Something I'd never thought I'd read

Mac-10 based Tactical Rifle....


I'll let that sink in....




Yeah, that's what I thought too.  WTF?  Yet there it is and this is April 7, so no April fools.  Michael Bane has a tease of what he calls a "cool little gun"  After the initial shock of a MAC-10 based Tactical Rifle subsided, I thought that it may indeed be a fun gun to shoot as there aren't a hell of a lot of .45ACP or .45anything semi-auto rifles out there.  Then again, perhaps there's a good reason for that? 

For what use would one purchase this gun for?  Plinking? Well, at $20+/box, .45ACP isn't exactly a bargain.  Home Defense?  At that length, I'd as soon have a 12guage and if I did choose a rifle, it'd probably be in .223 (which is cheaper to shoot btw) or something a little more rifle-like.

So what then?

Does a gun have to have a purpose?

I suppose not (I'm looking at you Taurus Judge).

Slim Is In

The newish trend in pistols seems to me to be that less is more.  Designers have figured out that pistol shooters, concealed carriers especially, don't like bulky pistols.  At least not pistols that are bulkier than need be.  The Glock SF, S&W M&P series, Ruger SR9 and now Sig is getting in on the size reduction of their pistols with the new P226 & P229 E2 pistols.  They've reduced the size of the backstrap and overall size of the grip, plus an improved texture.

This makes perfect sense to me, when I was tearing down a couple of P226s to refresh the springs for the owners, I marveled that there was so much wasted space in the frame and these pistols could have been a LOT smaller than they actually were.  Looks like Hans & Co. thought the same thing, eh?

The reduced grip will help those with smaller hands, but I think it'd guys with larger hands too, how?  Simply put, I've got ham-hands and the web between my thumb and forefinger is especially meaty.  So when I close my hand up, this area takes up a lot of space, I typically put the smallest backstrap on a pistol like the Walther P99 or S&W M&P to give that part of my hand a place to go.  That chunk they took out of the backstrap looks awfully inviting to me, this gun looks like it'd fit me like a glove.

Now I'm wondering if there'd be a way to retrofit an older P226 or P229 to this new grip?

Only A Mother Could Love It

Or Me.

As ugly as this new revolver from Chiappa Firearms is, I want one.  Not from any reasonable standpoint mind you, I don't know if it is built well, shoots well, is reliable or has the ergonomics of a piece of rubble, but something about the looks of this snubby really calls to me.  It's called the Rhino and you can see why, it has a profile that is reminiscent of the African beast with the horn on its nose (here the part of the horn is played by the front sight).

This latest addition to the .357 revolver family has a somewhat unique arrangement that allows the barrel to be lower to push the recoil impulse lower into the hand and the theory is that it'll have less felt recoil than a traditional revolver.  As always, when you get something, you have to give up something else.  I wonder what it is in this case?  Weight?  Reliability? Ergonomics?

Darn Tooten Skippy

From Mike Bane.  Seems Remington is entering the handgun market again.  They're apparently going to take a huge risk on an untried platform.  Oh wait, no, no they aren't, they're gonna make a 1911.  Now some are speculating that they might do something crazy like a polymer 1911 or some other Glock boy non-sense.  Some say they're trying for a .gov contract for a new .45ACP pistol.  I figure they're just wanting to get some of that sweet sweet gun money that's kept this economy from ending up like a WWII Japanese super sub.

The inevitable AR followup

Michael Bane has the scoop on Ruger's new rifle following their AR introduction earlier this year.  The SR22 is a 10/22 wrapped in AR trappings.  You can throw AR15 accessories at it to customize it as you wish and yet shoot the economical .22lr cartridge all day to get your trigger time.  The rifle looks good and with the proven 10/22 action and barrel, I'm sure it shoots as good as advertised.  The premise Ruger (and Michael) want us to believe is that we can use this rifle as a surrogate to an AR15.

I'm afraid it isn't that easy.  You see, while this rifle looks similar to an AR15, it simply isn't, the safety selector isn't in the same place, the mags aren't the same, the trigger isn't the same and the bolt most certainly isn't the same.  So what? you may ask.  Well, if you're wanting to get practice with a firearm, you should practice with THAT firearm, not something similar.  I'm sorry, but there are good, cheap conversion kits for AR15s and S&W did it right by making an AR15 in .22lr.  So if you want to shoot a 10/22 that looks like an AR, go forth and purchase this gun, if you want true practice with an AR cheaply, buy an AR and convert it to .22lr.

