TR Forums

This thread needs more pictures. And I have a couple excuses to post them.

So, do you guys remember my Kriss Vector? I sold it and used the funds to pick up one of these:


Yeah, I know, I know... I have a problem. But bullpups are just so... spiffy! I can quit whenever I want, really. Anyhow, it points like a dream and with enough rounds through it, it will stop smoking as the preservative burns off. The backup sights are way off, but I can live with it.

No sooner had I purchased the Tavor, then the local gun store had a Sig Sauer day. A friend and I showed up, hoping to get in on their "buy one get one free" offer, but that was limited to the first 4 people. He was 4. I was 5. Oh well.

I'm not normally a Sig fan, as I think they're too heavy and the whole DA/SA trigger thing turns me off. What can I say, I learned on Glocks and Walthers. However... I could get behind a single action trigger. And I never have owned a 1911 before. And it was on sale...



This one is taking some getting used to. I have developed a slight flinch when I shoot it. I think it's the unfamiliarity that is causing it. The cure, naturally, is more range time. The trigger is awesome and I think I'm a little afraid of it. It's heavy, but lordy does it put holes in tight little groups. Alas, it really hates my handloads so it only eats factory ammunition for a while. I'm going to have to figure that one out one of these days.

Also, the grip is tearing up my hand a little. After a couple hundred rounds, it is leaving red areas right where the front sides of the grip reach my palms.

never apologize for bullpups

sweet 1911 Darkmage!

So I am still waiting for RCMP to issue my permits..

In the meantime.. off to Maine for a wee vacation in between contracts, gonna check some real gun shops while there, I need to hold a CZ-97 in my hands!

Darkmage wrote:

Also, the grip is tearing up my hand a little. After a couple hundred rounds, it is leaving red areas right where the front sides of the grip reach my palms.

Well, the checkering on that front strap does look a bit Marquis de Sade, IMO.

Went to the range today to test my new build and play with the adjustable gas block.
Does anyone else think a perfect 3 O'clock brass ejection pattern is sexy?
http://youtu.be/252isqy1EFY

Darkmage, I love 1911's, and that's a beautiful one. Plus, I have a friend who's really into Sigs, and they're great guns. I think you found a winning combo there.

Darkmage,
I love that 45 sig and the wooden side grips are sexy.....but since it has a black upper maybe you should look into some molded rubberized side grips that will conform to your hand better along with going with the color pattern of the weapon. I for one like a heavy gun, it helps reduce recoil and when you run out of ammo it makes for a great club. Whack someone with any part of that gun and they will see stars.
Sand Wind and Guns

Captain Ned wrote:

Well, the checkering on that front strap does look a bit Marquis de Sade, IMO.

I does seem to be designed by someone who decided that pain will tell you when you're gripping it correctly.

It's a heavy gun, all right. But as long as I'm not waving it around all day, I'll manage. Right now, just a quick draw-point-shoot puts 2 rounds two inches low at 15 feet. Which kind of sucks, I suppose, but it's two rounds about 1.5" apart. This thing is fantastic. I just need more time with it.

chµck wrote:

Went to the range today to test my new build and play with the adjustable gas block.
Does anyone else think a perfect 3 O'clock brass ejection pattern is sexy?

I have to say, that is the... oddest range video I've seen. I suppose Rule 34 applies, as always.

So I visited a nice store in Kittery Maine... Awesome staff and great selection. I am officially jealous of you Americans

I handled a few pistols, and my daughter held some too to see which she could grip safely.. Fwiw, she like the feel of the Ruger 22/45 Lite the best, I may pick one up, looks like a decent plinker, cheap too.

chµck wrote:

Went to the range today to test my new build and play with the adjustable gas block.
Does anyone else think a perfect 3 O'clock brass ejection pattern is sexy?
http://youtu.be/252isqy1EFY

personally i think that would be the worst angle of ejection... seems that would have the best chance of landing on somebody else (whether at a range on in combat or somewhere in between)
I know i've been tapped by flying brass a few times at the range.. didn't really bother me so far, but, its not exactly ideal firing conditions

godforsaken wrote:

chµck wrote:

Went to the range today to test my new build and play with the adjustable gas block.
Does anyone else think a perfect 3 O'clock brass ejection pattern is sexy?
http://youtu.be/252isqy1EFY

personally i think that would be the worst angle of ejection... seems that would have the best chance of landing on somebody else (whether at a range on in combat or somewhere in between)
I know i've been tapped by flying brass a few times at the range.. didn't really bother me so far, but, its not exactly ideal firing conditions

That's always a problem with semi-auto firearms.
However, a 3 O'clock brass ejection pattern says that the rifle is not overgassing the action (cleaner/less wear), yet still has enough power to reliably cycle another round and lock back on an empty mag.

chµck wrote:

Does anyone else think a perfect 3 O'clock brass ejection pattern is sexy?

I prefer a 1 o'clock or 5 o'clock ejection myself. It's not nice to sling hot brass on people next to you.

Darkmage wrote:

This thing is fantastic. I just need more time with it.

Another convert to the ways of JMB. Down with polymer and striker fired crap! Up with steel and single action!

Did someone say single action?

Those two look like a couple...not single. It doesn't look like they've had much action either.

So....dad sent me T/c Encore in 223 he doesn't shoot anymore.

