Obama's "Clean Coal"

I guess Obama's still got a few million dollars left over from the presidential campaign. I just saw him in another commercial, pushing "Clean Coal" energy.

Remember when the tree huggers were bitching about acid rain? Yeah, that was from coal. I guess they must have forgotten. May be related to the long bong hits at Berkley.

The EPA, certainly not the most conservative government agency, has already said that there's no such thing as "Clean Coal," and that emissions from coal power plants contain more CO2 than emissions from all the cars and trucks in the country.

I'm not trying to demonize coal, or electricity. I'm just trying to point out more left-wing propaganda.

Bush got beaten in media for 8 years for his ties to the oil industry. I guess Obama gets a free pass for pimping coal.

This Is Reality Web Site - Myths of "Clean Coal"
The Clean Web Site - More radical environmental website, but has information on "Clean Coal."

1911 Build: It Works!!

1911 Build Index

I fit the bolt-on plunger tube from EGW, and carved out the left grip panel to fit over it. The firing pin stop has been fit to the slide, trimmed to fit under the Wilson adjustable sight, and radiused. After that, the pistol was complete, except for drilling and tapping the slide for the rear sight adjustment screw.

I took it out and shot a box of hardball through it. I had a few stoppages, but I think that’s mostly because it’s still a little tight and the paint that I sprayed on the slide to keep it from rusting was flaking off and jamming up the works. It's also possible that the recoil spring hadn't taken a set yet.

Loaded rounds are not ejecting. I think it’s because the EGW extended ejector is about a half inch or more longer than the military issue part, but I’ll check with the gurus first.

The barrel lugs don't appear to be battered. Firing pin strikes on the primers are only about a thirty-second off center, I don't see any primer flow, and the brass isn't getting beat up.

4th Generation Glocks Coming

I saw a picture of the 4th Generation Glock 22 at the Pistol-Training.com Blog.

The pistol has curved slide serrations, and different grip texturing, but that seems to be about all. Not very exciting, but maybe interesting to a few of you.

Cook County Gun Control Ordinance Poll

The latest from the Yahoo! GunVote Group. It only takes a minute, maybe two. I think I only selected option "1" once.

"Gun poll in Cook County, IL, Right NOW in CHICAGO:

To justify passage of gun control ordinances designed to close all gun
shops, then ban and confiscate the guns owned by citizens of Cook
county Illinois, the County Board is conducting a telephone poll.

Here is how to voice your opposition to this infringement on the
rights of Chicagoland residents:

Call 1-312-603-6400 and select Option #1 when prompted.

At the next prompt, select Option #1 again. [there's a bunch of
status on other matters before they get to this prompt]

Then, when prompted to vote on the gun control ordinance, press #2.

Call! Because the rights we fight for are the ones we keep. You should
also forward this alert on to all your gun owning friends and have
them vote too. You should also post this alert to any and all Internet
bulletin boards or blogs to which you belong.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A RESIDENT OF COOK COUNTY TO VOTE!

(This was taken from http://ridenshoot.blogspot.com/)"

1911 Build: EGW Order Came In!

1911 Build Index

I got the last two parts that I need to finish the 1911. The order that I placed October 11th finally came in. The one that got lost, I waited, asked about, asked about, and asked about, got reshipped on Tuesday and came today, via UPS this time. Sigh.

Thanksgiving and hunting season (that's what the machinist at EGW said) delayed the reshipment.

As soon as I get the plunger tube and firing pin stop fitted, I can test-fire.

Free NRA Membership From Guns/Handgunner Magazines

If you subscribe to Guns or American Handgunner online, they'll give you a one-year membership to the NRA for free!

For what it's worth, these are two of the best gun rags available, in my opinion.

Ruger Mini-14 20-Round Mags. . . and On Sale

I've reported on it a couple times now, Ruger is allowing 20-round magazines to be sold to regular civilians now.

Ruger is actually offering a special deal on the magazines. If you buy through their online store, you can get them for $29.95 (marked down $10 from the regular price) until January 20, 2009.

Details at the official Ruger website.

Buy Aimpoint at Midway to Help NRA

Midway is donating $100 to the NRA Institute for Legislative Action every time someone buys an Aimpoint CompM4, which is the new M68 Combat Optic of the U.S. armed forces.

Midway is offering a special price on the scopes and the package includes a quick-release spacer, Killflash (a honeycomb filter to hide reflections from the muzzle end and helps to prevent glare from the shooter's perspective), and rubber lens covers.

Deal ends December 31, 2008.

For more details, visit http://www.nraila.org/aimpoint

1911 Build: Getting Close to Test Fire

1911 Build Index

No, I'm not going to leave the front sight like that. I just haven't gotten around to reshaping it yet.

I've got the barrel to where it locks up. I still need to tap the back of the slide the last little bit, but I'll put some hardball through it before filing any more. If it's still tight after a couple boxes of ammo, then I'll file again.

The rear of the slide matches up almost perfectly with the rear of the frame rails. I can delay blending the two together for a while.

The EGW extended, oversize ejector is fitted to the frame, but sticks out the back of the slide, and needs blending.

Still don't have the bolt-on plunger tube or oversize firing pin stop from EGW. I'll e-mail them again about the order shortly.

To Do List:
Blend and tune ejector
Adjust overtravel and pretravel stops
Fit firing pin stop
Drill and tap frame for plunger tube
Drill and tap slide for rear sight screw
Drill hole in slide for front sight roll pin
Blend rear of frame rails/slide/ejector
Paint or blue frame, grip safety, slide stop, thumb safety
Shape front sight
Serrate rear of front and rear sights
Match slide stop (angular edges) to thumb safety (rounded edges)
Install and tune extractor
Test and tune
Cut the funky lip off the bottom of the grip frontstrap

That's about all that I can think of for now.

Next time I post, I'll fill you in on all the parts I've used, and maybe a picture of all the tools.

An Example of "The Slippery Slope"

Article 1
Article 2

I heard this story on a (mostly) conservative, New Jersey talk radio station.

A 10-year-old boy brings a yellow toy gun in to school. The vice principal takes the toy away, and hauls him into the office. The police were brought into the situation, who then involved New Jersey government.