Generations

Last week my father gave me a gun. While that in and of itself if pretty great, it's not the gun itself that is really special, but the guns history. It took a little research, but I managed to figure out a little about the gun.

It is a version of the Pistolet Automatique de 7 millimètre 65 genre "Ruby", however, this one is made by Santiago Salaberrin and it is a .25 auto with the trade name "ETNA" stamped on the gun. There are a number of variations on this weapon, but this one is definitely a pocket pistol designed as a little holdout piece.

So the guns is not really all that special with over 30 factories making versions and copies I would bet these things are lying in boxes and in the tops of closets all over the world. So what's so cool about a 70+ year old gun? My great grandfather was a drummer in a band. He traveled the river boats up and down the Mississippi playing drums and generally doing what a musician would do in the roaring 20's. In his vest pocket for all of those trips was the little "ETNA"

So now I think I'll make sure it's in good working order and carry it with me to work. I can't think of a better legacy or connection to the past.

Bed Bunker

I want.


The greatest combination since that dude with chocolate ran into that other dude with peanut butter.  Its a gun safe under, no AS a bed. WIN!

Rest well at night with up to 35 rifles and 70 handguns under your bum.

SASS Vaquero

I forgot to put this up yesterday.  Ruger has introduced the SASS Vaquero.  Steve at the Gun Blog has more pictures and info on the gun.

From the press release

The high-gloss stainless steel Ruger SASS Vaquero comes with the lower/wider Montado-style hammer found on the Ruger Montado. The SASS Vaquero, chambered in .357 Magnum, features a 4-5/8" barrel, a blade front sight and wider (.140") rear sight, and black checkered, hard rubber grips with SASS grip medallions. Each SASS Vaquero will bear a special serial number featuring the letters "SASS" as a prefix followed by the numeric sequence. These special edition single-action revolvers will only be sold in two-gun sets of consecutive serial numbers and will ship in a red, two-gun carry case.

So they have some nice features that will definitely appeal to SASS competitors and they only come in 4-5/8" barrels and .357Magnum.  That's probably the best combo for competition as you'll not have much recoil with the .38 SASS loadings and the 4-5/8" barrel is short enough and yet remains well balanced.  I myself have just this year added Super Blackhawk hammers to two of my Old Model Rugers to facilitate one-handed shooting and I really like them.  I don't think they sped me up any, but I shouldn't get to many hammer slips, the bain of all Gunfighters.

The new SASS vaquero can be had for $1500 MSRP mid summer 2009 (I'm starting to sound like Jim Scoutten)

Old Family Friend

Like most gun owners right now, I'm getting bit by the cost of ammunition, sure I reload in most of the calibers I shoot, but the way things are with component availability, let alone cost, I've decided that I need to fall back on the old standby .22lr for plinking and some practice.

On Memorial Day weekend, I was digging in the safe and decided I should clean up my Dad's old .22 squirrel gun, so I pulled it from the dark recesses of the safe and headed to the garage.  My dad's old gun, a Marlin Model 99 .22lr semi-auto was (as I later found out), only made for 3 years, from 1959 to 1961 and was the predecessor to the ubiquitous Marlin Model 60, the main differences are that the Model 60s generally have provisions for mounting a scope and Marlin went from Walnut on the 99 to Birch on the 60.  I'm sure there are minor internal differences, but the actions are essentially the same. 

I always remembered Dad as being a fairly good shot, at least in my estimation, I remember he, my brother and I putting a dime on a post about 20-30 yards away and trying to pick it off between us.  I also remember being so entirely proud of myself for hitting it and spending a half hour looking for said dime, I carried it in my pocket for a year or more.  I suspected he was sand bagging, but I didn't care much, I still hit that dime!  I also recall Dad going out in the morning and coming back before noon with several squirrels for dinner that evening and how good a cook my mom was/is.  A lot of family history is stowed away in the lustrous walnut stock and when I look down the barrel at the the brass bead front sight, I can imagine Dad zeroing in on the next meal.

My Dad's Model 99 isn't worth a whole lot of money, it's got a lot of wear and has seen it's fair share of rust, but I'll fight you for it and It'll be a damned cold day in hell before I sell it.  This is an old family friend that's taught several men and a couple of women how to shoot, provided meals for a poor country family of seven kids and various other family members and until I dug it out that weekend, I didn't realize just how much it meant to me or my family.

