Classics

I have a confession to make. I’m counting down the days until my odometer flips over the half century mark. That means I grew up and came of age in a time when revolvers and steel framed semi autos were still king. Heck, I took my driving test with a state trooper who was carrying what looked like, to my young eyes, a HUGE Smith & Wesson revolver. I couldn’t tell you which model it was, but it could have been anything from a Model 19 in .357 to a Model 25 in .45 Colt. It was all deep blue steel, walnut stocks, stuffed into a well-worn but cared for leather holster. He was HUGE too. It was my sixteenth birthday, I was a painfully skinny 6’4” and, at time, barely 145 pounds soaking wet. He was at least a couple of inches taller not including the Trooper Stetson and had 100 pounds of muscle on me easily.

Yes, sir. No, sir. Did I pass, sir?

It’s really a shame that kids today don’t have to take all or nothing driving tests sitting next to a humorless state trooper who is, in fact, armed and willing to defend him/herself if necessary from some snot nosed kid’s feeble attempt to commit vehicular homicide. I digress though.

I have written before about my love for the shooting sports and guns in general. After about 40+ years of exposure to the hobby in one form or another, I have reached an epiphany of sorts. It’s nothing earth shattering really, but I’m a sucker for the classics. I love revolvers and lever guns and 1911s. Before anyone gets their Underoos in a tizzy, I have nothing against the modern polymer semi-auto pistols or the somewhat long in the tooth AR-15 rifle platform. I have owned and/or currently own both. Each has their place and fill a niche.

I will readily grant credit where credit is due: the AR-15 is about as close to a do it all firearm as has ever been invented. It can do everything from door kicking combat to home defense to precision target shooting to plinking to hunting and a lot of other tasks in between. It can be a pistol or a rifle. It can be a .22LR plinker all the way up to a .50 Beowulf thumper. If you can dream it, someone has probably already tried it. If I could only have one gun, it would be an AR with an assortment of uppers to cover as many options as I could ever foresee. That’s cheating just a little, but the ATF defined the terms. So, it’s all fair as far as I’m concerned.

That’s not to say I don’t have a few hang ups with polymer pistols and the AR rifle platform. The main two are aesthetics and legality.

Aesthetics are really a deeply subjective issue. I’ve seen some really cool looking ARs and some that look worse than a hot mess of dog vomit. Even the really cool looking ARs all share the same bones which is lots of rails and angles and pins and buttons and lions and tigers and bears oh my. Functionally, it’s great. It’s one of the most ergonomic rifles I’ve ever handled. It’s just about infinitely adjustable for shooters large and small. But, put it next to a nicely stocked lever action, and suddenly it’s the ugly stepsister.

The same could be said of the (insert the name of your favorite polymer semi auto here). Up until recently, you could get them in any color you wanted as long as it was black. Now, you can pretty much get any polymer gun to look like anything you want. Heck, people are even customizing HiPoints. Want a red dot? Factory optics ready, gunsmith slide cut or dovetail mount? Lights and lasers? There’s someone that makes it. Caliber conversions? What do you want to shoot? To be fair, there are a few other pistols that can do some of those tricks (Sig P22x, EAA Witness, etc). But, it’s hard to beat the modularity of the modern polymer pistol (or the AR) except on a purely aesthetic level. A deeply blued 1911 or Smith revolver with a nice set of grips is a beautiful work of art.

The other hang up I have with ARs and polymer semi autos is legalities. This is normally a non-issue for me here in Texas, but that is not true for everywhere. Further, the changing demographics in Texas along with the constant drumbeat for more and harder gun control means that you can’t assume that won’t change. No one (so far) has threatened to ban revolvers and lever action rifles. But, magazine restrictions and “assault weapon” bans/restrictions are a thing in several states. We like to travel as a family, and I really don’t want to have to be concerned about committing an instant felony just crossing a state line while carrying a gun that is legal for me at home. The Constitution is supposed to address this, but over a hundred years of spineless jurisprudence has made it confusing at best to navigate the country while exercising your God given right to keep and bear arms.