From Article 1:
"The plastic toy did not contain pellets that would cause harm if fired, he said.

"A variety store on Main Avenue and Washington Place was selling the guns, he said, and police contacted the state to test-fire them.

"The toys were not found to fire dangerous pellets, Capuana said."

Why does this bother me?

Probably the first complaint about kids and toy guns and BB guns were that they were dangerous. At some point, some child removed the rubber suction cup from a plastic dart, and shot their little sister in the eye with it. So toy guns are made more safe. The darts or pellets are now made completely from a rubbery material, and they go about 5 feet before hitting the ground. Short of really tampering with them, they are safe.

Next, there are complaints that the toy guns look too real. You need to put something red or orange at the muzzle end. The toy companies obliged.

After that, the complaints still kept coming in. The toy guns still look too real. Make them clear, make them yellow or orange; anything but black, brown, camouflage, or olive green. This happened around the early 90's I guess. I was still a boy, and I was pretty pissed.

Still, there are complaints. They can't make toy guns that look like real guns anymore. They make the toy guns look like the cheesy prop laser guns from 60s sci-fi movies.

Are they happy yet? No, they are not. Some poor 10-year-old boy brings in a toy pistol that doesn't look real, and they're still making a huge deal out of it.

From Article 2:
"Police say the boy has never been in trouble before and most likely will be recommended to attend a violence awareness program."

I'm sure they called in a parent to the school, and at least kept the boy out of school until the state had determined that the toy gun was not dangerous. But he's not out of the woods yet. Even though he's never been in trouble for anything before, violent or otherwise, he's got to go through some anger management class. You know damn well the other kids at school are going to tease him about this until he goes off to college.

Why is all this about toy guns such a big deal to me? It's a good example of the "slippery slope" argument made against gun control. This particular case just happens to be about toy gun control.


One of the first steps in this country was to impose a $200 (this is in 1934, remember) government tax on automatic firearms, "short barreled" rifles and shotguns, "any other weapons" (which would be stuff like pen guns, pistols that are made to look like cigarette lighters, and such), and sound suppressors (commonly and erroneously called "silencers").

Somebody decided that Americans were no longer to be trusted with carrying concealed pistols, and many states, until fairly recently, jumped on the bandwagon (or banwagon, if you will) and made laws against carrying concealed firearms.

Then, president Clinton, and attorney general Janet Reno, and a bunch of left-wingers in the house and senate came up with a crime bill that banned normal law-abiding American citizens from buying or assembling firearms that had more than two of the following:
an ammunition magazine holding more than ten rounds
a vertical pistol grip
a folding or telescoping stock
a bayonet lug
a "flash hider," and/or a threaded muzzle that would accept a "flash hider" or sound suppressor (which would also function as a "flash hider," by nature of their design)

Firearms that have three or more of these features, or were named specifically in the law were determined not to be of sporting use and off limits. Nevermind that these firearms are used in CDP and DCM competitions. By some twisted logic, use of these firearms in sporting events doesn't make them sporting firearms.

There was an expiration date on that ban. When that expiration date came around there was a Republican in the White House, and enough people with sense in Congress. Now. . . not so much.


The gun banners are constantly coming up with new and unique reasons to ban firearms. Ban them if they don't stamp a microscopic serial number on the primer. Ban them if they don't have fingerprint scanners that turn them on. Ban them if they don't have warning labels with letters 1/2" high engraved all over them. Ban them if they don't have "Obama is the Messiah," in day-glow orange printed prominently on the barrel. Some, at least when in the company of like-minded people, still admit to wanting to ban handguns, or all guns.

The point to all this rambling mess is that these idiots need to be stopped before we are all sent to government camps for "reeducation."

Write to your congressmen and/or congresswomen and tell them to stop the insanity. They may well be liberal democrats at this point, and will likely round file it as soon as they get the gist, but eventually, they'll get enough letters that they'll start to get worried about getting elected the next time.


Ugh! I need a stiff drink.

1911 Build This Week

1911 Build Index

I haven't posted any updates on the build recently, because I was practicing for the championship match at a local club. Turned out to be a bit of a disaster for me, because I hadn't anticipated a bullseye stage. But I digress. . .

Picture's not great, but there will be more to follow in the future.

I dumped the Falcon Ergo grips. The grip texture is nice, but the panels don’t come far enough forward for my taste. I picked up a set of Pachmayer Signature GM-45 grips. I wasn’t thrilled about the idea of rubber grips, but they feel right and aren’t as tacky (as in sticky, not unfashionable) as the Hogue rubber grips, allowing some grip readjustment. The only small issue with the Signature grips is that they really aren’t made for pistols with magwells, as the bottom of the grip panels are tapered. I will probably cut off the lip at the bottom of the frontstrap too, because it doesn’t allow you to get a grip on the magazine basepad or baseplate if there’s a double feed and you need to rip out the magazine.

The grip safety is 100% finished now, I think. The left side of the thumb safety has been cut to match the curve of the grip safety.

EGW is going to resend my order on Monday. USPS put up a fight on the lost package claim.

I did get the dovetail file from Midway, so I got the Wilson Bo-Mar type sight installed on the slide the day after I took the picture. Either the sight's dovetail was too large, or the cut in the slide was too shallow. Either way it took quite a while to get it to fit. I'm pretty sure the Wilson sight is hardened steel, as it put up a fight. The Yost Bonitz front sight that was supposed to fit according to Midway, had a dovetail that was way too large to fit the cut in the STI slide, so I spent a couple hours filing it to fit the slide. I still have to shape it, and then file it to the right height eventually.

Got some Dykem for fitting the barrel in the same order as the dovetail file, so I can get working on that too.

Sig Offers Free Light, Holster, Mag Pouch, and Mag

"THIS DEAL IS HOT!

From now through December 31, 2008, get FREE SIG SAUER accessories worth more than $200.00 when you purchase any SIG SAUER Classic* or 1911 pistol.

Simply send your sales receipt and a copy of your 4473 along with your name, address, email and phone number and we will send you a SIG SAUER Tactical Light, SIG SAUER Dual Retention Holster, SIG SAUER double magazine pouch and an extra magazine.

