graycrait

A friend bought a LNIB Mosquito a while back. He told me about the incredibly hard trigger pull. I read about that hard trigger pull online. I can't recall if it is common or was fixed in later models. Anyway I took the gun apart, completely, to see if there was anything to be done to fix the trigger pull. I did some spare smoothing of friction bearing surfaces, didn't respring it and the thing had 11lb SA trigger pull. After having a look at the internals I am surprised to see that the Mosquito wears the Sig name. Nice feel to the gun and if it had a good trigger or yours does have a good trigger, probably a decent plinker. I tell folks to steer clear of them as there are so many pretty good plinkers in the marketplace.

Average Joe's Handgun Reviews

This is a trio of plinkers I am currently comparing. I've tried out plenty of others, including some that most would not call plinkers. These three suit my fancy and the top one made by Austrian Arms is my favorite in terms of balance. It has metal easy to load mags too. Weights without mags or ammo: Austrian Arms ISSC M22 - 20 oz; G17 w/Advantage Arms Conversion 15.2oz; Walther P22 - 15.2oz. The Glock 17 has had its grip cut to allow G19 mags as well as some other grip mods so its weight is slightly less than a typical G17. I don't have any quantitive comparative data only that all 3 are reliable enough for range or field use, but all 3 need hundreds more rounds down range. I'm determined to just use bulk pack ammo in all 3 so it may take me a while to find out which ammo works best in each pistol. Apparently the same guy who designed the Walther designed the Austrian Arms pistol. m

Retired Army guy with loads of friends and acquaintances who use guns for a living, many of the same for recreation. In some of our opinion the Glock 9mm in the G19 and G17 is the most reliable handgun ever made. JMBs designs are good and if you stay on top them maintenance-wise they will work reliably, same with S&W revolvers and a host of others. Bersa Thunder 9 should not be discounted. But Glock wins in parts availability world-wide, manual of arms, ease of maintenance, etc. We have shot just about every kind of 9mm ammo you can run out of a Glock. The beauty of the Glock 9mm is that you can take it anywhere in the world, find ammo lying about, load it up and fire away. My only caution is that here in Middle Tennessee there is some what appears to be Pakistani 9mm ammo available at a fairly good price that feels to me to be very inconsistent in charge, from near squib to ++P+. I shot several hundred rounds one day and didn't feel good about it after awhile. I would use it in life and death situation, but will not knowingly use it. Anything else on the shelf I use. As far as handgun caliber, several friends and myself conclude, along with many others: hits count, so do holes, lots of them, especially where handguns are concerned, caliber not so much as long as you can hit what you are shooting at quickly and accurately with either hand one-handed. If it is small caliber use solids, if collateral damage is an issue use frangible or hollow points. Here is a good website tutorial: Terminal Ballistics

Have you done a 10/22 before? If so what did you do? If not, what do you want to do? I've done 3 to varying degrees. It is sort of embarrassing what I have into one of them.

I've only owned a dozen or so S&Ws, 4 Taurus 3 or 4 Rugers and the Tacklebox Charter I have. The only S&W I regret moving over the years is a pre-17 5-screw .22LR. It looked rough but shot great. Then I did something stupid: I had it reblued by a local smith and hated myself for doing it, that and during the buffing process the bluer rounded off the sharp edges of the target sights. I hadn't seen a S&W in what I like in a few years: cosmetically rough ("cheap") with small round count. Then recently I pick up two rough looking S&Ws: a DAO 64 and an "import" M&P 4" Mdl 10. Hopefully next week I'll be getting a 3" 36. Now it looks like I'll have 3 S&Ws. The two .38s function great, while show a low round count after rummaging around their innards. The one Ruger I should have kept was a Speed Six 9mm but my Glocks are as reliable, lighter and carry more rds. I have had two 9mm Taurus 905s but don't regret moving them. I also had a ported titanium Taurus 5-shot .357. IMHO the only practical use for that gun was to load it with heavy .357s and hand it to "big" guys at the range. I never had someone tell me, "That was so much fun, load it it up, and let me shoot it again." Come to think of it I did have a SS .357 Rossi that shot well, but someone needed it worse than I did. I've shot Pythons and other Colts but whatever it was the style, and likely the cost, kept me away from them. I had a friend who had a Royal Blue 3" Python. He sold that for a "huge" amount of money. As far as other DA revolvers a friend was having trouble with a DW one time so I took it apart and fixed it for him. I didn't like that revolver at all. I took one revolver belonging to a friend, and literally chopped it up before it blew him up. He wanted me to fix it cause it quit working. I am sure I did him a huge favor by destroying the gun.