In the grand scheme of things, my hang ups are really minor and do not outweigh the value and utility that ARs and polymer semi autos bring to the table in the slightest. Having said, that I have an irrational attachment to classics like the Smith & Wesson and Ruger revolvers, 1911s and lever action rifles. Put a Glock 21 next to a 1911, and I will pick the 1911 almost every time. Ditto for the AR next to a Marlin 1894. Likewise, I will generally take a .45ACP pistol over a 9mm pistol and a .357 Magnum or .44 Magnum lever rifle over a .223 AR.

Why? The Glock and AR are objectively better in almost every way over their classic counterparts (though the 1911 generally has a better trigger than the Glock). Glocks and ARs have more capacity, are easier to reload, are at least as accurate if not more accurate than the classics. In a word, “because”. Because I like them. Because I prefer bigger bullets over smaller bullets. Because I’m too old to go kicking in doors or play Cowboys and dead terrorists in the sand box. Because I like my guns like I like my wife: beautiful with curves in all the right places. Because ‘MERICA!!!

None of this means I don’t have a use for a Glock or an AR. I generally shoot Glocks better than most other pistols. For a woods walking gun that you don’t have to worry about getting scratched up, it’s hard to beat a Glock 20 in 10MM for a balance of shootability, power and capacity. The AR was originally developed as a target rifle which makes it very accurate and suitable for a wide range of applications. Like the Glock, you can carry an AR in the woods and not worry about the finish getting dinged. These, to me, are tools. Function over form. The classics are also tools, but they are tools which form and function have been carefully blended into mechanical art.  

If high speed/low drag is your thing, knock yourself out. Long range gnat shooting float your goat? There’s plenty of options to suit your tastes. Cowboy action or fast draw gives you the giggles? Good for you. The gun community has never had it so good in terms of manufacturers willing to fill so many niches. You do you, I’ll do me, and we can all nod in appreciation that we all enjoy the same hobby in different ways.

[Slobber, Drool]

I saw this recently on the Book of Face.

Viking themed engraving on a 1911 slide. Given that I am roughly 38% Swede, this appeals to me on a genetic level. I don't know how much he charges for this level of work, but I'm guessing it's not enough and more than I can afford. Sigh.

STI day at the range

Here at The Gundivas, we strongly believe in try before you buy.  Sometimes that is not always possible, but some days you get lucky and your local range has a dealer demo day, where a manufacturer comes out to allow you to try their products.

Today was that day.  My local range, Trigger TimeGun club had STI out to display their wares.  We the customers were able to shoot several different models. 

Who is STI?  STI is the manufacturer of high quality 2011 handguns with an emphasis on quality.  They have models for the everyday shooter to high-end competition guns. 

For those who may not be familiar with the 2011 handgun, it is the same as a 1911 but has a double-stack magazine for increased capacity, thus the frame is wider to accommodate the wider magazine. 

STI brought out a wide selection of handguns to try.  From their entry level carry guns to their high-end competition race guns. 

So far my favorite is the Tactical model, a nice balance between size and performance. 

DVC Steel (top).  DVC Limited (bottom)

Competition/Race Guns

Tactical model with red-dot (top)

DVC Carry with red-dot (bottom)

Can be purchased without red-dot sight

DVC 3-Gun (top)

Edge (bottom)

What sets STI apart from other manufacturers?  First is their quality.  Every gun is made with precision parts then hand fitted by a professional gunsmith that ensures the firearm meets all quality standards and will perform as intended.  Next is their unique two-piece frame.  By separating the frame into two pieces they can;

•        Reduce weight by making the grip portion out of high strength polymer. Instead of steel or aluminum.
•       The grip is smaller in width and diameter than competitor’s 2011 handguns, which makes the gun easier to hold onto, especially if you have smaller hands.
•      Better recoil management, as the recoil is primarily driven straight back through the steel (or aluminum) portion of the frame, whereas in a traditional once piece frame you have more of a moment arm that increases muzzle flip during recoil.  (This also helps you shoot faster)
• 
  

Overall, I am very impressed with all the models I tried.  The fit and finish is excellent.  The action is very smooth.  The trigger is light with a crisp break and excellent, positive reset.  Though the frame is a wide, double-stack configuration, it is still narrow enough that I can get a firm grip on the handgun and control it.  Accuracy was excellent.  Where I aimed is where it went. 

