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22TCM Canik flash MS Ultra muzzle range report RIA tactical TP9SA velocity

RIA MS Ultra Tactical Combo in 22TCM/9mm – Range Report

A range officer saw the ammo on the range table and was asking what type of ammo it was.  He stayed while I shot the first magazine.  He was awed and saw how tight the shot groupings were…many of the target holes were on top of each other.  He also commented on the muzzle flash.  It was bright enough to where I was sometimes flinching!
I’m disappointed with the video footage…the footage wasn’t framed good.  I may try to go to the range again tomorrow.

I shot 100 rounds through the gun.  There were only two feed issues.  One was when a spent case didn’t want to come out (common issue that’s related to the ammo case out of round or expanding).  The other (right after the first feed issue) was a double-feed.  After that, there were no more issues.

This 1911 has next to no recoil and had tight groupings, but I’m STILL not in full control of trigger pull (working on it…practice makes perfect).

Oh, and there’s copper along the slide, next to the ejector.  I’ve heard of someone mentioning that issue before (not sure what the cure was, other than sending it back to Armscor to have the extractor tuned).

By the way, the .22 TCM round is basically a shortened .223 round (no, it isn’t a necked down 9mm).  It’ll pierce 3/16″ steel. It has an approximate velocity of 2000 feet/sec, but realistic speeds from the Commander-sized barrel is in the 1900 feet/sec range, while RIA’s .22 TCM rifles will shoot this round at 2800 feet/sec. 
 
I also fired my FDE Canik TP9SA.  The gun had no issues.  I fired close to 100 rounds from it (half of it JHP that was also shooting flames…wonder if it was +P…I think it was some left-over Remington JHP that I was firing during my last range session).  There were no jams, but the mags are super-tight…I could only get 17 rounds into the mags up until the 3rd refill.

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2.0 Alien Gear carry Cloak Tuck concealed holster in-waistband IWB

Alien Gear Cloak Tuck 2.0 IWB Holsters

I ordered two Cloak Tuck 2.0 in-waistband holsters from Alien Gear on 3/1.  I was informed that the wait could be 4-6 weeks, but they shipped on 3/26.  I received the holsters on 3/30 (the shipment was 2-day Priority but took 3 days).

The holsters are awesome.  I got one for my Commander-sized 1911s and one for my XD Mod.2.  I also bought an extra shell for my SP2022.

The holsters come with a lifetime warranty and I can exchange all three shells for other shells, free of charge for the life of the holsters/shells.  The build quality appears to be good.  They also came with spare parts (extra screws and grommets).  They also came with detailed instructions on how to adjust cant and retention, as well as how to put it on and how to best wear it.

I’ve been wearing the XD Mod.2 holster all week, trying to get used to IWB.  The space of the pants you wear with the holsters make all the difference in the world (as well as a strong gun belt).  Most of my jeans have shrunk (no, I’m not fat and have recently lost 10 lb with much of it being off my waist), so I may need to go out and get more jeans and/or cargo pants.  My dress and work pants appear to be OK, though I can’t carry at work, so that doesn’t really matter as long as I’m on work property.

I think I’m going to trade my SP2022 shell for a Glock 19 or P320 Compact one.

I highly recommend Alien Gear.  Just be prepared for a long wait before the product ships.  It’s worth the wait, in my opinion.

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22TCM 38 Super 51963 9mm magazines MS Ultra RIA Rock Island Armory

Another Gun On The Way

Rock Island Armory Tac Ultra MS 9mm/22TCM

Yes, I thought I was done buying guns for awhile.

I bought another Rock Island Armory 1911, the MS Ultra (or what used to be called a Tactical MS 2011), manufacture number 51963 (Armscor link it dead, but this one works) 

UPDATE:  As of 9/12/2022, this gun isn’t available for purchase from Armscor, although you might be able to find it as a used gun or at a gun store that has old stock. The closest things to this gun that is currently on the Armscor website are items 56636 (FS), 56634 (CCO), and 56633 (CS-L) – all three of them being sold with two barrels (9mm and 22TCM9R); All three are Rock Ultras and are single stacked.  There are two Tac Ultras that shoot both 9mm and 22TCM9R – 56635 (single stacked) and 56632 (double stacked). The closest in-production RIA to my MS Tac Ultra (51963) is 56632 – that one is a MS Tac Ultra, but it is double stacked.

