Steven King's "The Mist"

I just saw a clip of "The Mist," an upcoming Steven King movie. It looks lame, and it's pretty much gonna have the same plot as the "The Fog," . . . and the new "The Fog." King should have stopped letting people make movies of his books a long time ago.

New Toys from Midway

I just got my latest order from Midway a few days ago. A Lasermax Uni-Max rail mount laser, Scherer slug plugs, some 10 lb. recoil springs for my race gun, an Uncle Mike's Kydex belt holster with thumb snap for my G21, and airsoft G17, and a can of Durabake paint.

Stay tuned for reviews.

Lone Wolf 3.5 Pound Glock Connector Review

About a month ago, JR of Lone Wolf Distributors offered to send out free Lone Wolf 3.5 connectors to the first 1000 people to order and use a promotional code. I squeaked in near the end of the last day of the offer.

The raw data:
Stock 5 lb. connector (slightly worn) – 4 lb. 13 oz.
Stock 5 lb. connector with NY-1 leaf spring (no coil spring) – 6 ½ lb.
LW 3.5 connector (brand spankin’ new) – 3.5 lb. Really!
LW connector with NY-1 leaf spring (no coil spring) – 4 lb. 10 oz.
Scherer 3.5 connector (new) – 4 lb.
Scherer with NY-1 leaf spring (no coil spring) – 5 lb.

My trigger pull weights will likely be lighter than what you might get with a new, unaltered pistol. I stoned the rough contact areas on the trigger bar smooth, and then mirror polished everywhere on the bar that may contact something else. IIRC, this stoning and polishing cut about a half pound off the pull weight initially, and it seems to have dropped a few ounces after a few hundred rounds and some dry firing.

Related Link: 25¢ Trigger Job

Trigger feel with LW connector
If you ride the reset, you get a really nice, crisp break. If you release the trigger all the way, there’s a short amount of pre-travel, some mushy creep, and then the break. It’s not too hard to “prep” the trigger, pulling through the creep as you fine tune the sight picture.

The distance to reset feels like at least twice the distance it takes to “break” the trigger, obviously, there’s still some overtravel. The reset may be a little weaker than the OEM 5 lb. connector, but probably not by much.

Compared to the LW connector, the Scherer seems to have a lot more creep, I’ll say 20-30% maybe. The take-up with the Scherer feels noticeably lighter than the creep. With the trigger completely released, the pull feels better to me, compared to the LW connector. When riding the reset however, the LW feels better than the Scherer.

Then, I did some testing with a NY-1 trigger spring with the coil spring removed. Why remove the coil spring? An 8 pound trigger, for me, is too much. But anyway, with the olive NY leaf spring, the difference between the two 3.5 connectors wasn’t as noticeable. The LW connector gave a slightly lighter pull, but both 3.5 connectors pretty much felt the same. The 5 pound Glock connector gave a crisper pull, with about half the creep, but resulted in a fairly heavy six and a half pound trigger pull. I’m putting the NY-1 spring back in it’s bag, and sticking with the stock five pound configuration.

As I have reported before, the LW connector I ordered about a year ago didn’t really function with a NY-1 leaf spring (Click Here For Article). There didn’t seem to be enough trigger travel to release the firing pin instantly. There were no such troubles with the freebie connector. The pistol functioned normally with the new connector and the leaf spring.

Slide Drag?
I tried to detect some of the slide drag that is mentioned by some. If there is any with the connector that I received, in the G17 I tested it in, it’s really not enough for me to notice.

After Live Fire Testing:
I shot about 150 rounds with the LW connector installed. No problems, I just don’t like the mushy creep. To be fair, I never liked the feel of an OEM 3.5 connector or Scherer connector without substantial gunsmithing either, and the trigger feel with the LW connector is still better than the triggers of many DAO and Glock knock-off type pistols. If you shoot from reset all the time, it’s really sweet, but I don’t always do that myself.

Installing the connector
I tried doing it without removing the locking block pin, and trigger pin. It works, but there’s a lot of wrestling required. Maybe it’s easier with a 40 caliber ejector, I dunno.

I’d rather remove all the pins, lift the locking block a quarter inch or so, and remove the trigger and trigger housing as a unit. The trigger spring is a weak point in the Glock design, and I’d rather not mangle it any more than absolutely necessary. It takes me maybe a couple minutes to change out a connector this way, and I don’t see how there’s much room to mess it up. There’s only two springs to deal with. The trigger spring is hooked to the trigger bar at one end, and the trigger housing at the other end, and you don’t have to unhook it to change the connector. Just insert the pins and slide release lever in the order specified in the twenty-five cent trigger job instructions, and all should be well.