Making rapid-fire shots with the STI 2011 is easy and so is keeping all your shots on target. 

Ignore the operator error on the left side. (getting used to a new gun)  The important part is the large ragged hole in the middle.  7 yards, rapid fire.  Two different models, one with micro red-dot, the other with iron sights.  (once I figured out the gun/sights, both shot exactly where I aimed as fast as I can pull the trigger)

One thing I did notice is the two-piece frame really does help manage recoil.  The muzzle flip was noticeably less than with other handguns.  And the models with compensators on them had even less. 

Standard one piece frame on top.

STI two-piece frame on bottom.

STI two-piece frame assembled.

Now for the downside of STI, their guns are not cheap.  Pricing starts around $1500 and goes up, upwards of $4000 for the high-end competition guns.  And if you want custom modifications, they can do it, for additional money. 

That is the bad news.  But quality costs money.  And if you want one of the best, then you need to spend the money. 

In my opinion, I am highly tempted to trade in several of my generic guns just to buy one STI.  Yes, I think they are that good and that nice.  There is nothing wrong with Glocks, or Smiths or Rugers or any other brand.  They are just generic and there is only so much modification you can do before you are just wasting money.  Sometimes you just need to splurge, upgrade and buy the best.  Buy once! Cry once!  (Are you OK driving a Honda, or do you really want that twin turbo Porche?)

This is my take on the STI 2011 pistols.  Definitely worth the money!  They will perform as promised, just at a price.  

Finally, thank you to STI for coming out to display their products.  Especially Buck, for answering all my dumb questions.  And a big thank you to Trigger Time Gun Club for hosting the event.  It is always great to try before you buy, especially higher end products.  

Final thought:

Buck did mention STI is working on new products for 2019.  As they are not released I won't go into detail about what is coming in the near future.  These details will have to wait until SHOT Show 2019.

By: Mez

9/8/2018

Range Night - DOT Torture Success!!

On the heels of GunDiva's recent post on shooting buddies, I scooted off to the range with my best friend for a little pew pew therapy and a stated goal to clean DOT Torture at three yards. The goal was to accomplish that with the Ruger 22/45 and Sig P320 Compact in 9mm. I'm pleased to say that the results were much improved from my last outing.

Ruger 22/45 at 3 yards

This was almost a perfect run. As you can see, I dropped 1 shot in the 3 dot when I anticipated the shot allowing the barrel to dip just enough. Other than that, I'm pretty pleased with that performance. It's also helpful to know what I did wrong that kept it from being perfect.

Sig P320 Compact 9mm at 3 yards

This could be a little tighter, but it's clean and that's what matters to me. YAY ME!!! Next goal is to clean the .22 at 3 yards and move both back to 5 yards.

The rest of the range session included a couple of mags through my buddies Springfield Armory 5" 9mm 1911. Allegedly, it's a TRP model, but there are some doubts on that subject. It could be a modified Loaded model given that he bought it used off a competition shooter. The trigger was typical 1911. This one was equipped with Bomar style adjustable sights.

SA 5" 1911 at 5 yards

 First shot was the 8 ring hit at roughly 11 o'clock using a center X hold. Adjusted the point of aim progressively to 5 o'clock in the 8 ring, and that's the rest of the shots.

SA 5" 1911 at 7 yards

Here again, point of aim was roughly five o'clock low. I can't complain with those results.

