Time for SHOT Show 2020!

Hey internet.  It is that time of the year again.  Time for SHOT Show 2020.
In a few weeks the team here at GunDivas will be heading out to Las Vegas to SHOT Show.

So what is SHOT Show you ask?  For those who do not know.  SHOT Show is the firearms industry trade show.  SHOT Show is where everyone (Manufacturers, Distributors, Retailers) comes to display their new and existing products.  It includes firearms, firearm accessories, clothing, etc.  There is even sections for Military and Law Enforcement.  All the cool toys we are not allowed to buy.  But fun to window shop.  SHOT Show includes the international industry community as well.
Unfortunately, it is not open to the public.  For the general public, the only way to view SHOT Show is through the various firearms related media such as TheGunDivas.

This year we want to try something a little different.  Instead of trying to see everything and write/video what we think is interesting.
We want to hear from you, the viewing audience.  Tell us what you want to see.  What do you want us to check out and report back on.

Is there a new firearm, accessory, tactical light, optic, clothing, etc. you want us to check out?  Go to our Facebook page and let us know about it.
We will do our best to find it and report back on it.  We cannot guarantee we'll get to everything, but we will try.
(SHOT Show is HUGE!  Four days is not enough time to see everything in any detail other than a quick run by)

Go to Facebook and let us know if there is something you want us to check out and report back on.

https://www.facebook.com/GunDiva/


-Mez
Dec. 2019

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.

Exploding Soup

Had a good time at my friend's place over Labor Day weekend playing with my new toy: a Marlin 1894 .44 Magnum. My buddy was holding the phone shooting the video and was the unfortunate backstop (or front stop if you will) for several globs of soup. The video is in slow motion, but it did rain soup and can parts for several seconds in real time.

Full review of the Marlin one of these days.

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.

Smith & Wesson M&P 40: A Quick Update

Previously, I had reported that the .40S&W magazines would feed 9mm ammo. I found out this past Sunday that such is not 100% accurate. To clarify, during my first range outing, at least one of my mags loaded and fed 9mm ammo with no trouble. Last Sunday, one of my mags would not even entertain the thought of holding just one 9mm round much less feeding it. I suspect that there is a slight tolerance variance in the feed lips that makes one do it and the other not.

In short, if you want to do the multi-caliber barrel swap conversion, you will probably want to go ahead and invest in some 9mm magazines to go with the extra barrel. I'll be doing that soon.

Gettin' Better

I had the opportunity to spend some quality time at the range yesterday with close friends and family. It was not my day on the rifle range; however, the pistol range was another matter entirely.

The M&P is starting to show signs of adequacy if not actual promise.

That's roughly 30 rounds at 7 yards. The top two shots near the twelve o'clock nine are the bottom of my best friend's test drive mag aimed at the twelve o'clock eight. I own the shot near the six o'clock 9 as a called flyer. I would call tearing up the 10 and x rings more than acceptable.

While the M&P trigger is clearly workable as is, I still don't like it as much as I would like to. As a result, we are rapidly reaching the point at which time I order the Apex kit. Borrowing my cousin's girlfriend's Glock 23 (earlier Gen...probably a post AWB Gen 2 based on the plethora of 10 round mags) for 10 shots didn't help especially when I turned out even better accuracy from the Glock without even thinking about it.

The Ruger 22/45 got a work out as well. Ten shots at the x box on the scoring chart at seven yards with five in one hole measuring about a half inch. I can't be happier with that.

My cousin gave me a turn behind his Mosin-Nagant. Ten rounds of 7.62 x 54R later, and I can happily report that I can hit the broad side of center mass at 50 yards with one. That, and my kidney stones have been pulverized sufficiently while my shoulder remains intact.

In other news, BSA reflex red dots do not work in bright light even on their highest brightness setting and even cheap 1911s are freakishly accurate. Borrowed a Umarex made Regent 1911 belonging to a friend of my cousin's for one mag. Six rounds through the same hole punching out the x at seven yards is hard to argue with.

The weather was beautiful, our energy ran out before our ammo did, and any day at the range beats a day doing anything else.

I'll Be In My Bunk...

Dear Ruger,

I've been a good boy this year. I've taken care of my wife, done the dishes, cooked dinner and changed diapers. If you send me one of these for T&E, I'll be your new best friend.