Why All The Fuss About Plastic Pistols?

I'm sure some of you don't understand my obsession with these plastic pistols.

I've just stumbled upon this article from Guns & Ammo's Handguns magazine. It is a polymer pistol shootout article. It may explain a bit.

Some notes on Glocks from myself:
It's not hard to get hold of a barely used Glock for about $400. Magazines can be had for under $20. Pretty much every company that makes holsters and mag pouches makes some for Glocks. My Glock 17s and even my 26 will do better than 3" groups at 25 yards; my 17 with KKM barrel will do 1.5". The M&P got a better score than the Glock for trigger control? I'd like to know how they drew that conclusion. All the sights offered by Glock are quite horrible, and this is probably some of the reason for the average accuracy. Reloading speed can be increased quite a bit by installing a $5 Scherer slug plug, as it keeps the top-rear of the magazine from getting caught on the web at the rear of the magazine well.

Some Random Concealment Holster Reviews

IWB carry in general
With a good holster [for you] IWB carry is quite comfortable with a size larger pants, or maybe with the button undone, and just the belt holding your pants on. With any significant pistol, a belt is pretty much necessary for comfort, and to keep both sides of your waistline at the same height. Without a belt, a pistol with any heft to it will sag the waistband.

Uncle Mike's Nylon Clip-On IWB
Little to no retention. I stopped carrying with it before any of my pistols hit the floor/ground, but I think it would have happened eventually. I also caught the clip bent out beyond where it would catch the belt. If the gun doesn't come out of the holster, the holster+pistol may squirt out of your pants. There are variations on these holsters, some from other companies.
I would steer clear of this type of holster. Some people carry with clip-on holsters all the time, but I'm using belt loops from now on.

Uncle Mike’s Kydex Paddle Holster
Click Here For Review

Fobus Roto-paddle (GL2 Model)
Click Here For Review
It held onto my Glock real tight, to the point that I could rip the holster out with the gun, despite a tight belt. I found the holster to be uncomfortable, and nearly impossible to conceal with because it sticks out quite far. I haven't used it in years. I can see how the rivets might fail to hold it together.
I think I'm going to cut it apart and use the Roto bit for a DIY competition holster.

Sidearmor IWB
I think mine is a Generation II. It's a very fast holster, but quite uncomfortable. It seems to pinch me if I don't have a shirt tucked in behind it. The shirt tucker adapter adds two thicknesses of 0.09" Kydex between the pistol and belt, which makes it hard to conceal. I tried sticking felt to the holster, but it's still uncomfortable. Some people love them. Someday I will get around to selling it.

Fist leather IWB #19A
More comfortable than the Sidearmor, but it's thicker, so it's still not very comfortable. Really holds onto the gun tight, but would likely loosen up if I really worked at it. It really rides too high to conceal even the small Kahr I bought it for. It wasn't cheap.
I’m going to fix this holster as soon as I get the Kydex and hardware in.
UPDATE 8/1/2010:  I did fix it, but haven't really used the holster.  If I'm going to IWB carry, I carry the Glock 26.

Gould and Goodrich Leather Belt Holster
It looks very nice, resembling a duty holster, and doesn't conceal well. Like the Fobus, I'm constantly hitting it with my forearm, and smacking it into things. Might make a decent range/IPSC holster, but an open-front Kydex holster would be faster.

Glock "Sport/Combat" Holster
Basically it's like a pancake holster made of a plastic that feels a bit like vinyl. Conceals well, but the material is rubbery and holds onto the gun a bit too much to be fast. I like the holster, but have not used it since I bought the next one on the list. I still use the matching Glock-made mag pouches all the time.

Crossbreed Super-Tuck IWB
Man, I love this thing! Comfort is similar to the Glock-made "Sport/Combat" holster, and it's a bit faster. It will conceal my Glock 26 under a t-shirt, as long as the shirt is long and big enough. I've had one of the belt loops break, but didn't notice until I went to take it off. The holster is pretty ugly, expecially if you trim the leather away from the grip. I can reholster with one hand, which is pretty essential to me. If I had bought the regular Crossbreed IWB, I would probably have not broken the belt loop, and I've never tucked it in anyway.
Crossbreed Super-Tuck, Part 2
Crossbreed Super-Tuck, Part 3

Uncle Mike's Nylon Pocket Holster
I carry my Kahr PM9 in this most of the summer, and occasionally for family outings. It was pretty floppy, so I epoxied a plastic card to the bottom. Like the Crossbreed, it ain't pretty, but it works. It's the only thing I feel really comfortable carrying during the summer. . . all the time.
UPDATE 8/1/2010:  The old Blue Cross card on the UM holster broke into several pieces eventually.  I made my own custom Kydex pocket holster for the Kahr.

