Pappy
Living the Dream
- Location
- Florida (transplanted New Yorker.)
Agman. I have the same 9mm Kel-Tec, too. Great small gun. A little hard to get use to long trigger pull but gets better. My .380 is a Kel-Tec too.
What Rifles or Pistols Are You Using for Hunting or Shooting?
- Thread starter SeaBreeze
- Start date
Agman
Member
- Location
- Central Texas
Pappy, when my bride secured her CCL it became time to buy her a pistol. Our rural gun dealer is a retired Texas Department of Public Safety (State Police) officer and he strongly recommended the Kel-Tec pistol. When I got back to the ranch I did a bunch of research on Kel-Tec and was very impressed. When I saw the photo of your pistol I thought that it is a Kel-Tec. Glad you like yours. It is a lot of pistol for the money.
IKE
Well-known Member
- Location
- Oklahoma....U.S.A.
SB that little S & W mdl. 36 snub nose will serve you well.
The reason some people, like myself, prefer a non exposed / internal hammer like the S & W 442 and 642 for carry is that they do not have a exposed hammer and therefore they don't have a tendency hang up on clothing or the inside of a purse when being drawn quickly.
Another plus it that the 442 and the 642 are also Airweights which will make them a little lighter for carry.
Here's the exact model I carry (scroll down to about the bottom of the page for a larger picture) http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Viewitem.aspx?item=532994983.
Pappy
Living the Dream
- Location
- Florida (transplanted New Yorker.)
And another point, they are made north of us in Cocoa, Florida. I purchased both from pawn shops. The 9 was new and the .380 had been shot a few times.
Pappy
Living the Dream
- Location
- Florida (transplanted New Yorker.)
I carry a weapon for EXTREME defensive reasons, no other reason. I hope I never have to use it. On an open carry thread, the talk is about displaying your weapon at all times. I don't believe I would carry open because it could invite a "High Noon" mentality in some people. If acholol is envolved,, you can bet there will be problems.
I would prefer no one knows that I am armed.
I would prefer no one knows that I am armed.
Agman
Member
- Location
- Central Texas
I will not open carry when the new law takes effect. In this part of the country we assume that everyone is armed. If, in fact, the "High Noon" mentality emerges, my best guess is that it will be in large cities. I really don't think it will happen, though. It will be interesting to see how it comes down at a time when pastors of large churches have pistols stowed in their pulpits.
Review with Videos of ArmaLite AR-10
Read more and see the three videos here.
Most folks knows Apple computers started in a California garage. Less well known: the modern small arms industry was born the same way. “America’s rifle,” the AR-15, owes it genesis to not one but two post-War California aircraft company employees and backyard gunmakers: Eugene Stoner, Design Engineer for Whittaker, and George Sullivan, Chief Patent Counsel for Lockheed. When Sullivan convinced the gun enthusiast running Fairchild Engine & Airplane Corporation to set-up ArmaLite, Stoner and his patents formed the basis of the new venture. The California-dreamin’ start-up applied advanced aeronautic plastics and alloy technology to the business of making guns.
The original plan: hunting rifles. After the AR-5 found favor with the military, Stoner and his crew set their sights on the Big Kahuna. In 1955, the Army was looking to replace the M1 Garand with the Springfield Armory T-44 (an updated Garand) and the T-48 (a version of the FN FAL).
Stoner’s AR-10 was a revolution. It featured an integral carrying handle with an internal charging handle mounted within. Because the bolt locked into a steel extension on the barrel, not the receiver itself, the AR-10 could be built with aircraft-grade aluminum receivers. Where the T-44 and T-48’s stock and other furniture were wood, the AR-10’s was plastic. The gun weighed less than seven pounds.
