Author: r2kba.patriot

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.40 limp-wrist loose hold P250 polymer

Loose Holding AKA ‘Limp-Wristing’

There’s a guy on the forums that I frequent that’s been having very chronic feeding issues with his Sig Sauer P250 .40 cal.  He arranged for Sig to take a look at it and fix the issue, but Sig returned the gun, stating there was nothing wrong with it and that they weren’t able to duplicate the issue.  He complained when it continued to have feed failures, so they suggested he replace the recoil spring.  The gun owner was almost livid because he thought they should’ve done that when they had it (but remember, they couldn’t reproduce the issue).  So, he replaced the recoil spring and shot 200 rounds through the gun with the new spring…the feed issues went away, but now he’s having an issue where the slide stays partially open after ejecting the round (he has to manually cycle the firearm).

Both the feed symptoms that he initially experienced and the resulting issue of the slide partially cycling after brass is ejected are chronic signs of loose holding or what’s called ‘limp wristing’.  Limp wristing can be caused by a loose hold or insufficient strength when holding the firearm while shooting.  Polymer guns are more prone to limp wristing than all-metal guns, since polymer can flex.

The gun owner swore that it wasn’t limp-wristing when he was having the initial feed issue and stated that he’s shot other .40 cal handguns without issue.  He specifically mentioned a .40 Beretta M9, which is an all-steel gun, which would probably not have such issues.  After he swapped in the new recoil spring, he then had the partial cycling issue, which is yet another symptom of limp-wristing.

The fix for this is usually to firm up your hold on the weapon, if possible, change to heavier grain ammo, or to get a different handgun.  The P250 is a convertible gun.  I believe a .357 P250 can be converted to .40 and vice versa…I’m not sure of 9mm.  I think 9mms can’t be converted because there’s not enough room under the slide to accomodate the larger barrels…you’d have to get the slides for the .40/.357 for that to work.  The gun owner might be able to convert it to 9mm but I doubt he’ll be willing to spend more money on a gun he currently can’t shoot without cycling issues.

More information on loose holding can be found here.  The link to the forum thread documenting the issue is here.

Categories
Canik SA TP9 TP9SA Triune Triune Shooting Sports

Bought – Canik TP9SA

A few things:

  • This is the TP9SA.
  • Bought it locally ($369) at a place called Triune Shooting Sports.  Was in and out within half an hour, I think.  Staff was professional and moved with purpose…I did not have to beg them to see the gun.
  • No, it isn’t the FDE I wanted.  I’ll see if I can get the TP9v2 in FDE or OD Green. UPDATE:  Black and FDE are the only colors offered for this particular model of Canik.
  • There are two variants of the TP9 SA:  9mm and .40 caliber.  This is the 9mm version. The .40 cal version hasn’t yet reached the U.S.
  • The trigger is NICE, with a NICE audible and tactile reset!
  • The slide racks back nicely…there’s a very smooth, mechanical feel to it that’s different than my SP2022.
  • It comes with two 18-round mags.  I need 2-3 more.  UPDATE: since I now have two of these Caniks, I have 4 mags.
  • The fit is great.  The finish is good (not great).  This is a duty-type of gun, though…if you want great fit/finish, get a $1000 gun instead.
  • The sights are contrast sights, not night sights.  I’m OK with that, since night sights would jack up the pricing.
  • The grip and stipling is very good…not aggressive but not lacking.
  • The gun wasn’t dirty out of the case like my SP2022 was.  I cleaned it anyways, to get rid of the packing grease and get it lubed up with CLP and TW25B grease.
  • If you don’t like the decocker, don’t use it.  There’s one guy on YouTube that removed his (WTH?).  The main reason for having the decocker is that you can use it to disable the striker before tearing down the gun…no need to pull the trigger.  I imagine this was also a cost-saving measure…they use the same slide mechanics as the TP9 so that they wouldn’t have to develop a whole new slide just for the TP9SA.
  • I’ll visit the range tonight so that I can begin the break-in process.