Galco Ultimate Second Amendment Holster
This is a tuckable IWB made of horsehide. I inherited this one. It rides low, which makes concealment easier, but trying to get the stubby G26 out of it is a bit difficult, requiring scooping it out of your waistband a bit before you can really get a grip on it. The belt hook would seem to be made for 1.25” belts, but works with 1.5” belts, and holds onto the 1.5” belt really well. This may be the trick to getting J-clips to work; order for a belt the next smallest size. There are a couple strips of leather sewn into the holster to serve as a sight track, but nothing to hold the holster open after the pistol is drawn. Reholstering requires two hands and some delicacy when the pistol is loaded. I use this holster sometimes when I want to slip on something more comforting than my PM9 at home.

Uncle Mike's Kydex Paddle Holster Review

I would never buy another paddle holster, unless I needed it for some special situation, but I got this one as a freebie.

I don’t like paddle holsters, because they usually fall into one of two categories:
- The paddle doesn’t hold on well enough. Sooner or later, and probably at the worst possible moment, you’ll go to draw the pistol, and the holster will come out with it.
- The paddle holds on so well, that you practically need to take your pants off to remove the holster. This defeats the purpose of a clip-on holster.
The Uncle Mike’s kydex paddle holster falls into the latter category.

First Impressions:

- The holster is rather bulky. I’m told that the Uncle Mike’s Kydex paddle holsters usually pass IDPA tech inspection, but the holster still hangs out a bit from the waistband. As they come out of the box, I would not say that they are particularly well suited as a concealment holster.
- With the tension screws set a bit loose, the pistol will still be fairly secure, and will practically jump out on the draw. This is a fast holster.
- This is a seriously sturdy holster. I have a Sidearmor holster made from 0.09” kydex stock. I have a Fobus injection molded holster that is about 0.1” thick. The Uncle Mike’s molded holster is 0.11” thick or more, depending on where you measure.
- The box said the holster was made for a G26, but the holster also fits my model 17 just fine.
- I've heard that they don't have enough of a sight channel for tall sights, but my G17 had Heinie sights with a tall front sight, and I haven't noticed the front sight dragging on the holster. (EDIT: after some more use, I can see scratches in the sight channel)

At first, I really wasn’t sure what to do with it. I’ve got a good IWB holster for concealed carry, and therefore IDPA. It didn’t seem to be a good USPSA holster, until I had a EUREKA moment. Holsters that ride low, like a western quick-draw rig, are all the rage in IPSC/USPSA. However, usually when you are drawing from a holster in that discipline, you’re starting with your hands over your head, as if in surrender. With a holster up higher, like this holster, you don’t have to reach down as far, or come back up as far to engage the target. Although a belt slot attachment would make it easier to get on and off, the Uncle Mike’s holster works really damn well for this type of competition. If you are shooting IDPA as a “gamer,” the paddle holster is a great for that too, if you can get it by the inspector(s), and most of the time you probably will.

How much ammo is too much?

I'm not sure whether to call this humor or words of wisdom.

Somebody asked whether 15 rounds in a magazine was too much on the PA Firearm Owners Association forum and MarkS posts:

"The only time you can have too much ammo is when you're drowning or on fire."

That's a real gem right there!

Good, Inexpensive Kydex Mag Pouches

tacticalkydex@bellsouth.net

He doesn't have a website, or any classified ads running right now. I'm sure if you ask, he will send you pics. The pouches are pretty simple in design, made of a single piece of 0.06" thick Kydex with a tension adjustment. Pouches are IDPA legal.

Available for many popular pistols. I’ve got 4 pairs of these now, 2 pair for my G17s and 2 pair for my G21. They're great for competition and range use. They are a little bulky, but if you heat up the loops with a heat gun a bit and flatten them some, they'll work for concealment.

EDIT: I've started to use one of these for concealed carry. The pouches don't stick out any farther than my cell phone.

Kel-Tec P-3AT Pistol Review

I bought a P3AT shortly after they started selling hard chrome models. My experience was a bit of a disaster.

The Good:
The little Kel-Tecs are very easy to conceal, with very little weight or bulk. They are also very inexpensive.

