BarryinIN

Don't know for sure, but... Ruger had a new product unveiling at Gunsite in September for firearms media, and according someone who was there they have at least a couple more handguns they haven't told us about yet.

Since I've learned a thing or two about airguns, and buying airguns, I thought I'd share a few random thoughts. - Shooting them really does help. I couldn't guess how many times I've heard people say airgun practice pays off. I never doubted them a bit, but I'd be remiss if I didn't start off by saying it was very satisfying to head to the range after messing around with airguns for a few weeks. My usual summer layoff helped instead of hurt for a change. -Buy carefully. There are airguns and there are airguns. Buy quality. The top WalMart rifle at $140 may sound good enough, even after you do a quick search in your smartphone and don't find any info on it. Wait, and research. You may never spend a better $60 than the difference you spend getting a $200 one after you've researched them. -Gimmicks are gimmicks. Two barrels in two calibers. "Free" scope. Camo finishes. But you probably knew that. Here's one gimmick that sucks most people in though, including me: Velocity. -I'll give that it's own paragraph. Velocity is not necessarily your friend. Sure, it is great to have, but it usually comes at a price. Let me put it this way. One of my rifles is a .22 that won't quite make 650 fps with most pellets. Many people would ignore it from the start because of that, but I can whack a 4" swinger or hanging cowbell offhand with ease at the edge of the woods 57 yards away, and it really whacks them too. I don't know what more I'd need from an airgun. It does this because the velocity doesn't vary more than 6 fps over 10 shots, and the shot cycle is so smooth it hardly moves and gives a mild "thunk" sound at the shot. By contrast, my 1,000 fps (with certain pellets on certain days) rifle vibrates and twangs like using a broken baseball bat, and jumps like a scared cat at each shot. I have had it for years and never could shoot a decent group with it. There are a few fast ones that behave OK, but they are the best exception. Backing off the throttle a little gains much better behavior. -Go across the pond for info. There are some good info sources here, but the more you look into airguns, the more you'll find yourself at sites where trucks are called lorries and fries are chips. The U.K. shooters have become pretty sharp on airguns by necessity. The thought and work we put into all forms of shooting they put into airguns. They have solved things we haven't thought was a problem yet. The Germans are another leap ahead of them, but unless you read German you are out of luck. -Forget some things. Forget the idea that airguns are for kids. Kids couldn't get half of today's airguns ready to fire. Forget your buddy who said he pumped his Sheridan 300 times and it shot through three telephone poles. He didn't. This may sound like heresy, but if you ever spent much time studying the old Beeman catalogs, forget a lot of that, too. While he got more adults into airguns than any other person, some of his writings just don't stand up, whether due to time or what. He used to put down the .22 caliber by saying the .177 was 20% more accurate. They are about even, at least now. Match guns are all .177 due to the rules; not for accuracy gains. He pushed the .20 caliber in later years, but it seems that accurate .20 pellets are hard to come by currently, for some reason. -Barrels and pellets are better than they used to be. No kidding: I truly believe someone used to today's pellets would throw out half of each box I used to buy. The designs are better, and the quality control is leaps and bounds better. Even the Crosman Premier line you can buy at any store will shoot well in most guns. I used to discard lots of pellets when I was a kid, but even though I'm pickier, it's an uncommon event now. And the guns shoot them better due to the barrels. Like pellets, today's barrels blow away what used to be acceptable. Any of the better companies who don't already make a great barrel will buy Lothar Walther barrels and be done with it. -There are big bores now. It's not uncommon to see airguns in .30, or .35/9mm, or even .45 or .50 caliber. Crosman has a bullpup repeater in 9mm. Plenty of makers have big bores that can take deer easily, and there are a couple of .50 air shotguns. -Pre-Charged Pneumatics (PCPs) allowed this to be more common. A PCP gun can be filled from a pump or air tank and hold enough air (2,000-3,000 psi) to do a lot of things. A PCP might hold enough air to get off five shots in the big .45 and .50 calibers. They might get 25-30 .22 or .25 caliber shots from a fill, or 40+ in .177, and at high velocity (smoothly) also. Match guns are almost all PCP now. With their lower velocity needs, a PCP match rifle can shoot an entire 60-70 shot match with ease, and the regulators will make each shot nearly the same. Like I said above: they aren't (just) for kids. -Replica guns aren't bad. It used to be that you could get an airgun replica of a firearm that did OK, but you had to get something else to shoot really well. I don't see a replica in the Olympics soon, but they are pretty nice now.

