Elf on the moon

Komrade Elf

Elf on a Mil-Surp

Go Vote! Do your duty!

Vote for freedom.

Oh, damnit.

I don't need this.

But I REALLY, REALLY want it.

In .44Mag.  Or .300BLK.

Old, Rugged Glock (Gun Porn!)

What's this?  Content?  After almost 2 months of radio silence?

I abuse this gun.  A lot.
But if you believe the internet, sooner or later it should blow up on me.

Yeah, I have ignored this blog.  I have excuses.  Life getting in the way, changing jobs, traveling all over the place, etc.. but they are just excuses.

I hope to be posting more regularly.  If nothing else, I'll try to put up some link bait like gun porn.

Gun Pr0n- Primary Arms red dot and Mossberg MVP

I hinted* that I had something new a few days ago.  I finally had some time to get the camera out when there was still good light and get a few shots.  But before I get to the new one, I wanted to show a new config on one of my Truck Guns.

Back at Christmas, a family member gave me a Primary Arms Micro Dot.  I did not have a host for it, so I started hunting for a mount for my AK Pistol "Trainwreck".  I took a leap of faith and bought the Strike Industries Rear AK Sight Rail 2.  I finally got it all mounted up, sighted in, and ready to roll.  Here she is:

The sight mount gives a "Lower 1/3 Cowitness"

There were a few reports online about the mount being less than solid.  I've only run about 60 rounds through it so far, but it is holding.  The red dot is just what I have come to expect from Primary Arms.   Solid, clear, bright, and user friendly.  I look forward to getting this out to the range and do some real work with it and test it out.  I have high hopes for this combo.

Now, on to the new gun.

I have come to the realization over the last few months that I am a 'gun hipster'.  I like the oddball guns.  Pump action deer rifles?  Yes, please!  Single shots?  The more the merrier! Pistol caliber carbines, and rifle caliber pistols?  Heck, yeah!

So, when Mossberg came out with the MVP- I had to have one.  In case you have not seen this gun before, this is a bolt action rifle that fires 5.56/.223, and feeds from standard AR-15 magazines.  Why, that's just goofy enough to be right in my wheelhouse!

So I bought one a few weeks back.

This is a really cool design.  Light, handy, fast... and hopefully accurate.  I took it to the range and ran a few mags through it, but mostly it was a function test.  I don't have an optic for it- yet.  I have something special on backorder for it, but for now it's just running the excellent Williams foresight front and adjustable rear

No photo adjustments on this one.  The front sight is really that bright

The magazine release is oddly placed, yet very usable

It wears a birdcage flash hider, which will be unscrewed when I get my next suppressor

The rifle fed well from PMAGS, GI Aluminum, and pretty much everything... except the factory 10 round mag.  That one worked great with brass, but hung up on steel case.  

Oh, it also has one of the trigger-dingies that seem to be all the rage.  It's an adjustable "LBA" trigger.  It came out of the box pretty good, so I did not mess with it... yet

Factory 10 round magazine

What makes the MVP work is a bolt with a special little drop down jaw at the bottom that will reach into the mag, scoop up a round, and fold back into the bolt as it chambers the round.  Pretty slick, and works pretty well.  The bolt requires a little slop into it to be able to feed from a wide range of mags.  That makes it a little slow and 'bindy' when running it hard.  I'm hoping that gets smoother as it slicks up with wear.  Here is the jaw 'thingie' on the bolt face:

After taking a look at that, I could not resist the following:

Expect a full range report once the optic comes in!

Uh oh... Something New

More info coming...

Suppressed Hunter (and Primary Arms scope)

Seems like I am only apologizing for the neglect of this blog these days.

But no more!  I finally had a few minutes to whip out the camera and take some pics of my suppressed hunting rig.  This started out life as a used NEF Buffalo Classic in the discontinued .45Colt chambering that That Wife  bought me for my birthday about 5 years ago.  The previous owner had goofed up the sights (cut the front dovetail crooked),  and had scratched and dinged it a little.   I was never really happy with it, since the sight height would not work with the peep sight I wanted to put on there, then when I installed a fiber-optic front sight or the right height, I was looking at it crooked.

