Tag Archives: Taurus

SHOT 2015 was rather lackluster.

No, I didn’t go to SHOT.  And I really don’t think I missed out on much this year.  Looking at all the new Products that came out at the 2015 SHOT Show – very little impressed me.
SIG’s new Electro-Optics – Very cool. But damn, the market really doesn’t need another 1200 ACOG Alternative. Granted – this Bravo 4, is nicer. Better glass, better field of view, yada yada yada… But it’s 1200 bucks.  And then there is the Leupold D-EVO. Which is cool and different, but for hell’s sake it’s a 3 thousand dollar package.
What the Market really needs – are some new good, solid AR type Optics in the 200 to 400 dollar range that don’t suck and are not made in China. Is that too much to ask? Has the Gun Industry not realized that we’ve had a losing economy for the last decade?
You know what I’m sick of?
Teases. Companies that Show us something cool and here’s the next SHOT SHOW, and you are still pimping it – and still not taking orders because it’s Vapor Ware. Show us what we can order. I want to see what I can have. That being said – I’m also really sick of all that MILITARY LAW ENFORCEMENT ONLY crap. Stop making Fantasy Guns for Storm Troopers and make some Available Guns for the Sheepdogs. What can I buy that I can use to defend my Liberty with? So me THAT. That’s what I want to see. Something new and innovative and cool and not too expensive and something that I can place an actual damn order on. THAT’s what I want to see.
Glock’s new CORE MOS line is nice… Finally that Longslide 10mm we’ve been wanting.  That’s cool.   But not really cutting edge.
The SIG P220 10mm’s are awesome.  We’ve only been asking for that for a Decade and a Half.  FINALLY!  That’s almost the coolest thing at SHOT… but we’re not there yet.
That Taurus Curve – Stupid.  The TCP with Wings – Stupid.  The View – Stupid.  Taurus – instead of trying to come out with new stupid shit, how about you start making good, simple, solid guns?  How about you try that?
CZ I think has nailed it with that new Scorpion Evo pistol.  Make it a simple Carbine and it would be a real home run.  CZ remains a steady climber in quality and consistency and making guns I would be willing to spend my own money on.
Speaking of spending money… Beretta’s 92 Centennial looks amazing.  But it’s 3 grand.  Make a regular Bruniton finished version that’s… oh… say… Not more than 1200 bucks… make it a regular production item… WINNER.
You know what – That frame mounted safety would sure go a hell of a long way to help silence a fuckton of critics.   But it’s only on the Centennial and was on the Billenium.   The A3 should have had that.  That with a Vertec frame… Damn.  I’d buy two.  Seriously.

But you know what the coolest thing at SHOT show was?  For me that is…
This.  The Crye Precision Six12, with the Salvo Suppressor on it.

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I want that Six12.  That’s the coolest damn shotgun – but even then the thing came out last year.  But that Gun Muffler packaged like that… Damn.  That’s cool.  So there’s that.  The coolest thing at SHOT.

Ellott Brother’s Show in Columbia

Pre-SHOT Show so not a lot of the newest.  Mostly it’s Pre-Shot clearing of older products.  But there was some new things:

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This is SIG’s new BRAVO 4 optic.   Much larger field of view than the Leupold HAMR, with brightness and clarity that rivaled ELCAN.  SIG has a whole new line up of Optics and looking through them all… It competes square up against the Leupold HAMR and ACOG. It’s a fixed 4 power. HUGE field of view, wider than the ACOG, wider than the HAMR. 4 inches of eye relief – they said – felt more like 3.5 to me… but massive field of view and clarity I’ve only seen in an ELCAN. It’s MAP is about 1299. This is a staggering good optic.
When I asked how they did this – SIG snatched a lot of guys from Leupold. They have a Prismatic as well, called the Bravo 3. And other AR type optics and hunting optics…  Binos and such… 
SIG is doing them right too. These are good. I want one.

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This is the CZ EVO… It’s very smooth, very cool, and I think I like it more than the SIG MPX.  Especially since the mags are half the price of SIG’s.  There is an adapter for a SIG arm brace – which means it’s a perfect vehicle for an SBR.

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Leupold wasn’t just thinking outside the box here.  They threw the box away.  What you are seeing is a small 6 power optic with an objective lens on the side, and the occular lens were your back up iron sight would be.  It’s lower than the mini red dot… so you can use the red dot for fast work and tuck in for a more precisely aimed shot.  It’s weird and I’d really have to get used to it – but I like the concept.  Optical quality was not that great though – which defeats the purpose.   But hey – it’s just a concept.  I like where it’s going.

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We’ve seen the pictures.  They don’t do the Curve justice.  It’s a lot stupider than it looked.  I like they are trying something new.  But they just need to try a better idea.

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New handguard on the Mossberg 464 SPX.  Thinner, lighter… I love it.  I’ll have to order one soon.  Seriously.  I’m going to have to.

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The newest Ruger GP100 Match Champion… Now with an adjustable rear sight.  It feels better in the hand than the photos suggest.  For a Double Action Revolver – I think Ruger found perfection.  I WILL have one.

WTF, Rossi?

Rossi had me going there for a minute.

