I know my Glock 23. I trust my Glock 23. I’ve put thousands and thousands of rounds through my Glock 23. I’m pretty dang accurate with my Glock 23. It really and truly is the optimum balance of Size, Weight, and Firepower in a package that makes it the ultimate Jack of All Trades.
Category Archives: Weapons
Custom Lever Actions
Few guns get me revved up like custom lever action rifles. I’m not talking about off the shelf guns with off the shelf accessories bolted on to them… I’m talking real old school custom work.
That’s what I’m talking about. Just had to share the Gun Lust.
Open Carry / Protest Carry
In Texas, one is not allowed to Open Carry a handgun, but you can a Long Arm. This has lead to many incidences of guys packing their rifles into places one does not normally see someone packing a rifle.
They do this out of Protest and to try to help promote the Second Amendment. The problem with this is that it raises many alarms and often cops get involved and it ends up on YouTube, and eventually the location in question puts up notices that no guns are allowed there at all.
I have a better idea.
1911 Truth
My favorite 1911 Configuration.
To me, saying “1911” is like saying “Pickup Truck”. There are many Makes and Models out there, all different, all with different purposes. But they are all 1911’s so they are pretty good and should all pretty much run the same way. But one configuration of 1911 that always makes me drool…
A Lightweight Commander. Specifically a two tone LW Commander. As far as pistols go – these are my Redheads. My Kryponite. My weakness.
This one is very nice… Subdued colors. A big visible dot on the front sight… Very nice indeed. I’m not a huge fan of the ramped rear sight, but I can deal with that. On this gun the higher end red wood grips are a little dressy on the flat finished gun.
This one is nice too… Subdued colors again, but with a set of black grip panels. I like that a bit better due to the fact that it’s more in keeping with the motif. The first one is like having White Wall tires on a Mustang GT. I guess that would be fine if that’s your thing… it’s just not my thing. And if it is your thing… and you like that… Well, “America”. Bully for you!
Here’s one that’s very good. Micarta grips, brushed stainless and a moderate polish on the slide… Not Subdued, but more natural. I really like that. I also like the Bobtail… a lot. But it’s not necessary… Just really really nice. Like Navigation or a Back Up Camera, or XM Radio.
Oh man… Here we go. This is the higher end. We have a high polish on that blued slide and burled walnut grips. This one is so nice that it’s almost too nice. We call guns like this “BBQ Guns”, but it’s what you wear to a BBQ at your friends place… your nicest gun in a nice leather holster. Not something I’d EDC, but wear to special occasions. It would be like having a date with a Super Model… You are not going to take her out on the rounds of your usual haunts, but to some place special. (Unless she asked to go to the regular haunts mind you) So for me, that last one there, the more natural one, that’s the one I’d pick.
What do all these Commanders have in common? Two Tone Finishes, with Dark on top of Light. The current Vogue due to the advent of stainless slides on polymer frames is to have a light colored slide on a dark frame. This I don’t care for. It makes all manner of sense though, sure. It’s PRACTICAL. A stainless slide will show less wear than a blued slide. And frames will typically show less wear than slides… So putting a stainless slide on that black frame makes Reason and Logic smile. But it doesn’t make me necessarily smile, no, just the opposite is true. And let me tell you why.
Growing up reading every gun magazine I could get my hands on as a kid, I stared with wide eyes and great wonder at the custom 1911’s made by true master level gunsmiths… and all of them were two tones with stainless frames and high polished blued slides. That LOOK defined “Custom” for me then and it does so now. So the stainless slides on black frames just look “off” to me. So my ultimate has to have a black slide on light frame. That just visually tastes right to me.
Ruger’s new LC9s.
Ruger is rolling out a new version of the LC9, the “LC9s”.
The “S” of course, means “Striker”. It is said that this has a very good trigger pull. If that’s the case, and it really does have a good trigger pull… well then. That changes things in regards to my opinion of the LC9. The S model would then be a pistol well worth considering. Let me tell you why.
DEAR SIG SAUER
Please make THIS:
Work with THIS:
That is all, thank you.
Updated: The Mossberg 464 SPX: 6 Reason to buy one.
I can admit it when I’m wrong. I can change my opinion when new information comes to light. And I can change my opinion when something I once thought a disgusting abomination proves to be actually useful. Well, in this case, that Something is the Mossberg 464 SPX. When I first saw it in photos I thought it was a joke. When I first saw it in person at SHOT Show, I was horrified.
But over time, the Mossy 464 series has grown on me. And the SPX version has even become less offensive to my Lever Sensibilities. Now I’m at the point that not only to I actually like them… But I actually really WANT ONE.
Here’s what I like about the 464 SPX from O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc.
1. It has good sights and not Buckhorns… No one likes Buckhorns, not even guys who know how to use them. And these work in lower light conditions.
2. The stock adjusts to fit different sized shooters, or the same shooter through all four seasons.
3. The muzzle end is threaded. This means you can take off the flash hider and put on a muzzle brake, or a suppressor… Or a thread protector and have nothing on it. You have options.
4. It’s a Mossberg… so while it’s not a Japanese made Winchester, or a questionably made Marlin, or Brazilian or Italian made whatever… It’s a solid, hardworking US Made rifle that’s going to get the job done.
