Official Firearms Thread

[ajs510 122]

giggidy. just got an "in" with a L.E.O. that can get bulk .223 hornady and get it for half price. says he'll be putting in an order in a couple of three months. woot! now i'll actually be able to sight in my red dot and not feel bad for depleting my cache.

 

oh, shake. i too am thinking about getting in the reloading game. let me know if you turn up any good sites in your research.

 

The jealousy sharks are swimming in my head.

[GWCGWC 83]

Yeah, that's more than a sweet hookup there.

 

reloading: It's expensive right now. At least for those of us not able to go to gun shows. The small primers are either jacked up so high it's not worth reloading or out of stock. Same with the powder and bullets. I was looking at getting the dillon 650 until I found out I can't get the stock to run the progressive right now. I am slowly buying the ancillary things when I find something on the cheap or a good deal. So far I only have a Lyman reloading guide, brass tumbler, media, separator and a grain scale. There's a LOT more to buy.

 

I joined a private shooting range at the beginning of the year. It's one of those weird places that no one would tell me about because it's awesome and the people in the know don't want more people to find out. They have IPSC or whatever it's called cowboy shooting events and the owner has been a grand master since the late 80's. There's 15 hand gun ranges with tons of steel to shoot and two rifle ranges from 25-200 yrds. And they may be preppers which is pretty cool. I viewed through an open door a warehouse style food room that's twice as big as my house with many shelves of canned goods and buckets of something. When I say many shelves, I mean hundreds. It was an odd thing to see and I'm sure that door wasn't supposed to be open. Anyway, I've been picking up brass every time I go. There's snow on the ground right now so it's not like I pick up a ton of brass. I'm not discriminating on caliber because if I bend over, you best bet I'm picking that snits up.

 

So yeah, I'm going to start reloading at some point. Or, maybe I'll get a "hook" up like Hank and find that it's much cheaper to buy 1/2 price quality ammo than making it myself.

[hank213 1,823]

yeah, pretty much everything but shotguns is over priced right now.

 

i talked to one of the regional vp's for my company a few months ago. he lives in a townhouse in chicago with fairly limited space and said he found a great setup that works well just moving it out on the kitchen counter when he's ready to work. might have to see what he has.

[The Ocho 970]

Just bought this

 

 

Hank, I liked your M-4. What should I buy to fill this thing out? It's a Del-Ton DTI-15 lower.

[GWCGWC 83]

I may have checked FCP multiple times this weekend to see if there was an answer to your post Ocho.

 

 

So I've been going to the local range almost every week for a few weeks and I've gotten pretty good with my AR-15 iron sites at 50 yrds. I was getting 5rd groups on paper in an acceptable 3 inches. I'll call this a huge win considering I can barely see the red bulls eye at 50 yrds. I've been putting clay pigeons on the berm and blowing those the eff up on the first shot. I'll pick apart the larger shards with my scoped .22 which is a ton of fun and actually affordable plinking. Oh, that's on a rest obv. I can't hit much of anything standing without a rest support.

 

I break my handgun shooting regimen every single session and end up blasting through way too many rounds. I'm completely undisciplined when it comes to leaving rounds in the magazine.

[hank213 1,823]

Just bought this

 

 

Hank, I liked your M-4. What should I buy to fill this thing out? It's a Del-Ton DTI-15 lower.

 

i'd have to do some research but the first answer that came to mind was "everything." i didn't build mine, so I'm not a good source for building an AR. that's solidly in beans territory i believe.

[ajs510 122]

Yeah, I've never built either so I don't know parts.

[hank213 1,823]

just ordered a new sling and sling mount today. also wish listed some iron sights and such. i've heard good things about the magpul ms3 so i bought one.

 

[Sickinfo2 291]

Ouc, I cant see an image but I assume its just a stripped lower?