Sincerely,

Daddy Hawk

P.S. The adjustable stock needs to be upgraded. For a $1995 MSRP, at least spring for a Magpul stock. That, or chop the MSRP by a $100 and give us an A2 stock option. That rifle is too pretty for a cheap, ugly stock.

Initial Review/Range Report: Smith & Wesson M&P40 (/9/357Sig)

Cross Posted at Daddy Hawk's Toy Box

It's been a stressful few weeks. Between work, getting ready to be out of the office for work and personal travel, The Queen not feeling well, M&M needing her daily dose of Daddy Hawk, house work, cooking, shopping and generally failing badly at getting the sleep necessary to function as a normal member of the human race, I was getting ready to shoot something. Whether that something turned out to be an animate or inanimate object was rapidly becoming less of a concern to me. So, the other evening, I finally had a chance to sneak away from the house (actually, I just didn't return home as early as I otherwise would have) to visit the local range for the purpose of taking the new M&P out for its first official test spin.

So, before I dive into breathlessly describing how wonderful the M&P is or isn't, I'd like to issue my standard disclaimer and tell the FTC (who I hope are enjoying a restful Obamacation) that I paid my own hard earned, seriously value deflated dollars to buy this particular M&P. Smith & Wesson has no idea who I am and has not offered me any compensation or consideration for this review. So, go suck on your banana punk monkey. These opinions are 100% mine.

Alright, now that my libertarian tendencies have been mollified for a little while, let's get down to business.

Starting with the title of this review, you will notice that I am calling this the Smith & Wesson M&P 40/9/357Sig. The dirty little secret is that M&P saved a whole hoochie load of money developing this pistol by going big for commonality across the platform. The recoil spring is identical for all three calibers. Need proof? Go look up replacement recoil springs on Midway USA's website. Barrel dimensions are identical (a fact we will address in more detail in a bit) which means the slide dimensions are identical which in turn means that the frame dimensions have to be pretty darn close too. There may be (though I seriously doubt it) a tiny skosh bit of difference in the mag well on the 9 as opposed to the 40/357; however, the 40 mags are marked ".40S&W/.357Sig" (or vice versa depending on your perspective) meaning that the frame of those two calibers have the same freaking dimensions.

Now, reading the forums [for a?] (and even watching a few videos from manufacturer reps) you will find many a post that suggests that the slide on the 9 is not strong enough to hold up against the pressures generated by the .40. I've not come across any comment on the .40 slide not being strong enough for the .357Sig, but give it time. Someone will decide that the slides on the .357Sig MUST be stronger to contain the uber high specialness that is the chamber pressure of a .40 case necked to a 9mm bullet. Personally, I call el toro guano. I don't see Smith & Wesson making some slides "stronger" when they are toleranced to the same dimensions as other "weaker" slides when using the same (presumably...I'd be happy to hear a S&W rep confirm that) materials on the same manufacturing line. I'm no metallurgical expert, but I don't think it works like that.

Don't take my word for it though. Proceed at your own risk. Do your own research. I take no responsibility for your own stupidity for something you read on the internet from someone who is a self avowed non-expert in the field.

Here is my personal, anecdotal experience on the subject to close out this portion of the review. I bought the M&P40 as well as a 9mm replacement barrel. I can confirm for you that the 9mm replacement barrel was a perfect, drop in fit. 9mm ammo fed from the 40/357 mags without a hitch (including the last round despite what I've read from other noted internet experts on that point). The pistol fired and cycled the 9mm ammo without incident. I would not hesitate to attempt the same with a .357Sig replacement barrel. Your mileage may vary.

I'm not going to spend much time here on the aesthetics of the M&P. As polymer pistols go, I think it's a good looking pistol. The fish scale slide serrations are unique as well as functional. The black Melonite finish performs its intended function well enough and will serve as a good canvas for a custom coating should I ever decide to get around to doing something to set my M&P apart from the masses. The rounded grip is quite comfortable, and I had no problems hanging on to the gun even during moderately rapid fire (something between .5 and 1 second per shot). A texture job on the grips would certainly enhance that, but I don't see it as a necessity unless you were gifted with exceptionally sweaty palms.

As to safeties, Smith & Wesson wisely in my humble opinion took the “buffet” approach of offering a wide variety of options. Do you live behind the nanny state curtain? They have you covered with 10 round mags, magazine disconnects, thumb safeties and infernal (internal) locks. Do you live in free America where you are trusted to make decisions for yourself? They offer versions without the infernal lock, with or without the thumb safety, etc. My particular model is completely safety free (other than the odd trigger safety which is marginally okay). Call it a point and click model if you like.