Update (4/11/2015):  I got this back in Feb but I don’t think I posted about it —

Categories
Beretta Canik FNS-9 Compact Glock G19 Grand Power Mod.2 P11 Mk12 P320C P320SC PX4 Storm TP9 V2 TP9SA XD

My List of Guns To Obtain

Here’s a listing of handguns that I plan to eventually obtain, in the following order, within 12-18 months:

  • Canik TP9SA 9mm (in Desert Tan) – Bought
  • Canik TP9 v2 9mm (in OD Green)
  • Rock Island Armory 1911A1 MS Tactical 2011 .45ACP – Bought but in 9mm (specifically, I bought model number 51698)
  • Ruger SR1911 Commander Lightweight (IF I can find it at around $600)
  • American Classic 1911 Commander 45 ACP 4.25″ – Bought
  • Sig Sauer P320C in 9mm – Bought
  • Sig Sauer P320SC in 9mm
  • Grand Power P11 Mk12 9mm – Bought or Beretta PX4 Storm Compact in 9mm (either one, not both)
  • Glock 19 Gen 4 – Bought
  • Springfield Armory XD Mod.2 SC 9mm – Bought or FNS-9 Compact 9mm (either one, not both)

The Canik TP9 has been calling out to me for awhile now, especially the SA version.  I’ve yet to see the v2 TP9 in online stores, but I’ve been eyeing a Desert Tan TP9SA the last few days, wondering if I should “pull the trigger” and buy it.

Why all the above?  There’s a good possibility that I might be moving to California (no idea when, but I’d like to say within the next 12-18 months).  I’d like to get as many guns on the above list as I can before we move, because once we’re there, I’ll be limited to CA’s notorious approved gun list — the list is a serious joke.  I can bring what I already have into California without issue…I’ve no long guns, only handguns.

** UPDATE:  I’ve decided against the Grand Power, as I do not want to have to limit any more magazines than I have to.  The PX4 Storm Compact comes with 10-round mags, so I won’t have to alter them to meet CA standards.  As well, extra mags for the GP P11 are $54!  Also, we’re moving to CA THIS year…by August.

** UPDATE 2 (2/2/2015):  I just ordered a Sig P320C in 9mm, a Metro Arms American Classic 1911 Commander 45ACP, and a RIA 1911A1 MS Tactical II in 9mm.  They should arrive by the end of the week or early next week at the latest…we’ll see.  I also revised the list again.  I’ll stick with the Sig P320C (Compact, not Carry version)…I don’t need the P320SC since I can modify the P320C to be an SC model (the P320 is modular and can be converted to any other P320 model).  That’s going to save some money and is more logical.

** UPDATE 3 (2/3/2015):  I’ve removed the FNS-9 Compact from the list.  I refuse to research further to try to find a solution to the issue.  Instead of buying the gun and hoping this model will be compatible with other FNH compact models, I’m just going to not buy it…maybe this frees up a space for a different gun?

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failure to chamber P220 range SP2022

Visited the Range Today!

First 15-round Mag Thru the 2022…bulls-eye is a DA shot!

5 Magazines

Cleaning…119 Rounds of Carbon!

All clean!

I finally made some time to visit the range so I could break in the SP2022.  When I bought the gun, I also bought two 50-round boxes of American Eagle 115-grain FMJ.  I filled up all four mags with that ammo so that I could break in the magazine springs.  When I paid for range time today, I also bought two more boxes of AE.

I fired 119 rounds through the Sig Pro today…8 magazines worth.  I had one jam, which is great, but I don’t exactly know WTF happened…it wasn’t a failure to feed, since the first round fed…it wasn’t a failure to extract, since the brass didn’t need to be extracted at the time of the issue.  The trigger wouldn’t release the firing pin.  Also, the slide pretty much locked up…I had to muscle it open.  Once that round popped out, I slingshotted the slide…no more issues.  That was the only round of 119 that gave me an issue with the Sig Pro today.  Also, all four of the mags were new but two of them never had rounds in them (I only filled two of them).

The P220 experienced a very similar issue with a round not wanting to properly chamber or fire, although it wasn’t the first round or mag.  Maybe that was a limp wrist issue.  Or maybe it was one of the new magazines (three of the five are new).

I fired both the 2022 and the P220, alternating between the two.  I’m thinking I should’ve just focused on one gun at a time, because my aim wasn’t where I wanted it to be.  I sighted the bulls-eye but kept hitting left of it and sometimes upper left.  I did hit the bulls-eye a few times but I was very inconsistent.  The target stayed at 7 yards the whole hour.  This “aiming” issue might just be a trigger pull issue, as I dumped 4 mags in one target and there was a giant hole to the upper left where I consistently hit.  I need to work on my trigger pull (on both guns), I think.