http://ruger.com/products/rugerAmericanPistol/models.html

Ruger has a few new or updated guns coming out over the next couple of weeks I think the count is four auto pistols and two revolvers. The first was announced today, the MK IV .22 auto. Along with some changes to the bolt stop and that abononation known as a magazine disconnect, the big change is in the field stripping. The upper and lower halves are hinged at the front so the rear pivots up and allows the bolt to slide out. http://ruger.com/news/2016-09-22.html Ranting opinion: I was maybe 14 when I was shown a Ruger .22 auto by someone who was familiar with it. His main point was to show me how simple it's operation was. It had only four parts you could manipulate: bolt, mag catch, trigger, and safety button. I was impressed by that then and now. That was the original design. It served well through the first half of the basic gun's existence. In the second half of its life, we have already seen three "Marks" of changes. None of these helped it feed, fire, or eject, which is the point of this exercise. Each one of these "improvements" added more controls and parts. Some hurt, like the loaded chamber indicator that adds an obstacle to getting a round into the chamber. Here in the MK IV, in addition to more buttons and parts, we have an attempt to simplify field stripping. This is interesting to me because this task was complicated by the MK III's addition of a magazine disconnect*. At the current pace, we may be about five years from a MK X, with 37 buttons and levers, and 268 parts...none of which help it feed, fire, and eject *Yes, I know some call it a "magazine safety". I refuse to call it a magazine "safety" mostly because, during the course of assembly after stripping, the magazine must be inserted and removed more than once...right around the time it calls for a trigger pull. In a class two weeks ago, I sat across the room and watched a student get so frazzled by this process he had to leave the room twice that I know of. He was so upset I doubt he would've known if he had somehow exchanged his empty magazine for a loaded one during one of his attempts. And I won't even get into it reinforcing those who think they've unloaded a gun by only ejecting the magazine...then one day try that with another gun. The word "safety" has no business near these devices.

Not too long after getting the above in an email, I get another with a link to enter one of Ruger's "Unannounced Product Giveaways". https://ruger.com/dataProcess/promo/newProdSweeps/ I'm guessing its either a replacement for the 77/XX series...or something else.

"Temporarily", yet the email has this not-so-temporary sounding opening line: This maybe your LAST CHANCEto get one of these great rifles! Emphasis theirs.

I meant to say I may address the low front sight and heavy DA trigger in one move. I'm thinking of sending it in to the Performance Center for a tuning package. Maybe get them to swap sights as warranty work also.

