"This novel was well-plotted and had compelling characterizations, but was woefully short of processed ground pork products. 3/5" https://t.co/JkpodBrL4p— Tamara K. (@TamSlick) February 28, 2017
Books. Bikes. Boomsticks.
“I only regret that I have but one face to palm for my country.”
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Harsh reviews...
Across the finish line...
Monday morning saw me at Indy Arms Co. with another hundred rounds of Magtech 115gr FMJ to wrap up the 2,000 round test with the Glock 43.
Three- and five-yard shooting went fine, but I dropped a couple at seven and just started hosing out of frustration.
While shooting at the five yard target, I was experimenting with my grip and choked so far up on the gun that I managed to inadvertently activate the slide stop, causing the slide to lock back on round number 1,936. This and that one time I fouled the slide stop and prevented it from locking back were the only two times the gun did not go through its complete cycle of operations over the course of 2,000 rounds of ammo.
I should probably fess up now and mention that, unlike my usual practice, I did not field strip the gun and lube it to factory specs before starting the test and, once the test had started, I felt lube would have been cheating. So, basically what we have here is a little tiny micro 9mm pistol that ran 2,000 rounds with no cleaning and no malfunctions on just the copper-colored anti-seize grease from the factory.
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Three- and five-yard shooting went fine, but I dropped a couple at seven and just started hosing out of frustration.
While shooting at the five yard target, I was experimenting with my grip and choked so far up on the gun that I managed to inadvertently activate the slide stop, causing the slide to lock back on round number 1,936. This and that one time I fouled the slide stop and prevented it from locking back were the only two times the gun did not go through its complete cycle of operations over the course of 2,000 rounds of ammo.
I should probably fess up now and mention that, unlike my usual practice, I did not field strip the gun and lube it to factory specs before starting the test and, once the test had started, I felt lube would have been cheating. So, basically what we have here is a little tiny micro 9mm pistol that ran 2,000 rounds with no cleaning and no malfunctions on just the copper-colored anti-seize grease from the factory.
- Nine hundred and fifty rounds of Magtech 115gr FMJ
- Three hundred and fifty rounds of CCI Blazer Brass 115gr FMJ
- Two hundred Remington 115gr FMJ
- One hundred and fifty assorted jacketed hollow points from Federal, Speer, Hornady, and Winchester
- And the balance was assorted FMJ, including 124gr +P NATO ball
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Monday, February 27, 2017
Dragon Leatherworks Valkyrie: True Barbecue Rig
At NRAAM last year I got to talking with Dennis from Dragon Leatherworks and he mentioned he had a tiny bit of cape buffalo hide left over from a special project, maybe enough for one holster. I got to thinking that I didn't have a "barbecue holster" for special events, like Blogorado, and so I asked Dennis if he could maybe help a sister out.
Not too much later, this Valkyrie paddle holster arrived in the mail. It's set up as a paddle rig, but has mounting hardware that allows the paddle to be switched out for Blackhawk! belt loops as well. The stitching is rugged and neatly done and the edges of the leather are well-burnished.
While you wouldn't want to roll through a 2-on-1 evo in ECQC with a presentation-grade rig like this, it still has to serve the basic functions of a holster. The fit is snug enough that the holster can be inverted and shaken a bit without the pistol falling free, so it's not going to bounce out with any sort of normal activity. Also, it's properly cut to allow the user to achieve a full firing grip on the holstered pistol as part of a proper drawstroke.
Heavy leather and good stitching make for a holster that can be handed down. If you're looking for a Sunday-go-to-meetin' holster to showcase your taste in blasters at gatherings with friends, give Dennis a call and he can set you up with a holster you'd be proud to be seen wearing.
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Not too much later, this Valkyrie paddle holster arrived in the mail. It's set up as a paddle rig, but has mounting hardware that allows the paddle to be switched out for Blackhawk! belt loops as well. The stitching is rugged and neatly done and the edges of the leather are well-burnished.
While you wouldn't want to roll through a 2-on-1 evo in ECQC with a presentation-grade rig like this, it still has to serve the basic functions of a holster. The fit is snug enough that the holster can be inverted and shaken a bit without the pistol falling free, so it's not going to bounce out with any sort of normal activity. Also, it's properly cut to allow the user to achieve a full firing grip on the holstered pistol as part of a proper drawstroke.
Heavy leather and good stitching make for a holster that can be handed down. If you're looking for a Sunday-go-to-meetin' holster to showcase your taste in blasters at gatherings with friends, give Dennis a call and he can set you up with a holster you'd be proud to be seen wearing.
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Nineteen Hundred...
I ran another hundred rounds through the G43 at Indy Arms Co. early on Sunday afternoon. The range was pretty full, but a couple lanes opened up just as I was arriving, so there wasn't but a couple minute wait for the previous occupants to check out.