From a concealability point of view, I have no problems hiding it in the appendix carry position under an untucked polo shirt. Bear in mind that I am 6'4" tall and heft about 240 pounds on the scale. So, petite folk may have a different perspective on this. Wearing it unloaded, "Mexican" style (as I have not found an AIWB holster for it yet that I like), The Queen did not notice the gun (she was not informed that there would be a CCW "printing" test) over the course of an hour or two. Even without a holster, the gun was comfortable (hardly noticeable in fact) and stayed put fairly well while performing normal household activity (I would try jumping jacks without a good holster). I have not tried it in the 4 o'clock IWB position yet; however, I don't foresee it being any more visible than in the AIWB position. In the 3 o'clock OWB position, I would expect it to bulge an untucked shirt just a bit. But, balance it with a mag carrier at 9 o'clock and it might not be an issue.

Function-wise, I only had time to run 70 rounds of .40S&W, 10 rounds of 9mm (including time for the barrel swap back and forth), and 47 rounds of .22 (through the Ruger 22/45 Mk III which was feeling all lonely neglected in the range bag). I had no failures to feed, fire or extract. The only function issue of any note was that the slide did not lock back after the last round consistently. As a matter of fact, it probably locked back less than 50% of the time. I didn't diligently keep track of the problem. So, I can't say how often for sure; however, it was definitely noticeable. Next range outing I try to see if grip firmness affects that or if there is a mag follower issue.

Speaking of the 47 rounds of .22 as a quick digression, it would have been 50 rounds but for these little treasures.

 

I've never seen anything like that in a box of factory ammo. Not even from a box of cheapo, Walmart, Remington bulk pack.

And, just for GunDiva, a picture of the target.

 

No, I didn't WANT to change the target. That's 47 rounds at 7 yards fired as quick as I could load mags and fire. It was *VERY* satisfying to use the .22 as a bullet hose. Not that I am suggesting that one should EVER skirt the range rules or anything. Fortunately, the dude in the next bay giving his girlfriend her first taste of semi auto (using a Ruger P94 in .40...after letting her shoot .22 and .38/.357 revolvers...with full power magnum rounds no less) and was going all bullet hose with his gat (he was nice enough…so, I won't call him nasty names here) giving me the cover necessary to have some fun unnoticed by the front desk.

Now, digression complete. Move along. Nothing to see here.

In an earlier post, I commented on the quality of the trigger pull. I believe I said something about broken glass. That issue is still there; BUT, I found it much less noticeable when actually focusing on the front sight with the intention of shooting something. Maybe I'm easily distracted. Who knows? That's not to say that I might not still have a trigger job done and/or splurge on an Apex trigger kit. I want at least 250 rounds (preferably 500 rounds) through it before I decide on any substantive changes like that.

A quick note on field stripping: it’s pretty simple. Remove the magazine, clear the chamber, use a tool to push or pull the lever in the mag well that disconnects the sear down, thumb the take down lever down, remove the slide from the frame, remove the recoil spring assembly and remove the barrel. Done. It’s as quick as stripping a Glock though the downside is that it’s not completely tool less unless you have a finger that can manipulate the sear disconnect lever (I don’t). Reassembly was equally unremarkable.

The sights are fine for their intended purpose. This is not a bullseye gun. The rear sight is drift adjustable for windage. For elevation, it’s either learn your hold overs/unders or get a different front sight post. Having said that, I’m 95% certain I will be replacing these sights with fiber optic replacements soon since my 40 something year old eyes don’t focus at arm’s length the way they used to.

Moving right along, let’s talk accuracy. My first shot at 3 yards was in the x ring which, let’s be honest, shouldn’t be that hard at that range. The remaining 4 shots out of my first string were inside the 10 ring (four in the x ring); however, the grouping is not as tight as I would expect of myself at that range. My next string of 15 (one full mag) at 7 yards was even less impressive.

 

I was aiming for the top 8. Other than that, I have no explanation for that pattern or the others that follow. I’d like to throw an alibi out, but I got nothing. It’s certainly minute of bad guy accuracy and will get the job done, but I’m just disappointed because I am used to getting most everything inside the 9 ring at that range.

