Grayfox54

Older S&W revolvers are very hot in the collector market right now. Your 15-4 would have been made between 1977 and 82. The target hammer and trigger will bring a slight premium.  Judging by the pics, it appears to be in excellent condition. Easily a $500 - 600 gun, The 1911 is an early WW I model. Serial number dates it to 1913. A very desirable collector's piece. However, Colt collectors can be a finicky lot and small details can make a big difference. A big plus in your favor is that it does appear to be all original, but the finish is worn. Best guess would be $2000+. This one really needs a professional appraisal.  BTW: If that is an original WW I issue holster, its worth a pretty good amount on its own.    If you really want to get top dollar, do some research and list them on an auction site with as many details as possible.   

I was there just about two months ago. No signs, no metal detectors, I carried, no problems. 

I was there just about two months ago. No signs, no metal detectors, I carried, no problems. 

Another vote for the Colt Mustang. I have two. One older one from the first run back in 1999 and just a few of months ago I picked up a poly and stainless Mustang XSP  as I was looking for something sweat resistant for my daily walks. I've really come to like the XSP as its very light and compact. The locked breach design makes recoil very manageable  and the gun is surprisingly accurate.  Yes, the gun is single action and basically a mini 1911. But I'm an old 1911 guy anyway, so it suits me just fine.  I've never cared for pocket carry, so I tote it in a belt holster and hardly even know its there.  Did I mention that I really like this gun?  :D  

if, and its a big IF, congress manages to pass the necessary legislation, the guns still have to be unpacked, inspected, rated, categorized  and who knows what else by CMP  before being offered for sale. CMP barely has the man power to keep up with the few Garands they still have.  I figure 5 years minimum before you see any civilian sales. 

If drones bother you, all you need is a plain old garden hose with a good nozzle.  Oops, did a spray your toy?  :x:

On another board I visit there's a discussion going in regard to using a walking cane as a defensive weapon. Of course somebody had to bring up sword canes. I always thought those were illegal in Tennessee, but then realized that I've never heard for absolute certain or seen it in print anywhere. So how 'bout it? Legal or not?  No, not planning on getting one. It just aroused my curiosity.  

Building a 1911 from parts isn't all that difficult. Building a reliable and accurate 1911 takes some skill.  I built up a bare Essex frame to permanently mount a .22 conversion unit on. The project came out much better than I could have hoped for. However, getting everything fitted "just right" was a pain in the rear. Not all 1911 frames are equal. You get what you pay for and the cheaper ones require a lot of hand fitting as QC isn't one of their strong suits. Very minor differences in the specs can lead to major headaches.  :wall: OTOH over the years I've purchased a couple of "know to be troublesome" 1911s  from fed up owners which just needed some minor adjustments or tweaking here and there that turned out to be excellent pistols. In one case the previous owner did indeed buy a bunch of parts in an effort to build his own custom gun and did just about everything wrong. Took me quite a while to straighten that one out, but its a great gun now. The 1911 isn't that difficult to work on, but it does have a few quirks and tricks that you need to learn. Kuhnhausen's books are an excellent place to start.  Rather than trying to build a gun from scratch, I would suggest you find a used gun of decent quality that you can get fairly cheap. Then 'customize" it as you please while you learn.  ;)    

The Model 39-2 is one of my favorite 9mms.  :up:  It just feels right in your hand. I had mine out to the range just last weekend. It was the first DA 9mm pistol made by an American company and caused quite a stir when it came out. It was also the first DA 9mm to be adopted by a major police dept. IIRC: The Connecticut State Police. (?) The steel framed guns are indeed rare. Only 927 were produced. They are all marked Model 39 (no dash). Here's an odd bit of trivia for you. The steel frames were made in the mid-1950s. However, they weren't assembled and sold until 1966. So the alloy framed guns actually came out first. Steel frame guns are highly collectible and nice examples are now worth several thousand dollars. There was no Model 39-1. It never got past the prototype stage at the factory. Rumor has it that it was intended to be a target model and later evolved into the much loved Model 52. There was also an extremely rare Model 39 variation called the Model 44 which was SA only and had a solid trigger resembling a 1911. Only 10 were made with six of those sent to the Army for evaluation. One reported to sell in the $20,000 range.  Info courtesy of The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson 3rd Edition by Jim Supica and Richard Nahas 

I have yet to run across one of the RIA revolvers. I'd like to get one in my hands to examine. From what I've heard, they got good reviews at the beginning, but now there are reports that they aren't holding up well to a lot of use. Mostly timing issues and wear on the internals. But hey, its the internet. Use your own judgement as to what that's worth.   Charter Arms makes a decent gun for the money. They're ok for self defense and occasional range use, but I wouldn't put a lot of rounds through one on a regular basis. The older guns are best, the newest aren't bad. Its the middle group that had problems. Definitely avoid any marked Charco.   I don't know why Taurus gets such a bad rap. They actually make a very good gun. I know several Tauri owners who just love them and I've been keeping my eyes open for a nice used one for myself. 

