Decided to chronicle my journey with the Ruger American 7.62x39 since it seems that there are many folks that have used it but with a lot of questions that are left unanswered esp with regards to the Magpul Hunter stock. I’m not sure if, in the long run I’ll be keeping that stock as it’s great for bench shooting but adds extra weight that I’d be carrying around. I have a Leupold VX-5HD 2-10x on there; I’ll be taking the gun hog hunting with the father in law. Added a flash hider because a) it looks cooler than the thread protector and b) if I am hunting at dusk this will help with the flash. Currently zeroed at 100yds and seeing about 1.5 MOA. My current challenge is finding the optimal magazines for this stock, which I’ll add to a Part 2. submitted by /u/megalomaniacalhermit
I was considering one of these sights and a Romeo 8H. They both have similar designs and features and they both seem to have good review. Has anyone tried either one? Any opinions good or bad? submitted by /u/Crinklefree
While I do shoot a lot I do that with hearing protection in place. As part of the research for a simulator I'm trying to ascertain what the immediate impact of shooting pistols in closed spaces is on hearing. For those with that experience: How does it change your perception of sounds? Do your ears start ringing? Are sounds muffled? Certain frequencies hard to hear? How would you describe it? submitted by /u/DaVcaCZ
I found this company that makes after market grip coverings called HANDLEITGRIPS. Has anyone used them? How do they hold up overtime? submitted by /u/dysanfel
I've been shooting for a while on outdoor ranges, always using double earpro with no issues, though the plugs I've been using are specifically made for musicians, not shooters. They have been perfectly adequate outdoors, but after using those (NRR 22) and regular muffs at an indoor range yesterday my ears have been feeling plugged and ringing/whistling a bit. I know I'm gonna start using better plugs in the future but am currently freaking out a bit whether I've gotten tinnitus permanently now. I do have quite sensitive ears, but can anyone say from experience if this is more than likely to pass on it's own or should I already get a whip to chastise myself for being an idiot? submitted by /u/ZeeDart
*** WARNING *** Long post ahead. I thought it'd be of interest for me to post up an overview of my experience going to a Gunsite class, specifically the 250 Pistol Class with Optics ( https://www.gunsite.com/classes/250-defensive-pistol-class-pistol-mounted-optics/). I'll be giving a general overview of my trip, please feel free to ask any specific questions you might have and I'll do my best to answer in the comments. Me: Mid-50s, 145 lbs, 5'7". I've had no formal training, and minimal self-taught gun handling skills. I did participate in several large-scale airsoft events in the 90s in places like Fort Hood, but I can't say it was "training" of any useful type. I've owned a pistol in the past (Sig 229) but only kept it for a year or so since it just didn't point well for me, and didn't like the .40 caliber. Some range experience with Glock, Beretta, Walther, and 1911s. From exposure to the various models in both airsoft and real versions, I already know that I preferred the 1911 platform for the general ergonomics and, let's face it, looks. The 250 Class at Gunsite was my first opportunity to get true training on using a pistol and was the first time I was able to draw and fire from a holster. Since Gunsite is a hot range, I was able to become familiar with both carrying in Condition 1, and also be around large numbers of people who were also visibly carrying. I chose the class at Gunsite over other cheaper and closer options for several reasons: a quality reputation built up over decades, intensive training that could accommodate a newbie(ish) shooter, a wide variety of training ranges/scenarios (square range, two different indoor shoot houses, and two different "action" outdoor ranges), and an optics targeted class. Equipment: Pistol: Tisas B9R (Commander length 1911, 9 mm, with rail). - The pistol initially required 2 trips back to Tisas for warranty work out of the box. I sent it in after the gun had had at least 750 rounds for "break-in", and if anything it was getting worse, not better. I was getting a 30%+ per magazine Failure to Extract the fired brass, using 6 different magazines (2 factory and 4 Wilson Combat) and using 3 different brands of ammo. After the second trip, the gun has been pretty much flawless over two thousand rounds, including the thousand rounds fired at Gunsite (with no cleaning of the pistol during the week at Gunsite). No modifications to the pistol other than swapped grips (Wicked Grips Vortex pattern), grip tape on the front strap, Wilson Combat flat wire recoil spring, Wilson Combat magazine well, and the slide was milled for the optic. Eventually, I'll be upgrading to Wilson Combat Bulletproof internals (sear, hammer, disconnector, match trigger, etc) but the pistol functions smoothly without the additional upgrades to the internals. Magazines: 8 Wilson Combat Elite Tactical, 9 mm, full size, with ETM base pads. No issues. Optic: Holosun 507K x2, green