 

 

 

Buy a fire control group, which has the trigger, hammer, disconnector, safety, and the pins and springs. I like DPMS parts. Seems like they do more than just surface harden their stuff. Ive tried to do trigger jobs on some others and once the file broke thru a fine layer, both the hammer and trigger had much softer metal that I would have liked... most come with a grip

 

 

 

You can save a few bucks and buy the upper, barrel, nut, gas tube, front sight, and handguards seperately but youll need an armorers wrench to align the barrel nut with the gas tube. Its supposed to be torqued to a specific value but I never bother. Just tighten the hell outta it. Make sure you dont loosen it just a "tad" to align the tube. Tighten it more instead. You can buy complete uppers ready to go in various lengths from a carbine all the way out to twenty six inches. Usually include the bolt/carrier assy.

 

 

 

If building the upper from parts youll need a bolt/bolt carrier assembly. Dont bother buying each part and putting it together unless ya just want to. On my semis I use the SP1 style. Since you are where you are and can never get a legal lightening link, any style will do, but the temptation of someday moving to an NFA friendly state and paying eight grand for a small piece of sheetmetal to make it rock-n-roll may strike you. Just make sure its a semi bolt instead of m16 style. It wont shoot auto without the autos fire control group and extra hole drilled for the auto sear with a 16 bolt, but then again, you are where you are. I wouldnt give anyone a reason to harass over something that stupid. Add in a charging handle

 

 

 

Then pick a stock... both solid and retractable install the same. Screw in the lower and tighten the back nut. Some come with the recoil spring and plunger and some dont. Just make sure and get one matched for the stock style

 

 

 

 

Im sure Im missing something since paint fumes, xanax, and beer somehow have me sitting here typing this with my cheek on the desk...

 

 

 

Ive bought a couple complete/less lower kits from a vendor that advertises in the shotgun news magazine. I cant recall which one, though. Maybe tomorrow. Anyway, they have some sweet deals once in a while on mil surplus parts. If you like the old SP1/M16 style rifles that use the triangle handguards they are ususally much cheaper

 

 

 

And consider a .22 conversion kit for it. Lotsa fun. Cheaper to shoot, too. Just pull out the regular carrier and slide in the .22 and its magazine. They arent as accurate as a dedicated .22 upper but mine shoots pretty tight. Its the ccmg stainless model. Runs great in semi but is finicky in auto. I have an idea that the bolt is bouncing back between rounds and hanging up the hammer. Off track here...

 

 

 

Anyhoo, have fun

[GWCGWC 83]

Yesterday a friend told me magpul is giving current inventory (I knew they were holding it back) priority to Colorado residences due to the proposed State magazine ban. Basically, I had to email them my info, they will verify my address which will take a few days and then I will be able to buy some pmags.

 

My friend placed his order last night and said they didn't jack the prices up at all so maybe they didn't hold back inventory.

 

How many should I get?

[iZuma 764]

50

[GWCGWC 83]

Yeah, dumb question.

 

While 50 may sound like some crazy over the top amount to suggest for people not familiar with the current gun climate, it isn't. I won't come close to 50 because I want to have some money for ammo whenever it becomes available.

 

Speaking of ammo, it is not to be had in .223(obv), .40, 9mm or even .22LR in my town except for a pawn shop selling winchester 9mm white box at over a buck a round. Screw that guy. I'm not willing to deplete my very low amount of pistol ammo until I can replace it. Sucks not being able to shoot because of a freaking ammo shortage.

 

When this blows over, I'm going to keep a min of 1K rounds of each pistol caliber, 1K of 5.56 and 10K of .22lr. I'm also going to stockpile primers, brass and powder before I invest in a reloading machine.

[hank213 1,823]

Yeah, dumb question.

 

While 50 may sound like some crazy over the top amount to suggest for people not familiar with the current gun climate, it isn't. I won't come close to 50 because I want to have some money for ammo whenever it becomes available.

 

Speaking of ammo, it is not to be had in .223(obv), .40, 9mm or even .22LR in my town except for a pawn shop selling winchester 9mm white box at over a buck a round. Screw that guy. I'm not willing to deplete my very low amount of pistol ammo until I can replace it. Sucks not being able to shoot because of a freaking ammo shortage.