Sig P320 Compact at 3 yards

Ruger 22/45 at 5 yards

Ruger 22/45 at 5 yards

Ruger 22/45 at 5 yards

Ruger 22/45 at 5 yards - Target transitions left to right and back

Sig P320 Compact 9mm at 5 yards - Target transitions left to right and back

Frankly, I don't remember what I was doing or at what distance.

Sig P320 Compact 9mm at 5 yards - Target transitions left to right and back (getting better) 

Ruger 22/45 at 10 yards

Ruger 22/45 at 15 yards

Target transitions - Ruger 22/45 at 5 yards - point of aim 1" red pasters

Target transitions - Ruger 22/45 at 5 yards - point of aim red line between targets

Target transitions - Ruger 22/45 at 5 yards - point of aim 1" red pasters

Time and energy were turned into smoke and noise. A good time was had by all. I didn't embarrass myself, and it beats a day at the office any way you slice it.

Range Night and Other Odds and Ends

I just realized I never got around to posting part 3 of the Caliber series of posts. Oops. I'll get around to it eventually. Maybe. No one's been sending me hate mail asking where it is. So, maybe not.

I had an opportunity to get out to the range this evening with my best friend. It was my first chance to go pistol shooting since we attempted to simulate a small war in Hill County on Mother's Day. Much fun was had by all; but, sweet barbecue sauce, it was monkey melting HOT that day. We took turns shooting and sitting in the shade of carefully positioned canopies while drinking plenty of water, and it was still hot enough to marinate in your own juices. I didn't take many pictures that day because...it was just too dang hot to be bothered.

I did get to play with several toys that were brought by others including:

Ruger SR9 - my brother in law's Christmas gift from my sister. It's a polymer 9 made by Ruger. You could do a lot worse. Trigger is nothing to right home about, but I went bang every time.

Savage Mark II bolt action .22LR rifle with a suppressor - my cousin's friend Alex brought this little number out to play. It came nestled into a Boyd's At-One Adjustable Stock and propped up by a bipod. This thing was a frikkin' giggle factory. You've not heard quiet until you shoot subsonic .22LR ammo out of a suppressed bolt action rifle. Savage makes a really good trigger. However, their little stamped steel magazines, while functional, could be used to shave in a pinch.  I guess I'm just spoiled by Ruger 10/22 mags.

Sig P226 and P229 - Best friend brought both. I still don't shoot DA/SA triggers worth a flip, but I didn't embarrass myself quite as badly this time. Both of these guns are very nice with SRT triggers, upgraded suppressor height sights, etc. Maybe one day I will invest the time, energy and money into learning DA/SA triggers to make it worth it to add one to the collection. In the meantime...there's always 1911s to play with.

No name,  homegrown, AR-15 chambered in 9MM. My cousin's friend is a budding machinist in addition to being a gun nut. He made the lower receiver himself. Not hogged out an 80% lower on a jig made it. He took a block of aluminum, a mill, some measurements and went to town. This one uses stick mags, but he has another one he made which takes Glock mags. He's single and still lives at home with mom. So, he can get away with making his own toys.

AR-15 with a CMMG .22LR upper and a Franklin Binary trigger system - This is another giggle factory. It's as close to full auto as you are going to get this side of a tax stamp, and very controllable. I was able to put 25 rounds of standard velocity CCI onto a 3x5 note cards at 25 yards as fast as I could pull the trigger using a red dot optic. Like I said...giggle factory.

Tried out a 16 inch .300 Blackout AR upper on my Aero Precision lower. I might just have to get one as a short to medium range hunting option. Roughly the same power as a 7.62x39 or a .30-30. Not much more recoil that a 5.56/.223 AR.

There was my best friend's Sig P320 X-Carry with the Romeo1 red dot on it. He's had a lot of  stuff done to it including a flat faced trigger and a Norsso slide. I would need to spend a lot more time with it to give a fair opinion, but the trigger is really nice for a polymer striker fired gun. I need more time on a red dot equipped pistol to be anywhere near comfortable with them. It fed the rounds down range with reasonable accuracy. Further, affiant sayeth not.

