Timbonez

It's available on Netflix, both DVD and streaming.

LJ, there are plenty of Hi Powers on GunBroker with decent prices for used ones.

You're welcome, LJ. If you want a Hi-Power, I'd suggest getting the traditional single action only design. It'll be easier to find replacement parts for them. The Mk IIIs currently being produced by FN today are quality guns that will serve almost any need. In addition to the BDAO, I have a Mk III modified by Novak's and two Mk IIs that are stock save for the grips. ETA: Hi Powers are going to be expensive. Expect to pay between $750-$950 for a brand new Hi Power. Used ones will be cheaper by a few hundred, but that also depends on what run of HPs you look at. For example, the T series Hi Powers will run a premium, but Mk IIs can be had at a decent price. I was lucky enough to pay $750 for the Mk III, but then went ahead and spent a shit ton for the Novak's work. The Mk IIs ran me around $600 each after transfer and such, and the BDAO was $461 after tax.

FN BDAO (Browning Double Action Only) in 9mm Review. Before I start with my particular version, a little history is in order. The BDA9 and BDAO9 were designed in the early 80s. The BDA9 was FN's entry into the XM9 trials, which the Beretta won. The only difference between the BDA9 and BDAO9 is the BDA has both DA/SA and a decocker, where the BDAO9 only has the double action feature with no external controls. Both pistols are direct descendants of the Hi-Power. Although they look externally similar to a traditional HP, internally they are very different. On to the review: BDAO9: 9mm semi-auto DAO Steel frame and slide with matte finish 3 dot sight setup 4.6" barrel 15+1 round capacity I bought this pistol brand new at Cabela's at the beginning of this month. At that time I field stripped the weapon, cleaned it, and lubed it with TW-25B grease. The pistol itself is an all matte black that looks relatively durable. It's not like the Mk III Hi-Power's matte epoxy finish. Grips are black plastic, similar to the Mk III Hi-Powers currently being produced. It also has a small hole with a metal lanyard ring at the bottom rear of the grip. I find them comfortable to use, which is good since I don't think there are many (if any) aftermarket grips. The sights are dovetailed into the pistol, but they are made out of plastic. Changing them, if you wish, should not be an issue. As is, they are a 3 dot set-up, which I personally dislike. All three dots are exactly the same size. The front dot should be bigger than the rear two so it stands out more. They also just seem to be white circles pasted onto the sight itself, but they seem to keep in place pretty good. The trigger pull is actually quite pleasant for a DAO handgun. It resembles a finely tuned S&W double action revolver pull. It's not very heavy, is smooth throughout the take-up (no stacking), has a little bit of perceived creep, breaks pretty cleanly, and has a short overtravel (thanks to a plastic insert at the rear of the trigger guard). The reset is quite long, as should be expected from a double action only handgun. Overall, it isn't heavy and is quite easy to pull for fast shots. That being said, extended range sessions shooting this pistol fatigued my finger. That could be just the trigger or the combination of trigger and cold that I was shooting in. Regardless, I don't see this as a problem for a self defense or combat handgun. There is ample room in the trigger guard for a large index finger or one inside a glove. The frame to slide fit is tight for a production gun, but not overly tight. Racking the slide by hand and shooting standard range ammo produces a smooth, non-gritty action. Even throughout the 800 rounds of ammo (with no cleaning), the action is still smooth. Testing