Hurry, offer good through December 31st 2008 or while supplies last.

Remit to:
SIG SAUER, INC.
18 Industrial Drive
Exeter, NH 03833
Attn: HOT DEAL

*Classic pistol includes any: P220, P226, P229, P239. Click here to visit our website."

Brownell's Free Shipping Offer

Use code "CB5" (that's a number five, not an s) when placing an order of more than $200 of merchandise to get free shipping. Offer expires December 1, 2008.

Links

1911s
1911Forums
1911 Patriot C.O.P. Class - Online correspondence course. Build a 1911 carry gun.
Alan Eldridge's 1911 Build
Blindhogg's Gunsmithing Site - Good Stuff!
M1911.org - Tons of useful information, forums, blueprints, etc.
Hilton Yam's Technical Information - User's Guide, Choosing a 1911 for Duty Use, Parts and Mods, Magazines, Reliability
So You Want To Buy a 1911? A Basic Primer - Archangel's Blog

Airsoft
Airsoft Forum
Airsoft Retreat - News, forum, and more.
Arnie's Airsoft - Currently the best place to get news that I know of. The Forum is one of the biggest in English.

Ammo
Ammo Oracle - Information on military and civilian 5.56mm
Georgia Arms - Gold Dot ammo manufactured from new components, for much less than the Speer factory ammo.
Outdoor Marksman - Source for Miwall remanufactured ammo, as well as lots of other shooting stuff.

AR15s
224,ooo Rounds In 12 Days - Carbine class after action report
Ammo Oracle - Information on military and civilian 5.56mm
AR15.com Ammo Reviews
CMMG lies through their teeth. . . allegedly
Day in the life of a BM [Bushmaster] LE dealer
DIY Bolt Carrier Key Staking
Keep It Running - SWAT Magazine article by Pat Rogers on maintenance and lubrication of the AR-15
Larry Vickers on Lubrication
AR15 Lube Points
Maxicon AR-15 Scope Mount Article
So You Want To Buy An AR-15, Huh? - A primer on picking out an AR-15
What Parts Break In A Carbine Course - AR-15.com forum sticky, with commentary from Pat Rogers

Blogs
The Firearm Blog
Three Percenters
John Farnham's Quips
Mas Ayoob
PistolTraining

Competition
GSSF - Glock Shooting Sports Foundation
IDPA - International Defense Pistol Association - A little more realistic to those that want to practice self defense scenarios with normal carry guns and gear.
IPSC - International Practical Shooting Confederation - Fun, but usually unrealistic courses of fire. Divisions for race guns as well as stock pistols.
USPSA - United States Practical Shooting Association - U.S. branch of IPSC. The rules are a little different.

Glocks
25 Cent Trigger Job - and how to detail strip a Glock with pictures
Brian Enos Glock Technical Forum
Carver Scope Mounts - Probably the best source for Glock frame mounts. Online store has about everything you need for a Glock race gun.
Custom Glock Racing - Source for Heinie Race cut sights and other Glock race parts.
GlockTalk - Everything you wanted to know about Glocks, and way more.
GlockWorx - Source for all kinds of parts for Glock race guns, including a fully adjustable aluminum trigger.
How To Make A Glock Not Suck - Archangel's Blog - I don't like 3.5 connectors in otherwise stock pistols, but it's a decent article otherwise.
OMB Express - Glock Parts on the cheap.
Lone Wolf Distributors - Source for aftermarket stainless steel Glock slides, including some not offered by Glock. One of few sources for Taylor Seattle Slug Plugs.
Natchez Shooter's Supply - Usually a good place to get new Glock mags (and ammo, and lots of other stuff) at a good price.
SJC Custom - Glocksmith and supplier of race gun parts.
Taylor Freelance - Maker of mag extensions for Limited and Open Glocks, and the Seattle Slug Plugs.
Vanek Custom - Glock trigger kits. Check the links for details and picture of his Open gun package. I'm using his trigger bar and springs in my race gun.

Misc.
Righteous Warrior Temple - Slightly tongue in cheek. Some interesting articles on the site.
U.S. Military Field Manuals
PhotoBucket - Free online image hosting. Used for some pictures on this website. Has not been letting me upload recently

Other Polymer Pistols
M&P 50,000 round test - The pistol was sent strait from S&W, not pulled off a shelf, FWIW
Taylor Freelance - Source for M&P magazine extensions.
XD Talk Forum

Right To Keep And Bear Arms
40 Reasons For Gun Control - humorous, from Kentucky Coalition to Carry Concealed
National Rifle Association
Second Amendment Foundation

Shopping
Brownells - #1 source for gunsmithing tools. They also have a huge selection of gun parts and accessories. There is a library of gunsmithing articles on the website. Prices are generally good, but not great.
Chris' Winning Shooting Accessories (C.P.W.S.A.) - Grip tape, race gun parts
Midway USA - Just about everything you could possibly want. Prices are very good, if not the best.
Natchez Shooter's Supply - Good prices on ammo and other shooting stuff.
Outdoor Marksman - Source for Miwall remanufactured ammo, as well as lots of other shooting stuff.
Shooter's Connection - Holsters, very wide selection of 1911 and race gun parts. My only complaint is that the website doesn't tell you if the parts are in stock or not, so you don't know until after you put in the order. Okay, not the only complaint, the web store doesn't tell you the shipping prices. Shipping prices are a bit high, and you don't find out what they charge until you get the invoice with the order.

Ruger LCP Safety Recall

Link to recall information on Ruger Web Site

Once again, a new Ruger pistol being recalled for not being [totally] drop safe.

"Ruger has recently received a small number of reports from the field indicating that LCP pistols can discharge when dropped onto a hard surface with a round in the chamber. We are firmly committed to safety and would like to retrofit all older LCP Pistols.

"All LCP pistols bearing prefix “370” (that is, serial number 370-xxxxx) may be affected.

"We will install the new hammer mechanism, plus some other functional upgrades that we added since the LCP’s introduction, and return your LCP to you, all FREE of charge. When we do, we also will send you a FREE magazine with the new finger grip extension as a “thank you” for your patience and cooperation. We will make every effort to return your pistol within one week of receipt."

