April 2011
April 30, 2011 -- Cap Guns of My Youth...When I was a boy growing up in the 1950s in Iowa, I enjoyed cap guns. My favorite is pictured at the left of this little essay. It was made of stamped tin, very inexpensive, I think only 25 cents. And I could buy a package of several boxes of roll caps for another quarter. As I recall, each box of caps had about 8 rolls of caps inside. You would take one of these rolls, and put in in the gun, thread the paper tape of caps up in front of the hammer, close up the gun, and then you were good to go. I had more durable "cowboy guns" of die cast metal, but I was always losing them. We also had little lead "bombs" with fins on the back. You would put some caps in the nose of the "bomb," then throw it up in the air, and it would come down and explode the caps with a "bang" when it hit the sidewalk. I also enjoyed taking an entire roll of caps, and hitting it with a hammer or baseball bat, to set all the caps off simultaneously. It made a really loud bang, much like an actual pistol shot. Sometimes you had to hit the roll several times to set off all the caps. Thinking back, I'm surprised I didn't have early childhood hearing loss. Did my parents care about me and cap guns? Not at all. All the kids had cap guns, and none of the parents were concerned. Times have changed.
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A Comment from Bob..."My first cap gun was a single shot cowboy model, with the caps coming in large perforated flat sheets that required you to tear off individual caps and place them in a slot under the cocked hammer. I learned never to sleep with a cocked gun under my pillow while in grade K, and don't to this day (but its still cool to sleep with a gun). Great article."
A Comment from PW..."It is amazing how early we learn some fundamental gun truths. I, too, had the same little gun you remember; and I did the same things with caps that you remember. As I recall, the little gun was so light (compared to a regular 'cowboy' gun) that you had to hold it tightly (no 'limp wrist') or it would not feed properly, and go through a roll of caps only firing haphazardly. You also had to keep it clean, as even a little piece of paper from the cap roll would cause it to not fire. Lastly, if your grip was too close to the hammer face when the cap went off, it could give you a little burn on your hand. Moral of the story – Failure to feed and failure to fire can sometimes be traced to poor handling of your handgun, and if not handled properly it can hurt you!"
A Comment from Del..."Ditto to all of the above. I had that gun and the bombs, all the way up to the Daisy Spittn' Image with the shootin'-shells with the springs in the bullets, and the stick'm caps on the back. One little plastic rifle I had, actually had a plastic bullet that shot out of the barrel, using the force of the powder of a cap. No power, but realistic. (Here's the pistol.) I haven’t seen roll-caps in years; but I went through a ton of them. Got my first BB-gun at 10, much in the manner of Ralphy. Mine was hidden in the Christmas tree branches, unwrapped. So much fun and memories in those old cap guns and, no, my parents never thought twice about them. Now, how times have changed. Sadly."
April 29, 2011 -- The Guns of the Future...Yes, the handguns and rifles of the future will be lasers, similar to the "flashlight laser" that Larry Niven describes in his Ringworld novels. Diffused it is a flashlight. Focused it becomes a laser weapon. We already have lasers under development to be used to shoot down enemy ICBMs, aircraft or satellites. These proto-type weapons are land-based, or on a destroyer at sea, or in aircraft. The Advanced Tactical Laser (ATL) was developed by Boeing under a US military contract, and has been tested mounted on a C-130H Hercules transport plane, firing at various targets. Videos are available. And here's another video. I predict that twenty years from now you will be able to buy a handgun or rifle that will be able to kill an animal or human being with a very short burst of laser light. The technology that is presently holding up development has to do with a power source. These powerful lasers demand a lot of electricity. What we need is a very small, but very powerful power generator or battery. Such a battery could also be used as a "grenade" by putting a switch on it that would short it out in a designated interval of three seconds or so. The new laser guns will be expensive at first, and gradually come down in price, because of mass production for the military. Then they will trickle down to civilians, much as happened with the AK-47.
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A Comment from Bob..."Its about time! I've been waiting for a lightsaber since the '70s Star Wars movie introduced it. Now it will only be another 20 years; unfortunately, by then I'll very probably be dead... On a more serious note, I suspect that in 20 years society and the world will have so many more pressing problems, that even if a laser gun is developed, it will largely go unnoticed. Yes, I'm a pessimist but as George Will so aptly stated: The nice part about being a pessimist is that you are constantly being either proven right or pleasantly surprised."
A Comment from F..."What do you bet that the Lawmaker will pass a bill to ban private ownership of the laser guns right away, like they did with the rocket gun?"
April 28, 2011 -- The Legend of the Mall Ninja...Some years ago there was a fellow on the gun boards going by the name of Gecko45, who began the legend of the mall ninja. He was posing as a security guard in a large mall somewhere, and writing as if he were one of those morons who fall in love with all the tactical stuff. Imagine a mall guard with camo, bullet-proof vest, night vision goggles, etc., pretending to be on a SWAT team, pretending to be a former SEAL, sniper or whatever. I thought it was funny, and have archived the postings on my hard drive, to make sure it never disappears. Others think it a pure waste of computer memory. You can decide for yourself. I hope you enjoy reading the Legend of the Mall Ninja, which is available HERE on the internet.
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April 27, 2011 -- I have a hole in my mousegun collection...I've been thinking recently of getting a .32 ACP caliber pistol. I had a gray Kel-Tec P-32 sometime ago, but sold it to a friend of mine who had just gotten his carry permit, and he needed a pocket gun. .32 ACP is an interesting cartridge. It is semi-rimmed, straight-walled, and was developed by firearms genius John Browning, initially for use in the FN M1900 semi-automatic pistol. It was introduced in 1899 by Fabrique Nationale, and is also known as the 7.65x17mm Browning SR or 7.65 mm Browning. He needed a straight wall for reliable blowback operation, as well as a small rim for reliable feeding from a box magazine. The cartridge and resulting pistols were adopted by many European police and military units. Gavrilo Princip assassinated the Archduke Franz Ferdinand with a Browning M1910 firing a .32 ACP bullet. The pistol is on display in the Army Museum of Vienna, Austria. Adolf Hitler may have committed suicide with an engraved .32 ACP Walther PPK. Colt pistols firing the .32 ACP were used in WW2 by the OSS, and continued to be issued to American Generals until the mid 1970s. Being on a tight budget, I'm interested in low-cost pistols, and will be on the lookout for either another Kel-Tec P-32; or a Jimenez JA32. In my opinion, the .32 is an adequate self-defense round, always remembering that shot placement is crucial, and that FMJ (full metal jacket) bullets are prefered. The website BallisticsBytheInch has some useful information.
