mav

Just out of curiosity, why are you selling it? Wanting to upgrade? I just traded-off my two Kimbers last week. They were fine guns, but I wanted something a little bit better. I would say around $700-ish.

Hey folks. Earlier this year I purchased my first couple of 1911s. In January I bought a Kimber Tactical II HD. It was a fantastic gun. After shooting the Tactical HD for a while, I come to realize why so many people love the 1911 platform. They feel great and they can be extremely accurate. Later in March I saw a Kimber Ultra Raptor II while I was at the shooting range that had to come home with me. The Ultra Raptor didn't get shot as much as the Tactical HD, but it was another fine purchase nonetheless. The Ultra Raptor eventually replaced my Five Seven as my CC gun. Over the next several months lurking around TGO and other forums I kept seeing the names "Wilson, Ed Brown, Les Baer, Nighthawk" mentioned when talking about high quality 1911s. I couldn't imagine people spending > $2k for a handgun. I thought they were nuts. As my shooting proficiency kept increasing, I had a longing for something better than my Kimber. I finally broke down a month or so ago and bought a Wilson CQB. I was amazed. Everything about the Wilson was so much better than the Kimber (except the price). Even though the Wilson beat the Kimber in every facet, I still didn't think it was worth the extra grand. However, upon shooting the Wilson more and more, I changed my view in regards to the extra cost. It was definitely worth it. With the Wilson in my stash, the Tactical HD didn't have a purpose. It was cleaned, overly oiled, and locked away in the safe. The quality of the Wilson made me start looking at my other Kimber too. The Ultra Raptor was a fine gun, although, I never cared for the alloy frame. Additionally, the size was just a little too small for my taste. So, for the past month I have been shopping for a new 1911 to use as my CC gun. That brings us to today. I didn't have anything to do today, so I decided to drive up to Winchester and see what I could pick up at Hero Gear. I was looking for a holster for Glock 34 and a few other odds and ends. I brought along my Kimbers for possible trade just in case they had something that struck my fancy. Well, they did. Not only did I get my holster for my Glock, a few Wilson mags, and a couple of double mag pouches, I found my new CC gun, a Nighthawk T3. I got the Nighthawk Aristocrat holster as well. I have read a lot of the good reviews on Hero-Gear on this forum. After my experience today, I can say that they are certainly well deserved. I dealt with Joe Lundberg today, and he made me an excellent deal. The trade value he offered for my Kimbers was quite good, and their price on the T3 was good as well. Here is the kicker. After the deal was made, Joe noticed a few very minor scuff marks on the mag well. He offered to refinish it or knock off a $100 from the price. I ended up taking the $100 off. I think that level of service is rare, especially these days, and I thought it deserved mentioning on the forum. Thanks guys. In regards to the performance of the T3, it is definitely a keeper. I took 150 rounds (all I had) with me to Carter's to give it a run. The gun is definitely accurate, more so than me. I experienced zero problems, which makes me wonder what these people are talking about when they refer to "break-in" periods on 1911s. This is now my fourth 1911, and I haven't experienced any problems with any of them, nor did I have to break them in. As a final note, the holster Joe recommended is great as well. It is pricey, but great nonetheless.

Congratulations. I got my first Glock a few weeks ago. I traded in my FNP-9 for a Glock 34. I didn't care for the trigger nor the feel all that much at first. It did shoot well though. After putting around a 1000 plus rounds through with zero problems, I am really enjoying mine. It is a fantastic gun. I hope you enjoy your new Glock as much as I am enjoying mine.

Has anyone got to shoot the FNP-45 tactical? Is it pretty much the same gun as the FNP-45 minus the threaded barrel? I had heard that FN will be producing the tactical version in black either later this year or early next year. I had said earlier that I might gid rid of my FNP-45 in the future due to not having a purpose for it. I have contemplated on trading it in for the black FNP-45 tactical when it comes available. I still won't have a purpose for it, but it looks really cool.