 

When this blows over, I'm going to keep a min of 1K rounds of each pistol caliber, 1K of 5.56 and 10K of .22lr. I'm also going to stockpile primers, brass and powder before I invest in a reloading machine.

 

honestly, i probably wouldn't load up too heavy. if the banners get their way transfer might become illegal. not saying it's a strong possibility but things are kinda looney tunes.

 

same boat here with ammo being scarce. i did finds some winchester .40 the other day here for $.40/rd limit 100 so I grabbed a box. i'm thinking the same thing about reloads.

[GWCGWC 83]

honestly, i probably wouldn't load up too heavy. if the banners get their way transfer might become illegal. not saying it's a strong possibility but things are kinda looney tunes.

 

same boat here with ammo being scarce. i did finds some winchester .40 the other day here for $.40/rd limit 100 so I grabbed a box. i'm thinking the same thing about reloads.

 

Yeah well, I'm gonna be a criminal if these laws pass anyway. I'm going off the assumption I won't ever be able to purchase another 30rd magazine if the law is passed. Magpul is a Colorado company so I don't mind spending some money with them.

 

Just got my verification done and there is a little catch. You can only buy 5 mags of each kind. They made 4 types of 30rd mags available and one of those is for an AK. I ended up going with (5) gen3 and (5) gen2 with the window. Cool that they're doing this and super cool they didn't gouge on the prices.

 

I'm still going to leave my midwayusa backorder open for 2 more gen 3's.

[GWCGWC 83]

Just changed the trigger connector on my glock. Put the original back in, dry fired several times while feeling the reset, put the ghost 3.5lb connector back in and was able to tell what a HUGE difference it makes. I don't know why glock doesn't do this from the factory.

 

 

 

[hank213 1,823]

i've decided to get some work done on my old marlin .22. i know, it's cheaper to just buy a new one but this was my first gun and it's not as reliable as it used to be. of course it's had at least 50k rounds through it, probably more. need to find a gun smith.

[GWCGWC 83]

you absolutely have to have a reliable .22 rifle. It's like in the top 5 things everyone should have behind water, shelter, food, and boobs.

 

I'm guessing it's a semi auto vs bolt action? I think it's worth it to get the gun running like new.

 

 

Anyone have any thoughts about the mosin nagant 91/30? I'm driving up to the big city tomorrow to see if any ammo is to be had so I can shoot Sunday without dipping into my stock and Cabela's may have some of these left at $120. I'd say that's a buy even though I wouldn't be able to shoot it for who knows how long due to the surplus super corrosive ammo being stupid expensive.

[hank213 1,823]

please tell me where I can find a 5 year supply of boobs. tyvm.

[hank213 1,823]

the old man and i decided to go shooting today since i had the day off work and he needed to burn a vacation day. pretty much sucked on the shooting front.

 

first, the range he is a member of sent him updated combination for the locks back in january but it didn't work. luckily another member came along after about a half hour and remembered the old code which did work.

 

then i get set up to sight in my m4 and it's not firing. break it down and the damned buffer retainer pin had come out when i put on my new slingplate. i didn't have my ar wrench to back the stock out so i still have sighted the optics in for it. shot my pistol but was fuming and didn't shoot as well as i like. still mostly 9 or 8 ring but only 2 or 3 x's.

[GWCGWC 83]

 

I went to visit my folks in Oklahoma over Easter. My sister who lives in Texas was there with her two kids. She wanted me to take my nephew shooting last Thanksgiving but it was more because he was bored out of his mind and not because he wanted to learn some shooting basics. I said no since I wanted to spend time with my parents and I only had a half day left when my sister came up with this idea.

 

This time I made plans and found an indoor range that offers rentals. We found some 9mm at $31 per 50 the night before at a little gun shop and bought 150 rounds. The range was charging $1 a round for 9mm and .40 so only paying double what the ammo should cost didn't seem too bad. My dad happened to have over 200 rounds of .22lr that may have been from the 70's and he doesn't have a .22 gun so we also took that too. Bought some shoot n see targets on the way to the range from Walmart.