What’s the difference between that one and the one I currently have?  Well, the 51963 will shoot two calibers – .22TCM and 9mm (it comes with two barrels and recoil springs).  It also has an accessory rail.  The barrels also aren’t bull barrels.  Those are the only differences.

The cons of this weapon?  The only ammo maker that has this ammo type is Armscor (the maker of this gun).  Also, I’d initially thought I was locked into specific magazines for this round, as the .22TCM round is longer than a 9mm round, so I can’t use a 9mm 1911 magazine (well, I CAN, but only if I’ve the 9mm barrel installed), but I’ve found that I can use 1911 mags for .38 Super calibers…basically, that’s what the MS Ultra 22TCM/9mm 1911 uses as a magazine — 1911 .38 Super mags.

I did take the liberty of ordering 250 rounds of 22TCM via online store…it should arrive today.  I also found that there’s at least one local store that carries 22TCM.  Although they sell it for $6 more than where I found it online, I can rely upon the local store for emergencies.  I’d have ordered more 22TCM but I’m due to begin packing up for location move…I don’t think the movers will pack up ammo and I’m already going to have a car that’s heavy with weapons…I’d prefer not to be carrying a ton of ammo too.  Once I’ve finalized the relocation, I can then stockpile ammo.

I can’t wait to shoot this gun, but I may wait until tomorrow so that I can clean the gun first.  The gun has already arrived at the FFL and I’m awaiting them to call me for pickup, but I can’t go until Fedex delivers that ammo I ordered, otherwise I’ll miss the delivery.

UPDATE:

Fedex waited until 7PM to deliver the ammo.  They also dropped it off on the front doorstep and barely knocked on the door.  If I’d have known they’d do that, I’d have picked up the weapon without worrying about missing the ammo shipment.  The FFL was open until 8PM and I didn’t get there until 7:10.  I inspected the weapon and bought another 100 rounds of ammo (that’s the second source of .22TCM ammo that’s local to me, @ $25 a 50-round box).  It took me 10 minutes to do the paperwork and another 5 minutes of waiting to see if the background check was good (it always is, and always takes 5 minutes).  I was home before 7:30PM.

The gun is NICE.  The slide to frame tolerance is quite a bit tighter than my Tactical II RIA, at least from looking at the rear of where the slide meets the frame.  With the Tactical II, I can actually see a bit of daylight in some cases, but my Metro Arms is tight…just not as tight as this TCM.

The differences between this gun and my Tactical II is:

  • The slide has a flat area down the top of the slide.
  • The slide serrations on the TCM are larger and are canted forward.
  • The TCM comes with a railed dust cover.
  • The TCM comes with two barrels and recoil springs (9mm and 22TCM).
  • The TCM is easier to take down (it breaks down in the traditional 1911 manner — has a barrel bushing).
  • The magazine follower is a bit different in shape, to allow for usage of both 9mm and 22TCM ammo.

I haven’t been to the range yet.  Today is Friday…I’ve no reason to not go to the range and test this gun tonight.

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compact P320C range report Sig Sauer

P320 Compact – Range Report

I finally took my P320 Compact to the range today (I ended up taking 3 guns, plus the one I was carrying).  Man, the P320 shoots pretty damned tight.  I was shooting Winchester White Box 115-grain FMJ.  The first picture is the first mag, while the second picture is the other mag, shooting the same target with both mags.

Sig Sauer P320 Compact 9mm – 6 yards out, 15 rounds
6 yards out, second magazine (shooting at same target as first mag above).  I’m all around the bulls-eye and hit it once, but the shot group isn’t as tight as the first 15 rounds.