Shot the 3x5 at a fairly relaxed cadence, mostly just concentrating on keeping my trigger finger moving during strings of fire. Backed the target out from five yards to seven and tried to turn up the speed on the 8" circle. That target tells me I wasn't pushing fast enough.
There were no malfunctions of any type to report.
This makes 1,900 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 100 rounds to go.
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Shot the 3x5 at a fairly relaxed cadence, mostly just concentrating on keeping my trigger finger moving during strings of fire. Backed the target out from five yards to seven and tried to turn up the speed on the 8" circle. That target tells me I wasn't pushing fast enough.
There were no malfunctions of any type to report.
This makes 1,900 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 100 rounds to go.
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Sunday, February 26, 2017
That's not how this works.
Look, if you see somebody running down the street with my television, do me a personal favor and don't go all Frank Castle on him and start blazing away in the name of truth and justice.For Shiva's sake, people, it's a toter's permit, not a Batman Badge. https://t.co/MR3vrpkI3E— Tamara K. (@TamSlick) February 26, 2017
If I wanted the cat shot, I'd have shot him, and there's probably a good reason I didn't, like maybe he hadn't done anything for which the law says you can go around shooting people.
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Big Sunday Plans...
I have to duck over to the range for some quick Pew!Pew!Pew!, get more
hot dog buns, and then come home and spend the afternoon placating
editors by sending them words.
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Eighteen Hundred...
I re-tightened the front sight with a fresh dab of GunTite and headed to Indy Arms Co. with another hundred rounds of Magtech ball ammo on Saturday morning.
Still trying to get a little faster with the wee Glock nine. The sight fix appears to be working.
There were no malfunctions of any type to report.
This makes 1,800 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 200 rounds to go.
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Still trying to get a little faster with the wee Glock nine. The sight fix appears to be working.
There were no malfunctions of any type to report.
This makes 1,800 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 200 rounds to go.
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Saturday, February 25, 2017
Day Five:
It is forty degrees colder out there than it was at this time yesterday. Yesterday's walk was in shirtsleeves, cotton socks, and my new Merrell Moab Ventilators. Today's walk I was back in wool socks, thermal underwear, Asolos, and winter coat.
Oh, and there were snow flurries because sure, why not?
The magazine subscription scam kids are out and about in the neighborhood. The Kitanica coat must make me look like someone who should not be pestered, though. They tried to shake down the guy who was walking one block over, but all I got were serious attempts at avoiding eye contact.
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Oh, and there were snow flurries because sure, why not?
The magazine subscription scam kids are out and about in the neighborhood. The Kitanica coat must make me look like someone who should not be pestered, though. They tried to shake down the guy who was walking one block over, but all I got were serious attempts at avoiding eye contact.
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You're advertising wrong...
So, a Surefire ad banner pops up with an ad for their Sidekick keychain light. And I remember that there's a Ballistic Radio discount code that is not-insignificant, and so I figure "What the heck, why not?" and order one.
And now everywhere I go on the Bookface or wherever, ads pop up for the Surefire Sidekick. No, dudes, I already bought one. You need to be pimping other products to me now.
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And now everywhere I go on the Bookface or wherever, ads pop up for the Surefire Sidekick. No, dudes, I already bought one. You need to be pimping other products to me now.
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Nearing the end...
The trigger I ordered arrived in the mail on Thursday. I'd sprung the extra fifteen bucks so I could feel pretty on the range. Once I got the Overwatch Precision TAC trigger installed, I headed for the range with a couple boxes of Magtech FMJ to see how it would work.
The trigger is a huge improvement over the serrated factory shoe. A quick hundred rounds with the factory trigger would leave the pad of my trigger finger sore and an angry red color. The smooth, flat face of the TAC trigger doesn't do that. It also seems to help with trigger control, which made the sudden leftward shift in my shooting seem a little odd.
At home last night, I discovered that the front sight on the 43 was loose, so I re-Loctited it. We'll see if it holds today.
There were no malfunctions of any type to report.
This makes 1,700 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 300 rounds to go.
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The trigger is a huge improvement over the serrated factory shoe. A quick hundred rounds with the factory trigger would leave the pad of my trigger finger sore and an angry red color. The smooth, flat face of the TAC trigger doesn't do that. It also seems to help with trigger control, which made the sudden leftward shift in my shooting seem a little odd.
At home last night, I discovered that the front sight on the 43 was loose, so I re-Loctited it. We'll see if it holds today.
There were no malfunctions of any type to report.
This makes 1,700 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 300 rounds to go.
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Friday, February 24, 2017
Pew! Pew! Pew!
I ran another hundred rounds through the Glock 43 yesterday. I was not taking my time, because the woman who came out and started shooting on the lane next to mine was blazing away with cowboy loads in her Taurus Judge and hitting the ceiling, the floor, the target carrier rail, and occasionally her target.
The 43 ran just fine, and there were no malfunctions of any kind to report.
