BigFreddie

Spill the details on the gunshow! That might be worth the drive from Dover... That semi-auto .22LR ammo looks interesting - I'd love the hear how it does. BF

I would make sure which ever one you get make sure the trigger guard/group is not made of plastic. I've seen Mossberg 500s completely disabled because the plastic parts in the trigger group were all broken. Who the hell puts plastic parts in the trigger group that can fail and disable the gun? I got to shoot an Air Force shotgun for qualification last week - it was a "newer" Remington 870 - the combat system version with a pistol grip stock, some rails, an extended tube, and rifle sights. It too had a trigger guard made of plastic - not sure about plastic parts in the actual trigger group though. Of the two shotguns mentioned, I prefer the 870. The safety is near the trigger group not on the top back of the receiver which always seemed slightly out of place to me. BF

The last time I was there might have been 2006 or 2007. It wasn't too bad then. Seemed like they had a range officer walking up and down the line keeping a pretty tight ship in regards to safety. If anyone happens to be stuck out in Del Rio I can give the info on the best shooting range out there - unlimited access, (was) $80 a year, 2x 25 yard pistol bays (partially covered), 100 yard and 200 yard rifle ranges. Of course, like 90% of other ranges, it was on about 4 mile final to Laughlin.... BF

Shotguns work well and end up being much cheaper than the .45-70 types. That version from Marlin is fairly new and somewhat hard to find at this point. And a standard version works well but you give up a little capacity and don't get the speed lever either. I've had my eye on that model because it incorporates a lot of the custom upgrades you see some companies do. To see fully "tricked-out" brush guns, look at Wild West Guns in Anchorage, AK and Brockman Rifles. Big Horn Armory makes a neat new lever action in .500 S&W that might be worth looking at if you have deep pockets... BF ETA: Local gunshop had Smith and Wesson Days this weekend. S&W rep with a good selection of their range guns to try. For $7 you got to shoot any gun they had - they gave you 5 rounds to shoot unsupervised. I shot the mid-size M&P .45 - very nice gun, fits my hand well with the mid-sized frame. Then I shot the 386 Night Guard in .357 Mag - there is absolutely no mistaking the fact you are shooting a .357 with flame, recoil and tons of noise. Great sights on it and I would buy on in a second if they offered a 4" version. Then I shot a 686SSR with .38 Specials - definitely a step down in the blast and recoil category. Very nice trigger on this one. I next shot a Walther PPK with Crimson Trace grips - very cool. The PPK was alright but I really liked the grips. I would think they could make a person a better shooter by practicing with them - you can definitely tell when you jerk the trigger and even how you push the trigger and therefore how you move the gun while shooting. I topped it all off with shooting one of their .460s. Holy blast Batman! That thing was amazing how it created a huge blast - the salesman gave me a 5 minute run down of where not to put your hand to ensure you didn't lose a finger or palm to the blast! There was definitely a concussion to the thing but overall it really wasn't that bad. It is a huge pistol with a compensator so it soaks up a lot of the recoil. I would love to get one and pair it with a rifle that shoots the same round - something along the lines of the Marlin mentioned above...

You would do well looking at www.bravocompanyusa.com - they are almost a custom shop they have so many variations listed. Granted when you start slapping rails and collapsible stocks on an AR the price starts to go up rather rapidly. Then you realize you have all sorts of room for stuff on the rail so you end up buying optics, mounts for the optics, backup sights just in case the optics fail, then some sort of vertical foregrip to hold all that junk up, plus a light so you can see your target if it gets dark at the range... It seems like a never ending hole in which to throw your money down - but it is damn fun doing it... Seriously, Bravo Company would likely have something you're looking for. You might also look into Smith and Wesson and see if you can find a deal on them since SW offers a $100 rebate to .mil folks. You could end up with a good gun at a reasonable price. Plus you can add parts and pieces as you go... BF

