FINISHED UP NEW GUN

[contender1121]

Got my new unlimited small bore finished tonight. "New" is a bit of a misnomer as the frame and barrel are from the late 80's. I used to make tube sights way back when and I found some leftover pieces and put them to good use. I converted to peep on peep. First OKC match is March 4th. Can't wait!

[260 Striker]

NICE!!!! You do great work. Too bad you quit making tube sights.

[35isit]

Nice. This is my new one for 2018. Anderson County also has their first match March 4th. It's a few topics down. Here is a link viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3469 Have'nt been able to shoot it since I built it.

[contender1121]

NICE!!!! You do great work. Too bad you quit making tube sights.

Thanks Lynn, much appreciated. I actively shot both IHMSA (back in the day when there were only about 4 categories) and NRA in the late 80s and early 90s. I made and sold a number of tube sights in those days. They used the Unertl external adjuster as you see in this picture. This is the only one I had left. Every time I'd order some of them the price would go up. That, combined with the fact that my small aerospace manufacturing business was taking off and taking more and more of my time, caused me to quit making them and ultimately caused me to quit shooting altogether. I've retired now and I'm getting back in the game. I've always been a big fan of the Contender and thankfully I kept my frame and a couple of the original barrels (factory 10" and 14" match .22s). I've added another 10" .22 and a 10".25-20 (both MGM products). So now I've got Unlimited, Production, Practical Hunter and Field Pistol covered with the Contender. For Unlimited, Any Sights I have an Exemplar and for air pistol a Morini 162El and an IZH46-M "IZZY". The Morini is the most amazing gun I have ever shot. I shot a 40/40 last Tuesday nite in OKC. Lost the shoot off to Jim Fields, Mr. Silhouette. I'm looking forward to this season with relish. OKC is hosting the Internationals again in July. That will be fun! I don't shoot any big bore hand cannons. My only concession to loading brass is the 25-20. Way back when I shot with a 32-20. I had a lot of brass left and I decided to try the 25-20. The 32-20 brass is easy to re-form.
Back to the tube sight for a moment. Dan Zimmerman and his son (DZ Arms in Moore, OK) make a Hepburn replica and a clone of the Unertl scope and external adjuster. I believe the original Unertl adjuster was made from a casting. Dan is machining his from solid stock. The only other difference is that Dan's does not have clicks so to be legal for some black powder events. If money were no object one could put together tube sights using Dan's adjuster.
I had to shorten up the tube in order to keep the sight radius under 15". I put a cap on the end with a 7/32 X 40 thread in the center. That accepts an adapter that steps down the oddball metric 9.5 x 1 that is used on all Euro sights. Next comes an Anshutz device that will hold a round correction lens in front of the Gehmann adjustable iris. Up front, the enlarged portion of the tube is 2 pieces, threaded together. The clear acrylic aperture is pinched between two "O" rings. Easy to change if so desired.
That's my story. Sorry I got windy.

[contender1121]

Nice. This is my new one for 2018. Anderson County also has their first match March 4th. It's a few topics down. Here is a link viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3469 Have'nt been able to shoot it since I built it.

Thanks Greg, likewise on yours. Is that a Merit or Williams aperture on the rear? I hear Merit is no longer in business tho I have not confirmed.

[captainsc]

Your gun looks very nice. I'm sure it will shoot as good as it looks, but with the "correction lens" attached to the gun doesn't that make the sight a telescopic sight and the gun an unlimited any sight classification?

[contender1121]

Your gun looks very nice. I'm sure it will shoot as good as it looks, but with the "correction lens" attached to the gun doesn't that make the sight a telescopic sight and the gun an unlimited any sight classification?

Thanks. There is zero magnification in the lens and therefore it does not meet the definition of a "telescopic" sight. It is strictly for correcting a slight amount of astigmatism in my right eye. It is no different than wearing regular glasses or shooting glasses like Knobloch other than the fact that it is attached to the gun rather than to one's head. Now, rule B-6 speaks of removing "scopes and optical devices" from guns to be shot in open sight categories. Does a prescription lens with no magnification qualify as an "optical device"? Perhaps a rule guru can give an opinion. Also, does a non-magnifying acrylic aperture in the front sight constitute an "optical device"?
There is one thing that does give credence to your question and that is found in Section X, 1.E. It addresses auxiliary lenses and or loupes being attached to glasses.
I recently had cataract surgery and I now have 20-15 sight in my left eye and 20-25 in my right aiming eye. The difference is the slight amount of astigmatism. I can see fine thru the peeps but I can see a little better with the correction. Not the end of the world if it is deemed a no-no. Thank you for bringing the matter up. I'll pose the question over in the rules section and we'll see if we can get an official answer.

[35isit]

Nice. This is my new one for 2018. Anderson County also has their first match March 4th. It's a few topics down. Here is a link viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3469 Have'nt been able to shoot it since I built it.

Thanks Greg, likewise on yours. Is that a Merit or Williams aperture on the rear? I hear Merit is no longer in business tho I have not confirmed.

It is a Williams. It came with the sight and is not adjustable. When funds are available I'm going to buy a Merit adjustable.

[35isit]

Nice. This is my new one for 2018. Anderson County also has their first match March 4th. It's a few topics down. Here is a link viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3469 Have'nt been able to shoot it since I built it.

Thanks Greg, likewise on yours. Is that a Merit or Williams aperture on the rear? I hear Merit is no longer in business tho I have not confirmed.

It is a Williams. It came with the sight and is not adjustable. When funds are available I'm going to buy a Merit adjustable.

Shot it for the first time yesterday. Come to find out the iris is adjustable. . It was pointed out to me by someone else.

[jcunclejoe]

I remember a day, perhaps a decade ago, that I saw Greg do a cartwheel behind the firing line. It was in Ohio at the Tusco range and Greg had just shot his first 80.
It was my pleasure to be there for that proud moment.
Well done Greg. I hope you continue to shoot perfect scores.

Shoot often and shoot well.

Joe