Monday, January 04, 2010

Random gun stuff.

  • Some very informative articles on various aspects of the 1911 over at 10-8 Performance. Well worth the read.
  • You know what bugs me? Serious fighting pistols with high-dollar price tags that have obviously never been used for anything but holding down the carpet on the gun safe shelf. Colt Gunsites and Les Baer Thunder Ranch Specials that have obviously never been to Gunsite or Thunder Ranch; HK USP Tacticals with the "Hostile Environment Finish" that have never been exposed to an environment more hostile than the trip from the car trunk to the indoor range. With guns like these, "Not a scratch on it!" is something of which to be ashamed, not to brag on. I hereby resolve to call these "Minnie Pearl Guns" from now on.
  • Pat Rogers has been speaking highly of the ARC magazines from Tango Down. I ordered one out of curiosity and as soon as the ground thaws some, I'll try and take it out to the range and be mean to it to see what happens.

25 comments:

  1. My Thunder Ranch Special has been to Gunsite. Heresy?

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  2. You mean there's guns for $1.98?

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  3. I refuse to own a gun I won't use. I don't abuse them as a general rule, but I won't own a safe queen. The double has been rained and snowed on.

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  4. One of the many inpressive moments observed during Bride's Thunder Ranch course last September; Clint, rather than take a chance of possibly flagging anyone (I don't think he would have but ... he did make a good point) laid his VERY NICE engraved Baer (think it was one of the Baer's) on the gravel at the range.
    That pistol is obviously NOT a "hangar queen", engraved or not ...
    I might get my Orange-Gunsite worked 1911 back from my Dad (loaned it when GrandDad's 1911 broke) in time for our TR class next fall. Probably should use the XD anyway since that's what Bride will be using

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  5. I don't get it either. My last 1911 cost me around a months pay, but it sure as hell looks like it gets used regularly. I see a carry gun that looks pristine and I have the same reaction as do when I see the tools someone owns looking spotless and scratch free..."Want me to show you how to use that?"

    I can understand keeping it like that if you bought it as a collection piece, but not as a gun to be used.

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  6. I had to google "Minnie Pearl".

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  7. She was in Duran Duran. They were big in the '60s. :p

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  8. A guy I knew once bought a brand new pickup truck, and the first thing he did when he got home was take a screwdriver and put a long scratch in the cargo bed.

    "Just to get it over with", he said.

    I can see how, after spending all that money for new top of the line stuff, people might have a problem getting it messy. My solution is to buy used, costs less and they're already broken in.

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  9. I stand to inherit a couple of sequentially numbered Model 29's with presentation cases. Those will be my only 'safe-queens'...after a couple hundred rounds.

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  10. I prefer to look for used, well carried pistols. One I lusted for and was out-bid, was a 1960's light-weight, .45acp Colt Commander. It had obvious holster wear and stag grips. Reportedly, it was from the estate of a retire Texas Ranger.

    Now, that's a pistol!

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  11. Maybe you can explain why I can't scuff my Glock 19 with a file but my "custom" 1911 shows scratches if it is stareed at for too long.

    Gerry

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  12. "Maybe you can explain why I can't scuff my Glock 19 with a file but my "custom" 1911 shows scratches if it is stareed at for too long."

    You don't use your G19 enough and you bought a froofy safe queen 1911.

    Next question? ;)

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  13. Mommy make her stop!!!

    LOL

    Gerry

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  14. If you want to scratch your Glock's finish you'll need a diamond file. The guys from Lone Wolf, wouldn't let me borrow their file, but did let me (and about 100 others) fire a full auto G17. The NFA part that allowed that was a serial-numbered slide end cover.

    WV: ringy

    Bobbi working on that "shop" phone again?

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  15. Sometimes I feel bad about how beat up my USP Tacticooool is. Then I shrug, put some more rounds through it and toss it in the truck. It's been my carry piece for the last 5 years.

    Of course, I void the warrantee of every new car I get within a week or so as well.

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  16. Sam,
    "If you want to scratch your Glock's finish you'll need a diamond file."

    Yes, but to wear it down to a blotchy gray with shiny edges, all you need to do is use it.

    "The guys from Lone Wolf, wouldn't let me borrow their file, but did let me (and about 100 others) fire a full auto G17. The NFA part that allowed that was a serial-numbered slide end cover."

    I never fired Lone Wolf's buzzgun, but I shot both ours often enough; bot the 9mm and the 10mm. The G20 with Da Switch is quite an experience. :D

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  17. I wrote a little something about Minnie Pearl-type holster rigs about 5 years ago, on THR.

    You can still see the pics, if you click on the attachements on the bottom.

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  18. Tam said: "I ordered one out of curiosity and as soon as the ground thaws some, I'll try and take it out to the range and be mean to it to see what happens."

    Wouldn't it be meaner to be mean to the mag before the ground thaws some? ;)

    Combine one ARC mag with ammo, single digit high temps and granular ice. Mix well.

    Seems like a reasonable function test to me.

    Keith

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  19. The G20 with Da Switch is quite an experience. :D

    I bet!

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  20. I agree, my latest gun is a Colt custom shop 1911, as soon as I am sure it is reliable and I get night sites on it. It will be the winter carry gun.

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  21. I put a huge scratch on the slide of my P220ST that didn't have the slightest mark on it when I got it.

    Oh well. It's a tool, it's gonna get scratched up eventually.

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  22. She was in Duran Duran. They were big in the '60s.

    Well played, ma'am. :)

    Both of my pistols (RIAs, GI and Commander) show a heck of a lot of holster wear. The GI has a lot of wear in the last forward inch or so of the slide, where it stuck out of the old Fobus OWB paddle I used to use. Wear on the trigger guards, hammers and other rub spots, too.

    I just need to get to the Boone County SD training classes...heck, I need to get out to the range... :(

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  23. My P6 had a lot of holster wear, which didn't particularly bother me. I had it Duracoated anyway, because I like the titanium grey color. So, now I have a titanium grey P6, with black wear in a few spots.

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  24. Andy - I also had my P6's refinished not for looks but because I didn't want to worry about corrosion, rust etc. of the well-worn carbon steel slides.

    The fact that they look nicer now is merely a secondary benefit.

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