In the end, the AR-10 didn’t make the cut. The T-44 was adopted as the M-14 rifle in 1959. The AR-10 fell victim to its own weaknesses (normal in early models of any product), prejudice within the Army Ordnance Corps, and the other rifle makers’ political juice. So Armalite scaled down the original AR-10 design and built a lighter and smaller second gen AR-15 in 5.56 x 45mm caliber. Ultimately, Stoner’s bosses sold the design to Colt Industries.
After a fortuitous luncheon meeting and a product demo (blasting watermelons), General Curtis LeMay of the USAF ordered 15,000 of these “cute” little AR-15 rifles for the USAF. Over 10,000,000 M-16s/M4s/AR-15s later, provided by a number of different USGI approved manufacturers, the AR family of weapons is to the free world what the Avtomat Kalashnikova (AK) series of weapons is to many of the bad guys we face on the world’s battlefields: the symbol of what we stand for.
The AR-series of weapons is also one of the longest running American service rifles (killing bad guys since 1966) in history. It’s still going strong with its latest variant, the M4. But that’s the subject for another story.
With today’s modern battlefield stretched out across the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan, the 7.62 x 51 NATO class of weapons are making a comeback, thanks to their extended range and increased one-shot knockdown potential (when the 147-gr NATO projectile finds its mark).
Armalite is still making its AR-10 in many different flavors and shipping them overseas for the good guys to defend our freedom, 55-years after they lost the competition to the M-14.
Although ArmaLite still makes the “original” military model AR-10 with the front sight post and built-in rear carry handle and iron sights, Armalite also manufactures a complete mix of other models, some with an A4 style upper (flat top with Picatinny rails for adding optics, lights, lasers, grips, etc.), short 16-inch carbine barrels, stainless steel bull barrels, different color furniture (black and green), free float handguards and lots more.
Read more and see the three videos here.
Most folks knows Apple computers started in a California garage. Less well known: the modern small arms industry was born the same way. “America’s rifle,” the AR-15, owes it genesis to not one but two post-War California aircraft company employees and backyard gunmakers: Eugene Stoner, Design Engineer for Whittaker, and George Sullivan, Chief Patent Counsel for Lockheed. When Sullivan convinced the gun enthusiast running Fairchild Engine & Airplane Corporation to set-up ArmaLite, Stoner and his patents formed the basis of the new venture. The California-dreamin’ start-up applied advanced aeronautic plastics and alloy technology to the business of making guns.
The original plan: hunting rifles. After the AR-5 found favor with the military, Stoner and his crew set their sights on the Big Kahuna. In 1955, the Army was looking to replace the M1 Garand with the Springfield Armory T-44 (an updated Garand) and the T-48 (a version of the FN FAL).
Stoner’s AR-10 was a revolution. It featured an integral carrying handle with an internal charging handle mounted within. Because the bolt locked into a steel extension on the barrel, not the receiver itself, the AR-10 could be built with aircraft-grade aluminum receivers. Where the T-44 and T-48’s stock and other furniture were wood, the AR-10’s was plastic. The gun weighed less than seven pounds.
In the end, the AR-10 didn’t make the cut. The T-44 was adopted as the M-14 rifle in 1959. The AR-10 fell victim to its own weaknesses (normal in early models of any product), prejudice within the Army Ordnance Corps, and the other rifle makers’ political juice. So Armalite scaled down the original AR-10 design and built a lighter and smaller second gen AR-15 in 5.56 x 45mm caliber. Ultimately, Stoner’s bosses sold the design to Colt Industries.
After a fortuitous luncheon meeting and a product demo (blasting watermelons), General Curtis LeMay of the USAF ordered 15,000 of these “cute” little AR-15 rifles for the USAF. Over 10,000,000 M-16s/M4s/AR-15s later, provided by a number of different USGI approved manufacturers, the AR family of weapons is to the free world what the Avtomat Kalashnikova (AK) series of weapons is to many of the bad guys we face on the world’s battlefields: the symbol of what we stand for.
The AR-series of weapons is also one of the longest running American service rifles (killing bad guys since 1966) in history. It’s still going strong with its latest variant, the M4. But that’s the subject for another story.
