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From: berenson@cookie.enet.dec.com (Coffee: Nature's Productivity Tool  04-Jun-1991 1610)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: re: IPSC Minor versus Major
Message-ID: <35260@mimsy.umd.edu>
Date: 5 Jun 91 14:29:06 GMT
Sender: magnum@mimsy.umd.edu
Lines: 36
Approved: gun-control@cs.umd.edu

First, I disagree that the current system has a lot of problems.  There
are many people who believe that the problems have been invented.  In
particular, claims about truely unsafe loads in 9mm Major have been
invented by those with a large vested interest in the 1911 (and their
accessories) to keep high-capacity guns in the minor category.

The fundemental fact is:  as long as hand loads are allowed, dangerous
loads are possible.  Banning handloads is the only way to take ammunition
out of the safety equation, but doing so makes the sport totally
unaffordable.

Second, the minor/major distinction has *LOTS* of practical validity.
Every modern measure, from Marshall's and Ayoob's statistics on actual
shootings to the Jello Junkies Wound Ballistics criteria, support the notion
that Major Loads (.357 Magnum, 10mm, .40S&W, and of course .45 ACP) are
more effective than minor loads (.38 Special, 9mm).

Third, the real issue is one of "vested interest".  There are 10,000 IPSC
shooters in the U.S. alone and nearly every one of them has made a purchase
decision based on the existing rules.  Sorry, but you'll excuse me if I
don't want to throw away what is now thousands of dollars in firearms,
magazines, leather, reloading gear, brass, etc. because a rule change
says I should throw away my 1911 and move to a high-capacity 9mm to be
competitive.  The truth is that eliminating Major will lead to a new
equipment race that will drive shooters from the sport.  The currently
accepted solution, requiring .40 caliber or larger for Major starting in
1993, will have the same effect.  The sentiment in the U.S. largely seems
to be that the U.S. should drop out of IPSC if this rule holds, and I
believe the same general feeling will pervade USPSA's membership if Major
P.F. is eliminated altogether.

I do believe we are spending too much time on solving non-existant
problems, while real problems go relatively unaddressed.  The single
biggest improvement we could make in this sport is to formally create and
push a stock class separate and parallel to the current open class.
All the other proposed changes do far more harm then good.