Category Archives: Weapons

Weapons

To Refinish or Not to Refinish, that is the Question.

10 Comments

On my page about Firearms Finishes, a question popped in from one of The Horde.

For those new here, The Horde are like minded Readers of MadOgre.com – and by extension as some have said, members of WeTheArmed.com.  I’ll leave that up to you to self-identify as you wish.   

Question:  “Enjoyed the article on the different firearm finishes. I do have a question to ask….
I have come across an old Colt 1911 made in 1913. The seller states it has been refinished with the NP3 finish. Even though it appears to be a professional job, I’m concern that it defaces the value of the gun. Does anyone know if this devaluated the firearm any? I appreciate your responses.”

That’s a great question and an interesting topic.   Here’s the Short Answer:  Yes. Unfortunately any time you refinish a gun, you basically ruin it. Investment wise. Pure collector value issue. However for a working gun, it’s just the opposite. It restores and protects, and in the case of a finish like NP3 – enhances it.  So it really comes down to what you want the gun for.

The long answer:  We also have to take into account the value and condition of the firearm, as well as it’s individual history.  Let me explain.  Let’s say you have a Winchester 94 that your Pops got you when you were a Wee Lad.  It’s your working gun, your truck gun, your ever year deer getting gun…   It’s worn and getting corroded and could use some help.  This gun might be a “Pre-64” example…. So off the cuff one would say, “No, don’t refinish it!”  However you have a lot of personal history with this gun and you want your kid to enjoy it too… and his kid.   Well, just the old Rub Down With Oil treatment isn’t going to cut it and that gun would get retired quick…. So maybe this example would be a good candidate to get a good refinish done.  Black-T or a good semi-gloss black Cerakote would be good choice for this.  Or, have a good gunsmith do a refinish with a Hot Blueing after some polishing up… So you can keep using it as you have been.

Okay, now say that same gun was your great grandfathers, well cared for, and is in really good condition…  It’s vintage was a lot older.  Well, in that case, it’s value could be quite high and such a vintage gun should be left as it is, or if you want to use it… Here, the decision is yours.

Now let’s say your great grandfather rode with Butch Cassidy and this rifle was own by one of Butch’s boys… or rode with Sheriff John Pope and ended would of Butch’s boys with that rifle.  Well, that gives that gun a much higher value than Book Value.  Of course – such value requires documentation to substantiate the history.  But let’s say you have that.   That changes things…. Refinishing that gun?  HELL NO.  That’s American History and should be preserved.   There will be Collectors looking for that gun.

Now there is another collector type out there… Blood Guns.  Weapons used by murderers.  I’m not going to go into that stuff… but those collectors?  They don’t even want you to clean it, so no refinishing for those guns.

Most modern guns though, mass produced, common types that are still in production… Refinish it however you like.  Really the skirmish line comes down to if it’s in production or not.   If it’s no longer in production – take a moment to think about getting it refinished or not.

Weapons

Question Clearing House

10 Comments

Here’s a quick paraphrasing of some of the more common questions I’ve been getting lately, mainly through YouTube and Facebook.  I’ll answer them here as well.

Q:  What’s been your most accurate pistol?
A:  The most accurate pistol I ever owned?   That’s easy.  It was my CZ 97B.   The gun was not perfect, but it was very very good.  Honestly, I was a total dumbass for selling it.

Q:  What’s been your most reliable pistol?
A:  Honestly most of my guns have been very reliable.  Most reliable though would be the ones I still own, my Glock 23, Springfield 1911 GI, and Beretta 92FS.  I tend to filter out unreliable guns.   The most reliable gun…. well, while none of these guns have ever – EVER – given me a jam, the Glock has by far had the most rounds fired through it and unlike any other gun I own, I’ve fed that Glock a large diet of nasty steel cased imported ammo of types I’d just not consider running through any other pistol.  So I’ll have to give the nod to the Glock, it’s just a trooper.

Q:  What’s been your worst pistol?
A:  Easily the CZ 100.   A gun that should never have been made.  Ever.  It was so bad, I may one day pick up another one just because it was such a stand out gun in my mind.   Uniquely horrible trigger that remains the worst of the worst, wrapped up in a design that is equally horrible in its own right.

Q:  What’s your favorite gun?
A:  Overall, Remington 870 Police/Tactical.  Really just any 870 with a short barrel.  I would rather have that than any other gun.  Talking specifically handguns – favorite would be the 1911.

For long time MadOgre.com readers, yes, I’ve come back to the 1911 pistol.  Again.

 

Weapons

Open Carry / Protest Carry

21 Comments

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.

Continue reading Open Carry / Protest Carry →

Weapons

My favorite 1911 Configuration.

9 Comments

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.

SONY DSC

 

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.

colt_04860txt_commander_eliteThis 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!

kobra4Here’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.

Yost_left_rearOh 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.

Weapons

Ruger’s new LC9s.

11 Comments

Ruger is rolling out a new version of the LC9, the “LC9s”.

Screen-Shot-2014-07-29-at-5.54.42-PM-390x277

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.

Continue reading Ruger’s new LC9s. →

Weapons

Updated: The Mossberg 464 SPX: 6 Reason to buy one.

21 Comments

464_inset
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.  

IMGP0093
It does look better with a coating on it.

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.    

311606_3980500584336_2101987202_n

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.