The plastic of the mag body wants to delaminate from the metal tube underneath if you miss an insertion and hit the front of the magwell, or apparently if you angle the mag on insertion so that the leading edge there hits the mag catch at an angle. I trimmed the resulting burr with my pocket knife and dressed the result with the file on my handy Leatherman Micra.
This makes 1,600 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 400 rounds to go.
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The 43 ran just fine, and there were no malfunctions of any kind to report.
The plastic of the mag body wants to delaminate from the metal tube underneath if you miss an insertion and hit the front of the magwell, or apparently if you angle the mag on insertion so that the leading edge there hits the mag catch at an angle. I trimmed the resulting burr with my pocket knife and dressed the result with the file on my handy Leatherman Micra.
This makes 1,600 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 400 rounds to go.
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Tick Tock
There is apparently some proposal afoot to make baseball games more palatable and exciting for the 140-character limit crowd by starting off any extra innings with a runner on second.
This is plainly blasphemy, as baseball is one of those games that is rather deliberately not bounded by time. Like a tennis match, a baseball game takes as long as it takes.
Speaking of time, the death of Kurt Cobain is almost as far in the past now as the death of Jim Morrison was when Smells Like Teen Spirit hit the shelves in what were still called "record stores".
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This is plainly blasphemy, as baseball is one of those games that is rather deliberately not bounded by time. Like a tennis match, a baseball game takes as long as it takes.
Speaking of time, the death of Kurt Cobain is almost as far in the past now as the death of Jim Morrison was when Smells Like Teen Spirit hit the shelves in what were still called "record stores".
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Thursday, February 23, 2017
States' Rights are cool except when they're not.
Imagine that the GOP is Lucy and a smaller, less intrusive federal government is the football and we're Charlie f***ing Brown.— Tamara K. (@TamSlick) February 23, 2017
Justice Dep't to go after legal pot?
Reefer Madness!https://t.co/noWHR87D76— Tamara K. (@TamSlick) February 23, 2017
Single-Handed
Glock 43, Surefire E2D Ultra, and the coolest pocket notebook ever. |
I started out with the target at three yards and just put two magazines into each of the colored shapes in the top right corner, shooting strong-hand-only and taking my time about it. Then I ran the target out to five yards and shot multiple shot strings at the upper A-zone, using the neck index technique with the flashlight. Lastly, I put the target out at seven yards and shot another fifty rounds in multiple-shot strings at the lower A-zone, using the Harries technique.
There were no malfunctions of any type to report.
This makes 1,500 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 500 rounds to go.
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Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Work Slowdown, Part One...
So, one thing about the current crop of micro-nines is that the shorter barrel lengths are going to have an effect on the velocity of the rounds they fire. To see just how much of an effect, I took the Glock 43 and my Robar Custom G17 to Marion County Fish & Game to do a little chronograph work yesterday.
First up we'll look at Hornady's Critical Defense in its standard-pressure 115gr form. The first number on each line will be as measured from the 43, the second will be from the full-size 17:
Meanwhile, on to Federal's 124gr HST. This stuff was zippy enough that after firing the first couple rounds, I set the gun down and checked the box flap to make sure I hadn't grabbed some +P by mistake. Nope, standard-pressure 124gr HST it was. Federal's ad copy claims 1150fps, and this seems about right:
In a self defense situation, I don't know how I feel about having ammunition that's on the ragged edge of having enough ass to function the weapon provided I'm gripping it properly. Caveat emptor and test your carry stuff in your own gun thoroughly.
Last up was Winchester's 147gr "Defend" ammo, which appears to use a variant of their SXT bullet.
The next phase of this is obviously to see what effect the differing velocities have on terminal performance in ballistic gelatin.
Then it was on to building the round count on the Glock 43 by having some fun hammering steel. Having fired thirty various rounds of JHP during chrono testing, I popped off another twenty rounds of the HST before switching to the two boxes of Magtech 115gr FMJ I'd brought along. This meant a round count of one hundred and fifty on the day for the microGlock.
There were no malfunctions of any type to report.
This makes 1,350 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 650 rounds to go.
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First up we'll look at Hornady's Critical Defense in its standard-pressure 115gr form. The first number on each line will be as measured from the 43, the second will be from the full-size 17:
LO: 1059 1160Hornady claims 1140fps from a 4" test barrel, and the numbers from the 3½" G43 and 4½" G17 bracket this nicely. Hornady also claims that the Critical Defense is optimized to function at the slower velocities found from shorter-barreled CCW-type guns as opposed to full-size service pistols, but that will have to wait until Phase Two of this post, where the jello gets shot.