I think FN makes reliable products. I have a Five-Seven, FNP-45, and a FN SLP Mark 1. I did have a FNP-9 as well. When I first got into handguns sometime last year, I started buying the FN products. The five seven is a pretty cool gun. However, the cost of 5.7x28 ammo sort of makes it cost prohibitive to shoot a lot. It used to be my carry gun due to its weight and mag capacity. I quit carrying it due to the size; it is a large gun. If FN would make a compact version with a better trigger, it would be perfect. In regards to their FNP line, the FNP-9 felt great in my hands, but the trigger was atrocious. The FNP-9 had to have one of the worst triggers I have seen. Maybe it was just my gun, but I sometimes scratch my head when I hear FNP-9 owners talk about how great the trigger is. Are you kidding me? The FNP-45 is huge, but not uncomfortable. The trigger on my FNP-45 is much better than my FNP-9. The accuracy on my FNP-45 is also better than my FNP-9. However, due to its size and weight (15 rd of .45 acp), I have never considered carrying it. My SLP mark 1 is a great shotgun. It is a keeper. I think FN makes some really good shotguns. Overall, FN makes good products. I have zero problems from any of my FN products. They are reliable. The price on their FNP line is moderately priced considering you get three mags with the gun. I will probably cause some outrage with this statement, but I feel that the FNP line is comparable with the H&K USP and certain Sigs. I had a USP 40, and I didn't think it was any better than the FN products. I can't comment on the FNX line since I have never shot one. If I had it to do over, I would have probably passed on both the FNP-9 and FNP-45. They are fine guns, but just not really to my taste. I replaced the FNP-9 with a Glock 34. The Glock is by far and away better than the FNP-9. I will probably get rid of the FNP-45 eventually. I don't really have a purpose for it. If I was going to carry a full size 45, then I would carry my Wilson with an extra mag. There is no comparison there, but to be fair, the Wilson is like 4x the price of the FNP-45. If you do buy one, I don't think you will have any problems with them. I have shot thousands of rounds through FN products. If you don't like it and decide to sell it, you shouldn't have to take a beating on it.

Oustide of Prentice Cooper, we have four additional ranges in Chattanooga. First is Chattanooga Rifle Club. I don't believe you can shoot there unless you are accompanied by a member. Second is Sportsman Supply in Hixson. It is a private indoor range, and you won't be able to shoot there unless you are accompanied by a guest. Third is Shooter's Depot. I am not sure what their rules are in regards to nonmembers. I think they might let you shoot, but they are expensive to nonmembers. Lastly is Carter's Shooting Supply on 58 Hwy. It is a 23 yard indoor range, and I believe Carter's will let you shoot there without being a member. However, I think you will have to buy your target and ammo from him. If you think about going to Carter's, you might want to call ahead of time and see if they are having a HCP class. In a nutshell, your best bet for very cheap shooting is Prentice Cooper.

Well, you Glock guys weren't full of it. I posted earlier about my new acquisition this week, a Glock 34. The more I shoot this gun, the better it gets, and the more fun it it is to shoot. I have shot 750 rounds through it since Wednesday with zero problems using Blazer 115 FMJ ammo. I have to admit that I am thoroughly impressed with the accuracy and reliability of the gun, especially considering the cost. While I love my 1911s and my Sig, I am a little more concerned about the possibility of dropping or somehow messing them up aesthetically due to the cost of those guns. I baby all of my guns, but if the Glock gets scratched or something it is not a big deal. I would be totally ticked if I put a big scratch on my Wilson. I was working on speeding up my reloads while at the range today. Mags were constantly hitting the concrete. That would not occur with my Wilson mags, and certainly not with my Xi-Five mags ($72 a piece). All in all, I am glad I bought the Glock, and it is becoming one of my favorite guns. I wish I would have bought one sooner.

This is my Sig X-Five L1. I bought it a couple of months ago. The msrp price is ridiculously expensive ($2950). The cheapest I have seen the L1 is around $2200. The dealer cost is $2070. It is the most accurate handgun I own, and it is a blast to shoot. The downside is it is extremely heavy. You can get the other X-five models a lot cheaper. I have been looking at the X-five tactical which can be had for around $1300.