Finally, the only thing left to talk about are some odds and ends. Recoil was quite manageable for me at least (especially after my recent experience with the S&W M325PD). The 147 grain subsonic 9MM ammo had less felt recoil than the 180 grain .40S&W ammo. Duh. No surprise there. It’s no .22 pistol, but you’re not going to have to worry about digging the rear sight out of your forehead either. No issues with the mag release. It did its job just fine. I was unable to remove the little frame mounted tool that lets you swap out the grip panels. I’m sure I was just not doing it right since I hadn’t bothered with reading the manual yet. The witness hole/loaded chamber indicator worked as advertised. No issues with the mags themselves other than the first round is sometimes a pain in the butt to get in if you’re not paying attention to the follower and the feed lips. Rounds 14 and 15 will be challenging for most people to load without the use of a mag loader which Smith & Wesson did not see fit to include. Some people swear by the Uplula’s, but I’m not sure that a stiff, thin piece of metal wouldn’t work just as good. I may just have to test that theory and report back.

 

So, to sum up, I like the gun. It fits my hand well with the medium grip insert, and I can shoot it adequately as is. There are things I would like to change and probably will. Is it as good as a Glock out of the box? Meh, maybe. Glocks have better triggers out of the box while the M&P has better sights and more options in addition to being better looking (IMHO). After typical modifications (triggers, sights, texturing), they are a wash from price point, reliability, and functionality standpoints. Glocks have a slight edge when you consider accessories and other ancillary items like the fact that there are carbines available that use Glock mags but none that I am aware of that use M&P mags.

Dear Smith & Wesson,

I recently partook of the opportunity to become acquainted with your successful line of M&P semi automatic pistols. I chose the M&P40 over the Teutonic Brick and the many other polymer pistol offerings because the M&P fit me the best. I bought this for two reasons only: 1) I don't have so much invested in it that I won't mind it being held for evidence if the need arises, and 2) a simple barrel swap lets you shoot 9MM, .40 S&W and .357 Sig (the M&P uses the exact same recoil spring for all three, the barrel dimensions are the same and 9MM will feed from the .40/.357 mags as long as you don't count on the last round feeding due to the slight difference in case dimensions...up yours ammo shortage...I will shoot what I can find). While I can't say that I know the M&P40 well enough yet to provide you with a detailed litany of my thoughts regarding your product, I can say that I've spent enough time with it to have some initial impressions. Please allow me to share.

Aesthetics

It's purtier than the Glock in my opinion, but that's like saying a brick is prettier than a cinder block. I have lost any infatuation I ever had with the tacticool look of black on black with a light rail.  Once I decide what design I like the most, it's getting a custom coating. Satin black "ghost" flames over the matte black Melonite finish might be cool. Maybe some color with the Texas and US flags. I don't know yet. However, I do like the fish scale slide serrations. They look unique compared to straight or slanted lines, and they function quite nicely.

The Sights

The sights seem to be perfectly adequate for social work out to 25 yards; however, I will have to confirm that before giving an enthusiastic endorsement. Because I have reached middle age and my eye doc says I don't have 20/20 anymore, a Hiviz fiber optic front sight may make an appearance in the not so distant future.

The Trigger

First, it's not a 1911 trigger. So, let's get that illusion out of the way up front. There is a longer than I would like take up before getting to the advertised 6.6 pound trigger pull to trip the sear. Along the way to the break, it seems like the trigger is crawling through broken glass (it is crunchy and gritty). Reports suggest that this will improve with use as supposedly repeated trigger pulls file off some stamp/tool marks that are left unpolished from the factory. I will endeavor to confirm this if I can. If we get to the 500 round mark with no discernible improvement, more drastic measures will be employed.

Many pixels have been burned into monitors regarding the alleged lack of a tactile trigger reset. Either the wailing and gnashing of teeth has been heard and mercy has been bestowed upon the market, or I lucked into a particularly good example as the trigger reset was fairly short with both tactile and audible sensations confirming for me that the trigger was good to go again. Either way, I see no need for me to drop money at Apex Tactical's feet to enhance the reset on mine. Your mileage may vary.

Full review to follow after I get the recently ordered 9MM barrel and extra magazines in and have some time and money to get rounds downrange.

Sincerely,

Daddy Hawk

P.S. Thank your for trusting your customers enough to offer a range of pistols equipped with a variety safety options including the "Is gun...is not safe...keep booger hook off bang switch" safety option.

