Firearms Friday: (Temporarily) Out Of Stock

I have seen the frustration both online on various forums and Facebook pages and also in person when the firearm that they have been looking for is currently nowhere to be found. And this is a regular occurrence for one reason or another and I guess you could say that ammunition falls into the category too. Thankfully, there have only been a handful of times over the year when I was looking forward to seeing something in the store only to find it long gone from the shelves… usually my situation is that I just want to be able to see it in person not necessarily to buy it.

These disappointing moments usually come down to two very simple reasons… legislation/politics/current events and new products. Those are the two basic categories that cause the shortages on the shelves. While there are other reasons that we encounter from time to time (i.e. low production numbers, recalls, poor ordering by the shop, etc.), those moments are few and far between. Especially lately when there have been lines of people either in person or on wait lists trying to purchase certain products.

Over the past couple of year, even so recently as a week ago, there have been constant attacks on our right to own certain firearms, magazines, and even ammunition. These usually cause what I like to call the camper lines when people are showing up hours before opening or even the day before and waiting for the doors to open so they can be one of the few to walk out with what they want. For everyone else, it is out of stock. We definitely saw this cyclical pattern when there was talk about banning AR15 rifles. While I was never one of them, I remember seeing the pictures and Facebook posts of people lining up the night before the local shop opened its doors on Saturday morning.

The other times when I have been unable to inspect a firearm was basically because it was a new release. From the successful Springfield Armory Mod 2, the single stack Glocks, and striker fire products from Sig Sauer and H&K to the failed Remington R51, each was hard as heck to find on the shelves as the wait lists didn’t just consist of a few names, those lists were pages upon pages of interested buyers. And some are yet to be determined as Remington still has to do a full rollout after the recall and Ruger just released the American line of pistols. I am curious to see both in person if I can find them in the stores and some of the other items that come out of SHOT show this month.

I guess what this all comes down to is that we have to be patient. Once the legislation failed, the supply went right back up and AR15 rifles and pistols are once again readily available. And all the new pistols are no longer new and I have even seen a number of them in the used cases. Out of stock rarely lasts and if you can wait there will be plenty of opportunities to buy what you want in the future (and most likely save you a lot of money).

Firearms Friday: Sometimes You Just Need A Rifle

When on the range you sometimes get the weirdest songs stuck in your head playing against the staccato of rounds being sent toward dozens of targets. It is the sound of this muffled music when we sometimes think of our favorite things as it is common to look around and voice your own internal opinion of some of the firearms with which people are practicing. While I usually pay more attention to the handguns that I pass, this week I am going to focus on the rifles that I have enjoyed over the years.

Keep in mind, I have never been much of a rifle shooter as my preference has always been and still remains in handguns. However, there are exceptions to every rule and there are a few rifles that I enjoy taking to the range whenever I get a chance. Some old, some new. Some ready to go out of the box, some with modifications, and other built from the ground up. Here are some of the long guns that I particularly enjoy taking to the range.

Some people prefer the AK platform while others prefer the AR platform. While I have nothing against the former I am firmly falling in the latter with regard to my own personal enjoyment. In addition to the functionality and ability to personalize the firearm, it is a great feeling when you can build something from parts, customize it, and take it to the range as a fully functional and comfortable firearm. While there may be other similar builds on the range, you have something that was built for you. And, if you see something you like on someone else’s AR, you can easily change your own rifle.

The AR is something that you can shoot all day at the range given the minimal recoil but sometimes you just need to be kicked in the shoulder. However, I want to still maintain some semblance of a budget. This is where the Nosin Nagant comes in. This Russian military surplus rifle is an inexpensive way to get kicked at the range. While there are some people out there who do modify these rifles, I enjoy the simplicity of the platform (rough edges and all).

Finally, sometimes you just want to shoot all day and not have a big dent in your wallet. The Ruger 10/22 provides a great balance of training and just good old fun on the range. 22LR is still inexpensive and the Ruger provides a reliable semi-automatic platform that will just keep going. However, while the rounds are more expensive I prefer the 17HMR so this could be replaced on my list if I am ever able to test out the Savage A17.   

Obviously, nothing groundbreaking and no surprises but it is sometimes fun to think about what you enjoy taking to the range and why you enjoy looking down the sights. With that said, next week’s handgun post on the same topic is something I really have to think about… so many choices with such limited space. For now, what are your favorite rifles to take to the range?

Mike Judge Was Right!

When it comes to firearms, the lack of education in this country is astounding. While the raging liberals want to paint us as the ‘uneducated hicks’, it is all too apparent that these people are the ones that have failed to educate themselves. In fact, when it comes to firearms safety and general knowledge, it is safe to say that we are heading toward what Mike Judge called an ‘idiocracy’.