Lone Wolf To Produce Aftermarket Glock Frames

Link to Thread at GlockTalk

Lone Wolf has prototyped their own frame to take Glock parts. Their frame will have interchangable grips, a provision for an internal laser, a rounded trigger guard, and an extended beavertail.

JR, the owner, says that he's shooting for a price under $200, which sounds reasonable to me, considering that Glock frames are really not available a la carte at any price.

I really have no use for such a creature, but it may be an interesting option to some, providing that it works better than the metal aftermarket frames, which seem to need gunsmithing to work properly.

I suspect that it will probably be a year or more before one is available for sale. The flyer says "Available February 2009, but I've been waiting for them to release the G34/G35 length 10mm slides for something like 10 months now. Unless they've been secretly working on these frame for quite a while, I wouldn't bet on them being for sale as soon as February.

Taurus Rebates: $75 off PT1911, $50 off 24/7 OSS

Link to rebate on Taurus Website (It's a PDF file)

Rebate expires December 31, 2008.

I've seen the PT1911s for $499 at gun shows. $425 would be a helluva deal, even if you need to replace the thumb safety and extractor at some point down the line.

Question is, will you be able to find one for sale, now?

1911 Build Weekend Update II

1911 Build Index

My Build Is Cursed
My order from EGW was lost in the mail. Tracking number says it was delivered to Chester, PA. Nobody is sure why. The guys at EGW will try sending the order again, but didn't say when. I hope they're not going to stall until they get a refund from USPS, I haven't got forever to wait.

I had ordered an EGW .45ACP firing pin from Shooter's Connection, not knowing that the slide I ordered was cut for .38Super/9mm firing pins. I sent that back First Class Mail for an exchange, and USPS lost that too.

This Week's Progress
The bottom side of the beavertail is about 99% finished. Just needs a little bit of sanding.

10/25/08
With the slide just out of battery, I didn't have the minimum 0.01" clearance between the upper lugs of the barrel and the slide. I sanded down the barrel bed of the frame so that the feeler gage fit with a minimum of drag. Fortunately, the lower lug is now coming into contact with the vertical impact surface of the frame.

Bodily Damage Tally - 2
I got my first blister hammering the slide on and off the frame. At some point, during the process of sanding either the dowel to 0.7", or lowering the barrel bed, I raised another blister.

1911 Build Weekend Update

1911 Build Index

I've decided to only post updates on weekends from now on. Now that I have pretty much all the parts I need, I can make progress whenever I find some time for it. Posting daily, or at least several times a week would create too much clutter.

10/11/08 Progress Cutting 0.25" Radius on Frame For Grip Safety
Time - About 3 Hours (while watching TV, as usual)

Before and After Comparison Picture

Pen Pointing to Where Tangs Need to be Blended Under the Grip Safety

Pen Pointing to Where Tangs Need to be Blended on Top Side of the Grip Safety. The grip safety is held out farther than it would be if the mainspring housing were containing it to exaggerate the misalignment for photo purposes.

Although I was tempted to pull out the Dremel, I did it all by hand with files with a lot of the frame covered in masking tape. The grip safety hasn't been made functional at this point. I was just happy that I got the safety to fit, and without needing to get more metal welded or silver soldered onto the tangs of the frame.

I fit the trigger a week before. Seems like a pretty simple thing to do, but it took me about 3 hours. Getting the trigger shoe to fit tight enough not to wiggle, but loose enough to move freely requires a lot of filing, painting the part with Sharpie ink, and trial fitting. I'll post a picture of the trigger fitted into the slide when I have a reason to post a picture of the frame assembled again.

10/17/08 Current Status
Still working on fitting the slide. I've gotten it to go all the way back, but it's still very tight. Every time I hammer it back on it gets a little bit easier. Progress is slow on fitting the slide, because hammering it on and off the frame is noisy and I don't want to wake anyone up. The time I have to work on the pistol during the morning hours is about a 45 minute window, and I don't always get to spend it working on the pistol.

I am making some progress on blending the grip safety, but there's still a lot of filing left to do, and sanding after that.

I've got to load up some ammo this weekend, so I'm not sure how much I'll get done.

The bolt-on plunger tube and oversize firing pin stop that I ordered from EGW should be coming in the mail Saturday or Monday. I've got to drill and tap the frame for the plunger tube, and inlet the grips to clear the mounting flange. The firing pin stop will probably have to be filed to fit into the slide, the top will have to be cut down to make room for the rear sight (hint), and the right side of the stop will need to be radiused for the extractor to pivot (hint).

10/18/08 Finished Fitting the Slide
I did just a little more hammering, a little more filing. After banging the slide back and forth with the lapping compound on the rails, I was able to move the slide by hand for the first time! Before I knew it the slide was sliding off the frame with only a little help from gravity.

The underside of the beavertail is about 90% blended. A little bit of sanding, and it would be better than most factory jobs, but I'm going to do some more detail work, and then start on the topside.

I guess I better hurry up and buy some longer links. I'm getting close to having a functional pistol!

Updates, 1911 Build Progress

1911 Build Index

I've been going through posts and updating them, cross-referencing posts, adding links, and trying to make the site easier to navigate. I've gone through about 75 of 115 posts.

1911 Build
I'm working on fitting the slide to the Caspian frame, wearing out a plastic deadblow hammer in the process. You'll get a look at the slide when I'm finished. I put in an order with EGW for the last of the parts I need to finish the pistol. Well, not quite. I'll need a longer barrel link to get the timing right, the barrel is hitting the top of the frame without the barrel's lower lug hitting the vertical impact surface of the frame.

Picked Up The Caspian 1911 Frame

1911 Build Index

Tuesday I went to the gun shop, to ask what was going on. It had been over 2 months since the owner told me that he would order the frame. He called Caspian, and they said the frame had shipped the 26^th. I said “okay,” and left. A couple hours later, just as I’m going in to work, my cell phone rings. It’s the guy from the gun shop. My frame came in.

What are the odds, that I wait 2 months, and it shows up less than 2 hours after I leave the shop?

This is what my life is like, folks.

