I wanted a place to discuss my handguns and firearms in general. Everyone seemingly has lots to say about guns, so I promise you this won't be a rant blog.
My immediate impressions: I’m actually surprised at the fit and finish of the Ruger AR-556. It looks and feels great. The pieces fit together without issue, with no large gaps between pieces or segments. Looks GOOD in FDE, too! That grip feels great – it has a rubber coating…very tactile. The trigger is good. The take-down pins are way too stiff (should loosen up with oil and use, hopefully). They got rid of the D-ring, too…you twist to get the barrel covers off. Oh, and there’s like 10 Ruger badges and logos on the rifle…like you’re going to forget that you own a Ruger.
Needed three forms of ID just to pick it up (not two as with handguns in VA). Still, it only took 5 min to get the background check results back. I have no background…LOL.
For now, 3 mags are enough (at 30 rounds capacity, each, that’s 90 rounds right there). I also have a Bushnell First Strike Red Dot Sight, but I plan to use the non-aid sights for a bit, while getting used to the rifle.
I’ll post more as I become more accustomed to the firearm.
I’ve my first long gun on the way, a Ruger AR-556 cerakoted in FDE and with a Davidson’s lifetime warranty. It was this or the S&W M&P 15 Sport II, but I’ve heard that this one is the more refined of the two.
I also have a rail riser and a cheap RDS (red dot sight) inbound, not that either are needed, as the rifle comes with front and rear sights already.
Time to find a rifle safe now, and stock up on 5.56/.223 ammo.
Very long and strong DA trigger (not gritty but a bit notchy-like)
Very nice SA trigger
Slide feels like it’s riding on glass
Stock grips are plastic (not the rubber that it looks to be)…will have to see how well they grip when firing rounds
Cerakote is good…not a blemish in sight
Slide serrations are very aggressive, allowing a good grip on a small area
Takes down well
Magazines are high quality
No decocker (I knew this when I bought it)…will require manual decocking…half cock allows DA without dropping hammer fully when decocking (a good thing for carry, IMO).
I’m thinking I should’ve focused on getting one of these a long time ago…the handgun feels that good in my hand. I’ve no doubt that I’ll love it at the range. I’m not sure about carrying it, though, as it is heavy (1.5 lb) and I’ve heard that it’s difficult to find a holster that’ll hold it that has a retention strap.
I’m not sure I’ll do a table-top review…there are several very good reviews on this handgun already.
UPDATE (7/28/2016): The after-range impressions are here. As well, below is an image of the VZ Grips that I bought for the gun, since I wanted grips that were a bit more aggressive.
I updated my previous post, as I had to cancel the order for the Bersa Thunder 380 Plus because the online store didn’t have the gun in stock. I had to chase them down to ask after I noticed the order wasn’t being updated. Argentina is experiencing economic issues that are apparently affecting Bersa shipments. This gun is backlogged all across the U.S. I don’t want a used gun because the gun has a lifetime warranty if bought new.
So, I’ve really no choice but to wait, or check local pawn shops for used examples. Or, check local gun shows. As well, Bersa recently released a new product, the Plus Combat. I can certainly wait for that version!
I’ve also been looking for a Tristar T-100 in 9mm, or a Canik Shark C in 9mm. Both are the same gun. Tristar is just the US Importer (or was). This gun is hard to find as well. Even used. I found one on Guns America that was in a perpetual state of “an offer has been submitted for this item”, meaning, someone is trying to purchase it. It stayed that way for at least 2 weeks so I asked the dealer (located in Connecticut) if they still had the gun. They did and told me that if I called and bought it, it would be shipped out tomorrow. I called them and bought the gun. I had to also call my local gun shop and ask them to fax a copy of their FFL to the store I was buying the gun from, as I wanted the store to ship the gun to my local shop. Doing it over the phone was a bit convoluted, as I’m used to doing it straight over the internet. Connecticut must be a bit hokey like that when it comes to guns (especially after Sandy Hook).