Sig X-Five L1

Pretty cool, and yet very strange. Not sure who would buy something like that, nor why. Sort of makes me wonder if someone would try to sneak one past the TSA. Might sell big in the middle east.

Can't really answer your question. Are you talking this small? This is my Kimber Ultra Raptor II, which is what I carry everyday. I fell in love with it when I saw it. When I went to the range, it was a different story. Being so small and light it is rather it is a lot harder to control versus my full size 1911s. I haven't decided yet, but I may be looking to trade this one in for a stainless 4 - 4.25 inch model. Then again, perhaps I just need to take the lace out of my panties and learn to shoot it properly.

Can't believe I am responding to this post. I must be bored. First off, a bunch of people have problems with the disassembly. It is different from any other firearm. Heck, Ruger talks about using a rubber mallet etc... In regards to , which steps are you referring to? What I posted is pretty much the same procedure in the Ruger manual (minus the pics).

Or changing the trigger group. I did not like the trigger on my Mark III Hunter. I bought a Volquartzen accurizer adjustable trigger group for mine. It basically requires you to gut the pistol and put it all back together. It was a PITA at first to install it, but the nice thing was I got a better trigger and I got to see how all the parts function on the gun.

Evening folks. I decided to drop by the range after work to see if all you Glock guys know what you are talking about. I only had time to run a 100 rounds through my new Glock 34. Well, it is reliable. I did not do any precleaning. Just took it out of the box and started firing. I was using Blazer 115 FMJ ammo and I had zero problems. I can't say this is anymore reliable initally than any of my other guns considering I haven't had any problems with any of them. Let's get the bad stuff out of the way. I don't really care for the way the Glock feels in my hands. It isn't terrible, but the best way I can describe it is it feels boxy. My 1911s feel like they were made for my hand. The Glock isn't a comfortable pistol. Secondly, the trigger feels a little sloppy. It is way better than the FNP-9 that I traded for the Glock, and considering it is a Glock, I have a myriad of choices to fix that issue. Those are the only two issues I have with my Glock 34. I don't think they are bad issues, but more of just a personal preference. Now for the good. I was really impressed at the accuracy for a relatively cheap gun. I expect that the accuracy will only improve the more I get used to it. I believe if I do some trigger work, it could become lights out accurate. The following pics were taken with my phone, and the range was approxiamtely 8-9 yards with 10 shots. This was slow aimed fire. I have been admonished for slow aimed fire, but I think it is important to see how accurate I can be with the gun before I start doing any defensive style shooting. Second grouping Third grouping As you can see, the groupings are nothing to write home about. However, I think they are pretty good for an out-of-the-box cheap gun, using cheap ammo, and the first time shooting a Glock. As I stated earlier, I expect these to get much tighter. I know the gun is capable of it. The last 10 ten rounds I fired as fast as I could pull the trigger. You don't get to see that pic. It is on my wall of shame to let me know I need to practice. I thought that is one of the downsides of a really light gun. It is harder to control the recoil without a lot of practice. I couldn't imagine trying to control rapid fire in .45 acp. I will stick with my 1911s for .45. Overall, I was very pleased with the performance and value of the gun. My intial expectations were low. After shooting it, I would have no problem recommended them to someone looking for a quality afforable handgun. The only thing I might change on the gun is the trigger, but I won't go bat **** crazy with a bunch of customizations. I don't think it needs it. Well, there you have it. My $0.02.

I think so, but you would have to call them to make sure. Their number is 423-305-0747, Shooters Depot. If they don't, I believe Carter's on Hwy 58 is open to public.

I had a problem with that. I called up Ruger and order two of them and two magazine disconnector springs. The total was like $11. Got it shipped via the post office and received it in a couple of days. If you shoot the gun regularly and need the spring, I would go ahead and order it. I wouldn't think they would have a problem shipping it out to you even if it is only $2. They were very nice when I called them.