So I picked up the frame yesterday. I had a little time to look it over and fondle it. I screwed on the buttons for chopping the frame for the beavertail. I think the grip safety will fit properly after I file the tips of the frame tangs down. I hope I don’t end up with this situation.

The humble beginnings. Yeah, I'm really building a pistol from a bare frame.

The Caspian Basic frame has an undercut trigger guard, and a modestly beveled mag well. I was hoping it wouldn't have a mag bevel, because I'll be using a magazine funnel, and the bevel won't look right until I get a milling machine or have a gunsmith blend the mag funnel.

After work, I put on every part that I could fit, without grinding or filing anything.

The undercut trigger guard can be seen in these pictures pretty well. This allows the middle finger to get a higher hold on the pistol frame. Coupled with the Chip McCormick high-ride beavertail grip safety, it will allow a very high grip for controlling recoil.

The trigger's not in the pictures because I need to file it before it will fit into the slot. The grip safety needs pretty extensive fitting, and isn't pictured. The plunger tube isn't fitted, because I haven't ordered it from EGW yet. The grip screw bushings were only loosely snugged to the frame, no red LocTite or staking yet.

Everything else fit pretty painlessly. Getting the sear, disconnector, and sear pin fitted into the frame properly is a pain in the butt though. I'll not be removing those parts any more than absolutely necessary.

I was pretty set on painting the frame black, until I'm satisfied with all the parts, the mag funnel is blended in, the fronstrap is checkered, and I'm sure that I'm not going to mess with it any further. Later, I would get it E-Treated or Melonite treated.

Seeing the parts assembled on the raw, grey, carbon steel frame, I'm thinking that I might have to change that plan and paint it grey. I dunno. Paint is cheap, fairly easy to apply, and comes off easy with chemical paint stripper, so it's not a real big deal either way.

Hogdon HS-6/Winchester 540 Smokeless Powder

I've been loading 9mm with HS-6 for a little while. Although it burns slower, requiring more powder to get the same velocity, it is pretty similar to Hogdon's TiteGroup powder, which I've been using for a couple years, and something like six thousands rounds.

I like it enough that I think I'll stop using Alliant Blue Dot powder when the jar runs empty. HS-6 is popular among USPSA open class shooters for loading 9mm Major loads, while Blue Dot was given up on years ago, because there were some KaBooms.

HS-6 and Winchester 540 powders are the same.

Book Review: Sugical Speed Shooting

Surgical Speed Shooting, By Andy Stanford

For a little more money, you can get the 5th or 6th Edition of Combat Handgunnery, which has most of the same basic shooting information, plus a lot of good information on choosing a pistol, ammo, holsters, etc.

It's not a BAD book, and it's priced pretty well, but it can't compete with Matt Burkett's Practical Shooting Manual or Brian Enos' Practical Shooting: Beyond Fundamentals. The book covers basic combat pistol shooting. It doesn't cover things like proper trigger reset, shooting around cover, and other more advanced techniques. It lacks a lot of the detail found in the Burkett and Enos books.

There are a few little things that I picked up from the book to try out, and the methods described in the books work well for me (it took me thousands of rounds and many hours of practice to find what works), as well as many others.

Poll: PBS Asks If Palin is Qualified

Link To PBS Poll

"Do you think Sarah Palin is qualified to serve as Vice President of the United States?"

Please vote "Yes." Although I'm not sure that it will help all that much in the grand scheme of things, I really really really don't want Obama/Biden to win in November.

Midway Coupon for September

"To receive your $20 off:
1. Place $300 or more of in-stock products in your shopping cart. Enter Promotion Code WEB30098 in the box entitled 'Promotion Code' on the Shopping Cart page.
2. You will see the discount on the Confirmation page before placing your order.
3. Remember, this promotion code is valid for orders placed on MidwayUSA.com.
4. Limited to one per customer and one promotion code per retail order.
5. Hurry, offer ends at 11:59 PM CT September 21, 2008."

Glocks With Factory Thumb Safety

DYou may have heard of a special run of Glock pistols that came from the factory with thumb safeties. Just stumbled upon pictures of them on GlockFAQ.com.

Link to pictures and short description on GlockFAQ.com

EDIT: Looks like GlockFAQ has folded. Crap. Pistols were made for a government agency with a thumb safety similar to the ones you'd find on some Smith & Wesson M&P pistols. I can't seem to find details or pictures anywhere else now.

EDIT AGAIN: Updated the link. The site may only have been down temporarily. Pistols were made for the Tasmanian Police force. I saved the pictures to my hard drive, just in case.

Newer Glock model with manual safety. This one for the Brits.

10/24/09 EDIT: Story of the Portugese Glocks on The Firearm Blog.

SNAFU: NRA Cancelled My Membership

Just got off the phone with the NRA. I wan't getting my America's 1st Freedom magazine subscription. Turns out that they had canceled my membership because I hadn't made a payment.

Duh! I paid in full for a Lifetime Membership two years ago, hoping it would help keep the upcoming election from being a complete disaster. It didn't seem to help.

Should be straightened out shortly.

Added Pictures To A Couple Reviews

Picture of my Kahr PM9 added to Short Kahr PM9 Review.

Picture of my racegun with the J.P. mag funnel added to JP Glock Mag Funnel Review.

I should take pictures of the business end of the funnel someday.

Miwall .45ACP 230gr TMJ Reloaded Ammo Review

The ammo is made with mixed brass, and is packed loose in the 30-caliber ammocan as shown in the picture on the Outdoor Marksman website.

The one cartridge that stuck in the barrel of my Glock was a bit unnerving, but it fired okay once I got it all the way in the chamber, and the brass extracted fine. No problems with the other 499 rounds. Accuracy is on par with Winchester white box and Remington UMC.

I would buy this ammo again if I hadn't gotten into reloading myself.