Looks like FN has a .mil discount going on: • $100 back on a new FNX pistol in 9mm or 40 S&W • $125 back on a new FNP-45 pistol in 45 ACP • $200 back on a new Five-seveN® pistol • $100 back on a new SLP shotgun • $250 back on a new FNAR rifle • $300 back on a new FS2000 carbine • $150 back on a new PS90 carbine • $100 back on a new TSR XP USA bolt-action rifle Too bad the SCAR isn't on there - the local shop has two that are looking real good. My money is stashed for the LMT MWS in .308 when it is available... BF DSP FNUSA 3-23-10.pdf

Just checking in to see if anything has changed with this... The latest rumor mill gossip is that finance is looking for a way to pro rate hostile fire pay and once that happens some of us will only get the days actually in the AOR. Just wondering if there is any truth to this or if there has been some new ruling since Finance Guy last posted... BF

I thought only the BXs in Alaska had gun sections? That is great that there are more out there... Fun story - I was home in Alaska on leave and I went through the BX to see the mythical gun section. At the time I had a valid Alaska ID with an Alaskan address - but they wouldn't let me buy a gun with that identification. I needed to present orders as well. I thought that was fairly unusual since with the documents I had in hand I could go off base and buy anything I wanted. It must be an AAFES policy. BF

SW has their new rebate up... Rifles - $100 or 5 Pmags M&P semi-autos - $50 off M&P revolvers - $25 off S&W Rebate

Agreed. I'm so happy that we aren't waging a holy war against people who are waging a holy war on us. Hell, I've had an ACOG for 6+ years and I never knew it was there! Besides, all the verses quoted referred to light which is what Trijicon does better than anyone else. I read an interesting article about New Zealand getting mad over this as well. They want ALL 275 of their sights modified but can't live without them since they are the best sights of their kind! BF

I forgot CDNN does business out of Abilene - that could be dangerous to my wallet if I lived there. Not exactly the same idea as finding an FFL but I do know a guy who has nationally known trainers come to Brady, TX every year. He's got Pat Rogers coming this year for a carbine class and a pistol class. I've been to a couple classes there when I was stationed down in TX. Only 2 or 3 hours from Abilene and San Antonio. Let me know if interested. BF

The ones I've found on there have been pretty good. I've "shopped" around for a couple that have worked very well for me. I've got a good one in Del Rio, TX and Dover, DE if anyone needs their info... BF

Thanks for the picture - that does explain some of the differences! Pretty intuitive but it is good to see pictures. Without looking at it closer I think it is round - the frame basically disappears into the wood grip on the butt of the gun. Now to convince the wife getting promoted warrants a new gun - I've fooled Big Blue but no Mrs. Big Freddie... Let me know when you need assistance buying an AK or a M1A rifle - I know those better than revolvers...

Turns out the local cop shop has a SW 520 - the replacement model for the Model 19. Looks much like the 327PD without a fully lugged barrel and is built on the L size/type frame. Here's a pic: Might be exactly what I want minus a fully lugged barrel. I think I can live with that. Seems to be out of production as there is no description on the SW website. I guess that could be good and bad. I'm not a huge fan of the grip - for SW revolvers using their frame sizing system could I buy any grip for an L frame and have it fit this revolver? BF

I will... As you mentioned, all the pistols above are built on the large frame - the TR8 felt big and that might be why. There's another local dealer who has a pistol similar to the 327PD but the barrel shroud is different and I can't find a similar model on the SW website. It runs about $625ish so it is in different price range as well... BF ETA: I may end up buying a snow blower first though... Toys are much more fun than practical things...