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A Comment from DJ..."I always wanted the Walther PPK in 32; the only 32 I have seen locally is the Beretta Tomcat."
A Comment from Bob..."The Kel-Tec P-32 is the standard by which all other mouseguns should be measured against, in my opinion. Weight, foot-print, thickness, concealability, capacity, fire-power, user friendly-ness and can be held and aimed easily even with large hands. Every other mousegun in the market is either bigger, heavier, or has unnecessary controls and safeties. As a last resort, up close and personal, the P-32 should get the job done. At home or in the field, I would pick a 12 ga. shotgun, but for everyday carry its the P-32."
A Comment from TS..."I too am a mousegun fan. I have always liked 22's and small pistols. I need to get a P-32 also; and if funds allow I want a PMR and RMR 30. Cheap to shoot, light recoil and still will get the job done. I am getting a Smith 15-22. I love the AR style, but my wife needs something she WILL use, and a 223 AR isnt it. I love this site, and wish you the best. My friend and I are preppers to a small extent (money limits us); but I feel 22's and mouseguns will play a big part in a SHTF situation."
April 26, 2011 -- Another Carbine for My Wish List...Kel-Tec's Tobias Obermeit, designer of the very popular PMR-30 22 magnum pistol, is working on the RMR-30, a single-action semi-automatic 22 magnum carbine. As you can see from the photo prototypes have been constructed, and testing is underway. It's supposed to be available sometime in 2011, and the MSRP is $575. The double-stack magazine holds 30 rounds and fits completely inside the grip. (22 mag ammo costs about $25 per 100 rounds.) The barrel length is 16.1 inches. The weight of the carbine is a mere 3.8 pounds, even lighter than the Sub-2000. It comes standard with a collapsible stock, and the collapsed length is only 22.5 inches. Mousegunner that I am, I really like this small and light-weight concept. The 22 magnum round is not as powerful as the .223, however it is quite a bit more powerful than the .22lr. I think you might be justified in saying that this new Kel-Tec carbine will be the "poor man's AR-15." Mounting a scope will be easy, because it has a full-length rail. Kel-Tec continues to expand at their Cocoa facility. In addition to their 26,000 sq. ft machine shop, 6200 sq. ft. assembly area, and 8920 sq. ft. final assembly and repair center, they have begun construction on a new 12,500 sq. ft. building.
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A Comment from Bob..."Kudos to Kel-Tec and their continued R&D in new weapons. Regarding the poor man's AR-15, the AK-47 may already have that title; with the poor man's AK-47 being one of those Tactical .22 LRs. So, is there another niche for this new carbine, other than hunting and plinking? And, as pointed out, .22 Mag. ammo is not cheap, but is about the same price as 7.62X39. Kel-Tec must believe there is a market for the .22 Mag. pistol and carbine, but I don't see it. My next Kel-Tec purchase will be the PF-9 (and the .22 LR conversion kit that you reported on earlier!)."
April 25, 2011 -- Rules for People Who Carry Guns...Here's some bad news from Easter Sunday. On Easter morning, Luther Lawson was upset when he thought he was being overcharged for tomatoes at the Fort Oglethorpe, GA WalMart. Lawson went to grab the price display for tomatos, and in the process reached under a female customer's arm and touched her inappropriately. Police do not believe he groped her, however the lady's husband was there, and he verbally confronted Lawson. (The couple's three-year old child was also there.) Police say the husband pushed Lawson. Lawson then pulled a 9mm pistol out of his holster and threatened to shoot. Walmart employees and shoppers rushed to the scene and were able to calm Lawson. By the time authorities arrived, Lawson had put away his gun. Lawson has a valid permit to carry, given by Catoosa County. Lawson was taken into custody. All of this prompts me to suggest some rules for people who legally carry handguns: 1) Don't allow yourself to get ticked off; 2) Be patient with everyone around you; 3) Be humble, and willing to apologize, even if you think you are in the right; 4) Don't ever draw your gun unless you think your life or the life of another are in danger; 5) If you get shoved by somebody who wants to fight, just LEAVE the scene. I wasn't there, but it looks to me like Lawson should get his permit permanently revoked, and do some jail time.
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A Comment from PW..."Anyone who carries a gun should know that every gun needs a safety. No matter what type, there’s one thing that’s true; the best gun safety, should always be you!"
A Comment from DJ..."There is a tremendous responsibility that comes with a permit, cannot lose it over something so simple. Although sad, it serves as a reminder to all the responsible firearm owners."
A Comment from Bob..."I agree with you totally, and Mr. Lawson has become the poster child for all gun grabbers. His conduct not only over-reacted to the situation, but also seemed to have caused it. But how can you eliminate road-rage prone personalities from the concealed carry ranks? Your concealed carry rules
are good, and I've seen others on the web, too; but while those rules seem very reasonable to a calm body at rest, they soon disappear when your ego takes over and you're packing a gun..."
April 24, 2011 -- Guns made of Zamak...I have two handguns made of zamak: A Jimenez JA25 (.25 caliber), and a Phoenix Arms HP22A (.22lr). Both guns have proven reliable and fun to shoot. Zamak is a family of alloys with a base metal of zinc, and alloying elements of aluminium, magnesium and copper. Zamak alloys are distinguished from the other zinc/aluminum alloys because of their constant 4% aluminium composition. The name zamak is an acronym of the German names for the metals of which the alloys are composed: Zink, Aluminium, Magnesium and Kupfer(copper). Zamak has been widely used for die casting metallic items since 1929. Zamak ingredients are carefully measured, and zamak should not be scorned as "pot metal." The most common zamak alloy is designated "zamak 3," is used to make hundreds of thousands of American-made Hi-Point, Jimenez and Phoenix Arms guns every year. Zamak is attractive, strong enough for low-powered firearms, and will not rust. In my opinion, zamak is suitable for guns which fire .22, .25 and .32 caliber cartridges. For more powerful cartridges, Hi-Point has the best durability reputation of all the zamak guns.
