...does it take to watch a South African horror movie about really yeechy giant ant creatures? Well, not so much that I can't blog at the same time. Where is James Arness when you need him? Although there's something to be said for Rachel Shelley even when she's wearing all her clothes...but "scare you out of your skull?" Probably not.
Majestic Mark III mods...
I did manage to get to the range yesterday with my Sweetie, who's still on Injured Reserve. I decided to just focus on .22s, since the Colorado State Ruger Rimfire championship is only a few weeks away. I'll be shooting the match and we'll be filming if for SHOOTING GALLERY, as well as a Ruger Rimfire class taught by Tim Norris. I was very very pleased with my iron-sighted Ruger Mark III Target as overhauled by Majestic Arms. It's not a balls-to-the-wall custom target pistol, but it shoots extremely well. I added a red fiber optic front sight, which is a help for the old eyes.
I'm not so sanguine on my rifle. As you may remember, last year I shot my old 10/22 Target fitted with AR-15 style sights in the iron sight division. I'd previously shot the same rifle with a Tasco Pro Point red dot in open class and been very pleased with he performance. The AR sights and I didn't get along well...my right eye's retina is permanently damaged from the shingles attack several years back. I can get a clean sight picture off my left eye (both lenses ahem been replaced), and an adequate sight picture with a fiber optic front sight off my right eye. So I replaced the heavy hammer-forged Ruger barrel with a Green Mountain fluted stainless barrel fitted with Williams Fire Sights. I was faster with this iteration of the rifle, but not as fast as I need to be. I'm hoping to get in another range session or two before the match, and I think I'll focus strictly on the rifle.
Maybe I should just suck it up and shoot open with a red dot on both the rifle and the pistol. My rational for shooting irons has been that my primary competition is cowboy, where everybody shoots iron sights!
RE: Detonics Combat Masters...what can I say? I have owned 2 over the years, still own one of the Atlanta guns and have shot maybe a dozen more. It is still my unequivocal favorite small 1911. Mine runs like a clock (although, to be fair, it has been tuned by Cylinder & Slide).
Spike's Tactical ST-22 Lothar Walther upper
I got my Spike's Tactical .22 upper for the Appleseed gun project (for SHOOTING GALLERY Season 13). Man, it is sweet! Alan Samuel and I are going to build the gun up on a special JP Rifles lower that just arrived at Alan's shop. I talked to John (the "JP" of "JP Rifles") about making sure his superb trigger system was set up for the notoriously finicky .22 LRs, and he did suggest some changes in springs. Haven't yet made any decision on the stock...I do like the Ace skeletal stocks...but, of course, it's a Magpul universe. As I mentioned before, I'm putting a Pride/Fowler 3-9X scope on it to work it out after we get it built (and filmed).
Finally, I'd just like to give a shootout to Rob at SIMPLY RUGGED Holsters for his superb Cuda Holster.
I bought one of these for my little Ruger SR-22 pistol, which has become one of my favorite little knock around guns. I put that gun on when I went to the range, covering it with a Carhardt t-shirt (because, paranoid soul that I am, I can't bear to be shooting on public land without at least one concealed weapon on my person, even if its only a .22). The Cuda holster carries and conceals amazingly well -- not to mention it's amazingly inexpensive. I ended up carrying that gun all day. No, I'm not planning on giving up the 9-mil as the daily carry gun, but up here bopping around the Secret Hidden Bunker, the SR-22 will probably suffice. Maybe as long as I'm being eclectic, I should add the Bond Arms .45/.410 as my second gun...
8 comments:
Michael,
One of the Rugers I don't have is the SR22. I have handled them at the gun store but yet to purchase one. I have to admit I like how it feels in your hand & how it points.
You mentioned the Bond Arms pistol too. I have often times thought it might be a good "woods" gun besides they are kinda cool. But since I usually carry an SR9c or LC9 I can't seem to justify the Bond Arms pistol other than a curiosity. What are your thoughts on those little pistols?
