Sunday, November 30, 2008

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

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

1911 Build: Getting Close to Test Fire


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.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

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.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

1911 Build This Week


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.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

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.
"

Friday, November 14, 2008

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.

Thursday, November 13, 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.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

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."