so far has been a combination of slow and fast fire to dump the mag as quickly as possible. All rounds have fed flawlessly, to include three 15 round mags of 147gr Remington Golden Sabers. I did experience a failure to extract/eject. The cartridge fired completely, but the slide did not seem to cycle completely. I felt this and pulled the trigger again expecting nothing to happen. Nothing did, so I racked the slide and out ejected a spent case. I don't think it was the fault of the gun, rather just a weak load of ammo. This was from a Winchester White Box cartridge. Testing has been done over three days (448rds, 202rds, 150rds) in cold weather ranging from 15-44 degrees. The pistol maintains the weight of a standard Hi-Power, as it is an all steel handgun. I'm not sure if the frame is cast like current production Hi-Powers, but it would stand to reason that it is produced that way to ease in manufacturing logistics. Aesthetically speaking, it resembles a Hi-Power to include the lightening cuts forward of the slide. These are, however, angled forward rather than vertical on a traditional Hi-Power. It is NOT possible to cycle the action completely by pushing on the slide under the barrel like it is on a traditional Hi-Power. The front of the slide, under the barrel does have the "drainage" hole found on the Mk II Hi-Powers from the 80s. This makes sense because the BDA and BDAO were designed in the early 80s. I've only fired the pistol offhand at ranges varying from 3-50 yards. It's an accurate pistol and serves my needs. I'm no marksman, but I can hold my own. I haven't benchrested the pistol. The internals of the pistol are VERY simple. There are very few parts, and even a troglodyte would be able to detail strip the pistol. The BDAO is also sans magazine disconnect. Field stripping is very simple. As the slide rests normally, the slide stop can be pushed out and the slide is easily removed. Don't let that alarm you into thinking that the slide stop could just drift out during the course of fire. It takes quite a bit of "oomph" to push it out. Basic level maintenance and "armorer" level maintenance can easily be accomplished by the end user. I like this pistol a lot, but I see one major problem. There is very little support for the design. I've had no luck in finding replacement parts and accessories. There are two shops that I have yet to call, which specialize in selling hard to find parts for different firearms. There are some places that sell parts and springs for the Browning Double Mode (BDM), and it appears the BDA/BDAO share the same hammer spring and magazines as the BDM. If this is true, that should cover most of my worries (except for a replacement extractor, extractor spring, and ejector... just in case). I don't see this being a problem just yet, but it is inevitable. PROs: Very simple design and very few parts; simplifies maintenance Reliable design thus far in my testing Easy trigger pull for a DAO Slim profile just like traditional Hi-Powers; should also fit many Hi-Power holsters Good capacity magazines Long sight radius CONs: Plastic sights Little external support; could be an issue if used as a high round count gun Heavy by today's polymer handgun standards Dirty Pics: Clean Pics, you'll see a lot of oil as I hadn't wiped away the excess before I snapped the shots: As you can see it is a very simple design, and one I would trust my life to if I had to. There are definitely other pistols out there that have the external support required for a hard use gun. If this pistol had that same support, I would see no problem in shooting it a lot. As it stands, this gun will be fired every once in a while, and used as a HD or carry gun sparingly. ETA: My next review will be one of my Browning Hi-Power Mk IIs.