I am looking forward totrying i ou oince myy shoulder ast is off. single shots arent my thing normally but foolllowing a rebuild of my labrum and rotator cuff....its heavy, supposedly accurate ad in asmall calibe so it shouldnt kick much! be agood way to celebrate being able to shoot again

If you're going down that path, go all the way and find a Remington XP-100.

The only thing more boring than a T/C is a muzzle loader.

Seriously though. Hope you have fun.

Hmm, I've never thought of my ten inch bull barrel T/C Contender in 357 with a five power long eye relief Burris as boring. There's something very satisfying about putting a thirty-eight caliber hole exactly where the cross hairs said it would be. And what a 357 hollow point does to a gallon water jug is always entertaining. I call it Thumper.

The XP-100 is an outstanding piece of hardware, but I'd wager a race with a T/C could go either way.

My uncle refitted his Contender in .45-70 government. It went from entertaining to terrifying.

Fast again JAE,
I shot a friends Contender in .35 marlin around 25-30 years ago years ago and it was also scary with a pretty nasty recoil. They are the kind of guns that a single or pair of wide receiver gloves will help you hold onto the gun.

I was young, 15 or so and people make them scarier when they say be careful and whatever you do don't drop the gun.

Expensive single shot pistols masquerading as rifles have never done it for me. In my mind they're the province of grumpy old men who complain about people shooting "rapid fire" at the range, or worse, bench-rest shooters who think that putting a custom action in a vise grip and pressing the trigger constitutes "marksmanship". Bah.

Or you can consistently shoot objects at 100 yards accurately. It's why I love my Ruger Super Blackhawk 7.5" barrel (44 mag). Not an old man's gun by any means. One day I'll take a bear down with it too

If I need to hit something past 25 yards or ao, then I use a carbine/rifle. I mean, I could probably mow my yard with a weed wacker if i really wanted too, but there's the old saw about using the right tool for the right job and all.

Last weekend was the Paul-E-Palooza charity benefit. It's kind of a combination self-defense training convention and charity event that takes place in Ohio. This year was the 2nd one and some friends convinced me to go. Paul Gomez was a firearms... madman, from what people tell me. But he knew a lot of professional instructors, business owners, commentators and associated ilk. When he died, his friends decided to host this event to raise money for his three kids.

His instructor friends donate their time to host a brief class and the participants pay a registration fee and attend whatever class strikes their fancy. The shotgun class was educational, one of the pistol classes has convinced me to change my grip and the pepper spray class was fantastic. I decided to not take the classes that required a mouth guard and groin protection, because getting hit in the face is not my idea of a good time.

But I digress. You came for the prOn. I call this photo "I said NO PARKING!"

It's owned by the guy who runs the range hosting the event. Nice guy, if a little cranky.

He also owns this beauty:


So, it was a charity event, right? They had an auction to raise money for the childrens' trust and the host donated an "experience" where you could shoot 100 rounds through this bad boy. It went for about $1100. After the winner had his fun, the owner let a couple of the ladies present do the same. They were cute and all, but I don't think they had $1100 bodies, if you get my drift.

Nice. Ammo cost for the M2 alone was probably $300-400 for 100 rounds. Rich boys and their toys, eh?

Vrock wrote:

Nice. Ammo cost for the M2 alone was probably $300-400 for 100 rounds. Rich boys and their toys, eh?

No kidding. The auction had some crazy deals. And I mean crazy in both the "hell of a deal" sense and the "you paid how much for that?" sense. Case in point: Some well-known gunsmith donated a 9mm M&P that he had given the full treatment. Reworked trigger, tungston guide rod, custom stipling on the grips, engraved slide, etc. There was about $1100 worth of work in that pistol. It went for $900 or so.

So, crazy good deal, right? But... it's an M&P. It's a $600 gun with $1100 worth of work put into it. Who the hell would do that?

Don't get me started on the knives. Custom "prototype" knives that were the precursors to small-batch fighting knives. $600 knife that is a "steal" at $300. I kind of like knives, but at $600 it better get cable.

Sigh. Well, whatever. It was for a good cause.

Vrock wrote:

Nice. Ammo cost for the M2 alone was probably $300-400 for 100 rounds. Rich boys and their toys, eh?

A price I'd gladly pay just to say I sent rounds downrange with Ma Deuce. One of my coworkers, her husband works for the General Dynamics (this week; it's had a half-dozen corporate owners in the 30 years I've lived here) plant here in town that makes/refits the things and he gets to go out on shoots all the time. Hikers on Mt. Mansfield are well-used to hearing M2s and, back a couple of decades or so, regularly heard Vulcans and Avengers tested at the same range.

Every October they invite deer hunters into Operation Bullseye. For the price of stuffing a Guard app in your pocket they'll boresight your scope and let you sight in as long as you want from 100yd. These days it's the only exercise the deer rifle is likely to see.

EDIT: Hey Vrock, have you blogged anything recently?

I've had a wicked case of no time plus writers block as of late. Plenty of guns left in the safe to write about, but can't decide which:

Colt Commando
Smith and Wesson Victory Model
K98k
1909 Mauser
1935 Mauser
FN-49
SKS (Russian and Yugo Variants)
Mosin-Nagant (Finn m39, Russian M38, Polish M44)
Madsen M58
Spanish M1916 Mauser
TT-33 Tokarev
M1903A3
US Rifle, .30 Cal, M1
M16A1
M98/29 Persian Mauser
M9 Pistol
Finnish Suomi KP3`
Polish P64
Czech VZ.70
AK-47
RPK
Enfield No. 4. Mk. 1 and 2

There's probably more. Any preferences?