Monthly Archives: February 2015

Weapons

My Springfield Armory 1911 GI No More

13 Comments

10993492_10205039089750331_2520949170993450144_nThis is my Springfield Armory GI 1911.  I’ve had this gun for some years now, kept it and enjoyed it as stock, refusing to modify it or change it in any way.  Well, two things happened to while I was in Jacksonville, NC.  The GI style wood grips cracked on me, and before I really “Discovered” Fireclean, it suffered form a corrosion attack on the slide.   So I had to scrub the corrosion off it, and change the grips.
Well, once I had gone and done all that keeping it “stock” just isn’t the same anymore.

10993439_10205039089710330_5305848336307885131_nThe gun shoots remarkable well for an old warhorse.  I love the fact that even with the old nubbin sights, it’s still an accurate shooter.  I fired 100 rounds of standard Winchester White Box 230 grains, and 50 rounds of Hornady JHP’s without a single failure.  The gun got hot.  So hot that it was really difficult to rack the slide… but it kept shooting as long as the mag had ammo in it.  It showed no signs of slowing down either.  That was probably due to the Slipstream lubrication, and a good old GI style 1911 working together in harmony.

Here’s the one problem I had though.  Hammer Bite.  Not bad enough to be painful, but it was irritating and distracting.  So to solve that problem, I went ahead and ordered some parts from Brownells.  A new Commander style Hammer, sear to match that, and a Commander style drop in beavertail safety.  Wilson Combat parts of course.   They should be here in 4 to 5 days.  Can’t wait.   Once those parts are in, my GI will no longer be a GI.  This saddens me a bit.

Weapons

Shooting the 464 SPX

19 Comments

First thing, you’ll notice that the rifle is sporting a different butt-stock.   Thanks to Matt for sending it.  The new stock still had some wiggle to it like most all M4 stocks do, but it’s not rattling as it fits much better than the original ATI.   It’s bit lighter, and a lot less bulky.  It feels much better.  I’m keeping the rubber pad, which is the bulkiest bit now… not for recoil, but to anchor it in the shoulder while you run the lever.  Recoil is a shove, since the gun weights nothing.  But it’s nothing too sharp or uncomfortable.  It may be a tad bit much for smaller children, but I have seen reduced recoil load for .30-30 – I believe from Federal, which would allow this gun to be quite manageable.   For anyone else, it’s really no problem.   Now, I did learn that the location I have that little Streamlight TLR-1 mounted at… That’s just got to go.  Because that will impact your support hand in less than comfortable ways.
B-jEql-CYAAQJuwHere are a few shot groups.
Yes, they are hitting a bit low because I still need to adjust them.  I’ll do that once I pick up some Loctite and get out a tiny little screwdriver.  Then I get set it and it will stay.  But you can see the groups are not bad at all for a short, light lever-action carbine.    That nice little Cloverleaf makes me very happy.  These Mossberg 464’s are shooters right out of the box.

Now, they are no Winchester 94’s to be sure.  The action still needs to work in and the loading gate and feed mechanisms need to wear in a bit… but the gun really did run great.  I had no problems with it at all.   I really couldn’t be happier with this little thumper.

Update:   Here’s what it looks like now.20150224_110438
20150224_110505I can’t wait to get this out and hunt with it.  All I’m going to add to this gun is a sling.  A simple black nylon GI sling.

Gear

What’s your Destination?

12 Comments

Guys, I’m sick and tired of the Bug Out Bag and Bug Out Vehicle posts.  Do you know why?  Because you don’t have a Destination and a Plan on how to get there.
If you don’t have those two things… Your Bug Out Preps are utterly useless.   You are prepping for Failure.

Do you have a Destination?   Is that Destination prepared and ready to receive you?   Do you need to make any stop to pick anyone else up on the way?  Okay, where will that person be if they are not at home or work?  What’s your Plan B?  Do they need help in their Preps so when you do come in for a Dust Off, are they going to be ready to go?

What’s your Route to your Destination?  What if there is a Road Block at various choke points on that route?    What’s your alternative route?  Be it road closures from MIL/LEO or Natural Disasters, such as flooding or snow… You need to plan your route according to your capability.

Do a Dry Run on your Bug Out Plan.  Load your Shit up like it’s Real and Roll out.    How are you going to load everything you are bringing?  Do you have ROOM for everything and everyone you are bringing?  All your Ammo.  All your Food.  All your Water.  Any Meds. And whatever else it is that you can’t live without.  Can you get it all in your cool little Jeep?  Do you need a Trailer?  Can you actually pull your trailer on your route?