HI: 1093 1183
AV: 1080 1172
ES: 33.40 23.02
SD: 11.35 7.54
Meanwhile, on to Federal's 124gr HST. This stuff was zippy enough that after firing the first couple rounds, I set the gun down and checked the box flap to make sure I hadn't grabbed some +P by mistake. Nope, standard-pressure 124gr HST it was. Federal's ad copy claims 1150fps, and this seems about right:
LO: 1099 1169Note that while both the 124gr HST and 115gr Critical Defense are nominally standard-pressure loads, and the Hornady makes no claims of "reduced recoil" or "lite" or suchlike on the box, the heavier Federal bullet is still 25-40fps faster, meaning that the Critical Defense is pretty much a "-P". While the Glock didn't seem to mind them, many guns I have tested have been shown to have problems functioning with light bullets going that slowly (*coughCanikSteyrRugerAmericancough*)
HI: 1133 1208
AV: 1118 1198
ES: 33.47 38.66
SD: 10.58 11.66
In a self defense situation, I don't know how I feel about having ammunition that's on the ragged edge of having enough ass to function the weapon provided I'm gripping it properly. Caveat emptor and test your carry stuff in your own gun thoroughly.
Last up was Winchester's 147gr "Defend" ammo, which appears to use a variant of their SXT bullet.
LO: 913.1 980.5Again, pretty well bracketing Winchester's claimed 950fps test velocity.
HI: 954.6 1037
AV: 928.8 1019
ES: 41.48 57.25
SD: 11.61 16.00
The next phase of this is obviously to see what effect the differing velocities have on terminal performance in ballistic gelatin.
Then it was on to building the round count on the Glock 43 by having some fun hammering steel. Having fired thirty various rounds of JHP during chrono testing, I popped off another twenty rounds of the HST before switching to the two boxes of Magtech 115gr FMJ I'd brought along. This meant a round count of one hundred and fifty on the day for the microGlock.
There were no malfunctions of any type to report.
This makes 1,350 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 650 rounds to go.
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Day Two:
Out of bed with the alarm again today. Didn't jump on the internet; instead I got dressed, and headed out the door. I finally got that interim set of shoes between the Asolo hiking boots and my summertime barefoot trail-running shoes: a pair of Merrell Moab Ventilator sneakers.
So far, so good, although I did take a couple of aspirin with my morning V8, so that could have something to do with the lack of throbbing ankle joints, too.
1.05 miles in 18:05 at an average heart rate of 132bpm.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
The Place Where Great Britain Used To Be.
First came the news of the successful British gun amnesty, which resulted in numerous deadly weapons of mass ballistic destruction turned in to the plod, all to make the streets and lanes of the scepter'd isle safer.
Lambeth Police reported the recovery of numerous junk guns, black powder relics of dubious functionality, and cap guns designed to resemble Colt Peacemakers.
Next came the addition of knife amnesty bins, where felons could turn from a life of crime by dropping their deadly weapon of steely, stabby, slice-y mass destruction into a handy container at the local Bobby Shop, no questions asked.
Cleveland Police (from the county in the northeast of England, not the "We're Not Detroit!" city in the northeast of Ohio) report many scissors, meat forks, cleavers, and bread knives being turned in, to the relief of entrees and appetizers across the county.
What's next? Well, we here at View From The Porch would like to tantalize you with the junk-on-the-bunk display from the latest campaign to Make Britain Safe Again:
Note that some of those splinter-y, hitty weapons of mass destruction show signs of attempts to sharpen them!
As part of the continuing safety campaign, police will be offering free classes to citizens on how to assume a supine position, curl their limbs inoffensively, and urinate on themselves in a placating fashion.
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Lambeth Police reported the recovery of numerous junk guns, black powder relics of dubious functionality, and cap guns designed to resemble Colt Peacemakers.
Next came the addition of knife amnesty bins, where felons could turn from a life of crime by dropping their deadly weapon of steely, stabby, slice-y mass destruction into a handy container at the local Bobby Shop, no questions asked.
Cleveland Police (from the county in the northeast of England, not the "We're Not Detroit!" city in the northeast of Ohio) report many scissors, meat forks, cleavers, and bread knives being turned in, to the relief of entrees and appetizers across the county.
What's next? Well, we here at View From The Porch would like to tantalize you with the junk-on-the-bunk display from the latest campaign to Make Britain Safe Again:
Note that some of those splinter-y, hitty weapons of mass destruction show signs of attempts to sharpen them!
As part of the continuing safety campaign, police will be offering free classes to citizens on how to assume a supine position, curl their limbs inoffensively, and urinate on themselves in a placating fashion.
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Twelve Hundred...
Back to Indy Arms Co. on Monday morning to continue building the round count on the Glock 43. Also wanted to confirm I'd installed the Ameriglo TCAP sights correctly.
The TCAP differs from the ordinary CAP sight in having a thinner front blade (0.125" versus 0.140") that allows more daylight on either side of the front in the rear notch and doesn't obscure quite as much of the target. This allows for more precision and plenty of speed.
Naturally, they appear to have been discontinued. I'm tempted to buy a couple more sets to replace the standard CAPs on my Glocks that have them.