I figured if it stayed in this shop for a week, it was supposed to be mine. Right??? It didn't help that I kept seeing "signs" all week after I saw it there. I ran across a box of .44 Magnum ammo in the garage one day, found a set of K/L round butt grips another. Signs. Early opinion is good. Although I have several, and have had several more, I haven't had a brand new S&W revolver in a long time. Not only was it my first with mim parts and two-piece barrel, I realized I've never had one with a lock before! That's been a while. The trigger is OK in SA, but perhaps my heaviest S&W in that regard. Not that it's bad. It just isn't as good as the others. It isn't really a problem shooting. The DA pull feels like a ton to me. I don't care much for that. I know, most people don't go around cranking off cylinders full of DA shots from of an medium frame .44 Magnum, so why should it matter? It matters to me because I've always had a rather special job in mind for the 69 since I saw them. I thought it would be a good gun for vacations where bears might be seen. Load it with carry ammo normally, but use the cast 310 WFN or 320 grain SSK design bullets when slipping off into the woods hiking or camping. And I see that as a DA job. Point, then shoot it empty. With the DA trigger it has now, those spots will likely get pulled off to the left or right from hauling that heavy trigger back. The other negative, and one that has an effect every time I shoot it, is the front sight height. I've read from the start that S&W was using a front sight that was too low to get it zeroed, and it looks like they haven't changed. I have the rear sight bottomed out, and common 240 grain full power loads hit about 4" high. My 265 cast, 300 XTP, and 320 cast are all incrementally higher, as is typical. I had some 200 XTPs and they were closer, but still high. By my calculations, a front sight around .025 taller would bring it into line with the 240s, and I think S&W has one that height. I'd still be high with heavier bullets, so I'd want higher yet. If the front sight was tall enough to out the rear sigt in the middle of the adj range, is be in a pretty good spot not only for my .44 Magnum loads, but for my .44 Special ammo too. I had expected to be using this gun mostly as a handy .44 Special that happened to handle Magnums, but its seen a lot more of the fire blasters so far. Everybody wants to shoot it. I'm not going to be one of those guys who sits here telling you it's "comfortable" to shoot, but the heavier bullets are "noticeable" or "get your attention". Its a .44 Magnum. It jars the p out of me. I haven't had one that didn't. Yeah, yeah, eat my wheaties, hold it right, blah, blah, blah. Physics is physics. If you try to catch a major leaguer's line drive from two feet away bare-handed, its more than "noticeable". But as .44 Mags go, the 69 isn't so bad, and better than I expected. I'll even say I'd rather shoot it than a large frame gun. Yeah, I said it. There are enough different K/L frame grips to fit anyone. The bore sits lower to the hand than on a bigger gun. There is a lot of weight out front. I haven't done a lot accuracy testing since the first day. Then, I mostly shot the .44 Special loads my Blackhawk likes. The 69 likes them too, and came close to the Ruger groups, which is a pretty high bar. With Magnums, it seems to like the Hornady 240 XTP, like...oh...every other .44 I've had. The 265 cast WFN I use a lot in .44s was a little better than mediocre, but the big 320 TC shot really well. I don't know how the holster search will end. The 69 has a 4.25" barrel (Canadian laws) rather than a 4", so there may be some compromising. I also want a covered trigger (range rule at one place info, and IDPA and USPSA everywhere), so that further limits things. I have speed loaders, though! I have a S&W 696; the sorta kinda forerunner in .44 Spl, and have some HKS CA44 loaders for it. I just wish I knew where they were.

And deeper I go. Not mine, because mine isn't here yet, but you get the idea. FWB 65:

I'm not real sure why, but I've wanted one of the S&W 69s since they came out. http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product4_750001_750051_827559_-1_757769_757767_757751_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y I like the .44 Spl and really enjoy shooting my .44 Spl Ruger BlackHawk. A huge part of the appeal is that it is sized appropriately to the cartridge, IMO. The 69 is similar sized, and may be an even slimmer gun, that gives DA and swing-out cylinder convenience plus the Magnum option. That's been my reasoning for liking it anyway. I have tried not to look for them. If I don't see one, I won't want one. That has worked pretty well, and I don't think I've seen them anywhere except at NRA shows. I know my regular gunshop has not had any new ones in the case when I've been there. No new ones. Last week they had a used one. I tried not to look, but I couldn't help but see it appeared not to have been used at all. Keep moving. Nothing to see here. I escaped. For that week. Today I told myself if it was still there, I'd take a closer look. Nothing good stays there more than a few days, and they sure don't last through a weekend. There it was. Calling out. Saying "Ask for me". So I did. And I scratched that itch. Shooting report soon, I hope.

I haven't posted in a while. Things only got worse for me in the airgun front. I've bought four more air pistols and three more air rifles. And they cost a little more each time. My latest is a Walther LGR Universal- a 10 Meter match rifle. This is the same model used in the 1984 Olympics to win gold in Men's Air Rifle. Um, what? Because I needed it, that's why. The attached picture is not mine, but could be it's twin. What have I done?