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A Comment from Del..."Thanks for this report. I have looked at both of these guns. In the last report I watched on the phoenix at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fv8qIw5cXwI the gun looked much nicer than older models, perhaps due to the alloy. It's (HP22A) a bit heavy, but gets generally good reviews on the net, except for the magazine safety. (Not that it doesn’t work. Just people think it’s a nuisance.) Of course there are many gun snobs out there that will dis these pistols, but in my best scientific terminology... they're kinda neat."
April 23, 2011 -- The Ever Popular 1911 Style Pistol...I see that Ruger is about to introduce its own version of the 1911 pistol, which they will call: the SR1911 (MSRP of $799). Here's a link to a larger photo. And here's an interesting promo video. I'm amazed at the popularity of the 1911 style pistol. Just about every manufacturer has one for sale: Remington, Para, Kimber, Taurus, Springfield, Rock Island, Smith and Wesson, Wilson, Brown, etc. etc. What makes this sort of pistol so popular? 1) The 100 years old John Moses Browning legend; 2) The effectiveness of the .45 caliber cartridge; 3) The military history; 4) The satisfying feel of over two pounds of solid steel in your hand; 5) Accuracy (at least with some of them); 6) The "American-ness" of it (some 1911s are made overseas, but the Ruger SR1911 is 100% made in America). And this popularity continues in spite of the fact that there are other pistols which are "better" or more suitable for just about any application. The 1911 is not really a good firearm for concealed carry because it is clunky and heavy. The 1911 is not really a good service firearm for police or military because its heavy and because it only holds eight rounds of ammo. What is it good for? For one thing, it looks like a gun ought to look. It just screams authenticity. It feels good in the hand. It's fun to shoot with not much recoil. It's all metal. And these days you can get one for not too much money. The 1911 will continue to sell well, and Ruger knows to jump on the bandwagon. I'm surprised they didn't come out with a 1911 years ago.
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A Comment from DJ..."There is definitely a sense of bravado associated with the 1911 and the 45 cal. I think from a business standpoint or even historical perspective, I know of no other firearm or even product that has been successful for 100 years with the same design."
A Comment from Bob..."I think there are a lot of urban legends that are perpetuated by afficionados
of guns like the 1911, the snubbies, and the 1873 long colts that just don't bear up under strict scrutiny. Regarding the 1911 there is the myth of the one-shot-stop, and the bravado of carrying it cocked and locked, which actually scares me; but then I'm a Kel-Tec fan."
A Comment from DJ..."The 1911 is "American" pure and simple. Some consider it the foundation of pistol shooting. Although many of the 1911s are not made in America, the design remains 100% American."
August 22, 2011 -- Should handguns be permitted on Tennessee University campuses?...Tennessee state Sen. Stacey Campfield introduced legislation that would allow any full-time faculty member or staffer at a public university (in Tennessee) to have a concealed weapon on campus if he/she has a handgun-carry permit. Campfield's legislation would not apply to students. "When you have a Virginia Tech, nobody wants to be a victim," he said. "I just want to give people a fighting chance." As expected, campus administrators and the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police are unanimously against Campfield's proposal. Philosophically, I side with Senator Campfield, but practically it will have little impact if enacted, because students will still be forbidden the right of self-defense. The proposed new law ought to include 21-year-old students with State permits. How many university professors are interested in carrying a concealed weapon? They are mostly a left-leaning bunch, and very few will want to carry a gun. Those who do will be marked, and the first target of crazed shooter, who can just do a little research ahead of time, and take out the armed teacher (if there is one) at the beginning of his rampage. If the older students had the right to be armed, there might be enough of them scattered around the campus to make a real difference in time of need. I would recommend a special permit those who are armed and who live or work on the university campus. To get this permit one would have to undergo special training in the use of a handgun in a crowded environment, such as a classroom or dormitory; and the permit should be renewable every year, not every four years, which is the present requirement. I would also require the person carrying the handgun to keep it concealed constantly. Tennessee's present permit does not require concealment.
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A Comment from RF..."Some time ago I was sitting in the student union at a large state university with a student who had done work for the CIA. For fun he started pointing out people who were carrying. In each of the ten cases, after some guidance, I saw the print, etc. It was illegal to carry concealed in that state. A lot of good one of the poorly trained, incompetent campus cops, who are frequently minutes away, would have done if one of these people had started shooting. Sometime later, I saw a student open a brief case in my classroom. Sitting on top were two Detonics 45s. I knew this student to be a former force-recon who was a little unstable. At that point, I started carrying illegally until that student left the university."
A Comment from Bob..."I recently read that the governor of Arizona just vetoed similar legislation (during a fleeting moment of lucidity?) and that's in the gun capital of America. No, guns do not belong in places of learning with either students or teachers. The far left is just as in love with guns as the far right is but universities are not breeding grounds for extremist. Make no mistake, both professors and students need our protection but making it harder to obtain guns (by nut cases?) would be a better way to go."
April 21, 2011 -- Shooting .22LR in your Kel-Tec PF9...I was contacted by email yesterday by Twisted Industries, a company that is producing a kit to change your PF9 into a .22LR shooting pistol. The kit consists of a new barrel, slide, spring and magazine. (Photo here) Of course the barrel is steel; the slide is made from aircraft quality 7075 aluminum and the 10-round magazine is machined from billet aluminum. Both slide and magazine are finished with Cerakote. The weight of the pistol, fully loaded, is about 12 ounces. Unfortunately for me, I sold my last PF9 a few months ago, so I had to turn down the golden opportunity. It seems to me that if this kit functions 100% that Twisted Industries will have a hard time keeping up with demand from thousands of Kel-Tec PF9 fans. The price is $199.99, and an extra magazine may be purchased for $34.99. Slides come in your choice of three colors: graphite black, od green or coyote tan. I also see on the TI website that they are in the planning stages for a kit that will transform a Kel-Tec P3AT into a .22. I have a P3AT, and I'm going to hang on to it, and if TI ever asks me to test it, you bet I will.
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A Comment from Del..."I have been following their progress too and hoping that there will be some customer range tests soon. Lightweight, small, DEPENDABLE 22 semi autos are rare. They are also planning a conversion for the P11; and as much research as I have done (many hours) I always come back to getting another P11 for a CCW. Though I have read reviews saying how horrible the trigger is, and that people have gotten rid of the gun because of that, I have had one before, and for its intended purpose it is a great gun when you want to be armed now, and not wait a year to save up for something “better”. So then. I see a Kel-tec P11 in my near future, and if the 22lr conversion kit proves dependable, that will follow in time. Another thing I liked about my P11 was that it had double strike capability; it only took snap caps to provide lots of dry fire trigger practice."
