Back to the Basement

Yep...gotta pull the lever on the reloader today. The gun room is slowly getting reorganized...at least I can find my way through it. I've been working up my list of my five favorite handguns for an episode of SHOOTING GALLERY we're filming next week, which is really kinda fun. You can probably guess Numero Uno, right? Wrong...

Interesting discussion over on AR15.com, where I am banned for life, comparing the FNH FNP-45 and the H-K USP45. I purchased my T&E FNP-45 a couple of weeks ago because it just shot great. My experience has been that the FNP shoots lighter than the H-K, probably because of a slightly lower bore access. I also like the fact that FNH actually likes having us non-military, non-LEO folks buying their guns.

We've already mentioned the limited edition Ruger SASS Vaquero sets — two .357 New Vaqueros in stainless steel with special sequential serial numbers starting with "SASS," for the Single Action Shooting Society. Nice set of guns, especially with the lower, wider Montado hammer developed for cowboy mounted shooting. I handled the guys at End of Trail and — not surprising since I've always shot Rugers in CAS competition — liked them a lot. I placed a set on order yesterday for my personal collection...delivery expected in August.

Our pal Mr. Completely, one of the uber-pistol competitors blogging on the Web, has posted a draft of the first part of a projected book project on Rimfire Race Guns. Here's a tiny bit of the excerpt:

"Sure, I enjoy doing a little plinking with my .22 pistol, but I'm not really interested in competing with it. I just shoot for the fun of it. Why do I need to know about making it into a race gun, whatever that is?"

Actually, the requirements of a good rimfire race gun and a good plinker are just about the same. What exactly is a rimfire race gun? A rimfire race gun can be just about any .22 caliber pistol that has been modified, or "tuned" for use in shooting competition where accuracy is important, but the amount of time it takes for you to make the required number of shots determines winning or losing.

Not only is Mr. Completely an excellent writer, but he is dah man when it comes to racing rimfires. Right topic at the right time — I look forward to seeing the book!

I'd also like to note that SHOOTING GALLERY and THE BEST DEFENSE regular Phil Strader has now signed with Team Smith & Wesson and will be shooting M&Ps in USPSA Production and Limited. Congratulations, Phil!