Right now I'm leaning towards the 327PD - a nice mid-size revolver (as compared to their J frames and their hand cannons). I just want a good general purpose revolver. BF

I'll have to take a picture of my M16A4 version - it is exactly what you are describing for your build. Mine is BCM top and bottom, A1 stock, TA31 ACOG on top. Here's my current dilemma: I want a .357 revolver. I don't have a revolver so I want to go all out and get a Smith and Wesson. Here are the three I'm looking at: SW 327 Night Guard. Sweet looking home defense gun. Good sights for closer in work. Barrel is short but that's expected for this type of pistol. 27.6 ounces... The next one I'm interested in is the 327PD HiViz. Great looking pistol - the most "classic" look of the bunch I'm interested in. 4" barrel is a great compromise between barrels that are either too short or too long. I like the look of the full shrouded barrel. Good sights and it comes with a set of rubber grips if I don't want to mess the wood ones up. 27 ounces - the lightest of the three - I bet it really bucks. The 329PD is a 44 Mag version of this that weighs the same! I've handle one at the local shop and it is stupid light - I would imagine it would have a steady diet of .44 Special run through it... The last one is a "space gun" revolver in my mind. The M&P 327 R8 from the S&W Performance Center. This is essentially a custom gun that you can mount rails on top and bottom of the barrel. Add a light and a red dot sight and you have a pretty sweet but heavy gun. Granted it isn't super high capacity but 8 rounds of .357 Mag isn't something to laugh at either. I've found one locally and it is a pretty big revolver for what it is. This one weighs in at 37 ounces. Stripped down: Decked out: What do you guys think??? Spooky

The biggest question to ask is what you want to do with it? Do you want to plink? Do you want to varmint hunt and shoot really small groups? As soon as you answer that you will be on your way to knowing what gun to buy... As for standard, hard use plinking and general home-defense, the zombies are coming in waves, I really like BCM right now for ARs. They are making some great uppers and recently started making lowers. They have great attention to detail when it comes to the small things that set the top-tier AR makers apart from the hobby guns. You could put one together for minimal cost. $350 for the lower, $425 upper, $140 for BCG, $22 for charging handle, and $29 for a Magpul handguard - $966 before sights ($55 for Magpul MBUS) and mags. Here's my $.02 on the matter. Right now the Daniel Defense XV from DSG Arms with their military discount is a GREAT buy. No real hassle with buying one - their DD M4, if they get more at the same price is a better value. These would both last you a long time unless you are a very serious shooter burning through thousands of rounds every year. The DD XV is $960 out the door - all you need to do is get a .mil account and add ammo! DD XV from DSG - this probably the better gun spec wise than the BCM or Colt only for the fact it has a "cold hammer forged" barrel which is the new rage lately. From what I've read (no proof yet) is that they last longer and are slightly more accurate than a conventionally rifled barrel. Another thing to think about is possible resale. If, for some reason, you want to sell or are forced to sell, buying a Colt is a wise decision. The biggest issue here is name recognition - darn near everyone has heard of Colt and knows who they are. While BCM and Daniel Defense make guns that are arguably on par with Colt, very few people have heard of them and would likely buy a Colt first. And from what I've seen, as long as you don't buy a Colt at the peak of panic buying you will likely be able to sell it for what you paid for it. Here is a place to look for them: Clyde Armory And my last warning... ARs are addictive. Most people I know don't have just one... BF

Super easy. Sign up for a normal account, then either send a copy of your .mil ID or send an email from your .mil account. Here's a link to the instructions: DSG Arms .mil account Once you have your account they show your .mil price on everything. PMags are about $10.50, USGI aluminum w/MagPul follower are $9.50. It looks like they are sold out of the DD M4s but have the DD XV for $960. BF

I would suggest getting a .mil account over at DSG Arms and buying the Daniel Defense M4 they are selling. Typically they run about $1400 or so but with a .mil discount it is only $975. Daniel Defense was running a special where you would get a $250 gift card for their merchandise if you bought one of their rifles. Combine those two deals and even my wife would have let me buy one! BigFreddie

I just saw a post over on the CMP Forums and it looks like they've secured about 30 million more rounds of Greek M2 Ball for the Garands. Should be available early next year. I never realized Remington made Mosin/Nagants... Very interesting... BF

Thanks for the clarification Finance Guy... I was getting an intel/tactics briefing and this was the big topic. I'm glad you squared us away on it. If you get anymore info please let us know! BF Here is another somewhat related question... A friend of mine tells me there is a table within DTS that states that transient aircrew are able to claim a special exemption downrange and get $50 a day per diem at all locations. He said there is a table and this is note #4 in the table. Can you confirm or deny this? I'm trying to get the time with him to see where this mythical table is at.

