A Rant From the Gun Nut

Anyone else out there into single action revolvers? I just got the bug. Well, I got the bug a few years ago. I got the money recently. I'd like a Blackhawk in .45 Colt with a big, cheesy leather rig-- but not because I want to dress up like a cowboy and enter a contest under the pseudonym of "Buckshot Houghton". Single action revolvers look stupid in sleek, modern, plastic holsters. And here we find the source of my rant:

Why isn't there a club for normal folks who just enjoy shooting a single action revolver? I used to shoot IDPA matches as a teenager. I borrowed a Browning Hi-Power from a friend's mom, and held my own against fat old men with 1911s in .45ACP. Of course, I got beaten soundly by men who could've been my grandfather. Men who could reload a S&W 625 faster than I could reload my borrowed Hi-Power. I don't want to take a single action Blackhawk to an IDPA or IPSC revolver class match. There'd be no point. The scoring is based on speed and accuracy. Well, a Blackhawk is really only good at one of those. Reloading anything with a loading gate is next to impossible to do quickly. In short, all I could do is shoot "fun" class matches. My score would be utterly useless, and there'd be no competition.

I don't want to shoot my Blackhawk in competition THAT bad....

My other choice is no better: Dress up like a cowboy and get beaten by fat old men dressed like cowboys. The kind of men who won't listen to Roy Orbison because he's "too new wave-ish". If I'm going to be beaten in a pistol match (which is the most likely outcome), I'd rather not be wearing a silly costume while I get beat by a fat old man in an equally silly costume. Isn't there a club out there for people like me? Honest, hard-working young men who want to enjoy a simpler kind of shooting, not to mention some friendly competition--without playing dress up at the same time?

Before I receive literally a handful of irate e-mails from SASS members, please hear me out. Your pastime is just fine. Dressing up is not for me. If you enjoy it, by all means, go for it. I am only lamenting that SASS is the only club where a Blackhawk wouldn't get smoked by the competition. I want to compete, but I'd rather not dress up while I do so.

Self Defense on a Budget

The P89

I went out shooting with a friend of a friend who let me shoot his Ruger P89 9mm. What shocked me is that he claimed he bought it second hand for $250! After a little research, I found the darn things for just over $380 new. Ruger lists this particular model as "discontinued", but they can still be had new for cheap, and second hand for a song. Even better, they shoot straight and have a reputation for anvil-like reliability.

I've shot the P-90 .45ACP a few times, and put a number of rounds through the P98 9mm. Both were DA/SA triggers with a decocker safety. The DA pull was heavy, but smooth. Not bad, and certainly more than I expected in a "cheap" autoloader. The SA pull had a long take-up (like a two-stage trigger) but broke light and clean. Both were accurate. I shot the 9mm at 30 yards and kept all 10 rounds in about 6" standing unsupported. Pretty respectable, and I was clearly the limiting factor in the "test".

The KP345

So what? Well, Ruger pistols are built like tanks. Sure, they're a little clunky, and if you're tall and skinny like me, they're hard to conceal. However, if you want a defensive piece, or just a fun "full size" plinker but don't have much cash, you should look at the Ruger P-series. They can be had in 9mm, 40 S&W, and 45ACP. Even newer models like the KP345 can be had for about $450 new. No need to sacrifice quality to save money.

A lot of folks who are new to shooting tend to go cheap on their first purchase or two. Fine, if you're getting a range toy. Not fine if you're going to stake your life on it. I've been asked a lot lately what pistol a guy can get into for not much money. I can recommend the Ruger P-series with a clean conscience. If you're lookin' but strapped for cash, look no further.

Shooting the Mosin Nagant 91/30

Some of you may recall that I picked up an Izhevsk arsenal Mosin Nagant 91/30. Well, I had a chance to put some Bulgarian surplus ammo through it a couple of weekends ago, and with good effect. Quite good, in fact.

I hung up a target on that tree and fired from 50 yards. Mostly from standing, a few prone, and a few kneeling. My wife also shot it and enjoyed it. 31 rounds later, the tree gave in. Fun Fact: those Bulgarian steel core rounds will penetrate an awful lot without destabilizing (steel doesn't expand like lead will. It only changes shape if hit by something awfully hard.)

I picked up a few pointers about handling the rifle and made some useful observations.
First, it takes about twenty rounds fired quickly to heat this thing up. And it gets HOT. However, if you leave the bolt open and set it aside for about five minutes, it's cool enough to shoot again.

Second, It takes a heavy hand to manipulate the bolt. Mine was a little sticky because there was some cosmoline in the chamber, but I've since cleaned most of it out. Even when clean, it takes a distinct effort to operate the bolt. Don't be afraid to do so.

Third, this thing is really easy to use with big, bulky gloves on. It gets cold in Russia, and the designers obviously had that in mind when they made it. The controls are big and clunky. Not a good recipe for a precision rifle, but plenty for a deer-snuffer or defeating the NAZIs.