dot version. Direct mount to slide, slide custom milled by Vulcan Machine Werks. - No issues whatsoever, either from the optic itself or the machining by Vulcan. Holster: Tier1 Spara OWB holster & double mag holder, T1C X-Kore belt. No issues with the holster or belt. The double mag pouch has fairly large Kydex tabs to the front of the shallowly flared out magazine wells, which (at least in my case) makes the alignment of the support hand index finger along the front of the magazine when doing a reload not as naturally smooth as a holder that allows a more direct finger placement in the desired location. I think the design is fine, it is just a trade-off between ease of concealment vs ideal hand placement and can be overcome with practice. The retention of both the holster and magazine carrier is fully adjustable and had no issues. The setup looks like this (magwell hasn't been put on when this photo was taken): https://www.reddit.com/r/1911/comments/z2hvt9/just_arrived_tier_1_spara_owb_holster_and_double/ Gunsite facilities overview: General site map here: https://www.gunsite.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/GAI-Aerial-2021lo-res.jpg Various photos from the Gunsite YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkEFGI0pBWY General: Overall the facilities are solidly functional, well maintained, and served their intended purposes well. The classrooms, lunch area, Proshop, and gunsmith were all well stocked with plenty of room. The lunch area had 2 microwaves and refrigerators for use, and a catered lunch (deli-style sandwiches and/or salads) were available for order on the first day of class. It is not practical to go offsite in the hour available for lunch, so you will need to either bring your own or purchase the catered lunch. I either brought my food to the lunch area or popped back to my campsite to use the kitchenette. They are actively adding to and improving the facilities and were in the middle of building new offices, a bunkhouse for the instructors, and renovating the Proshop and classrooms. Campsite: I stayed at the on-site campgrounds, and was pleasantly surprised at the included facilities. For $20/night I got a well-maintained gravel campsite that also included a large covered patio area with lights and power outlets, 2 bathrooms with sinks, 2 shower rooms, and a kitchenette area with 2 full-size refrigerators, a toaster oven, microwave, sink, and a (free to use) full-size washer and dryer. The bathrooms, showers, and kitchenette were all heated which was very nice considering how cold it got at night. Due to the location, the temps dropped rapidly after sunset, and dipped down to 17 degrees F Tuesday morning, and the lows never got above the mid-30s. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cq9a1PJL21M/ Square Range: The bulk of our class took place on the South Range, which included 16 lanes of pneumatically controlled rotating targets. https://www.instagram.com/p/CrH_cUvOgG5/ "Buried troll dolls" are used to indicate the 3, 5, 7, 10, 15, 25, and 35 yard range distances. https://www.instagram.com/p/CrH_UdqODYm/ Our class only used up to the 15 yard line on the square range, targets would be slightly longer in a couple of the outdoor ranges. The range had two buildings: the Shed was the main gathering area where the water and Gatorade (both free) were kept, and all the students left their range bags and other gear. This is where you usually went to reload magazines, rehydrate, snack, take notes, etc as needed. The other building (roughly at the 25 yard line) was mainly a sun/rain/wind shelter. A double bathroom was close by between the South and Hanneken ranges. Shoot Houses: We used two indoor shoot houses, Playhouse and Funhouse. They are reconfigurable to some extent, so you can get multiple different experiences using the same house depending upon the setup. We got a dry walkthrough on portions of Playhouse on Wednesday, a live run through Funhouse on Thursday, and a final run on a much larger portion of Playhouse on Friday. Frangible ammunition is used, with large backer boxes behind the various targets. Targets were Belgium color targets, and you had to make sure of your target ID before taking your shots. Variants included empty hands, holding a badge, caulk gun, coffee cup, pistol, pistol with a hostage in front, or pistol and bullet-resistant vest. Depending upon the target in question you needed to not shoot, shoot, or shoot specific areas. (Hostage and bullet-resistant vest both called for headshots instead of center of mass, etc.) Examples here: https://www.gunsitestore.com/product/training-supplies/targets/belgium-targets-overlays/ Movement down hallways, proper pie-ing of corners, door opening techniques, proper tactical reloading, etc were all covered and critiqued. I do recall the no-shoot target getting more than a few hits on Thursday, but the no-shoot target fully survived the run on Friday from all students. The child hostage target on Friday on the other hand... The kid had a very bad day in a couple of runs. Outdoor Ranges: The Donga is a dry creekbed/wash that you walk through with various shoot/no-shoot steel targets. You need to identify your targets before