NRA Service Pistol Equipment Rules for Leg Matches

[Sylvan-Forge]

Not sure if the title is redundant ..
Anyhows, I've yet to acquire a rulebook and I'm a bit impatient, maybe someone can help.

Here's what I've found online as to what is and what is not legal:

LEGAL:
Adjustable sights.
Match bushing and barrel.
Slide to receiver fitting.
Ejection port lowered and flared.
Match trigger 4Lb.
Trigger shoes.
Stippled or checkered frontstrap and mainspring housing.

ILLEGAL:
Rib or dot sights.
Compensators or porting.
Full-length recoil guide rods.
Extended thumb safeties, slide release or magazine release.
Beavertail grip safeties.
Commander-style hammers.
Magazine wells.
Extended magazines.
Front cocking serrations.



Since I'm about to order up a frame for my Marvel conversion unit,
I got to thinking that maybe I should just go ahead and get a slide as well.
Originally I thought to build it all myself, but I've decided for this go-round to only do the receiver and leave the slide unfitted or possibly pre-fitted until it can all go to a bullseye smith.

Here are my questions, silly as they may seem:

~For the rear (no front) cocking serrations, can I have the style I want? Say wide Kimber-style or maybe those jazzy looking S&W serrations?

~What about the top of the slide .. any restrictions on, say, serrated flat-tops?

~Finally, I like bevels on the front, rear and lower-sides. Restricted?

~Engraving an issue?

The reason I ask these questions is because some of the rules cited above seem to focus on some aesthetic issues such as front cocking serrations and commander hammers. I'd like the one 1911 in .45 caliber that I will own to be my bullseye arm as well as my occasional carry and BBQ arm and don't want to be DQ'd because of my tastes.

[cdrt]

The NRA does not make the rules for Leg Matches, the CMP does. You need to go to their website and download the latest rule book. The chart for pistol requirements is on pages 25-26. It's at www.odcmp.com.

Once you read that, you need to post your question on the CMP Forum. They have one category to answer questions about EIC Leg Matches. They're real good about answering within a day or so since the staff reads the message boards daily.

To answer one question; a Gold Cup type slide is legal and the top is serrated.

[cdrt]

Since I'm about to order up a frame for my Marvel conversion unit,
I got to thinking that maybe I should just go ahead and get a slide as well.
Originally I thought to build it all myself, but I've decided for this go-round to only do the receiver and leave the slide unfitted or possibly pre-fitted until it can all go to a bullseye smith.

Just noticed this part of your post. If I understand you correctly, you want to use the same frame for your hardball gun and the Marvel conversion. If that's the case, it's probably not a good idea. My only reason for saying so, is that the trigger pull for the hardball gun has to be at least 4 pounds. The trigger pull for a .22 is at least 2 pounds....big difference. You will be handicapping yourself with a .22 with a 4 pound trigger pull.

Also, to answer another question; engraving probably is not an issue, since all slides have mfg markings on them, but again, post your question on the CMP Forum and they will answer it for you. It's always nice to ask the source directly.

[cdrt]

I went ahead and posted your questions on the CMP Forum. I will print their answer here, once I get it.

[Sylvan-Forge]

cdrt,

Good sir, thank you very much for your help :)

I really appreciate your posting the query for me!


I've been reading the .pdf rulebook from the cmp website and found the following of interest;

Finish [bright, nickel, colored, stainless, etc.] -LEGAL- Any finish is permitted as long as external dimensions of slide and frame are not changed.
Theoretically, one could have a day-glo orange pistol with baby ducks painted on it and be alright :p

Also found this;

Colt Gold Cup Enhanced "O" Model -NOT LEGAL- Has eye cut out behind trigger guard.

:confused:
OK, I'm looking for this model now ...


As to the do-it-all approach .. do you think there would be ample time between typical matches for a mainspring change and/or maybe a change of the sear and hammer? If I'm expeditious about it?


:)

[cdrt]

No problem. Glad to help.
At most Regional/State matches, the .22 match is on the first day and the Leg Match the second day after all the team matches are done. You should have more than enough time to do your change and have the pistol trigger pull weighed before you shoot the Leg Match.

Most EIC match directors will weigh all the pistols just prior to the match. Once in a while they will shoot the match and then just weigh the winner's pistols.

At Camp Perry, you must have the pistol weighed sometime prior to the Leg Match and Presidents 100. They will place some kind of indicator on the pistol to show it has been weighed. They also spot check the pistols on the line just before firing. They spot checked mine this year. Mine is set at about 4 and a quarter so it always passes.

Just seems like a lot of work when it might be easier to get a second frame, but it could be done.

BTW I picked up a factory second from Caspian at Perry this year for $100 to use for my Marvel conversion, instead of one of the frames from my other 1911s. It even had the checkering already done on the front strap.

[SoCalShooter]

re: cdrt

Agreed not to mention you do not want to take apart a match weapon unless you have to.

the ALL NAVY and PAC FLEET matches here at Pendleton they weighed all pistols and tagged them before shooting.

Basically take the standard GI model from springfield:

1. Lower the ejection port and flare it
2. Match barrel and bushing
3. bomar sights
4. trigger job
5. front stipple

and thats about it as for the slide and frame fitting as long as it meets the visual restrictions you should be fine. No sight radius over 5in either. And no top rib sight. You can shoot an NRA approved pistol / wad gun but you will not be getting points for leg with it.

That is my understanding of the specs.

[Sylvan-Forge]

Thanks gents.

You know, I'll probably end up getting a model 41 anyways, so I might as well do the .45 up for NRA and CMP and use the marvel on a seperate frame for a back-up .22.

That sounds like a fair deal, cdrt. When I spoke with Caspian last, they had a few seconds up for sale for a little more than that. I might just grab one. Wouldn't hurt as bad if I bugger it up with my new-found smithing skills.

I'm still kind of concerned about this;
Colt Gold Cup Enhanced "O" Model -NOT LEGAL- Has eye cut out behind trigger guard.
Are they talking about the crescent shaped cut that allows easier access to the trigger as found on most current 1911s or something else altogether?

63562
63563

[cdrt]

No, they're not talking about the std relief cut that was the mod that the 1911A1 adopted versus the 1911. I'll check into it and see what I can find.

[cdrt]

I think they're talking about the trigger guard cut in this photo. The pistol is supposed to look like a 1911 and this trigger guard with the cut behind it does not, since it alters the std shape of the trigger guard where it meets the front strap.

[cdrt]

This is the pistol I used to Leg out for Distinguished, just to give you a comparison on the trigger guard and to show what a legal .45 looks like. It still has the tape on the trigger guard from Perry when it got weighed.

This is a basic EIC pistol; Bo-Mar sights, checkered metal mainspring housing, front strap stippled, trigger job, NM barrel and bushing on a SA mil-spec 1911A1.

[Sylvan-Forge]

Thanks again cdrt, you've been a great help!