The Mosin-Nagant was built to last, period. It is not as refined as a contemporary Mauser, and can't hold a candle to modern bolt actions for accuracy and slickness of the action. However, my rifle is 64 years old and works fine. I'd guess that in 64 more years it will still work fine. It is nothing but wood, iron, and testosterone.

To tell a dirty little secret, this is the most fun gun I own. And I have a lot of cool stuff. Part of it is that this rifle cost $107 after tax. 770 rounds bought online cost me about $120 shipped to my door. It is a medium bore rifle that I can afford to shoot!

M&P 9 Compact: Micro-Ergonomics

I picked up an M&P 9 Compact a couple of days ago as a carry piece. I am still waiting to take the class, but figured I might as well be familiar with my carry piece by the time I get to qualify.

Here are the specs as they appear on S&W's website:

Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 12+1
Barrel Length: 3.5"
Front Sight: Steel Ramp Dovetail Mount (Tritium Sights Optional)
Rear Sight: Steel Novak® Lo-Mount Carry (Tritium Sights Optional)
Trigger Pull: 6.5 lbs.
Trigger Travel: Rest to Fire .300 in.
Trigger Reset: Approx. .140 in.
Frame: Compact
Finish: Slide and Barrel Black Melonite®, 68 HRc
Overall Length: 6.7"
Material: Zytel Polymer Frame, Stainless Steel Barrel/Slide and Structural Components
Weight Empty (No Mag): 21.7 oz.
Overall Height: 4.3"
Width: 1.2"

I put 100 rounds of Winchester White Box 115gr FMJ's through it today. No hiccups at all, and I didn't expect any from shooting just 100 rounds. The pistol came with two 12 round magazines-one has a finger rest, and the other has a flat bottom which requires me to curl my pinky underneath. My wife's hand fits fine with the flat-bottomed magazine. The grip feels terribly good, especially for such a small pistol.

The sights are a three-dot setup, with the front blade nice and narrow. The dot up front is noticably smaller than the other two, and I like it. I prefer Glock's "ball-in-a-bucket" sights, but the S&W's are fine. We only shot 7 to 15 yards, so my accuracy tests aren't exactly strenuous. Either way, my wife put the whole magazine in a 2.5 inch group from 10 yards. I shot a little worse. Sorry, no pictures today, but I promise I will put one up when I out shoot the wife. (Actually, I left my camera home and trashed the targets before I could take pictures.) In any case, this little pistol will shoot better groups than I can. It is VERY accurate and surprisingly easy to control. Micro-pistols can be obnoxious, but this one is very dossile and pleasant to shoot.

A friend had the service sized M&P 9mm at the range today. The difference in accuracy from 7-15 yards was negligable. If we chucked both up in a Ransom rest, I bet we wouldn't see a difference until 25 yards. Both pistols fit together very tightly, and were very, very nice to shoot. Truth be told, it would be very hard for me to buy a Glock over an M&P--and I love my Glock 17. The M&P's are just generally "nicer".

The only downside to this pistol is that it is hard to disassemble. Inside, it looks a lot like an XD, but the trigger is nicer. The trigger pull is a little heavy, but I bet it smooths out with some use. It breaks cleanly and is still easy to shoot. Also, while this is a small pistol, it is a little too big for pocket carry. However, it is ideal for inside-the-waistband carry. The M&P compact is very easy to conceal.

The bottom line: if you want a compact pistol, look no further than the M&P 9C.

*Note: For those of you stalwarts who refuse to carry a 9mm, the M&P compact also comes in 40 S&W.

Why I Carry A Gun

I don't carry a gun to kill people.
I carry a gun to keep from being killed.

I don't carry a gun to scare people.
I carry a gun because sometimes this world can be a scary place.

I don't carry a gun because I'm paranoid.
I carry a gun because there are real threats in the world.

I don't carry a gun because I'm evil.
I carry a gun because I have lived long enough to see the evil in the world.

I don't carry a gun because I hate the government.
I carry a gun because I understand the limitations of government.

I don't carry a gun because I'm angry.
I carry a gun so that I don't have to spend the rest of my life hating myself for failing to be prepared.

I don't carry a gun because I want to shoot someone.
I carry a gun because I want to die at a ripe old age in my bed, and not on a sidewalk somewhere tomorrow afternoon.

I don't carry a gun because I'm a cowboy.
I carry a gun because, when I die and go to heaven, I want to be a
cowboy.

I don't carry a gun to make me feel like a man.
I carry a gun because men know how to take care of themselves and the ones they love.

I don't carry a gun because I feel inadequate.
I carry a gun because unarmed and facing three armed thugs, I am inadequate.

I don't carry a gun because I love it.
I carry a gun because I love life and the people who make it meaningful to me.

Police Protection is an oxymoron. Free citizens must protect themselves.
Police do not protect you from crime, they usually just investigate the crime after it happens and then call someone in to clean up the mess.

..author unknown (but obviously brilliant)

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I didn't write this. I stole it from www.thefiringline.com---my personal favorite gun talk board.