April 20, 2011 -- Taking Care of Your Hearing...I have a problem shooting my Kel-Tec Sub-2000, and the problem is with hearing protection. My normal procedure at the firing range is to "double-up" on hearing protection. I have some soft rubber ear plugs, and then over those I wear the "Mickey Mouse" ear muffs. My problem with the Sub-2000 is that when I snug my cheek down on the bolt tube, to get a good cheek weld, then the bolt tube tends to push the ear muff off of my right ear. I've got to figure out a way to fix this situation. Hearing loss is quick and permanent. The 150-decibel blast of a handgun or rifle can irreparably damage the specialized cells of the inner ear that enable us to hear. If you are at an indoor shooting range, the "bang" of your gun, and of the other shooters around you, will be magnified even more. When I first started shooting my .22 rifle thirty years ago, I did not wear hearing protection. I'm ashamed to say that I even took my young daughter shooting, and provided no hearing protection for her. Fortunately, the sound of a .22 rifle is not as damaging as the "boom" of the larger calibers, and we didn't shoot very much. But I have learned better. It's a sad fact that there are many shooters who have already had their hearing damaged, and still don't wear hearing protection. The National Institute of Health has a good website on this subject. And it's not just shooting. Take care operating a chain saw, or wood-working equipment, lawn mowers, etc. You only get one set of ears!
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A Comment from Bob..."I'm in the same boat and knew nothing about ear protection years ago when shooting with father and friends. But I trace my current hearing problems back to a firecracker war between myself and a cousin and not firearms (its the same thing noise wise). And hearing aids are monstrously expensive and generally have provided unnatural hearing to my right ear but interestingly although I cannot hear people talking clearly with this ear I can hear a raging radio squeal 24/7 called tinnitus! A warning to all to protect those ears!"
A Comment from MV..."I've been reading your blog/web site for several months now after discovering it on the remarkable world wide web. I'm 62 years old but fairly new to handguns, concealed carry and all the details that go with our constitutional right to bear arms. Like so many I was living in a world with no knowledge of what was happening outside my safe world, until a friend managed to open my eyes. I'm now the proud owner of several pistols, shotguns and looking for a good carbine. I qualified and received my handgun permit back in January, and even my wife has now expressed a desire to have her own firearm. One of the sites I've bookmarked and read almost daily is Mouseguns.com. I find your blog informative and the links you provide helpful to many of the questions I find myself asking."
April 19, 2011 -- An Update on the Cheap GLOCK Clone Magazines...On April 14 I observed that CDNN had Korean-made KCI clone GLOCK magazines for only $7.99 per magazine. Later that day I found a fellow on the GlockTalk forums who had four KCI GLOCK 17 mags for sale for only $25.00, including shipping. I immediately contacted him (a great guy), and I sent him the money, and he sent me the mags, which arrived on Monday. I took them to the range on Monday afternoon, and all four of them worked 100% in my Kel-Tec Sub-2000. I tested them in my GLOCK 26 also, to see if they would "drop free" from a GLOCK pistol, and they sure-nuff did. (This drop-free quality doesn't matter much to me, but I can see where it would be very important to a LEO, for example, who might need to speedily drop an empty magazine and insert a loaded mag really fast.) The KCI magazines weigh the same as actual GLOCK magazines, and their dimensions are very nearly identical. There are some small discrepancies. The KCI magazines exhibit a little bit of "roughness" and hanging tiny bits of polymer material around the feed lips. There are also a few "mold marks" that are slightly different from factory GLOCK mags. The original GLOCK mags exhibit a more careful craftsmanship. But considering that the KCI mags are a third of the cost of the originals, and that they function (so far) 100%, I have no problem recommending them to everyone as great mags to use at the range. However, if you carry a GLOCK for self-defense, you ought to use the more finely made original GLOCK mags.
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April 18, 2011 -- Gun Store Etiquette..."Etiquette" is the $500 word for "good manners." I believe it is important to be polite and smart when you go to buy a gun. So here are some pointers about gun store behavior. 1) If you are bringing a gun to sell or trade, make sure it is unloaded before you take it into the store; 2) If you are new to guns, don't be afraid. The man/woman behind the counter is there to help you. Admit you are new, and they will be glad to tell you what you need to know. If the salesman is a jerk, take your business somewhere else; 3) If you think you know quite a bit about guns, that's no reason to show off. People who are really smart don't need to try to prove it; 4) When the salesman hands you a gun to examine, he will check to make sure it is unloaded, and he won't point the gun at you. You need to imitate him. Make sure AGAIN that the gun is unloaded, and don't point it at the salesman, or other customers in the shop. Pay attention to what you are doing. Don't let the barrel "sweep" across anyone; 5) If you are not legally able to buy a gun, don't try to do it; 6) Don't dry fire the gun, or disassemble it, without first asking permission; 7) Haggle over the price if you want to, but don't get insulting; and remember that the gun store people are trying to make a living just like you and me; 8) If you can buy a gun from the "little guy" running the local gun store, DO IT (even if it costs $10 more), instead of buying from Sportsman's Warehouse, or Academy Superstore, or WalMart, etc.
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A Comment from DJ..."While we know safety is number one! I think number two is important, always listen and be willing to learn and always be willing to share. I have found that most people into firearms are unselfish, some are even willing to spare you the mistakes they made on purchases etc."
April 17, 2011 -- I save old gun magazines...Yes, I have saved nearly every gun magazine I've received over the past six years, and I have them stacked up in boxes, and scattered here and there. There's a method to my madness: I can't remember what I read five years ago, so now I can quit subscribing and just re-read my old magazines, thereby saving a ton of cash. For example, today I glanced at the September/October 2009 issue of American Handgunner, and stumbled over "Beer Budget .380s." It's a great article, with lots of photos. Pat Cascio reviews the Hi-Point, Bersa, PPK, P3AT, LCP and Kahr P380. This is an interesting assortment, for sure! Personally, I would have left out the Kahr P380, as it seems more of a champagne budget gun to me. He likes the Ruger for daily ankle carry. He finds the Bersa a bit too heavy for ankle carry, but great for in the waistband. He says the Walther PPK is "attractive" and a "classic." He admires the el-cheapo Hi-Point as "going bang every time," and "the easiest to shoot," and the "2nd most accurate" of the bunch (he found the Kahr to be the most accurate). He thought the Hi-Point was the best deal, and bought two of them. A very interesting article, and worth reading again.