5. The safety is actually in a logical place for a Lever Action.
6. These things actually shoot very well.
Ugly? Indeed… But it works. And that makes it rather attractive to me. I think if I had one I’d get the gun Cerakoted for improved corrosion resistance, put a sling on it and cover the rails… Maybe change the stock to a lighter unit. But that’s less important. I’d put a Battlecomp on it first chance I got. And then I’d call it good.
Updated: Okay, you guys know I am not one to leave well enough alone. I’ve been looking at the 464 series of rifles and there seems to be some holes in the line that could be filled.
The 16″ barreled SPX loses a round of capacity and a chunk of velocity from the standard 464 rifle with the 20″ barrel. I think it would be nice to offer a 20″ SPX and let it take advantage of that extra oomph and extra round. That’s one thing. The other thing, is the they have a nice weather proof marine finish… but with a not so weather proof wood stock. How about a Marine Finished SPX? And how about a Marine Finished 464 with a regular furniture, but in a sturdy synthetic? I know I’d like that. I’d also like a Trapper version of the 464. Traditional, but in 16″. Okay, we’ve got this ball rolling… Where is a .45-70 gun? That’s right… I’m looking for a Guide Gun Alternative here. The 464PH, Professional Hunter, make it like the Marlin’s SBL… top rail, big loop… Do the same config in .30-30 as well. And while we’re talking calibers… Let’s look at a .44 Mag version of the SPX and Trapper.
The Army wants a new pistol again?
We’ve been playing this game off and on for a long time now.
But what the hell? Let’s play…
They Army is wanting something fresh. Which means the Good Old Boys are not in the running… The SIG’s, the Colt, the normal choices are out. They want something new. But the Army is all about having that Manual Safety. That leaves something from HK, one of the FNH FNX pistols, or the Beretta PX4 Storm. I’m betting on the Storm. Okay – just a couple years ago, the US Army threw down a contract with Beretta that’s basically good for five years. So we’re looking at at least another 3 years of Beretta M9’s. Then late last year, the US Army dropped 49 million dollars on holsters for the Beretta M9. And now they want to shake that tree? Doesn’t make sense. But the Military never let that stop them before. Making sense is for Civilian Contractors – not the Actual Military. But since there are contracts in place, it kind of makes sense that the replacement will be a Beretta.
The Px4 Storm would be a great sidearm for the Military. The safety and trigger are the exact same that they are used to, so no new training issues. The Storm’s action does a great job of reducing felt recoil. Accuracy and Reliability are top notch. Mostly likely though the M9’s replacement could be an M9A1… which all those new holsters will already fit. But really this isn’t so much about the pistol, but the cartridge.
Basically the Army is looking at more powerful rounds. .357 SIG, .40 Cal, and .45 are the likely candidates of course. I’m not sure the US Army wants to go back to the .45 because they Army loves higher capacity and going back to .45 Auto would show they made a big freaking mistake going away from it. Even though we have a history of using .45, dumping it, going back to it, then dumping it again… Picking something else would break that cycle of abuse.
Realistically this means .40 cal or .357 SIG. Either way, I’m fine with these choices. But if I had my druthers, it would be the .40. Between these two. Of course, I’d love it if we went to 10mm. But that’s just not happening because 10mm is never going to get the recognition that it deserves. Because of The Prophesy. It’s written.
I like the heavier bullet weights with the .40. But on the battlefield the higher velocity and greater accuracy will give the .357 SIG the edge. .357 SIG just makes it easier to hit the target when it’s at unknown distances. The Sig round also gives us better barrier penetration.
The downside of cost is not a consideration for the US Military. But the requirement of more frequent spring swaps will be. The military is not used to replacing parts at regular round count intervals. But this is something that they can get used to doing.
So a Px4 Storm or an M9A1 chambered in .357 SIG would be a likely and logical replacement to the 9mm M9.
My two main guns now
I know I’ve been packing a Glock 23 for years… but lately I’ve been doing that less and less. Really it’s been relegated to Car Gun Status now, so I always have it close when I’m out and about. But what I carry on my person – that’s changed.
More and more my Go To pistol has been my Beretta 92FS, and I’ve been carrying my 1911 a LOT more. As I type this post, it’s the 1911 that’s sitting by my left hand. Don’t laugh at my desk… I know it’s cluttered, but then again, so is my mind. So it all works out. That’s my beloved GI… which had a light issue with cracking grip panels. That was the worst thing that could have happened, because dang it… now I’m thinking about changing other parts. Like a Beaver Tail and a Commander style hammer… and if I am doing that – I might as well change the sear and trigger… You guys know the drill. The grips were the lid to a bloody Pandora’s Box of tweaks. Why? Why the hell did I do that? I could have got some double diamond checkered wood grips and have been fine. But no… I asked my friends for some regular old black plastics… thought I’d cheap out… not thinking about how they fecking changed the whole dynamic of the pistol and it’s in my head that I could change other things.
And now I’m looking at the Beretta 92FS and thinking… “You know, Wilson Combat is now making Beretta parts.” They have a slick short reach trigger… No… NO!
No… I’m not going to mess with my Beretta. That’s become the Go To Gun. My Almost EDC. I’m not doing that.
But the 1911… Well… that’s different.
I’m thinking why not have some fun with it? I can detail strip it blindfolded, and that sentimental GI memento cherry has been popped with the black grips. Why not?
But you know what I really want to do to it? Have a Color Case Hardened Finish done to it. Kinda like this:
Deep polished blued levers and safety, but the slide and frame – Color Cased. That is just sexy to me. I don’t know.
What do you guys think?