Speaking of guns....

Ha. plus I am on my phone. I will head to work in a few minutes and get on my computer to really answer Walldogs questions.

Thanks for the quick response guys! My wife even mentioned that she wanted to shoot a moving target one time when we were at the range.

We'll check out the people shooting clays if we hit the outdoor range this weekend... weather permitting.

Make sure you give us a report!

That's the same shottie I got! I have the short barrel on it. My friend gave it to me for free (whoohoo!) and it was pretty beat up. I completely disassembled it and sanded down the pump/stock and refinished it in cherry wood stain. Things a monster! Lots of fun to shoot. I love to hipfire it

Vassago187 wrote:

I love to hipfire it

Make sure you're using Steady Aim Pro! Actually since I have the pistol grip, I've hip fired it plenty...mostly with target loads. It's not too bad, but I always fold the stock down when I shot high brass buckshot or slugs out of it.

I've only fired a few guns that actually scared me with the recoil. The S&W .500 mag revolver and a .600 Nitro Express double rifle. A vintage elephant gun that is more like a shoulder mounted howitzer. About 200x the kick of a 30-06, and about $99 per shot.

I got that off my bucket list, and have no desire to fire another one.

My 50th birthday trip to Africa for a Cape Buff will be with with a .416 Rigby or .458 Win Mag double rifle. I don't want/need anything bigger. I don't want to be more afraid of the recoil than being trampled and gored by a 1800 pound Bull known in Africa as Black Death.

The Zulus in Africa have a saying that is your first shot on a Cape Bull is a bad one, the next 14 will only serve to further annoy him.

looks like i may need to get my 1911 slide replaced already after only 200 rounds. Anyone think this is anything to worry about? I circled the damage in red:
https://2img.net/h/i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee419/pewels/420235_375298212482544_100000071042056_1559623_693530819_n1.jpg

@ Jerry. The picture is very blurry so it is hard to tell exactly but that looks like a small piece of the slide groove sheared off due to friction. It does not appear to be a structural defect in the metal itself. It does appear to be a cast slide instead of forged due to the casting marks on the intaglio surface. If it is a cast slide the strength of the slide will be less than forged. What is the brand/make of the slide? With only 200 rounds and as a primary owner it should be covered under the manufacturer warranty. Make sure you have a certified gunsmith look at it as I would hate to have it shear off in your hand because you based its safety off of an internet diagnosis with a blurry photo. If it is mearly a chip in the slide rail groove smooth it with a jewlers file, lube it up, and carry on. Certain break ins are required on all firearms, especially pistols.

So N8, I've been eagerly awaiting your response. Any chance you'll get to it on Monday?

BigDaddyN8 wrote:

@ Jerry. The picture is very blurry so it is hard to tell exactly but that looks like a small piece of the slide groove sheared off due to friction. It does not appear to be a structural defect in the metal itself. It does appear to be a cast slide instead of forged due to the casting marks on the intaglio surface. If it is a cast slide the strength of the slide will be less than forged. What is the brand/make of the slide? With only 200 rounds and as a primary owner it should be covered under the manufacturer warranty. Make sure you have a certified gunsmith look at it as I would hate to have it shear off in your hand because you based its safety off of an internet diagnosis with a blurry photo. If it is mearly a chip in the slide rail groove smooth it with a jewlers file, lube it up, and carry on. Certain break ins are required on all firearms, especially pistols.

Thanks Nate. It's a Ruger SR1911 and the slide is CNC'd from bar steel according to manufacturer. The frame is cast however, which is why it's so much cheaper than the other manufacturers. I took it back to Gander Mtn. and they took a look at it, said it's nothing to worry about but I could send it back to Ruger if I wished and they'd work on a new slide. Would take a few months though, because they are SO far behind in the manufacturing process. I may still take it to a gunsmith for a second opinion, but I'm optimistic about the need to not have any repairs made. These steel pieces make me appreciate the reliability of my Glock more and more.

Went shooting with the wife this weekend and she wanted to rent the Glock 26 (the exact gun I wanted her to get in the first place). Turned out to be a very expensive rental, because the next day we went out and bought her a new one. I think her GAS is worse than mine!

We got one mag extension so that we can have a place to rest our pinky (as seen in the pic), but in all honesty, it doesn't need it. There is amazingly very little recoil for such a small gun.

