Gun Talk

[Timbonez]

Brick, excellent review.

[disgruntledemployee]

Brick

I've got a Taurus 24/7 but in .40. I decided upon Taurus because above the others, it felt great in my hand. The long trigger pull was easy for me. For everyone else, there is a long trigger travel (safety feature, they say), then it gets firm, pull a little more and bang. I will agree that disassembly is its biggest draw back. Not only is the pin removable, but it is easy for the slide to get stuck while pulling it off. You have to squeeze the trigger while doing it. As for shooting, I've had no problems until a few weeks ago when I was having feed problems. Now I was using a different brand of ammo (Winchester. I think) than previous, but that shouldn't matter as I practice with FMJ. The .40 rounds have a flat nose tip and they were getting stuck on the feed ramp (which is shiney chome on the Taurus), but were fixed with a little push on the slide. I did a thorough cleaning and will retry (magazines too). I've only put about 500 rounds through it, so a weak spring shouldn't see an issue.

Out

[M2]

M2, It was an XD in.40 not the M model, I'm still torn on caliber however. They have the XDM as well, but I'm looking for a carry gun at the moment.

There's nothing wrong with .40, it's the caliber of choice for many law enforcement agencies across the country and is easily and cheaply found. However, some feel it is a "compromise" round that resulted from the 10mm being too "hot" for us. I don't own one simply because I try to stick with pistol calibers that I already have (.45 and 9mm, for the most part).

They had a variety of AKs so I didn't get a chance to actually look at any in depth; everything from some freaky thumb-hole stock thing with a long barrel to a more "standard" AK with a 16" barrel, one actually had some plastic rails built into the fore-end. If I bought an AK, I'd probably end up taking it to a gun-smith to build it correctly anyways, so as long as the base receiver/barrel combo isn't junk, cost is a more important factor I think they were asking around 400 bucks....

For that price, most likely they were WASR-10s (the skeleton is a Dragunov stock, more commonly found on PSL and other DMRs). There are more things to worry about than just a canted sight, some experience mag wobble because they are imported as "sporters" (single stack, 10-round AKs) and converted by Century. Some have also been known to

Once these rifles arrive from Romania, they are disassembled and the magazine wells are machined out to accept double-stack magazines, and the requisite number of U.S.-made parts are installed for 922r compliance (usually trigger, hammer, disconnector, compensator, gas piston and pistol grip). I think Century also threads the muzzles and welds on and machines new bayonet lugs. The problem is that Century doesn't have the best reputation for its builds. Someone posted this pic on a gun forum as an example of their smithing capabilities...

But that's not to say that there aren't some good WASRs out there. Some have been lucky to get well-built ones from Century, but most have their local smith or someone with AK knowledge work them over to produce a fine-shooting rifle.

Remember these are AKs, so they'll always work; but some just work better than others!

If you can save the money, I would hold off and buy an Arsenal Saiga like the SGL-20 I picked up back in July. That thing is the best AK (and the closest thing to a true Russian AK-103, sans the folding stock) you can get these days without going to a builder and paying big bucks!

Cheers! M2

[Guest Flyinrock]

What is your idea of long range pistol effective range? Any caliber, any barrel, any combination, any range. Effective being defined as a hit on center of mass. i.e. a .22LR hitting your ear vs throat vs groin. Increase that caliber to your choice and combination of bullets/pistol.

How far can you shoot with any degree of accuracy beyond 7 yards, 25 yards, 50 yards, 100 yards, 300 yards+ with your favorite firearm and ammo?

Just stirring the pot for fun and discussion.

[Guest Flyinrock]

Ooh you stirred the pot alright...standby for remediation

ooooh Rahhh!!! <ggg> I can do 200 yard shots all day long onehanded with a 1911 45acp and make solid hits on a torso target. and if I do two handed, they shrink down to head shots. OhMyGod....let the games begin!!! I'd love to go out to the range with any of you and just have fun trading shots. No bragging until the day is done and we see who did what they said they could do. The gauntlet is tossed.....

Semper Fi

Rocky not so shy and bashful, and distinguished pistol/presidents 100

Come on lets have some fun with this. Really....

[M2]

200 yds one-handed with a 1911? I'd have to see that to believe it, and right now I'm not believing it...

By the way, I moved your thread into this one. I hope you shoot better than you search!

Cheers! M2

[Guest Flyinrock]

200 yds one-handed with a 1911? I'd have to see that to believe it, and right now I'm not believing it...