This gun has great ergonomics and the trigger is really nice!  Some people complain about trigger pinch with this gun…it didn’t bother me, but I only shot 30 rounds.  Some people also have to reiterate that this gun has a high bore axis…it didn’t bother me at all and I’d shot my Glock 19 Gen 4 for the first time right before shooting the P320.  It didn’t have any issues eating 30 rounds without issue…there were no FTEs or FTFs.  It was easy to aim (it has contrast sights) and the grip texture wasn’t aggressive nor slick…it was “just right”.

This was the last gun (of 4) that I shot.  I was expecting to experience a bit of fatigue or an adjustment period before I began to shoot this gun well…those were the wrong expectations!  This gun is a keeper (I knew it would be before I bought it).

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Elite Shooting Sports Grand Power light strikes P11 Mk12 range report sub-compact

Grand Power P11 – Range Report

I’m totally awed by the way this gun shot today.  I’ve had it a while and was itching to see how it shot…alas, I’ve been busy and hadn’t had time to visit the range.  I made time today and went to Elite Shooting Sports (the best time to go is around 7PM…it was empty today!).  Anyways…

This gun manages recoil extremely well, especially for a sub-compact gun.  It’s accurate as all hell, too…I’m not kidding:

Grand Power P11 Mk12, shot at 6 yards out, Winchester White Box 115-grain FMJ, 12 rounds.

I shot this gun after shooting 50 rounds from my XD9SC-M2 and Glock 19.  Normally, it takes me a few mags to begin shooting well when going from gun to gun, but not in this case.  I was actually shocked at the tight group.  I only shot 24 rounds out of this gun, though…was pressed for time, once again, but I may make this one my carry gun, once I put some JHP through it and once I determine what’s up with what appears to be light strikes (see below comment).

I shot at 6 yards.  I shoot between 5-7 yards whenever I shoot, as that’s the range a typical shootout will more than likely occur.  I don’t attempt to shoot long distance with my handguns…that doesn’t really serve a purpose, IMO…if you shoot someone that’s 50 yards from you during an incident, you’re going to jail, so I don’t shoot at long distances.  My foyer in my home is maybe 3-4 yards long and the biggest area in my house might be 6-7 yards, so that’s sufficient for me (in case my home has a break-in…*knock on wood*).

This gun is easy to hold while shooting, even though the grip texture isn’t aggressive (it feels a bit slick, in fact).  There’s no muzzle lift at all.  In fact, follow-up shots are a breeze.  The sights made it really easy to aim, and it probably helped that I’ve been working on shooting with both eyes — previous to today, I’ve always shot with my left eye closed (I’m right-eye dominant).  I’ve also been working on my trigger pull.

The only problem I saw with the gun was some possibly some light strikes (gun would go “click” with no boom…I’d have to drop the mag and eject the bullet in the chamber…it would fire on the second attempt), but it could’ve been the ammo (although the other guns didn’t exhibit this issue…they were using the same ammo).  One thing I didn’t try — and should’ve — was to pull the trigger again without racking…I believe this gun offers double-strike capability, as it is DA/SA.  I’ll try it when I next shoot the gun if I have light strikes.

UPDATE — I’ve found that these weren’t light strikes, but were fails to return to battery.  The gun would be out of battery, I’d pull the trigger and the gun would then go into battery, but be in DA mode.

I did not try the double-action on this gun, as this gun doesn’t have a decocker and I wasn’t willing to ease the hammer down with a round in the chamber.

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+P 2.0 Alien Gear Blackhawk CCW Cloak Tuck IWB JHP permit Pro Carry HD Remington SD Sportster

I Carried Concealed Today

I submitted for my concealed carry permit on 13 February 2015.  I received the permit on 21 February.  I’m now able to carry concealed.  Yes, that is probably a record timeframe of submittal and approval for the state of Virginia.

I carried for the first time today.  I carried the majority of the day.  I decided to carry my XD 9 Mod.2.  The holster I used was a Blackhawk nylon holster (non-ambidextrous with no mag holder).  I was actually looking locally for the Blackhawk ambidextrous holster with mag holder (product #40AM06BK, specifically)…I tried two Walmart stores but someone has been opening the packages, removing the holsters and switching them, because I’d bought two holsters and upon getting them home, I’d found that the holster in the package wasn’t what was advertised on the package’s labeling.  The first holster wasn’t even close to what I was looking for, as it was a large holster made of slick black nylon.  The second holster (what I’ve since discovered is a Blackhawk Sportster in size 8) wasn’t what I was looking for but was a small holster that was able to hold my two sub-compacts and three compacts (I’ve no idea if it’ll hold my SP2022, but I doubt it…that gun borders on being full-sized).