I handled the SR9C at TN Gun Country in Clarksville. Not so small and although it had creep very nice trigger break. I would like to shoot one of those after it had been broken in.

The likelihood of your SP101 having endshake issues is minimal. Unless the previous owner was shooting 180 grain Bullalo Bores a lot you will not gain much by being concerned about endshake. Cutting the forcing cone will not accomplish much for you in a CCW SP101. If I currently had a nice looking but used SP101 .357 I would shoot 125 grain magnums or 158 grain .38+P LSWC's (the FBI load) in it. I wouldn't even worry about function unless it was owned by my friend Matt. You need to control the gun and make lots of holes consistently. The SP101 in .357 is usually a carry-a-lot shoot-a-little revolver.

After modding 5 or 6 of the MKIIs my advice unless you are going to replace something don't detail strip it unless you simply want to learn how. Doing it is not really an issue, but there is really no reason to do it as you can easily thoroughly clean it without detail stripping. It is a great design.

I took apart my new to me Charter Arms .38 Police Undercover. Although a used gun, only slightly used and I traded a couple of run of the mill .22 rifles for it. I have worked on and completely dis & re-assembled the following revolvers, including repair and action jobs: 1. Taurus: 85s and the big ones. 2. Many S&W J/K/N frames. 3. Ruger DA in GP and SP. 4. Dan Wesson. 5. Charter Arms. 6. Arminus. 7. I don't mess with Colts at all, but clearly understand the differences between a Python and Trooper action. what I have learned: 1. If you want a great shooting yet elegant DA Revolver get a S&W. 2. If you want a great shooting and magnum durable DA revolver get a Ruger or a an L frame S&W or the X-frame. My recent foray into the Charter convinced me to write this. Taurus and Charter are what they are, they work, Charter seems more reliable than Taurus. If you want reliability and excellence get S&W or Ruger. Ruger DA allows you to stack a little better in DA only shooting & allows some hefty loads. I think speed and dexterity goes to the S&W design. Craig

I took apart my new to me Charter Arms .38 Police Undercover. Although a used gun, only slightly used and I traded a couple of run of the mill .22 rifles for it. I have worked on and completely dis & re-assembled the following revolvers, including repair and action jobs: 1. Taurus: 85s and the big ones. 2. Many S&W J/K/N frames. 3. Ruger DA in GP and SP. 4. Dan Wesson. 5. Charter Arms. 6. Arminus. 7. I don't mess with Colts at all, but clearly understand the differences between a Python and Trooper action. what I have learned: 1. If you want a great shooting yet elegant DA Revolver get a S&W. 2. If you want a great shooting and magnum durable DA revolver get a Ruger or a an L frame S&W or the X-frame. My recent foray into the Charter convinced me to write this. Taurus and Charter are what they are, they work, Charter seems more reliable than Taurus. If you want reliability and excellence get S&W or Ruger. Ruger DA allows you to stack a little better in DA only shooting & allows some hefty loads. I think speed and dexterity goes to the S&W design. Craig

Go 26. Buy 500 rounds of Russian ball ammo and shoot the hell out of it. The 9mm JHP you will carry as a private citizen will serve you well. The comparatively cheap 9mm vs .40 ball practice ammo will serve you better. The G26 is a great gun in a great caliber if modern ammo is used.

I have never owned a SeeCamp but I have owned a NAA Guardian in .32 and really tried to make it my bug because they are a thing of beauty & simplicity mechanically. The SeeCamp is just a cosmetically enhanced version of the NAA Guardian in my opinion. Why the Keltec and not the SeeCamp/Guardian? The KT is lighter & much more thinner, easier to carry, much easier to hold onto while shooting and in my mind every bit if not more reliable. This is not just my opinion. I have two shooting buddies, one is 84 and the other is 29. The 84 yr old has more guns than you or I will ever have and is not only a WWII Marine but retired world traveling geologist. The other is ex-Army, ex-LEO and now FBI. They both endorse the P32 heartily and the 84 yr old has done extensive penetration tests with .32 ball ammo. Hits count and so do holes. Make lots of them with your BUG. This recommendation of mine is just my opinion and weighs little in the grand scheme. But I challenge you to shoot one-handed "wrong-handed" quickly from a bad body position and tell me that something bigger is easier or more practical. As you can tell my primary guns are Glock 9mms and I have owned 15 or 20 of them from 17L to 34 to 26, including the range of Glock .45s, BHPs and 6 1911s, as well as several dozen others. My carry guns are my own customized G19 or G17 and sometimes my G26. My house guns are .38 revolvers and 9mm carbines. My play guns are mostly .22s. I have gone through a lot of guns trying to whittle the types/calibers/fun factor/practicality/reliability personal uses and ergonomics to the dozen+ or so that I now have. Craig

