Tag Archives: Pistols

Weapons

ATI Commander Update

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The nice wood double diamond grips were just too nice for the ATI.  They didn’t go well with the matte black finish.  After awhile it got to the point that I found them just irritating.    So I got some nice plain old Hogue grip panels in OD green.  The matte finish on the Hogue work very well, keeping the ATI in a nice subdued scheme.

Makes me want to Duracoat the Slide OD.G as well.

The gun is north of 600 rounds now, with only one fail to feed.  Again, that failure to feed was in the first few rounds right after I got the gun, and it has never happened since.  I did replace the recoil spring after those first few rounds, because the gun did feel under-sprung.  The gun has been perfectly reliable since.  The gun shoots point of aim/point of impact at 30 feet or so… I’ve had no complaints about accuracy, only compliments from everyone that has shot it.  I’ve let a few people shoot it and no one has had a negative bit of feedback, and no one has reported any malfs.

The biggest question about the ATI is the quality of the steel.  So far, there has been no unusual wear on any of the internals.  So I am thinking, so far, that the steel is up to snuff.  I have no reason to suspect that its a lesser quality steel alloy.  I don’t think it’s anything great or special… but it doesn’t look bad at all.  The only real wear the gun is showing is on the finish, which looked suspect right from the beginning.  If you look at that photo closely, look at the muzzle end, you can see the wear.   I’ll have Joe at Crusader Weaponry give this thing a Duracoat treatment, and that will take care of the finish – no problem.   It’s a 450 dollar 1911, so you do have to cut it some slack.    And finish that shows holster wear only makes it looks like you actually use the thing… I think a gun with some holster wear looks better than a gun that looks like it’s a Safe Queen.  But that’s just me.

Weapons

Ruger’s 1911, the rumors are true.

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To have another Gun Maker coming out with a 1911, isn’t surprising.  But for Ruger to jump into this crowded pool actually makes sense.  Much like S&W before they entered the game, Ruger has been making 1911 parts for a long time.

The “SR”1911… because Ruger can’t say 1911… actually looks pretty good. I like the fact that the slide is Forged, even if the frame is cast.  Ruger’s casting is the best in the industry. I’ll give them points for not putting on forward slide serrations.  I’ll even go so far as to give them props for not making the slide a huge freaking billboard.     The simple Double Diamond checkered grips also look good, with a simple Colt style medallion inset into the wood.  As much as I’ve been hating on Ruger… I have to give them a nod here.  Well done, Ruger.  Well done.

Now if you would just change your Distributor Only business model so dealers could actually make a buck stocking your guns – yeah… that would be great.  Because as it is now, I hope I don’t have to sell one, because I’d make more money selling anything else.  Ruger and Glock… there’s no money in selling the things.  So am just not excited about these things.

Weapons

Kel-Tec P-11

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So I picked up a Kel-Tec P-11 today.  I honestly don’t know why, but had to.  The size and weight make for an attractive Sub-Compact, as is the 9mm caliber… being a much better defense option that the ever popular (but I don’t know why) .380.   I have yet to test fire it, but I did clean and examine it and it looks fine.  If I have any problems, I can send it back to KT for them to go through it.   Lifetime Warranty makes any Kel-Tec a safe bet, and they stand behind their guns.

I’ll detail strip it down, Slipstream it, and then test fire the crap out of it.  If I like it at that point – it will remain in the Ogre Inventory.  If I decide I don’t like it, I’ll sell it or trade it.

Weapons

ATI Commander Update

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Had some emails asking about how this gun has held up.  Well, I’ve not shot it much lately primarily because I’ve been off my feet letting my knee mend.  But before me knee issue, I’ve put a number of rounds through it.  It has about 350 rounds fired of mixed ammunition.  PMC, CCI, Speer, Cor-bon, and Remington UMC.   I did have one hiccup in the first round of firings, a failure to feed.  That was with some Remington UMC ammo…. which any time I do have a failure in any gun – it’s usually Remington UMC ammo that has the hiccup.  I really don’t like that ammo.

I put in a heavier recoil spring.  Reason being, it felt like it was under sprung.  Just a couple pounds more…. feels just right now.  Since then, I’ve not had a single failure of any sort.  Then again, I’ve not fired any more Remington ammo through it.

Ejection remains very consistent.  Accuracy, while yet to be put on paper, has been Minute of Water Bottle.  My impression is that it’s very accurate.  However I still need to paper this gun along with a couple others.  (My Springfield GI and the Sterling)  When I am more “On my feet” I’ll do that.  Until then I’m only speculating on the accuracy.

The gun shoots better than other 1911’s that cost much more.   Cosmetically, the gun remains unchanged so far… as far as Finish goes.  It’s only sporting the swapped grips I mentioned in another post.  I’ve yet to have the finish altered in any way.  So other than a spring and some wood, this ATI remains stock.

I do want some more appropriate grips for it.  The very nice reddish wood grips don’t quite look right.  They are too nice.  And I need an appropriate holster.  Simple brown leather.

I remain well pleased with this little Commander.

Crusader

Ogre Edition 1911?

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I’ve been thinking about what a Crusader Ogre Edition 1911 would be.  I don’t have any photoshop skills, so I can’t do up a picture to show you.  But let me paint the picture for you in the mind. A stainless Dan Wesson V-Bob, a Commander length… with a blued carbon steel slide, and a muzzle treatment like a Nighthawk T3, and Straight 8 night sights.  Done.  Simple.  Oh, and it would be a 10mm.

 

Weapons

Springfield XDM Compacts

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We got in a few of the .40 XDMC’s…  You know, while at SHOT I took a look at them and at the time they just didn’t blow my skirt up.  However after handling the production gun here… taking some more time to examine it…

I like it.  It’s the first XDM that I could see myself getting if I was in the market for a Sub-Compact sized Poly-Striker.   The grip is short, but it works.  The 3.8 inch barrel and related sight radius makes getting a good Sight Picture easier than on other sub-compact guns.   And the XDM’s lines seem to work better with this hobbit sized grip.    I give it my nod of approval.

Weapons

Cool Rims

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The lowly .22LR is the most common and popular of the rimfire category… and the stuff that comes out for it is pretty amazing.  I find myself in modes where it’s almost like I consider a .22LR to be a “Kid’s Gun” or something.  Honestly, I think since I got a .17HMR, I’ve only fired about a dozen rounds of .22LR.

But .22’s are not just for kids anywhere, not by a long shot.   .22’s are getting serious.  We’ve seen the .22 Colts and M&P 15-22, and of course the plethora of modification options for the Ruger 10/22…  But what you are about to see here… These are just staggeringly cool on a whole new level. Continue reading Cool Rims →