Recently, examples have been floating around the internet and across social media sites making astoundingly stupid statement accompanied with the hashtag “gunsense”. These nonsensical holophobes have been spewing skewed statements in an effort to sway the uneducated. Below are the top three ridiculous posts that seemed to have gained irrational traction:

1. A “Full Auto” Bolt Carrier Group is legal!

Just because you put a loud muffler on your Honda Civic doesn’t mean that it is a race car! If you bother to look at the design of the AR-15 (semi-auto) vs that of the M16 (auto) you will know that the bolt carrier group (BCG) is not what determines whether the gun can fire in full auto. A ‘full auto’ BCG is simply a reinforced version of the standard AR15 BCG. There are many other parts that are needed to turn an AR15 into an M16 as can be seen in the following comparison diagram:

Please also note that such a conversion is HIGHLY illegal and the ATF will put you in prison for doing so.

2. What does AK-47 mean?

Mikhail Kalashnikov (K) designed an automatic (A) rifle for the Soviet Union in 1947 (47). As it is officially known in the Soviet documentation as Avtomat Kalashnikova (AK) and it was designed in 1947 (47) the rifle was assigned the designation AK-47. Also note that the models that you see in gun shops are NOT automatic rifles, they are semi-automatic. While legal in many states, automatic rifles are highly regulated and inordinately expensive.

3. What does 10/22 mean?

Unless you have a large bore rifle and 22 people lined up in a row, this is simply not happening. All you have to do is look up 10/22 on Wikipedia and you can figure out what the 10/22 designation really means:

“The Ruger 10/22 is a semi-automatic rim fire rifle chambered in .22 Long Rifle. It has a removable 10-round rotary magazine which allows the magazine to fit flush with the bottom of the stock.”

Well, I can’t expect people to be logical so let me break it down for you… the rifle ships from the factory with a standard 10 round magazine (10) and is chambered in 22LR (22). Put them together and you get the designation 10/22.

This is the same kind of crap that has been bandied about for years but now the dissemination of such falsehoods is accelerated by the ignorance found on the internet. It is this kind of crap that pushes countries into a nanny state where even knives are being regulated. The solution is not to inflame ignorance and strip the rights away from law abiding gun owners. The problem lies within the people who do not value life and in those who refuse to assign blame for heinous acts on the individual rather than inanimate objects. Fix the people, educate the public, and change the way these acts are perceived and you will find the results that you desire.

Saturday Afternoon Detour

Final decision... Smith & Wesson M&P 9C

On Saturday I alluded to a stop that I made on the way back from Scranton with my mentee. Well, it shouldn’t be a shock to anyone, at least anyone who has been reading this blog for any length of time, that we stopped by my local gun shop. It was actually one of those instances that everything seemed to work out perfectly… we left Scranton earlier than expected, the trip was fast than anticipated, and it turned out that my passenger didn’t have to get back right away and was free for the afternoon. All of those things added up to a slight detour to enjoy looking at a variety of firearms.

It all stemmed from previous conversations that we had discussing additional carry options for him. An upgrade if you will. I kept telling him that we would eventually make it up to Tanner’s Sport Center so that we could take a look around and see what worked for him. This trip put everything into place so that our side trip made sense. We had the time to drive over there and we had plenty of time, up to Scranton and back, to discuss all the things that he wanted in a new carry gun. By the time we got to the shop I had a pretty good list of things that I wanted to show him for consideration.

Now, I want you to keep in mind that I am fully aware that a firearms purchase, especially one that is going to be carried, is a very individual process. Something that works for me, whether it be caliber, size, weight, action, etc., may not work for someone else. I am not a brand loyal shooter. There are too many options and high quality firearms out there that I couldn’t really settle on one brand, model, and caliber. I have my preferences but I am not going to rule anything out (even the cheaper options have their place).

His list was pretty basic: 9mm, smaller, double stack magazine (10+ capacity with larger magazine options as a plus... we live in a free state), and striker fired. Keep in mind that he was carrying a Ruger LCP at the time. So, with those options as a starting point we walking into the gun shop and began browsing the used gun case. While he was asking the sales person if they had a used Glock 26 I spotted a Smith & Wesson M&P 9C off in the corner of the case. While he had a few doubts at first, he soon realize when he put the two side by side that they were the same size with many of the same features. The only real difference is preference in both appearance and feel.

There were also a few single stacks that we pulled out of the case (Walther, Kahr, Smith & Wesson M&P Shield, etc.) but capacity weighed heavily on his decision. What finally pushed him to make the purchase was the various holster options that seemed to work well for him and the extra magazines that were available on the rack. So, in the end, I guess you could say that I helped to guide my mentee in more than just Freemasonry. In both instances, I am really just there to offer advice and guidance with the final decision being his to make. I’m just glad that I am able to help him with two things that he enjoys.