I forgot to mention one thing. That has happened to me a couple of times when I was first getting used to the Mark III. A pair of vice grips and knocking the sh*t out of the mainspring housing with a rubber mallet got it out for me. I was cringing with each hit, but didn't affect the gun. I would have never done it with a more expensive gun.

Don't sell the gun. The Ruger Mark III is a fine shooter. I have the Mark III Hunter. Yes, the disassembly is a pain at first (it is for everyone), but once you do it a few times it is a piece of cake. I can now completely gut (further than a field strip) the Mark III where there is nothing left except the frame and have it put back together in a matter of a few minutes. A field strip and reassembly in less than 30 seconds. Just be patient. Here is my procedure: 1. Make sure the gun is empty. 2. With an empty magazine in the gun, pull back the slide and release the slide lock to allow the slide to move back into position. 3. Dry fire the gun (Did I say make sure the gun is empty?) Make sure you dry fire the gun before trying to opening the mainspring housing latch. 4. After dry firing, pull the mainspring housing latch. 5. Remove the housing from the gun. 6. Remove the magazine. 7. Remove the bolt. If the bolt doesn't slide out, look at the back of your gun and stick something in the area where the mainspring housing fits and push the hammer upwards. The hammer strust should be above the little bar. Point the gun upwards and remove the bolt. If it still doesn't come out check to make sure the hammer strut isn't catching. 8. Remove the barrel. (after you have done this enough, it just pops off very easy). 9. Clean your gun. 10. Reattach the barrel. Make sure it is fully seated and properly aligned. 11. Put the bolt back in. 12. Put the empty magazine back in the gun. 13. While pointing the pistol towards the ground, squeeze the trigger and push the hammer up with something so the hammer strut is above the little bar. 14. Once the hammer strut is above the little bar, put the mainspring housing back in but don't close the latch. 15. Point your gun towards the ceiling and push the mainspring housing back into place (you should feel a little bouncing or squeezing at the bottom of the latch) 16. Close the latch. 17. Pull the bolt back and hit the slide release. 18. Squeeze the trigger and dry fire. 19. If it fires, congratulations, you have cleaned and reassembled your Mark III. See there, that wasn't so bad. lol. It reads more complicated than it is.

Evening folks. One of the guns I frequently shoot at the range is my Sig P226 X-Five L1. It is a fabulous gun, but it is just slightly (major understatement) on the heavy side. I want to continue to shoot 9mm for cost reasons, but I would like to use a gun that I would considering using as a defensive gun. To solve the problem, I broke out my FNP-9 the other day and headed off to the range. The FNP-9 is a nice gun, but I have always thought the trigger absolutely sucks. Well, the range trip reminded me about the crappy trigger, and I switched to my Wilson after a few runs with the FNP-9. I went home to look for some aftermarket parts for the FNP-9 and couldn't find anything. That is when I started thinking about what all you Glock guys talk about. To make a long story short, I cleaned up the FNP-9 and went by the Shooter's Depot after work and traded it in for a Glock 34. When I get off work tomorrow I will drop by the range and see how it goes. My intial impression is the trigger is slightly better than the FNP-9, but still not all that good. The nice thing is since it is a Glock, there are tons of aftermarket parts available. Lastly, I wanted to make a plug for our new gun store, The Shooter's Depot. If you haven't been there, stop by. These guys are some of the best in town to work with, and yes, their range is open.