Also, most people complain about the placement/size of the slide release on the SP2022.  They also tend to ride the slide release, meaning the last shot doesn’t lock back the slide (because they’ve triggered the release).  That didn’t happen at all during my first range visit with this gun (I made sure my thumb was away from the release lever…it took a conscious effort).

The SP2022 got the majority of my attention today, not only because it’s new (hell, they both are), but because it is easier to fire.  I hate to say this, but I hate the recoil of my P220…or maybe I just need to fire it more.  It has more recoil than what I’m used to and I’m finding it difficult to get used to.  That slide is still stiff as hell, too, although the mags are breaking in very well.  The next range day I have, I’ll spend an hour with the 2022 and an hour with the P220, just to give them dedicated time.

I also bought a new range bag, since I felt weird carrying my two beater bags to the range today (one was a cheap NRA bag dedicated to ammo and supplies (lube, barrel rod, screw driver set…POL-type stuff) and the other (an Army map case)  had my guns in the OEM gun cases.  The range had a store and had a Bulldog XL range bag that I bought, which is much nicer than that map case and the cheap bag that the NRA sent me.

Lastly, it looks like I might be moving to California to move nearer to my wife’s family.  I’ve found that I can keep the guns I bring with me (in fact, it is advisable to load up on any guns before I move, as the CA approved gun list has severe limits).  I’d still need to find a job in CA first, then a house within a specific price range that is a reasonable distance from the job.  This is ridiculously complicated, to the point that my guns definitely take a backseat to job and house search.  Wish me luck!

Categories
carry CC concealed Maryland MD Washington Post

Gun Owners Fear Maryland Cops Target Them

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/30/gun-owners-fear-maryland-cops-target-them-for-traf/print/

This is crazy. While the pull-overs have been reviewed and found to have been legal and justified, something doesn’t sound right with how the officers are aware that these people have CC permits.  It almost appears that they’re being screened, even if the officers swear up and down that they aren’t.  That bit about the cops smelling marijuana…that sounds like a fabricated reason to pull someone over to try to find a weapon.

This is another reason for me to avoid Maryland…never really liked that state, but this is a legit reason to stay away, IMO.

Categories
dud range shooting sound squib

What’s a Squib?

So, what’s a squib? The following article explains. Also, watch the videos, especially the last one, as it captures how a squib sounds.

http://concealednation.org/2014/11/video-the-dangers-of-a-squib-load-rifle-explodes-in-girls-hands/

Categories
9mm magazines polymer SP2022 trigger

My Sig SP2022 9mm Arrived Today!

I thought I’d only get one magazine (the ad said only one was included), but I ended up with two!  That’s a huge deal, as they are expensive.  And I just got two new mags for this gun, too!  Now, if I’d paid attention to the ad pictures, I’d have seen that there were two mags in the pictures (one in the gun and one in a clear plastic bag).   What else?  It has the round-in-chamber indicator on top of the gun, which is pretty damned cool (I’ll keep visually checking the chamber, though).  I also swapped out the installed backstrap for the bigger one…it feels much better.  The grips are difficult to remove (needs a big screwdriver and some leverage).  I wonder if I should lube the mount area…

I cleaned it (surprisingly, it was filthy…like it had been shot a few times and not cleaned…it’s supposed to be new…WTF) and found that this example has a metal recoil spring guide.  There are many videos stating that this was plastic and people were replacing them with aftermarket metal guides.  I’ve no idea how this affects the limited warranty that covers new Sig products.  Based on the fact that the gun had obviously been fired and because it has a metal recoil spring guide, the gun is more than likely not new.  It’s not a huge deal, but it was misrepresented nonetheless.

I bought 100 rounds of American Eagle FMJ 9mm rounds ($17 a box at the gun shop).  I also bought a box of 20 Federal HST JHP 9mm ($28??!).  9mm is cheaper than .45ACP, that’s for sure!  🙂

I loaded up two magazines to begin the break-in period…they’re stiff as hell.  The other two mags are empty.  I’ll rotate the rounds from one to the other…I don’t want all my ammo in the mags.  They hold 15 rounds apiece, so that would be a significant amount of my ammo.