Initial (and Possibly Final) Review: Smith & Wesson 325PD .45ACP

Cross Posted at Daddy Hawk's Toy Box

Those that know me well know I like guns. I like all kinds of guns. Big guns, small guns, wheel guns, long guns, shotguns, giggle switch guns, quiet guns, loud guns…pretty much any kind of gun will do. Okay, maybe not a Jennings or a Lorcin…maybe. I have a wish list of guns that runs fairly long, and today’s item up for review has been a longtime resident on my wish list. In fact, I’ve been looking for one of these for at least two years. It had become a bit of a Grail Gun for me in that it was only made for three or four years in what I can only assume are small quantities because I never saw one for sale (until recently).

I present to you the Smith & Wesson 325PD in .45ACP with a 4 inch barrel:

You won’t find technical specs for this gun on the Smith & Wesson website any longer as it is a discontinued gun. According to the Blue Book of Gun Values (the freebie info available without paying for the full enchilada), Smith & Wesson only made this model from 2004 to 2007 in two and a half inch and four inch barreled versions. It weighs in between 21 and 25 ounces. I assume (because I do not have a scale handy) that the four inch version is the 25 ounce “heavy” weight. This is possible because of the “airweight” scandium frame and titanium cylinder. Smith & Wesson has also done .357 Magnum (the 327PD) and .44 Magnum (the 329PD) versions. For reasons that escape me, the 329PD is still in production while the 325s and 327s are not.

The gun comes equipped with nice but not gorgeous wood finger groove stocks as well as a Hogue replacement should you so desire (…and, truthfully, you probably should). The sights are fully adjustable. The front sight is a HiViz fiber optic which you would have to be blind to miss. The rear sight is a simple, black V-notch. Since it fires the .45ACP cartridge, moon clips come as standard equipment (five, I think). It has the dreaded and much maligned Infernal Lock complete with two keys. Supposedly, the lock can be removed and the hole plugged; however, I have no plans to mess with it. I think it’s a completely stupid idea to have a lock on a firearm, but no one asked me.

The finish is matte black on the frame and barrel and matte grey on the cylinder. The only shiny parts on this gun are the trigger and the end of the barrel (which is just begging for someone to engrave “smile and wait for the flash” into it).

Speaking of the trigger, let’s talk about the important stuff now. Supposedly, the scandium framed PD models were Performance Center guns. I can’t find anything specific from the horses mouth to confirm that; but, based on the smoothness of the trigger, I believe it. I don’t own a trigger pull gauge, but I would estimate the single action pull somewhere between a loud thought and a quiet whisper. Seriously. It’s a Rule One violation waiting to happen. Do not put your finger on the trigger in single action unless you are really sure you want what’s in front of the barrel destroyed. My first two shots out of the box were high as I was not prepared for the trigger pull and hadn’t fully lined up my sight picture. In double action, the trigger pull is very smooth, controllable and predictable. I would estimate it somewhere in the eight to ten pound range.

So, how does it shoot? I have heard/read the recoil described as being “snappy”. Some have reported problems with ammunition backing out due to the recoil. Personally, I am not recoil averse. I have shot .44 Magnum from a Smith & Wesson Model 29, .357 Magnum from snubbies, .45ACP from 1911 platforms in several sizes, .45 Colt from a Single Action Army, 9MM and .40S&W from Glocks and other stuff besides. Point being, I am no stranger to major caliber handguns and their recoil.

Having said that, the 325PD is a different animal in recoil altogether. This is not a gun for a new shooter. Using standard 230 grain FMJ rounds, I would put recoil on par with or slightly more powerful than the .44 Magnum. A firm grip is a must. Limp wrist this gun at your own peril. Some people have said this is a gun you carry a lot and shoot a little. I can see why. The Hogue rubber stocks may tame the beast somewhat; however, I have not tried them as yet to verify that theory.

Accuracy is mixed based on my abbreviated range outing yesterday. I was able to run about 26 rounds through it at seven yards before I needed to be elsewhere. I am accustomed to one ragged hole groups at that distance using other guns. The first cylinder was shot in single action. Aside from the two learning curve shots mentioned above, the last four shots from this cylinder grouped well enough to ruin a bad guy’s day but were still high.

The next two shots were 230 grain, hollow point, self defense rounds (I can’t remember which brand as I type this). They grouped more to my expectation, and I would probably chalk that up to better quality control in the hollow point manufacture over that of ball ammo.