 

I took my nephew first who is on the small side at 17 and maybe 120lbs, 5'6". We rented a ruger mark III and a S&W M&P .9mm. I figured it would be good to start them on a .22 and we had the ammo so why not. After instruction outside the range we went in and he shot really well with both guns.

 

About 2 hrs later my sister brought my niece so she could take her turn. Again, outside instruction and we went shooting. My niece is turning 16 this month and she's maybe 90lbs and around 5'2". Just a tiny girl. She started with the .22 obv at 5 yrds and put 5 rounds through one very small hole....um..cool. We moved the target back to 10 yrds and she shot a 5 rd group the size of quarter. Then she tried 5 shots with the M&P which again she grouped inside the bullseye. She had zero recoil control naturally and the gun jumped up and to the side every time she fired but she didn't have a bit of flinch and her aim was pretty incredible for never having shot a pistol before. She wanted to see if she could hit the bullseye at the 25yr max and she did many times over.

 

Turns out my niece is a way better shot than me the very first time she shoots a handgun. I'm obviously the best instructor ever.

 

 

The M&P was super sweet to shoot. I hated the trigger reset but it fit my hand every bit as good as anything I've ever shot.

[hank213 1,823]

so if TSHTF can I bug out to your sister's place? sounds like defense would be covered.

[ajs510 122]

About 2 hrs later my sister brought my niece so she could take her turn. Again, outside instruction and we went shooting. My niece is turning 16 this month and she's maybe 90lbs and around 5'2". Just a tiny girl. She started with the .22 obv at 5 yrds and put 5 rounds through one very small hole....um..cool. We moved the target back to 10 yrds and she shot a 5 rd group the size of quarter. Then she tried 5 shots with the M&P which again she grouped inside the bullseye. She had zero recoil control naturally and the gun jumped up and to the side every time she fired but she didn't have a bit of flinch and her aim was pretty incredible for never having shot a pistol before. She wanted to see if she could hit the bullseye at the 25yr max and she did many times over.

 

Turns out my niece is a way better shot than me the very first time she shoots a handgun. I'm obviously the best instructor ever.

 

Well, you know what they say...those who can't, teach.

 

Seriously though, that must have been great for her to be good at it right out of the box. Skill for life. I still haven't really gotten the hang of pistol accuracy, I anticipate recoil way too much and don't shoot often enough to work the issue out.

[slink 1]

I've run nto this ammo shortage too, for my .40 and .38/.357. Walmart has absolutely nothing and the local gun store has a sign on the door letting us know they have virtually no ammo. Why is this?

[ajs510 122]

I've run nto this ammo shortage too, for my .40 and .38/.357. Walmart has absolutely nothing and the local gun store has a sign on the door letting us know they have virtually no ammo. Why is this?

 

Panic hoarding, mostly. Everyone assumes ammunition will get more expensive and less accessible, so they're all stocking up at once. Same thing happened after the first Obama inauguration, and we're getting it twice as bad this time due to Newtown and the liberal sabre rattling about a gun ban.

[GWCGWC 83]

I blame the secondary market where people buy up all the ammo as its put on the shelves and flip it for double online. The people who feel they have to have ammo and are willing to pay this premium will eventually dry up and then all of us waiting for ammo will be in freak out mode and keep the shelves bare for quite awhile.

 

I just got a notice from Midway that my 200 rounds of .223 has been shipped. I don't need .223 but I'll gladly take it. It's been on back order for months. This was before they stopped letting people back order ammo. The shipping took the ppr to .60 which sucks super hard but whatever.

 

I also have a powder scale, p229 40/.357 recoil spring and 30 round glock mag on back order. I'm sure they'll cancel the magazine since colorado just passed a 15 round max mag. ****ers.

 

 

I'm in need of 9mm and .22lr. I'm not willing to deplete my super low stores of those caliburs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

More importantly, I've decided to buy a long rifle instead of a shotgun next. This could change tomorrow but I doubt it. I'm leaning towards a savage arms model or a Remington 700. The biggest hang up I'm having is 300 win mag, .308 or 30-06?