Reviews

Airguns
Benjamin Sheridan Marauder Pre-Charged Pneumatic Rifle
Benjamin Sheridan Marauder PCP Rifle, Part 2
Marui Airsoft Blow-Back Glock 17

AKs
Ok, No More AK Recoil Buffers For Me
TWS Gen.II AK Scope Mount
Ultimak AK Gas Tube Scope Mount

Ammo
Miwall .45ACP 230gr TMJ Reloaded Ammo
Miwall 9mm 115gr Reloaded Ammo
More Tula .223Rem Fail
TulAmmo .223Rem Fail

AR-15
Endine AR-Restor Carbine Hydraulic Buffer
Lancer L5 AR-15 Magazine - Thumbs Down
Magpul Art of the Tactical Carbine I DVDs
Midwest Industries T12 Free-Float Handguard
Palmetto State Armory Pigsticker Compensator
PSA Pigsticker and Rainier XTC Comp Update
Troy Battlemag

Books
Combat Handgunnery, ed. 5 & 6
Competition Shooting Books and DVDs
- Practical Shooting: Beyond Fundamentals
- Burkett Videos 1-3
- Burkett Video 4
- Burkett Practical Shooting Manual
- Thinking Practical Shooting
- Refinement and Repetition
- Principles of Performance
- Perfect Practice
Green Eyes and Black Rifles
Steven Hunter's Point Of Impact
Surgical Speed Shooting
The Glock In Competition

Firearms
Bushmaster ACR Review, Part 1
Bushmaster ACR Review, Part 2
Bushmaster ACR Review, Part 3
Colt Official Police Revolver
Kel-Tec P-3AT .380ACP Pistol
Quick Bushmaster ACR Update
Ruger LCP .380ACP Pocket Pistol
Short Kahr PM9 Review
Smith & Wesson M&P9
Bought A Smith & Wesson M&P 9 Pro
XD40 Service Model

Holsters
Crossbreed Holster Finally Broke
Crossbreed Super-Tuck Part 2
Crossbreed Super-Tuck Part 3
Crossbreed Super-Tuck Part 4
Desantis Nemesis Pocket Holster
Fobus Roto Paddle Holster
Good, Inexpensive Kydex Mag Pouches
Some Random Concealment Holster Reviews
- IWB Carry In General
- Uncle Mike's Nylon Clip-On IWB
- SideArmor Kydex IWB
- Fist Leather #19A IWB
- Gould & Goodrich Leather Belt Holster
- Glock Sport/Combat Holster
- Crossbreed Super-Tuck Part 1
- Uncle Mike's Nylon Pocket Holster
- Galco Ultimate Second Amendment (USA) IWB holster
Uncle Mike's Kydex Belt Holster w/Thumb-Break
Uncle Mike's Kydex Paddle Holster
Weapon Lights and Related Holsters

Optics
Carver Hunter Scope Mount For Glock
Lone Wolf and Burris FastFire Mini Red Dot Sights
Millet DMS-1 1-4x Scope
Primary Arms Red Dot Sights
Tasco PDP2 Red Dot Scope
TWS Gen.II AK Scope Mount
Ultimak AK Gas Tube Scope Mount

Magazines
Lancer L5 AR-15 Magazine - Thumbs Down
Magazine Update: Korean Glock and AR-15
Troy Battlemag

Miscellaneous
1911s for Duty. Eeek!
Cerakote After 4 Weeks
Lauer Durabake Paint
Like AC/DC? Check Out Airborne!
Marui Airsoft Blow-Back Glock 17
Movie Review: El Mariachi
Safety: Eyes and Ears

Parts And Accessories
Advantage Arms Full-Size Glock .22lr Conversion
JP Glock Magazine Funnel
Lancer L5 AR-15 Magazine - Thumbs Down
LPA Adjustable Glock Sight Set
Lone Wolf 3.5 Pound Connector
Ok, No More AK Recoil Buffers For Me
Palmetto State Armory Pigsticker Compensator
PSA Pigsticker and Rainier XTC Comp Update
Scherer Plastic Slug Plug
Streamlight TLR-1 Weapons Light
Weapon Lights and Related Holsters

Reloading
Alliant Blue Dot Powder
Cabela's/Berry's Tumbler
Hogdon HS-6/Winchester 540 Powder
Hodgdon TiteGroup Powder
Hodgdon TiteGroup Powder Update
Lee Auto Prime Hand Priming Tool
Lee Carbide Die Set
Lee Pacesetter .223Rem Dies

RIS/RAS Picatinny Accessories
Midwest Industries MCTAR-08HD Front Sling Swivel
TangoDown QD Vertical Foregrip
Vltor Scout Light Mount
Yankee Hill Lightweight Free Float Handguard
Yankee Hill QDS Folding Front Sight

Articles

1911 Build
1911 Barrel, Minus 1/3 Rifling - 2.04" Group at 35 Yards
1911 Build Has Started, I Guess
Snag
Frame Ordered
Picked Up The Caspian Frame
1911 Build Progress
1911 Build Weekend Update
1911 Build Weekend Update II
1911 Build This Week
1911 Build: Getting Close To Test Fire
1911 Build: EGW Order Came In
1911 Build: It Works!!
1911 Build: Parts List
1911 Build: Adjustable Sight Installed

Ammo
How Much Ammo Is Too Much?
More Tula .223Rem Fail
Running Steel-Cased Ammo in an AR-15
TulAmmo .223Rem Fail

AKs
Attero Arms AK Mount - $75, Co-Witness With Micro Red Dot
DefCAD - 3D Printable AK-47 Magazine
Easy and Cheap DIY AK Safety Mod
Tapco AK G2 Trigger Recall

AR-15
"Crane" Extractor O-Rings - $9/100
Crosman MAR177 AR-15 PCP Pellet Rifle
AR15.com Forum - Magazine Torture Test
AR-15 5.45mm Magazine Guide - for AK-74 surplus ammo
AR-15 Lowers - What's the difference between them? Who makes them?
AR-15 Lube Points
AR-15 Magazines - What's good? What's bad? Magazine loaders and followers.
Magazine Update; Korean Glock and AR-15
More Magpul AR-15 Lowers In The Works?
Not All AR Parts ARe Created Equal
PMag Coupler = 50 or 60 Round AR-15 Magazine
Reflections on SBR Laws and AR Pron
Running Steel-Cased Ammo in an AR-15
Safir Arms .410 Bore AR-15 Shotgun Upper
Semi-semiautomatic AR-15
Tuning 5.45mm AR-15 Magazines

Competition
I Won!  Sort of. . .
Minor Loads for Competition
New IDPA Rulebook in the Works
Stop Plates and Pact Mk.IV Timer
Woo Hoo!  2nd Place in Action Match With Irons.

