisions because it's a different game.

 

[noob15]

The Armson OEG was used on the Son Tay raid.

I've heard some pretty good things second and third hand about Ben Stoeger from trainers I respect, but until now my focus has been in other directions.

 

[Unregistered]



The Armson OEG was used on the Son Tay raid.

I've heard some pretty good things second and third hand about Ben Stoeger from trainers I respect, but until now my focus has been in other directions.

I've also had good experiences with Todd Jarrett, Eric Grauffel, and Max Michel. I still prefer Ben to all of them. Maybe Todd Jarrett would be another good person to take a class with in order to get the crucial solid fundamentals.

Have you shot any USPSA matches before?

 

[noob15]

No, I shoot primarily IDPA SSP and 3Gun.

 

[Mauro]

I need to start shooting IDPA. The weather here has been great so the 3Gun season has been extended as well as USPSA.
What I have been really enjoying is the super steel challenges at peace maker national.

 

[VaderDave]

I'm thinking about getting a Ruger SP101 revolver in .357 magnum. Any thoughts?

 

[noob15]

For what purpose?