The Bad and Ugly:
On the 2nd or 3rd round fired, the little bracket that the guide rod slides through fell out and disappeared. I’m told that Kel-Tec now makes slides without this piece, the bracket is a part of the slide, rather than a separate part.

I called Kel-Tec and explained the failure, and they sent me 3 of the brackets. The response I got was, “that doesn’t happen too often.” I superglued one of them into the niche on the slide, and it never happened again.

Within 250 rounds, I had two failures to feed. It’s been a while now, I don’t remember exactly what happened, but it wasn’t simply a matter of pushing the rear of the slide a bit.

When it was working, it was rather unpleasant to shoot. The trigger pull is long and heavy. The recoil of even the relatively mild .380 ammunition in a pistol so small and light is similar to shooting .357Mag ammo from a lightweight snubnose revolver. About the best accuracy I was able to get out of it was 5 or 6” groups at 7 yards, while I can shoot 3" offhand groups with a Glock 26 all day at 10 yards shooting controlled pairs.

At around the 250 round mark, the mainspring broke. This was the straw that broke the camel's back. The mainspring is made of very thin wire, and is constantly under tension. I felt that this was the Achilles heel of the pistol, and I’m not sure that there is any way to fix it without a major redesign.

I replaced the spring, and fired maybe 20 more rounds through it to make sure I had reassembled it properly (cough), and then I sold it to a moderator at the KTOG forums.

Besides all this, the metal frame inside the grip was getting peened at the assembly pin holes, and where the recoil spring guide rod seated. The barrel was peened where the assembly pin passed through it. I never even fired any +P ammunition through the pistol.

I put the little bit that I got from selling the Kel-Tec toward a Kahr PM9. Although some report having reliability problems with the PM9 and PM40s, I got a “good one.” The trigger pull is much better. It’s not hard to get 3” groups out at 10 yards and beyond. When stoked with 147 grain Winchester Ranger ammunition, it is quite potent, while still being very controllable. It is larger than the small Kel-Tec pistols, but I still pocket carry the PM9 all the time, and I trust the Kahr.

Stuff for Sale

Pistols:
Star PD - Officer-sized 1911, aluminum frame, blued finish, 2 mags, origional box and all the paperwork and cleaning kit, spare recoil buffers, spare recoil springs and I think a couple magazine springs too. This pistol in about 95% condition. I'll throw in a Gould & Goodrich belt holster.
Tarus .41Mag Revolver, stainless, 2 1/2" barrel, 3 ports on either side of front sight, 5-Shot cylinder, origional box and papers, both keys for built-in lock. I have some .41Mag ammo that I'll sell with it if you buy face-to-face. I have a leather pancake holster for this one somewhere. This pistol is not a bear to shoot, the ports tame some of the muzzle flip, and the rubber "ribber" grips soak up some of the kick. This one is practially new.

Holsters:
Sidearmor IWB for G26 x 2 - I have a shirt tucker attachment for one, both currently fitted for 1.5" belt, but I think I have a 1 3/4" belt slot, and a 1 1/4" belt slot for them. One I used a little, the other was Dad's and I'm not sure if it ever got used.
Sidearmor IWB for G19 - Never used. 1.5" belt slot

Wanted for trade:
Glock 19, 3rd gen, LCI extractor
Glock 34

Miwall 115gr 9mm Luger Reloaded Ammunition Review

Pros:
Reusable ammo can
All 1000 rounds functioned perfectly

Cons:
Poor accuracy - 5" groups at 25 yards from a pistol easily capable of 2.5" at 25 yards, 1.5" on a good day.

I had 1 of 500 rounds of Miwall .45ACP jam in the chamber of my Glock 21, so I chamber checked all 1000 of this can of 9mm. I didn't have any loaded rounds jam, even in a KKM match barrel, although some had a bit of a bulge near the rim and fit tight. All 1000 rounds went bang and ejected properly.

The only downside to the low price, is less than great accuracy. If you were using it for a concealed carry class or rapid fire practice, it would probably not be a problem.

Some Glock Trigger Pull Weights

All pull weights were measured with a stoned and polished trigger bar in a Glock 17.

Stock parts with 5 lb. connector – right around 5 lb.

Stock trigger and firing pin spring, Lone Wolf Connector, trigger spring tab bent to 90 degrees, overtravel stop – around 3 lb., 11 oz.

8 lb. connector, stock firing pin spring, olive leaf spring without coil spring – 8 ¼ lb.

5 lb. connector, stock firing pin spring, olive leaf spring without coil spring – 6 ½ lb.

