Idpa

[Doble Troble]

Guys,

 

I'm mostly a rifle shooter, but I've got nothing against handguns and I usually have one with me everywhere I go.

 

I like to think I'm a reasonable pistol shot, but shooting at paper plates at 15 and 25 yds isn't much of a challenge.

 

Our club has a monthly IDPA pistol match that I just never got around to checking out, probably because the piece that I carry isn't suited to the "game" (a 5-shot snub nose 38).

 

I've had a Star 9mm for years that I've shot every once in a while. I also have a Kahr 9mm that I thought I would carry until it annoyed me with unreliability and being too heavy (which is a BIG reason I carry a revolver - it has never failed to go bang).

 

But the pistol match really calls for a semi-auto. I'm so PO'ed at my Kahr (and the lame company who made it) that I don't even want to look at it - so I broke-out the beat-up old Star BM that I picked-up for under $130.

 

The stocks are cracked and it has about 50% of its bluing. The slide rattled and the barrel seemed like it moved 1/8" when locked up.

 

I put the slide in the vise and gave it a bit of a crimp fore, mid and aft and of course then it wouldn't go on the frame. A few taps with a wooden wedge got it on the slide, and a few thousand back-and-forths with 220 lapping grit got her moving again. The barrel problem was 80% due to the bushing in the front (just like a 1911), so I took a lathe center and a big hammer and gave it two big hits which was at least one too many and it took me about 1 hr with sand paper to be able to hammer it back in the slide. Once in the slide I got lapping compound on it and tapping back and forth with a hammer lapped it in so that I could install by hand with a bit of effort. The remaining 20% of the barrel wobble was due to the barrel not fitting close inside the bushing, the only thing I could think of doing was to peen the barrel. After all this, and cleaning-out the lapping compond which was no small task and liberally applying lithium grease she slides like snot and locks up with just a hair of barrel movement - which I could probably eliminate with a couple more peens of the barrel where it meets the bushing.

 

Anyway, she shot like a dream and was very accurate.

 

The match was a hoot and we all probably ran 200 rounds through our pistols at various ranges. I decided to try to shoot faster on the last stage (because I was shooting WAY slower that the rest of the more experienced shooters) and wound-up killing one of the hostages. I learned my lesson, speed comes second.

 

Anyway, it was great fun and very safe. I'm feeling MUCH more comfortable with a pistol, which is a good thing given I have one almost everywhere I go (which is something that I think every good American should try to do).

[Horsefly]

Dang Doble,I can get a Star from my brother for a song,so with your report on tightening one up and the difference it made,I think I'll go for it.That's goood info! Jerry

[Doble Troble]

Horsefly,

 

Go get one!

 

They're fun and easy to work on. It's very satisfying to tighten one up so that it shoots as well as the fancy pants ones. And its all common sense stuff that your Mauser expertise will cover.

 

Mine likes round nose bullets seated out the best. Once I figured this out it became 100 % reliable. It eats Winchester white box from Wally World 100%.