Hawke has introduced a scope that lets you choose between adjustments of 1/4 MOA, 1/8 MOA, or 1/10 MILs. You do this by swapping adjustment turrets. It's designed as an airgun scope, and a BIG 10-50X one, but I don't see why it won't soon be on their others. This may only generate a yawn from most people, but it could be a big deal to others. Tactical long range shooters like MILs because it matches up with common MIL-Dot reticles. If you measure the drop as 2.3 MILs, you crank in 2.3 MILs...if you have MIL adjustments. If you have MOA adjustments like so many did until recently, you are doing math. I've done that and it sucks. Let's see...2.3 MILs multiplied by 3.64 is about...hold on...3.6 twice is 7.2...add in a little more and call it...say...7.5 MOA. Wait. That's probably a little low. Where's my calculator? Then you shoot a NRA match where the ranges and target sizes compute directly to MOA. If you have an MOA scope, you've got it made, although you might want finer adjustments if going way out there. Those with MIL adjustments are in the same boat as those with MIL-Dot reticles with MOA adjustments in the field where they have to MIL for range and drop. http://www.airgunsofarizona.com/Hawke/SidewinderED.html#SWED10-50x60

Hard telling. Everyone I know who has an MRDS on a pistol has some complaint, like the reticle shape, brightness control, etc. That being the case, I would think there must be room for improvement. There are probably lots of ways to screw it up also.

In French: http://www.tr-equipement.com/produits-pro/armes/armes-de-poing/1955-bt-universal-service-weapon-armes-de-poing-armes.html Aimpoint has been conspicuously absent from the MRDS field. Nothing they make really fits on a pistol slide. But it's coming. This French company let slip the not yet announced Aimpoint MRDS by showing it on a pistol/PDW they sell. The mounting looks a little screwy, but I'm hoping it's something specific to this gun. Whenever it it gets here, I'm sure it will be expensive, but will probably also be good enough to be the new standard. Yes, although I don't have many, I'm an Aimpoint fan.

At the NRA show last weekend, a Leupold rep confirmed what I had been wondering: the Prismatic has been discontinued for about a year. That's too bad. It's a nice optic few even knew about.

The Gunny: Cam Edwards, NRA News: Hero: Les Baer: No kidding, someone had just asked him if his guns were single action. Um, yes, that's kinda their point. Cam Edwards again, with Ted Nugent: Hicock45: Jerry Miculek (I don't know who the guy is next to him): Funny thing, I met Larry Vickers at the Blue Force Gear booth, got his autograph four times, and never took a picture. Which reminds me- Deals: A few exhibitors sell things during the show. A few more start selling things the last day, or else give them away. I bought two pairs of VZ Grips for a super price. Steel target deals were all over. Parking wasn't exactly convenient, so I sadly had to pass. The last day I got lucky and parked by a shuttle bus stop, but the ones I wanted were sold out. I'm not sure why I need one, but I now own a Cold Steel Spetsnaz shovel. I passed by the Blue Force Gear booth as I was about to leave the last day, and asked about a chest rig they make for the FN SCAR 17. They happened to have a couple in the display case, and I could buy one for a song. And, they said, Larry Vickers would sign it for me, as they pointed over to a table I hadn't even noticed where he sat bored to death. I bought the chest rig, and a sling that was also on sale. I have one of those slings already, and like it. I got them signed then got him to sign a card for a friend with a comment about his marksmanship. I passed by their booth on my way out, and there was a crowd. I had to look. Vickers was asking questions, and whoever got the right answer got an item from the exhibit. At that moment, he had somethjng in his hand and was saying something like "I know this isn't a softball question, but you should still get this". Apparently he had stumped the crowd. I asked the guy in front of me what the question was. He said he wanted to know who came up with the muti-lug bolt that Stoner used on the AR. I yelled "Johnson!" and was rewarded with a Blue Force Gear....necktie. I'm not sure what I'll do with a FDE necktie with BFG's logo in the corner and Larry Vickers' signature on the back, but I have one now. Maybe I need a FDE suit.

Attendance 80,452.

