Author: r2kba.patriot

Categories
1911 2011 Bul Armory feed issues limp-wrist SAS II Ultralight youtube

My Last YouTube Video…

…hit a nerve with at least one guy.

He tells me, “don’t tell me it’s not the gun,” and to “stop that nonsense,” whatever that means.

I’d basically said that most folks having feed issues with the gun haven’t checked (nor care to check) to see if it’s them (the shooter) and not the gun itself. The very first thing folks should always do is to ensure that they’re not causing the issues that their guns are exhibiting.

Suggesting that folks may be limp-wristing their guns almost always offends them, which is kinda wild. Folks act as if they are infallible? Why? The typical reasons folks get offended is because they think that they’re masters of shooting after shooting X amount of years.

This particular commenter said that he doesn’t have issues shooting his micro-compacts. He mentioned that he has a P365 Macro, Hellcat and Shield Plus and none of them have feed issues. I told him that you can shoot one gun (or even several small guns) well and still have an issue with recoil management with another small gun, because they all have different grip textures and grip lengths, and each person’s hands on this Earth are going to differ. It’s not a problem with the gun – it’s a problem with the person wielding the gun. I also said that some guns are more sensitive to limp-wristing than others, too. Some guns will flat-out not tolerate limp-wristing.

This guy also didn’t say how many rounds he’d shot through his SAS II UL, nor how many mags he had. He didn’t say what ammo he was shooting through it, either. There are MANY variables that can contribute to feeding issues, but limp-wristing is the big one.

Factoring out limp-wristing, the next thing to troubleshoot would be the magazines. I’ve four magazines. I’ve NO feed issues whatsoever. I’ve shot a shitload of different types of ammo through the gun, but I’ve not had any misfeed trends.

The commenter could actually be experiencing an issue with both mags (I’m assuming he has two since he stated he’d just bought the gun two weeks prior), but, as I already stated, he didn’t supply any other data – he mostly gave me salt. I also asked him to supply a video so that everyone could see it. That was ignored. He also left a second separate comment saying that Bul Armory is paying me to say what I did, which is stupid. I used straight-up logic to explain it all (and I explained the logic below)…it’s not something that Bul Armory needs to tell anyone. He sent the gun to Bul Armory and they sent him a video showing that they shot a mag of ammo from the gun without misfeeds. If someone shoots the gun that you’re complaining won’t feed properly and they can’t generate those same misfeeds, logic dictates that you may be the issue.

There have been numerous Reddit posts showing videos of Bul Armory gunsmiths shooting guns that were returned to them and the guns not having issues. I’ve seen some videos where guns go through a full magazine without feed issues. I’ve seen videos where guns go through two mags without feed issues. The gunsmiths use the customer’s mags when shooting, as well. The gunsmiths send the guns back to the owners and the owners shoot the guns, generating feed issues. In all cases, the gunsmiths send the ammo they were using back to the customer, so when the customer tests, they’re using the same ammo as the gunsmiths were. This tells me that there could be an issue with limp-wristing, especially if the gunsmith can’t replicate the misfeeds.

The gun is small – it is closer to 3″ than 3.25″. It is light. It’s a known fact that Officer-sized 1911s tend to have more issues than larger-sized 1911s. The gun could be faulty, yes, BUT I believe shooters should always try to ensure that they are not generating the issues.

I explained in my video that I’d run into a similar problem with a particular 1911 and was about to sell the gun. I kept thinking that the issue could be me – there was like a very small percentage of doubt that I was causing the issue, so I started forcing myself to troubleshoot both the gun and myself. I shot a lot of ammo through the gun, even when it was failing to feed. The gun didn’t have a ton of ammo shot through it, so I didn’t think it needed another recoil spring, but I ordered a new one anyways. I bought new grip panels, too. The misfeeds lessened but didn’t stop. I then decided to wear a helmet camera and record one hour of range shooting. When I got home and checked the footage, I was shocked and humbled. I was very loosely controlling the gun and it was plainly viewable. The next time I visited, I focused on my grip discipline and I didn’t have a single misfeed.

In my opinion, if you’re not checking yourself, you’re setting yourself up for problems. I don’t have an issue letting folks know that when they have feeding issues, the shooter could be the issue.

The video is here:

Categories
concealed concealed carry license

Don’t Forget To Renew Your CHP!