So, I went from not being able to get the Bersa to getting the Tristar. The T-100 is basically a compact CZ75. It is a DA/SA gun (without a decocker). It has the inverted slide rails. It is all-metal and blued. It can use CZ parts. It comes with two 15-round magazines.
Shipping is $30 (kinda high). I’ll also be looking at paying my local gunshop $25 to accept the transfer. The gun was $319. With total shipping, it’s $375. Not sure I’m happy about that, but available T-100s are extremely difficult to find, so I’ll eat the shipping costs.
UPDATE – this gun was NOT in stock like it appeared to be. After 3 days of waiting to see movement on the order, I contacted the store and asked if they actually had the gun in stock. They did not and said all their suppliers were having issues getting this particular handgun, so I told them to cancel the order, since it’s very apparent that there’s a stocking issue with this gun. Argentina is experiencing significant economic difficulties, from what I understand. This could be the cause of the nationwide backorder.
I bought another gun. This is a bit different. It’s a .380ACP handgun. It is small in stature. It is also small but double-stacked and will hold 15 rounds. It is a double action / single action gun and also has a decocker/safety. It is a non-U.S.-made gun.
What is it?
A Bersa Thunder Plus.
There are several variations of this particular model of gun:
Thunder Concealed Carry (small beavertail and unique frame grip)
There are also different caliber versions: .22 caliber and .380ACP
There are different paint and color schemes, as well as variants that have color-coded controls (nickel and gold, for example).
The gun looks somewhat similar to the Walther PPK, and shares the PPK’s barrel layout.
One thing that I’ll immediately remove once I have it is the magazine disconnect. I do NOT need that abomination. The gun also has an integrated lock (which I’ll never use). I do need to order an extra magazine, as the gun is delivered with one magazine only.
I had a choice between nickel or black. I actually wanted a Plus Combat (new for this year) but most places aren’t carrying them yet. In fact, when looking for the Plus, most places online were out of stock. And when I say most, I mean like 95% of the stores I checked. I don’t even know if the place I ordered from actually has them in stock…I order went through without verification (the other places I checked wouldn’t let you order if they were out of stock or back-ordered). I almost bought the nickel version, because I think it’s rarer, but it was $397…that’s a chunk of change for a Bersa Thunder, as the MSRP is like $420. I got the black version for $379 from Delta Three Outfitters, which is also where the nickel Plus is currently stocked.
Why this gun? Because it is cheaper than the Walther by a long shot, shoots just as well as the Walther, and carries double the ammo. It’s reliability is great and has a lifetime warranty for original owners (not so with used Thunders, which is why I went ahead and bought it new… plus, I couldn’t find new ones…I know for a fact a used one will be difficult to find locally). I like small-statured guns and wanted something I could shoot with my kids. Also, because of it’s fixed barrel, it is very accurate.
Depending on how much I like this handgun, I may eventually get one or two single-stacked version.
Some people can’t stand the .380 round, though. I’ve never shot it, but people have been killed with far less. Shot placement is key, as I always say. And with 15 rounds to get on target, I highly doubt someone will walk away without a scratch. Plus, if I really wanted power, I can always look for +P .380 ammo…or, as a last resort, carry with FMJ, which I hear is what a lot of people are doing since .380ACP doesn’t appear to penetrate as well as 9mm (it has a smaller charge unless the round is hot).
About the political aspect of this blog: please do not leave offensive comments and later say, “no offense.” Please do not assume I’m a “Tea Bagger”. I’m not. Please do not bring any anti-gun mentality to this blog. If you don’t like what you read, move on, because I probably didn’t have you in mind when I decided to create the blog…the internet is HUGE and you should be able to find something more to your liking than this blog.
What you think is radical may in fact not be as radical as you think. It’s only radical because you don’t believe or understand the subject matter. Radical Islamics…THEY’RE radical. Fostering gun ownership in a nation that gives it’s citizens the right to bear arms…that’s not radical. You also may think that some of what’s posted here is dramatic. If you think so, this blog isn’t for you.