Concealed Carry
Custom Pocket Holster
How Much Ammo is "Too Much"
John Farnham on "Convenient Fallacy"
I Don't Carry a Gun. . .
Making Kydex Holsters
My Crossbreed Holster Finally Broke
Pennsylvania Attorney General Closes "Florida Loophole"

Coupons and Deals
Free NRA Membership From Guns/Handgunner Magazines
Midway Coupon Codes

Customer Service
Thank You Precision Reflex, Inc. (PRI)

"Evil Black Rifles"
Alex Robinson Comments Re: XCR Rifles & Customer Service
Associated Press, M4 Carbine Replacements Videos
Another Ruger Black Rifle - SR22 Rifle
Best. . . Para TTR. . . Article. . . Ever 8P
Bushmaster ACR Reviews on AR15.com
Bushmaster Dropped A Bomb At The SHOT Show
Civilian ACR/Masada Coming Soon?
Cleaning Mags That Don't Disassemble
Converting SKS rifles to take AK-47 Magazines
Couple More From Forgotten Weapons
HERA Arms Glock Stock/Carbine Conversion
How to Make Home-Made Bump-Fire Stock
Kel-Tec SU-16/SU-22 Pistol Grip and AR Stock Adapter
Lancer L5 AR-15 Mags. Thumbs Down
Low-Power Variable Scope Vs. Red Dot
Make Your Own Tactical Sling for $10 (Or Less)
My Feinstein Ban, "Oh Shit!" Emergency Letter
New Kel-Tec .308Win RFB Bullpup Rifle
New Steyr AUGs Available
Remington Rimfire Black Rifle: 597 VTR
Report On Military FN SCAR Rifles
Saiga Pistol Grip Conversion: Saiga 12 Shotgun
Thureon Defense 9mm Carbine
Worst. Gun. Review. Ever.

Glocks
.50G.I. Conversion for Glock 20/21
2010 Glock Annual Magazine Is Out
Broken Glock Locking Block Story
Glocks and Unsupported Chambers - 9mm and .45ACP vs. 40S&W
Glock Maritime Spring Cups & Underwater Ballistics
Glocks With Factory Thumb Safety
HERA Arms Glock Stock/Carbine Conversion
Lone Wolf to Produce Aftermarket Polymer Glock Frames
Lone Wolf Glock Frame Available. . . Finally
Magazine Update; Korean Glock and AR-15
The Opposite of No-Glare
Rumor - Glocks With Adjustable Grips
Some Glock Trigger Pull Weights
Why The Fuss About Plastic Pistols?

Gun Cleaning/Maintenance
AR-15 Lube Points
Cleaning Mags That Don't Disassemble
Cleaning, My Way
Lubricants For Firearms

Gunsmithing
1911 Build Index
AGI Video: (Really) Excessive Headspace
AGI Video: The Savage Accu-Trigger
Easy and Cheap DIY AK Safety Mod
FAL Last-Round-Bolt-Hold-Open Mod
Converting SKS Rifles To Take AK-47 Magazines
How To Make a Magazine Lip Tool
Ruger 10/22 Tuning and Mods
Saiga Pistol Grip Conversion: Saiga 12 Shotgun
The Opposite of No-Glare
Tuning 5.45mm AR-15 Magazines
VLTOR CASV-EL Handguards on a Kel-Tec PLR-16

How-To/DIY
Custom Pocket Holster
DIY Shoot-N-See Type Targets
Follow Up On Custom Pocket Holster
Making Kydex Holsters
VLTOR CASV-EL Handguards on a Kel-Tec PLR-16

Miscellaneous
Admiral Mas Ayoob?
Ares 22RCU - Ruger Mk.I, Mk.II, Mk.III, 22/45 Carbine Conversion
Bar-Sto Is Moving Out Of Commifornia
Bought a Smith & Wesson M&P 9 Pro
Brownells To Help American Cancer Society
Cheaper Than Dirt! Buy-A-Gun Feature
Great Jeff Cooper Quote: "The Rifle is a Weapon."
Handgun Drills
How Much Ammo Is Too Much?
I Don't Carry A Gun. . .
Jack Weaver Passed Away
Madison Rising - Check Them Out!!
Random Silliness: Designer Guns
Sights for Defense Pistols
Some Gun Porn
Stop Plates and Pact Mk.IV Timer
The Good and Bad of the Last Few Months
V8 Powered Bar Stool
Virtual Arsenal On Mythbusters

Music
fxhummel1 Biblical Self-Defense Song
Madison Rising - Check Them Out!!

NFA (National Firearms Act - Machineguns, SBR, SBS, AOW)
Couple More From Forgotten Weapons
Nobody's Going After THEIR Guns?! (Gangster Gun Pr0n)
Reflections on SBR Laws and AR Pron

New Guns And Gear
.223 Remington to .22 Pellet Conversion
.50G.I. Conversion for Glock 20/21
Archangel G36 Conversion Kit for 10/22
Archangel Sparta - Mini 14/30 Stock
Attero Arms AK Mount - $75, Co-Witness With Micro Red Dot
Charter Arms Rimless Revolvers (CARR)
Chiappia Rhino 4" Revolver - Damn That's Ugly!!
Crosman MAR177 AR-15 PCP Pellet Rifle
Eagle Grips Kirinite Grips
Excel Arms X-22R Rifle And X-22P Pistol
Galco KingTuk IWB Holster
Heinie Sights for New Kahrs Coming!
Hoppe's No.9 Air Freshener
IMI Magal Carbine
Israeli Pistol Named After Obama. . . !?
Kahr Mini-380 Coming Soon
Kel-Tec SU-16/SU-22 Pistol Grip and AR Stock Adapter
Lancer L5 AR-15 Mags. Thumbs Down.
Lone Wolf to Produce Aftermarket Polymer Glock Frames
Lone Wolf Glock Frame Available. . . Finally
New Chinese SMGs and 2 5.8mm Pistols
New GSG-5 Rimfires
New Winchester AutoComp Smokeless Powder
New Mini-14s with 20-Round Magazines
New Steyr AUGs Available
More on Mini-14 20-Round Mags from Ruger
Mossberg's Lightning Bolt Action Trigger - AccuTrigger Knock-Off
Pistol and "Bullet" Ice Cube Trays
PMag Coupler = 50 or 60 Round AR-15 Magazine
Promag/Archangel 10/22 Target Stock
Remington Rimfire Black Rifle: 597 VTR
Report On Military FN SCAR Rifles
Rumor - Glocks With Adjustable Grips
Safir Arms .410 Bore AR-15 Shotgun Upper
Skymall, Repurposed Ammo Cans, $110
Springfield Armory XD M-Factor
Some Cool SKS Stuff
Some New Firearms - 4/16/09, a new Bren Ten, semi-auto shotguns, black rifle stuff
Tapco U.S.-Made SKS Bolt
Taurus TCP - Another Micro .380ACP Pocket Pistol
Thureon Defense 9mm Carbine
U.S. M9A1 Pistol
Gas Blow-back M4 Carbine from WA (AirSoft)
Zombie Targets

