DaveTN

Since this will be a home protection gun and the wife wants to shoot it; stay away from the small J frames and alloy frame guns. They make good carry guns but they are no fun to shoot. Let her shoot a 586/686 or a Model 19/66 (One of the larger K or L frames) using .38’s first.

Ya know people laugh when you talk about dogs, but I have a Doberman that sleeps on the end of the bed. I have to smile when I hear people saying that they don’t want a long gun in case they have to go looking around the house. I take comfort in knowing that someone can’t get into my house without the dog hearing them; and I will know exactly were they are.

Could your wife be at home and need to use the gun to protect herself? Do you both train constantly? If she could need it and you both don’t train constantly; forget the semi-auto’s. If you are concerned about customer support Smith & Wesson is the undisputed king of the industry. Maybe a good .357mag revolver? If you insist on a semi check out the M&P.

Well… you list capacity and price at the top. That’s a Tupperware gun. 15 rounds of .40 for under $500. You list aftermarket support…. Plenty of stuff available for the top Tupperware guns or 1911's. .40 or .45 caliber. You can have either. Although .40 is more popular in the Tupperware guns. So based on the price range it sounds like you want to stay within, if you drop the SA/DA with exposed hammer requirement you will be at the top of the Tupperware line instead of the bottom of the 1911 line.

Who’s Kano? I know you said he is a crack shot, but will he be impartial? How about at Terry Waldens place in Manchester in a couple of weeks? I will supply a Smith & Wesson for this test, now you need to get some of these big name guns.

Well good grief man, I have a “High End†1911 and didn’t even know it. I have a Smith & Wesson SW1911 Stainless Target that I’ll put up against anything in that list. I really don’t know about the Wilson, but since it’s a compact I’ll guess that it will out perform it. My gun only cost $910 OTD. I thought the requirement was paying $1000 over the cost of a production gun and having someone else’s name on it to be considered “high end� I had to get my S&W out and look, and it has a gap. Does that knock me back down to bottom feeder status? We need to find an impartial bullseye shooter and put this issue to rest.

Yes you can own one. Someone correct me if I’m wrong… I don’t think you can buy from an FFL because they have to go by Federal law, but I think state law allows purchase of a handgun at 18 from a private owner. I'm not sure that is legal. (Although if I were your step-brother I would do it.)

As I said I’m not a gunsmith; I’m a Toolmaker. Function….I’m simply looking at it from that perspective. I would want it on mine. I could make that sight be part of that slide if it bothered you that much; and then it wouldn’t even be an issue. I don’t know if there was an air gap on that Nighthawk I looked at or not. Glen is there?

Don’t get me wrong, it can be done. Can I do it? You bet and I would be happy to take your money. But the fact that you don’t have it, or don’t want to see it there doesn’t mean that is the way it should be. Is your high dollar 1911 that doesn’t have one flat or round on the top of the slide? If it’s round there should be a gap, if it’s flat the gap is under the bottom of the sight.

Metallurgy and physics. I assume that slot has tapered sides that hold the sight with a press fit. If you put the bottom of the sight on the top of the slide you would be required to hold tenths (.0001) tolerance on depth unnecessarily. If you didn’t you would have the sight binding with the top of the slide. The sight and the slide are probably dissimilar materials having different coefficients of thermal expansion…. sitting on a heat source. It could fracture the sight. You also would have to either have dead sharp corners or clear out the corners because of the cutters. Again… unnecessarily adding to the machining time; or cost.

I’m not a gunsmith…. But just an observation from a Toolmaker. That gap needs to be there.

What are you going to put on it for glass? As I think you saw I was clearly shooting better with my 700 VLS than with my Panther. But the Panther has a Leupold 3X9 VX I and the VLS has a Leupold 6.5 X 20 VX III. I think I need that Mark 4 Glen had. Panthers eat alot don't they. Good meeting you guys.

If a C&C machine would be helpful a CNC machine would really be great.

Not enough info. I don’t think you can’t have a felony conviction without going to court unless you are tried in absentia. Is there a warrant in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:State>Ohio</st1:State>? You have to find out what happened with the charges. My understanding from my friend just going through this is that a felon can never have their gun rights restored in the state of <st1:State>Tennessee</st1:State> even with an expungement. That info came from a local big name gun attorney; maybe one of them will stop by and give us the straight scoop.

Good post. I will not fire a weapon in public unless someone’s life is in immediate danger and I take all precautions to make sure that I won’t have to. To many things that can go wrong.

That’s what I thought also. It’s good that you got to experience a little excitement, but if there were an armed intruder in your home he would have heard you coming and you would have been shot…. No matter how many guns you had in your hands. Glad to see you are still posting.

No, those are defenses that you can present at your trial to see if the Judge will buy them.

They are giving you a discount because the chances of having your guns stolen out of a large safe in a burglary are pretty slim. I did a lot of research on this when I was looking for a fire safe. I gave up on the idea because the pros say that your guns just will not survive in a fire. They may be functional, but will require complete refinishing inside and out. What’s one of your high end 1911’s worth after it’s been completely reworked and refinished because it was in a fire? Safes are a great idea for securing your firearms, but from what I have read they won’t protect them in a fire. However… I am not a fireman or a safe manufacturer, nor have I been present when a safe containing firearms has been opened after a fire. So I could be all wrong in believing those that claim to have experience on this issue.

In high end 1911’s I’m talking about accuracy and function. “Shoot as well†and “wouldn’t shoot with†are terms that need definition. The test to me would be 50 yard bullseye shooting. Are you going to shoot 50 yards with a 4†1911?

Yes I was playing with custom WB levels. My problem is the light and not enough of it. I’m using three Sylvania BCA 115V 250W Daylight bulbs. I need more watts. A lot of guys have been using cheap Halogen work lamps with good results. Here is a link to the thread that got me started on the DIY light box. Good info for anyone interested in this. http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=281524 Absolutely. I’m in the process of getting the off camera cord and a wireless remote. I’m really working on getting two more 580EX’s. Then I won’t need a light box. Good eye. As I was processing the pics I noticed that and thought… No one will notice it. I thought about that too until I saw the hit I would take on my 20D. Other than the big azz live screen what does the 40D have you need? Anyway here is what I played with tonight…

I don’t think so. So far most of the people I have seen buy them are people that thought spending $2-3K would help them place rounds in the bull’s eye. But then when they get their feeling hurt by guys at the range shooting sub $1K Kimber’s, S&W’s and Springfield’s; they sell them. What would be a really good test would be to have someone that is an outstanding shot with a 1911, impartial (if there is such a person), and let them shoot some production guns and some of these race guns back to back. BTW.... you have a PM.

Mine was both. It was a Kimber Custom TLE II. I think the only difference in the TLE (Tactical Law Enforcement) is the Meprolight Tritium three dot sights and the front strap checkering. And maybe that really nasty finish; that may be specific to the TLE.

Well… the word is they are going to take over the LEO market, which means the civilian market will follow. They are American made, low cost and backed by the best customer support in the industry. They are the “Have it your way†of handguns; various sizes, calibers, options. What’s not to like? Try one.

Those are mere thumbnails of the originals. I reduced them because the forum software does it anyway. If it didn’t most here would not be able to view the originals without using slider bars. I can’t and I have a 24†widescreen monitor. Here is a sample of the focus….