There was a lot more stuff out there, but I didn't get to play with all of it.

Tonight was pistol night though.

We started off with DOT TORTURE. Again.

43 out of 50 at 5 yards with a Ruger Mk3 22/45

The hardest part of Dot Torture is learning to take your time. Once you learn how to control your gun and clean to drill, you can add a time element in...if you're a masochist. I probably should have run a magazine through the gun before starting the drill just to knock the rust off. But, sometimes you just have to see if you can perform the dancing bear routine cold.

Same distance - Sig P320 Carry 9mm

I'm not even sure how to score this target. If I'm being generous, that's a 42 out of 50. If I'm being honest, that's a sub 40 circus of mediocrity.

Learned something new tonight. Well, not really new per se. I already sort of knew it. I had just never thought about it in the context of a pistol before. When you shoot a bullet, it flies in a parabolic arc. That means that it leaves the barrel and "climbs" a little bit above the line of sight until evil, old gravity sucks it back to earth at which time it drops back below the line of sight and keeps going until it hits pay dirt. What this means for the pistol shooter is that your point of impact will "rise" as range increases for a constant point of aim to a certain point (the top of the parabolic arc). Rifle shooters already know this stuff and have serious, poo slinging arguments over what the best distance is to zero their weapons or maximum point blank range and other silliness that pistol shooters typically ignore.

My friend suggested I give this a whirl with the Sig P320 and the Ruger SR1911. The way you do this is put a 1" paster on the bottom of a piece of paper or 3x5 note card. Heck, any target will do. The key is to use the same point of aim. Fire one shot at 3 yards. Move the target back to 5 yards. Fire one more shot. Keep doing this at 7, 10, 15, 20 yards, etc. out to whatever range you can realistically center your sights on the same 1" paster point of aim reference. You should see your point of impact "ladder" vertically at each distance. With the P320, I shot a 3 round cloverleaf at 3, 5 and 7, but the 10 yard shot was definitely above the others. With the SR1911, the effect was more noticeable with each round stringing vertically with distinct separation between each shot. The shot at 3 yards was at least 2 to 3 inches lower (maybe 4) than the shot at 10 yards.

It's something everyone should do with any gun/ammo combination you intend to rely on for self defense. Not every self defense situation occurs at the same distance at which you practice, and you need to know where your gun will shoot for a given point of aim at a given distance. As a general rule of thumb, lower your point of aim as distance to target increases. Know yourself. Know your gear. Because you never know when you will have to hit the light switch on an intruder's CNS...in the dark...with your pulse doing twice the speed of light.

Last but not least, we did draws from concealment shooting two rounds on an A zone target at 5 yards. This was to put to bed a bit of smack talking that took place some months ago when my friend mentioned he'd picked up a shot timer and was working on his draws. He had started out in the 4 second range for 2 shots on target from concealment. I allowed as how he was a ham handed, gormless ape with no thumbs and two left feet. He questioned my parentage and allowed as how I could put up or shut up. I challenged him to same gear/same distance, and he suggested loser buys a box of ammo. So, I put on his Deadpool Kydex holster along with the previously mentioned 9mm Sig P320 Carry and gave it my best draw from concealment.

According to the timer, I threw down a 2.23 second time landing both hits in the A zone at 5 yards. Frankly, I'd never timed myself specifically on draw to double tap before...ever...much less using this gun and holster. So, the result was news to me. If I were to practice more with that gun and holster set up, I'm pretty sure I can bring that down in the sub 2 second range. Probably. Maybe. I'll just keep telling myself that.

Now, though, it was my best friend's turn. His time....drumroll please....2.40 seconds. Huge improvement over where he started in the 4 second range.

After all was said and done, we agreed that we were both in the same ballpark and the contest was a draw. It was all smoke and noise, and we had a great time.