Having just spent eleven hundred rounds with the spew-worthy factory sights, it took a little getting used to the familiar CAP sight picture again. My initial tendency was to bury the front sight in the notch and, when I realized what I was doing, I over-corrected and started "floating" it up out of the notch. It took a little concentration to use the black outline of the sights rather than the markings to determine a correct alignment and roll from there. (This is the downside of dots and lines and boxes and circles and stuff on your sights. They can be misleading until you confirm how their proper alignment should look with a good "equal height, equal light" sight picture.)
The gun functioned without drama and the front sight didn't fly off, so I reckon we're all good.
This makes 1,200 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 800 rounds to go.
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The TCAP differs from the ordinary CAP sight in having a thinner front blade (0.125" versus 0.140") that allows more daylight on either side of the front in the rear notch and doesn't obscure quite as much of the target. This allows for more precision and plenty of speed.
Naturally, they appear to have been discontinued. I'm tempted to buy a couple more sets to replace the standard CAPs on my Glocks that have them.
Having just spent eleven hundred rounds with the spew-worthy factory sights, it took a little getting used to the familiar CAP sight picture again. My initial tendency was to bury the front sight in the notch and, when I realized what I was doing, I over-corrected and started "floating" it up out of the notch. It took a little concentration to use the black outline of the sights rather than the markings to determine a correct alignment and roll from there. (This is the downside of dots and lines and boxes and circles and stuff on your sights. They can be misleading until you confirm how their proper alignment should look with a good "equal height, equal light" sight picture.)
The gun functioned without drama and the front sight didn't fly off, so I reckon we're all good.
This makes 1,200 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 800 rounds to go.
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Back on the horse...
My lungs seem mostly clear. Hopefully I didn't cough myself into a case of bronchitis getting them that way.
Rolled out of bed with the alarm clock this morning, got dressed, and headed out the door.
Rolled out of bed with the alarm clock this morning, got dressed, and headed out the door.
Monday, February 20, 2017
Sunday was more of the same...
Still coughing up a storm on Sunday, but I did manage a quick range trip with the Glock 43.
Oh, the new pistol-training.com targets that I'd ordered arrived from National Target on Saturday. They're handy targets that can be used with a number of skill drills.
The Glock 43 continued to perform without drama, with no malfunctions of any type to report.
This makes 1,100 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 900 rounds to go.
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Oh, the new pistol-training.com targets that I'd ordered arrived from National Target on Saturday. They're handy targets that can be used with a number of skill drills.
The Glock 43 continued to perform without drama, with no malfunctions of any type to report.
This makes 1,100 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 900 rounds to go.
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Sunday, February 19, 2017
Gratuitous Gun Pr0n #161...
Getting ready to confirm zero on the carbine. It hadn't been fired since... well, it had been a while.
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Halfway...
Drove over to Indy Arms Co on Saturday morning with a few boxes of CCI Blazer Brass 115gr FMJ to put more rounds on the clock for the G43 test. While I was there, I bought another magazine, bringing my total to four. Since one has a Pearce Plus One extended floorplate on it, this means that all four mags together hold twenty-five rounds, or half a box of ammo, which makes accounting on range trips a lot less complicated.
Dropped a shot on that #4 triangle at five yards, and pretty badly, too. Not happy with that. On the other hand, the seven-yard shooting at the lower A-zone tells me I could clearly step up the pace some, there.
Fired one hundred and fifty rounds, with no malfunctions of any type to report.
This makes 1,000 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 1,000 rounds to go.
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Dropped a shot on that #4 triangle at five yards, and pretty badly, too. Not happy with that. On the other hand, the seven-yard shooting at the lower A-zone tells me I could clearly step up the pace some, there.
Fired one hundred and fifty rounds, with no malfunctions of any type to report.
This makes 1,000 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 1,000 rounds to go.
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Saturday, February 18, 2017
Trying to get this done...
I was cautiously optimistic and dragged myself to the range yesterday morning to get more rounds in on the G43 test. As it turns out, I wasn't quite as recovered as I thought I was, and just a hundred rounds through the 43 and comfirming the zero on a carbine left me completely gassed and weak as a kitten. Probably because my lungs are half full of nasty icky stuff instead of air.
Anyway, I'm getting better at trying to build up some speed with the 43, although I did manage to induce one failure to lock open on the last round by getting too aggressive with my grip and fouling the slide release. I'm not holding that against the gun. Other than that, there were no malfunctions of any kind to report.
This makes 850 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 1,150 rounds to go.
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Anyway, I'm getting better at trying to build up some speed with the 43, although I did manage to induce one failure to lock open on the last round by getting too aggressive with my grip and fouling the slide release. I'm not holding that against the gun. Other than that, there were no malfunctions of any kind to report.
This makes 850 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 1,150 rounds to go.
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Friday, February 17, 2017
And now a word from our sponsors!
