Tag: Guns and such

My favorite toy

Gratuitous Gun Pic: S&W Mod 19-3 Combat Magnum (.357 Mag)

Gratuitous Gun Pics

Smith & Wesson have made several excellent revolvers over the many years of the company’s existence;  in fact, they’ve made so many that the blizzard of differently-numbered models is bewildering, especially to an Older Man Of Little Brain And Much Confusion like myself.

Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t look on any specific model with a jaundiced eye, oh no.  Rather, we should regard each of them with extreme pleasure… and which brings us to this particular model, the 19 (from Merchant Of Death Steve Barnett) — which many regard as one of the very best:

I guess the only question to be asked is:  “Would this be an acceptable gun for the Governor’s BBQ party?”

My answer would be:  “Of course it would.  It’s absolutely gorgeous.”

My own taste would run instead to the blued 6″ version (because blue is less show-offy, and the 6″ barrel handles the .357’s recoil better than the shorter 4″):


…but it wouldn’t matter, because it’s still the same damn fine revolver.

And yes, I know:  the K-framed Mod 19 may not stand up to heavy shooting of the .357 Magnum cartridge, the N-frame (model 27) being perhaps better-manufactured for that purpose.

But honestly — and I say this as an owner of a K-frame Model 65 in the same chambering — exactly how much intensive .357 Mag shooting can one handle before there’s an aching wrist in the picture?

I just think the K-frame revolvers fit better in my hand than the beefier Ns;  and that is one of my major criteria in buying a handgun, any handgun.  And for those of an historical bent, it should be pointed out that S&W has been making their K-frame revolvers since the late 19th century.

Discuss.

Different Boolets

The Gun Thing

Look, I’m not some hotshot competitive shooter — never was — but I have to tell you, this has never happened to me:

I’m not nearly so particular about my magazines and ammunition after an event as I am during it. Checking the magazines on my 9mm competition pistol was proof of that.

I keep the guns immaculately clean and assiduously oiled. When I unloaded the magazines, I realized another problem waiting to happen. Instead of being filled with match-grade competition ammunition, I found it loaded with rounds from three different manufacturers in two different bullet weights. That’s NOT a recipe for consistency.

Really?  I shoot quite a bit, and I also shoot several types of ammo — of whatever caliber except my carry .45 ACP, which has been pretty much unchanged for about two years.  But all the other stuff?  I’m all over the place when it comes to ammo choices;  but I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve stepped up to the line with disparate ammo in my magazines.  In fact, the only time I’ve ever loaded different types of ammo into a mag (or cylinder, for that matter) is when I’m doing a literal comparison between two different weights or brands, and that’s a conscious action.  And when I’m done with comparing, you’d better believe that the magazine is empty.

When it’s time to reload to prepare for the next session (after spraying Ballistol then compressed air into the mag to clean out the gunk), it’s one bullet type/weight and one only.  This kinda shit?

Not gonna happen.  That’s just sloppy.

Gawd knows I’m no paragon of virtue when it comes to shooting.  But when it comes to my ammo, my discipline is ironclad.  I might not know exactly what ammo I’m shooting (especially when shooting ,22 LR), but you can bet money that the ammo will be consistent within the magazine.  Even if I’m just plinking at cans and such.

Total Agreement

The Gun Thing

This guy has produced a Top 20 Best Guns Ever Made video (delivered in a no-frills, dry-as-dust format), and it’s probably one of the first such made that I have absolutely no disagreement with, at least for the first dozen.

Basically, he’s included “popularity” as one of his criteria (hence the inclusion of the Glock), and that’s fine;  when you end up making millions and millions of a particular gun, it’s hard to argue with his reasoning.

Hell, I don’t even argue much with his ranking — if indeed it is a ranking and not just a list — and my only quibble is that he’s included both the Winchester 94 and Marlin 336 lever rifles, and as far as I’m concerned, that’s really just a double entry of pretty much the same gun.

And yes, he’s only talking about cartridge-firing guns, and repeaters (e.g. no single-shot ones like Sharps rifles).

But those are just minor quibbles.  I found myself nodding along all the way through.  And I agree with leaving the Colt Python off the list.

You may all pick your jaws up off the floor.

Inescapable Comparison

Beauty, Drive Time, Gratuitous Gun Pics

“Oh good grief, here’s Kim grinding on about old stuff again.”

Yeah, guilty as charged.

