I must apologize for my leave of absence. I plan on updating this blog with some new content in the coming days, since there have been a LOT of changes since the last post I've made. I've got a long-running 9mm 1911 project based on a full-sized RIA frame and slide, and just recently a poor Ruger Mark III 22/45 was hacked on by yours truly.
Fortunately I've got a bunch of pics and words strung together into rudimentary sentences to share with you all, so stay tuned!
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Been busy, reloading bench made and a few changes in my inventory
Hey all, it's been a busy month since I last posted. The reloading bench and the associated sundries have arrived. The bench itself is made (and already a mess, LOL) and the 8ft bench has been returned. I've already determined the 6ft bench with the backwall/pegboard isn't stable enough to keep the press as still as I'd like, so I'm coming up with a plan B.
I was planning on picking up an XD slim in .45ACP when it was released (which was originally slated for March), but plans have changed, it seems. As I write this I have the new Smith and Wesson M&P Shield in 9mm sitting on the desk in front of me. It's a slick little firearm and there's a ton of great touches put in place by the designers.
I haven't had the time to take it out to the range, yet, but I only just picked it up this very afternoon. Once my buddy gets back from his 3-gun match in Austin, I'll take it out to his range and post up my thoughts on how it shoots. I'll post up a quick open box review along with a smattering of pics to tide everyone over in short order. Until then, here's a pic:
I was planning on picking up an XD slim in .45ACP when it was released (which was originally slated for March), but plans have changed, it seems. As I write this I have the new Smith and Wesson M&P Shield in 9mm sitting on the desk in front of me. It's a slick little firearm and there's a ton of great touches put in place by the designers.
I haven't had the time to take it out to the range, yet, but I only just picked it up this very afternoon. Once my buddy gets back from his 3-gun match in Austin, I'll take it out to his range and post up my thoughts on how it shoots. I'll post up a quick open box review along with a smattering of pics to tide everyone over in short order. Until then, here's a pic:
In other news, I've received my order from Palmetto State Armory and aside from a slight hiccup with my order (nothing critical) I'm pretty satisfied with the price, service and delivery time. The order contained everything I needed to complete a stripped lower and turn it into a pistol AR15. Also included was a 10.5" upper with a 1:7 twist barrel and some Magpul upgrades. Again, a pic will serve as a much better example than my incessant rambling. I'll just finish up with this - the AR's final destination will be a suppressed SBR for home defense. Badguys beware! LOL.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Made the first step in establishing my reloading bench
Ordered a 6' Craftsman bench, pegboard/light backer and a 5-drawer module for the whole shebang. That establishes the workspace, but the press will be mounted on a custom "pillar" that will be anchored to the wall. I'll throw some pics up once I have something to show. The goods should be delivered next Wednesday, so hopefully this time next weekend I'll be ready to start loading some .223Rem. :)
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Everything old is new again
Got the AR15 back last week, and everything looks good to go. I've been trying to get my hands on a Spike's 10.5" MOE upper, but one retailer got them in and sold out in less than 15 minutes while I was talking to the Mrs about the purchase. Ah well.
Since plans have changed to move my reloading area into the old office, everything has been put on hold while I figure out how to configure the workspace. My reloading equipment will also share space with my other hobby - building scale models. Money's being diverted again, it seems...
Since plans have changed to move my reloading area into the old office, everything has been put on hold while I figure out how to configure the workspace. My reloading equipment will also share space with my other hobby - building scale models. Money's being diverted again, it seems...
Monday, February 27, 2012
Out with the old, in with the... old?
No, you didn't read that incorrectly. I actually repurchased my custom AR15 back from the dude that bought it from me. He shipped it last Tuesday, and I haven't heard anything yet from my FFL about it arriving. I'm chewing my nails here, I really want it back in my hands!
The plan is to submit my paperwork to convert it to an SBR with both 5.56 and 300AAC Blackout uppers, then when I'm ready I'll start the long road to getting a can for it in .30cal. Top candidates are the YHM Ti Phantom and the AAC 762-SDN-6, with me leaning heavily towards the AAC suppressor.
Looking forward to getting my baby back. Now only if it would get here!
The plan is to submit my paperwork to convert it to an SBR with both 5.56 and 300AAC Blackout uppers, then when I'm ready I'll start the long road to getting a can for it in .30cal. Top candidates are the YHM Ti Phantom and the AAC 762-SDN-6, with me leaning heavily towards the AAC suppressor.
Looking forward to getting my baby back. Now only if it would get here!