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April 16, 2011 -- Guns I'd like to see someday...There are a number of interesting guns out there in "development land" or "marketing land" or whatever we call it. They have been designed, created, and manufactured, but they are not yet available in the gun stores. Why not? My guess is that they need financial backing in order to make it to market. One such gun is the Caracal, which was brought to my attention yesterday by a mouseguns.com reader. He asked me about it, and I had to confess ignorance. I decided to scrounge around on Google, and see what I could find out. The Caracal pistols were designed by Wilhelm Bubits, an Austrian. (Research and development began in 2002.) Bubits previously worked for GLOCK, and also for Steyr, and is the designer of the well-received Steyr Model M pistol. I had a chance to handle a Steyr M once, and liked the trigger very much: like a GLOCK trigger but somehow "better" (to me, anyway.) The initials UAE are stamped on the Caracal's slide, and stand for United Arab Emirates, where the guns are manufactured. "Caracal" means "desert cat." Extensive testing of the Caracal was done by the Federal German Armed Forces Technical Center. The gun was certified by the Bundeswehr Technical Center for Weapons and Ammunition in May 2006 after the pistol successfully complied with the NATO D14 standard, the German Federal Police Standard and the German Federal Armed Forces Technical Purchasing requirements. These tests are the most stringent test protocols ever devised for a service firearm. Sounds good to me! You can read more at the following links:
A Comment from Rick..."I had to read it twice before I realized it didn't really say...'The gun was certified by the Budweiser Technical Center...'"
A Comment from Bob..."There may be the syndrome of reinventing the wheel or simply product proliferation with new guns that don't fit a market niche. But I suppose there is a certain pride of home manufacturing a firearm which is what the Caracal pistols seem to be and there's nothing wrong with that. A gun I
would like to see is a mini revolver in .32 ACP that is double action only with a trigger guard and a frame that completely covers the base of the loaded rounds in the cylinder (hello NAA). Also, I would like to see Kel-Tec come up with a .22LR version of their P-.32. The niche market in both cases would be, ahhh, me!"
A Comment from DJ..."Interesting requests made by Bob -- the 22lr would be a good idea for Kel-tec if there is a real market for it. NAA seems content with their design, although it's always interesting to see a change."
April 15, 2011 -- Taking Care of Our Precious Eyeballs...Here I am giving a link to the latest post by CarTeach0, and summarizing some of his article on protective glasses. I confess that I have been less careful about eye protection than I should be. I have protective lenses in my everyday vision glasses that I wear, and have let it go at that. After reading CarTeach0's post, I've decided to always double up. After all, you only get one pair of eyes in this life, and the loss of both, or even one, would be tragic. And if the loss was preventable, even MORE tragic. Here's part of his fine article: "Shooters can usually be found with ear protection and eye protection. Earpro and Eyepro by the slang words. Smart shooters are seldom without both...In choosing good eye protection, we are faced with an awful lot of choices. So many factors come into play. Price, style, price, quality, price, price, and price. This opinion is based on a decade of buying eye protection for my students. Yes, price has always been a factor, but not the most important. Keeping my students eyes in place and operating is the main goal. After that, price becomes the deciding factor...The single biggest pointer towards protection is clearly the rating of the lens...The highest rated lens may be found in a $5 pair of glasses, and typically is...How does one check lens rating? ...One must look for some specific figures on the lens itself, or if the lens is part of the glasses, the rating may by on the arm instead. What we want to see is the letter 'Z', followed by the number 87. Put a '+' sign after the Z87, and you have the highest rated regular safety glasses you will typically find. Z-87+ is what Carteach0 buys for his students every year.... and he pays no more than $5 a pair for them, even in the stylish and effective wrap-around type."
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April 14, 2011 -- Cheap Korean GLOCK Magazines...I've been reading on the internet for many months now about the KCI GLOCK magazines. A few days ago I received a new CDNN catalog in the mail, and they are selling these Korean GLOCK magazines for $7.99 each, which is about a third of the price of the official GLOCK magazines. They come in all capacities, even the long "happy stick" 33-round mags. I believe the 33-round mags are in the neighborhood of $18.00, but they don't interest me much, anyway. (But here's a video review.) I really don't see that they have much practical value. (I would just shoot up my ammo twice as fast, and I really can't afford to do that!) I'm tempted to buy half-a-dozen GLOCK 17 size, just because they are so cheap. I don't really NEED them, but so-called "high capacity" magazines might get banned again someday, so maybe I should get them while they are available. Most of the gun board discussions tend to be very positive about these magazines; apparently they are used by Korean military/police, and are nearly as good as the "real thing." As cheap as they are, and since I would only be using them for firing range practice anyway, if they prove to not be 100% reliable, that would be no big deal. On the other hand, I might get some that function perfectly, and that would be neat. And they would work in both my Sub-2000 and my little GLOCK 26 pistol. Yah, I think I've talked myself into the purchase!
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April 13, 2011 -- Bang, Bang!... I DID finally get to shoot yesterday morning. My Sub-2000 was running well, and it was a pleasure to shoot the light little carbine with the TactiCool Products recoil reducing buffer and the Limbsaver recoil pad. As I thought, recoil was quite light, and even though I shot almost 100 rounds, I have no bruise on my shoulder, as I did when I first shot the gun a month ago. I haven't shot the Sub-2000 a lot, so I started out at a distance of only 10 yards. After I zoned in on that, I moved the targets out to 25 yards, which is the max, presently, at Shooter's Depot. SD plans to build a rifle range this Summer, so I will try longer distances in the Fall. After a few magazines full, I managed to get zoned in pretty well at 25 yards, too. Standing, no support, shaky old trifocal wearing man that I am, I was able to do solid 2 or 3 inch groups at that distance. Sitting down with some support, I believe I could do the same at 50 yards. I believe that's probably the limit for me with the Sub-2000 sights. Maybe some day I'll scope it, and see if I can do better. If you have a Sub-2000, allow me to share three tips for shooting it accurately: 1) Get your cheek down HARD on the bolt tube. That's the only way you can see through the ghost ring rear sight. (Wear ear plugs instead of the "mickey mouse" ear muffs. They will prevent a cheek weld.) 2) Snug the stock tightly into your right shoulder, and keep it tight there by pulling back with your left hand on the foregrip. 3) Press the trigger back, don't jerk it. (It's really quite a nice trigger.) The GLOCK 17 magazines are very reliable, and help make the Sub-2000 a reliable little carbine.
