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Gun Thread: Still More August Edition!

Howdy, Y'all! Welcome to the wondrously fabulous Gun Thread! As always, I want to thank all of our regulars for being here week in and week out, and also offer a bigly Gun Thread welcome to any newcomers who may be joining us tonight. Howdy and thank you for stopping by! I hope you find our wacky conversation on the subject of guns 'n shooting both enjoyable and informative. You are always welcome to lurk in the shadows of shame, but I'd like to invite you to jump into the conversation, say howdy, and tell us what kind of shooting you like to do!

OK, people, you're going to be on your own tonight. One of my oldest and best friend's son is getting married, and I'll be at the wedding. So no fighting, or name calling, or otherwise unacceptable behavior, 'kay? Truth be told, you aren't really flying solo because I have enlisted spies to monitor what's going on so please behave yourselves. Act 'afool and you will get a note in your permanent record faster than a box of penguin turds! Do you want a note in your permanent record? Is that what you want? I didn't think so.

With that, step into the dojo and let's get to the gun stuff below, shall we?

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Featured Gun
First up, our pal The Walking Dude answered the call for pictures in a big, big way!

In my distant youth I rode out in search of steel and used to collect military firearms. This one is a Civil War rifle, a Tower Enfield rifled musket...lock plate dated 1862. So it's a 1853 pattern Enfield assembled at the Tower of London in 1862. Still works although I don't shoot it anymore due to the age, history and rarity (to me anyway). About 900,000 of these were imported from England by both sides and it was the second most commonly used firearm in the Civil War. It was used in every major battle from Shiloh in April 1862 up until the South drew its last breath in 1865. It is fairly likely it saw service of some kind on the side of the Army of Northern Aggression, since it has the US medallion on the stock.

The crown on the barrel and the 25 are British Government proof marks. I was lucky to find one with the bayonet. That's a wicked pigsticker for sure. It's got tons of proof marks on it too. It is a .577 caliber which could take the 58 caliber balls commonly used by both sides of the civil war. Supposedly these were deadly accurate. The barrel is about 38-39 inches long give or take.

Wow! Very nice, The Walking Dude! As you are probably aware, I am a big fan or martial arms and have always thought it'd be nice to have one such as yours in the collection. Thank you for sharing!

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Next up we have a real beauty from Anonymous.

It's a Leonidas by Liberty Silencers in 300blk. This rifle is Hollywood quiet. When you use subsonic ammo all you hear is the buffer spring compressing with each round. I know this rifle won't reach out and touch them, but they never hear it coming either.

Whoa, Anonymous! Back up the good-looking rifle truck! Thank you for sending this in!

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To all of you people; want to be instantly as famous as The Walking Dude and Anonymous have now become? Yes, fame, fortune, and range babes can be yours! Just take a few pictures of your favorite, or even least favorite firearm and send it to your ol' pal Weasel for publication. Better yet, include a picture of a target and tell us a little bit about a trip you have made to the range, and what went well or didn't go well and why. The problem you figured out last week might just help someone facing the same issue next week. Don't forget to include your nic unless you prefer to remain a lurker. Thank you!

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The 40-Yard Shot

Next up, our pal Durak Kazyol takes a swing at the 40-yard shot!

I tried the "40 Yard Shot" test this past week, using a Glock 17, a timer, and a USPSA/IPSC target. I set the timer in random delay and on the beep drew and fired four rounds. On the first trial I got one hit, after that settled down and had three of four on target in five trials, always under seven seconds. I don't think this is great shooting but it is not a failure. It was at the end of my shooting session, it was hot, and I was starting to get a bit ragged when I tried it, so it wasn't ideal conditions and maybe not a bad test.

But now the interesting part. To prepare I have a little exercise I practice. Using the timer, on the buzzer I draw and fire two rounds at an IPSC target at 100 yards, then switch to one 25 yards away and put two rounds on it. Normally the target at 25 seems really hard, but after the 100-yard shots it seems relatively easy, and I do well on it. (And I get some hits on the 100-yard target, enough to make it worthwhile.). I mostly shoot this exercise with my 1911 .45, it has better sights and I'm much better with it at the longer ranges.