I got frustrated, and put an old scope I had laying around.  I never shot it much after that.

Then… Texas changed it's hunting laws and allowed suppressors for white-tail deer.  I thought about buying a new can, but the 9 month to a YEAR waiting period that is the new normal put a kibosh on that.  So I started thinking of ways to use my existing .45ACP can to hunt.  I thought about buying a .44Mag lever action, threading it, and using .44Specials… then I thought of threading my .357 Marlin or Rossi Ranch Hand… YHM said the suppressor would work with .357, but would not be really quiet.   Then I thought of a .45Colt lever gun, and it struck me- use the NEF!

I had my new 'smith thread it, mounted up the can, and sighted it in.  I had all sorts of fun shooting it till the first day of hunting season, and the ancient Wetherby scope took a dump.  Just up and died on me- started hitting a foot low, and would not adjust.

So, for Christmas, I got a new Primary Arms 1-4x24 illuminated dot rifle scope that immediately went on top.  It works real well on this rig and matches up well for being an anachronism.

I have not been able to take a deer or hog with it yet, just because by the time I got the rig ready to go, hunting season was pretty much over.  But I am ready for next year!

If you can find the non-sequitor in the photos, leave a comment!

No, it's not the two types of ammo

You can see the suppressor when the scope is at 1x power

The Primary Arms scope exceeded all of my expectations for a $120 scope.  Bright, crisp, clear, and sighted it very quick and easy.  The illuminated dot is perfect for close range hunting.  I am actually happier with this scope than I am the Burris Timberline on my CZ-527 Carbine.  It loses in a low-light comparison with my Leupolds, but that is the only ding I have against the scope.

Gun Porn- Truck Gun Edition (for exurbankevin)

A couple of days ago, Kevin over at Misfires and Light Strikes asked about a "Car Gun"- something that is more than a pistol, but less than a rifle.  This is something I have been chasing for years-  in these parts, we spend lots of time in vehicles.  It is nice to have a compact gun that has a bit more reach and "oompf" than a CHL handgun, just in case.

The compact size is more about portability and being discrete than moving about and firing from a vehicle as some people expect.  I am a firm believer in Clint Smith's doctrine- Drive OR Shoot.  Not both.  However, you don't want to leave a weapon in a vehicle unsecured.  You want it compact so you can be discrete transporting it back and forth from the vehicle.  Another consideration is that some of these are technically pistols, and open carry of pistols is illegal (in TX).  So they do need to fit into a case or container of some sort.

Here are the different iterations of car guns that I have used:

From Top to bottom:
AR Pistol
THUD- a custom .44Mag NEF Single Shot
Rossi Ranch Hand .357Mag
UZI Carbine 9mm
Kel-Tec Sub2000 in .40S&W
Home Built AK Pistol

I'll start chronologically:

THUD-

My only 'named' gun

Description: NEF .44Mag single shot carbine, barrel cut down to 16.25", custom rattle-can paint job, home made kydex buttstock ammo carrier, Williams peep sight, Williams fiber-optic front sight.
Pros: Accurate, Powerful (I've used this to harvest a few whitetail deer), very handy. Versatile- works will all sorts of ammo. Does not look scary and tactical to the uninformed.
Cons: Single shot.  Larger than other options.

Kel Tec Sub2000-

Description: Bone stock .40 cal Sub2000
Pros: VERY compact when folded.  Can match ammo and magazines with a carry gun.  Very light. Technically a rifle, so it open carry (here) is legal, but it can be hidden very easily to not scare the neighbors.
Cons: Cannot fire when folded. Lower power than other options.  Difficult to add optics without getting Rube Goldberg on it. Odd charging handle location.

Uzi Carbine-

Description: Uzi Carbine in 9mm.  Dummy suppressor barrel shroud, LaserMax laser on a custom railed handguard
Pros: Can share ammo with carry gun.  Inexpensive 30 round mags.  Super fun to shoot.  Can fire with stock folded. Reliable.  Technically a rifle, concealment is not mandatory
Cons: HEAVY.  Lower power.  Does not share mags with carry gun.  Hard to mount optics

Rossi Ranch Hand-

Description: Bone Stock Ranch Hand in .357 Mag
Pros: Can share ammo with carry gun.  Mid level  power. Very handy, very light.  Versatile with ammo  selection.  Does not look tactical and scary to the uninformed. technically a pistol and very easy to conceal in a bag or pack
Cons: Slow reloads.  Lower capacity.  Hard to mount optics.