G26 Gen 4 (shot @ ~7 yards)


The deal was she could buy it, as long as I can buy a new HK when I get my bonus in a couple months. Looking to get the P2000SK sub compact 9mm.


On a side note, we started out the application process to get our CHL's. We're probably going to take our classes this Sunday. After that's done, it's going to be another 60 days until we get our actual licenses.

60 days for the state to issue a CHL? WTF? Glad she liked that G26. Gotta have the pinky extension. P2000 is a great handgun. I am trying to convince the missus I need a P30 as a little brother for my HK45. Not sure if I am going to win that battle at the moment.

@ Walldog. I will write it up this am. Sorry, been real busy and my response slipped to the wayside. I'll try to find time between patients to get you a good response.

FBD wrote:

If they breach your door, shoot to kill. You'll want to make sure they are dead too...you're less likely to be sued.

That's a great thing about Texas. People here shoot people breaking into a NEIGHBORS house and are legal doing it.

SRV Ryan wrote:

FBD wrote:

If they breach your door, shoot to kill. You'll want to make sure they are dead too...you're less likely to be sued.

That's a great thing about Texas. People here shoot people breaking into a NEIGHBORS house and are legal doing it.

I think that even one up's our Castle Doctrine here in Florida...have to look into that.

God Bless Texas!

Pennsylvania has a pretty badass Castle Doc too. Occupied Vehicle is also covered. Some crackhead ever tries to open your car door..that's a shootin'!

Sorry it took so long Walldog. You stated that you wanted a good learner that you could enjoy, teach the kids on some day, had classic architecture, and wanted to keep under $600. I think the best weapon for you to start on is a Ruger 10/22. They are classic .22lr rifles that are very easy to shoot, very reliable, and are great to train on. You should be able to find one new for less than $200



They are California legal with the factory 10 round magazine so that Is important. You can learn the fundamentals on them and not break the bank shooting the hell out of them. Someday your kids will be able to train on it as it is very “kid friendly” also. I have a 10/22 and they are a blast to shoot, and there are dozens of modifications out there available for them for later on once your skills get better. Check with the range you plan on going too as some indoor ranges do not allow 22lr, but most will allow it. If you are unable to use the 22lr we will discuss alternatives later. Here are some add-ons you will need and most of the add-ons listed here you will need no matter what weapon system, caliber you end up getting.

1. Get an optic for your weapon. It is critical to learn to shoot iron sights, but an optic makes learning the fundamentals easier. Stay away from variable power scopes as they can be complex with the lens and the cheaper variable scopes have very poor clarity. Unless you want to drop $600 for a good 1-4X variable with good glass (which isn’t even necessary for a .22lr unless you are trying to reach >100yards) I strongly recommend going with a 4X mounted rimfire scope. There are a few on the market, but the Nikon Prostaff 4 x 32 rimfire scope is a great scope that won’t break the bank and can be used for plinking/hunting in the future.
http://www.opticsplanet.net/nikon-prostaff-4x32-rimfire-scope-matte-nikoplex.html
You should be able to pick it up for around $100. You can order from many places online or see what the mark up at the gun shop is. If it offsets the cost of shipping you should pick it up from the gunshop. You will need to purchase either a 1 inch scope mount (the tube body of the scope is 1”) that screws into the top of the 10/22 receiver or 1 inch picatinny low profile mounts and a picatinny rail that mounts to the top of the 10/22 receiver. The advantage of purchasing a scope and rings from a gunshop is that they will usually mount and bore sight the scope for you at no charge. If they want to charge a fee they are full of shit. Takes 5 mins of time and if you work a deal with them for the gun, scope, mounts you can usually squeeze them for a small discount or free scope covers or free mounting and bore sighting. If you order the scope online I recommend you go into the shop to purchase the mounts because you would hate to order mounts that are too tall or too short for mounting. The 4 x scope is very easy to sight in and once on the paper you can work on getting your shot groups nice and tight.

2. Purchase a front and rear bag. Some ranges will provide rests, but you want your own. Then you always have them, and they are broken in for you and your rifle. Any bag combo will work. Bag combo should be around $35 bucks. You will want them for any future rifles and they are critical to have to get the most stable rest possible when firing.