"Yeah, you might have what you think is a better way and, hell, it might even be a better way – it might even be Timney trigger good." -Richard Mann. Complete with a hotlink to Timney Triggers.Coming up in the sequel: "Why does the general shooting public think gunwriters are shameless whores?"
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Thursday, February 16, 2017
Gratuitous Gun Pr0n #160...
Ruger Redhawk .357 Magnum 8-shot snubbie, cut for moon clips.
Hmmm... The factory sights shoot ~4.5" low at five yards and about 7" low at seven, with 125gr .357 Mag loads. I'm going to go out on a limb and say there aren't enough clicks in the factory adjustable rear to fix that, although we'll certainly run it up there in an effort to try. It's either going to need a cut down front sight or a shark fin of a rear blade installed.
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Hmmm... The factory sights shoot ~4.5" low at five yards and about 7" low at seven, with 125gr .357 Mag loads. I'm going to go out on a limb and say there aren't enough clicks in the factory adjustable rear to fix that, although we'll certainly run it up there in an effort to try. It's either going to need a cut down front sight or a shark fin of a rear blade installed.
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Tuesday shooting stuff...
Tuesday morning I dropped the Zed Drei off at the shop to get that cracked rim finally welded. From there I walked over to Indy Arms Company to continue the testing of the Glock 43...
A hundred rounds of CCI Blazer Brass 115gr FMJ. I'm getting my grip issues ironed out a little bit better, but I still have a way to go. I also have a G42/43 adapter plate on the way for my Ameriglo sight pusher. Can't wait to get some real sights on this thing.
There were no malfunctions of any type to report.
This makes 750 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 1,250 rounds to go.
After shooting, I grabbed an Uber home, where I dropped off my range bag, grabbed my iPad, and then walked over to Twenty Tap to get lunch.
A spicy Cuban sandwich and a pint of Angle Juice, an American Dark Mild that's a collaboration between Sun King and Round Town. A nice, sessionable 3.7%ABV brew that doesn't leave you feeling guilty for having a pint with lunch.
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A hundred rounds of CCI Blazer Brass 115gr FMJ. I'm getting my grip issues ironed out a little bit better, but I still have a way to go. I also have a G42/43 adapter plate on the way for my Ameriglo sight pusher. Can't wait to get some real sights on this thing.
There were no malfunctions of any type to report.
This makes 750 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 1,250 rounds to go.
After shooting, I grabbed an Uber home, where I dropped off my range bag, grabbed my iPad, and then walked over to Twenty Tap to get lunch.
A spicy Cuban sandwich and a pint of Angle Juice, an American Dark Mild that's a collaboration between Sun King and Round Town. A nice, sessionable 3.7%ABV brew that doesn't leave you feeling guilty for having a pint with lunch.
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Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Sigh.
In the middle of the night last night I was shivering so badly I woke myself up. I'm surprised it wasn't shaking the house.
Dozed under an electric blanket all morning, mostly, and into the afternoon until the end of Ellen before heading down the hall to the office. Alternating chills and sweats and sore all over. This is indeed the stuff that Bobbi brought home from work; lord only knows how I dodged it so long.
Feeling a little better right now, but still sore and not entirely convinced the fever's not ready for an encore performance.
Didn't walk today, obviously. Feel like a slacker. Yesterday was Day Nine, hopefully tomorrow will be Day One again.
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Dozed under an electric blanket all morning, mostly, and into the afternoon until the end of Ellen before heading down the hall to the office. Alternating chills and sweats and sore all over. This is indeed the stuff that Bobbi brought home from work; lord only knows how I dodged it so long.
Feeling a little better right now, but still sore and not entirely convinced the fever's not ready for an encore performance.
Didn't walk today, obviously. Feel like a slacker. Yesterday was Day Nine, hopefully tomorrow will be Day One again.
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Tuesday, February 14, 2017
Tuesday stuff...
From Bookface this morning at about 0500...
On the other, I've been worried about her a lot lately. She'll be sixteen this year, and she's definitely getting frail. I'd hate to think what could have happened if a startled, half-awake me had lashed out and flung her or something.
I didn't get back to sleep, unless you count a fitful half hour or so long after the alarm clock went off. Plans to head out the door and get my walk in before breakfast? Dashed.
Yesterday the nose got a little runny, and the starting of a productive cough began. I assumed it was just the long tail of the cold Bobbi brought home from a coworker, but this morning I was coughing more and by evening I had the tender lymph nodes, sore joints, and beginnings of a fever that tell me that either I hadn't really dodged it, or else this was some fresh ailment. Which is a bummer, because I've been feeling pretty dang fine the last few days and thought I'd gotten off light.
On the upside, I finally got around to getting the cracked rim in the Zed Drei welded and re-balanced today, so I have a roadtrip-worthy machine again.
How handy Uber is! Take car to shop, walk from shop to Indy Arms Co. to do some blasting, get an Uber home, walk to Twenty Tap for lunch, and then get an Uber back to pick up my car. I'm definitely becoming a fan.