AK Pistol-

Description: Home built AK Pistol in 7.62x39
Pros: Handy.  Good power level.  Cheap ammo and magazines. Reasonably accurate. Technically a pistol and conceals easily in a tennis racquet bag with a 20 round mag. Fun to shoot.
Cons: LOUD.  Optics mounts are more difficult than other options

AR Pistol-

Description: Home Built AR Pistol.  Del-Ton Lower, 7.5" bbl, Palmetto State LPK and buffer tube, Burris Fast Fire red-dot
Pros: Light, handy, Accurate, easy to mount optics and accessories. Good power.  Cheap mags and ammo. Technically a pistol, and with a 20 Round mag, fits in the same tennis bag.
Cons: LOUD.  To make it compact, you go with a short barrel which robs some of the power of the 5.56

Are any of these the perfect choice?  No.  Are all of them fun and worth owning?  Yep!

Range Trip

Took some time on Friday to run out to the range and get some much needed trigger time in.  Decided to take a few guns.  The Makarov, The ARP, Marlin Camp Carbine in 45ACP, Kimber Pro Carry, and the CZ-82.

Guns!

Since I posted info on the Makarov, and Brigid said a friend was looking at one, I decided to try and film my Makarov while shooting to get some feel for the operation and recoil.

Do you know how hard it is to shoot a DA/SA gun one handed, while  aiming through the camera on an iPhone?  It is harder than it seems...  That's why I'm pretty damn happy with the group I got while shooting:

I also tried filming through the Primary Arms red-dot on the Camp Carbine.  It was slightly easier, but still an exercise very similar to patting your head while rubbing your stomach.

Everything ran great.  The testing continues on the ARP.  So far, no failures, and I can hit a basketball sized group offhand at 60 yards.

Good time at the range. 

New Leather Gear- El Paso Saddlery Crossdraw and Cartridge Slide

While strolling through the Fun Show  I was surprised to see one of my favorite holster companies, El Paso Saddlery, had a booth.  I stopped just to tell the guy there that I was a customer and I love their leatherwork.

Turns out that the guy at the booth was Robert Taylor, Director of Sales for El Paso Saddlery.  I struck up a nice conversation with him, and mentioned that I had been carrying in one of their rigs for years.

You can tell the age of the photo from the vintage cell phone

I also have a nice crossdraw rig for an S&W 686 with the cartridge belt...  I don't have a good pic of that whole rig, but here is a crop without all the identifying stuff

I use that rig when woods bumming out on the lease.  Carrying that with a full load of cartridges in the loops and the Marlin .357, I'll good for anything.   Why cross draw?  Because I usually have a rifle slung on the other side, and this keeps the wheelgun from banging into the long gun.

I mentioned to Robert that I just bought an SAA clone, and would love to get a holster for that.  Well, we talked for a bit, and he made me a great deal for the holster and a 12 round cartridge slide.

I walked out with a beautiful #44 Outfit crossdraw holster and slide that I was totally not planning on buying.  I am so happy with this purchase.  I had to do a picture for this post, but I was running out of light.  So this is adjusted a bit.

Damn straight.

The craftsmanship of this, and all of my EP Saddlery holsters, is just... perfect.  Beautiful leather, perfect stitching, and that leather SMELL.  If you need a holster, these guys should be on your list.  They have been making holsters since 1889, and they have it down pat.  For concealed carry, the Street Combat holster I have pictured above allows me to carry a freaking N-Frame Smith and Wesson under an untucked polo shirt.  It is a well thought out and useful bit of gear.  They cost money, but they are worth it.

 Oh, and over the weekend, I started the antiquing process on the Pietta SAA clone.  Spent about half an hour with a scotchbrite pad.  Here is the 'before' pic:

Dark, matte black.  Cheap, but not... nice

...and the 'in process' pic

Getting better!

I'll do a couple more treatments like that, and make it look old.

This pic just looked good, had to include it.