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April 12, 2011 -- My plans went blooey!...It's good to plan ahead, but you must always be ready for your plans to come to nothing due to circumstances beyond your control. I planned to shoot my Sub-2000 yesterday afternoon, but my central air-conditioning was on the fritz, and I needed to get it fixed. The repair man said: "I can come between one and three," so that shot the afternoon. He actually turned up around 4 PM, which is what I expected. I wasted the afternoon watching a DVD of "Noble House," which is really a pretty good movie, but I would rather have been at the range. So, I'm going to take some time off and shoot this morning, good Lord willing and the creek don't rise, as the saying goes. I have two other Tacticool Products on my Sub-2000: 1) A padded bolt tube cover; and a padded bolt handle cover. A bolt-tube cover is "next to essential" with the Sub-2000 carbine, to help with your cheek weld. In order to use the sights, you must get your cheek right down there hard on the steel bolt tube, and it it hard and cold. So the cover helps a lot, and Tacticool Products makes a good one. The bolt handle cover is less essential, but still nice to have. Well, I'll try to do the range report tomorrow! (By the way, I am a fan of Tacticool. Their stuff is well-made, inexpensive, and shipping is free and quick.)
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April 11, 2011 -- Taking steps to reduce recoil...This afternoon I plan to shoot my Kel-Tec Sub-2000, in order to try out some recoil-reducing stuff. I have installed the "recoil reducing buffer" from Tacticool Products, which is supposed to reduce recoil by 30% on a Sub-2000. (The buffer is made of a "viscoelastic" material, and installs over the recoil spring near the bolt-tube end plug.) I have also "attached" a Limbsaver slip-on recoil pad on the stock, which is advertised to reduce the felt recoil by 70%. (Let's see: 30+70 equals 100%, so NO recoil! Of course I don't believe that!) Believe it or not, the little 9mm round produces a sharp recoil in Kel-Tec's carbine, probably because it is so light (about 4 pounds) compared to most rifles. I would say that unmodified, the Sub-2000 kicks as much as an SKS or AK-47. I am getting recoil sensitive these days, and I believe that between the recoil buffer, and the Limbsaver pad, the little carbine will kick much less than before. We shall see!
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A Comment from DJ..."I can understand that recoil sensitive feeling, Although I have never fired one, I have been after the Sub 2000 for awhile. I let one get away at a local show, one of the few I regret passing up."
April 10, 2011 -- Firearms 101, What makes a cartridge "work?"...The history of the development of ammunition is quite interesting. The first firearms were set off by wheel-locks or match-locks. These were quite slow and cumbersome. Then came the flint-lock mechanism, which was faster and more reliable. With a flint-lock, there is a pan of powder, which is set off by a spark created by a spring-powered flint striking steel. When the powder ignites, some of the fire travels through a small hole in the barrel of the gun, where it contacts more powder lodged behind a bullet. When this powder burns, the resulting pressure pushes the bullet out the front of the barrel at high speed. The percussion cap was invented in 1807 by Alexander Forsyth, a Scots Presbyterian pastor, because his duck hunting was being ruined by the puff of smoke set off by his flint-lock. The ducks would see the smoke, and startle, and fly, causing his bullet to miss the mark. Napoleon offered Forsyth a fortune to relocate to France, but Forsyth chose to remain in Great Britain. He was eventually honored by the British government with a pension for his work. Unfortunately he died before receiving the first payment. The percussion cap eventually led to the invention of the center-fire cartridge as we have it today. Modern cartridges are either center-fire, or rim-fire, which describes the location in the cartridge of the percussive material used to set off the powder in the cartridge. Such percussive materials include fulminate of mercury and lead styphanate.
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April 9, 2011 -- Ruger Mark III Target Model Range Report...Yesterday (Friday) I had some time to shoot my new Ruger, so I dropped in to the Shooter's Depot range in Chattanooga. I had previously taken the gun apart, and cleaned and oiled it; and then struggled for an hour to get it back together again. I had to beat on it with a wooden hammer handle to get it together, so I was worried that maybe I had goofed it up, and it might not work. Not to worry! I shot 100 rounds of CCI MiniMags through it, and had exactly zero malfunctions. This gun is definitely not fragile! As John Cameron Swazey used to say about Timex watches: "They take a licking, and keep on ticking." I was completely satisfied with the accuracy of the Mark III, as I know that I really am not a good shot. At 10 yards, standing off hand, with no rest, I was able to shoot two-inch groups. At 25 yards my front sight practically covered up half of my target, so I consider my off-hand eight-inch group to be OK. When I can scrape together a hundred dollars, I plan to put a scope on it, and that should help me shoot better. I took it apart to clean it. It didn't appear extraordinarly dirty, but I like to clean my guns after shooting. As before, taking it apart is easy. Putting it back together took two hours this time, instead of the one hour the first time I did it. Why is it so hard for me (and just about everyone else) to re-assemble a Ruger semi-auto handgun? Three reasons, I think: 1) They fit tight, especially when new; 2) You must follow directions explicitly; and 3) You really need to understand what you are doing, which comes from experience. I'm determined to keep working on this re-assembly procedure, until I really understand it, and it becomes easy. NOTE: I found this link...all you need to know to get your Ruger back together.
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April 8, 2011 -- Bluing - More Firearms 101 Basics...This morning I was reading this month's Gun Tests magazine, the article comparing the old Colt Targetsman pistol, and the newer Ruger 22/45. I noticed that the material of the Colt barrel and slide was stainless steel, and the finish was called "blue." Aha, I said to myself, I am going to learn something new today. Long ago I read somewhere that a blued finish was a sort of rust on the steel. So I naturally thought that stainless steel could not be blued. Wrong! Stainless steel CAN rust, especially if the chromium content is on the low side. Also, stainless steel can be rusted in a special process to create a blued surface. (Click here for a great article on bluing from WikiPedia.) I have owned blued guns. Also parkerized and unfinished stainless steel, and guns with some "case hardening." GLOCKs have a "tenifer" finish, which is a special sort of case hardening. Old Colt firearms are said by some to have a deeper, richer bluing than is seen on modern firearms. I think Ruger bluing is very good. The worst bluing I know about on modern firearms is found on Kel-Tec guns. I like Kel-Tec, but in my opinion they don't polish their slides enough prior to the bluing, parkerizing or hard chrome finishes they apply. If your guns are blued, you need to be sure to keep them well-oiled, as bluing is not a strong rust protective covering. It wouldn't hurt to put a light coat of oil on the other finishes, either, even though they resist rust better than mere bluing. I have also seen rust develop on blued magazines, so watch out for that!