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"Rannie bit me on the ear at 3:53 AM. Not hard, not even breaking skin, but I've been wide awake since then.On the one hand it *is* funny as heck.
Now the alarm clock goes off in an hour, and I'm debating the wisdom of even trying to get more sleep."
On the other, I've been worried about her a lot lately. She'll be sixteen this year, and she's definitely getting frail. I'd hate to think what could have happened if a startled, half-awake me had lashed out and flung her or something.
I didn't get back to sleep, unless you count a fitful half hour or so long after the alarm clock went off. Plans to head out the door and get my walk in before breakfast? Dashed.
Yesterday the nose got a little runny, and the starting of a productive cough began. I assumed it was just the long tail of the cold Bobbi brought home from a coworker, but this morning I was coughing more and by evening I had the tender lymph nodes, sore joints, and beginnings of a fever that tell me that either I hadn't really dodged it, or else this was some fresh ailment. Which is a bummer, because I've been feeling pretty dang fine the last few days and thought I'd gotten off light.
On the upside, I finally got around to getting the cracked rim in the Zed Drei welded and re-balanced today, so I have a roadtrip-worthy machine again.
How handy Uber is! Take car to shop, walk from shop to Indy Arms Co. to do some blasting, get an Uber home, walk to Twenty Tap for lunch, and then get an Uber back to pick up my car. I'm definitely becoming a fan.
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Whole lotta punchin' goin' on...
This guy wants to punch Zionists...
Chris Hernandez has a piece on punching Nazis...
Chris Hernandez has a piece on punching Nazis...
If a Nazi burns a flag in the forest and nobody's around to punch him, will I read about it at HuffPo or Breitbart first?— Tamara K. (@TamSlick) February 14, 2017
Monday, February 13, 2017
From discussion elsewhere...
"There is a lot more value than we like to admit in any gun that allows you to warble "I have a gun!" into the darkness of the hallway and not be lying.
Contrary to what Gabe Suarez would like you to believe, this only rarely results in the squad of terrorists that have invaded your home unleashing a fusillade of M43 through the walls and into your bedroom."
Sunday was a good day...
Yesterday was sunny and nearly fifty degrees out. I rode along with Bobbi to do some errands, and then we stopped at Indy Arms Co., her to blow some dust off and try out her new Ruger Elsie Pea and me to put more rounds through the test G43.
It was a fairly rushed hundred-round range session for me. It was busy out there and I like to just get my shooting over and done when there are a bunch of people I don't know on the range.
There were no malfunctions of any type to report.
This makes 650 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 1,350 rounds to go.
After we wrapped up shooting, we drove home and then took advantage of the warm-for-February weather and strolled over to Twenty Tap for a late lunch/early dinner.
Roomie ordered the pork banh mi and a lemonade, and I had a blackened whitefish sandwich (tasty remoulade!) and a pint of the house tangerine wheat beer. On the way home I got my daily mile in by parting company with Bobbi and walking a few blocks out of the way and then back to Roseholme Cottage.
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It was a fairly rushed hundred-round range session for me. It was busy out there and I like to just get my shooting over and done when there are a bunch of people I don't know on the range.
There were no malfunctions of any type to report.
This makes 650 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 1,350 rounds to go.
After we wrapped up shooting, we drove home and then took advantage of the warm-for-February weather and strolled over to Twenty Tap for a late lunch/early dinner.
Roomie ordered the pork banh mi and a lemonade, and I had a blackened whitefish sandwich (tasty remoulade!) and a pint of the house tangerine wheat beer. On the way home I got my daily mile in by parting company with Bobbi and walking a few blocks out of the way and then back to Roseholme Cottage.
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Sunday, February 12, 2017
Topsy Turvy World
The Right's speech is violence, but the Left's violence is speech. That's the Current Narrative.— Tamara K. (@TamSlick) February 13, 2017
And Saturday...
Back to Indy Arms Co. on Saturday to keep the round count stepping along smartly. A hundred rounds of the house 9x19 range ammo, currently Remington 115gr FMJ, was purchased while I await my next shipment from Lucky Gunner.
Also, I'm slap out of targets except for Shoot 'N' See bullseyes, so I bought one of these, which is currently subbing for their out-of-stock B21E targets. It's kinda B21-esque, but with the messed-up B27 scoring zones, which I ignored.
Like I noted on Instagram, speed with this thing continues to elude me. I need to work on my grip strength, number one, and for a gun that punishes trigger control issues so harshly, the standard trigger is just completely unsat.
Despite being domestically produced and not required to meet the GCA '68 BATFEIEIO "Import Points" total, it still has a serrated trigger like the ones used on all other compact and subcompact Glocks, rather than the smooth-faced unit found on the full-size and competition guns. I am betting it would greatly benefit from a smoother, flatter trigger shoe.
