ken_mays

The only thing special about the Detonics mags are the custom length, IIRC. Standard 1911 mags will work but won't fit flush to the frame. The recoil assembly was the other special thing about these, getting the right springs to replace them can be a challenge. The reason for the odd cut on the slide is that the designer intended the gun to be carried hammer down, so provisions were made to make thumb cocking quick and easy. Apparently it's also not uncommon for the piece of metal above the extractor at the rear of the slide to crack off, I've seen photos of two guns that happened to. There is currently a really nice example on the shelf at Arms Fair in Memphis for about $850. Looks to be a later model, or one that had some custom work done. Black/OD Cerakote and checkering. I've thought about picking it up but haven't successfully talked myself into it.

Something like a S&W M&P AR .22 rifle. Not only are they fun in their own right, but they're a useful trainer for the AR platform.

One thing to be aware of if you reload, especially lead coated bullets. The 509 has a very short throat and unless you seat the bullets fairly deeply in the case, say 1.080" or 1.090", they simply won't chamber. And deepening the throat with a reamer is a no-go because of the nitride finish.

Newly acquired M&P. Accuracy is on par with my other 2.0s, that is to say, excellent.

This week, I should be getting back a CZ P-07 slide that I'd sent to Jaegerwerks a couple weeks ago, to be milled for the RMR/Holosun cut. If you have Glocks, you have more options and I think buying an aftermarket slide with the cut already done is the way to go. It allows you to try out a RDS without modifying your factory slide or making unrecoverable investments. Just be sure that the slide you buy is compatible with your frame; for instance, most of the slides I've seen have been for Gen 3 Glocks.

I used to order a lot from Brownells and Midway. About 5-10 years ago, their selection went downhill and the shipping duration went up. Before then, I could order something Monday and usually have it by Thursday. Over the past 2 years I found myself ordering a lot less because even if they had it in stock (and Brownells was bad about this), it would take at least 10 days to arrive... and that was before the current panic state. At some point in there, Midway also stopped giving discounts to C&R FFL holders as well, which didn't help.

I've always found the Midwest Industries handguards to be good quality and priced reasonably. I have several of them on different length rifles. I tend to favor the free float handguards, but installation does require removal of the front sight base as well as the barrel nut. From top to bottom in the photo below: UTG Pro, Midwest carbine length, and Midwest mid-length. The UTG brand as a whole has a reputation for being junk, but the UTG Pro stuff is a cut above that. I bought the rifle with it installed by the previous owner and so far it's hasn't given me any problems. I wouldn't recommend it, but I also wouldn't NOT recommend it.

I was able to pick up a few more magazines from the IWI store about a month or so ago. They do come back in stock from time to time. Mine has been my primary carry for most of the year. I have about 900 rounds through it at the moment. Not one problem so far.

And here I was wondering when they approved a .nope domain

Yes, it does

Primary Arms, Holosun, SIG MSR (they can often be found on sale for $100), Vortex Strikefire / SPARC. Burris makes pretty good stuff. Ultradots are supposed to be good, but I've never owned one. Aimpoint PRO if you want something you never have to bother with again.

I suppose people like that are thinking of some sort of grandfathered provision like the one in the '94 AWB allowing you to keep pre-ban weapons. I doubt the ATF will ever bother with that; they have no oversight or public opinion to worry about. Judging by some recent hints, pistols in rifle calibers may be banned entirely, along with braces too.

Seems like firearm prices aren't really too bad as long as you don't want a Glock 9mm or an AK pattern rifle/pistol. For some reason, I've been contacted by several people asking if I knew where they could buy an AR pistol. Guess they all saw the same YT video.

Hard to see an argument for the .45 IMO. The .357 excels at penetration, which is your friend when it comes to shooting at woodland-type creatures large enough to make a meal out of you It will also give you an extra round and likely be slimmer to carry. About the only real benefit of the .45 would be speed of reloading, assuming the gun is set up for moon clips.

I have a few Steyrs, the M9 and L9 variations. Very well-made guns. Ergonomically, I think they're superior to Glocks. Accuracy of them tends to be excellent. I think they are oversprung, set up for hot ammo. Lighter loads, like minor power factor, can cause the occasional stovepipe. Bore axis and the effect on muzzle flip is very similar to Glocks, they come right down on target quickly. Don't much care for the sights. I can use them OK, I just don't see an advantage to the trapezoid design, and would rather have traditional post/notch. The grip is fine except for 1) rather slick texturing and 2) mighty teeny magwell which could use some beveling. The A2 model fixes the former issue, at least. The trigger could use a more noticeable reset.

Bourbon is a particular type of whiskey that must have the following qualities to legally be labeled as such: Produced in the United States Made from a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn Aged in new, charred oak containers Distilled to no more than 160 proof Entered into the container for aging at no more than 125 proof Bottled (like other whiskeys) at 80 proof or more Also, technically, most Tennessee whiskey meets the legal definition of bourbon, but usually adds the step of post-distillation filtering through charcoal, and must be distilled in TN to qualify. I read somewhere (I think it was in one of Cowdery's books) that there is more Jack Daniel's produced every year than every other bourbon combined.

It seems as though any 2011 holster would work, since the BUL seems to have a similar frame profile.

I've had a PA 1-6 ACSS scope on a BM ACR for several years. For the money, they deliver a fair value. I've never done much roughhousing or 3-gun with it, so I can't offer any meaningful experience as to the durability. The glass is pretty fair, not quite as bright as the similarly priced Vortex Strike Eagle. The eyebox is adequate, if not generous. The Strike Eagle seems a bit superior there. Taken all around, I find the ACSS reticle more useful than the Strike Eagle's. The only 1-8 I looked through had such a small eyebox that I, personally, would look elsewhere. I'd have no problem at all buying another 1-6, if the right deal came along.

I got a kick out of their site during the first real Obama panic. They had forgotten to remove the logic on their item pages that showed the difference between the MSRP and whatever they were currently charging. So instead of "You saved 10%", the page was showing things like "You saved -692% !" What a bunch of maroons.

That's what I asked myself immediately after buying a Steyr SPP about 20 years ago. Instead, I had a heavier, larger 9mm with a worse trigger and sights :( I didn't keep the SPP very long and I don't regret that sale at all.

I find a 6.5 MOA dot to be awfully big, especially at any kind of distance. The 3.5 MOA is about perfect IMO.

Yes, those cast LRNs commonly sold seem to have a fat ogive and need to be loaded to a shorter OAL than your typical FMJ bullet. 1.090" will usually work even in guns with almost no throat (FN 509, etc.). Reloading manuals will really cry up the danger of deeply seating pistol bullets and overpressure, but based on my experiences, I tend to take that with a grain of salt for the stuff I reload most of (9, 40, 45).

Yeah been waiting for that one. Definitely on my "pick one up eventually" list.

I thought that for much of this year, but I have still managed to add some interesting items to my collection at decent prices. I think there are deals to be had, you just have to find them.

The one I had, the extractor spring was so light that the extractor would slip off the rim at the first opportunity. I "boosted" the extractor spring with a small slice of ink pen straw and that helped it quite a bit.