The last two targets were a mix of single action (two cylinders) and double action (one cylinder). By then, it was time to go. I was a little disappointed in the results; however, that may be attributable to the fact that it was a sauna in the range (I tried out an indoor range near my inlaws’ place that I’ve driven passed for years), and my glasses were steaming up from me sweating like a pig. That’s another story. Suffice it to say, Texans go to indoor ranges to get away from the heat. I won’t be back there for the range, but they did have reasonable prices on guns (I didn’t price their ammo).

Some final thoughts. For me, the fantasy of this gun was better than the reality of this gun. I had an idea in my mind’s eye of using this gun for IDPA competition. Unfortunately, the recoil using factory makes that a pipe dream without more practice than I can afford. I suppose hand loading a lighter round might make that feasible, but I don’t have the reloading experience nor the free time necessary to make that happen. Additionally, this is not a casual plinker by any stretch. This is a serious weapon for someone who wants serious firepower in a light weight platform.

My question is: who in their right mind buys the 329PD in .44 Magnum?

Teaser

Finally made it to the range Sunday with a new toy. Quickly figured out what food it REALLY likes:



5 shots on a 3 x 5 index card with a 1 inch target circle from a bench

This group is a tad low as the initial sighting in was done with CCI Stingers which are a 32 grain bullet moving about 400 FPS faster.

More to follow when I get all my photos and thoughts in order.

Needs

Let’s talk about needs for a moment.

No, I am not talking about the current media hysteria about “why do you need ________ [fill in the blank with the current evil, PSH instilling, inanimate object of the day]?” So, put away the torches and pitchforks (like anyone would want to waste good ammo on me these days). What I AM talking about is the concept of need versus want in a bad economy for those of us who are not independently wealthy (curse you losing lottery ticket…. CURSSSSE YOOOUUUUU!!!!).

Anyway, I’ll be alright. I promise.

For the sake of this discussion, I am going to assume that most of you are like me. You have a limited amount of disposable income and a wish list a mile long. Which brings us to the heart of the subject. We really have to learn how to prioritize our purchases.

Just like with any household budget, we have to pay for rent, food, lights and water before we think about cell phones, internet and satellite. We need to approach our firearms budget the same way.

It’s not easy.

We all want the new, shiny, sexy at the expense of the tried, true, dull and boring. I am no exception. Looking at my wish list, there is a lot of drool worthy stuff there, but there are also some basic tools that haven’t been taken care of yet too. I bet, if you are honest with yourself, you fall into the same category. Do you have a good .22LR rifle? Do you have a .22LR version of your carry weapon to practice with? Do you even have a carry weapon for that matter? Do you have enough ammo and the right accessories to use your existing weapons adequately?

So, how should I, or anyone else for that matter, tackle this problem?

The answer is: “It depends.”

Everyone’s situation is different. A newbie firearm owner is in a different place than an experienced competition shooter. Both have to prioritize, but they come at the problem from different starting points. Same goes for folks living in different geographic areas (my deepest sympathies to those of you in Colorado for what your kool-aid swilling legislature is about to do to you).

I will offer up the following suggested firearm’s budget/priority list as a means to analyze need versus want. Your mileage may vary.

1. The basics. I think we can all agree that everyone needs at least one .22LR rifle and handgun. How else are you going to train on any kind of regular basis with ammo prices where they are? Besides, they are just plain fun to shoot, and they are about the best tools around for introducing new shooters to the sport.

I would suggest you buy ones that will be similar to your planned or existing “big” guns. For instance, are you in love with ARs? How about a Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 or the new Ruger SR-22 rifle? Are you afflicted with the 1911 fetish like me? Sig, GSG and others make a 1911 style .22 pistol. Are you into revolvers? You get the idea.

2. Accessories for the basics (and anything else you buy…this is more of a recurring budget item). Ammo, slings, holsters, cases, extra magazines, optics, sights, aardvarks, unicorns, entering the arc two by two, and extras of everything, etc. It’s best to get them now while you are getting to know your new firearm, and you haven’t committed to buying the next shiny toy on your list. Do not skimp on the ammo budget. Especially on the .22s, especially in this climate. I would suggest keeping 1000 rounds of .22 on hand as a bare minimum. That’s a day at the range for some people.

3. Where you go from here depends a lot upon your particular situation, likes/dislikes, etc. Some people may get their full sized or carry handgun next. Others may go the hunting rifle route. People living in Colorado are busy selling their first born for an AR, two dozen PMags and a case of .223/5.56 ammo. People in New York are trying to save up for the single shot, bolt action .50 BMG rifle because that’s the only thing left that they can buy.