By the way, I moved your thread into this one. I hope you shoot better than you search!

Cheers! M2

M2

being an obvious new guy here, I looked and didn't see anything for long range pistol. So, its a fun thing to do and I have shot a .44Mag out to about 900 yards and lobbed consistent hits on a car sized gas tank. Learned long range shooting with non other than Elmer Keith. I'll also have to qualify the long range thing with the fact that I have shot more than one million rounds of just .45acp in competition and practice, according to records, and at least that many more of smaller calibers. Then we can move on into rifles, high power and small bore. Had Master cards in all the disciplines and a distinguished pistol badge as well as Presidents 100 at Perry.

The long range shooting is a matter of proper training and coaching (as is the case with most sports disciplines) and once you have been properly introduced to it, the mystique goes away, followed by immense pleasure at causing jaws to drop at the range when you make those "unbelievable shots" with boring regularity at ranges thought to be outside of pistol capability/accuracy.

Its a terrible shame that the military no longer spends much time or money on marksmanship and leans to the computer age and high tech ordnance.

As a Marine its easy to understand my chagrin at the lack of trigger time for the vast majority of Marines. Certainly not the way it used to be. It is apparently even more so for the other military services. So, its not surprising that my claims to long range shooting with pistol are met with a jaundiced eye. Nothing pleases me more than to coach someone to shoot better than they ever thought possible and the invite is open anyplace and anytime.

Cheers and Semper Fi

Rocky aka Ol shy & Bashful

[Timbonez]

This thread just started to smell like bullshit.

[Guest Flyinrock]

This thread just started to smell like bullshit.

What? Well, the gauntlet is tossed and you are welcome to come out and see for yourself. Handgun silhouette shooters do 500 yard shots all the time. Whats the big deal? Nearly any shooter with a pistol Master card in competition can shoot 100-200 yards one handed and do better than many with a rifle. Been proven time and again.

Not trying to be confrontational about it. Much rather be illuminating about a subject that too many shooters have been brainwashed on as far as handguns go.

Semper fi

Rocky

[M2]

This thread just started to smell like bullshit.

Well, ol' Rocky might be in SA town in the near future and we may just have to see firsthand if he's as good as he's sayin'!

I for one would be pretty damned impressed if he could hit a target of that size from that distance; but I am still skeptical until I actually see it. I know guys who have been on both Army and Air Force shooting teams and will ask them about whenever the contracting office gets their shit together and I can get back to work!

Cheers! M2

[Timbonez]

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.

[Guest Flyinrock]

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.

When I watched Elmer Keith shooting at a plate at 600 yards with his 4" SW29, I found it hard to believe too. When I began hitting that plate with my long barreled Ruger I became a believer. The shots at 900 yards were simply playing around on the Mississippi river and an experiment to see how far the .44 would reach. My brother was astounded, (and so was I) to see splashes on and around that tank sitting on a sand bar. We did a more careful measurement (he is a surveyor) and damned if it wasn't 900 yards.

As a practical matter, the pistol loses much of its effectiveness beyond 50 yards but I'm not ready for a head shot from a .45acp at any range or any other caliber?! Been there and done that with scars to make the point.

M2 - I'm sure any of the AF or Army shooters will confirm much of what I've said, and especially the MTU shooters.

Semper Fi

Rocky

[Learjetter]

...I'll also have to qualify the long range thing with the fact that I have shot more than one million rounds of just .45acp in competition and practice, according to records, and at least that many more of smaller calibers...

That's quite a claim. If a guy shot 1 million rounds of anything, 1 per second, that'd take nearly 12 days. If I had an ammo budget like that, I'd throw my paychecks away...

[Guest Flyinrock]

That's quite a claim. If a guy shot 1 million rounds of anything, 1 per second, that'd take nearly 12 days. If I had an ammo budget like that, I'd throw my paychecks away...

And, I'm a lightweight when you compare that to professional shooters who have burned more than 4 million rounds?! They are sponsored by industry but still, thats a lot of ammo. This is kind of a part of shooting that most are not exposed to and the numbers can be mindboggling. Not uncommon to shoot more than 100K in one gun and I have done it with several. My #1 gun has had more than 125K thru it without rebuild or modifications. broken firing pin one time during a match and it cost me a couple of points.