BUG to me means you picked the wrong geography, or have the wrong mental attitude (awareness, carelessness, short-fused, etc.) or are just plain unlucky. If you are LEO then it is entirely different. If your primary carry is a Glock 9mm 19 or 17 quits working then you are really unlucky, because I put those two at the top of the heap for firing every time with good enough accuracy and with good JHP enough kinetic energy in those hi-cap mags to end just about anything with two-legged varmints. Auto windows and doors are LEO game and require something else. J. Q. Public saves their butts at 15 yards or less, generally indoors. In case your primary doesn't work/can't get to it, empty, etc. and if you can't pull your BUG weak-handed one-handed quickly and shoot all the shots into a 3x5 at 10 yards then maybe you need to think about your BUG. I've owned/tried to be good with airweight & steel snubbies in .38, .357 and 9mm, tried lightweight pistols in .380 and 9mm. I workout, have good eye-hand coordination, have played/coached ball sports and was something of a martial arts person for many years as a youngster. If I were LEO I would say something different due to requirements or effect, but for John Q. Public a Kel Tec P32 Hardchrome is my choice and recommendation for BUG. Epoxy and afix a Keltec trigger shoe, carry it in a DeSantis pocket holster or Raven OWB kydex and load it with ball ammo that you know works all the time. When you pull it quickly cant your hand inward a bit and shoot the whole mag fast, cause that is what your BUG as a private citizen is for - save your a.. cause everything else has gone bad. If you can't do it one-handed "wrong-handed" lying down in the fetal position then you are just fooling yourself. Also a P32 loaded with ball ammo fits nicely in running vest pockets, and in all manners of clothing and equipment, including go-to-church clothes, running shorts, etc. Why Hardchrome P32? The Hardchrome version negates most of the fluff and buff required to make the P32 totally reliable out of the box. If you get the blued version of the P32 just go here and spend 30 minutes getting to know your Keltec. GoldenLoki.com

You can do the work yourself. PM me, I've worked on several. If you email me I can send you a pdf file that details how to completely disassemble and reassemble the Ruger DA revolver. This pdf file that floats around on the Ruger forum is easier to understand, I think, than Kuhenhausen's Ruger DA Revolver Shop Manual. I've also found that with some 1000-2000 grit sandpaper and/or a good stone, as well as a good dental pick you can do even more to make the Ruger DA action smoother. Ruger DA revolvers are investment cast. The Ruger process is very good. However, you can occasionally find a tiny piece of what I call casting slag in places and the dental pick can help pop these out. Some Rugers are "cleaner" than others in this regard. Just like in any revolver test your new spring set-up with as many types of ammo that you will likely shoot. The Ruger DA revolver mechanism is pretty neat and with a little careful springing and smoothing it can really "sing" to you. I vacillate between which I like the best, S&W DA revolver action or Ruger, both have some pros and cons, but both are great for DA shooting. I've found that a needle oiler filled with 50:50 CLP/transmission fluid works great as a lube on DA revolvers. Oh yeah, when you disassemble the thing do it over a big white towel, its been a couple of years since I worked on a friend's SP101, but I seem to remember wishing I had taken my own advice on that. Craig in Clarksville, TN

P.S. I've had several S&W 19s. The only way they can be collectible is if they are in mint condition with box and papers or are some special production run. This one sounds like a typical shooter, so just clean it up and shoot it. However, if you want to mitigate the cosmetics of pitting just get it blasted and then reblued. The place out in Chapmansboro used to hot blue every few weeks, don't know if they still do it. They did a S&W revolver for me one time a few years ago. Looked it up, they still blue firearms. Shop Work and Pricing

First, get Jerry Miculek's DVD, "Trigger Job." That will teach you how to dismantle and tune the S&W. After that just get some cold blue. Degrease with something like gun scrubber and have some 0000 steel wool on hand. I've done action jobs on several dozen revolvers, mostly S&Ws. They are easy if you get the DVD, one good stone and remember less is more. Also, you may consider getting a K-frame spring pac at TN Gun Country. The liklihood you need to replace anything but springs is slim.

