IDPA 2018 Equipment Survey

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jmorris said:
“Gaming” might be breaking the spirit or original intent of the rules, while following the rules. Breaking the rules is cheating.




That’s pretty cut and dry. Had they not included the use of trimmed and shortened, not allowed part a gamer could have cut 357 or 38 spl cases to S&W length though.

I am as much of a gamer as anyone but when they changed the rules where GAP brass couldn’t be used in ACP revos, I quit using it. They changed the rules and allowed it again right before I welded up ACP on the side of the barrel on one of my revos and had GAP engraved in it.

So to me it’s cheating if you use it now but gaming if you “made” a 38 S&W 686 for instance. After all they don’t have a minimum production number like SSP. What can they say at that point? As it will match what is listed on the firearm.
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But 38 S&W (assuming you're firing it in a revolver chambered for 38 S&W) should be technically legal. It is larger in caliber than 38 Special. .361 vs .357. But if you ask the official organization they say it's illegal. I and several other revolver shooters pointed this out during the last rule change and they did not address it inn the rules. 9x19mm and 9mm Federal is illegal because it's .002 smaller than minimum caliber. Why is 38 S&W not legal being .004 larger than the minimum caliber.
 
If you are asking me how they decide the interpretation of their rules, you got me. “Larger” could mean OAL, bullet diameter or case volume.

If 40 S&W is good in ESR, it can’t becase volume because it’s only 19.3gn of H20 vs 26.2gn for the 357 mag “minimum”. Same for OAL because the 40 and 45 are both shorter. So if we are going by bullet diameter, then they are not consistent in rule enforcement and that’s not much of a shocker to me.

Kind of like the “up to the discretion” stuff they have.
 
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jmorris said:
If you are asking me how they decide the interpretation of their rules, you got me. “Larger” could mean OAL, bullet diameter or case volume.

If 40 S&W is good in ESR, it can’t becase volume because it’s only 19.3gn of H20 vs 26.2gn for the 357 mag “minimum”. Same for OAL because the 40 and 45 are both shorter. So if we are going by bullet diameter, then they are not consistent in rule enforcement and that’s not much of a shocker to me.

Kind of like the “up to the discretion” stuff they have.
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Exactly, What does "larger" mean? The only way larger fits the legal cartridges mentioned in the rules is in reference to bore diameter. If 38 S&W is not legal the rules are not internal consistent. And rules to a game/sport should be. Even if they simply added a line in that section that expressly says 38S&W is not allowed despite it apparently meeting all requirements due to (what ever reason they want to give our not give).
 
Exactly, What does "larger" mean?
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How about you find a place that does small minimums for custom head stamps, like 600-1000.

https://www.qual-cart.com/Custom Headstamp.htm

Have them make you cases for your new wildcat SR round, the 361 mag. That happens to have the same case dimensions as the 38 S&W. Not only is the number larger everyone knows magnum is bigger.

If you wanted to double down you could call it the “361 super mag”. I think that might fit. Makes 357 mag sound small...

If I were to do it I’d have them make the rim a couple thousandths larger that 38 spl and it’s already .775” long and that’s larger than the legal .755 45 GAP, so you should be good to go.
 
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Have them make you cases for your new wildcat SR round, the 361 mag. That happens to have the same case dimensions as the 38 S&W. Not only is the number larger everyone knows magnum is bigger.

If you wanted to double down you could call it the “361 super mag”. I think that might fit. Makes 357 mag sound small...

If I were to do it I’d have them make the rim a couple thousandths larger that 38 spl and it’s already .775” long and that’s larger than the legal .755 45 GAP, so you should be good to go
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:rofl:

The .361 Morris Super magnum:) (adding another name makes it even more powerful!)
Stops elephants and water Buffalo in their tracks.;)

Just me but if it makes PF it should be ok regardless of bullet dia, case length etc, given vel limitations to deal with the steel targets.
 
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Bat Rastard said:
May I ask what advantage is gained shooting 45GAP ?
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In the context of a revolver shooter it has a two fold advantage when it comes to reloading quickly. First loading, the shorter and fatter the cartridge the more reliably a moonclip full of them will seat into the cylinder without issue. Second ejecting, the shorter the empty cartridges are the further out of the cylinder the ejector can get them the less likely they are to get hung up on the star or elsewhere.

As a bonus assuming you can make the required power factor safety the smaller internal volume of 45 GAP should make power factor with slightly less propellant (ie more efficient) than 45 ACP though that saving will be very slight.

The performance improvement from 45 ACP to 45 GAP is relatively minor. I never bothered with it in my 625 when that was my competition revolver. On the other hand going from 38 Special (or god forbid 357 Mag) to 38 Short Colt is a marked improvement on the reloading speed and reliability. Hope the helps.
 
Bat Rastard said:
That is many things I would have never thought of.
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The Noble Round Gun is a harsh master and extracts a high price from those that would wield it in the on ongoing battle against the hordes of cardboard silhouettes, pepper popper, and the dreaded Texas-star!
 
May I ask what advantage is gained shooting 45GAP ?
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Small primer will also ignite with less spring pressure than large primers too, so you get a better trigger pull.

The largest bonus GAP brings to the table is that it doesn’t require tools to moon/demoon.

 
and the dreaded Texas-star
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:rofl:
The first time I shot one I am reaching for another mag only to find out :cuss: I don't have any more!
Ordered another mag holder and two more mags when I got home that day. I had thought 5 mags (10 rounders were enough) for any stage I would run into.

After the first time I have shot it much better and never needed the extra mags I bought, so I think it is still laughing at me for making me buy the additional mags.
Texas stars are just :evil:;).
 
First time I shot a TX star it was in a match and it went pretty well... far better than I had feared. I had just put a fresh mag into the gun to make sure I'd have enough, and I think I took 7 shots to finish it off. Not perfect, but I was relieved. And I decided they were NBD.

Next time I saw one was at the first Level III match I ever shot... on a stage where you had to hold a port-cover open with your weak hand. Shooting that thing one-handed was about as hard as I had feared they would be freestyle. It didn't go well.
 
Shooting props are often expensive! This is a part of where that $15 or $20 match fee is going.
 
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