Semper Fi

Edited November 16, 2010 by Flyinrock

[Guest Sandlapper]

Anyone have any recommendations for a good hunting rifle? Specifically looking for best all-around chambering/caliber & make/model...it will be the first one I've purchased. The Remington 700 CDL looks appealing...anyone have experience with these? Thanks -

[busdriver]

Wow, talk about a loaded question....

In my humble opinion, get a 30-06. It doesn't really matter who makes it, take your pick among the big players. That caliber is probably closest to the do it all caliber in North America unless you plan on hunting brown bear in Alaska, in which case get a .338 magnum.

[Guest Flyinrock]

Anyone have any recommendations for a good hunting rifle? Specifically looking for best all-around chambering/caliber & make/model...it will be the first one I've purchased. The Remington 700 CDL looks appealing...anyone have experience with these? Thanks -

I've had my Remington 700 for 35 years in 30/06 and it still shoots better than I do. I worked as a hunting guide in the Rockies for many years and the caliber of choice leaned towards the 30/06. It is adequate for any north american game if you do your part and make proper shot placement. I have a Leupold 3x7 scope on it. Don't go cheap. When you think of the cost of a hunt, to go cheap on the delivery end of the hunt seems foolish. No idea how many animals I've dropped with one shot kills with my Remington. There are others that are as good but mine has done quite well and the prices are still reasonable. Your mileage may vary

[czecksikhs]

M2, I am just back from an OCONUS tour and have 4 years of pent-up gun buying itch. There is a Saxet show in town next weekend, do you have any vendors that frequent the show that you like/prefer? How have prices stacked up against Buds Guns/Gunbroker/Etc? I have a monster list of wants and needs to get through, but I would like to get a Mossberg 930 SPX and an AR or AK since the house feels pretty naked without any firepower.

[M2]

M2, I am just back from an OCONUS tour and have 4 years of pent-up gun buying itch. There is a Saxet show in town next weekend, do you have any vendors that frequent the show that you like/prefer? How have prices stacked up against Buds Guns/Gunbroker/Etc? I have a monster list of wants and needs to get through, but I would like to get a Mossberg 930 SPX and an AR or AK since the house feels pretty naked without any firepower.

Czech

There is a SAXET show this weekend (20-21 Nov) but it is up in Austin (Travis County Expo Center, 7311 Decker Ln, Austin, Tx. 78724, map; doors open at 0900) and the next San Antonio show won't be until 3-4 Dec (San Antonio Event Center, 8111 Meadow Leaf [Marbach & 410], San Antonio, TX, 78227, map).

There are some deals at the shows but don't expect that many. I like going just so I can see how certain guns feel in my hand, etc before buying. I do buy at the shows, and have a few vendors I frequent (General Firearms, Chernushin Enterprices, and AJC Sports); the first two are more C&R guns but have some AKs and such; AJC sports has new guns and great prices, but do volume sales). If you want an AR, I can hook ya up with a custom builder I know who will build you a better gun for about the same price.

You might also want to swing by The Powderhorn just south of the SA Event Center on 410, they have probably the best prices of any gun shops in town and a decent selection. The folks that work there are pretty nice as well. Academy Sports isn't bad, and sometimes Dick's or Sports Authority aren't bad.

As for getting a better deal through GunBroker, Bud's, J&G, etc; you might but once you factor in shipping, FFL transfer fees, etc you might be able to find something at a show or shop at about the same price. You really have to shop around, and check out TexasGunTrader.com as well.

I hope that helps, and welcome back!

Cheers! M2

[brickhistory]

Anyone have any recommendations for a good hunting rifle? Specifically looking for best all-around chambering/caliber & make/model...it will be the first one I've purchased. The Remington 700 CDL looks appealing...anyone have experience with these? Thanks -

Conditions/terrain/foliage of the area? Game being hunted?

.30-06 is a very good choice for all around work, agreed. Your Remington is a good gun with knockdown power.

Big, heavy guns to hump however.

Hunting in the South where the woods are scrubby and reasonably thick? .30-30 was a good choice for the 75-100 yards back in the day.

Shooting across the Great Plains? .243 goes a long way in a straight line.

Any more details as to what/where you want to hunt?

[Learjetter]

Anyone have any recommendations for a good hunting rifle? Specifically looking for best all-around chambering/caliber & make/model...it will be the first one I've purchased. The Remington 700 CDL looks appealing...anyone have experience with these? Thanks -

If you can only have one rifle, you may think about Thompson or SIG arms SHR 970: interchangeable barrels/bolts/mags means you can have your .300 win mag for elk or bear, or .270 for whitetail or pronghorn. Other calibers also available. SIG stopped importing the 970 in 2005, but you can still find some in various cals on gunbroker or other sites. Good luck...