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A Comment from MF..."Interesting tidbit: stainless means just that - stains less than normal, not stain proof. But minor rust wont hurt a weapon. Long as there is no danger and it doesn't harm function I think it can add a bit of beauty to a classic gun. I repeat MINOR is sometimes Ok."
April 7, 2011 -- Good Bye, Buck Mark: Hello, Ruger...It was my intention yesterday to go to the local Academy Sports in Hixson, TN, and pick up a Browning Buck Mark pistol. However, I was at the airport side of town, close to Shooter's Depot, so decided to stop in there first to see what they had. They had several nice Buck Mark models, but there staring at me was a very nice looking all stainless steel Ruger Mark III Target model 10103. One thing led to another, and I ended up with a Ruger instead of a Browning. This model Mark III has a 5.5 inch barrel, and is about 10 inches long. (Click on the little picture to see a bigger photo.) Not exactly a "mousegun" size-wise, but I wanted another .22 pistol, and I like it. (The price was $440 out the door, including tax and TBI background check. Not cheap, but not out of line either.) Ruger .22 semi-auto pistols are infamous for being difficult to take-down and re-assemble, so of course I had to take a shot at it. (I always take my guns apart and lube them before going shooting.) Disassembly was a breeze, and took about two minutes. Reassembly was a pain in the neck (hands), and took about an hour! (The gun store people told me for their rental guns they just use a bore snake, and squirt the mechanism full of gun cleaner, instead of disassembly; and then do a full disassembly and cleaning only once every six months.) It's not really that difficult, but there are little tricks you don't find out about until you actually do the job. The key to reassembling the Ruger is to remember that the parts fit together TIGHT. (There's a reason Ruger recommends you get a plastic mallet, a paper clip, and a 1/4" wood dowel!) Really, it's not that complicated (but the tight parts DO require some hand strength for reassembly), and next time I do it I'm sure reassembly will proceed much faster. Sportsman's Warehouse had CCI MiniMags on sale for $6.99 per 100, and I bought a thousand rounds to feed my new Mark III. I'll go shooting soon, and post a range report.
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A Comment from Bob..."Congratulations on your new purchase. What was that, a nice but pretty small consolation prize for passing up a trip to China? :) I visited Hong Kong in the mid-90's -- but back to guns. Its probably hard to go wrong with any Ruger, and the MarkIII has an excellent rep, as does the Browning. But the field stripping video sure makes me appreciate my Kel-Tec, which I frequently disassemble while watching TV on the couch. Of course I love the .22LR, and will look forward to your range report."
April 6, 2011 -- Thinking about Chinese Norinco Firearms...I have owned several MAK90s, and several SKS rifles, all exported to the USA from China, bearing the name "Norinco." That's our American name for the China North Industries Corporation, which manufactures vehicles, machinery, optics, electronics, explosives, firearms, missiles, bombs and a thousand other things. Importations of most Norinco firearms and ammunition into the United States were blocked during the Clinton Administration in 1993, and in August 2003 by the Bush Administration. There were good reasons to "punish" Norinco. Norinco would happily sell machine guns and missiles to motorcycle gangs, if they had the opportunity, and they actually tried to do it. Anyway, I'm thinking Chinese today, as my wife is flying to China to visit relatives. She herself is Chinese, but married me 37 years ago, and has been in the USA for over 40 years. I DO wish we could still buy some of the Norinco clones which they used to sell here. For example Tokarev models, 1911A models, CZ clones, a Colt Woodsman imitation, an M1A copy, and a clone of the Remington 870 shotgun. Years ago, if you had the cash, Norinco would have sold you a "type 98 120 mm anti-tank rocket system." Just what I need for home defense!
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April 5, 2011 -- The New Crop of Compact 9mm Guns...Since I am committed to carrying a gun in my front pants pocket, I am somewhat immune to the attraction of the latest crop of compact 9mm pistols. The Taurus 709 Slim, and the Ruger LC9 have been out for a few months already. The Kel-Tec PF9 is popular. The Kahr PM9 has been around for years. Now Kimber has created the "Solo" and SIG is launching the P290. I like the name "Solo" because it reminds me strongly of a couple of books about a man-sized robot with artificial intelligence whose name was "Solo." But I digress. These new guns are very attractive and small. Both the SIG P290 and Kimber Solo are dimensionally smaller than the Kel-Tec PF9 or the Kahr PM9, but the SIG weighs 20.5 ounces unloaded, compared to the PF9's 14 ounces; and the Solo weighs 17 ounces. They are also fairly thick: Kimber is 1.2 inches thick, and the SIG is 1.1 inches. They would be like little heavy bricks in a pants pocket. The Kel-Tec PF9 is .88 inches wide, and the few extra tenths of an inch really do make a difference for pocket carry. Since I like to carry in my pocket, I will stick with the little .380s; but for those of you who are looking for a 9mm to carry IWB (in the waist band), the choices are expanding!
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A Comment from DJ..."The concealed market is growing and growing, the LC9 is an interesting entry; and I am sure we will see many more entries in the future."
A Comment from MH..."I really enjoy your web site, and read it daily. You always have really great informative articles and great links for shooters. Thank you."
A Comment from Bob..."In the current issue of Gun Tests magazine, the Kel-Tec PF9 is given a rating of "A" when compared to the Ruger LC9 that only got a "C" rating. It will be interesting to see how the new crop of 9mms will do when tested. But (I think I'm agreeing with you) in a pocket carry gun, a thin and light
gun is easier to carry than a gun which on paper may have a smaller footprint but is thicker and heavier. The term "pocket pistol" has been misused in much the same way as "derringer" has been used to, for instance, describe the Bond .410/.45LC double-barrel gun that weights as much as a Glock and is a real lump of uncomfortable steel in a pocket. Pocket pistols should be classified by 1) How thin they are, 2) Loaded weight, and 3) Footprint inside of real pants pockets..."