Gun topics tend to bring out the nastiness in people. Guns are tools, just as anything tangible in today’s world is. I speak of politics because of today’s stance against firearms (and stewardship means talking about ALL aspects..you don’t dodge subjects because people might not respond well to the subject matter). I speak to educate those that are curious about firearms and the laws governing them (and there are a LOT, so you tend to see a lot of posts on this blog regarding politics — there’s no way around that). I’m not waiting for someone who is against gun ownership to start a debate. That’s not what this blog is about.
I’m trying to foster stewardship and education. If you hate guns, this blog is NOT for you. I’m not trying to appease those that are against gun ownership nor those that think “they’re not out to take your guns”. I’m not trying to cooperate with anti-gun folk, so there’s no compromise when it comes to my posts on my blog. I don’t need convincing, either.
I wanted to share a few quick notes on my opinion of Facebook’s recent attacks on groups that involve firearms.
Here’s one thing I really hate about FB. They’ve hacked pages and if you’re not careful on what you click, you can have your page hijacked. Now that’s not the only worry…personal information can be stolen and some of that information can be used to damage other aspects of your life.
When I report a hacked page, FB does nothing. Nothing at all. But yet they’ll make it a mission goal to shut down gun groups for things they don’t understand. In many states, private sales of guns is legal (ie, Virginia). Another thing is, they seem to not even be investigating…they respond based on reports. Anyone can claim a page/group is in violation, but you’d think FB would be validating the claims. I don’t think they are.
When the public was outraged that the US government was serving notices to social media, Zuckerberg was all over it, insisting that he was fighting “the man” because of privacy concerns. Yet he’ll tromp all over 2A. WTF. You can’t choose what Bills within the Bill of Rights you’ll support. If you tear one down, what’s to stop the rest from being torn down? You can’t love 1A, speak bad about 2A, try to get 2A removed, and expect 1A to be safe. These people are seriously retarded.
Yes, I know that FB isn’t the only social media service that has issues with firearms. And I also know that FB is a private organization. FB isn’t the only social media outlet that does this type of thing: Google shut down Hickok45 twice last month for posting/linking his videos to Google+. Does that make it right, though? No. This has nothing to do with the Patriot Act (there are no parallels and just because the PA exists doesn’t mean we need to be tearing down basic freedoms), as a recent responder mentioned. This also has nothing to do with supporting a Republican cause (this is another labeling of the aforementioned responder). I’m not a Republican — you can be Democrat and still love and support guns, but just because I’m speaking out against FB and anti-gunning tactics doesn’t mean I’m Republican.
I suggest gun owners and the firearms community utilize services that support firearms and the 2nd Amendment. One such tool is MeWe, a social media tool. I’ll be creating a MeWe account soon. There’s also GunDistrict.com. Both of these are good social media tools that are less tyrannical than FB.
Every one of these myths are addressed and clarified in the article. If every anti-gunner studied this, they’d have no leg to stand on, argument-wise. Maybe that’s why they chose to stay ignorant…it takes away their arguments. The kicker is that IT’S ALL TRUE.
This is good reading. I urge everyone to read it, with an open mind.
Man, I had issues getting the grip screws out of the bushings. The bushings kept coming out with the screws. They’re supposed to stay in place. I tried various methods of getting them out but I eventually ended up really tightening the screws and then suddenly loosening them, breaking the tight seal in the process.
Also, the new grips (VZ Walkure olive green) were not plug-n-play. They required some slight grinding on the left side, on top. That was due to the extended slide lock and extended safety. You can’t tell that I grinded them. Note that I also had to the the same to the OEM grips…I had to grind the left top side to accommodate the extended safety, as well.
These grips are not as aggressive as my VZ G10s that are on my Rock Island Armory 1911s, but I do notice a definite improvement in grip. A range session is in order! 🙂
I’ve been getting an influx of comments on my last Grand Power YouTube video.