Oh, did I mention you could hit a dime with it at 20 yards?  Yeah, that too.

One of Those Days

What's the best thing to do on a Friday afternoon? Well this Friday, I decided it wasn't work.  I had found a shop selling AR lowers for $100 and off I went to Lawguns in Indy, a new shop that opened this week.  I got there and met Anthony who was eager to take my business an after pleasantries, I started on my 4473.  While filling my form out, the phone constantly rang and another customer came in for uppers.  The shop isn't much right now, but it appears they'll be carrying mostly AR type stuff.  I picked up a couple of accessories for my AR and bid Anthony good day.

Off to Beech Grove Firearms!  I had heard great things about this shop and it is a very nice place with a lot of wheelguns and as good of stock of firearms and ammo as I think you can have right now.  The shop is clean, bright and friendly, the prices are a bit on the upper end of reasonable, but they have stock.

On the way home, I got to craving a cigar and so I stopped by the only good cigar store I know of on the South side of Indy, the Pipe Puffer.  It's probably a good thing I don't live in Greenwood as this place would see me a LOT more.  The Cigar selection is very good with pretty much all the major brands represented and a nice selection of each.  The cigars are kept in their walk-in humidor in perfect conditions, so you get a top-notch smoking experience.

The Puffer also has areas for customers to lounge while they enjoy a smoke, think a small tavern that serves smokes and not drinks.  I would have sat in one of the comfy looking leather chairs or sofas had the place not been absolutely packed with folks enjoying the afternoon with friends and tabacco.

All in all, it beat the living hell out of being in my office and one of my ARs is decked out and I've got parts for another complete AR.  Go me!

Public Enemies

This movie opens July 1st and while I realize it'll be a Michael Mann cheesefest, the thought of 1911s, 1897s, 1887s, Brownings, car chases and oh yes TOMMYGUNS is too appealing.  It just went to the top of my want to see list. 

Public Enemies OFFICIAL TRAILER

Oh happy day!

Today was the first time all year the weather was cooperative for a range trip.  Sunny and 73 degrees will do nicely.  I loaded up a few 1911s, a few hundred rounds of ammo and headed North. 

Today I had a new horse in the stable, this past week I picked up a Colt 1991A1 off of an individual in Indy and she's a beaut.  I've never been much for blued 1911s, but this one I fell head over heals for the moment I opened the blue Colt box.  I now had my real Wild Bunch pistol.  The 1991A1 is Colt's "el-cheapo" 1911 with none of the frills of the higher end guns, standard grip safety, thumb safety and spur hammer.  The ejection port isn't lowered or flared, the only thing that they put on it that would be considered an upgrade is a set of white dot sights.  This is quite possibly the only niggle I have with the gun, I'd prefer a set of hardball sights, but I ain't complaining.

The Colt shot and functioned flawlessly as it should.  I fed it 230g FMJ factory and some 185g LSWC that I had loaded.  It didn't care witch round was in the chamber, it just spat it out and grabbed the next round.  I also tried a variety of mags, from cheap-ass surplus mags to CMC Powermags to the original Colt mag, again, the Colt didn't give a rats ass.  In fact, all the 1911s I shot today went without a hiccup. 

The other guns I brought with me were my carry officer's model and a couple of Government RIA's.  I was asked by Judge to find out why his RIA shot about 4" high and 2" right at 10 yards.  So I brought mine along and swapped upper parts until I eliminated everything but the slide.  Looks like it needs to take a trip back to Armscor.  After diagnosing the culprit of the RIA's woes adn about two hours and 250rnds later, I called it all a success and headed home.

1911 in .22LR

It is nothing new having a 1911 converted to .22lr for economy of shooting, but the folks at GSG are bringing out a 1911 patterned pistol that should allow those who don't want to fuss with a conversion to have a 1911 in .22lr.  Sure, you could plunk down the money for a conversion from Kimber, Ciener or Marvel, but I don't really like the idea of adding that cost to a complete gun and I doubt I'd be the type to switch between the conversion and the standard chambering.  For those like me who'd like to have a rimfire practice pistol and especially one that closely or identically mimicks my fighting gun, this GSG 1911 seems to fit the bill.  No word on pricing, I'm hoping its under $400, GSG's other .22lr pattern-type guns are reasonable and they seem to offer plenty of goodies to bolt onto them.