I realize that the show is supposed to focus on one families struggles with what's happening. But I'm having a hard time getting into these characters. Is the average Californian really this stupid? As already pointed out, there's too much that just doesn't make sense. I suppose that this is leading to some sort of "awakening" where they suddenly develop a survival mindset and become hardcore zombie killing machines? JMHO, but in a real SHTF scenario, zombies or not, these people wouldn't stand a chance.  Daniel is the only one who even seems to have a clue. He just might make it if the others don't get him killed. What I do find interesting is the way society is falling apart around them. To me that's about the only redeeming value this show has.  But, being the TWD fan that I am, I will ride it out and watch the rest of it. How knows, maybe the writers can make something out of it after all. 

I not familiar with that particular pistol, but quite often the Novak style sights have a set screw running down through the dovetail from the top. If it does, just loosen it and it should move with no more than a light tap. If not, I just lay the pistol on a padded surface and gently tap it with a brass or nylon punch. 

The Colt Mustang and the Sig P238. Both are basically a miniature 1911 in .380. Same manual of arms as their big brother.  I recently picked up a Mustang XSP which has a poly frame and stainless slide. Its small, very light and darn near rust proof. This is what I carry on my daily walks. Excellent little gun. I might also mention that I'm not a fan of pocket carry and I do carry it in a belt holster. 

There's no need to limit yourself to just one kind of ammo. Mine are currently loaded with two Hydra-Shoks followed by four Winchester FMJs. If the HPs don't do the job, the Winchesters have a big flat meplat that'll drive deep and makes a nastier hole than regular RN.   

I bought on of the standard 1911R1s when they first came out. These are excellent guns. The finish may be a little on the plain side, but they are very well fit, very accurate and have one of the best out-of-the-box triggers I have even come across. I consider the Remingtons to be one of the best bang for your buck 1911s on the market today.

Leaving all the professional hit man and "what if" BS aside.  :shake: For a novice I usually recommend a good medium frame .38 Special revolver. That's about as simple as it gets. No slide to rack, no magazine to fool with, no safeties, just point and pull the trigger. Go with a medium frame rather than a small frame as it gives a better hold and recoil is easily managed. If he's going to carry it, a 2 to 3" barrel is ideal. 

I've been a very happy Brownell's customer for many, many years. The best place to find gunsmithing tools and some tools that can't be found anywhere else. I also get the dealer discount on my C&R license which has saved me a ton of money over the years.  :up:

Happened to me about % years ago. The oldest man in the shop retired and suddenly I was the oldest man in the shop.  :dropjaw: Where did the time go? :shrug: Only Mike had been there longer than me and he came when he was in his early 20s. I retired last year.  Mike and I have discussed how much things have changed over the years. He is now the last remaining member of the crew that was there when I started. We both found it strange to look around at all the young faces in the place now. I talked to him not long ago and he says the shop is like a whole different place now. Who are these people, where did they come from and why are they so young?  He's pulling the plug next year and says he can't wait.

Here;s my situation. I walk 3-4 miles almost daily for exercise. Naturally, this time of year I sweat buckets while doing this.  For a carry gun during these walks I have a S&W Model 36. Its an older gun that I picked up some years ago on the cheap mainly because the finish is badly worn. And there lies my problem. I'm sweating so much that the gun has become a rust magnet. Despite wiping it down every day, I still have to give it a through cleaning at least once a week and often twice. This morning I checked it and had a hard time opening the cylinder due to the rust.  :eek: I'm giving serious consideration to having the gun refinished with one of the more durable type finishes. Duracoat  or something similar?  So I'm looking for options, opinions and experience with these type coatings. Also, does anybody know of a place in the Memphis area that does this? I'd hate to have to ship it off for months to have this done.       

This is what works for me. Buckmark Camper pistol Tactical Solutions 4" barrel Tactical Solutions rear sight w/rail Burris Fast Fire red dot. Browning is now offering the Buckmark with a threaded barrel from the factory. So you can save that expense.

My younger son was Army National Guard 11B infantry. In Infantry School he got training with everything from the M4 to Ma Duece, but no pistol training at all. In Iraq his primary weapon was a 240B mounted on top of a MRAP. He had a M4 for a walking around weapon. For a while he was issued a M9, however he turned it back in by his own choice because he considered it just extra dead weight to carry.   As for myself, Army 1972-75, I never got any formal handgun training. However,  I did receive some very basic pistol training on the unit level and was required to qualify once per year, but only because I was a driver of a tracked vehicle and the 1911 was supposed to be my issued personal weapon. However, due to a shortage of 1911s in our unit, I was never issued one.    While I am all in favor of issuing weapons for our military on U.S. soil, most are not trained in the use of a handgun. By all means issue pistols as needed, but first properly train these troops to use them.

When are people gonna finally give up on their PC hopes and dreams and finally admit that Islam has declared war on the rest of the world? I keep remembering the videos of so-called "peaceful muslims" dancing in the streets and celebrating after 9/11.  :censored: I'm just too pissed right now. I better shut up.

I'm surprised this thread is still going.  Just for the record, GF informed me that she had already informed the host that I carry and he was completely fine with it. So the gun stayed on me. Good food, good folks and a good time was had by all.  However, despite all the worry and warnings, I didn't have to shoot anybody.  :shrug:

I like it!  :clap: But I'd also like to see a .308 version. 

Just for the record, I gave up alcohol more than 35 years ago. So I won't be drinking.  My question is more aimed at the fact that this is their home. They make the rules here. Its not so much about what is legal, but rather what simple good manners should be.