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So, something we did a couple summers ago was decided on one handgun and one long gun that would be the "primaries" for preparedness purposes that we would do a lot of regular practice with. I went with a SBRed/suppressed AR for the long gun and a Model 29 for the handgun. The revolver just works as a "do everything" gun, is chambered in a plenty potent cartridge, and it is a tackdriver in the accuracy department. I shoot a lot of steel targets (metallic silhouettes, spinners, etc.) and bowling pins, in addition to paper sometimes.

Some of the episodes on In Range TV got me to thinking of taking part in some kind of formal competition to hone skills, do shooting "on the clock", and may be have some fun. Any thoughts along these lines?
 
You can't go wrong with a speed steel competition to start off on. It's always a great group group of guys in an easy going atmosphere. USPSA and IDPA are fun as well, but it is a different environment; more focused on the performance than having a good time on the range.
 
You say your M-29 is a Tackdriver which is Great. You might want to spend time putting holes in some "Critter" Targets and you might want to check out Handgun Hunting. If you can put meat on the table it's always good.
 
ICORE (International Confederation of Revolver Enthusiasts) matches are great fun. Wolverton Mt. Gun Club north of Vancouver has a match 4 or 5 times per year and I know there are some in the Albany area.

They are very similar to speed steel, but you will have mixed targets between tombstone silhouettes, spinners, poppers and other steel targets. The ranges can be from a few yards to out to 50 or so. Mostly they are closer in. There may be shoot / no shoot targets as well. You will need 4 or 5 speed loaders and some way to carry them. Expect to go through 125 - 150 rounds so start with a clean gun and have a bore brush and rod handy to run through your chambers if extraction gets sticky.

My son and I shot our first match without a holster (started at low ready) and used a nail pouch on a carpenter's belt to hold the speed loaders. It worked (kinda) and the folks at the match didn't care one whit. They were just happy to have us at their match! We have holsters now but are still using the nail pouch ... one step at a time!

So you will get a wide range of practice with the wheelgun shooting one of these.
 
DLS; One way to carry a Speedloader is with three rounds on each side of your Gun Belt. I would suggest you look on fleaBay for pouches, if you want.
 
Thanks KKG,

We tried that and they tend to fall at the most inopportune time! When going for speed on the reload it's easy to bobble and drop!

I'm looking at Safariland's model 333 competition speed loader pouch but they are out of stock everywhere.

In fact a lot of Safariland products are out if stock across multiple platforms. A couple of retailers I've questioned say they are busy filling military contracts but that doesn't seem a likely story given their product mix. Who knows?
 
First I head of ICORE. Sounds interesting. Thanks @DLS. :)
They are not huge since most folks want a black gun these days, whether it be rifle or handgun. They also want huge magazine capacity ... ever look at some of those IPSC rigs?

So revolvers and their inherit limitations make them less popular and harder to shoot / reload, which is exactly why I like competing with them.

Don't get me wrong, there will always be a 1911 in my harem along with the Rugers, Sigs, and Glocks to keep the 1911 company.

The rule book can be down loaded at ICORE.org
 
Started my LE life with a S&W Model 10, then a 686...which are still very light for the 357 Magnum round...I wore out 2 of them.

It would be great fun and a trip down memory lane to put on a revolver course.

I pull out the wheel gun and speed loaders now and then.

Will schedule one for next year, but the competitions mentioned above sound like a good time.
 
Started my LE life with a S&W Model 10, then a 686...which are still very light for the 357 Magnum round...I wore out 2 of them.

It would be great fun and a trip down memory lane to put on a revolver course.

I pull out the wheel gun and speed loaders now and then.

Will schedule one for next year, but the competitions mentioned above sound like a good time.


I as well started back in the day but did so with a 4" 686. Didn't wear it out ... but it went back to Smith and was rebuilt once and had the springs replaced one time as well. Now I have a diminutive 2" 686 round butt that follows me around. Either that or a 1911 which was the only other duty weapon I carried. It is certainly easy to tell where and to a point when someone was trained on a revolver by watching how they reload the thing (I was the whole palm on the center pin era).
 
Competing with a S&W 29 would be challenging on the reloading. I think I will try the ICORE
at Wolverton. Clark Rifles does a monthly falling plate match with a revolver class. I like
my 625 for competition. Low mount Burris Fastfire.
DSC00145.JPG
 
I enjoyed ICORE for years & years as a challenge and demand for skill upgrade. As my own physical geezer issues advanced I grew less tolerant of the 'paper target' portion of the course of fire. The Steel sings regardless where you nick it, while the Paper merely bears witness to poor sight discipline.

The old saw about "you can't miss fast enough to win" vs the reality of "you can caress the x-ring slow enough to win" is on trial in ICORE.

The advantages of Steel in ICORE are moderated by the demands of Paper.

Certainly a worthy match format, all the more so with revolvers. Endless bottomfeeder magazines have different focus.
 
Make sure you are using round nose bullets or SWC's with a gentle shoulder or the rounds can hang up on the cylinder edges. I'm actually going to chamfer the cylinder a bit so the rounds slip in easier.

You will want to have reduced loads however, full power loads will be a bear for rapid fire, and the range may not want that much power hitting their metal targets. I'd check with each range before showing up to a match.
 
Why would the M29 be a challenge reloading? With speed loaders those big ole' cartridges about load themselves.

This touches on a good point. The speedloaders I have for the 29 are, with one exception, Speed Beez. I really like them and they are fast. But I'm, naturally, open to suggestions.

Make sure you are using round nose bullets or SWC's with a gentle shoulder or the rounds can hang up on the cylinder edges. I'm actually going to chamfer the cylinder a bit so the rounds slip in easier.

You will want to have reduced loads however, full power loads will be a bear for rapid fire, and the range may not want that much power hitting their metal targets. I'd check with each range before showing up to a match.

Thanks for the tips. I can always run Specials in the 29. They are a pussycat, recoil-wise, in that platform. For things like pins, however, I think I'd stick with full power, 240-grain loads though.
 

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