If you don’t have answers to these questions, you’ve not prepped for shit.  You might have a nice Day Pack and Load Out and a Trauma Kit… But you are not ready to Bug Out.   You are not Prepped.

Uncategorized

I finally got it. The Mossberg 464 SPX.

16 Comments

I have already put a box of rounds through it, and I’m quiet happy with it.  Functionally it was flawless, which was a huge step up from the last Lever Action I bought, the Marlin 1895, which immediately had to go back to the factory for 6 weeks.

The accuracy was very good. I have to say that I really like the way this thing shoots.  It was shooting very accurately off hand.  But I need to get to a range that actually has a Bench so I can really see what this thing will do.

20150218_133628As you can see, I didn’t get the version with the flash-hider.  Because I thought about it and admitted to myself that I will never be doing anything with that threaded end anyway because if I want to go quiet, well, I’ll be using a very different weapon for that sort of work.  This is going to strictly be for hunting.  So I saved 50 bucks on got the shorter option.  I like the shortness of it.  It feels extremely short.  And light.  WOW, this rifle is light.  Seriously… it’s like 1/2 the weight of a Marlin 336.  I threw a tac-light on it just because, well, I can.  Other than a sling, that’s going to be the extent of add-ons.  I’m not decking this thing out.  In fact, I may remove the rails all together.  I’ve not decided yet.   The stock has GOT to GO!  I really can’t tell you how much I hate this ATI stock.  It detracts from the entire rifle.  I thought I had a Magpul CTR stock here at the house, but I think I remember that I had given it away back in Jacksonville to a guy in my church.  So I will be needing a replacement stock as soon as possible.  I don’t care if it’s a standard M4 stock or even a TAPCO… anything is a step up from this ATI.  Stocks should not rattle and wobble.  Ever.
10299113_10204481365407571_1063595939114070695_n
Along with the rifle, I grabbed a box of Remington HOG HAMMER ammo, as well as my favorite Federal Blue Box stuff for further plinking work.   I was going to get some Hornady LEVERevolutions for it… but I’m well familiar with how they perform, and wanted to try something new.

This gun will be used to harvest some delicious Venison this fall.  And with the Carolinas not having a limit on White Tail… I think I’m going to be harvesting a lot.   At least that’s the goal.  The hope.  One buys a rifle like this not for the collector value, but for the hope of adventures that one can have with it.

I think I’m going to paint it.  Just need to decide on how I’m going to go about it.

Weapons

Gun Buying Regrets

14 Comments

We’ve talked about Regrets before… Selling Regrets.  But what about buying regrets?  Has there ever been a gun that you were just sorry as all get out that you bought?   Buying that one gun that just had you kicking yourself over and you just wish you never even seen it.  Now, I’m not talking about buying a gun and then finding it cheaper some place else… because you still liked the gun but are just pissed at yourself for not shopping smarter.  No, I’m talking about getting a gun that you just hated and are wishing you never got, seen, touched.
There have been some guns in my personal gun history that I didn’t like as much as others… but honestly I really can’t think of a gun that I wish I had never bought.   Usually I’ve always been able to flip that gun for same money or maybe even a bit more than what I was into it.
I really can’t think of one that I regretted buying.   There was a .30-06 Mauser I bought in American Fork that couldn’t group under 4 inches at 100 yards… But when I sold it, I made a couple hundred bucks on it.  There was an AK-47 I picked up in Orem that had a drastic cycling issue… But I got more out of it on a Trade In than what I had into it, and I did have some fun with it while I had it.  So that did leave me coming out ahead, so I’m not sorry I got that one either.
No, I think all my Gun Regrets all stem from Selling Guns, not Buying them.
Fact:  Buying a Gun is NEVER a Bad Idea.
The only real buying regrets I’ve got are the “I should have bought it” regrets.  For example, I remember seeing a Steyr AUG for 600 bucks.  This was back in my BYU days and I was a broke college kid.  I had the cash, but chose eating food instead.  I could have got it though.  Wish I did now.  Just the value on the resale would have been worth the sacrifice for that investment.  I came across a pair of matched Colt SAA’s for the price of 1,000 each.  Sequential serials.  At the time, I had less appreciation for those guns than I do now, so I passed.  Now?  I’d club a thousand baby seals to get one of them.
Again… Buying a gun is never a bad idea.
Unless it’s from a shady guy in a back ally out of the back of a van… that’s probably not a good idea then.