No, I haven’t forgotten to renew my concealed handgun permit. I see folks all the time on Reddit saying they’ve inadvertently let their permit lapse.

Here’s what I do to ensure I don’t forget:

I ensure that I’ve my cards in hand, and I then use Google, searching for “90 days before (put expiration date here)”.

I’ve created a calender reminder on my phone for the date that Google generated. I was granted two licenses. I’ve two calender reminders that will remind me 90 days before the licenses expire.

This works for me. I renewed both license during the Covid pandemic, and both were submitted using online forms.

I’d rather do this than be carrying concealed with an expired permit.

Categories
Alpha Foxtrot ammo defensive ammo SAS II Ultralight

This is how $90 of SD ammo appears…

I went to Cabela’s to get some SD ammo and was actually looking to buy Sig 365 SD ammo to test with my Bul Armory SAS II. They only had the Sig 365 in FMJ, though. I’ll keep looking for it or order it online.

Since I was there, I bought what they had, and focused on types that I haven’t shot before. I bought (from top to bottom, left to right) all 9mm, Sierra Outdoor Master in 124-gr, Hornady Custom 124-gr XTP, Federal Punch 124-gr, and Barnes Vor-TX 115-gr. Those are boxes of 25 rounds each.

I also have an unspent box of Koenig Defense 110-gr JHP (from the last time I visited Cabela’s).

I’ll be shooting these 125 rounds of ammo from the Alpha Foxtrot S15, since I’ve not tried shooting good ammo from that handgun yet. Maybe I can shoot half from the AF-S15 and half from the SAS II, since I’d prefer to be practicing shooting my current carry gun.

Categories
ammo defensive ammo pistol training

I Enrolled in Handgun Training!

So, I’ve enrolled in handgun training. I enrolled in a Pistol II course at my range. (Pistol I was too basic and Pistol III was too advanced — we all have to start somewhere, right?) It’s a 2-day course that is held in the evening. I thinking on using my Bul Armory SAS II UL. They recommend either a duty gun or a compact. The SAS II UL isn’t a little gun. It’s not big by any means, but it’s far from small, so may use it during the course.

I’ll be brining a back-up gun, but I’m not sure which to bring. I can either bring my Glock 19 (it’s similarly sized) or my Alpha Foxtrot S15. The Glock 19 seems to be the better option. I’ve several DA/SA guns, too, but I don’t want to have to deal with DA.

I also need to buy ammo for the course, but I think I’ll just buy ammo at that range, right before the start of the course. I don’t need anything special – it just has to be dependable. I’ve been using their Blazer 124-gr brass FMJ and it’s been good, so I think I’ll jsut buy more of that.

I mentioned SD and training ammo in the title. I’ve always wanted to be able to shoot training ammo that was very similar to the SD ammo that I’d be carrying (I’ve no favorite SD ammo at this moment in time). I did quite a bit of research and found that Federal’s AD9SJ4 (124-gr 9mm) matches the Federal Practice and Defend P9HST1TM100 (124-gr 9mm SD ammo), ballistics-wise. The only thing is, I can’t find any place that has the P9HST1TM100 in stock.

They’ve 147-gr pairing as well: AD9SJ3 (Practice ammo) and P9HST2TM100 (147-gr 9mm SD ammo). The P9HST2TM100 is more easily found, by far, than it’s 124-gr counterpart.

Here’s an example of the cost of the AD9SJ3: Just under $17 for a box of 50.

Here’s an example of the cost of the P9HST2TM100: Just under $48 for a box of 100 – this is legit HST JHP Syntech SD ammo.

Bul Armory doesn’t recommend shooting 147-gr from the SAS II UL, but I’ve had no issues shooting various SD ammo in that grainage, so I think I’ll spend some money on a decent sum of this pair of ammo. I’ll probably buy 500 rounds of the AD9SJ3 and maybe 1 to 2 boxes (100-200 rounds) of the P9HST2TM100.

Categories
Glock magazines PSA

Can the Alpha Foxtrot S15 Be Used With PSA’s Dagger Micro 15-Round Mags?

Can the Alpha Foxtrot S15 use the PSA Dagger Micro 15-Round Mag?

I’ve asked that question on at least one 1911 forum and was told that it wouldn’t work, but no one has tried.