I've never seen a monitored approach in the C-5 yet. The closest I came was when an AC said, "Copilot, you have the yoke" on a landing with high crosswinds. All he wanted to do was have me hold the crosswind controls and all he got was the "dog watching TV" look in return since I was so new and had never heard such a thing. Which brings up a great point already mentioned - don't do this crap at the last second without talking it over first (as a minimum) and maybe practicing in VMC. Freddy has a pretty good A/P and most folks let "George" fly the majority of their approaches (easier that way - requires box manipulation skills not "real" flying skills). Our CAT II approaches are coupled until darn near minimums - minimums not lower than 100A. Now that the newer avionics are in a large number of C-5s, the use of auto-throttles makes these approaches much easier. I think a monitored approach has its merits but is not commonly used. I haven't heard a lot of people doing these either in other airframes. I also think that if these were more common it would be beneficial but we'd also see new requirements to do them semi-annually or annually... BF ETA: And who would log which beans? Now you'd have to go and do another approach so everyone's beans would be good to go. Point is - the need to log beans sometimes drives the training we get.

You can still find it but it is more expensive at gun shows and on Gunbroker. I have only seen the Federal "special" ammo for the M1A and not the Garand yet. I do bet it will be fairly expensive and much more than the Greek stuff. I wonder about the rumored South Korean import of Garands and Carbines - I hope there would be some ammo involved as well. The Korean .30 Cal ammo was pretty decent. And for those in California - did you see the law Arnold signed about ammo - it just got a lot harder for a law abiding citizen to buy handgun ammo. BF

Great thread here... I hate to talk about this topic but it is important. As someone mentioned the AF seems to select those destined for greatness early in their careers. I've only been around the AF for 10 years and it seems as if you can get on a good track early on in your career your path is much easier. Case in point - I had a good friend in the C-5 community that was/is as bright and shiny as you can get. AMC CGO of the Year, ATA Young Airman of the Year, IP in first assignment, SOS in res 2 weeks after pinning on Capt, Intern Program dude. All this in the first 5 years of his career - all he really needs to do is stick to the straight and narrow and he'll easily make 0-5 and probably 0-6. His path is laid out for him to do great things. As young pilots you're told to become an expert on your airframe. That is expected. No one needs to really tell you that. No one really talks about doing community service and doing projects like the Christmas party or someone's change of command. I avoided that stuff like the plague and took more flying jobs because I thought that was what the AF was all about. Those who did the other stuff were rewarded with CGO awards and various other things that look good in OPRs. That stuff all helps when promotion isn't a given (0-4+). Another thing that gets me too are the guys who try to fill boxes. Sure, there is some validity in having all those things done. But don't lose sight of the fact you need to do your J-O-B everyday and do it well. If you have all your boxes filled but you suck at your daily job you will have bad OPRs and a bad PRF. Do your J-O-B and press on. I can lay out some numbers from the 08 Major's board... Board met in December. Results released in March. First people promoted in August after the last people from the 07 board finished promoting. About 2400 people were promoted and the increment is about 185. 07 had about 2100 promoted with a 170ish increment. Selects that I knew were folks who had their Master's completed. USAFA grads are not the first to commission. It is strictly on date of rank. There are 4 guys in the squadron who are promoting before me because they have a date of rank before me even though I was a USAFA grad. Granted there are about 700 or so guys right in the middle of the pack who are USAFA grads and if you're behind them you're going to wait a few months to get promoted but that's the way it goes. And the USAFA grads are arranged by order of merit. It sucks, I'm sorry but that's the way it is. I too am upset that it seems some get pushed back to commission after USAFA grads. I was involved in writing PRFs at two different bases in basically the last year. I had buddies help write my initial draft. Each level that saw it completely changed the thing. The best thing to do is go talk to your leadership a year out from your board and start getting your records straight. I have a whole simple PPT brief I put together for my squadron if anyone is interested... BF