Military Revolver & Semi Auto Competition Gun Question

[Remington]

I'm wanting to start shooting at Tri City's Military Revolver and Semi Auto Competition. The one thing I was told is that you have to use a gun manufactured previous to 1945 or a replica of such a gun.

I don't even know where to start to look. I want something under $300.00, used, rough and not pretty are fine. I just want to start going out and having fun. I can upgrade later.

Any suggestion on what to look for? Any thouhgts on how/where to find something?

 

[jtischauser]

I'd like to hear more about the competition too.

 

[ldp4570]

As for the revolvers, you'll be looking at S&W/Colt 1917's in .45acp or Victory models of the same two companies. The Victory models are in two calibers, the .38S&W and .38SPL. The .38S&W were made in 5"bbl by S&W for the "Lend Lease" program. The .38spl. models by S&W were made in 2" an 4"bbl. The Colt version was made only in .38SPL and were called the Commando.

Now onto semi's; that leaves open a large area, and I don't know what they would allow as to Military type semi's. If its open to all then you have everything from the 1911's an A1's to Lugers.

 

[Remington]

Here are the rules for the competition:

PREAMBLE:
The purpose of this competition is to allow those shooters who have the older types of military revolvers the opportunity to compete in “shoulder to shoulder” matches against revolvers of the same vintage.

FIREARMS:
The competition is limited to those center-fire revolvers issued from the end of the Civil War through World War II. Exact copies, as advertised by their manufacturers, are allowable. Several “Second Generation” revolvers, such as the Smith & Wesson Model Ten with the tapered barrel, are allowable. But they must have the original wood or plastic grips. Under these parameters newer revolvers such as the Rugers, even though they were manufactured in different models for the military, are not allowable.

MODIFICATIONS:
The revolver must be “as issued” through out. A trigger job may be done and the sights may be filed and/or bent to obtain the correct sight picture. No nickel or chrome plating is allowed. Fillers, trigger shoes, etc…are taboo.

AMMUNITION:
Ammunition may be military surplus, commercially available cartridges or hand loads utilizing either jacketed or cast bullets. All loads should be fire functioned prior to a match. “Hot Loads” or “+P” type loads are discouraged.

COURSE OF FIRE:
The basic course of fire shall be five strings of ten rounds each for a total of fifty rounds for score, from the “bullseye” position at twenty-five yards. A winner shall be determined by the aggregate of all five strings. Matches between clubs shall follow this same course of fire. The target utilized is the NRA’s SR-1 simulated 200 yard target as used in the DCM matches.

 

[Remington]

I'm a little confused about the Rugers mentioned above in the rules. Wikipedia had a good right up on service pistols, I just hope it's accurate. Wiki Link

Also, I'm not sure if the pistols your allowed to use are supposed to be U.S. only. I really don't want to go buy something and find out I can't use it.

 

[ldp4570]

I'm a little confused about the Rugers mentioned above in the rules. Wikipedia had a good right up on service pistols, I just hope it's accurate. Wiki Link

Also, I'm not sure if the pistols your allowed to use are supposed to be U.S. only. I really don't want to go buy something and find out I can't use it.

From the details of what they are allowing, Ruger wasn't around at the end of WWII, and since they mention nothing about Semi-auto pistols, your limited to revolvers only, and it looks like you can shoot anything from 1873 Colts, Top Break S&W's, through all the hand ejector series of Colt and S&W as long as it shoots a military issue caliber i.e. .45 Colt, .45ACP, .38 Long Colt, .38Spl.

 

[ldp4570]

I'm a little confused about the Rugers mentioned above in the rules. Wikipedia had a good right up on service pistols, I just hope it's accurate. Wiki Link

Also, I'm not sure if the pistols your allowed to use are supposed to be U.S. only. I really don't want to go buy something and find out I can't use it.

From the details of what they are allowing, Ruger wasn't around at the end of WWII, and since they mention nothing about Semi-auto pistols, your limited to revolvers only, and it looks like you can shoot anything from 1873 Colts, Top Break S&W's, through all the hand ejector series of Colt and S&W as long as it shoots a military issue caliber i.e. .45 Colt, .45ACP, .38 Long Colt, .38Spl.

 

[ldp4570]

double tap

 

[EagleScout]

double tap

The Nagant M1895 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagant_M1895

Maybe a TT-33 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TT-33

I think JG Sales has some Nagant's

 

[dlbleak]

the military revolver shoot at OKCGC allows s&w model 10's with the taper barrel. those are often found in the 250 range

 

[Stingray]

I think JG Sales has some Nagant's

They do, and only $100. I know nothing about this competition, but if I'm understanding it correctly, this would seem to be the least expensive way to get a gun that qualifies.

-S

 

[BuddyJ]

Oh man, this is the type of competition I'd love to shoot! Can anyone confirm that the Tri City match is revolver only? I've got a 1918 Nagant that'd be fun to shoot there.

 

[X-ringer]

Oh man, this is the type of competition I'd love to shoot! Can anyone confirm that the Tri City match is revolver only? I've got a 1918 Nagant that'd be fun to shoot there.

The day is divided into two matches one is for the Military Revolver and the other is the Military Semi-Auto both of the matches allow the newer pistols that are copies of the original ones. IE: the 1911 can be a modern one and can even have adjustable sights like the CMP Service Pistol but the revolvers cannot. The Revolvers can be the S&W model 10 taper barrel or the Ruger copies of the cowboy guns or any other early revolver. The rules are a little flexible due to the increasing value of these pistols.
The Nagant would more than qualify but all shooting is done one handed and the trigger pull on them are terrible heavy and I haven't found a way to get the weight down and have the gun still function.

 

[ldp4570]

The day is divided into two matches one is for the Military Revolver and the other is the Military Semi-Auto both of the matches allow the newer pistols that are copies of the original ones. IE: the 1911 can be a modern one and can even have adjustable sights like the CMP Service Pistol but the revolvers cannot. The Revolvers can be the S&W model 10 taper barrel or the Ruger copies of the cowboy guns or any other early revolver. The rules are a little flexible due to the increasing value of these pistols.
The Nagant would more than qualify but all shooting is done one handed and the trigger pull on them are terrible heavy and I haven't found a way to get the weight down and have the gun still function.

I do alot of my dryfire practice with a Nagant revolver, single handed. Its a beast, but after your used to it, any S&W, Colt, or Ruger DA revolver feels like butter.