EDIT: I am informed that "43s are not all US built. That's why the 42 (100% US built) gets a smooth trigger but the 43 is serrated." And now I know, and knowing is half the battle! (The other half is red lasers and blue lasers.)
There were no malfunctions of any type to report.
This makes 550 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 1,450 rounds to go.
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Also, I'm slap out of targets except for Shoot 'N' See bullseyes, so I bought one of these, which is currently subbing for their out-of-stock B21E targets. It's kinda B21-esque, but with the messed-up B27 scoring zones, which I ignored.
Like I noted on Instagram, speed with this thing continues to elude me. I need to work on my grip strength, number one, and for a gun that punishes trigger control issues so harshly, the standard trigger is just completely unsat.
Despite being domestically produced and not required to meet the GCA '68 BATFEIEIO "Import Points" total, it still has a serrated trigger like the ones used on all other compact and subcompact Glocks, rather than the smooth-faced unit found on the full-size and competition guns. I am betting it would greatly benefit from a smoother, flatter trigger shoe.
EDIT: I am informed that "43s are not all US built. That's why the 42 (100% US built) gets a smooth trigger but the 43 is serrated." And now I know, and knowing is half the battle! (The other half is red lasers and blue lasers.)
There were no malfunctions of any type to report.
This makes 550 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 1,450 rounds to go.
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Saturday, February 11, 2017
...and Friday's range trip.
I punked out of shooting on Thursday, but managed to get in a fifty-round range session with the Glock 43 at Indy Arms Co. around lunchtime on Friday.
It's like I'm fated to drop one egregiously when shooting at the 3x5.
This is the second to the last pistol-training.com target I took home from my first class with Todd. Even though he would probably make fun of me for it, I'm not going to shoot the last one. I went ahead and ordered a box of the newer ones from National Target.
This makes 450 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 1,550 rounds to go.
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It's like I'm fated to drop one egregiously when shooting at the 3x5.
This is the second to the last pistol-training.com target I took home from my first class with Todd. Even though he would probably make fun of me for it, I'm not going to shoot the last one. I went ahead and ordered a box of the newer ones from National Target.
This makes 450 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 1,550 rounds to go.
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Wednesday range trip...
Wednesday I took the 43 to Indy Arms Co to do some more blasting, with fifty rounds of Winchester Ranger 9mm 124gr FMJ and fifty of 124gr standard pressure HST jacketed hollow points. (The waved Spyderco Delica isn't out because it's tacticool, but because I use it to pop open the boxes to keep from tearing the flaps.)
The top is the Winchester at five yards, at the usual unhurried .8-1.0 cadence, while the lower group is the Federal HST and me trying to induce a little speed, doing multiple-shot strings from the low ready. That tiny grip magnifies trigger errors, and lets know quick if your grip starts to come apart.
There were no malfunctions of any type to report.
This makes 400 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 1,600 rounds to go.
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The top is the Winchester at five yards, at the usual unhurried .8-1.0 cadence, while the lower group is the Federal HST and me trying to induce a little speed, doing multiple-shot strings from the low ready. That tiny grip magnifies trigger errors, and lets know quick if your grip starts to come apart.
There were no malfunctions of any type to report.
This makes 400 rounds fired since the gun was cleaned or lubricated with no malfunctions. 1,600 rounds to go.
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Friday, February 10, 2017
What's Neanderthal for "Crossfit"?
Can you imagine trying to get a lick of sleep in a cave in the old stone age, when nobody would shut up about their diet for two minutes?— Tamara K. (@TamSlick) February 10, 2017
Ugh.
Slow start here this morning. Go read my latest piece at Breach Bang Clear while I try and coffee myself into some semblance of humanity.
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Thursday, February 09, 2017
Not any? Really?
"I would not describe any operation that results in the loss of American life as a success" -@SenJohnMcCain pic.twitter.com/PnrkQ38m0S— Tamara K. (@TamSlick) February 9, 2017
#RockTheVote
NRA Board Election news...
- Sebastian isn't endorsing per se, but he'll tell you who he's voting for.
- John Richardson has an excellent roundup at No Lawyers- Only Guns and Money.
The Descent of Man...
From discussion elsewhere...
Derp has always sold well, but it can be more effectively marketed now, I guess.
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" You know, Hydra-Shoks and Black Talons were both, for their times, some of the better-performing JHPs on the market. At least back then when Joe Sixpack logged into AOL on his 14.4kbps modem and hit up his clueless buddies online for ammo suggestions, the Dumb Bullet du Jour would actually work as well or better than most anything out there. I mean, unless his buddy suggested Glasers..."With loads like the 124gr +P Gold Dot and Federal's 147gr HST on the market, both of which have proven track records of dropping bad guys, people still run around buying RIP and Civil Defense and Inceptor ARX and all kind of other goofy pixie dust bullets at a dollar or two dollars a round.
Derp has always sold well, but it can be more effectively marketed now, I guess.
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