4. At some point, you need to consider protecting your investments with a gun cabinet (at a minimum) or a safe. Most people reach that point somewhere between two firearms and “did you buy a gun store?”. People with small, untrained children need to bump this item up to number 1.1 to be purchased at the same time as their first gun.

You need to realize that a gun cabinet is not adequate theft protection. It is merely a means to keep the curious and the young from getting into trouble. Gun safes range widely in price and quality. Do your homework. Make sure your floor will support it (most good safes start at about 400 pounds and go up from there) and, more importantly (especially for renters), that you can bolt it to the floor and/or the wall.

5. Now we get to the luxuries. Your primary needs are covered, and we can now entertain the thought of some of our wants and desires. Barbecue gun? Everyone wants something to show off. You want a reproduction Sharp’s .45-70? Knock yourself out. Suppressor? Patience (and an NFA stamp) grasshopper. Duplicates of what you already have? Because two is one and none is one. Something custom? Because nothing says I have money to burn like a tricked out Ruger 10/22 with an integrally suppressed barrel that will shoot groups .0025” smaller than a Wal-mart special.

The main point here is to think through your situation and spend your money wisely.

What *Is* The Answer? Part I

I've spent the weekend thinking about what happened on Friday, reading a lot of what has been posted, taking into consideration the sources.  I've also gone back to sources that I absolutely trust and respect.  I've tried to tune out the rhetoric - and Lord knows there's a lot of it out there right now.

My heart is breaking for the families, friends and community of Conneticut.  It's a terrible tragedy that can't easily be solved.

From the antis, we're hearing, "Ban Guns!"

From the pro-gunners, we're hearing, "Arm Teachers!"

For what seems like the first time ever (or at least since I've been a shooter), the antis and the pros agree on one thing: Mental Health availability needs an overhaul. (Now, if we could just get the politicians to effing listen to us!)

Teachers, neighbors, even parents (who aren't in denial) are able to pick out children who are going to be a problem.  Not "oh, little Johnny's a handful" problem, but "oh, this kid's going to grow up to be a mass-murderer" problem.  However, even if those children are identified, there is nothing as teachers that can be done about it.  Parents have no resources to help them.

Fifty years ago, when children like this were identified, they were institutionalized.  However, in our kinder, gentler society we want to do everything we can for our children, which I completely understand, having three of my own.  But there are some members of our society - juveniles - who are just "wrong" and "dangerous".  As a society we acknowledge them, sort of.  Otherwise there wouldn't be the TV show "Killer Kids" on Biography, or "Kids Who Kill" on the Crime and Investigation (History) channel.

On one hand, we're fascinated by them and say, "wow, I'm so glad my kids aren't like that!".  On the other hand, how many people actually think, "oh shit, we need to do something!"?

Until we figure out what to do with the kids who are identified as dangerous, and start offering support to the families who are trying to deal with these children on their own, nothing is going to change.

Nothing.

You can take guns away from law-abiding citizens (hypothetically, let's not get crazy here).

You can arm teachers.

But until we address the root of the problem, we're not going to see any change.  We're still going to have mass killings.

If it means locking up dangerous children, then by God, DO IT! This namby-pamby, touchy-feely stuff is killing innocent children.  I know people are afraid of locking up a child who might not be dangerous, but, honestly, I'd rather take that chance than have to see another massacre like we had Friday.

Even if we don't go so far as institutionalizing dangerous children, we need to have resources available for teachers and parents.  Something other than a patronizing pat on the head by the mental health professionals and a script for yet another medication.

Firearms Training and Women

I saw this on Facebook yesterday and didn't have time to share it: ThePatriotNurse has made a wonderful video regarding firearms training.  Take the time to watch it and share with all you know.  I love the "personal security" is a "personal responsibility" standpoint.



I love her point about being a partner with "your man" and her point about the "momma bear" and, especially, her point about the gun not being a lucky charm (and choosing your own gun).

Hell, who am I kidding?  I love all of her points.

Do yourselves a favor and take the eight minutes to watch this video.

You'll Never Believe This!