This gun is sweet!  It’s different than my Equinox.  The Equinox looks and feels (and IS) expensive.  The SP feels more…practical.  It actually fits my hands better…the grip is fantastic, even if it’s plastic (yes, this is a polymer gun).  The trigger even feels a bit better, although I haven’t compared reset between the two.  My wife prefers the feel of the Equinox (the feel of money…LOL) over the SP.  I like both of them in different ways.

I plan to visit the range tomorrow and maybe even Sunday and Monday, just to get some practice in.

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concealednation.org etiquette gun shop

There’s Such A Thing As Gunshop Etiquette? Yep!

http://concealednation.org/2013/11/gun-shop-etiquette/

This was a pretty good read!  A lot of it is common sense but bears mentioning.

Read some of the comments at the bottom of the article, as well…there are some pretty good suggestions/advice and general commentary.

Categories
ammo ammunition Cabelas Dicks magazines P220 SP2022 Walmart

My Magazines Have Arrived!

A few days ago, Cabelas had an online-only Sig Sauer magazine sale…$22.49 for each magazine in stock.  Since Sig mags tend to be expensive (running around $50 each), I decided to get three to augment what my P220 came with.  It came with 2 x 8-round magazines.  I bought 1 x 8-round mag and 2 x 10-round magazines.  Note that this sale ended yesterday.

They arrived this afternoon and I immediately cracked them open and loaded them with rounds so that they’d break-in.  I also marked all five magazines (I numbered them), in case I needed to track mag failures.  Of the five, I loaded one with my Hornady JHP 185-grain rounds (which reminds me…I need to find an outdoor range so that I can test the JHP to ensure the gun will shoot them.

I also ordered 2 x 15-round magazines for my Sig Sauer SP2022 9mm that hasn’t arrived yet.  This is the gun that people have a difficult time finding mags for, so I wanted to take advantage of the sale…once I saw that they had them in stock, I ordered two.  The SP2022 only comes with one magazine, so I probably needed to get extras anyways.  I haven’t bought 9mm ammo yet…I’ll buy a box or two of FMJ and a box of JHP in 9mm when I pick up the gun from the FFL.  I marked these mags, too.

Hopefully, I’ll be able to go shooting this weekend and try out the new gun and extended P220 mags.

My next project will be to find an online store where I can order ammo in bulk, to cut costs.  I buy my ammo from Dicks since they’ve been having holiday sales, but I think I can do better by buying online.  I’d check Walmart but I’ve never been able to get someone to help me in the firearms section.  :/

Categories
.45 9mm compact firearms handgun magazines P220 safe Sauer Sig SP2022 Stack-On sub-compact

Introductions

I tend to segment my life experiences into silos.  I do not have a one-size-fits-all blog.  There’s a reason why I do that.  I’ve blogs about Unix, PDAs, Apple products, Subarus, and others.  A reader that cares about Unix might not care about Subarus.  I believe a blog has to have a general theme…how do you mesh all of those blogs into one without looking like a skitzo?  You can’t.

Anyways,  I’ve a new hobby.  Last month, my wife bought me a handgun.  What make?  Sig Sauer.  What model?  A P220, but not just any P220…she got me an Equinox.  That’s a gun created by Sig Sauer’s custom gun shop.  It’s full size and calibered in .45 ACP.

It was supposed to be a surprise Christmas present but she ended up telling me because the sales people she was talking with told her to inform me so that I could give her a good idea of what I wanted…for all they knew, I’d not like the gift.  A few weeks before she bought it, she’d been asking me gun questions but I thought she was asking idle questions (she does that from time to time and knows a bit about weapons — 20 years of Army service that she accrued).  She asked me my preference of caliber and make.  I told her .40 and Sig Sauer.  Well, she took that information and went back to the sales people and told them.  They recommended a .45 instead, as .40s are known for being a bit snappy in recoil.  So, we were Christmas shopping and she told me that she wanted to show me something and that she wanted me to close my eyes…she then led me to the gun shop in the store (the Ft. Belvoir Exchange).  When I opened my eyes, I was shocked.  She showed me the gun she wanted to buy me.  It was the Equinox…it’s all shadow and light, with dark wooden grips.  We went to look at other guns at other shops over the next few days but we settled on the Equinox and bought it the day before Thanksgiving.