Oh, one last thing, I ran 10 rounds through my friends Sig P365. This is Sig's new sub compact carry pistol which manages to stuff 10 rounds of 9mm in a package roughly the same size as a Glock 43 or a S&W Shield. The things shot amazingly well for a gun that size. I put all 10 in a head shot grouping of about 2 to 3 inches from 5 yards. I'll just say I wouldn't turn one down if it were given to me.

Something to (Re)Consider

I had a great time at the gun range on Sunday. My best friend is getting married, and he had asked me to organize a gun range outing as part of the bachelor party festivities. Our original choice for location was to be a large, outdoor range in the DFW area; however, "Spring" weather in Texas struck a death blow to that plan with temps in the 40s and a windchill in the 30s.

No worries, the recently reopened DFW Gun Range took care of us on short notice with a three lane bay all to ourselves. We got there at the right time too. When we packed up to leave, there was a huge crowd waiting for an open lane. For those in the Dallas area, DFW Gun Range has made some really nice improvements as part of the rebuild following the fire. It's well worth your time to check them out.

As is known to happen from time to time when acquainted gunnies gather, gats were passed around for sampling. This is both a good and bad thing. It's a good thing in that you get to try out things that you don't currently own without forking over a rental fee and paying range ammo prices. It's a bad thing in that people, like me, afflicted with gun trader ADD might be tempted to sell or trade something for something else because....OOOoooo, shiny.

For the most part, I was immune. I ran a box of .45 through best friend's newly acquired Ruger SR1911...which set me off jonesing for another 1911 (the Sig Traditional Reverse Two Tone to be exact). There is nothing wrong with the SR1911. It's as accurate as every other 1911 I've had the pleasure to play with including a Colt, a Kimber, the Sig 1911, a Umarex/Regent, a Firestorm, etc. Price point wise, you will have a hard time finding a higher quality 1911 for under $700 (buddy paid just over $600 plus tax for it at a gun show a couple of months ago).

The Smith & Wesson 4 inch Model 27-2 in .357 did not awaken any urges for me nor did "Bertha". Bertha is a Colt Single Action Army clone in .45 Colt. She makes a big boom and puts a big hole in the target. She's also heavier than an opera singer on a Ben & Jerry's binge. The Sig P238 in .380 wearing the Equinox finish was cute, and I succeeded in shooting it without leaving blood on the slide (unlike his Colt Mustang from ages ago). Alas, I have no need nor desire for a pocket mouse.

Here's the thing that really threw my gun ADD in a tizzy. The Gen 3 Glock 19 in 9mm. Ugly as sin, and boring as all get out. Couldn't be planer than a white bread bologna sammich. I have no need of a polymer wonder 9. I have the Smith & Wesson M&P40 (with the 9mm barrel). But, here's the thing I could not ignore.

I flat out just shoot a bone stock Glock better than I shoot the M&P.

The Glock has a better trigger out of the box than the M&P. There is no debating that point. The Glock also gives up a half inch of barrel length and sight radius to the M&P, but that's mostly negligible at social distances. The M&P has better ergonomics, better factory sights and just feels better in the hand; but, even with the crappy plastic stock Glock sights, it outshoots the M&P for me.

This is intolerable.

I could spend about $100 on parts from Apex to make the M&P trigger better than it is, but there's no guarantee that it would improve it's shootability enough for me to shoot it better than I shoot the Glock. I had a Glock in the past (a Gen 1 or Gen 2 G23 in .40) with which I had a neutrally ambivalent relationship. I have shot Glocks in the interim with similar results though never head to head with the M&P like this. I bought the M&P on the premise that it's made in the USA (because...'Murica! Dang it!), felt better in my hand and had better sights which should mean that it shoots better. Right?

Wrong.

I ignored my own good advice (given freely to others and now, again, to you) to try before you buy. Seriously. Go find a range or a friend who has what you are interested in. Shoot it against possible alternatives. If it ain't working for you, don't buy it.