So, if you’re looking for a cheap (~$20) holster, this may fit the bill.  Most people do not like cheap holsters, but it fit my XD 9 perfectly and didn’t feel uncomfortable.  I kept the holster at my 4-o’clock strong side and wore a long thick plaid work shirt over it (my wife said I wasn’t printing).  I probably need a better (stronger) leather belt, but the one I was using is actually pretty thick…there was only a tad bit of sag.  I’ll look for a better belt tomorrow, as the local gun stores will be open and I’m off work.

What other guns will fit in this holster?  My Glock 19 fits perfectly and will slide in/out without issue, as will my XD.  My Grand Power P11 fits well, also (not as good as the XD, though).  My P320 fits great but the take-down lever hangs on the inside of the holster when trying to remove it.  I’m wondering if a bit of tape will fix the issue, but I also realize that I should be glad I can use this holster with the other 3 guns without issue.  I want to reiterate that this is probably one of the few holsters you’ll find that fits the Grand Power P11…there are NONE specifically made for the P11, so I searched for holsters that would support guns of similar size/dimensions.

I’ve also ordered two Alien Gear Cloak Tuck 2.0 IWB holsters:  One for my 1911 commanders and one for my XD 9.  I also ordered an extra shell for the Sig SP2022.  When I was looking, I saw that they had a two-holster combo deal, which was a lot cheaper than I’d thought it would be to buy two.  UPDATE:  I’ve received the holsters and conducted a quick assessment here.

The above pictures highlight a potential issue:  The 1911 shown doesn’t have an ambi-safety like my RIA does.  The right side of the holster doesn’t look to be able to accomodate an ambi-safety.  I’m not sure if that means I’ll have to alter the holster.  :/  UPDATE – No, the ambi-safety doesn’t cause any fitment issues.

I also bought a Pro Carry HD from The Holster Store.  It’s supposed to be an IWB holster but I keep looking at it, wondering, how the hell is it supposed to mount to your belt?  I guess I’ll see when I get it tomorrow.  Another thing that grabbed my attention (but only just now and not when I’d ordered it) was this blurb buried within the description:

The Pro Carry HD can be worn both both strong side and cross draw. For carrying this item in the small of back inside the waistband, you will need to select the opposite shooting hand.

I plan to carry my gun at the 4-o’clock position with this holster, but this holster won’t give me the option of carrying in the small of the back IWB, which limits me.  If I’m understanding the maker correctly, if I want to carry IWB in the small of my back with this holster, I would need to buy a left-hand holster?  Thinking on it a bit, and if that’s indeed the case, that would be the more comfortable way to draw a weapon from behind your back…I might order another of these just to try it out.

The Pro Carry HD is also described as being bulky by customer comments on Amazon, although some customers are defending it by reminding gun owners that they should be buying pants with enough waist room to allow for such a holster.

So, tomorrow, I trek to find a nice gun belt (or even two, if they’re priced decently).  I’ve one gun store in mind (Trinue in Warrenton), and if the pricing is too high, maybe Guns and Ammo Warehouse.  UPDATE:  I ended up going to The Gun Shop, which didn’t have any belts, so they sent me to Virginia Arms, and I left with a black Galco 1.5″ gun belt. I also plan to go shooting either tomorrow or Tuesday morning.  I need to begin the break-in process of the Glock 19, my P320, and my GP P11.  I will probably carry the XD there so that I can fire off a box of SD rounds (Remington HTP +P 115-grain JHP) to see how well the XD responds to that ammo.

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CA statutes firearms handguns magazine limits magazines off-roster

CA and Off-Roster Guns

I want to quickly discuss the validity of owning off-roster guns in CA.