I'm watching STEVEN SEAGAL LAWMAN (I know, I know) and they're doing FATS training.  He's doing some of the exact same scenarios that I did at WPA.  Though I have to say, I did them better :)

Now...I have to tell you that Steven Seagal has terrible trigger control.  I don't know who taught him how to shoot, but you use the pad of your index finger, you DO NOT wrap your big monkey finger through the trigger guard and use the second joint of your index finger to push your bang button.

Practice, Practice, Practice Part II

Last week, after I had an abysmal day at the range, I put up a post about practice.

Friday, my friend Tara (aka GunDiva II) and I went to the range for some of that desperately needed practice. 

She has a little five-shot revolver that she now carries in her purse and we decided that she needed practice drawing and firing from her purse.  While I'm a big proponent of strapping your gun to your side, so that you always have control over it, there are a lot of women who are much more comfortable carrying in their purse.  That's fine as long as you spend the time learning how to draw and fire from your purse, just like you do learning to draw and fire from a holster.  You can't buy a gun (or take the one your well-meaning significant other gives you), throw it in your purse and expect to be able to find and use it when the feces hits the air circulating device.

The first thing we did was take a look at how she normally carries her purse.  She carries it over her left shoulder, hanging straight down.  She's a right-handed shooter, so in order for her to draw from her purse, she had to perform a cross draw.  Luckily, the zipper on her purse had two pulls, so we arranged them so that one pull was secured to her strap and only the other pull would work to open her purse.

Once we had it arranged the way we thought we wanted it, she practiced holding her front strap with her right hand, while pulling open the zipper with her left.  With her left hand out of the way, and her purse open, she then slipped her right hand into her purse and grasped her gun.  She was careful to never cross herself with the muzzle of the gun while she drew from her purse.

Now this is where attitude comes in.  Without even realizing it, the moment her hand closed over her gun, her whole demeanor changed.  She took a step forward as she presented her gun and continued to move forward as she squeezed off all five rounds.  No matter how big you are; if you're a predator hunting what looks like easy prey and that prey attacks back, you're going to re-think your choice.

Over and over, Tara practiced presenting from her purse and dry-firing at the target until she felt comfortable to go live.  Her first run-through from beginning to end took less than three seconds.  That's three seconds to secure and unzip her purse, get a good grip on the gun, present and squeeze off all five rounds while moving forward.  Were all five rounds in a nice half-inch circle?  Nope.  Were all five rounds in center mass?  You betcha.

Next week when we go to the range, I'll be sure to take my video camera.  Until then, keep on practicing.

Girls With Guns- Who Are We?

We are wives, mothers, girlfriends, sisters, best friends.
We are loyal, strong, determined, tough as nails.
We are beauty from the inside out.
We are intelligent.

We won't be pushed around, or anyone's patsy.

We are girls. Girls With Guns.

I'm Mrs Mom. Wife, mother, sister, best friend, loyal to the end, stubborn as a Mule, strong as an Ox, and with a set of Momma Bear Instincts that make Bad Guys piss themselves and run.

Like GunDiva, I didn't grow up with guns. In time, I learned to shoot some long guns, and a pistol or two. But I never had the "Gun Bug". It wasn't until Dear Husband came along that I started to really learn about firearms. I like the mechanics and engineering of them. I like knowing that I can break them down and put them back together again. And I *love* making them go BANG! and Blowing Shit Up.

I was content with that knowledge and ability for quite a while. Since Dear Husband was always with me, and we went everywhere together, I never worried about anything. Dear Husband you see, is a pretty big and menacing looking fellow. Not many people mess with us. Add in his being armed with a Springfield Armory 1911, the fact that he has some serious Bad Ass skills with things that go BANG!, and we have a pretty safe setting.

Recently though, things have changed. I've been going on client calls with our two sons in tow. I'm out and about more on my own. I hate it, but we've gotta do what we've gotta do, right?

On the way to a barn call, (I'm an equine hoof care provider,) I encountered a bad situation. My pistol, known as "Plan B", was not with me. Would it have made a difference to the outcome of that situation? Probably not- not unless things took a decided turn for the worse. Instead, I relied on my brain (known as Plan A) first, and my truck as a deterrent.

In this blog, we'll explore a lot. We'll look at SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, and how it can save your hide. Back up plans. How to think outside the box. When to fall back on your own Plan B (or C, D, or even E.) We'll post links to state laws and regulations. We'll discuss carry methods. We'll look at home defense, and options other than firearms. And of course, handguns. Lots of handguns.

In the meantime, aim for center mass and get to know each other!
~MM