2.ooohhh

It's easy to build a reasonably safe and cheap backstop that is mobile and self contained. I used a 5 gallon bucket filled with compacted rubber mulch.(compacted via vibration from an air hammer while filling) At the bottom of the bucket is a 1/4" plate steel circle the diameter of the bucket of plate steel to keep any rounds from exiting the bottom of the bucket.(none of my test rounds fired from my pistols at point blank even hit the steel) The bucket now has a standard lid on it to keep the rubber smell in(wife wasn't a fan) but it sits in a corner next to my gun safe and anytime I have to pull a trigger for dis-assembly or any other reason the gun muzzle is pointed into the bucket regardless of how many times I've checked that it's empty. It think the total cost of the bullet trap was $25 Mulch was this stuff below, the rest should be pretty self explanatory.

  It is, I can forward the pages to my phone, but there isn't a ringer on any phone I've had in recent years that can actually wake me from a dead sleep like that pager can. It also happens to keep me from having to give the hospital switchboard my personal cell phone number.  :pleased:     Thinking about it the pager also works in places where no cell phones do; many of the subterranean tunnels on the medical campus for instance.

Car key, Holster, and Pistol change frequently according to dress, weather, and attire. Everything else has remained pretty much the same for the last 5 years or so. Regulars include: Victorinox Cadet Streamlight Microstream Bic Lighter iPhone 4s w/magpul case Saddleback Pocket ID Wallet Saddleback Business/Credit Card Wallet

The bundles are typically very reasonably discounted so they are a good bet for a beginner. If looking at Canon packages be sure to compare to B&H's bundles which sometimes have upgraded lenses to EF rather than EF-S lenses. The EF (Full Frame) lenses are more valuable used than the common kit EF-S lenses should she decide to upgrade later.

You won't learn to accurately focus a shallow DOF with an f2.5 lens. You will want the faster lens for that, and with the f1.4 you not only get a reasonably shallow DOF you also get a decent manual focus ring so you can begin to master that critical skill which you will need. You can fix a lot of things with software after the fact, and IS can make up for shaky hands but having the subject slightly out of focus is not one of those things that can be fixed in post.   As for Ken comparing the 2 lenses he compares them both wide open and stopped down to f8 but he only compared one copy. If my personal copy of the f1.4 was repeatedly less sharp than the sub $100 f1.8 AT f1.8 I would return it to Canon for service.   Lenses are precision instruments more so than firearms in many cases and any slip up in the manufacturing or shipping of the product can very quickly produce a bad copy. I've seen guys buy 3 or 4 of the same lens trying to get a "good" copy and return the ones that were lesser. (Lens in question was a sigma 24-70 f2.8) He finally got it and now loves it but I only spent $200 more for my canon and didn't have to wait for a good one.(canon lenses can have bum copies as well they just occur at much less frequent intervals)

    This^ after the other thread linking to the washington post site asking to recall your "gun number" all I could think of was 1 close friend who was shot and killed downrange(he was a Marine so it unfortunately comes with the territory). Glancing at this and thinking just how many friends/acquaintances have I lost to drunk drivers I came up with 7. 

I wasn't going to respond to this in-thread b/c I don't want to derail the OP's thread until I read my PM and determined he might also find the advise useful.   Both the lenses you currently have are great entry level lenses built to fit in a budged for entry level cameras, they will capture 90-95% of the shots in your first  4 categories and allow you to learn a lot about the process but they won't cut it in a more challenging shoot such as the wedding in many cases.   The 50 f1.4 is a great first step into real glass(lenses that aren't limited to crop body cameras), it will allow you to manually focus, and shoot sharp shots in very low light if you learn to use it and has no crutches to teach you bad habits.(IS can be both a blessing and a curse for the beginning photographer)

I don't buy bullets, I buy lead ingots.  :woohoo:

I haven't quite caught up to dolomite but last time I figured it up I was around $ .14.

The f1.4 50 is MUCH better build quality than the f1.8, it's not up there with my higher end glass but it's acceptable for as little as I use it. (indoors at small venues)

KEH   or B&H   I've had no trouble buying used lenses from either.