That's a pretty Colt. I like that it is a 1911 design and not the 1911A1. Colt also has some other tasteful, and less expensive, anniversary 1911s available for it's 100th Birthday. I've seen what other companies have to offer for their 100th anniversary 1911s, and they are just plain ugly. They are also nothing like an original 1911 (i.e. 1911A1, night sights, beavertail, etc.). I probably won't get any anniversary edition, maybe the ANVIII from Colt, but it's pretty disappointing what most companies have put out. The Wilson Combat Centennial is also nice, but not $4K nice. Anyway, I found this on youtube. They also have their own proprietary round.

Awesome find, learjetter. I hear those rifles are the tits. I have one scope and it's a Leupold VX-II 2-7x33. It's a good one, but I think next time I'll just get a fixed power scope. Clarity is very good and eye relief is enough that I won't smash my brow on the recoil of my .375 H&H.

Here you go, M2. In nails no less...

M2, I forgot to mention nice rifle, but I would offer less than $900. Hopefully you can find something before they all get sold out from underneath you.

Well I just got back from shooting my FN BDAO. This isn't a full up review like the SIG, but I just wanted to let you know that I put 448 rounds (45 were 147gr Remington Golden Sabers) without a single problem. That's not exactly true. I didn't seat the mag all the way once, so a round wasn't chambered after the first shot. Obviously that's not the pistol's fault. It was freezing at the range and I was in the shade. By the time I left it was 18 degrees with some wind blowing. Once I put some more ammo through it, I'll provide a thorough review. The gun won't be cleaned (maybe lubed... maybe) until I'm done with the testing. Snizz, if this is your first gun I would suggest not getting a 1911. What are you going to use the gun for? I'm assuming it will be a personal defense weapon. For a first gun, I would recommend a Glock, M&P, or XD. These are all inexpensive, reliable, and have large support. Look for something in 9mm, as its cheap ammo (so you can practice a lot), proven, and they are light recoiling. Since I would be a douche not to answer your question about a 1911, I would look at Colt, Springfield Armory. These two companies' frames and slides are consistently used by custom 1911 smiths for their builds. Don't go cheap, and if you're serious about using a 1911 as a defense weapon you need to make sure it's reliable by testing it a lot. 1911s are a little more finicky than other modern pistol designs. This probably stems from the fact that everyone and their mother makes a 1911. Not everyone makes them to the same exact specs. Prices are very different because of the quality of materials and craftsmanship each company puts into their product. Stick with Government sized 1911s. Anyway, look at the Colt Series 70 or a Springfield Loaded. I would also suggest you research a little more before diving into buying a 1911. Check out M1911.org and 1911 Forum. There is a lot of information to learn about a 1911. Your best bet would actually be a semi-custom or custom build. These are pricey, which is why I mentioned the others previously. Good luck with your search. ETA: Forgot to mention that I own the following 1911s 3 Nighthawk Customs; Enforcer (Government), Talon II (Commander), and Talon IV (Officer) 2 Colts; Series 70 (Government) and Special Combat Government Carry (Government) 1 S&W; 1911PD (Commander)

The Glock 26 is a great firearm and good for concealed carry. $425 is a good price for NIB.

to the store owner. I don't understand how taking "god-given" rights from law abiding citizens prevents criminals from committing crimes.

Mine went down $9, WTF? Kidding... no big deal when it's that much.

M2, you're the AK guru so you should know! The WASR 10/63s are the bottom of the AK barrel from what I hear. The canted front sight is an issue, as is trigger slap, and the quality isn't like an Arsenal. That said, they work and are reliable like the rest. If he says the front sight is straight, it might be worth a look. It's not worth $500, even with all that extra stuff. Ask if it's a GP 10/63. Those are supposedly made from demilled military rifles. I had a GP 10/63 that worked great, but I replaced the black plastic furniture with some Tapco stuff because the handguard would get too hot. I sold that to a friend, and even though he doesn't shoot it much, I don't think he has any complaints. By the way, I think all the WASRs are chrome-lined, but don't quote me on that. ETA: Here is a GP-WASR 10/63 on Aim being sold for $410. You can do better than $500.

Thanks, Brick and M2. As I mentioned before, 900 rounds without cleaning is child's play. In a few of the other firearm forums that I frequent, there is a 2,000 round challenge floating around. A man named Todd Green came up with the idea and the details can be found here. I've seen it posted on several websites, with the majority of those testing their guns using a Glock or M&P. I've seen a few others to include SIGs and a 1911 here and there as well (I think I saw a revolver once too). His website, pistol-training.com, has a ton of info. He's put an M&P 9mm, HK P30 and HK45 through their paces. He's even gone thousands of rounds (9000-12000) between cleaning some of them! All have been ultra reliable. I don't think I could do that to any of my guns, but it goes to show you that polymer framed pistols are pretty much the way of the future. Anyway 1,000-2,000 without cleaning is plenty good, as I can't imagine a scenario where I wouldn't have the capability to perform basic level maintenance on my guns (even in an apocalypse). M2, I forgot to mention that even though I list 8+1 as a CON, I do not mind this. I always carry at least one extra reload, which is much easier to do with a single stack mag. It also gives me options if my original magazine were to fail during the course of defending myself. You also mentioned point shooting, and I practice a variation of this myself as this is most likely the best way to use your weapon when fighting. It's one thing to take slow, deliberate shows at the range to hone your skills. Bad guys won't give you the time to do that. So it's important to start with slow, aimed fire for practice and then work on speed and point shooting. I try to incorporate this into my shooting, even risking the sacrifice in accuracy as long as I can hit minute of center mass/cranium (depending on distance to target of course). Another thing I would add to shooting at the range is mag dumps. A lot of places don't allow it, but it give you a chance to stress the weapon and also work on control and accuracy if you had to use your weapon like that. My next review will be a FN BDAO that I purchased recently. I just need to put some ammo through it to give you guys a decent review on my opinions. ETA: Thanks for the FM 23-35. I'll hold on to that.