taking the shot, and you definitely need to keep your head on a swivel to catch all of the targets. Footwork on rough terrain is important, proper cover before reloading, etc. The Urban Scrambler was a series of steel targets, with shots taken from behind varying types of cover. You start out shooting from behind an open car door, transition around to the back of the car to shoot along the passenger side, then over/under/through/around various cover like doors, windows, latticework, angled rooftops, small boulders, etc. The par time for the entire run was 2 minutes, ending with a hostage target setup. Better hit the small (6" by 10" ish) swinging plate over grandma's shoulder without hitting grandma or the entire run is a DQ. This run emphasized working under time pressure, utilizing the various types of cover properly, and accuracy, especially the final shot. Gunsmith: There is an onsite gunsmith who is open and on call for all classes. If there are any issues the instructors can and did call up so the smith was ready to deal with any issues that crop up during class. I stopped by to check my trigger pull weight and inquired about having him install some Wilson Combat internals I had already purchased, and he said he could do that over a lunch break if needed. Instructors: All of the instructors had decades of experience either in law enforcement, the military, or both. They rotated throughout the day behind the firing line so you were always getting fresh eyes and perspectives on what you were doing, correctly or incorrectly. Safety was *always* enforced. We had one student pulled from the group class and moved to a more controlled environment due to being overwhelmed by the amount and speed of information and techniques being taught. This student never endangered other students, but repeatedly did not follow procedures on the firing line that help to prevent potentially dangerous situations for themselves. https://www.gunsite.com/gunsite-instructors/erick-gelhous/ The Rangemaster/Lead instructor, Erick was a great teacher with a vast store of practical info. https://www.gunsite.com/gunsite-instructors/chris-currie/ A former Marine, he tended towards a more aggressive style in the shoot house that was counterbalanced by other instructors. https://www.gunsite.com/gunsite-instructors/james-queisner/ Currently serving LEO who was more methodical in the shoot houses, and was the RangeMaster/proctor for both of my live runs on Thursday and Friday. https://www.gunsite.com/gunsite-instructors/jay-tuttle/ Well-rounded and with lots of instructor experience, he always had an applicable tip or adjustment when needed to help you improve. The Class: Started with registration at 7:30 am on Monday. We then (after signing a release of liability that'll make your head spin) had time in the classroom to introduce Gunsite and its history, basic safety overview, and specifically for this class coverage of iron sights vs optics use. Once done with the lectures we moved to the South Range. First up was the inspection of everyone's gear to identify any issues or as the instructors phrased it, "find any ugly babies". Dry fire practice from the low ready, then dry fire presenting from the holster using the 5 steps as taught at Gunsite. (Grip - Clear – Drop/Rotate - Smack - Look). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XREJ3bxsjbc Always emphasized was while you want a smooth and quick presentation from the holster, you DO NOT rush to the reholster. Slow and steady, and don't force the weapon into the holster past any encountered obstructions. We then moved on to single or double shot strings from the low ready. After becoming familiar with this we move on to the same single shots to the head or double shots to the body but this time from the holster. Ranges would vary from 3 yards to 10 yards, and you would swap between the two flights of students after each string of fire was completed. We had to deal with both fairly cold temperatures (just below freezing to start) and unusual winds (25+ mph sustained, gusts up to 50mph) at times throughout the day, so I got unintentional practice in both shooting with gloves on and sweeping a cover garment out of the way of the holster during presentation and reholstering on both Monday and Tuesday. The next day started with more dry fire to start, then the basic single headshot or double chest shot drills from the 3, 5, 7, and 10 yard lines. We then zeroed our optics at 15 yards from a bench rest. After lunch, we moved into reloading and malfunction drills. I got called out fairly regularly for using a pinch grip from the rear of the slide instead of the preferred overhand grip to rack/release the slide. This diminished throughout the week but was something I still occasionally backslide on and need to watch out for. This is also when my one major safety violation happened when I reflexively bent down to pick up a magazine after a speed reload before the line was called clear. I was immediately called out before I had a chance to fully crouch, and never repeated that mistake. Due to the high winds they actually lost power from late afternoon to about 10pm, so I ended up going offsite and grabbing a long