Please reference http://wiki.calgunsfoundation.org/Moving_to_California_with_firearms#Handguns, as it is the frame of reference I’ll be using.  People moving to CA with off-roster only have to ensure they’re compliant with:  http://oag.ca.gov/firearms/ab991 and http://oag.ca.gov/firearms/pubfaqs#25 (Pen. code, §§ 17000, subd. (a), 27560 pretty much covers it, statute-wise).

Can you own off-roster guns?  Yes.  On-roster guns apply to retail sale only.  Many people bought off-roster guns with the SSE option, which expired Jan 1, 2015.  People also bring off-roster guns into the state when switching states of residency, which is also legal and is stated in the CA penal code.  CA residents can also have immediate family that are not CA residents transfer guns to them (as gifts)…that includes off-roster guns.

Yes, magazines with round counts greater than 10 are illegal.  That does not make the gun itself illegal, though.  If you’re in CA and need, for example, a new mag but the maker only sells 15-round mags, you’d need to find an FFL that is licensed to have 10+ round mags…many such FFLs have the capability to limit 10+ round mags to 10-rounders.  Or, Glock and Springfield Armory sell 10 round versions of their mags…many gun makers do.  As well, CA isn’t the only state to limit magazine round counts.  I bought both my XD 9 Mod.2 and Glock 19 Gen 4 (both off-roster guns) for the express purpose of bringing them to CA while knowing that they’re not available for retail sale within CA’s borders.  I also bought them because they came with 10-round mags out-of-the-box.

Why am I discussing this?  I’ve people commenting on my videos that I’m sharing misinformation.  Those same people won’t back up what they’re saying or even point out the bits of misinformation they say I’m sharing.  Some are not paying attention to what’s being said in the video.  Some are confused about their state’s own laws, especially as it pertains to people moving into CA from another state.  I’ve no problem accepting fault if I’m spreading misinformation, but I’ve found out that in all cases, I’m not wrong.  Before claiming that I’m wrong, be sure I’m wrong by doing your own research…don’t listen to other  people that might be wrong.  Reference the CA statutes then come back to me with the reference that shows that I’m wrong.  I’m pretty sure that’s not going to happen, since the majority of YT commenters are either young or are only going by what they were told (ie, being spoon-fed information from people that don’t know what they’re talking about instead of learning the information from the CA government).

While I’m no firearms guru, I know just enough to keep myself out of trouble.  Trust me when I say that there are people with Glock Gen 4 models (which are ALL off-roster) and XD 9 Mod.2s (which is also off-roster), that are located in CA.  The guns are sold to them with 10-round mags, FROM THE FACTORY.  For example, my XD9 came with 10-round mags…no, the mags weren’t altered at a gun shop.  SA sells 10-round mags and 9mm versions for the Mod.2 are here and here;  Glock 19 factory 10-round mags are listed here, but I wasn’t able to locate ANY mags on Glock’s website.  There’s also this.  The guns are legal…it’s just a matter of how you obtained them.  If you’re currently a CA resident, the only way to get firearms not approved by CA DOJ is via PPT, which means “private party transfer”, meaning, the gun is already owned by a CA resident and is being transferred to another CA resident.  Those handguns were either grandfathered (bought before the current laws) or were bought in by non-residents who decided to move to CA.  Note that there was also an SSE exemption awhile back but SSE is no longer an option, although you may find gun shops in CA that were bought when SSE was an option.  The CA DOJ approval list doesn’t apply to incoming residents…they can bring whatever they have, as long as their guns aren’t assault weapons (there’s a separate criteria for those type of guns) and as long as the magazines have a 10-round maximum capacity.  This isn’t rocket science and I’m surprised I have to explain this to CA residents.  4/5ths of my guns are off-roster…do you honestly think I didn’t research this before spending that much money (in such a short period)??

CA people…read your statutes…don’t just read them, read them while trying to understand the intent of the statutes.  If you’ve questions, ask them on calguns.net, but most questions have already been answered, so search calguns.net to find your answers, or, better yet, just learn how to read the CA statutes.  I will not link or post up the statutes for you (although I did post them up in my XD 9 video, within the video description).  If you need to know their location and read them, google it like I did.