SIG P220 Carry, Range Report: DA/SA .45 ACP semi-auto Steel slide with SIG's Nitron finish Anodized aluminum frame, with accessory rail 3 dot night sight setup 3.9" barrel (beginning of chamber to end of muzzle actually measures ~3.6") 8+1 round capacity I bought this SIG September of last year, and I posted about it during that time as well. I carried it a few times even though I hadn't thoroughly tested it's reliability. After a while I put it aside and moved on to other handguns. In recent months I started some reliability testing and put it through it's paces with the last 900 rounds I've put through it. When I first purchased the firearm, I immediately put 100 rounds of 230gr Remington Golden Saber HPJ through it. All 100 rounds functioned flawlessly and I decided it was suitable to carry with that ammo. I do not recommend just testing 100 rounds before carry. Ideally ANY firearm designated as your personal defense weapon should have at least 500 (1000 would be better) failure free rounds through it. This should include both standard range ammo and your defense ammo of choice. Cleaning in between range sessions is fine, but make sure you test the weapon. Anyway, back to the report. After carrying the SIG for a little while I decided to go back to carrying my Beretta. When I unloaded the mags I noticed the golden sabers would get hung up in the mag body on the last 2-3 rounds. I never experienced that during initial testing so I thought maybe the magazines deformed. It turns out that it is not uncommon for the golden sabers to get hung up on SIG P220 magazines. I'm glad I didn't have to find this out the hard way. The pistol came with 3 magazines and I bought another SIG magazine as well as an ACT-Novak magazine. The second time I took the pistol to the range I tested another 100 rounds with the ACT-Novak magazine. I experienced 2-3 failures to return to battery. As the slide would strip a new cartridge the extractor was unable to fit into the extractor groove of the case. The extractor would just sit behind the case, rendering the pistol unable to fire or extract. I've only experienced this problem with the ACT-Novak and have since relegated it to holding my snap caps and dry fire practice. You get what you pay for. The third time I took the pistol to the range I fired another 100 rounds through it and used it to introduce the wife to .45 ACP. It functioned flawlessly. Since then I decided that I wanted to test this weapon without cleaning it over several hundred rounds. This should be no problem for any modern semi-auto. My initial goal was 1,000 rounds without cleaning, but I stopped at 900 just because I don't like to have a dirty gun. Testing for this began in October and finished today. I accomplished this over 4 range sessions. The pistol saw outside temps between 15 and 90 degrees. It was cleaned and lubed with Mil-Comm TW25B grease prior to shooting. No maintenance, to include cleaning or lubing, was done to the pistol or magazines for the duration. I experienced zero failures throughout the test. As mentioned before today was the last day, and I put 300 rounds through it in 15-20 degree weather. It should be noted that this test is child's play compared to how others test/abuse their guns. I detailed stripped the weapon, minus the hammer stop, and cleaned it thoroughly with SLIP 2000 and some Hoppes for the barrel. The pistol was lubed with SLIP EWL 30. The gun was absolutely filthy with crusted carbon flaking off as I removed the small parts from the frame. Despite how dirty it was, the weapon ran smooth and there wasn't a time that the action felt sluggish. I suspect the pistol would have continued to work in this state for a much longer time... even longer if I simply added lubrication. Putting it back together was a bitch, as I had never completely disassembled the weapon before (just the locking block and trigger prior to this). I downloaded an armorer's manual to help me stumble through it, and after some frustration with exactly how the hammer strut was supposed to be positioned, I figured it out. After that first learning experience I should have no problem completely disassembling the pistol and putting it back together in 10-15 minutes. Since I was able to do this, I gained an appreciation for how relatively simple the design and action of the pistol is. There are few parts, although some are small so care should be taken to not lose them. All in all, it is a very good pistol design that has made SIG's reputation what it is today (although that rep has fallen from grace as of late). It's easy to see why this is a popular military/LE weapon. Overall the weapon shoots nicely. It's more accurate than I am. The double action pull is relatively heavy, but consitent throughout the take up. There is no perceived creep in DA or SA. Overtravel appears to be non-existent, and the reset to SA is quite short and very positive. There is no doubt when the weapon is ready to fire again. Reloads are extremely easy using either the slide stop or overhand/slingshot method. The decocker is positive, and when the weapon is decocked, there is a certain amount of space between the firing pin and the hammer. Fit and finish are good, with wear starting to show due to normal use. The pistol feels good in my medium-ish sized hands. PROs: Simple design, dedicated decocker w/no safety Grip profile is slim thanks to the single stack magazines Good sights, despite the fact that they are 3 dot; 2 dot setups can be had, but they won't be night sights (unless aftermarket) if that's your thing Accessory rail Abundance of aftermarket accessories and modifications available Tons of support and replacement parts for breakages and scheduled maintenance CONs: Limited capacity, only 8+1 rounds standard Shorter distance between sights, can result in reduced precision Magazines are finicky with 230gr Rem. Golden Sabers Magwell could use a little more bevel Personal modifications that I did were I replaced the standard trigger with a short trigger and the slotted grip screws with hex-head screws... nothing fancy. I see this as a reliable handgun and will have no problem using it as a self defense weapon. Because of the magazine issue, I will stay away from the golden sabers in this pistol (they feed just fine though). ETA, 15 Dec: I forgot to mention recoil. The P220 carry is half an inch shorter in the slide/barrel than the regular P220. All other dimensions remian the same. It would stand to reason that it would be somewhat lighter than the regular P220, but SIG's website lists them both as 30.4oz. I found out that the upper portion on the sides of the slide retain more metal on the Carry. You'll notice how this area scallops inward and creates a "sort-of" shelf just below it. While the both the regular P220 and the Carry have this shelf, the Carry's is not as pronounced since it retains more metal above. This is how it keeps the same weight as the P220 and doesn't add any additional width or bulk to the gun. The shelf is the widest part of the slide. Although it doesn't have the weight of a commander or government sized 1911, recoil is very manageable. SIGs all have a relatively high bore axis compared to a Glock or M&P, but it doesn't seem to suffer from any more muzzle flip than these two designs.

