- Joined
- Jan 3, 2017
Does anyone do any shooting competitions? I've decided to start training up to compete in the tactical games, which is kinda like a cross between a Spartan race and a 2 gun competition.
Mega Rad Gun Thread
- Thread starter The Hunter
- Start date
-
Want to keep track of this thread?
Accounts can bookmark posts, watch threads for updates, and jump back to where you stopped reading.
Create account
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2019
Go for it homie, that sounds rad. I’m not even close to in shape for that kind of shit.
In related news, I went to a rental range today and shot guns for the first time in a decade. It was pretty great, I got to try a few rentals to help me decide what to buy. I didn’t drink as much water beforehand as I should have so I was shaking more than I liked though.
Handguns are harder to shoot than you think man. AR’s kick but not too bad. I’m poor and awkward so I’m gonna buy a baby gun first so I can learn the fundamentals safely and not fuck up in the future.
If you’re new to guns I can recommend the experience at a rental range, but be prepared to drop a bit of money on it. I think it was worth it.
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2019
Oh hey, there's a gun thread. Nice.
Pair of relatively recent acquisitions.
Anyone have thoughts on Romanian TTCs or Yugoslavian Zastava M57s? I've been seeing a lot of them for temptingly cheap prices, and the ammo seems to be relatively available. Is one better than the other? Anything in particular to check before buying one?
Pair of relatively recent acquisitions.
Anyone have thoughts on Romanian TTCs or Yugoslavian Zastava M57s? I've been seeing a lot of them for temptingly cheap prices, and the ammo seems to be relatively available. Is one better than the other? Anything in particular to check before buying one?
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2016
ensure that the Cugir TT safety freely moves and isn't "difficult", as the pin that's used was added after the fact and functions as a trigger block, but does nothing to avoid hammer fall from the half-cock notch. in some cases, worn surplus pistols might have a situation where the hammer can fall from half cock on a loaded chamber and fire despite the trigger block safety.
be wary of Spanish import TT's that have been converted via barrel liner from 9mm Largo - you will want to replace the barrel as the liner is quite thin and 9mm Largo is higher pressure than what is safe for the remaining steel thickness of the barrel. Spain bought a lot of TT pistols from all over the place for their civil war.
the Zastava M57 uses unique 9 round magazines, so surplus 8 round magazines will not work (the grip on the M57 is physically longer than a TT). both magazines are inexpensive, just one is harder to find. Norinco makes magazines that fit, IIRC.
both pistols are about the same average quality.
An Account
kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2019
Got my hands on an 870 Wingmaster from the 60s. It has police furniture and pairs nicely with my mossman 500.
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2016
the 870 has an aftermarket sling attachment installed. be sure to verify that the stock isn't cracked or splitting as older wooden stocks that have oil soaked wood can develop uneven internal moisture making them prone to rot and damage if not taken care of over time.
if you're curious, the Mossberg appears to be from the mid to late 1970's.
if you're curious, the Mossberg appears to be from the mid to late 1970's.
An Account
kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2019
Yeah I checked. The stock is pretty much perfect, aside from some minor scuffs. Dude I bought it from said he'd harvested quite a few deer with it. And I knew the Mossberg was from the 70s. I got it for $170 + ffl fee on gunbroker. I love old shotguns, partly because the wood is absolutely gorgeous. I also have a stoeger coach gun that I bust out when I want to LARP as Ash or Doomguy.
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2018
New guns to buy list:
Sig Saur P365XL or Springfield Hellcat
Whatever the current importer for those Russian Arsenal pistols is
Kel-Tec KS-7 (I really wish there was a semi-auto version, I might just stick with my Mossberg)
I'm pretty happy there is some innovation coming out of the small arms world these days. Growing up so much stuff seemed 'standard' that it was boring. Service pistol made by a major company? Slightly heavier and more ergonomic Glock. Carry pistol? Chopped down service pistol or more recently a single stack 9mm the size of a PPK. Home defense? Some guys say AR and some guys say pump action shotgun.
Now if somebody was willing to make a newer version of a Colt pocket hammerless or an FN/Browning equivelant chambered in 9mm or even .380 that would be dandy. Like say a Remington R51 that doesn't suck ass, maybe.
Sig Saur P365XL or Springfield Hellcat
Whatever the current importer for those Russian Arsenal pistols is
Kel-Tec KS-7 (I really wish there was a semi-auto version, I might just stick with my Mossberg)
I'm pretty happy there is some innovation coming out of the small arms world these days. Growing up so much stuff seemed 'standard' that it was boring. Service pistol made by a major company? Slightly heavier and more ergonomic Glock. Carry pistol? Chopped down service pistol or more recently a single stack 9mm the size of a PPK. Home defense? Some guys say AR and some guys say pump action shotgun.
Now if somebody was willing to make a newer version of a Colt pocket hammerless or an FN/Browning equivelant chambered in 9mm or even .380 that would be dandy. Like say a Remington R51 that doesn't suck ass, maybe.
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2016
Kimber Solo, SIG P290, Beretta Nano, et c. there are lots of single stack, flat profile, double action pocket pistols. maybe track down a Boberg XR9-S.