Oh, a Circuit Judge in .22 Magnum?  Okay, I’m down.  “It wont let leave you hanging.”  Oh, that’s good. Don’t want to mess with a Hanging Judge!  LOL, Rossi… Using your knowledge of Western Lore… Your Crazy.

Oh man… AND it can shoot .45 Colt and .410 SHOTGUN TOO!   It’s MAGIC!  Those Wacky Brazilians… They can do anything with Voodoo Magic these days.  Even turn a Kenyan into a Hawaiian.  You guys are crazy.
That’s it.  I’m ordering one.  Hell yes.  A .22 Mag than can also throw down some wicket .410… I’m in.  Give me one, Rossi!  I’m holding my breath over here!

DAFUQ?  Discontinued?  It’s the first featured product on your Web Page?  Discontinued!  WTF, Rossi? I want this!  What can I do?  I’m going to call customer service!

Wait.  What was I going to call them about?  Ah screw it… it will come to me… I’ll just stare at this picture of this adorable blonde girl while I try to remember.

SQUIRREL!
 

Defending the Judge

Got a rather long passionate email about the Taurus Judge and everything that is good about it.  The problem though… is that it’s still a Taurus Judge… in .410.  See, regardless of the benifits of the Judge… It’s good at neither shooting the .45 Colt or the .410…

It’s quite true that there are people that have unrealistic expectations about The Judge. It’s not a “monster-slayer,” but you could also say the same thing about a number of other guns out there. (This is mostly due to TV and movies, coupled with a general intellectual laziness whereby most people will see said movie, say, “OOOH, That’s cool! I want one,” and never bother to do their homework. Most serious gun owners actually know better anyway.)

That said, The Judge does have some good points that shouldn’t be glossed over. If you do, you’re just as bad as the people mentioned above.

The primary purpose of this gun is anti-snake. Most ranchers carry some kind of light rifle or shotgun, (at the very least in a vehicle) while they are surveying or doing some kind of work on their property. It is not possible or convenient to carry said shotgun or rifle for every single conceivable task or location. It is significantly more convenient to carry something in a holster attached to one’s hip than slung across one’s shoulder. (I would LIKE to carry my M1-A, and, although it’s perfectly legal in Texas, it’s inconvenient on a motorcycle, and worries the sheeple, which is necessary grief! I CAN carry my concealed handgun.)

I had an uncle who was deathly afraid of rattlesnakes, (just shy of paranoid, but for good reason!) His primary method of ridding himself of a known rattlesnake was to run over it with a vehicle, and then chip its head off with a shovel while the snake was pinned. This worked well if one had a vehicle and shovel. He’s been in situations where he was missing one or both. To make matters worse, they sometimes bite without rattling, and killing one with just a shovel requires that one get unnecessarily close to the snake.

With The Judge, if you see a snake that you can’t avoid or work around, one or two shots with #9 shot will take care of it. That give you three extras, “just in case.”

That which applies to the rancher applies to the fisherman who is concerned about water moccasins, (which are VERY aggressive!) or bears. The Judge is indeed weak tea vs bear, (even with Speer Gold Dots,) but the revolver will “dual-hat” between .410 and .45LC, and sometimes that’s a better choice overall.

A good secondary purpose would be small game and / or light varmint at close range. As above, it’s easier to carry than a long-gun.

A good tertiary purpose would be anti-carjacking in areas where one is paranoid about over-penetration. This is a bigger concern if you live in a big city, and not so much for a small town or country. Then again, in such areas, carjacking is less of a concern.

The Judge would not fit in the role of skeet shooting, unless you’re insanely good and want a challenge, or are a dingbat, and like the idea of shooting skeet with a handgun.

The Judge is too big to conceal unless you are a big-and-tall person wearing the right clothing with the right holster. Even then, there are better choices.

For home-defense, there’s very little reason not to have an actual shotgun.

That said, don’t be too hard on The Judge. Educate the people who have Holywood ideas about guns and their capabilities.

 

I’m looking at you, Taurus.

You know, Taurus is one Gun Maker that has more than it’s share of detractors.  But I have to give them some props.  Their 1911 really is a solid and well built gun for the money.  Bang for the buck value is through the roof.   I took a couple that we have at the gun counter, hit them with some Slipstream… and I kid you not, the bloody things are the smoothest 1911s in the case now.  (In fact, I’ve never felt such a drastic effect from Slipstream, as I did with the Taurus 1911s!)   These are very good 1911’s, not just “for the money”, but very good 1911s – period.

The only real problem it has, is that they are not selling.

Continue reading I’m looking at you, Taurus.

Armchair Quarterbacking: TAURUS handguns

Part One.

Here we go again guys… Yes, I know its so soon since I just did Mossberg.  But I’ve some thoughts on Taurus here and now.
Taurus has come a long way, Baby.  These guys have made a mint on the Judge revolver series, and everyone knows all about them, even people who don’t know guns.  Because according to one guy that says he knows a guy that is friends with a guy that hunts ducks with them.   Well, I’m not talking about the super serious, uber deadly Judges.   We’re going to talk about the other stuff Taurus makes.
Continue reading Armchair Quarterbacking: TAURUS handguns