Trijicon HD sights on my HK45C

Yes, I'm alive! Sorry for long hiatus, but "real life" come in way. Happens.

Anyway, Santa come little earlier this year with nice set of Trijicon HD sights for my HK45C. I used first opportunity to install them. It was not easy, but they sit in place. Then I went to verify zero on the range. On picture you can see two 25 round groups. First was on 15m (some 16+ yards), second on 25m (some 27+ yards) - I think it is easy to tell them apart on first glance. POA was top of front sight "slice" bulls-eye in half (at least I tried to keep it there). Both shot offhand with two hand grip, slow pace (and breaks to change/load magazines every 5 rounds). Looks like I need to adjust POA a little, but overall I'm really impressed with this sights. They do agree with my eyes. I will see how they work on some IDPA matches at first opportunity, but I expect them to do just fine. Previously I used Heinie Straight 8 sights, but those did not work good for me. I did not care much for dot over dot alignment and POA/POI relation was completely of for me with POI much higher than on stock sights. Finally I went back to stock HK sights. But looks like Trijicon HD sights will stay here for good. I also need to replace my aging Meprolight sights on P2000SK and SFP9-SF will need nice set of sights, when I get one in my hands.

New Aimpoint Micro T2

I just got info that Aimpoint is going to show new Micro T2 at Eurosatory fair.  It has updated body, with flip-caps, ability to ad anti-reflective device, shielded turret and increased body ruggedness. There is also new reflective coating on lenses to improve quality of view, delivers 5 years on one battery and is water tight to 25m. Basically this is all that was revealed for now. I must say it looks slick. Can't wait to put my hands on one and look trough it. (picture: Aimpoint)

Cutting HK MR223/MR556 barrel - good, bad or ugly?

There were several discussion on cutting and re-profiling 16.5" heavy match barrel that HK installs in MR223 and MR556 series rifles. Profile is rather mater of personal choice and taste, but cutting down generates some controversy. HK claims that when they cold hammer forge their barrels, they make them in way that barrel bore has a swage (constricts) toward muzzle. Barrel is manufactured for it's final length, so cutting it down remove this narrower portion and affects barrel performance. I decided to find out how it turns out in real world.

2 new 3Gun matches videos

Here are 2 videos from recent 3Gun matches. First one is Liga Sportera match, shot up to 300m at military range. Second one is 3Gun Nation Club Series rules match shot rather up close with max 50m distance. More info in descriptions for each video.

 

 

3 competition videos

I just added 3 videos from competitions in April. 2 are from 3Gun matches and 1 is from IDPA match.

First video is recent Liga Sportera match. It was not my best performance so far. Partially I blame gear (obviously! it is always gear problem!), but I'm afraid I had my own part in this.

IDPA @ Makówka - Round 1

Last Sunday we shot small IDPA match (5 stages, 62 shots) organized by TSK Ba-Bach. This is first round of series of matches aimed on revive IDPA in Poland and convince more shooters to join. Matches schedule can be found at http://www.idpa.com/clubprofile/ba-bach .

I used my HK45C to compete in CDP. I'm trying to learn shooting .45. For now I'm definitely too slow but I feel like slowly gaining confidence. I think Heinie Straight 8 sights are not best for my eye problems. I must try Trijicon HD for faster front sight acquisition.

IWA 2014 - Minox ZP8 Tactical 1-8x24

One of most interesting things I noticed on IWA was new 1-8x tactical scope from German company Minox.

IWA 2014 - Walther CCP

On IWA I had my first opportunity to see Walther CCP 9mmx19. Pistol actually makes good impression. Fits hand very nice, slide is easy to operate and trigger is decent.

IWA 2014 - HK news in civilian products

I've seen several interesting things today, for example new Walther CCP with HK P7 style piston system, but now I want to cover some more HK stuff.

IWA2014 - HK at EnforceTac

Today I visited EnforceTac exhibition as prelude to IWA 2014 fairs. Managed to talk a little at HK booth and got some news. Unfortunately, looks like striker fired pistol (HK SFP9) will be delayed more. They have prototype at the booth but not for open play or taking photos. But this delay might actually lead to good news, because they want to refine some aspects of pistol. Other news will be presented soon (hopefully tomorrow - I will believe when I see it) - new version of civilian HK416, named HK MR223A3. It is supposed to have (or at least mimic) features of HK416A5, including ambidextrous layout.

First 3Gun Liga Sportera match in 2014 - Season Opener

My first match this year and (as shameful as it sounds) almost first opportunity to shoot at all this year (I just managed to verify zero on my rifle and to learn POA/POI relation for B&P Big Game slugs on my shotgun).

Fortunately organizers prepared a bit easier shooting that they could. Mostly because they were afraid that in bad weather we could not shoot all stages due to slow pace. But looks like we have beautiful Spring this Winter (but we had share of snow and low temp as well).

New seasons sees number of changes in Liga Sportera rulebook. Most of them apply to all divisions, but some significant ones apply to shotguns in Open division and makes it more balanced for both magazine fed and tube fed shotguns. It still probably needs some fine-tune but is better (from my point of view at least) that it used to be. But one of general changes (starting condition of firearm) gave me some hard time. Before, firearms that we pick up during course of fire where loaded, chamber empty, slide/bolt closed, hammer down and safety could be in off position. Now safety must be on even with empty chamber (if technically possible). You can easily see that on at least 2 stages (Stage 5 and 3) it took me some time to go, find my brains and let it figure out why the hell my shotgun is not going bang. Hopefully I will learn fast.

On this match I used my 14.5" HK MR223 rifle with Aimpoint MicroT1, 18.5"  Benelli M1 Super 90 shotgun and Glock 17 Gen4 with slide mounted Vortex Razor Red Dot. I also used new HK polymer translucent magazines. So far they work flawless for me and I like them very much. I do also try new way to (not) clean my guns. All were primed with Fireclean gun oil(?). I intend to shoot them some more before I even try to clean them, maybe except few passes of Otis Ripcord in my rifle barrel.

It has been to long

Looks like I went to winter sleep or something, but I'm slowly stretching my limbs and going back. For this Sunday I will have first 3Gun Liga Sportera match this season, so short report and video will show up sometime next week. My P30L is well past 2000 rounds no cleaning and no lube. It is becoming boring, because it just works. As I wrote before, this test was pointless anyway. First week of March I go for IWA2014 fairs in Nuremberg. Hopefully I will have some exciting news or at least some nice pictures to throw on blog. Anyway, welcome to 2014!