With today’s modern battlefield stretched out across the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan, the 7.62 x 51 NATO class of weapons are making a comeback, thanks to their extended range and increased one-shot knockdown potential (when the 147-gr NATO projectile finds its mark).
Armalite is still making its AR-10 in many different flavors and shipping them overseas for the good guys to defend our freedom, 55-years after they lost the competition to the M-14.
Although ArmaLite still makes the “original” military model AR-10 with the front sight post and built-in rear carry handle and iron sights, Armalite also manufactures a complete mix of other models, some with an A4 style upper (flat top with Picatinny rails for adding optics, lights, lasers, grips, etc.), short 16-inch carbine barrels, stainless steel bull barrels, different color furniture (black and green), free float handguards and lots more.
Does Ammunition Have a Shelf Life?
Some thoughts about the shelf life of ammunition here.
3 Ways to Preserve and Protect Ammunition
A common question is, “does ammo have a shelf life?”
Contrary to popular belief – it does. While modern munitions are built to outlive the people who purchased them, it doesn’t mean that upper limit can’t be reached. In this article, we’ll talk about several misconceptions about modern ammunition shelf life and recommend ways to improve it.
Lead Degradation
For full metal jackets and bullets lined with brass, this is almost a negligible issue. For bullets with exposed lead, there is some risk associated with lead being exposed to oxygen over a long period of time and then being inhaled. That period of time? A long one. While there isn’t much in the way of definitive timelines set, it basically comes down to the perfect combination of:
1. Humidity
The more humid an environment the rounds are exposed to on a regular basis can help determine the available water that lead has to cling to before being evaporated into the air.
TIP 1: Wood boxes actually work wonders in terms of absorbing excess humidity. Sawdust is also a great medium to store excess rounds inside a sealed container because it absorbs ambient water vapor very well.
2. Temperature
The evaporation rate of water or just the movement of gas is all regulated, at least in part, by temperature. The hotter the temperature, the more that exposed lead will interact with air.
3. Confinement
The availability of air is a major determination in how much it can interact with the exposed lead on the bullets.
TIP 2: Kept ammo in a container with no open air access (i.e. an ammo can, sealed container, etc.). This greatly reduces the effects of the previous two factors mentioned.
Primer Shelf Life for Ammunition
In comparison to the olden days where black powder was used as the primary propellant for the shell, modern day ammunition is produced with smokeless powder primers. These primers – when not exposed to ammonia or corrosive agents – can effectively last for quite some time.
The best way to keep munition primers viable is to either pack the rounds in sawdust or simply follow good ammunition storing procedures. We’ve included those below for convenience.
Ammunition Storage and Use Considerations
Will it fire?! The primers look good. The casings, on the other hand – a bit suspect.
Hopefully, we covered a range of different factors responsible for ammunition shelf life. In general, ammunition stands the best shot of being preserved for the long run if it is stored in a sealed container and kept in a cool, dark, arid environment.
TIP 3: Store ammunition in a cool, dark, arid environment.
For those stacking larger amounts of surplus ammunition for a rainy day, just remember that every time you open those canisters to do an ammo count, those rounds are exposed to air and humidity. While this won’t likely be a major factor in ammo degradation, it’s a consideration to ensure that ammo is promptly put back into a dark, dry, and sealed environment.
Some thoughts about the shelf life of ammunition here.
3 Ways to Preserve and Protect Ammunition
A common question is, “does ammo have a shelf life?”
Contrary to popular belief – it does. While modern munitions are built to outlive the people who purchased them, it doesn’t mean that upper limit can’t be reached. In this article, we’ll talk about several misconceptions about modern ammunition shelf life and recommend ways to improve it.