Now, I have to go hang my head in shame secure in the knowledge that I will be stuck carrying an ugly Austrian just because it's a better tool for my hands than the sexy M&P.

[grumble, grumble]

Maybe I will name it...Frau Blucher.

Sporting a New Look

My Para's almost nine years old (she was "born" on my birthday according to her paperwork) and she's been well-used.  So well-used that she was beginning to look a bit rode hard and put away wet.  Before Christmas, I won a $50 gift certificate from 13 Zulu so I thought I'd give my faithful 1911 a bit of a facelift.

Poor, haggard looking Para

The problem was that I had no idea what I wanted to do with her.  13 Zulu has done some amazing DuraCoat jobs, including a Zombie Hunter theme for my brother Junior's gun.  I spent a lot of time looking through their photo galleries, both on their website and Facebook page, but couldn't come up with an idea.

I kind of had maybe an idea, but was open to suggestion.  I dragged Jay along with me to drop off the Para and to help me come up with some ideas.  My problem is that I'm not super passionate about anything in particular.  Junior loves zombies, so he had blood splatter and a zombie put on his gun.  Mrs. Junior fell in love with a "tribal" design and had one put on her gun.  But I have a 1911, I wasn't going to put a 1911 on my gun, that would just be silly.  A great deal of the guns 13 Zulu has DuraCoated for women were coming out of the shop pink, but I'm not a pink kind of girl.  That was the one thing I was certain of - absolutely no pink anywhere on my gun.  I was going to go with matte black and threw out the idea of putting "GunDiva" on it somewhere.

Mike was incredibly patient with me and gently guided me away from the plain old black. (I think it offended him to do something so boring.)  He kept offering up ideas, but I was luke-warm about most of them until he told me he could make it look like stone.  Oooo, my ears perked up.  Finally!  We had a starting point.  The more he and Jay talked, the more excited I got about her facelift.  I left the shop so excited I could hardly stand myself.

Mike was great about sending me updates, starting within an hour of leaving her in his care.

Fresh out of the blasting cabinet

In order to put "GunDiva" on the slide, he had to get rid of the maker's stamps on each side.  I didn't even know that was possible, but he did a great job of filling them.  You can't even tell they used to exist.

...and the marks are gone.

Before I knew it, I was getting pictures from Mike of my completed gun.  Which I then showed to everybody at work.  I carried my phone around and if anyone made eye contact with me, they got stuck seeing pictures of my baby, even if they weren't gunnies.

I can't believe it's the same gun.  She feels the same.  When I pick her up, it's like she's home, but I can't get over the transformation in her looks.  There's a Defensive Pistol match coming up on Sunday and I can't wait to show her off.  Mike recommends not putting her in a holster for about four weeks, and I love the job he did, so I'll be following his recommendation and shooting her from low-ready - all the better to show her off to everyone at the range. :)

I already have plans to have him do a matching job on my shotgun once I get it finished; I think the matched set will look extra bad ass.

I highly recommend 13 Zulu to anyone who is interested in having their gun DuraCoated.  Mike was unbelievably patient and helped me come up with a design I not only could live with, but love.  The turn-around time was a matter of days; in fact, she sat in the shop longer after she was done while waiting on me than it took Mike to finish her up.

1911 Edition

I'm lucky that my husband supports my shooting to the point that he designs shooting-based things for me. In fact, he designed my tattoo...

The gun is based on his M&P

If you read my other blog, Just another perfect day, you know that my husband, RCC, has a "thing" for my car, Ripley.  He keeps buying her cool stuff; by far, my favorite is my 3rd brake light. I love to see the looks on people's faces when they realize what it says.  The majority of people don't notice, but those who do end up with huge grins on their faces.

He's actually bought a ton of cool things for Ripley, far too many to list. But I've been eagerly awaiting his newest design: decals that show my love of 1911s.  How lucky am I that they showed up on our anniversary?