Rob Drummond
Hillsboro, NH
You know, Rob, I'm thinking of doing a SHOOTING GALLERY segment on the Bond as "The Most Untactical Firearm on the Planet!" I totally accept all the shortcomings about derringers, not the least of which are 2 shots, awkward to shoot, slow to load, marginal accuracy, etc. I still think it's cool. I use mine as the DDW* (Designated Dog Walk)* gun, loaded with 2 3-inch Federal 5-pellet buckshot, which ought to ruin a coyote's day. Mine tends to throw pellets vertically...I get about a 5-6 inch string at 5 yards...works for me...place point of aim at the base of Mr. Coyote's neck...pull trigger.
I also carry a strip of 6 Winchester PDX-1s for the "reload." Heck, I even practiced the reload! I have .44 Special and .22 LR barrels for the little beast, which, remember, is darned heavy (like 28 ounces, I think).
I really like the Bond Derringer, but, then again, I really like weird guns. At the risk of sounding utterly stupid, I'd like to have barrels in all the calibers that are usually lying around the Secret Hidden Bunker, because I actually like to shoot the little monster. I've actually thought of having mine Ceracoted FDE, or maybe Urban Digicam.
RE: The SR22, I like it and have had no trouble with mine (about 400-500 rounds of mixed stuff). A part of me wishes that Ruger had built a really nice .22 on par with the SR9c or say a Glock 26, but I suppose the reality is that no one would buy it because it would be too expensive for the niche. Think Walther TPH, everyone's favorite .22 that no one except me actually bought (I bought mine in 1980 for $275). Probably why the .22 PPKs are pretty much collectors items these days.
mb
Michael,
A Shooting Gallery on derringers would be cool & I am with you on your thoughts on the Bond derringers. Of course there is also the American Derringer Co which a number of models including the M4 Alaskan .410/.45 colt & other models as well. It has a longer barrel than the average derringer but not sure if this makes that much difference in the long run.
Maybe you could say in a last ditch all out gun fight if you have a derringer it would be better than nothing. But I sometimes still carry my LCP & if I wanted a second carry gun I'd just add carry my other LCP.
Thanks for the comments,
Rob Drummond
Hillsboro, NY
Yo, Michael... love all the .22 action you got goin' on there at SHB, but I seem to remember a podcast a while back where you said (ahem) "the racegun is dead. Show us what you can do w/guns real people can buy!" Do .22s count as real guns? I've got an old Standard mod. 4"bbl. that my bullseye coach dropped a Clark steel trigger into, shoots a HELL of a lot better than I can. I'd love to get my paws on a 5 1/2" .22-45 with that trigger, I'd be a happy camper!
I almost popped" for Simply Rugged's "Sourdough" holster for my 5 1/2" Redhawk woods-gun, but backed-off when I viewed it on their website. I don't want the lower belt-cut as I'll never carry the gun cross-draw. I had a bad experience with another maker's "do-it-all" design that had this lower cut. After wearing it for a few seasons as a right-hand hip holster, the area around the lower cut just bent and puckerd-up and looks unsightly. The cut adds no value to me. If someone wants one, then it could be offered as an option.
Second, if you look at the photo posted in this blog, the upper belt cuts are placed right up to the stich-line. Leather isn't cast iron, so your gun could actually be hanging on threads. I'd place the cuts in the middle of the plattens that are formed between the inner and out stich lines. I think that the holster would lay better as well if they did this.
In fairness to Simply Rugged, I should send my suggestions to them.
Life Member
Correction: In my note above, I referred to Simply Rugged's "Sourdough" holster as the one that I was interested in. I meant to say "Pancake". I apologize for that error.
I think that I'll contact them to see if they can custom-punch one that's to my liking.
This all makes me hungry now, for some reason. I think that I'll go get "seconds" for breakfast.
Life Member
Do you know whose blog might discuss how people carried their guns in the American south in the nineteenth century? Excuse me for coming in with such a random question. And, thanks.
I thought the M4 Alaskan was one barrel of .45/.410 and one ridiculously chambered in 45-70... When I say ridiculously...I mean I really want one...
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