3. Eye and ear protection. You only get one set of eyes and ears so do NOT go cheap. A good set of muffs are important. They should fit well, be comfortable, and have decent dB reduction. You can use plugs, but I recommend muffs and plugs underneath if you are using heavy artillery. In your case a set of muffs will do just fine. Pick up some ear plugs to throw in your range box for additional guests. sunglasses do not cut it for safety eyewear. Make sure you get something with a ballistic impact rating. Yellow or orange tint work very well for sunny days and clays, but indoors clear is very nice. I use Wiley-X glasses with smoke, orange, clear changeable lenses. A pair of shop safety glasses will work if you want to stay cheap.

4. Ammo is important. Every 22lr likes its own flavor. Ruger 10/22’s tend to eat any and everything you feed it. They are good like that. Stay away from the Remington Gold. I recommend getting CCI Blazer in the big box from Bi-Mart, Walmart etc…. Good, cheap easy to find plinking ammo.
5. Purchase 2 rubbermaid duty totes. One small and one medium. Use the small one to store your ammo and throw a cheap padlock on it. It will keep the kids out. You can use a steel military can also, but anything that keeps moisture and little fingers away that is lockable will work. The medium sized tote you will use for a range box. I use a plastic footlocker truck box. I put my bags, eye and ear pro, cleaning kit, tools, stapler, targets, sharpies, gloves, binoculars or spotting scope in it. Everything goes in the box so I can go to the range easily and not forget anything. Tools should include allen wrench set, multi tipped screwdriver, pliers. You will use them for tightening scope mounts if they come loose, zeroing your scope, etc...

6. Purchase a gun case to store your weapon. Soft case will work and you can get one for $20. It keeps the weapon from getting dinged during transport and you can store it at home in it. If you want you can buy a higher end tactical case that has better padding and pockets to store things such as cleaning kits, magazines, ammo etc….

6. Get a cable lock for the weapon. This will secure the weapon and prevent little fingers from messing with it or being able to load it, plus it will keep momma happy. It is law in OR to be given a lock that blocks the action on any weapon purchased. You may receive one in CA when you buy your weapon. If you do not get one when you buy the weapon they are less than $5. Critical for securing your weapon with kids around.

You can pick up #2-6 from your local big box stores and their prices are usually a little more competitive then the gun stores. Those are the items most gun stores mark up as the weapons tend to be loss leaders due to the cost of the internet. Hell, you can buy 10/22 thru most big stores, but I like the little mom and pop stores as I build a better relationship with them and they will be able to answer questions far better than most fucktards working at Wal-mart.

7. Optional: The trigger pull on the 10/22 is a heavy 6 ½ lbs. Not so good for target shooting. All Ruger triggers are heavy for liability reasons. If you can handle changing the oil in your car you can work on your trigger very, very easily. It costs less than $50 to replace the hammer with a Volquartsen precision target hammer and buffer stop pin and takes about 20 minutes. It will clean up the pull of the trigger to a wonder and safe 2 ½ lbs or so. After you try out your 10/22 and get better it is the first and most effective aftermarket modification I would recommend to you.

8. Optional: Good set of binos or spotting scope. Most ranges have loaner spotting scopes. at 25 yards you won't need it as you can check your shot placement with the scope, but a good bino is nice to have. they can get spendy quick so really determine how much you need them after you have been to the range a few times.

As a side note if you are traveling to and from the range never leave your weapon in the vehicle with the vehicle out of sight. That means no running into the gas station store to grab a gut bomb burrito when you fill up or going into a restaurant for breakfast unless you can physically watch your vehicle. These are habits to develop now. Good luck and I hope you have a great time getting into the world of shooting. You should be able to be into the game for around than $400 total and that is with all the extras, safety equipment, ammo, targets.

Very good post Nathan. I completely concur with the 10/22. Ammo online is $1.86 per box of 50. I use this site quite often...good values to be found: Cheaper Than Dirt Website

If you have a Cabela's nearby, you can often do well buying the gun/optic combo. You'll get a Pine Ridge brand, which is Cabela's own brand. If I were going on an expensive trip, I'd put a Leupold VXIII on my gun. For plinking cans, a 4-12 pine ridge is very adequate, plus any product with Cabela's name on it will be replaced no questions asked if you ever have a problem. 22's don't have much recoil, so they are much less fussy on optics.

And I second the good hearing protection...plugs under muffs FTW. Not necessary for a 22 report, but if the guy next to you is sighting in his 30-06, you'll be thankful. My dad's hearing is gone from all the shooting he did in the service and hunting. Double hearing aids at the ripe old age of 65.

FBD wrote:

God Bless Texas!