Scherer 3.5 lb. connector, stock firing pin spring, olive leaf spring without coil spring – 5 lb.

I tried the above with a Lone Wolf connector, but the firing pin didn’t release until allll the way at the end of the trigger travel. I couldn’t get a consistant pull weight.

Handgun Drills - This is Cool!

PDF file of handgun drills

Check this out! I downloaded it a few weeks ago, and just now got around to looking at it.

The drills are made up by many different people. Some of them you may know; Ken Hackathorn, Bill Wilson, Ron Leatham, Clint Smith, Sgt. Dennis Tueller, Lt. Dave Spaulding, Chuck Taylor, and Ernie Langdon, to name a few. These guys I've mentioned are pretty much the who's who of combat shooting.

I'm going to do what I can get away with at the indoor pistol range, and as many as I can at home with the airsoft pistol.

Australian Pink Floyd

I've been watching the Australian Pink Floyd concert on PBS. I gotta tell ya, it's just not the same. The guitarist seems to be struggling a bit now and then, he's no David Gilmour. "Money" wasn't bad, but I barely recognized "Shine On You Crazy Diamond."

To those who say Australian Pink Floyd sounds just like Pink Floyd if you close your eyes, I say, "Rubbish!"

Edit: The guitarist with the ponytail is pretty damn good. It's the bald guitarist that's not that great.

The Inspirations of this Blog

Randy Mays' Website - Old School Blog, check out "First Impressions" pages
Archangel's Blog
Texican Tattler - A lot of computer geek pop culture, with a side of gun nut stuff

Stoppage with ISMI captured guide rod in G17

I had a piece of brass get caught lengthwise between the breechface and the barrel hood. I've never seen that happen before, and I've never had a malfunction with the stock plastic guide rod.

In case anyone is wondering, the ammo was Remington UMC and the spring was an almost new ISMI 17 pound spring. There is no other aftermarket stuff in this G17.

I've run several thousand rounds through my other G17 with a Lightning Strike captured guide rod with no problems. That one came with a washer to keep the spring from crawling past the screw. The ISMI rod in question didn't have a washer. I don't know if that has anything to do with it or not.

I've put the stock rod and spring back in.

Smith & Wesson M&P Review

Okay, I finally got around to trying out a Smith and Wesson M&P at Targetmaster. I brought along my Glock 17 for a side-by-side comparison.

The M&P was a 9mm with the 4” barrel, I’m not sure if the 5” model is available yet. I polished up the trigger bar of my G17, plastic guide rod replaced with stainless steel, and I put on a set of Heinie Straight Eight sights with the race cut from Custom Glock Racing.

I’ll start with what I though stood out the most, that being the trigger. I think, maybe, the M&P had a trigger that was a little lighter than the polished, but stock, trigger in my G17. Don’t get too excited yet though, I found the M&P trigger to be really vague. The M&P trigger pull is a little like a double action revolver trigger pull, but lighter. By comparison, the Glock triggers have two distinct stages; there’s the slack, and then the trigger bar hits the connector, and the pull weight increases noticeably. The second stage of a Glock trigger, even with the 3.5 pound connector is quite short. I couldn’t really make out any stages with the M&P, it was just one long mushy stage. To make things worse, the trigger reset on the M&P was very indistinct, which will wreak havoc with anyone used to “riding the reset.”

While messing with the trigger, I came to the realization that I shouldn’t buy any pistols with magazine disconnects, if only because you need to have a magazine inserted to dry-fire, which makes me nervous. It’s not so bad with a Glock and the yellow plastic dry-fire barrel from Blade-Tech, but without a plastic barrel, I’d be constantly checking the magazine and chamber.

I had a hard time shooting groups with the M&P, although, to be fair, I’m intimately firmiliar with the Glock trigger, and the M&P was a rental gun that has been rode hard and put away wet, and might have been really dirty when I started the test.

I have heard from some that the grip of the M&P feels far better than that of the Glocks. This was not my experience. Although I think that Glock would sell more pistols if they started making frame with interchangeable backstraps, the G17 fits me about perfectly. I did not feel that the M&P grip was better, it’s just different. The big beavertail at the back of the gripframe, by the way, seems to be mostly superfluous. I’ve seen a couple pictures of M&Ps with the beavertail trimmed, and that’s what I’d do too.

I have also heard that the M&P transmits less felt recoil than Glocks. Again, I have to disagree. I loaded up both pistols to full capacity, and fired 5 shot strings, switching back and forth until both pistols were empty. I couldn’t really detect any difference in felt recoil or muzzle flip between the two.