Pictures I couldn't get yesterday: HK SP5K: From the NRA Museum. Ed McGivern's S&W: Eisenhower's Win 21 shotgun: JFK's Colt New Frontier: Lewis & Clark airgun: Lithgow USA F90: Kimber K6s: More to come

I'm now starting to organize my pictures, brochures, and thoughts. The biggest news may be a tie between two things; S&W introduced a .45acp Shield, and HK is bringing back the SP89 MP5-based pistol. HK first. The SP89 was short-lived. It's now expensive. The new version is called the SP5K, and is clearly based on the MP5K. Aside from the top rail, I saw no differences, and the rep had nothing to add except to say that while more variants are planned (like carbine models) the pistol was the first to get approval for import. MSRP $2699. If you've prices an SP89 lately, or for that matter in the last 20 years, that's "cheap". If I had the money I'd buy one, just because they will never bring less. I didn't get any pictures of S&W's new .45 Shield because I didn't get close to the gun. Every time I came by, the crowd was too thick. Judging from the handout, if you've seen a Shield at all, you've seen these. It's "just" a .45 version. Henry is making a Henry. The 1860, no forend, rotate the end of the magazine around the barrel to load, Henry. It will be made in either brass frame or color cased steel frame. OK, more pictures later, since photobucket is being odd But for now: The Kimber K6s revolver is pretty neat, IMO. Although it's a snubby, I'd say it's about K-frame size. Perhaps Colt Detective Special size might be closer. The DA (concealed hammer) trigger isn't bad, the grip feels good, and the sights are useable. Oddly I thought, I didn't see many people looking at them. This should come as no surprise, but FN's semiauto M249S is a heavy pig. Maybe I'm not remembering well, but it seems heavier than I thought. The 20" barreled DMR-type SCAR MK20 should be available for big spenders by summer's end. My first stop at any of these shows is usually Browning. As a fan and carrier of the Browning HiPower, I have to make sure it is still in the catalog. It is, but with only three basic models. The rep said they are just getting too expensive from FN. Colt says the Delta Elite 10mm is returning this summer. That's interesting, since I got mine maybe five years ago when they returned, and a friend ordered one within the past two months. Lithgow in Australia has been making their army's variant of the Steyr AUG for many years now The army made some changes, including deleting the quick change barrel feature. It's called the F90. Lithgow USA had an example of a Semiauto one they plan to make a sell here. Due to some changes, it weighs just over a pound less than the Steyr. I liked it, and while I wouldn't trade my Steyr for one and thought some changes were questionable, I didn't see anything wrong with it whatsoever. They are awaiting BATF approval. They said mags would be made by Magpul. At the Magpul booth I asked about the AUG mags that have been coming for at least two years. They didn't act like it was a priority at all. The IWI X95 variant of the Tavor was there and looked good. It has a mag release button in the customary spot forward of the trigger instead near the magwell like most, so most who picked it up fumbled around the magazine area trying to drop the mag. It's funny how we come to expect things. Marlin now has a Custom Shop. You can get one with extra fancy wood and deluxe checkering designs or one with a green spray and bake finish and synthetic stock. Remington is celebrating 200 years in existence this year, and had a nice mini-museum on site. I got so caught up in it I didn't see what was new. The NRA always brings some items from their museum. This year's display included one of Ed McGivern's tevolvers he used to set records with, JFK's Colt New Frontier single action, Dwight Eisenhower's Winchester model 21 shotgun (with five gold inlaid stars) , and the Lewis and Clark air rifle. Its not a firearm, but it's impressive. Crosman came out with the Airbow late last year. It's more or less an Airgun that shoots arrows...really fast. Like 400-450 fps. For those who don't know bows, that's screaming. In a demo, he shot an arriw into the target then his second shot went right down the first arrow A perfect Robin Hood, and in the first two shots, By mid-day yesterday he had done this three times in the weekend. More to come.

After talking to the Berger Bullets guy at the NRA convention yesterday, I learned Brownell's moved the entire Sinclair operation to their place in Iowa some time back. So while it's now safe to go to NE Indiana again, I definitely need to stay out of Iowa.