Many people think that I need to be using oil (one person stated to not use TW25B and another recommended to use oil and not grease).
I tested the theory that I was using the wrong lube. I stripped off the TW25B from the helical cut and breech area of the barrel and used a light coat of Breakfree CLP instead…I kept grease on the rails, though.
Remember, on my last visit, I fired 263 rounds of various ammo (50 x Tula steel-cased, 200 x Remington UMC 147-grain flat-nosed FMJ, and approx 24 rounds of Winchester Personal Protection JHP). Of that ammo, I had two failures to return to battery (down from “many” failures), both of them being with the Remington ammo.
At last night’s range session, I used 100 x Remington UMC 147-grain flat-nosed FMJ, 50 x American Eagle 124-grain FMJ, and 28 rounds (of a box of 50) of Geco 124-grain FMJ, for a total of 177 rounds. I had five failures to return to battery (FRTB). The first happened on the 3rd magazine. Then the 4th, 5th, and 6th magazines. The gun wasn’t dirty, but remember, I was using a thin coat of oil vs a coat of gun grease.
Yeah, so much for that theory. I had less failures during my previous range visit with the P11, and shot maybe 100 rounds more, too (with Tula being 100 of that, and both Remington UMC and Tula are very dirty).
But here’s a revelation…of the five failures to return to battery and of the 177 rounds, guess which brand failed the most in this gun? Remington. All five failures were with the Remington. I made a point of paying attention to which brand I was shooting and keeping notes on each box’s tabs. I also ejected each round that generated a FRTB. In one case of FRTB, I found that the front lip of the case had bent when the gun tried to ram the round into the chamber. I decided not to fire that round.
Here’s a picture:
If it’s difficult to see the damage, here’s a video.
So, maybe it’s a combination of the oil I used as lube and the ammo? No, I think the ammo is the issue, as I shot 75 rounds of ammo AFTER the Remington that didn’t get hung up at all.
This gun does NOT like the Remington ammo I’m shooting. I’ve other Remington ammo (non-flat-nosed and 115-grain FMJ) that I can test but I really don’t think I need to test any more.
I cleaned the gun and looked at it’s internals last night. The claim that the oil is easier to clean after a range session is false. The oil migrated to the slide and coated the whole underside of it. In fact, it was everywhere and I didn’t use a lot…just a thin film. It took quite awhile to clean. The gun wasn’t quite that bad when I used grease as the primary lubricant. The oil collected the carbon exactly as the grease did (it basically made mud), but I can’t contribute the failures to the oil. All I know is that I had less failures with the grease but if the ammo is the problem then all perceived lube problems are exonerated.
I’ll post the video once I’ve edited it and posted it to YouTube.
UPDATE — here’s the video:
For now, I’ll continue to use the CLP as the primary lube. I’ve even put it on the slide and frame rails. I’ll watch for wear and/or trouble for awhile.
I also took my SIG Sauer P220 and gave it a quick run to test the new Hogue rubber grips. Man, that gun is a beast. Recoil is less of an issue with these grips. I’m able to put ammo (half the mag, in this case) in the red, too.
All DA shots, first 8 rounds, at 7 yards
I fired a total of 44 rounds (I had five mags that have been loaded since Jan 2015 that I wanted to shoot…Perfecta hardball in 230-grain). The gun ate it all up without issue. My aiming did get progressively worse, though. I might need to get glasses I can use at the range (or it might be time to have my eyes checked again), as I was having a difficult time seeing the front sight and my vision got worse as I shot.
I brought the Glock 19 and intended to shoot it, but got too engrossed with the P11 (let’s face it…as my EDC and with my recent issues, it needed the attention).
So, this range visit was very valuable for me, as I learned that not all ammo is created equal. I still have a lot of Remington flat-nosed ammo left (I bought 500 rounds of it). Some of my other guns will eat it without issue, so I’ll use it up, but I won’t be buying any more of it.