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2018
I get what you're saying but I'm looking for something slightly bigger. Modern EDC 9mms are roughly the size of a ppk while those older hammerless automatics are closer to an officer 1911. It's something I really appreciate when a gun has a full natural grip, which I feel like has been mostly lost these days in pursuit of concealability.
It helps with drawing but also in reloading, so you don't have to awkwardly half-break your grip to reload. All of this is leading me probably to the P365XL or a potential Hellcat XL if that's on the horizon.
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2016
oh, then if you want a cheap, yet well made pistol, try a Llama IIIA. a 9mm Commander sized (slightly smaller actually) single stack, all-steel "spurless" pistol. once again, there are dozens and dozens of makes and models. a Llama Omni II (?) is also available as well. there are the usual Glock 43, SIG P239. i'm a personal fan of the S&W 3913 for many people as well.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2017
Anyone ever use any cheap steel case 9mm? I was thinking about getting some for target practice but was curious if anyone had ever used it before. I've used steel case 7.62 before but wasn't sure if the 9mm would be different. The add says it's non corrosive but I don't want to mess up my gun.
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2016
depends on the steel, however nearly all steel cased ammunition uses a very soft annealed steel that has a lacquer or polymer coating for lubricity - it's often about as soft as brass is. that being said, steel is not quite as ductile as brass, ergo if you have a firearm that requires significant extraction force, or is significantly high pressure when under extraction, steel cased ammunition might not be the right thing to use.
in most firearms, it shouldn't harm anything. i would be a little more careful with steel jacketed projectiles, as there is a often not enough steel or plating on the steel jacket to give any meaningful protection against leading of the bore. a lot of steel cased surplus ammunition also use corrosive primers, which is why steel cased and steel jacketed projectiles are often marked non-corrosive (potassium chlorate, or sodium petrochlorate which, when burned, decompose into potassium chloride or sodium chloride) which is a bigger issue, as allowing the salt to stay in the bore will attract atmospheric moisture, leading to premature oxidation (rusting). steel jackets can also allow a build up of lead at the gas port, leading to a little more erosion there.
overall, however, assuming you can get your ammunition cheap enough, it may pay for itself as by the time you shoot enough of it to matter, you're already at a point in the barrel's life where you'll want to replace it anyway (typically 15,000 to 30,000 rounds).
it's also not like steel cased or steel jacketed ammunition is some new cheap import thing. the majority is surplus from WW2, and even today steel is used for cases and bullets ecause as long as they are used intelligently, they will have very little meaningful difference in performance. Hornady match ammunition is steel cased. 7.62 NATO for machineguns is also typically steel cased (MG3, M60, et c) and steel jacketed because hard chromed bore barrels are not damaged by steel jacketed bullets. steel cased ammunition in manual action firearms, provided you have a decent extractor and you aren't depending on the elasticity of the case (as in some competition revolvers and blowback operated pistols) to either aid extraction or seal the chamber through obturation (elastic expansion of the case to the chamber to provide a gas seal) then it should be fine there too.
very dirty powder, with lots of fouling can be a problem, as steel will not expand as readily as brass, allowing more carbon to build up on a chamber wall, eventually leading to extraction failure if not cleaned at some point. part of the benefit of brass is the gas seal in some firearms that prevent the fouling to happen in the chamber as much.
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2017
That's all good to hear, I wasn't sure if there was any major concerns besides avoiding the corrosive stuff. I really don't mind cleaning my gun a little more.
The Wolf ammo is going for 500 rounds for $90 and 1000 rounds for $130, so it'll be definitely be worth it.
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2016
the least expensive, yet most complete and very good quality is the Lee model 90030 kit. it has the necessary tools to reload nearly anything. just pick up the cartridge-specific die kits for what you want to reload. it also includes the current Lee Reloading Manual.
an example "complete" shopping list for reloading 9mm Luger would be:
1. Lee model 90030 kit has the majority of tools and the reloading manual which you should study thoroughly.
2. small pistol primers (CCI is available and inexpensive, #500 is the small pistol primers)
3. Hodgsdon HS6 powder (this, like the primers, is a hazardous material and should be stored separately and securely from other combustibles and avoid high pressure, moisture, et c)
4. 0.355 caliber bullets (9mm)
5. 9x19mm brass cases (starline is popular if you want new brass)
6. Lee 3-die reloading set (this is cartridge specific, search for Lee model 90509 for 9mm Luger, it will come with a hand primer shell holder, which is handy, but you won't need unless you get a kit that uses a hand priming tool). the three dies are the sizing die with decapper (used to ensure a case is the correct length by trimming the case, and it will also punch out the used primer), expanding die (used for expanding the case mouth slightly for seating the bullet prior to crimping and you will also use this die to throw the correct amount of poweder into the case) and seating die (which seats the bullet square on the case just inside the expanded mouth, then you use the press to simultaneously seat the bullet and crimp the mouth of the case into the cannelure of the bullet for secure assembly).