The good and bad thing about this time of year, all the new guns come out, my mouth waters, eyes widen and my wallet takes a beating.

Via The Firearm Blog

Nightguard .41 Magnum

The .41 Magnum is one of those cartridges that just never made it to the big time.  From what I understand, it was developed (by none other than the kings of magnum pistol cartridges, Bill Jordan and Elmer Keith) as a replacement for law enforcement to the .357 Magnum, but the ammo manufacturers made the loads too stout for comfortable usage.  Thus it has been pretty much relegated to hunting duty since.  Now we have the 10mm & .40 S&W that have pretty much taken that market over, but those aren't true wheelgun cartridges.

I've often lusted over the possibility of coming across a snubbie S&W Model 57, but the closest I've ever seen is a 4" version and everyone who's got one of the M57's wants a hefty price to wrest it from his grasp (rightfully so).  So now the new Nightguard S&W line has a Model 357 .41 Magnum 2.5" barrel example coming out in '09 that I'd love to try out.  This might be one of those S&Ws that overcomes my prejudice against the lock and the premium pricing.  Maybe.

#1, As In One Million Dollars

Now those surrounding Dr. Evil may not think $1,000,000 is a lot of money, but it certain is for a gun.  Said gun should be able to plow down terrorists and Nazis (not to mention zombies) with ease.  Yet this lowly six gun is up for auction and could fetch the hefty sum, I'm unsure if a gun has sold for more, but I'd be willing to bet not.  Is it worth that much?  As a tool, definitely not.  We aren't talking about a tool though, we're talking about the grandest of Colts, a Peacemaker, THE Peacemaker, serial number 1.  To some, this pistol may look worn and ugly, but to a cowboy, she's a beauty.

It certainly looks better than the painted atrocities we saw last week.

Hat tip to Xavier for finding this one.

Does Not Compute

Michael Bane has the scoop on USFA's newest revolvers that are coming in 2009.  Needless to say, I just don't plain care for them.  They are ugly as it gets.  That said, to each their own, if you want a SA revolver painted in whatever tacticool color, good on ya.  I suppose if you wanted to Walk the Earth with a single action pistol that wouldn't rust at the first sign of dampness, you could get one of these (or you could just get stainless).  I wonder if they'll offer them in digital camo or zebra stripes?  How about a cow pattern to make them a true cowboy gun?

P.S. I wonder if these are SASS legal?  I don't think this has ever come up, maybe it never will, but I wonder if someone showed up at EoT with painted revolvers, would that be allowed?

I can't believe I read that right.

"Why are white people buying assault weapons?" said Ben Agger, a sociology rofessor at the University of Texas at Arlington who wrote a book about the Virginia Tech slayings. "I almost hate to say it, but there is a deep-seated fear of the armed black man, because Obama now commands the military and other instruments of the justice system. They are afraid Obama will exact retribution for the very deep-seated legacy of slavery."

I had to read that twice, yes, he's saying if you are white and bought an EBR, it is racially motivated, that is, you are a racist. I'm nearly speechless that someone who's charged with educating others would be so completely and utterly ignorant. I've disliked (hated) sociology for a long time, its kind of like reading a 15yo newspaper of obvious insights most of the time. Other times sociology produces this sort of clag that nobody in their right mind should ever believe and yet, there it is in black and white. Oops, letting my racism show again.

Sherrif Defends CCW Holder Identities

An Oregon Sheriff is fighting a newspaper request for the names of CCW holders in Washington County on the grounds that Oregon law that states records are not public if they could reveal a person's security measures or weaknesses. Sheriff Rob Gordon believes that it is implied that the permits were obtained for security purposes (NO! REALLY?!) but the court is saying that permit holders have to state that they obtained it for security purposes before they can be considered non-public.

So Sheriff Gordon is contacting by mail all 10,000 or so permit holders to elicit whether they indeed obtained them for security reasons.

"Instead of going through the process of saying that it's implied, we're going though the process of getting the documentation that says that it is," said Sgt. Vance Stimler, public information officer at the Washington County Sheriff's Office.

I wish all Sheriffs would be this progressive in thought towards the CCW community, sadly, I think he's in the minority.

Well done Gordon!

This is too good

I just HAD to post this video, it is simply too darned good to not post.

Hat tip to Instapundit (actually one of his readers)

Aggrigate This

There's a new gun blog aggrigator at http://www.gunblogs.org/

So you can get your roundup of, well roundups. Whoa!