M&P Pros:
Looks a little less menacing than the ugly black Glocks. . . unless you’re looking down the end that the bullets come out.
It will probably fit more shooters due to interchangeable backstraps.
Less aftermarket parts, trigger kits, etc., which means there’s less chance of junk making your defense pistol not work properly.
The stock sight set has a better sight picture than Glock plastic sights, and the front sight is probably not gonna get knocked off as easy as the plastic Glock front sight. I’d probably be happy with a tritium front sight and the dots on the rear sight blacked out.
Stock recoil spring guide is metal, not plastic. Although it’s rare, the Glock plastic guide rods can break.
If your experimentation with grip stippling goes bad, you can just chuck the grip insert and order another.
Ambi controls are a good thing, usually.

Cons:
The vague trigger pull.
The indistinct and slightly longer trigger reset.
Less aftermarket parts, trigger kits, etc.
The grip may be a little too slippery when shooting hot 40 caliber loads, although the same is true of the Glock frame.
The magazines aren’t real cheap.

Well, that’s my story. Comparing a rental gun to my sort-of-racy and clean pistol may not be totally fair, but it’s the best I can do. Ultimately, there’s no way I’m gonna buy one until I can try one that’s had a trigger job, and even then, I’d have to be getting a deal. I’d probably be more likely to buy a Springfield XD.

EDIT: I ended up buying a M&P 9 Pro. The trigger was a lot better, although still not quite up there with a Glock that's had a trigger job.

Mechanical Engineering

Okay, I've posted quite a bit for the readers now, it's time for a little self-serving.

The plant I've been working for is closing sometime next year. I've decided that I'm pretty sick of working 46+ hour weeks, and still not making enough money. I'm thinking of going back to school for a Mechanical Engineering degree.

If you know of a good ME program in a state with mild winters, where I can carry, please post a comment.

Tokyo Marui Airsoft Blow-Back Glock 17 Review

My Review at AirsoftForum

My Review at Arnies Airsoft Forum

I've been trying to make the time to shoot a few magazines worth through it each week. True to form, it continues to chug along without problems.

Some Pet Loads

Reloading Disclaimer, Read First

9mm Luger
Basic Practice Load
Bullet - 115 grain Zero jacketed*
Primer - Winchester, Wolf, or Federal Small Primers. Doesn't make much difference which. The Federals flatten more because they're softer, which makes judging pressure harder.
OAL - 1.11"
Powder - Hogdon TiteGroup. 4.4 grains is the charge I usually use. Federal primers start to flatten at 4.5 grains. I didn't see any signs of dangerous pressures when I loaded some to 4.6 grains.
Comments - The load should make minor with 4.5 or 4.6 grains, but I rarely need to make minor even. With my Glocks, the load shoots pretty much point of aim out to 40 yards.

EDIT: I think the load above worked fine in the Glock 17, but then I went and started loading longer to 1.15". This seems to have reduced pressures to the point that I got some stovepipe jams. I'm starting to load 4.6 grains of powder, with the bullets seated to the 1.15" length, and I'll see how that works. The Winchester primers still look round, with no signs of flattening at the longer length.  The load seems to run well in everything.

EDIT, 2/27/16:  Bought myself a Magnetospeed Chronograph a little while ago.
Glock 17, KKM Stainless threaded barrel.
115gr Zero FMJ, 4.6gr TiteGroup
10 round string
Min 1167fps
Max 1186fps
Avg 1176
Standard Deviation 6.4fps
ES 19fps
Power Factor 135.24
The Standard Deviation and Extreme Spread are quite low.  I did not go to any great lengths with handloading this batch.  I just grabbed a random box out of my 9mm ammo can.


.45ACP
NOTE: I don't shoot much .45 anymore, I've been sticking to 9mm and rimfire pistols.
Hardball Replica
Bullet - 230 grain Remington MC
Primer - Winchester Large Pistol Primers.
OAL - 1.165"
Powder - Hogdon TiteGroup, 5 grains should get you normal Hardball velocities.

I'm working on 124 grain FMJ loads, and a 9mm 124 grain +P Gold Dot load to replicate the Speer factory load. I'll post data for them later when I get the skyscreens for my Pact timer.

* - Remington bullets are good too, but harder to find cheap. Although Precision Delta bullets are cheaper, I couldn't exactly get what you'd call accuracy out of them. The same data will work for Berry's plated bullets, in my experience, with less than fantastic acucracy.