I've fired several dozen USGI mags full of vintage ammo last summer that were loaded and put away sometime before my grandfather passed away in 1986. They had been stored in an un-climate controlled attic in a foot locker for at least 27 years possibly a few more. None of the mags or ammo exhibited any issues what so ever. I have since quit worrying about mag storage since mine are stored in much more favorable conditions.(sealed USGI ammo cans/pelican cases, desiccant, and climate controlled)

PSA has the 420 round 5.56 ammo cans for around $185 shipped ATM.   http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/featured/federal-american-eagle-5-56x45mm-nato-55gr-fmj-500rds-xm193lc1-ac1.html

Most of the PSA Premium chrome lined and Hammer forged Barrels are sourced from FN. If the upper uses an FN barrel it's usually stated in the ad type as shown below.       Barrel:  A proprietary blend of Hammer forged chrome molly vanadium made by FN that is referred to as "Machine Gun Steel" by virtue of its use in FN's M249 and M240 weapons.   The hammer forging process work hardens the steel, making it more durable.  In addition, the chrome process for the bore allows for a lining almost twice as thick as a standard M16 for enhanced durability.  Chambered in 5.56 NATO, with a 1/7 twist, M4 barrel extension, and a Rifle gas system.   A2 style profile is Mil-spec phosphate coated, MP and HP tested.  Barrel is finished off with an F-marked front sight post with sling swivel, and A2 flash hider.   Barrel:  16" Chrome-lined, chrome moly vanadium.  Chambered in 5.56 NATO, with a 1/7 twist, M4 barrel extension, and a carbine-length gas system.   The M4 profile barrel is high pressure tested and magnetic particle inspected and then phosphate coated.  Barrel is finished off with an .750" diameter F-marked front sight base with sling swivel, standard hand guards and an A2 flash hider.  Barrel is made for us right here in SC by FN Manufacturing.

  Not sure it will make you feel any better but my orders from 11/18 and 11/30 both still say "processing" yet both have shown up on the doorstep in the last week. Now my blem upper ordered 12/6 says "processing" as it has since the 7th. No clue when but I have no doubts that it will show up eventually. I understand new built to order uppers taking a few weeks to build and ship, but one would assume that if the upper is classified as "blemished" that it is already assembled so no clue what the hold up is there.  :squint:  If the prices were higher I'd probably be raising hell, but for what I paid I can afford to be patient. If they could ever get their shipping dept. half as organized and efficient as an amazon distribution center they could likely raise the prices significantly. :stunned:

  I ordered two on black friday, both had all the parts though I did end up cleaning up a burr on one of the forward assists.

The place I've most often noticed lower parts kits varying in the little bits is in the diameter of the roll pins for the trigger guard and mag catch.(some are looser/tighter than others) Since the TGO lowers eliminate the need for both of those items I didn't anticipate any problems, and as expected none were encountered. I used a PSA lower parts kit in one lower and a P-tac in the other and no issues with either aside from my desire to improve the triggers with a stone and some polishing compound.(both triggers will eventually be replaced but it wasn't in the pre-christmas budget)

Made some more progress this evening, friend loaned me a 5.56 barrel for the first TGO upper for the time being to be able to check the "yes, it was a pistol first" checkbox. :woohoo:

Just installed one in mine, all went together fine, though I did smooth a burr from the trigger before installation.

  The range fees are inline with the competing indoor ranges in/near Williamson County.   Nashville Armory is $495 a year or $49 monthly.($20 hourly)   Heck, quick draw in cool springs will charge you $20 an hour for target practice with simulated guns!   I'm just glad to have another option available close by!

    There is no tangible backing, same as the US dollar. The reason that there is so much speculation in bitcoin is that unlike the US dollar the supply is not infinite. There is no government printing more on demand to drive inflation.

I bought the x-grip at top gun supply.   http://www.topgunsupply.com/x-grip-sig_p228_p229.html

http://www.shop.ar15hardware.com/

They shipped my barrel same day on Friday, though current tracking looks as if it may be lost in California ATM. :rant:  (though that is more likely a USPS error)

Not necessarily especially with older p229/p228 pistols, all early p228 and most p229 9mm pistols until recently came with 13 round factory mags due to the narrower frame, later 9mm p229 and the m11(a p228 in name only for contractual reasons as I understand) are built on the wider frame of the .40/357 p229 and can accept the 15 round 9mm "e2" mags. From left to right- Mec-Gar 18 round p226, Sig factory 15 round p226, Sig factory 15 round p229, Sig factory 13 round p228/early 9mm p229. If you look closely at the 215 round p229 mag between the 7 and 9 witness holes you can see where the mag gets slightly wider like the .40/357 p229 mags. This is why the newer 15 round factory p229 mags won't work in older 9mm p228/p229 pistols. This image shows the gap with a 15 round p226 mag in a p228/p229. . . and here is the same p226 15 round mag in a p229 with an x-grip adaptor installed. This image shows the larger gap with the mec-gar 18 round p226 mag in a p229.