[M2]

I just realized I haven't dazzle'd y'all with a few pics of my new M72, so to satisfy your needs for Yugoslav gun porn...

And for those who enjoy something shorter in their porn (?), here's my Draco with the paracord sling mod and a Chinese AK sling on it...

It works quite nice, actually!

We took both out on Saturday, talk about two completely different experiences! The M72 was a hammer, I could only imaging what it would be like shooting one on full auto. Absolute destruction.

The Draco was über badass, spitting fireballs out its short muzzle. Not very accurate at any range, but sure to get anyone on the business end digging into the dirt as it flung 7.62x39 their way! How this thing can qualify as a pistol is beyond me, there is absolutely no way to shoot it using just the grip and the thing just screams "SBR me!"

Overall, I am extremely happy with both. I wouldn't recommend anyone buying either as their first AK; but once you start collecting them (and after you've bought at least one Russian-made one), they need to be one your short list.

Next is either a M76 (expensive) or a PSL modified with better furniture (the original stock is way too short). I'm in no rush for either, as this is the time of year my gun buying goes into hibernation for the holidays. But I'm OK with that, as these last two acquisitions have ended the year on a high note, and on that bombshell...

Cheers! M2

[czecksikhs]

There are some deals at the shows but don't expect that many. I like going just so I can see how certain guns feel in my hand, etc before buying. I do buy at the shows, and have a few vendors I frequent (General Firearms, Chernushin Enterprices, and AJC Sports); the first two are more C&R guns but have some AKs and such; AJC sports has new guns and great prices, but do volume sales). If you want an AR, I can hook ya up with a custom builder I know who will build you a better gun for about the same price.

You might also want to swing by The Powderhorn just south of the SA Event Center on 410, they have probably the best prices of any gun shops in town and a decent selection. The folks that work there are pretty nice as well. Academy Sports isn't bad, and sometimes Dick's or Sports Authority aren't bad.

As for getting a better deal through GunBroker, Bud's, J&G, etc; you might but once you factor in shipping, FFL transfer fees, etc you might be able to find something at a show or shop at about the same price. You really have to shop around, and check out TexasGunTrader.com as well.

Thanks for the info M2. I am down in Corpus and there is a Saxet show 27-28 Nov just north in Robstown. You mentioned earlier in the thread a shop near here you bought a pair of 1911s from, you have any gouge on that shop? So far, most of the gun stores here in Corpus have been pretty disappointing. The next time I run to SAT, I'll check the Powderhorn.

[M2]

Thanks for the info M2. I am down in Corpus and there is a Saxet show 27-28 Nov just north in Robstown. You mentioned earlier in the thread a shop near here you bought a pair of 1911s from, you have any gouge on that shop? So far, most of the gun stores here in Corpus have been pretty disappointing. The next time I run to SAT, I'll check the Powderhorn.

D'oh, here I was thinking you were in SA!

Some vendors go to all of the shows, but I think most concentrate on ones closer to where the are; so it's tough to say who will be at the Robstown show.

The place I bought three of my 1911s from was AJC Sports in Clute (723 S Main St #A); but that's 3.5 hrs north of you. Heck, it's only 2.5 hrs to SA! But they may be at the Robstown show, Alan usually has a dozen or so tables at the SA SAXET show and does considerable business as he has good prices. That's where I bought my SGL-20 back in July. If there's something specific you are looking for, try contacting the shop beforehand as that is what I did when I was looking for my Springfield Black Stainless Target Loaded a few years back. He just brought it to the show for me to pick up, worked out great.

Cheers! M2

[HeloDude]

Question for you AR-15 type guys (M2!!)...what's a good (fair) price for a S&W M&P15 LE? One of the local places here in ABQ will offer us military folks the law enforcement price and that goes for around $950--and with the current S&W military rebate of $100 off their rifles, $850 doesn't sound like a bad deal. Thoughts?

Also, the same place is selling their M&P40c for the law enforcement/military price of $460, plus I can get the S&W $50 rebate on top of that...and the shop will also give 2 free range visits, so in the end, it's looking like a $380 value (plus tax). Planning on getting that one this afternoon!

I love getting new good guns!