Managed to get out and put about 300 rounds through the VP9 long slide and ACRO P-1 this afternoon. Nice day, not too hot, but the wind was blowing like a bastard.... because it always is in South Dakota. Had my range outing ended early by a thunderstorm blowing my target stand over and soaking the cardboard backer so bad my spray glue wouldn't stick a target to it worth a hoot.
Plus it was busy as hell so I didn't get to do everything I wanted to do, hard to get stuff done when you are constantly going range cease fire so everyone can service targets. Plus a lot of dudes just want to talk, and I'm not very interested in talking.
Ammunition today was Magtech 115gr FMJ range fodder for initial zero and 7 yard line sight tracking drills, and a reload of mine using a 115gr Hornady HAP over 5.6gr Hodgdon CFE Pistol lit off with a CCI small pistol primer in mixed brass that I used for my informal accuracy testing and getting a reasonable 25 yard zero on the ACRO P-1.
Step 1.) Check the zero on the Dawson Precision co-witness height sights that Primary Machine installed for me. I bought them from Primary Machine and they installed them for free as part of the work. They are mechanically centered on the slide and I made no effort to adjust them. Ammo for this was the Magtech range blaster trash ammo at 13 yards according to my range finder, just to get an idea, 10 rounds fired off hand standing not really trying just shooting as soon as the iron sights settled:
Step 2.) Turn the ACRO P-1 up so I can see the dot and check initial zero, Primary Machine appears to have slaved the dot to the irons here, same garbage blaster ammo all other areas on target shot with the dot making minor adjustments on each target. Same distance.
Step 3.) Switch targets to something more easy to see and push target out to 25 yards per the laser range finder. Change ammo to the 115gr Hornady load since that bullet has proven to be pretty accurate. I shot 20 rounds on this target standing off hand, pulled one low left that was totally my fault. Made a few sight adjustments on both windage and elevation. This load in this pistol has a lot of potential I think. On a B8 bull this would have been a 95-98/100 14X score or thereabouts...
Step 4.) Bring target in to 7 yards, hang up a B27 and run Bill Drills and failure to stop drills just to start training on tracking the dot and reacquiring the dot. No photo here, probably ran 150 rounds of this pew pew 7 yard Ricky Bobby stuff with blaster ammo. Went better than I expected, kind of a mind game learning to trust the dot as soon as you see it in the window. No need to center it up, just get the dot on the head box or 9 ring on in and give it the gas. Kind of freaky for a guy used to iron sights. I can see how building speed is going to be easy though. Probably the best Bill Drills I've ever shot. Not one single round outside the 9 ring on the B27 with most in the 10 ring. The tough part is presentation and finding the dot on press out to the target, it will force you to clean your sloppy technique up and make clean consistent presentations if you don't want to burn up tons of time fishing for the dot.
Step 5.) Run a fresh target to 25 yards, and go back to my reload. Plus the range cleared out enough for me to grab a bench to sit on and rest the pistol on a bag for the last 10 shots. So 10 rounds standing off hand, and 10 rounds seated resting the pistol on a bag. Seriously the dot is like cheating at distance, with iron sights it's easy to have inconsistency in your point of reference as you focus on the front sight. For me this usually shows as vertical dispersion on the target or as the group favoring to the left or right, plus it is mentally exhausting. The dot solves a lot of this. I shot this in 5 round strings so forgive the individual little groups, I am sure I had natural point of aim shifts.
Over all I am very pleased with the long slide and the ACRO P-1. Makes me want to do some trigger work to the VP9 just to help me shoot closer to the potential of the pistol. Primary Machine did a great job, the install seems to be rock solid, and the machine work is very clean. I took the sight off to inspect the cut prior to reinstalling the sight at putting some thread locker on the screw, and not a tool mark to be found!
The only thing I have elected to do is gently wet sand the bottom area of the slide that rides over rounds in the magazine and return it to a factory polish, as part of the refinish Primary Machine media blasted the slide prior to salt bath and this area got media blasted. Took all of 30 seconds when cleaning after the range session to return it to the factory polished finish so it doesn't abrade bullet jackets and cartridge casings.