Weapons

The Ultimate 1911 for Carry

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The Ultimate 1911 for EDC (Every Day Carry) has got to be the classic Light Weight Commander.

GunsiteCommander-599
Those simple wood grips, with the simple blacked out finish… No Ramp rear sight… This is an example of LW Commander Perfection. It doesn’t get any better than this.

To me, this is the just the ideal 1911, period.  It’s the most flexible, capable 1911 you can get.  When you step away from this pattern, you step into more specialized, more limited areas.    You can easily rock an LW Commander in an IDPA match, and win it.  You can easily take that same gun and wear it for week concealed.  You go to a 5″ Government if you like.  And that’s fine.  But packing it concealed every day gets to be tedious.  Especially if you are getting in and out of vehicles all week.  You can go shorter than 4″ if you like… makes packing it much easier, sure.  But you sacrifice reliability in a way that I just find to be unacceptable.   Maybe you don’t need a reliable sidearm.  Huh… Well, someone is buying Kimber Ultras.     No… to me, the LW Commander just has it all.   The question though is WHICH light weight Commander.

ruger_lightweight_commander_1911_3Ruger is all over the place with their new LW Commander.  No, it’s not that I’ve been a Ruger Fan Boy lately, it’s just that Ruger is really “Doing It Right” lately.   (Granted – their new “Custom” LCP should be an LC9S, but that’s another topic)  I really like what Ruger has been doing lately.  5 years ago – I may have had to hurt you should you have suggested that I’d be saying that.  But it’s true.  Ruger is making some fine products, and their 1911’s are getting better.  If anything, they are really worth taking a look at.

 

Weapons

The Remington R1 has impressed me.

2 Comments

20141210_203851I recently had the change to really get into a Remington R1 pistol, shoot it (a lot) and examine the guts.
Shockingly well made.  The internal machining was clean and precise.  The parts fit together without any slop, or tight spots.  The finish as smooth and even and consistent… and attractive, if I might add.  Overall, I liked it a lot.  For the money, the R1’s seem to be a fantastic Bang for the Buck option.  You are getting a lot of 1911 Goodness for a very reasonable amount of money…. a couple hundred bucks over a Glock.  (This one was sporting optional Crimson Trace grips, which add about 350 bucks for the Master Series)
Accuracy was very good with most rounds fired.  Excellent with some.  The worst was with Aguila FMJ’s, but the R1 was redeemed with Federal and Hornady ammo.  Remington’s own UMC ammo was not tested.
I didn’t record FPS #’s as I did not have a Chrono.  I still need to buy another one.
No Malfs were encountered, and I do not anticipate many would happen, as this is a good 1911 built right.
I’m very much looking forward to the new 1911’s made in the new facility in Alabama where the Remington R1 are absorbing Para USA like a Big Green Borg Cube…  We’ll see if the R1’s are as good as they used to be.

Weapons

Still can’t stop thinking about it…

35 Comments

311606_3980500584336_2101987202_nI know I’ve talked about the Mossberg 464 SPX before.  I know I’ve said that I wanted it.  Passing fad sort of want… But lately I’ve been thinking about it a lot more.  Can’t get it out of my mind.  Stupid sort of thing… like a pop-song that’s stuck in your head.

Gah… If I’m still jonesing for it this hard later this week, I’m going to have to do something about it.  Something drastic and terrible.   Like just buying one.

Okay guys – now talk me out of it.

Weapons

Between Gun Wants, and Gun Buys

21 Comments

We all say that we “Want” that next cool gun… But the reality is that Want isn’t the same thing as “That’s the next on the list after this payday” sort of thing.  I’ve said that I want probably every gun on the market at one point or another.

For example, the Ruger Scout Rifle.   You bet, I wanted that.  Still want it.  But then the actual practicality of it comes home to roost and when it comes right down to spending my own actual dollars on it – I really don’t think I’ll be buying the Ruger Scout any time soon.  Instead, I’d probably buy a Savage Scout, or the Savage Hog Hunter.

I say I’d really like to buy a Browning Hi-Power.  In reality I’ll probably end up with a CZ 75 variant of some sort.  Probably the 75 BD POLICE model.

This isn’t so much “settling” for a lesser gun or anything like that, but it’s more like taking a stern look at the realities of price and availability or making a more rational decision on something more practical for your actual use.

Examples of this abound in my Gun History.  How about yours?