6a. if you are loading something like belted magnums, or weird cartridges or bullets that are not crimped traditionally, you may need to get a separate crimping die just for your specific cartridge.
7. shell holder (which is specific to the priming tool you have, a press or a hand primer, see: https://leeprecision.com/shell-holders/, if you have the model 90030 kit, you want the press primer holder which is #19, Model 90004)
8. a reloading bench where you can store the tools safely and keep things organized. do not use a bench that has a surface that might be prone to sparking, that will easily burn, or can ignite when exposed to common flame. i tend to recommend a cheap piece of press board that has been made fire resistant (use Barrier Burn 130, Fire Shell F1E, or you can mix up some fire resistant varnish using the old phosphate and acid method).
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2017
So, have any of you guys ever owned a "Saturday Night Special" before?
There's a whole bunch of companies that are synonymous with that term, the most notable being Rohm RG, Raven Arms, Jennings, Jimenez, Lorcin, Phoenix Arms, and most recently, Hi-Point.
One of the first semi-automatic firearms I ever shot was a Hi-Point C9 that my mom bought when I was thirteen. She didn't know too much about handguns and all of her prior firearms experience dealt with rifles, so she made the mistake of buying a Hi-Point for a defensive handgun since it was cheap. After she bought it, we all went into the backyard and did some target practice on empty soda cans (we lived in a really backwoods area at the time)
Another one that I personally own is a Raven MP-25. My Dad used to own one, and I bought mine at a pawn shop for less than fifty bucks, so I'm kind of hesitant to actually shoot it, but it makes for a good curio.
There's a whole bunch of companies that are synonymous with that term, the most notable being Rohm RG, Raven Arms, Jennings, Jimenez, Lorcin, Phoenix Arms, and most recently, Hi-Point.
One of the first semi-automatic firearms I ever shot was a Hi-Point C9 that my mom bought when I was thirteen. She didn't know too much about handguns and all of her prior firearms experience dealt with rifles, so she made the mistake of buying a Hi-Point for a defensive handgun since it was cheap. After she bought it, we all went into the backyard and did some target practice on empty soda cans (we lived in a really backwoods area at the time)
Another one that I personally own is a Raven MP-25. My Dad used to own one, and I bought mine at a pawn shop for less than fifty bucks, so I'm kind of hesitant to actually shoot it, but it makes for a good curio.
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2016
"Saturday Night Special" originated as a descriptive term in the 1980's to popularize raising prices and reducing convenience for people to purchase handguns in California. It generally refers to nearly any cheap handgun at a pawnshop or in a consignment case that you cash out your paycheck on Friday, buy on Saturday, commit a crime on Sunday, then back to work on Monday. it also introduced the 15-day waiting period for firearms (reduced to 10 days after the LA Riots when people who demanded guns from stores to protect themselves/their property were told "no gun for you").
after the 1968 Gun Control Act that incredibly limited importing pistols, domestic manufacture of cheap pocket pistols started in and around the LA area. specifically Ring of Fire pistols are one of six manufacturers: Bryco, Lorcin, Phoenix Arms, Raven Arms, Jennings, and Jimenez. they are made largely on the same tools by the same people with the same materials and sold interchangeably with the parts and accessories.
a Hi-Point is not generally a Ring of Fire pistol (and Rohm, a German manufacturer of crappy revolvers also isn't one typically). Hi-Point Firearms are an outgrowth of the death of the automotive industry in Ohio as a way to cheaply combat the rising tide of violent inner city crime by providing prior machinists, engineers and distributors with work manufacturing inexpensive guns that poor people could afford that were reliable and made in USA, with the best warranty in the business. Strassell's eventually gave way to Beemiller, which became Hi Point Firearms with MKS as the distributor. the parts and packaging are all locally made.
Hi-Points have a well known reputation for being cheap... but also being fairly reliable, simple to own and operate, and very tolerant of abuse and neglect. with inexpensive foreign guns being much more expensive or impossible to get, and with states like CA and NY campaigning to introduce national price increases and taxes, pricing the poor out of a civil right, Hi-Point opted to make a full size and compact (and more recently carbines) firearms that anyone can afford, that put locals to work making them and selling them, and bring in money to the rust belt.
with poverty comes crime, and Tom Deebs, the founder/owner of Hi-Point also worked to provide many identifying features to ease in isolating if a Hi-Point was involved with a particular crime. custom barrels, odd striker locations, hidden serial numbers, et c.
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2017
The term "Saturday Night Special" actually dates back to the 1960's and was typically associated with Rohm RG and other cheap imported small-caliber handguns.
After the Gun Control Act of 1968 was passed, the term became a lot more commonly associated with the Ring of Fire companies in California, and George Jennings even explicitly stated that he founded Raven Arms as a way to fill the same niche of cheap small handguns that Rohm RG did in the years before the Gun Control Act of 1968.
Hi-Points may not be a "true" Saturday Night Special like Rohm RG revolvers or the Ring of Fire pistols, but it might as well be the equivalent of them in the 2000's and 2010's, given their reputation for being cheap, easily accessible, and being seen as the stereotypical gun of choice for street hoodlums.