Pennsylvania has a pretty badass Castle Doc too. Occupied Vehicle is also covered. Some crackhead ever tries to open your car door..that's a shootin'!

Yep, same thing here. No longer a requirement to run...you may stand your ground anywhere and everywhere.

You guys ever try http://www.ammunitiontogo.com/ have found some good prices there from time to time also.

NCFishboy wrote:

You guys ever try http://www.ammunitiontogo.com/ have found some good prices there from time to time also.

I've ordered from there, pretty competitive pricing and fast delivery. I recently discovered this place...

CLICK HERE!

Haven't had the chance to try them yet, but I found a couple reviews that had positive things to say.

NCFishboy wrote:

You guys ever try http://www.ammunitiontogo.com/ have found some good prices there from time to time also.

There prices are hit and miss for me, but I have ordered from them occasionally. Other sites to check out:

http://slickguns.com
http://www.ammoengine.com/
http://ammoman.com/

Walldog. Never heard back on the weapon. If that is not what you are looking for let us know. Hundred of possibilites out there for you.

Thanks N8. What would you recommend in a handgun? I don't think my wife or in-laws (currently living in their house) would appreciate me toting a rifle around the house and leaving it in our closet or garage. I would assume a handgun could be locked in a case and secured some where a little less intrusively?

Based on your post, I would assume a .22 would be your initial recommendation. Part of me feels like that would be kind of small, but on the other hand, I would guess the reasoning would be that it would be a good intro to guns, just to get my feet wet so to speak, so I think that would be ok. The COD player in me says 9mm at minimum, but then again, I defer to your judgement on price, learnability, ease of use and maintenance, etc.

9mm is a great starting round for handguns. .22lr is pointless unless you have money to spare or looking for pure plinking fun. Most 22 pistols are too small, too light to properly train with. If you are going to spend the money on a pistol go with a 9mm because you can use it for home defense also. That being said I own a few .22lr pisotols because they are fun and cheap and they make great hosts for suppressors. Its amazing how quiet a 22lr with a can is. My kid has airsoft pistols that are louder.

I would recommend starting with a full size semi auto. Longer barrell will give a longer sight radius and be more accurate, plus tame the recoil dramatically. Purchasing a used 9mm won't break the bank either. The Beretta 92A1 is a great 9mm. Single Action/Double action with exposed hammer and external safety. If the military uses them you can be sure of two things. They are made for the lowest common denominator (ie mouthbreathing fucktard) to use in high stress environments. That means they are easy to learn on. And they will be reliable. The M9 has great erognomics and is a time tested platform. Many Law Enforcement Agencies used the Beretta M9 clone for a long time. Most have moved on to Glock/SW now, but that means you can find used Berettas fairly cheap.

Avoid the Beretta 92FS. They are the most common and have fixed front sights. Good for hitting the barn door and thats it. You have to learn how to Kentucky windage them. Go with the Beretta 92A1. It is the latested generation of beretta 9mm and a clone of the US Army M9A1. Adjustable sights, ie you can removed them easily and replace them with night sights, taller sights for suppressors or adjust them for aim. Plus the 92A1 has an integrated Picatinny rail for attachment of lights, lazers, cup holder, what ever you want to put on there. Usually find them new for aroudn $600. Thats with 3 magazines so its a good buy. you won't see many 92A1 used for sale yet since they havent been out for a year.



There are tons of 9mm options out there. Depends on what you want and what will feel best in your hand. you need to go to a large gun store with multiple weapons or a gun show to get a chance to handle and feel them all. Its like finding a pair of jeans. Any pair will get the job done as long as it fits, but once you find a brand that fits perfect, doesn't squash your nuts, and lasts you keep buying that one.

I recommend Duluth trading company ballroom jeans.

Oh, you were talking about guns...

Durability and fun for all ages is my Ruger 10-22, semi-auto.

Bought it in (actually a present from my dad) 1976 and still in great shape.

I put a small scope on it, and you can buy extended mags for it. THey make a loader for it to save your fingers putting them in one by one into the mag.

Ammo is cheeeeap.

My grandchildren now get to shoot it and they love it.

Pretty accurate for distances that a 22 can go to, especially with the scope.

Home Defense? Never thought to use it as home defense but with the semi auto it could probably used that way.


I have another weapon for home defense.

Love my 10/22. Great little gun that is cheap and you can modify them like crazy. Good gun to learn basic gunsmithing skills on like bedding barrels, working the trigger, mounting scopes, threading the barrel, etc.