Thanks for the comments everyone. They have certainly been helpful. I was taught to shoot for accuracy during my very first lesson. Before I started takeing lessons, my groups were were huge even at 3 yards (and I thought I was doing well). I continue to take lessons from one of our LEO on a biweekly basis. While I have learned many different techniques (last Saturday was learning to shoot with a flashlight) in regards to practical handgun shooting, I still continue to practice the slow tight group shooting. The rest of the time, I work on rapid fire, double taps, body armor drills, one hand drills, etc... I just ordered Brian Enos' book on Practical Shooting. I hope to learn some new stuff there too. The 5.7 platform is one or two things. A FNH Five Seven handgun or FNH PS-90 rifle. In this case, he was referring to the handgun. The 5.7 is a 5.7x28 mm cartridge. It is a very small bullet traveling at almost 2000 fps. Although this is debatable, I have heard that the 5.7 is supposed to have a flat trajectory at 100 yards. I've never tested that claim due to it is way beyond my ability. 5.7x28mm - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Thanks again everyone.

I have a five seven. It was the first handgun I ever bought and what I used to qualify for my HCP. Yes, the five seven is very accurate, but I find it hard to take really tight groupings with it. It could be do to the weight (very light) of the gun or the very large grip. Or it could be that I don't practice with it (haven't shot it in months) due to the high ammo cost. What I am learning is that it is easier to to make really accurate shots with some handguns vs. others. My 1911s, X-Five, and Mark III Hunter are a lot easier to make tight groups. My FNP-45, FNP-9, and H&K USP 40 are not so easy. The trigger on the latter three make it very difficult. Guess I need to practice more with them.

Don't know if anyone has posted this yet, but I received an email Friday from The Shooter's Depot on Lee Hwy. I joined them over a month ago. Here is the email I received: Title of the email: "Is your range open yet?" Yes. It is Open. On Monday, July 26, 2010 that will be our answer to the question “is your range open?†Please be patient with us in the first couple of weeks as we streamline our check-in procedures, give our orientations and iron out any remaining kinks in the system. This has been a long hard process for us and we are so excited to be able to share this with all of our Charter Members. Thank you all for the words of encouragement, good wishes, and especially those who lent a helping hand. So starting Monday July 26, 2010…..Come on out and Shoot with Us! I look foward to seeing how nice it is. I belong to Carl's range in Hixson and Carter's range on 58 Hwy. While I really like both places and the people there, Shooter's has great hours and is right on my way home. They have really nice people too. The deal they gave me on the transfer of my Wilson CQB sold me to give them more business in the future.

I never could do the P90X stuff. Working out at home is just too distracting for me. I always find something else to do besides workout. I have always tried to stay in shape and have worked out for years. I usually workout during lunchtime M-F (one body part a day for 30 minutes) and try to run three miles 3 - 4 times a week. Although I haven't ran in the past 5 weeks due to achilles tendon issues on my left heel (will be starting back tomorrow). I am certainly no example to follow this, but diet is the key. I just got lucky to be born with a fast metabolism.

Hey folks. Considering I'm still new to handguns (bought my first last year), I had a question of grouping. Starting back in Jan 2010, I started going a shooting range to learn how to shoot a handgun. Three different range memberships, 10 plus private lessons, 11 handguns, and over 7000 rounds shot down range later, I'm still working towards being a better shot. While I have certainly improved (this it what I did today) Ruger Mark III Hunter (modified with a Volquartzen Accurizer and Volquartzen grips) Range = 11-12 yards; 10 shots Ammo = CCI MiniMags Sig Sauer P226 X-Five L1 Range = 11-12 yards; 10 shots Ammo = Blazer That is almost as good as I can do. Now I know I am still new to handgun shooting, but it seems that everyone I meet claims do things that seem somewhat miraculous. I constantly hear of 1 inch groupings at 25 yards (sometime 50 yards) with a $400 - 500 handgun. I know this is certainly possible and it is done in competition everyday, but is it possible with so many people? Going to the range 3 to 4 times a week allows me to see a bunch of people's targets, and I just ain't seeing it. While I will continue to put in the range time to improve my ability (hope to do some competing in the future), it gets a little frustrating to feel so far behind. So my question to you more experienced shooters is, are most of these people just full of it and/or do I suck that bad?

Congrats on your new purchase. Cool gun. I have always wanted to shoot one of those. Just out of curiosity what ammo were you using? I would like to know how it runs after you shoot it some more. Thanks.