Brick, I always enjoy your reviews. Great job. I'm going to have to start writing some of my own for my arsenal. Spud, are you new to concealed carry and asking for advice?

Anyone have a list of good gun stores and ranges near Ellsworth?

Stoleit, that used to be the case, but within the last year Spike's has come out with their complete rifles which are cheaper than if you were to build something similar with your own parts. Out of 3 ARs I've personally built (uppers were bought from Bravo Company), I wasn't close to what they have to offer. ETA: I am recommending Spike's because it is the most economical option from a manufacturer that uses high quality parts. Building your own AR can be rewarding and you get exactly what you want, but you have to be judicious and careful with what you buy.

HeloDude, what do you intend to do with the rifle? If it's just going to be a plinker then a S&W will be just fine. They make a good rifle, but there are better choices and at a similar or better price point. This LINK will give you a basic understanding on what to look for when buying a rifle. At the bottom they also have a comparison chart of many manufacturers. You can ignore it, as it doesn't include all manufacturers or all their rifles and options. Anyway, for less than the S&W you can buy a complete Spike's Tactical midlength. It's a much better offering than what S&W puts out. I'm not saying S&W puts out crap, far from it. They make quality products, but they are lacking in terms of following the milspec guidelines. Spike's has excellent QA/QC, puts out a great product, and they are highly regarded by those who know about the intricacies of AR-15s.

I can understand silhouettes at 200-300 yards with a TC or two-handed 1911, not one-handed with a 1911. 900 yards with a .44 magnum? I don't believe it, but we'll see.

This thread just started to smell like bullshit.

Brick, excellent review.

I got my two Mk II Hi Powers today. Here is a pic with my Mk III at the top.

Nice M1 carbine, Brick. I've been wanting AO's paratrooper carbine for a while, but I don't think I'll ever get one. If you look hard enough you should find ammo prices comparable to .45 ACP. AIM Surplus Ammunition To Go

Congrats, M2. Let me know how painful it is to get the SBR stuff and whatnot. I'm considering buying a SBR Noveske AR-15.