I’m not interested in hearing assumptions.

It either will latch or it won’t

It will either release and drop free from the mag well effortlessly or not.

It should feed properly.

The Alpha Foxtrot S15 is built around Shield Arms S15 15-round mags, which are 3rd-Party mags made for the Glock 43X and the Glock 48. Because of that, the AF-S15 can also use the OEM G43X and G48 mags, although those particular mags have a 10-round capacity.

In the quest to check for yet another source of mags for the AF-S15, I’ve ordered one PSA Dagger Micro magazine, which has a 15-round capacity and can be used with G43Xs and G48s.

I saw that PSA had the mags in stock. I ordered a blem mag with the Micro Slick finish, for $29. Shipping was $9.99 and the total was $40.72 (shipping is always a lot and I didn’t need anything else from PSA).

Note that the Dagger Micro mags are polymer-coated, even around the mag latch area, which means that this will be a wear point, as the AF-S15 uses a metal mag catch within it’s mag well. I’m also curious if the mag will slide easily into and out of the mag well, and also unlatch without hangup issues.

I ordered one mag to test, initially, as I didn’t want to order 2-3 only to find that they won’t work.

The test results will determine if I order more (specifically for range use).

I’ll share my findings with the rest of the world, as I keep seeing folks asking this question or outright verbally assuming that the Dagger Micro mags will work with this gun.

Categories
Beretta DA/SA handguns PX4 Storm The Firearms Blog

The Firearms Blog – 2023’s Most Underrated Pistol

It’s nice to see two very knowledgeable individuals who understand how good the Beretta PX4 Storm is!

If I weren’t on a 1911/2011 fixation, I’d probably be shooting this gun more!

Categories
1911 2011 handguns

What’s My Next Gun Buy? Also, Thoughts On Staccato

So, I’m done with my gun purchases this year. I’m quite happy with my recent purchases.

What’s for next year’s gun buy?

I’m looking at the Costaint COS21, which is a semi-custom 2011. It starts at $2200, comes with 2 x 17-round mags, and is optics-ready

I’m also considering the Stealth Arms Platypus – I’m aware that this isn’t a true 2011, but more of a double-stacked 1911 that uses Glock mags. I’ve spec’d one out at $1535 with all the options I want. Not sure if it comes with mags, though, but I can certainly order them without issue and it won’t break the bank!

Another consideration would be the Bul Armory SAS II UL Comp ($1890). Or, the 4.25″ SAS II Tac ($1760).

I’ve also been looking at Alpha Foxtrot’s single stacked 1911s, Fusion Firearms’ single stacked 1911s, and Bul Armory’s single stacked 1911s. No, I don’t need a Dan Wesson. I’d be happy with one, but I’d also be happy with any of the aforementioned 1911s.

Whatever I’ll buy next will be almost certainly a 2011 or 1911, though.

Someone asked me on Reddit, “Why not a Staccato?” I’ve no interested in a Staccato at all. Why? Everyone has one. It’s is THE gateway 2011. I don’t necessarily want what everyone else has. The Staccato is $1000 more than my most expensive handgun (the Bull Armory SAS II UL), but I’m that guy that believes in diminishing returns.

A Staccato C2 is $2000. A Staccato P is $2199. A Staccato CS (probably what I’d want and is very equivalent to the SAS II UL) is $2499, which is $1000 more than the cost of a SAS II UL but I’m not getting double the value of a SAS II UL.

I get that the Staccatos have no MIM and that they’re built in the US. I’m not afraid of MIM – most good gun makers that use MIM have never had issues with dependability of those MIM parts. I’m also not afraid of buying high end items from foreign companies.

Staccato mags are expensive at approximately $70…that’s $20 more than the SAS II UL mags, which I thought were expensive AF but still bought 2 of them. The saving grace is that each Staccato comes with 3 mags.

Staccato optic plates are REALLY expensive, at $160 for the 507K optics kit (they don’t include them with the gun as a package deal, either).

Why would I pay $2500 for a Staccato CS and then want to also spend another $300 on optics mounting gear and two extra mags? That’s close to $3000 at that point.

Basically, I don’t have a problem not owning a Staccato while owning Bul Armory 2011s. I’m not a brand snob and a non-Staccato will suffice, while I’m absolutely sure that I’ll shoot a non-Staccato as well as I would a Staccato.

