Take a good look at this… Guns Magazine from 1956 with an interesting article speculating that the Shotgun would be the Army’s weapon of the future.
They make some good points about the utlitity, but the Shotgun has only remained in a more niche roll. It saw some use in Vietnam and is still used occasionally by the Marines in door to door type operations. Weapon of the future? Not so much.
Back then they said we’d have flying cars too. Huh… Now wouldn’t that be a fun combination?
The other day I was shooting with The Fellas, and my buddy gave me a loaded magazine and an empty pistol. The XD Tactical in .45. He had stippled the gun the same way I did my Glock… and I have to say that it really improved the feel. I also have to say that the pistol shot extremely well and was uncannily accurate. This was the old XD model, not a newer M class. But in the .45 guns, there’s not a lot of difference. Same Mags, same cold hammer forged barrels… the M triggers are nicer, and of course, the outside cosmetics. But I don’t like the way the M’s feel slippery in my hands. Some texturing work fixes that real easy.
Now, I respect the XD’s and know they are all very good guns… but I’m not particularly fond of them. This one though… I like it. The XDM’s I think are a bit better and I like them more. If anyone out there are thinking of getting an M model… it is a good buy. Especially the long barreled versions if you are looking for an accurate, easy gun to shoot, with a lot of capacity.
While I’m not going to line up to buy one… if any of The Horde does, it would be a good choice.
Those new Magpul 870 stocks. I know I said I wasn’t digging them… But now I’m actually considering getting another 870, just for those stocks.
What’s wrong with me?
The new Winchester SXP Pump Action shotguns came in to the shop. The Black Shadows. Retailing at 349.99 for the 2 3/4″ and 399.99 for the 3.5″ guns. I’m pretty much a real jaded guy when it comes to new guns… Theses SXP’s have impressed me. I like the simple, but modern look. I like the feel. It has a grippy texture, light weight, and has a good balance. I don’t know if I like them better than an my beloved 870’s… but if I was in the market for a new Goose Cannon, I’d give these new Winchesters a good hard look. If I wasn’t such an 870 Fanboy, buying a pump action shotgun for the first time – This would probably be it. But I’m not into Goose Cannons, so these long tubed guns don’t interest me enough to get into them… but they are close.
I am really interested in the Black Shadow Deer version as a dedicated Slugger. But give me the same gun with an extended feed tube, please. Speaking of a different version… can I get that gun with an 18″ smooth bore with an extended magazine? I’ll take one.
Guns.com has an interesting article about the S&W M&P. The thesis however is something I am scratching my head about. I have an M&P just like the one shown. It’s a good pistol. I like it. But I like Glock Gen 3’s better. The M&P certainly looks cooler. And it’s accurate and reliable. But out of the box, Glock is accurate too but the Glock also has a much better stock trigger. You can shoot the Glock very well as it comes out of the box.
Here’s the thing though. The Gen 4 Glocks… I’d rather have the M&P. I don’t know why… specifically… but I’m just not a fan of the Gen 4 series and if I have to replace my Gen 3 RTF2 23, I’d opt for an M&P. Maybe my opinion of the Gen 4 will change, but I had a Gen 4 22 and I just didn’t dig the way it shot. Maybe that was just me. But right now, I’d rather have an M&P instead of a Gen 4.
Check this out. Crazy power from such a tiny little round.
NPR has an interesting story. “How the Glock became America’s Weapon of Choice.” Granted, it’s my Choice, but is it America’s Gun? As far has handguns go, it is very popular with Law Enforcement on the Municipal level. But on the Fed level, it’s the SIG. In civilian sales, we have the XD and the Beretta 92FS, which has had a large resurgence in sales. Huh, and there isn’t even a new Lethal Weapon movie out. But if I had to pick one gun as “America’s Handgun” it would have to be the 1911. Because that’s what most guys that come to the gun counter look at the most. Even if they come in to buy something else, their eyes and their hearts linger on the 1911. As does my own. I love the 1911, but I don’t I am packing it as a carry gun less and less all the time. I’ve only carried one three times that I remember this year… Of course this year is only 24 days in, but the entire rest of the time it’s been my Glock. There is something about the 1911. It’s organic, beautiful, powerful,timeless and elegant… things the Glock is not. But the spirit of the genius that went into the 1911… is found in the Glock. The simplicity is actually stunningly brilliant. Using a Striker system with the safety built into a transparent system for the user, it’s the easiest handgun to learn. Or was, when it came out. The Glock has been copied by so many other maker’s now, it’s silly. Just like the 1911.
However the question NPR asked, was is the Glock America’s Weapon of Choice.
The answer is no. Not even close.
The weapon of choice is AR-15. The rifle that outsells ever other type. The rifle that people who had never owned a gun before, snapped up after Obama became president. The rifle used by our Military, Law Enforcement, and Sport shooters more and more every day. Because while Handguns are popular, America is a Nation of Riflemen.
This is demonstrated in Ammunition Sales. Just restocking ammo, we are constantly restocking .223/5.56mm. More than any other caliber. More than 9mm, .45, or the others.
The AR-15 is accurate, low recoil, cheap to shoot, and potent enough to be useful on anything up to deer sized creatures. (Even if that’s ethically questionable)
You know, I really do like my Glock. I like it the more I carry it and shoot it. I’ve seen the M&P making serious inroads on the Glock… and the new Gen 4 Glock series has left me feeling luke warm on it… I certainly prefer the Gen 3. But that’s just me.
While popping in for a visit to Get Some Guns to test out our Broadsword Rifle, I picked up a MagPul AFG for my Kalash. At Crusader HQ, I also applied a permanent Slipstream treatment to my AK’s bolt/carrier group. Slicked that up big time. AK’s are never to be considered a Slick Rifle… and this one is still not so much. However, compared to other AK’s… DAYUM. This is one SLICK freaking AK! I love it.
Okay, back to the AFG… I didn’t realize that Magpul now makes two versions of the AFG, the normal one and a smaller thinner one. For my AK, I went with the Regular Full Sized Magnum AFG. It fit really well. It looks awesome and feels awesome. I love it. Video review of it will be made soon.
I can’t stop playing with this AK now. I took it to work hoping I’d get a chance to run out to the range on my lunch break to pop some rounds, but that didn’t happen. Instead I pulled off the highway on the way home from work after close – after dark – and drove about 200 yards (honest officer, I thought I was 200 yards) down a dirt road. Blasted through about 40 rounds of 7.62x39mm. I wanted to shoot more, but it was pitch black and I had no targets… but man. That was fun. AK muzzle flash in the dark is fun stuff. The gun is nice and controllable and I find that the AFG helps me get into proper position naturally. I just naturally Vulture Down on the gun.
Did I mention that it looks sweet? Oh yeah. It looks awesome.
The AFG solves a problem with using a Vertical Grip. I have plenty of room to rock out a mag and rock in a new one. A VFG can block the mag from rocking. And I want to rock as much as possible… so there you go.
Ask and ye shall receive. But Magpul didn’t do it. US Palm did it. Bravo!