I think once someone knows the basics, shooting is primarily a mental game of focus and execution. This little exercise is very hard and forces me to focus on just the essentials; the distances are unforgiving, and any sloppiness means a complete miss. And it is super fun. Maybe others will want to try it.

Excellent, Durak, and I think you are on to something with engaging the more distant target first as a warm-up. Nicely done! It's a little counter-intuitive, because many people will start close and work up to the farther targets. If you can score hits at 100 yards, then you should be able to score hits at 25 yards! Also, you are 100% correct regarding shooting being a mental game of focus and execution, and I couldn't have said that better myself. There is one way to get to that point and that is practice.

Are there any others using this method or something similar? Let us know in the comments.

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Custom Leather
Here is a video of the holster making process by Andrews Custom Leather. Weasel ain't no custom leather expert, but this sure does seem like it's nicely done!

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S&W Victory Model
Here's our pal Jerry 'Jer' Miculek with a great look at a S&W classic, the Victory Model.

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61 Days!
The countdown to the TXMoMe continues! That's right, boys and girls, the TXMoMe is a mere 61 days from today, and by now you should be rushing your MoMe attendance plans to completion. There are lots of big doin's in the works and your hosts Rancher Bob, Cow Horse Queen and Ben Had are ready to welcome YOU to the festivities! Have you signed up? Are you on the exclusive guest list, or are you one of the mentally defective people who always finds a reason to make it next year?

PRO TIP: Word has it there may be some, well let's just call them "exotic" weapons, available to shoot in Texas. I don't want to go into a bunch of specifics, but if you like shooting at a high cyclic rate, plan on bringing a box of brass case 9mm ball ammo (example) with you to Texas. Please, NO reloads!

Q: Weasel, what the heck is a "high cyclic rate"?
A: Well, it's faster than a low cyclic rate such as that found on semi-automatic weapons.

Q: Weasel, why do I want to do that?
A: Because it is mucho fun-o, and an opportunity that many of you might not have often.

As long as we're on the subject, if you aren't planning to bring a firearm and ammo, but plan on shooting, please pick up a box or two of ammo in the caliber you like and bring it to Texas. Each year we have lots and lots of guns, and even more shooters, and it's nice have the cost and effort needed to source the ammunition spread around a bit. We want to make the shooting available to as many as possible, and cover those who want to shoot but for whatever reason cannot bring ammo, so every little bit helps. Thank you!

Holy Shitballs, people. Have I not implored and cajoled you enough? Do you require additional imploring and cajoling? I challenge you to find a single person who has attended a TXMoMe and not found it to be a life altering experience. Life altering for the good even! So please quit screwing around and making up reasons not to commit and start planning on getting your ass to Texas in October!

You will see this material again, so for heaven's sake, so do yourself a favor and email Ben Had for details!

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More on Ammo for Texas
Let's talk a little more about bringing ammunition to the TXMoMe. The options are buy it at home and ship it UPS, buy it at home and ship it in your airline checked baggage, or just buy it once you get to Texas.

Let's begin with the easiest, first. Texas is awash in shooting and outdoor stores, and you really shouldn't have any trouble using this option. There are a lot of sporting goods stores on the south side of Dallas and in the towns all the way down I-45 to Corsicana. A quick internet search should return several options, and you might want to identify a couple before you leave home. Next, there is a store in Corscicana, Brinson PowerSports, that has a generally reliable stock of major calibers, although ammo is not listed on their website. I'd suggest calling first and asking if they have what you're looking for. The physical address and phone number is:

Brinson PowerSports
1931 Martin Luther King Blvd.
Corsicana, TX 75110
903-229-4330

Honestly, sourcing ammo locally seems like the most logical choice to me, but for those of you with special needs, it's pretty easy to fly with ammunition in your checked baggage. Here I am speaking in very general terms and it is incumbent upon YOU to check in advance with your airline, confirm the requirements, and comply with them.

Southwest Airlines is a popular option into the Dallas area, and I have found them to be gun friendly as far as these things go. Here is what I found on the Southwest Airlines Special Baggage webpage:

Packing Ammunition Small arms ammunition for personal use (provided it is properly packed) is permissible in checked baggage only.

