I finally got it. The Mossberg 464 SPX.

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.
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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.

Gun Buying Regrets

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.