Lead Degradation
For full metal jackets and bullets lined with brass, this is almost a negligible issue. For bullets with exposed lead, there is some risk associated with lead being exposed to oxygen over a long period of time and then being inhaled. That period of time? A long one. While there isn’t much in the way of definitive timelines set, it basically comes down to the perfect combination of:
1. Humidity
The more humid an environment the rounds are exposed to on a regular basis can help determine the available water that lead has to cling to before being evaporated into the air.
TIP 1: Wood boxes actually work wonders in terms of absorbing excess humidity. Sawdust is also a great medium to store excess rounds inside a sealed container because it absorbs ambient water vapor very well.
2. Temperature
The evaporation rate of water or just the movement of gas is all regulated, at least in part, by temperature. The hotter the temperature, the more that exposed lead will interact with air.
3. Confinement
The availability of air is a major determination in how much it can interact with the exposed lead on the bullets.
TIP 2: Kept ammo in a container with no open air access (i.e. an ammo can, sealed container, etc.). This greatly reduces the effects of the previous two factors mentioned.
Primer Shelf Life for Ammunition
In comparison to the olden days where black powder was used as the primary propellant for the shell, modern day ammunition is produced with smokeless powder primers. These primers – when not exposed to ammonia or corrosive agents – can effectively last for quite some time.
NOTE: A general definition of modern ammunition is any ammunition produced with smokeless powder after the 1930s. So, those old Soviet-era 7.62x54R rounds are probably still good if they’re in a sealed container.
The specific chemical composition of smokeless powder may vary depending on the manufacturer but generally it will always include nitroglycerine (primary charge for TNT) and nitrocellulose.
The best way to keep munition primers viable is to either pack the rounds in sawdust or simply follow good ammunition storing procedures. We’ve included those below for convenience.
“How do I know when my ammunition primers are no good anymore?”
A big sign – a bad sign – is when you see either a violet or scarlet colored gas coming from the canister. The primers have corroded to the point where the nitrogen-based compounds are exposed to the air and have begun to degrade. That means they’re no good. And those fumes? Certainly hazardous. But unless you’re popping open an old rusty ammo can buried in a partially exposed creek bed, this shouldn’t normally happen.
Ammunition Storage and Use Considerations
Will it fire?! The primers look good. The casings, on the other hand – a bit suspect.
Hopefully, we covered a range of different factors responsible for ammunition shelf life. In general, ammunition stands the best shot of being preserved for the long run if it is stored in a sealed container and kept in a cool, dark, arid environment.
TIP 3: Store ammunition in a cool, dark, arid environment.
For those stacking larger amounts of surplus ammunition for a rainy day, just remember that every time you open those canisters to do an ammo count, those rounds are exposed to air and humidity. While this won’t likely be a major factor in ammo degradation, it’s a consideration to ensure that ammo is promptly put back into a dark, dry, and sealed environment.
Don M.
SF VIP
- Location
- central Missouri
All good info, and should be followed by everyone who owns a firearm. I reload most of my ammo...except for .22 and 9mm, and I keep it all in a series of wooden boxes in the basement/garage, where temperature and humidity changes are kept to a minimum. I usually give it all a good inspection at least once a year, and I keep it "dated" as to when I loaded it. I take a few rounds out of the older batches and fire them to make sure everything is still ok. Although I don't hunt much anymore, I still give the firearms a good cleaning and test fire a few rounds at least annually, then back into the safe.
Firearms and ammo are like anything else....they require certain minimum amounts of care if they are expected to work properly when needed.
debodun
SF VIP
- Location
- way upstate in New York, USA
Browning Shotgun
I have some firearms I inherited from my father. The shotgun is a Browning "Sweet Sixteen", made in Belgium. Dad probably acquired it in the mid to late 1950s. It has a vented rib and modified stock. I had it appraised at being worth at least $1000.