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1911 carry CCW concealed Grand Power mag blocks magazines P11 SP2022 VA XD

Received my CCW Permit!

I submitted for my Virginia CCW on 20 February.  I received the permit in the mail on 28 February.  That’s eight (8) days turn-round!  Yes, I knew the VA process is simple in comparison to states such as California, but I’ve never heard of anyone getting their VA permit 8 days after submitting their application – don’t take that as a complaint, though…I’m VERY happy.

So, I’m now legal to carry concealed.  The studying of the laws and reading of others’ experiences has been ongoing and I’ll continue to do both until I become a CA resident.  My immediate tasks are to obtain several good in-waistband holsters.  This is difficult to do because I never considered which firearm I’d be carrying.  For now, I think I’ll carry my 1911s, but I also want to carry my XD subcompact, so I’ve ordered two IWB holsters for both the 1911s and the XD.  I also ordered an extra shell so that I can carry my SP2022.  Why did I pick these guns?  Because the 1911s have slide safeties, the XD has it’s grip safety, and the SP2022 has it’s DA/SA trigger (which I’m probably more acquainted with than the others’ safety mechanisms).  I’ll more than likely focus on carrying whichever is the least difficult to carry.  I’d rather have some type of safety on the guns I’ll be carrying, so that means I won’t be carrying the Glock 19 or the P320C (for now, at least).  You might not agree with the reasoning, but the choice is mine alone to make.

I ordered the Alien Gear Cloak Tuck 2.0 IWB.  I actually ordered two of them, as Alien Gear is having a two holster deal.  I ordered two holsters and an extra shell for $67.  It will be 4-6 weeks before I see those holsters, though.  If I can find something local at a LGS, Gander Mountain, Bass Pro, Dick’s, or even Walmart, I’ll be lucky.

I also want to try to carry my other subcompact, the Grand Power P11, but I can’t find any holsters designed for it.  If I can find a decent generic holster that fits the P11 satisfactorily, I’ve the feeling that that particular gun would be ideal for me to carry.

Obtaining my VA CCW permit makes it more difficult to wrap my head around moving to CA.  We still remind ourselves that we can move to a state neighboring CA if we decided our liberties are being limited too much by CA.

I still have to order magazine blocks for the guns.  I’ll have to hack existing mag blocks for the GP P11, but that shouldn’t be too difficult.  If I find that they’re actually too difficult for me to hack, I’ll order 2-3 10-round mags from Eagle Imports.  My wife’s Ruger has one 10-round mag and one 12-round mag.  The 12-round mag has to go.  Her task is to find someone that’s willing to take it in exchange for their 10-round mag.  If it’s not gone by the time we’re ready to go to CA, I’ll either mail it to my parents or, worse case, throw it away…I’m not going to jail over a mag that my wife doesn’t want to get rid of.

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1911 45ACP 9mm Metro Arms Mod.2 recoil RIA trigger XD

1911 & XD Range Visit

I went to the range yesterday to start the break-in process of the 1911s and the XD Mod.2 I recently acquired. This is just a general sharing of information and experience.

I was supposed to take the P320 and the Glock. I decided to take the 1911s instead, since I’ve no experience with them. The XD was taken because I’d never fired a subcompact.

I started off with the Metro Arms 45ACP 1911 Commander. I shot from 21 feet using Remington UMC and Perfecta FMJ. I was all over the place at first — excited and not knowing finger placement on it’s trigger — but was able to walk my bullets into the bulls-eye within 7 rounds (last round didn’t feed due to an FTE). This gun is super-tight when compared to what I’ve previously shot and compared to my current collection of guns. It doesn’t wiggle or rattle. It has a great trigger. A lot of the recoil didn’t make it to my firing hand…it manages recoil a lot better than my P220. I shot maybe 70 rounds and didn’t want to put this gun down, but I had to shoot all three within the hour’s session.