Categories
1911 2011 AF1911-S15 Alpha Foxtrot Bul Armory review SAS II Ultralight video

Comparison Review of the SAS II UL vs AF1911-S15

My review notes:

Initial thoughts

  • S15 is well-built
    • Has tight tolerances
      • No slide-to-frame gaps
      • No slide-to-frame wiggle
      • Nice barrel lock-up
      • Nice trigger – not laterally loose and has no creep.
        • Trigger does have some vertical play
    • Has great finish
    • Has very nice control surfaces
      • Front and rear strap checkering is very aggressive, which offers great controllability.
    • Has great shooting traits
      • For me, it offers low recoil impulse
        • Slide is heavier than my SAS II UL, which soaks up recoil
  • Sights are OK – not the best but can be worse
    • Even with irons, I can shoot this gun just as well as the SAS II UL
      • I was shooting 7 and 10 yard groups just as well with this gun as the SAS II UL.
      • Caveat – my SAS II UL has an optic, so I’m not going to be able to match it’s quick follow-on shots, especially at distance.
  • Cons of the S15
    • $1500 guns need to have at LEAST two mags
      • WTF – the cost of a second Shield Arms mag is a drop in the bucket
    • Fat beavertail is somewhat uncomfortable – it is very wide at the top, which isn’t the norm for 1911s/2011s
      • I hear that the beavertail on the previous version was wider than how it is now
        • Apparently this was a common complaint, so Alpha Foxtrot made an effort to lessen the width of this area.
          • It is still wide and can be problematic for some folks.
      • If you normally shoot a 1911 with the thumb of your strong side hand over the thumb safety, you might have an issue with the beavertail beating up the knuckle bone at the base of your thumb
      • I noticed that this may be an issue and also noticed that the thumb safety is super-stiff in actuation, so I shot the S15 without having a thumb over the safety – I had no issues with recoil making it back to that knuckle.
    • I ran into an issue when field stripping the gun after I picked it up from the FFL. I field stripped it once without issue. The second time I field stripped it, I cleaned it, lubed it, and then attempted to put the gun back together. I couldn’t. This is my 6th 1911/2011, so I’m aware of how to take down these guns and put them back together, but I was having issues getting the takedown pin back into the hole. The pin wouldn’t go into the hole of the frame. I tried it after putting the side and barrel aside – it wouldn’t go in. I noticed that the front rail module slides into the frame and saw that it was out of alignment with the frame – I had to use a screwdriver to lever it back into alignment. After doing that, I tried putting the takedown pin into the hole and it slid in. I then tried to do it with the slide and barrel and failed – the rail module had moved again, so I again used a screwdriver to push it back into alignment with the frame. I tried again to put the gun back together and was successful, but that is a concern for an out-of-the-box $1500 gun.
      • I’ll be reaching out to Alpha Foxtrot about that soon. Even with that issue, the gun still shot 150 rounds without a problem, but I don’t want to have to deal with this issue every time I have to clean the gun.
  • Comparison to the SAS II UL
    • Fitment and finisih
      • Between the two handguns, the AF has slightly better fitment
      • The AF has far better finish
        • DLC coating has that $$money$$ feel
    • Grip
      • Grip feels (and is) smaller on the AF
      • Grip texturing and checkering is MUCH better on the AF
    • Sights
      • While I’ve moved to an optic on the SAS II, I did shoot it quite a bit with irons
        • Irons on the SAS II are better
          • They can be adjusted for windage as well as elevation; the AF sights can only be drifted for windage (but have elevation adjustability)
    • Shooting
      • This is a tough one
        • SAS II UL:
          • For me, the SAS II UL talks a bit (not large) effort and/or some training to get used to it’s lightness.  It might feel snappy to folks that are used to heavy 1911s.  For how light and short it is, it should be much snappier than it is.  What snap it has can be easily managed.
          • Grip – the immediate impression for me was that the SAS II UL’s grip was not grippy.  I thought it would be a problem, but it’s not (I shoot indoors, so I’m not sure if sweaty hands will compromise grip with this gun.
          • The trigger on the SAS II is light, and may be too light for some folks to carry.  I don’t consider it a HUGE issue but I DID have two instances of premature detonation when at the range.  The first time it occurred was during the first range visit.  I’ve been trying to train with the gun to get used to it’s trigger, but at the last (and 4th) range visit, it happened again.
            • I may consider getting a sear spring adjustment done on this gun.
        • AF S15:
          • In my hands, I shot the S15 better than I did the SAS II (when considering both first range visits).
          • Grip – I immediately noticed the checkering of the front strap of the grip and thought that this is going to give me an edge, and it did.  The gun doesn’t move in my hand at all.  The SAS II moves in my hand and I’ve to constantly re-adjust my grip to short it up.
          • Trigger – the trigger on the S15 is a bit heavier but probably better for carrying.  The trigger has no creep, which probably helps with accuracy, but it’s actually noticeably heavier than the SAS II’s trigger – that’s just an observation, though, not a con.