Sunday, February 5, 2012
A couple of rifles cut from the team
We had our gun show here in San Antonio this weekend, and I wound up taking the Ruger GSR and my Savage Mark II .22lr with me. When I came home, I did so with empty hands and a significantly fuller wallet. The funds will be stored in savings until I figure out what I really want in a long gun. The Springfield Armory SOCOM 16 is being researched, and I even found one at the gun show to handle. I gotta say, it was nice. Unfortunately, it was not nice enough to justify the new gun price on a used rifle.
I'll spend my time researching the SOCOM 16 for issues and will decide on a price point for picking one up so I can jump on it when one pops up. Until then - no rush.
I'll spend my time researching the SOCOM 16 for issues and will decide on a price point for picking one up so I can jump on it when one pops up. Until then - no rush.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Quick update on what's going on as of late
Alright, time for an update. Been busy at work, lots of projects going on that require my full attention, and I'm also dedicating a lot of my off-duty time to self improvement. I'm studying for my Security+ certification, as well as getting my MGIB benefits lined up through the VA. Once the MGIB is squared away, I'll get enrolled in classes to get my bachelor's in Information System Security. Not as much fun as firearms, but it is what it is.
On the firearm front, I've got some bad news. Seems my new Ruger GSR is afflicted by an inability to feed cartridges from the new Ruger polymer magazines. While reading through one of my new favorite gun-related forums (a shout-out to Andy, who runs http://www.scoutrifle.org), I've noticed I'm not the only one afflicted with this horrible disease. What's worse is I've already sunk in a few extra hundred into this rifle in accessories (one of Andy's sweet Ching Slings, two 10rd poly mags and an XS Sight Systems Ruger GSR rail). Not sure if I want to continue holding out and waiting for Ruger to provide a solid solution to the FTF issue, or if I should cut my losses and sell the GSR for something else.
Keep in mind that this FTF issue seems to only affect a small minority of GSRs, so it's just my uncanny "luck" that landed me in this position. All hope is not lost, as Ruger's customer service is still some of the best in the industry.
That said, I have been eyeballing the new Springfield Armory XD-S pistol that was just unveiled at the 2012 SHOT show. 21.5oz (confirmed by SA and Rob Leatham, 29oz was a typo) with an unloaded single-stack magazine, 1" wide at its widest point (located at the slide stop), 5+1 rounds of .45ACP, external extractor and a 3.3" barrel. Sounds good! What I'm not thrilled with is the fiberoptic insert in the front site. Too many issues with durability and snagging, in my opinion. I'll probably change it out for a tritium site of the proper height.
While I'm highly interested in purchasing one for a new EDC solution, I think I'll let some other folks "beta test" this pistol to make sure I don't buy something with a lot of bugs to iron out. Maybe if I wait long enough, they'll release a version of this pistol with a 4 or 4.25" barrel. If you're interested in checking out the new pistol, check out this Guns & Ammo video hosted by Mr. Leatham himself:
On the firearm front, I've got some bad news. Seems my new Ruger GSR is afflicted by an inability to feed cartridges from the new Ruger polymer magazines. While reading through one of my new favorite gun-related forums (a shout-out to Andy, who runs http://www.scoutrifle.org), I've noticed I'm not the only one afflicted with this horrible disease. What's worse is I've already sunk in a few extra hundred into this rifle in accessories (one of Andy's sweet Ching Slings, two 10rd poly mags and an XS Sight Systems Ruger GSR rail). Not sure if I want to continue holding out and waiting for Ruger to provide a solid solution to the FTF issue, or if I should cut my losses and sell the GSR for something else.
Keep in mind that this FTF issue seems to only affect a small minority of GSRs, so it's just my uncanny "luck" that landed me in this position. All hope is not lost, as Ruger's customer service is still some of the best in the industry.
That said, I have been eyeballing the new Springfield Armory XD-S pistol that was just unveiled at the 2012 SHOT show. 21.5oz (confirmed by SA and Rob Leatham, 29oz was a typo) with an unloaded single-stack magazine, 1" wide at its widest point (located at the slide stop), 5+1 rounds of .45ACP, external extractor and a 3.3" barrel. Sounds good! What I'm not thrilled with is the fiberoptic insert in the front site. Too many issues with durability and snagging, in my opinion. I'll probably change it out for a tritium site of the proper height.
While I'm highly interested in purchasing one for a new EDC solution, I think I'll let some other folks "beta test" this pistol to make sure I don't buy something with a lot of bugs to iron out. Maybe if I wait long enough, they'll release a version of this pistol with a 4 or 4.25" barrel. If you're interested in checking out the new pistol, check out this Guns & Ammo video hosted by Mr. Leatham himself:
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