The ammunition may be placed in the same container as the firearm and must be securely packed in cardboard (fiber), wood, or metal boxes, or other packaging specifically designed to carry small amounts of ammunition.

Ammunition Limits
When checking ammunition, Customers are limited to 11 pounds (ammunition plus container) per person. Gunpowder (black powder) and primers or percussion caps are not allowed in checked or carryon baggage.

Loose ammunition or loose loaded magazines and/or clips are not allowed. Paintballs must be packaged in a leak-proof container and will be subject to limited release.

So my read is that ammunition in its original cardboard container is all you need, and it does not have to be locked inside another container inside your bag as required for a firearm, and you are allowed up to 11 pounds carried in this fashion. Although the instructions are silent on declaring the ammunition to airline personnel, again as you must do when transporting a firearm, I think it's probably a good idea to do so. You may or may not be allowed to check your baggage curbside when traveling with ammunition, so be prepared for a little extra time at the counter. Again, this is my interpretation and as we all know I am mostly full of shit, so check for yourselves.

Every airline has a section like this on their website, usually found in the baggage section, and you may have to dig around a little to find it. I also recommend printing your specific airline's policy and bringing it with you on the trip, just in case you need to help the ticket agent understand how to do their job. I will say in all the years of flying all over the country to matches, I have never once had any problem with airline personnel and their rules and have always found them well informed and helpful.

Finally, if you are really a special needs shooter, our bestest buddy and pal and host RancherBob has offered to allow people to ship their ammunition to the ranch. I would recommend this only in very unique circumstances where very specific ammunition is required and neither of the other, simpler options will work. If this is you, then contact me for details. I have shipped ammunition via UPS in the past and it works, but there are strict packaging and labeling requirements and also necessitates you visit an actual UPS location rather than a retail shipping store. Also remember, you cannot ship ammunition via USPS.

Questions? Just ask!

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Musical Interlude
Let's play the "Two Artists Named Stevie, One Song" game again!

Have a fav-O-rite?

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Gun Basics 101
Nothing new from the She Equips Herself gal this week, so here's a video from the archives on holsters.

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I really like these videos explaining mechanical operation with 3D animation. Here is one on how a pump shotgun works.

Was this helpful for anyone?

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Cigar of the Week
Our pal and Chief Gun Thread Cigar Correspondent rhomboid brings it with another excellent cigar review. Thanks rhomboid!

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La Aroma de Cuba, Robusto. Here pictured with the makings for Vietnamese cafe sua da (iced sweetened drip coffee), a terrific accompaniment on a hot summer afternoon. Nicaraguan filler and binder, US Connecticut broadleaf wrapper. To me this added up to a medium body cigar, with an overall subtle sweetness, mellow, and some hints of cocoa appeared at the midway point. Construction was fine, burn was even, draw was normal. A solid choice for anyone looking for a medium strength cigar with mellow flavors. There are now a host of extensions to the La Aroma de Cuba line, one of which will be reviewed here soon, and this original blend is a good place to start.

Thank you, rhomboid!

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Here is Cigar Vixen discussing the 2017 PROCIGAR festival in the Dominican Republic.

Interested in a cigar vacation to the Carribean? Follow this link for details of the 2023 PROCIGAR festival.

Link-O-Rama

I'm really very seriously not kidding around anymore. Buy Ammo
AmmoSeek - online ammo search tool
GunBot - online ammo search tool
SG Ammo
Palmetto State Armory
Georgia Arms
AmmoMan
Target Sports USA
Bud's Gun Shop

***Mail Bag***

This week's mailbag entry is a classic from a lurker pal. Thanks Lurker pal!

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Please note the new and improved protonmail account gunthread at protonmail dot com. An informal Gun Thread archive can be found HERE. Future expansion plans are in the works for the site Weasel Gun Thread. If you have a question you would like to ask Gun Thread Staff offline, just send us a note and we'll do our best to answer. If you care to share the story of your favorite firearm, send a picture with your nic and tell us what you sadly lost in the tragic canoe accident. If you would like to remain completely anonymous, just say so. Lurkers are always welcome!

That's it for this week - have you been to the range?