I have some firearms I inherited from my father. The shotgun is a Browning "Sweet Sixteen", made in Belgium. Dad probably acquired it in the mid to late 1950s. It has a vented rib and modified stock. I had it appraised at being worth at least $1000.
debodun
SF VIP
- Location
- way upstate in New York, USA
Handguns
The handguns I inherited from my father. When I knew he had a terminal illness, I went and got a permit so I could keep them. The chunky-looking one is a 9mm Polish Radom he got as a WW2 souvenir. The blued gun is a .22 Ruger he bought in the late 1950s.
The handguns I inherited from my father. When I knew he had a terminal illness, I went and got a permit so I could keep them. The chunky-looking one is a 9mm Polish Radom he got as a WW2 souvenir. The blued gun is a .22 Ruger he bought in the late 1950s.
Nice old guns there Debodun. Here's what the sweet sixteen is going for depending on condition, etc. http://www.gunsinternational.com/gu...owning-shotguns-sweet-sixteen.cfm?cat_id=1363
debodun
SF VIP
- Location
- way upstate in New York, USA
Thanks for the link. One Saturday morning my doorbell rang and my cousin was there with another man, a friend of his, who was interesting in buying it. My cousin must have mentioned it to this guy. I got the Browning out and he looked it all over and offered me $200. I almost got a hernia trying to keep from guffawing. Even at that time, I knew it was worth a lot more. He said it was because "it was all rusty inside." I maintained my stance and refused to sell it, but I did take it to my uncle (not the father of this cousin). My uncle said that the man that said it was rusty was full of beans (I toned down my uncle's actual comment). My uncle cleaned it, though, and gave me what looked like a huge knit stocking in which to keep the gun.
I'm glad you have this thread. I have been thinking of buying a gun online. I found a website that sells them online. I am thinking of a small gun that I can put in my pocket when I walk my dog. There have been people around trying to steal dogs from their care takers. I would die before I let someone take my baby girl. Anyone know of a good small gun?
Pappy
Living the Dream
- Location
- Florida (transplanted New Yorker.)
Don M.
SF VIP
- Location
- central Missouri
I would advise Against buying a pistol, online. I don't know what kind of registration paperwork issues would be involved with an online purchase, but I would imagine that would be a hassle. More importantly, a person should visit a gun store, and handle the weapon, and even test fire it at a range, before buying. The "Fit" to a person's hand, and the severity of the "kick" are things that must be considered before buying a pistol to carry regularly. If you intend to carry a pistol for personal protection, it Must be one you feel comfortable with, and you Must be able to use it almost subconsciously. The time to get "familiar" with a weapon is NOT when danger is only seconds away.
That looks like a nice one! I like that holster, too.
I have fired a 38 revolver before and was thinking of getting a small one. I would think it's more of a paperwork hassle to buy one offline than online. Have also thought of getting an air gun because they look like real guns, too. I can't afford anything real expensive.
Pappy
Living the Dream
- Location
- Florida (transplanted New Yorker.)
You can order a gun online, but the seller has to send it to a gun dealer for you to pick it up. A gun seller just won't send you a gun, it is against the law. I know, I tried to.
And of course the gun dealer isn't to happy about you buying from someone else and may refuse to accept the deal. It's just best to go to a dealer, I've bought my last two weapons from a pawn shop. You can find good deals here and always ask them to throw in a box of ammo. They have new and used, at least here in Florida.
And of course the gun dealer isn't to happy about you buying from someone else and may refuse to accept the deal. It's just best to go to a dealer, I've bought my last two weapons from a pawn shop. You can find good deals here and always ask them to throw in a box of ammo. They have new and used, at least here in Florida.
Ina
Well-known Member
- Location
- Harris County, NE of Houston, Tx.
My granddaughter had a bit of a fit when she learned I had purchased this little friend. It resides under my the pillow next to me. If I take the bullets out of it, Izzy loves chasing the red laser dot at night. I know!! I'm bad!!
IKE
Well-known Member
- Location
- Oklahoma....U.S.A.
Except for mine being blue my everyday carry piece is the exact same model as yours Ina......nice little .38's.