The RIA Tactical 9mm Commander wasn’t as fun to shoot as the Metro Arms, mainly because the trigger has some irritating slop, which affected my trigger pull. It wags from side to side a good bit, which I do NOT like. I’m going to have to get that fixed. It was extremely noticeable after experiencing the 45’s tight trigger.  Although the trigger was a pain point, part of it was probably because of a shift from one gun to another.  Eventually, I was able to nail the bulls-eye.  Recoil wasn’t an issue, but the gun weighs 40oz and is chambered in 9mm, so I wasn’t expecting recoil to be an issue. I’ve the original mag and bought 3 WC mags (all four are 10-rounders). I noticed that the gun would fail to extract near the end of the mags maybe half the time. I fired 50 rounds before moving to the subcompact.

The XD Mod.2 9mm I have is the first subcompact I’ve ever fired. It’s also the smallest of the two subs that I have. There wasn’t as much recoil as I thought there would be, which is a great reflection on the design of this gun. It comes with two mags, one having a mag sleeve, which felt better since it’s maybe an inch longer and enabled me to get a better grip. The trigger is sloppy, IMO. There’s lots of take-up and I’ve to let out the trigger a large amount before it resets. This wouldn’t be a problem if I hadn’t grown used to my Canik TP9SA’s trigger. There were no malfunctions with this gun. It shot decently (no bulls-eye but all the hits certainly could be considered center mass). It feels like an average gun, but maybe that how any non-1911 gun would seem after shooting 1911s first…I don’t know. I also only shot 30 rounds before I ran out of range time. That’s not a lot of time to get a feel for a gun. I never got comfortable with this gun…that’s not a bad thing…it just means I didn’t have enough time to get properly acquainted with it.

I’m positively in love with the Metro Arms. I love the big bang with the negated recoil. I’m shocked at how well it feels when firing and cycling…very smooth. It feels “rich” when it isn’t. It’s going with me on my next range visit, for sure. It is now the favorite of my guns.

Categories
Buds Gun Shop Glock 19 Grand Power mag blocks magazines Mod.2 P11 Mk12 P320C Springfield XD

Almost done!

I just deviated from my wish list and ordered the following handguns from Gun Genie:

Springfield Armory XD9 SC Mod 2
Glock 19 Gen 4
Grand Power P11 Mk 12

Gun Genie ships FAST and when linked with a FFL that’s fast, it makes for a great purchasing experience (I bought the non-railed RIA 1911 via Gun Genie).

These are likely the last three guns I buy for a long while.

I’d nixed the Grand Power then reversed my decision and put it back on the list.  Why?  Because the backup for this choice was the Beretta PX4 Storm Compact, which is already sold in CA (meaning it’s on the CA DOJ list of approved guns…I want to bring off-list guns, which is OK for incoming residents).  It is also, in my opinion, a beautiful gun…I kept looking at it and lusting after it, so I decided to go for it, even if I’ve hangups about the mags.  I can wait until I get to CA to get the PX4.  Yes, I still have to figure out a way to block the GP mags from 12 rounds to 10…I can epoxy one or a few of my son’s Lego pieces onto the mag base plate or under the follower.  That should work…if not, I’ll figure something out.  UPDATE:  I asked Eagle Imports (on their Facebook page) if they sold 10 round mags for the GP P11 and they said they did…the caveat is that the mags are just as expensive as the full capacity mags.  At least they have 10-rounders, though.  So, if you have this gun and are looking for extra mags and live in a state that limits capacity, go to Eagle Imports (or Bersa) and purchase them.

I’d also nixed my original choice of the Springfield XD mod 2 from my list, in favor of a Sig P320 subcompact.  Then I changed my mind, as I can always buy convertible parts and convert my P320C to whichever model I feel I want…without having to register another gun (the fire control unit is what makes it a firearm…I only need one of those when switching from one configuration to another).  I also bought the silver/black dual tone version, to be a bit different (there’s no other dual tone guns in my possession or wish list).  UPDATE:  I ended up getting the P320C in addition to the XD.

The Glock 19 Gen 4 was something that’s not really been a serious need or want.  The reason why I wanted a Glock (any Glock would do) was because I know Gen 4s are not on the CA DOJ roster, which means I will not be able to get it after I move to CA.  If need be, I can sell this gun in CA for close to double the price, as off-roster guns are usually desirable, especially Glock Gen 4s (and Sig P320s).