I'm about to start my second day. I am hurting. When it was in Indianapolis two years ago they advertised 9 acres of guns. Now it's 11 acres. I believe it. Parking was not handy either. My legs and hips are killing me. But onward I go!!!!! Too many highlights from yesterday to list righ now, but here is a lowlight: Does anyone remember the Marlin Camp 9 and Camp 45? They were semiauto carbines in 9mm and 45acp and sorta resembled a larger Glenfield model 60. The 9 used S&W pistol mags (59,459) and the 45 used 1911 mags. Pretty simple guns, and didn't cost all that much. I can't begin to count how many times I've heard people say they wish Marlin still made those. At the Marlin booth, I remembered this and sought out the rep who looked old enough to remember them. I started telling him I knew people who would like to see them again, but didn't get far before it was obvious he didn't know what I was talking about. I tried describing them, but that didn't help. He may have thought I made it all up. Sigh.

I guess I'll have to look at the S&W Shield .45.

Heading down tomorrow morning. I think. I hope. I went to the other gun club I belong to yesterday. My back was killing me last night from the drive. It's 54 miles away. The convention will be about twice that. I'll get there. I might have to stay. Highlights to hit: Berger Bullets- Bullet samples. Redding/Saeco- Checking some things. See if they have any new cast bullet designs. FN- I want to see when the Mk20 SSR is coming (DMR type SCAR). Steyr- Chat with their tech rep. Good guy. Winchester- Always gotta see them. Try to find out why M70s are still scarce. Browning- Always need to see if the HiPower is still in the catalog. Cold Steel- They have a big roped-off mat so they spar all day and beat the crap out of each other with their products. Can't be missed. Magpul- There is always a gimmick or two or three to see or get. Pyramyd Air (booth and airgun range)- Mostly want to investigate some moving target systems. But you never know. Colt- Because they're Colt. They will have something really cool that nobody can afford but they will make four or five anyway, like a Gatling gun. And to see if some products are ever coming back. S&W- To once again ask for the return of Scandium 1911s with the regular grip frame instead of the current bobtail-only. Andy's Leather- Andy's a friend and super good guy. Ultra Light Arms- Rumor of a really light Scout rifle from them. Really light. Hornady- Because I like seeing the looks on their faces when I pronounce their name correctly. (Horn-a-dee, not Horn-a-day) Midwest Gun Works- Thank them for having Browning and FNH parts when nobody else did. Maybe get another shirt. Ohio Ordnance Works- Because I want a semiauto BAR in a bad way. Midwest Industries- Check on some extended handguards. Kinetic Development Group- Same thing; handguards. Nighthawk- To see the HiPower. Trijicon- Because. Mile High Shooting Supply- Look at the wondrous Accuracy International rifles and Schmidt & Bender scopes. U.S. Optics- Just to see how things are. And drool over the SR8 1-8x scope again. VZ Grips- I always look, ready to buy, but the selction is so huge I can't decide. Maybe this time. Vortex- They've updated some optics and I want to see. Springfield Armory- To see about possible .38 Super or 10mm 1911 models (wouldn't a .38 Super Range Officer with extra 9mm barrel be neat?). And maybe get another T-shirt. CZ- A few things, from .22 rifles to the Scorpion that now has my interest after a friend got one to SBR. Suppressors- Every company there. Eley- They usually have past and present Olympians to meet. I'd rather meet one of them than everyone at the Oscars, see the Super Bowl, and walk around backstage at the Grammys. Champion's Choice, Champion Shooter's Supply, and Creedmore Sports- Target goodies. Marlin- See if they have anything they made before becoming Remlin. Crimson Trace- I have an NRA instructor discount but don't know what to get. But I know I need something. Ruger- They will have something new. Whether it will be worth fighting the inevitable crowd to see will be the question. Beretta- Mostly to look at shotguns. Uberti, Cimmaron, etc- Gotta get that fix. Thats a start.

I didn't know Birchwood Casey made these. It looks just like the brand that's been around for years (whose name I forget). Did Birchwood Casey buy them out?