dinner in town, then came back and crawled into my sleeping bag and went to bed early. Wednesday started back in the classroom covering the Combat Triad mindset, alert color codes and lightly touched on ballistics and ammo choices. We then returned to the range for warm-up dry fire, single headshot, and double chest shots but now with time pressure added via rotating targets. In the afternoon they introduced single and double-leg kneeling, and the El Presidente drill was introduced and practiced. We finished out the day with a walk through a small portion of the Playhouse indoor shoot house, and instruction on opening doors, pieing corners, and openings, reloading, etc. Thursday morning was dedicated to full runs through the indoor and outdoor simulators (Funhouse and Donga). In the afternoon they introduced one-handed shooting positions to prep for the night shoot using flashlights, and practice runs in the School Drills that are used in final evaluations. We broke earlier than normal and came back right before sunset to go over and then use flashlights using both the FBI and Harries techniques. https://www.instagram.com/p/CrH_vZxAvYC/ Friday ran us through our final timed and scored runs on the School and El Presidente drills, and then through the inside simulator (Playhouse) and outside action range (Urban Scrambler). I did well in the Playhouse, but missed a few targets on the Urban Scrambler including accidentally hitting the hostage at the final stop on the course. After lunch was the student vs student shootout, with a 6-round tournament. I lost my first 3 fair and square and then screwed myself over on the reload on the 4th round by not refilling my magazine carrier. Final two rounds I won cleanly, causing Erick to comment "It might not have been the wisest choice to pull everything together on the final two rounds..." to which I replied, "Have I not been telling you all week that I needed lots of reps on things to start dialing things in?" His response? "Touche'" Overall, I'm very happy with my time at Gunsite. I would go back in a heartbeat, time and budget permitting. It's like drinking from a firehose with all of the information and techniques being presented to you, but they do the layering of skills in a logical manner that builds properly on top of the earlier lessons. I am still getting new "aha, THAT'S what it means/feels like" moments on things clicking into place as I practice post-class with both dry fire and live range time and I'm sure will continue to do so as I continue to practice. submitted by /u/Tiki_Pinball
Any of you left handed folk know of a good ambi slide release ccw handgun? I wanted something around the size of the SW Shield M2.0 or p365 x macro.. was looking at getting the tp9sf sub compact since I thoroughly enjoyed shooting the regular tp9sf, and though it’s not an ambi slide release, there’s ways around releasing the slide as a left hander. Just wanted some other suggestions as well. Thanks submitted by /u/ThomasG_1
So only after I put together a few ARs do I decide that I like Bolt guns better. So clearly the next project is to put together a Custom Bolt action. I have decided on almost everything except the cartridge. On that I have been all over the place. I thought that I was going to do a 243AI with a fast twist, then a 6mm Creedmoor, then 6mm ARC, then 22-250AI with a fast twist, then 224 Valkryie, and now I am just going around and around looking for something more perfect. I even briefly considered 8.6 blackout, but that didn't last long. Mini, short, or long action doesn't matter, but the only hard wall is that I don't want any big magnums, those use way too much powder, brass is just too damn expensive, and the barrels get burned out too quickly from what I have read. As for what I am looking for, I am looking for something that CAN go to 1000 (definitely not going to be a regular thing, but I want to use the rifle I put together when I do get to shoot 1k with the boys), I would prefer something that uses small rifle primers (not a requirement), bullet diameter doesn't really matter, but I want a diameter that has a good dollar to BC ratio and isn't bigger or more expensive than .308 bullets unless it offers some real advantages (338s are cool but I don't know enough about external ballistics to know if they are worth it), but one of the big things is that I would really prefer something that can be effective with a short barrel. I'm thinking 18 or 20 inches since I want to use it mostly for hunting and I usually hunt with ARs so I am used to that length barrel. Maybe 22 inches would be okay, but I am definitely wanting something that's fast and whippy so shorter is better. Potential prey would mostly be hogs and coyotes, but I may go after larger game for special hunting trips that happen every year or two. I know that I am probably asking for the moon, but what cartridge comes closest to what I am looking for and what expectations should I lower in order to be at least a little bit realistic? submitted by /u/CelestialOrigin