I've had 3 AA conversions and have one for my G17. I like them. I have shot a lot of .22 pistols and revolvers and like many. If you buy a M22 and don't think it has potential to break it in and figure out its favorite ammo I will buy it from you at a fair market price. The M22 is IMHO the perfect blend of size and weight. My favorite .22 pistol is the S&W 422 6", there is just something about that pistol that works for me. However, I like the balance of the M22 better. I can tune a Ruger MK series and hand-fit a Marvel trigger like no one I know, have shot all the usual suspects in the bullseye world and for no good reason took apart a Sig Mosquito (waste of money in my mind). Among the plinker guns I would put the S&W 422 6" at the top and the M22 next. Rugers, S&W 22As, Buckmarks and others are fun and work really good too for plinkers. The S&W 22a is, in my opinion, way under rated in the plinker wars. I plan on grinding off the grip M22's finger humps, radiusing up the trigger guard/grip juncture, stippling the grip 360 degrees and keep on shooting this thing. Craig in Clarksville, TN

A couple of my friends up at TN Gun Country are Sig nuts. Tac Fives and everything. I would love to shoot a 210. Fortunately one of them has returned to the Glock fold, at least temporarily for USPA competition. I admire Sigs, but can't appreciate them. One of my ex-Army shooting buddies is finishing up at the FBI Academy, after having been a handgun instructor at his PD force up in IL. He liked his Sig 220 and said that at speed 1" groups at 25 meters with the 220 were possible, while he says he shoots his G19 double that. Regardless of the good gunners I know I am not disciplined, nor have the time or money for good coaching to teach myself to appreciate the Sig platform. Therefore Glocks are good enough for me and my preferred "save your a.." handgun. I was talking to a gunner today about 1911s and my latest "inexpensive" green one. He said to me, "I can't shoot what a Les Baer is capable of so why would I want one except for vanity?" I agreed. This sort of sums up my feeling for Sigs. Great gun, but I am will continue to be a run of the mill shooter - at least in my own mind. My G19 pictured. It is ugly but it works.

I arrived at the Montgomery County Shooting Complex early enough that I could rapidly conduct functions tests on more than a couple of handguns today at my pace. 1. First time firining: The "used" (but never been fired as far as I could tell when I replaced the stock trigger with a longer reach trigger and lapped the rails) Springfield Armory 1911A1 .45ACP went through 4 mags of 230 grain ball, one of them a Wilson Combat 10 rounder, without a hiccup. Nearly the best gun deal I have ever come across. Gun purchased at TN Gun Country, Clarksville, TN. 2. First time firining: The Brink's nearly unfired S&W 64-6 DAO .38 Special. I fired two types of handload and 158 grain factory ammo with no problems even after installing llighter hammer and rebound block springs. This is a superb functioning S&W revolver. In the world of revolvers, and I have action tuned many (including Dan Wesson, many S&Ws, several Ruger DA revolvers, Taurus), this is my all time favorite. Lock time and synchronization of hammer with trigger works well for me. Gun purchased at Academy of Self Protection, Joelton, TN - another good gun deal. 3. First time firining: The Beretta Bobcat .22LR. That thing runs like a sewing machine, easy to control too. I am glad I drove to Nashville to trade a scope for this pistol. 4. Second time firiing: Keltec P32 Hardchrome .32 ACP. I picked up one of these for my wife and on our initial range trip we found that the magazine release was sticky and mags would fall out by themselves while shooting. I dismantled the gun and smoothed out the release and the mag release opening - learned how these things are put together in the process. There is one pin you shouldn't take out - why would I know that? After some very helpful cussing while I was reassembling this Keltec, it runs well now. I've been carrying its twin for several years without a failure with any ammo. Purchased at TN Gun Country, Clarksville, TN. 5. First time firining: A co-worker of mine had me do a stipple job on her early Gen 2 Glock 17 9mm, then when she fired it she said it routinely stove piped. I took the gun to the range, ran over 60 rds of at least 5 different types of ammo from Winchester NATO 124 grain, Russian steel case, Magtech, UMC and some others. It ate them all. I then loaded up a 31 round Glock "Happy Stick" magazine with 4 different types of ammo and shot the 17 as fast as I could with no malfunction. I'm thinking this gal is limp wristing. For fun I installed a set of Truglo TFOs I had gathering dust in my Glock parts box. I hope she likes it. 6. Breaking In: Still trying to break in the Austrian Arms ISSC M22 .22LR pistol that looks like a blend of Glock and Walther P22. I think this pistol will eventually be the .22 handgun that always goes with me to the range. Lots to like about this pistol, but I think it needs to be shot a lot to get it broken in. It runs CCI Mini Mags well but I want it to reliably shoot cheaper bulk ammo. Gun ordered through TN Gun Country, Clarksville, TN.