Watch Jay Leno’s glorious love affair with his 1940 Lagonda 4.5-liter V12.  His is a direct, faithful copy of the cars which were taken straight off the street and raced at Le Mans in 1939 — and placed 3rd and 4th, the very first time they were entered.

After watching that, tell me you don’t want to smack him over the head and take his car.  And if you feel a little intimidated by the size and manual strength needed to drive the thing, you need to take some double-strength manly pills.  Me, I’d do it all in a flash.

Now watch Henry Chan shooting what is, to me, the firearm’s equivalent of that Lagonda:  the Mauser K98 bolt-action rifle.  (For background, here’s Ian McCollum.)

Same idea, same technique, same principle for both:  outstanding performance, infallible reliability and guaranteed to put a smile on your face every time you take it out for a spin.

Like the one on Jay’s face.

I need to get back out to TDSA and shoot my K98, because I want to get that same smile.  (And I use a rubber recoil pad, just like old hickok45 does.)

I don’t have a Lagonda, though.  Bummer.

Fiddling Before Firing

The Gun Thing

Here’s something I’ve noticed recently during my ahem occasional visits to the range.

A guy will come in with a gun bag containing an AR-15, take the gun out and then spend a few minutes fiddling with the thing — adjusting the scope (most commonly), tightening screws and so on, all before getting down to business.  I’m not talking about loading up, although it’s beyond me why someone would arrive at the range with unloaded mags and then spend a few precious (and expensive) minutes pushing cartridges into the mag when he should be shooting.

I don’t know if I’ve ever taken more than a minute, tops, between arrival at the bay and the first shot sent on its way.

I’m also not talking about guys who have arrived specifically to zero in a scope, or test something, by the way.  I know the difference between that and a shooting session.

But one of the things I want to practice most is how long (or little time) it takes me to get going.  And if I’m practicing with my carry gun, that first round is on its way in seconds, not minutes.

A couple of weeks ago, a guy showed up with a pistol bag.  He sent his target out to 10 yards, opened the bag, took out his gun (Glock) and started shooting.  No buggering around at all.  He fired off four mags, checked his (very acceptable) grouping, put his gun away and left.  Total time taken:  about 20 minutes.  Perfect.

My sessions take a tad longer, but that’s only because I typically shoot off more than sixty rounds, and have to change mags more often.

One other thing I’ve become aware of is how often people’s guns seem to be breaking down — once again, I’m not talking about a simple failure-to-feed, but something that requires getting the screwdriver out.  (Nobody is immune to a breakdown, of course;  I documented my own experience with my S&W Mod 65 a little while ago.)  But other than that occasion, I would have to really search my memory to remember when last something like that happened to me at the range.

Nowadays?  Guys let three or four rounds go, then down goes the gun and out come the tools.

This is one of the reasons why I like my guns simple:  they have to work without any fuss or tinkering, right out of the bag or holster.  Anything less, and I lose confidence in the thing and start thinking about a replacement.

So I’m seeing people coming to the range, but very little actual shooting practice seems to be taking place.

Has anyone else noticed this?

Quote Of The Day

QOTD

From Kurt Schlichter:

There’s a term for when there’s at least one gun for every single citizen. That term is “a good start.”

But we own nowhere near enough guns. In fact, the bare minimum number of firearms for an individual is three: a solid handgun, a solid shotgun, and a modern combat rifle.

Hear, hear.

Noticeably missing from his (and my) list is something that shoots rimfire cartridges because, as any fule kno, a .22 (rifle or pistol) is a household appliance and not a firearm.  Ditto rimfire cartridges, which are not “bullets” but a household commodity like flour, sugar or salt.

Anyway, by Kurt’s estimation, there should be over a billion more serious guns extant in civilian hands — and that doesn’t mean ten million heavily-armed assholes (like me) who need a crane to move their guns safe(s) from one house to another.

It means, in essence, a rifle behind every blade of grass or (if I may be so bold) a Nation of Riflemen.

Preach the gospel, O my Readers.  Encourage those poor unenlightened souls into the Way Of The Gun.

And just in case anyone has doubts about what we’re really talking about here, this is as good an explanation as any.

And my shameful admission:  I still do not own a solid shotgun;  in fact, I don’t own a shotgun at all.  I need to sell or trade one of my (ahem) few rifles or handguns… trouble is, I’m down to the bare essentials in that regard.  What to do, what to do?