April 4, 2011 -- Semi-automatic .22lr pistol choices...I'm planning to pick up a Browning Buck Mark from Academy Sports this Wednesday afternoon, and will give a report on it then. But I've been meditating on semi-auto .22 choices, and thought I would just make a list of what is READILY available (note the "readily available disclaimer!) to the gun-buying public today. On the lower end price-wise: Jimenez JA-22. It's a nice little gun, and a fun plinker. Also on the lower end would be the Phoenix Arms HP22A. It's a bit larger and heavier than the Jimenez. I have one, and I like it. The Bersa Firestorm in .22 gets a good review at GunBlast.com. SIG makes the Mosquito, which doesn't usually get good reports. Walther makes the P22. Smith and Wesson makes the 22A. Beretta has both the Bobcat, and a streamlined styled .22 pistol called a Neos. Some people like them, but most reviews put the Walther, the S&W and the Berettas a step below the Browning Buck Mark or the Ruger 22/45, or Mark III. Ruger also makes the Charger, and I'm not sure if I should call that a pistol or a mini-rifle. (Taurus makes the PT-22, which is an imitation Beretta Bobcat.) Both the Ruger and the Buck Mark come in a half a dozen variations. I've already owned a Ruger 22/45, and liked it a lot. That's one reason I'm getting the Buck Mark. I always like to try new guns. There are a few gun makers who DON'T make a .22 semi-auto pistol, and I wish they would take a shot at it: Kel-Tec, GLOCK and Kahr, for example.
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April 3, 2011 -- Ark. House passes bill letting pastors permit guns...You can read the April 2 news article here. Well, this is a step in the right direction, I suppose. I also opine that this puts too much on the local church's pastor and elders. Why does your pastor or church board get to permit or forbid you to carry your concealed gun in church? And why should it be an issue in a church more so than in a WalMart or in a shopping mall? I believe that if your State has authorized you to carry a concealed firearm, then you ought to be automatically permitted to carry it anywhere in your State. Are people with permits somehow suddenly more dangerous because they have entered a church? Of course not. Unfortunately there are a lot of religious people who have bought into the idea that guns are evil in and of themselves. Guns are only tools. In the hands of evil people, they are tools for evil. In the hands of good people, they are tools of self-defense and rescue. Let's hope that the Arkansas senate and governor will do the right thing. There are a number of church members at my church who carry every Sunday. This is not an issue in Tennessee. I'm glad these armed Christians are in the sanctuary, just in case some nut comes in wanting to kill 20 people, as happens from time to time. Providing a "gun free zone" just makes it easier for crazy people.
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A Comment from Bob..."Should private ownership of property, businesses, organizations and homes allow for the establishment of no-gun zones by the owners? Or, does the 2nd Amendment trump all other articles and amendments to the Constitution (a rhetorical question of course). But, still there are many places where you cannot legally take a concealed weapon; and to change that would require massive legislative action and a complete change in culture. Maybe not in Tennessee, but in lots of other states."
April 2, 2011 -- Gun colors...I was leafing through my catalog from CDNN Sports, and noticed that they are having a special sale on Kel-Tec P-3ATs ($204.99 each) and P-F9s ($219.99 each). The price is very low, but of course you will have to also pay for shipping ($15), and FFL transfer fees ($30), and $10 TBI fee, so my total price for a P-F9 would come to $275, which is a pretty good price. I don't think I could do much better buying from a local gun store. Why so cheap from CDNN? Well, one reason is the color of the firearm. These special Kel-Tecs come in a color they call "billfold brown." Obviously the color is not very popular, so they have a specially low price. I have seen Kel-Tec firearms in pink, blue, olive green, grey, ivory (and of course black). My Ruger LCP is one of the raspberry models. I would call it "neon pink" myself. It's not a happy color in opinion, but when it's in my pocket it has no color at all, so it doesn't matter. Some people frown on any color than black, and propose that any bad guy who sees your colored gun will either think it is just a toy, or will fall to the floor laughing. It's interesting also that red and blue imitation guns are used for training purposes. Blue Glocks fire Simunitions rounds. Red Glocks are the ones that don't fire anything.
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A Comment from DB..."At a recent gun show one of the vendors was telling a story about a convenience store owner who shot a robber with .38 special that (belonged to) his daughter. At the trial of the robber the store owner was asked if he shot the robber. After answering 'Yes' he was asked what he used to shoot the accused. He answered it was a .38 special; and he's heard plenty of people in the neighborhood laughing at the thug who was shot with a 'pink gun.'"
April 1, 2011 -- The little .22 cartridge...Classify this post as basic info for beginners: The .22lr cartridge has been around for over 100 years, and is the most popular cartridge in the world: about 2.5 billion of them are produced each year. The .22lr cartridge was developed by the J. Stevens Arms & Tool Company in 1887 by combining the casing of the .22 Long with the 40-grain bullet of the .22 Extra Long. The .22lr features a "heeled" bullet, which means that the rear portion or "heel," is slightly smaller in diameter to exactly fit in the case. You can purchase .22lr cartridges with bullets weighing from 30 to 60 grains. The lighter the bullet, the higher the muzzle velocity. The velocity of the lighter bullets drops off dramatically after 50 yards, due to wind resistance. In other words, heavier bullets retain their velocity longer. The 40 grain bullet seems to be ideal. The 60 grain bullets are generally sub-sonic in muzzle velocity, which makes them quieter to shoot. My favorite .22lr ammo is "Mini-mags" or "Velocitors," both made by CCI. The Velocitor has a 40 grain hollow point bullet, and a posted muzzle velocity of 1,435 fps (from a rifle barrel). 22lr bullets fired from short barreled handguns do not travel as fast, or hit as hard. You can fire just about any .22lr cartridge from a revolver, but you may need to experiment with many varieties of .22lr ammo in your semi-auto handgun or rifle. Some brands seem to cause many more failures than other brands. CCI Mini-mags seem to be the "gold-standard" by which others are judged. For much more information, try the Wikipedia Article.
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A comment from Bob..."The .22LR is a very versatile round that can handle a multitude of light duty applications including: plinking, serious target practice, small game hunting and can even have a role in self-defense. But best of all, the .22LR is very economical and affordable by just about every income level of shooters. My personal favorite for those reasons."