They both shoot VERY well but are different in ways that require a decent amount of elaboration — there’s no quick way to discuss the differences.

I’m happy with carrying the SAS II for now, but that might change as get more trigger time wit the S15.

Categories
1911 2011 9mm AF1911-S15 Alpha Foxtrot Bul Armory SAS II Ultralight

My AF1911-S15 – First Range Visit

This gun can shoot!

I took it to the range today and shot 150 rounds from it (Blazer flat-nosed 147-gr FMJ and Herter’s Target 115-gr FMJ). There were no feed/eject or firing issues.

I shot it at 7 yards then moved to 10 yards. I initially had issues – was hitting low and left of point of aim. Even when I stopped pulling left, I was still hitting an inch low. As I kept shooting, I learned how to better control the gun, and so my groups got tighter as I shot. I began to hit bullseyes.

Even at 10 yards with irons (and I wasn’t wearing my prescription glasses), I was hitting bullseyes.

It’s easy to shoot this gun well – much easier than the Bul Armory, IMO. The differences are that the S15 has great front strap and back strap checkering, which helps greatly with gripping the gun. As well, the S15’s slide is heavier, which helps with recoil management, as the slide soaks up some recoil.

The SAS II UL became a different beast altogether once I added the optic to the handgun. I’m shooting the S15 just as well, without an optic, which is amazing. Yeah, the SAS II still shoots quicker at distance, but that’s solely due to the optic. Once I get the S15’s slide cut for an optic, it’ll be just as good as the SAS II at shooting quicker at distance.

And yeah, I shot 150 rounds through one magazine. it was a pain in the ass, but I had no choice. I had no issues with the magazine (it is a gen 2 Shield Arms mag).

GT Distributors did send me an RMA shipping label and I’ll be sending them back the wrong mags they sent me…once I send them back, I’ll reach out to them and ask them when to expect them to correct their mistake…I still need (and paid for) S15 mags.

I’ll update this post with range footage sometime this weekend.

Categories
1911 2011 AF1911-S15 Alpha Foxtrot

My Alpha Foxtrot AF1911-S15 Has Arrived!

Can’t wait to get this gun to the range – will try to visit the range either tonight or tomorrow morning.

Ordered it Sunday, received it today around 3 PM.

Comes with the one Shield Arms mag (this gun wasn’t cheap – they should think on including two mags with the gun). I ordered 3 more from GTdist.com and they arrived yesterday but they sent the wrong mags – sent me 3 AR PMAGS…WTF. So, I’ve to visit the range with one mag until GTdist.com remedies my order.

The mag doesn’t rattle within the grip, as I’ve seen in Youtube videos, which is very good.

The gun is very tight. The DLC coating looks and feels really good. I will more than likely sent it somewhere to get the slide cut for an optic, but I’ll probably do that 6-12 months from now.

It feels slim. I’ve been carrying the Bul Armory SAS II UL long enough to where this gun feels heavy in comparison, but realistically, it’s not heavy at all.

I love the grip texture (feels less “slick” than the SAS II UL).

The thumb safety is super strong, though…execessively so, IMO. Perhaps it’ll wear-in.

Trigger is super-crisp…no creep whatsoever. It’s the best trigger of any of my 1911s/2011s.

I checked the trigger pull with my Lyman gauge and got 4 lb 15 oz from an average of 5 pulls (lowest being 4 lb 8 oz).

It also fits in my Tenicor Certum 3 holster.

I’m impressed so far. Waiting for some gotcha to show itself, though.