So I'm getting my M2 setup in old-school fashion. Replacing the spade grips and charging handle with WWII wood grips, replacing the rear sight with a WWII dovetail sight, and a dovetail mount for an old school scope. I'm going for a Carlos Hathcock vibe. Unertl scopes are rare and outrageous when found... but I found Hi-Lux scope's repro of the 8x USMC scope. Are the Hi-Lux wxopes worth the $?? Are they gonna stand up to Browning M2? I would appreciate any insights Thank you all for your thoughts!! submitted by /u/Imaginary-Storage-23
I've posted this here before but a member just asked to see it so I hope nobody minds. A couple of years ago I started shooting sporting clays and got hooked, and started collecting shotguns I can use at the club (must have shoulder stock and 26" barrel) I've tried to get examples of each type of action, from top to bottom is a Simi auto, a pump, a bolt-action, a break action and a lever action. The break action is a 2-½"-chambered hammer-gun, which I recently started loading my own low-pressure ammo for submitted by /u/SessionPowerful
Says that on the side but that’s all I know about it. Missing the trigger and some pins can anyone help me with info or point me in the direction of where to find some Info submitted by /u/Gullible_Parsnip_455
Looking to get some custom work done but I’d like to know if anyone has feedback on Impact Machine. https://impactcncmachine.com/ Quality work? Good people? Fast turn around? Thanks! submitted by /u/EALm4
I have a Vortex Strike Eagle I plan to use on my Marlin 1895 but the mount I have on hand is too tall and I can't get my eye relief right with it. Any opinions on lower profile mounts or personal experience on what's worked for other? submitted by /u/definitelynotwyatt
Bought this Mosin today from a buddy for $50. Has pretty good damage to the outside of the barrel and is also pretty rusty. Said he got it at a pawn shop for ~$100 almost 10 years ago. The original wood stock broke so he threw on this polymer one and welded a new bolt handle so it would clear the scope. He says he's not sure if it would even run now so I'm thinking of just using it as decor until I convince myself to restore it just for fun. https://preview.redd.it/v1qjaymv0qua1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=82a5438e85a5740acaec7c54839a8ee88ddd484d https://preview.redd.it/dd5r1xmv0qua1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2b1f4113f6c01f4b5405d14c1cd5ba739422f5db https://preview.redd.it/40ua9xo50qua1.jpg?width=2655&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=296b1b540718f51710a262fc10ac326c0aa534e8 submitted by /u/niekothesickdad
I realized that I have 3 different size 1919A4 Machine Guns in my office and thought it would be a great opportunity to shoot a video explaining the operation. For icing on the cake, one is a double size, cutaway, classroom trainer, so we can go over exactly what is happening every time we pull that charging handle, and/squeeze that trigger. Video coming soon. submitted by /u/Bigshooterist
Hey everyone, I must have seen too many rattlecan jobs while I was scrolling Reddit in bed this morning. I immediately went out to the local hardware store and let my artistic side fly. submitted by /u/Wormholewanderer12
I am looking for a place in Northern IL or Southern WI where I can shoot up some old office equipment. I dont have any friends with significant property. Is there a place that allows this? submitted by /u/scottostach
Let me start off by saying I don’t Reddit so well so I don’t know how to format this. Anyway I just added a light to my EDC so obviously I had to get a new holster. I went with the first one I found for my set up( probably the mistake),they had pretty decent reviews. I don’t recall seeing any bad ones. So this is my 4th kydex holster for the gun and I haven’t had any issue up until now. The thing seems to snag the gun every now and then so bad that the holster comes off my waist. I Called the company and they said the holstered was tested before shipped so it’s something I’m doing wrong, which I’m totally willing to take the blame if that’s the case. Some questions I have is 1. Does adding a light require you to change your draw at all 2. Has anyone had this issue after adding a light. The holster in question is from C and G holsters. Firearm Info FN509 midsize MRD Holosun 407c Streamlight tlr 8a submitted by /u/BSTactical3D
Has anyone used a Sharpee paint pen to color a polymer grip? I’m wondering how durable it is before I do it. I have an FDE grip that I would like to paint parts of black but don’t know if the paint will easily rub off. submitted by /u/ThatWhiteKid08
Hi, Yesterday, I picked up my cz p-01 I bought at Sporstman warehouse and when I got home I noticed the decocker wasn't working. When the hammer is cocked I manipulate the decocking lever pressing it all down and the hammer stay all the way cocked. I am filling dumb not checking that at the store. I am barely new to the cz p-01 with decocker and firearms. Do you guys think the decocker is broken?. I think it could be a quality control issue from CZ. I am not feeling comfortable mailing the gun back to CZ for warranty. I was thinking in taking to Riflegear, a gunsmith close to my home to check. Or I don't know if I could fix it myself. Please, any help really appreciate it. Thanks in advance submitted by /u/flipacas
