Saturday, March 02, 2013

A moment of gun nerdiness...

Since I bought the M&P 9, it has been stoked with Winchester Ranger-T 127gr +P+ ammo. I bought a bunch of it at the Indy 1500 around the time I bought the gun, and I buy a little more at every show to keep ahead of shrinkage.

I have a bunch of other types of JHP ammo on hand, too, just in case I ever decide to become a whore test T&E samples of handguns on this blog, and it's all neatly stacked in boxes in a corner.

When I was finishing the saddling-up procedure to depart for New Hamster, rather than unloading the magazine that was in my pistol, I just dropped it, cleared the chamber, and grabbed two empty magazines and a box of JHPs to put in the poor man's Pelican*. As I did so, I noticed that the ammo box I had grabbed was not 127gr +P+, but rather the identically-packaged 147gr Ranger Bonded JHP, and I swear to you on the grave of Jeff Cooper that the very first thought that flickered through my head was not "Oh, I grabbed the wrong bullets," but rather "Well, it's winter up there so the heavier bullets are probably a good idea," and threw them in the case†.

I am such a dork.


*Well, SKB used to be the poor man's Pelican. Nowadays it appears to be the upper-middle-class man's Pelican.
Yes, I've run about a box and a half of the stuff through the gun before. It cycled fine, and actually seemed slightly more accurate than my regular carry load, but it's not "Ranger-T" or" +P+", and I can be successfully marketed to just like anybody else.

11 comments:

TBeck said...

So, what's the problem?

Anonymous said...

I used to think SKB was a "poor man's Pelican" too but having had the opportunity to actually examine one at the new Bass Pro store in town, I think I'd have chosen the SKB rifle case over the 1720 I bought online.

Pignock

Joseph said...

I choose the 147 over the 127 +P+ as I like heavier bullets for the above reasoning and I own a suppressor so I can get all ninja with it.

Scott J said...

I have the same dorkish thoughts sometimes but mine involves selecting the .357 over the .380 or the .45 over either.

Back in 2011 I discovered a new criteria to drive selection: rain.

I took the SP-101 out and practiced in the pouring rain just because I could. I discovered once it got wet that with every shot the gun would roll upwards in my hand in until the top edge of the grip was almost in the center of my palm. This in spite of its soft rubber grips.

Because of this discovery I now try to make sure I carry an autopistol with a grip that extends back over the area between my thumb and forefinger if there's any chance I might be in a self defense situation in the pouring rain.

Critter said...

i dunno, i'm beginning to think that all this smokeless powder and hollow point business is over rated.

staghounds said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
staghounds said...

New ammo line-

Parkatrator!

Kristophr said...

I'm considering getting a suitcased sized Pelican, and using it as my suitcase.

Throw a gun and a box of ammo on top of the clothes, and call it a checked firearm.

The thieves need to have me there to unlock it and stand over them if they want to look in it.

The ONLY time I have lost electronics from my bags is when a fucking TSA opened bag notice was put in it.

Matthew said...

Shoulda gone for the Extreme Shock. The kinetic energy unleashed should you have had to use it woulda brought on an early Spring.

Jeff said...

I use the RA9T. Good Stuff.

Weer'd Beard said...

I saw an old interview with Mas Ayoob who mentioned he was packing a SIG P220 because it was winter in New Hampster.

I wonder if he's changed his mind.

Either way I'm a heavy-bullet queen, and the PM45 in my pocket right now is stoked with 230gr +P HSTs.

Makes me feel better, and that's worth it IMHO.