That’s the greatest present she’s ever given me and it was also very thoughtful.  It was also pricey, as far as guns retail for.  $1040.

I took it to a local in-door range the week after I got it.  It shoots great.  The trigger is awesome in both DA and SA modes.  It does have recoil, however.  The previous calibers I’ve fired (they were a friend’s guns) were 9mm and .40…both Sigs.  In comparison to that .40, my P220 isn’t offering less recoil.  They both feel about the same.  Now, I don’t remember what .40 Sig my friend had, but I’ve the feeling I’d have been happy with a .40 Sig.  That’s not a huge issue, though…I’m happy with my gift!

The P220 comes with 2 8-round mags.  The mags are stiff as hell out-of-the-box and have to be broken in.  Load rounds into them to exercise the springs.  They loosen up over time and with use.

The P220 also has a very stiff recoil spring that will loosen up over time and use.  As it is now, it is difficult to rack the gun.

I’ve put approximately 100 rounds through the gun so far and the mags and recoil spring have loosened a bit…they’re still a bit stiff, though.

I’ve a gun safe, especially since I’ve three kids.  I’ve the Stack-On Model # PS-508-12.  This safe is small but has enough room for 3-4 handguns (maybe even more if nothing else is in the safe).  BJs has this safe, as well as an assortment of Sentry safes.  I liked this one because it was a bit under $60 and was low in profile.

Also….

I bought another gun.  I sold some car parts to a fellow Subaru owner and used the money to buy a Sig Sauer SP2022 in 9mm.  This will probably be my carry gun.  Yes, it is rather large to carry, but it is sold as a compact gun.  It is about the same size as many compact guns of other makes.  Note that the SP isn’t yet in my possession.  It is currently being delivered to my local gunshop.  I got this gun for $389.  I’ve also ordered two extra magazines (at $22/ea from Cabelas…during a sale).  This is key, because the gun only comes with one magazine and people complain that extra mags are expensive…I’ve heard quotes of $50/ea.

So, I can carry this gun but also practice with it to hone my basic handgun skills…9mm ammo is cheaper than .45 ACP, so there’s a lower cost factor with this gun.

I did not want a sub-compact gun.  I held a Walther PPK in .380 and could barely hold the gun, it was so small.  I’ve big hands, so I need a gun with substantial grip, even if it means it’ll be more difficult to carry…I can’t stand when my hand is hanging off of a gun grip, as it doesn’t feel comfortable to me. I’m a bit passionate about this because there is this thing about carry guns that forum monkeys will try to sell people:  carry guns have to be small.  That’s bullshit, IMO, and seems to be more of an attempt to limit a gun owner.

Lastly, I’ll give you a history of my involvement with firearms.

I’m a 10-year military veteran.  Up until 2014, I’d never owned a firearm, but in my 10 years of active duty, I’ve slept with guns, took a dump with guns, practiced almost monthly with guns, deployed to hostile environment with guns, and performed guard duty with live rounds, with a mag in the gun but no round chambered.  And when I went to the range, I actually coached on basic marksmanship and sight zero adjustments.  I’ve fired M16A2s almost exclusively, but also attended an OPFOR range while assigned to the 2nd ID G2 section…we fired captured Soviet-type weapons and ammunition.  I’ve fired claymores, as well, at an actual claymore range at Fort Bragg.  I’ve also handled both plastic explosives, blasting caps, low yield TNT and high explosives (I had to know how to emergency dispose of classified machinery).  This is just everyday stuff to most veterans (minus the explosives bit, probably), but with all that being said, I’m still new to handguns, but keep in mind that a lot (but not all) of my rifle experience carries over to handguns.  And really, a lot of this is common sense.  I’ve 10 years of extremely valuable firearms experience and have never owned a handgun…why is it that I’m comfortable with my P220?  Because in the basic sense, a gun is a gun.  I already knew how to clear a semi-automatic handgun because it’s basically the same as clearing an M16:  drop the mag, pull and/or lock back the charging handle, look inside the chamber for any rounds, if there are no rounds, release the slide and place on safe (if applicable, because many Sigs don’t have manual safes).  As well, in Virginia (where I’m from), military veterans can apply for their concealed carry license with nothing more than their DD214s as a prerequisite form (with an honorable discharge).

Stay tuned, as I’ll be gradually beefing up this page with my weapons and ownership experiences.