I had a Mac 90 a couple of years ago. Nice trigger on those if it has the double hook. I put an Ultimak on mine and Trijicon reflex sight. It was fun. My long gun interests drifted on to something else and I traded it.

Save your money and get a Keltec P32 and shoot ball ammo. Also, don't buy into bigger is better. Hits count and so do holes, lots of them. Buy a Keltec P32 hardchrome and don't look back. If you have 20-30 minutes buy a standard P32 and do a fluff and buff: GoldenLoki.com Make sure that with any gun you can empty the thing at 20 feet into a 3x5 card at speed off-hand weak-hand. The reason you carry a handgun as CCW is to save your butt because: 1) Your luck ran out 2) You chose your geography poorly 3) Your mental ability to avoid life threatening situations has run off the track. If your career track requires a handgun use the KT as a deep cover back-up, while having something like a Glock 26 as backup and hi cap as primary. If you want to toss something in your jacket pocket to run to the store in case you have to save your a... because bad things sometimes happen to good people, then the KT P32 will work if you know how to work it.

I've had or shot them all it seems, including all the usual suspects. I've done a few trigger jobs on Rugers and that is fun. However, here are my wife's top 3 favorites and she is 5'6" with relatively short fingers: 1. My S&W 422 6". Regardless what some might say this is a great pistol, light, reliable and accurate enough. Hard to find and doesn't cost a lot, if they do pass them by. <$300.00 should be right for a nice one. They use S&W 41 mags. Buy an extra firing pin or too just in case here: Jack First Gunshop - First in Gun Parts - Rapid City, South Dakota 2. My wife's Walther P22. Fits her hand nicely, trigger reach is easy. The best handgun shooter I personally know who is ex-Army, ex PD firearms instructor and now finishing the FBI Academy really likes the P22. His advice on handguns has always been spot on. 3. One of my Ruger MKIIs 5.5" bull I fitted with a Marvel trigger, VQ sear, fluff and buff of internals with new springs that had a 1.75lb nearly perfect trigger break (sold it to someone who had to have it). Marvel Precision 1911 .22 rimfire Conversions https://www.volquartsen.com/products/293-target-sear My wife loved to shoot this, but had to be reminded that the trigger was very light. My favorites: 1. My current favorite (not confirmed the most accurate or reliable, just fun) is the Austrian Arms ISSC M22. Same guy who designed the P22 designed this. Sort of a meshing between Glock and P22. Great balance, not too light or too heavy, not too long and not too short, sort of G19 sized and weight. Austrian Sporting Arms 2. Advantage Arms Glock conversion. I have had several but favor the G17 conversion for length it provides versus the G19, but either is fine. I don't care for the way the mags have to be loaded versus some easier mags to manipulate like the 422, M22, P22 or Ruger MK mags. However, I plan on getting an AA Target conversion for my 1911. I wouldn't mind trying out a Glock 26 AA conversion. The Glock with an AA conversion weighs about 12oz I think, pretty light, hard to control shooter's wobble. Advantage Arms Secure Online Store 3. If I want to shoot the staples out of my shooting partners' targets I get out the 6" S&W 422. I have friends who shoot bullseye and have high dollar guns but for plinking, basic handgun practice and fun the above are hard to beat. If I can verify the reliability of the ISSC M22 and get as comfortable with that as I am with the Ruger MK IIs or S&W 422 this would be my first choice on balance and size alone. Throw in a Beretta Bobcat in .22LR.

TN Gun Country in Clarksville had a good condition S&W 686 4" for less than 300.00 a couple of days ago. It didn't last 2 hours on the shelf, but was purchased by an enthusiast, not some reseller. I checked it out myself before it was put up for sale.

From my perspective I have always felt good in any dealings with Guns and Leather, Greenbrier, TN; Tennessee Gun Country, Clarksville, TN; or Academy of Self Protection, Joelton, TN. I can't beat Tennessee Gun Country on prices for new guns and can't imagine getting any better prices on special orders. At Tennessee Gun Country you get 10% off if you have an active or retired military ID.