I may have room for one more ($500 or less) gun.  I’m not sure what it would be…I can only think of another Sig P320 (any model would do).  I don’t want the FNS-9 that I initially had on my list.  I can still get another Canik TP9SA, in FDE, too, or I can wait until it’s almost time for me to leave and check to see if something new is being offered that isn’t for retail sale in CA.  UPDATE:  I ended up getting another Canik TP9SA in FDE, as well as a RIA Tactical 1911 (railed and shooting 2 different calibers).

I’m still waiting on Buds Gun Shop to send the Sig P320C and Metro Arms 1911 I ordered.  They say they’ll ship out guns within 5-7 business days and to wait until then before calling.  It’s been five (5) business days so far.  This bugs me, but I did get a great price on the P320C, so I’m trying to keep my mouth shut about the shipping wait.  I just don’t like $1000 in merchandise being in limbo without a status on processing/shipping.

I still have to convert every magazine I have to 10-round before I move.

The below is a mental breakdown of things to do over the next few months regarding getting the firearms ready for the move to California.  UPDATE:  This list is now unneeded…I’m no longer moving to CA, as of May 2015):

  • The P220’s mags are all at or under 10 rounds.
  • The SP2022 has mag blocks here.  I’ll need five (5) of them.
  • The Canik TP9SA has mag blocks here.  I’ll need at least two (2) of them, unless I order more magazines (which I should, in case I develop some bad mags)
  • The Metro Arms American Classic 1911 45ACP Commander’s mag should be ten (10) rounds or under (it’s not here yet so I don’t know what it’ll come with…I’m just assuming).  I should be able to order more mags in CA without issue, since mags of ten (10) rounds or less are legal.  I also ordered two Wilson Combat 8-round mags.
  • The Sig P320C (Compact version, not Carry version) 9mm has mag blocks here.  I’ll need at least 2 of them, I think (it’s not here yet, but I do believe Sig provides two of them).  I may order two more mags just to have extras (4+), which means I’ll need four (4) mag blocks.
  • The RIA 1911 Tactical MS 9mm mag I have is a 10 round mag, and the other three mags I ordered are 10 round Wilson Combat mags.
  • The Glock 19 I ordered will come with 3 x 10-round mags…I will not order more at this time, and I should be able to find 10-round mags in CA for this gun.
  • The Springfield XD mod 2 9mm I ordered will come with 2 x 10-round mags.  I’m not sure if I should order more.  Two will suffice for now.
  • The Grand Power P11 Mk12 should come with 2 x 12-round mags.  I will need to find some way to block them.  I’ve scoured the internet and could not find a vendor that had 10-round mags for this gun in stock…every single one showed them as out-of-stock.  As I said above, I may have to think outside of the box to limit these mags…that’s a big deal because I’m not really good at hacking such things, but I’ll try to use Lego pieces (my son has TONS of them), find the correct length, and epoxy them in place, either under the mag follower or at the base plate.  I’ve also asked Grand Power (and Eagle Imports, who imports them, I believe) if they have them available…I’ve seen no reply to my query.

So, that’s nine (9) guns.  In three (3) months.  With maybe one more to round it out to ten (10) guns. Yes, all are CA-legal.  Yes, I’m in compliance of CA law.  Yes, I’m on a mission.  Yes, I need a bigger safe!

UPDATE:

All three arrived today.  All three are in immaculate condition (they’re new, after all).  I was quite surprised with all three.  The P11 is smaller than I’d thought.  It feels good in the hand and the slide looks exotic.  It is fully ambidextrous.  The Glock 19 is also new (the test rounds were fired last month, in fact).  It not only comes with two extra backstraps, but beavertailed backstraps as well.  The 19’s three mags are very high quality.  The Springfield Armory is a looker.  The two-tone looks very appealing on this gun, as the metal is dark silver.  The fiber optic front sight is bright, too.  I like the mag with the sleeve, as it gives me a place to put my pinky when gripping the gun.