Optics
Attero Arms AK Mount - $75, Co-Witness With Micro Red Dot
Finally Replaced Aimpoint Battery
Low-Power Variable Scope Vs. Red Dot
Scope Adjust Program for TI Graphing Calculator

Politics
Ammo Shortage.  Here We Go Again.
Obama's "Clean Coal"

Recalls
ALS .50BMG Upper Safety Notice and Recall
Beretta Neos Recall
Bushmaster ACR Recall
Colt 1911 Pistol Recall
EAA Witness Safety Recall
Knight Revolution and Revolution II Rifle Recall
Remington .17HMR and 597 HMR Rifle Recall
Ruger LCP Pistol Safety Recall
Ruger SR9 Pistol Safety Recall
SIG P238 Pistol Recall
Smith & Wesson 22A Pistol Recall
Smith & Wesson I-Bolt Rifle Recall
Smith & Wesson Model 329 Safety Recall
Smith & Wesson Performance Center 460 Safety Recall
Smith & Wesson PPK Recall
Winchester Ranger .223Rem Ammo Recall
Tapco AK G2 Trigger Recall
Zel Custom Tactilite T1 .50BMG Upper Recall

Reloading/Handloading
AGI Video: (Really) Excessive Headspace
9mm Luger 124gr +P Gold Dot Replica Load
Minor Loads For Competition
Some Pet Loads

RKBA Advocasy
2007 FBI Crime Report
40 Reasons For Gun Control - Sarcasm
An Example Of The Slippery Slope
Another Child Expelled For Toy Gun In School
Anti-Gun Hypocrite Pulls Gun on Burglary Suspect
April 19th: Day Of The Shot Heard 'Round The World
BOHICA!  New Import Ban?
Boy Defends Mom With BB Gun
Buy Aimpoint At Midway To Help NRA
Confiscation Letters, The Gun Confiscation Squad, and a Poem
Crime Rate Still On The Decline - CCRKBA.org
Current Status Of Gun Ownership In Washington, D.C. - 4/1/2010
DefCAD - 3D Printable AK-47 Magazine
Free Book on Gun Rights/Self Defense
Free One-Year NRA Memberships
Free NRA Membership From Guns/Handgunner Magazines
fxhummel1 Biblical Self-Defense Song
Gun Buybacks Don't Work?
Gun Control Explained Video
"Guns In America," TV Editorial (National Geographic Channel)
Hawaii Passed Gun Owner Protection Laws?!
Holder and the Fast And Furious Memos
Holder Knew About Fast And Furious In March?
Hubert Humphrey (Liberal) On The 2nd Amendment
Illinois Carry Ban Ruled Unconstitutional
Jim And Sarah Brady Living In Delaware
John Connor Comments On D.C. Vs. Heller Decision
John Farnman on "Convenient Fantasy"
Illinois Will Get Concealed Carry, But. . .
Madison Rising - Check Them Out!!
Major Faux Pas From Mayor Bloomberg and MAIG
Mandatory Reading
Man Uses Pistol For Protection In National Park
Martha Stewart's Daughter Granted Handgun Permit In NYC
Mass Shootings in Israeli Schools?  Um, no.
More Guns, Less Crime In Washington, D.C. in 2009
Murder Free Month In Miami, FL
My Feinstein Ban, "Oh Shit!" Emergency Letter
"New" PA Governor Signs "Castle Doctrine" Bill into Law
Nobody's Going After THEIR Guns?! (Gangster Gun Pr0n)
Obama's Appointee for BATFE Director *IMPORTANT*
On Disarming Citizens, Back In 1764
On the Radio, for About 25 Seconds
Open Letter to Elected Officials
Pennsylvania Attorney General Closes "Florida Loophole"
Poll, RE: Stanton Heights Shooting (Pittsburg Post Gazette)
Pulpless.com Gunclock - Counter of defensive gun use, and RKBA information
Reflections on SBR Laws and AR Pron
Remember The L.A. Riots? Many Seem To Have Forgotten
Shooting Rampage In England, Bobbies Unarmed And Helpless To Stop It!!!
Sigh. Pocket Knife Ban In The Works?
Still Confusion Over Zimmerman Trial
St. Louis Alderman Advocates Armed Self-Defense
Try to Keep Calm, People
Use GoodSearch, Money Goes to NRA
Wal-Mart Videotaping Gun Purchasers

Shooting
Minisniping/Rimfire Tactical Match
Paper For Sighting In
Tiger McKee - Dry Firing May Induce Bad Habits

Shotguns
Safir Arms .410 Bore AR-15 Shotgun Upper
Saiga Pistol Grip Conversion: Saiga 12 Shotgun

Television
Shooting RKBA Shows On Spike
Shooting Shows Back on NBC Sports Channel
Virtual Arsenal On Mythbusters

YouTube
Couple More From Forgotten Weapons
Forgotten Weapons YouTube Channel
fxhummel1 Biblical Self-Defense Song
Gun Control Explained Video
Gun Channels on YouTube

Zombies
Zombie Defense Bug Out Gun