Shooting

[Striper]

Not sure just how "The Judge" is classified, but found out recently that it is apparently Illegal in the State of California. Something to check before traveling in that state.

[grumpydoc]

TCW, you raise some good points. I am not a legal expert but will gladly share what I think I know! As you probably know in the sport of IHMSA(international handgun metallic silhouette assn) shooting in the unlimited class bolt action single shot pistols are the most commonly used firearm. Some years ago I had a bolt action pistol made by a popular gun maker based on a Remington XP pistol action. In the course of discussing the build he made a point of telling me it would be illegal for him to build a pistol on a bolt action that came from a rifle. Apparently the serial number put on an action by the manufacturer defines it as a rifle or pistol action even though in the case of Remington the actions share many of the same parts. Therefore I would guess that Taurus would declare their Judge a revolver by it's serial number rather than a shotgun with a revolving cylinder like the Street sweeper in order to be legal. Who know what the bunch of gun grabbers in DC will decide. I would also like to think that any shotgun would be declared a shotgun by it's serial number regardless of which barrel is on it. Here in VA we have county by county regulations regarding what is legal for deer hunting. Some counties are shotgun only and other even go so far as to restrict it to buckshot only. The venerable Remington 870 with a rifled barrel and scope and the right slugs is a deer killing machine. When you go to a buckshot only county just a quick switch of the barrel to smooth bore and the right shells and you are legal again. As of this time to the best of my knowledge VA has not declared a rifled barrel on a shotgun illegal in shotgun only counties. If it did I think the natives would rise up in protest! But as we all know our precious rights are under constant attack and who knows what will become of them, Best wishes, Jay

[TCW]

I thought the main difference between a shotgun and other firearms was the rifled barrel. I also thought that a long gun with a rifled bore that shoots shotgun slugs was defined as an express rifle.

 

To me an express rifle, is a double barrel rifle. All the ones I have ever seen have been in calibers like .375H&H, .460Rigby, .500Nitro Express and such, but they certainly could be chambered in shotgun gauges.

 

I was thinking more along the lines of what Grumpydoc stated about the Remington 870. Rifled barrels were or are available for the Remington 1100, some of the Mossberg shotguns, and probably others that market a slug gun.

[Jack Mayer]

Check out Express weapons here.

[grumpydoc]

Well, I don't mean to start an argument but, in my mind the difference between rifles and shotguns is the ammunition the firearm shoots. There are smooth bored rifles and shotguns with rifling in the barrel. Shotguns historically fired charges of shot thus the name. Smooth bored guns we often think of as rifles such as a Brown Bess were called muskets. As a broad generalization shotguns fire ammo with charges of shot and rifles fire single projectiles ie bullets. Smooth bored "rifles" are uncommonly used because of their inherent lack of accuracy, which rifling markedly improved. Rifled shotgun barrels on the other hand are common for the same reason, improved accuracy with solid projectiles ie slugs. Here's an interesting tidbit for y'all, Briley Mfg. sells straight rifled .410 tube sets for skeet shooting for the purpose of stopping the spinning of the .410 wad from disrupting the shot charge and causing "flyers". Some of the very best shooters claim it gains an occasional target. I can't vouch for that, I'm far, far from being in that class of shooter so I use the conventional smooth bore tubes! Just an opinion from an old trigger puller, Best wishes, Jay

[Newt]

it doesn't matter what something is called now. All that matters is how the idiots in Congress define it in the future.

 

Newt

[Kirk W]

Just a side note to a comment that I made post #89, I did finally find my new pistol.

I got the Ruger, LC9 in 9mm. I had a heck of a time finding any ammo for it, but just got 150 rounds of that too so tomorrow we play!

[Jack Mayer]

That LC9 is a fine gun for carry. I have a friend that has one that I have shot a fair amount. Not something you are going to shoot long distance, but that is not what it is for. It fits in a pocket holster really well. Personally, I like the SR9c better because I can shoot it better, but the LC9 is a great gun.

 

I was in Bass Pro here yesterday and there were only about 15 handguns left in their case - out of about 100+. They said they have been flying off the shelves as fast as they can get them in. Literally. If a shipment comes in it is gone that DAY. Especially true of all variants of ARs. People are actually taking out loans to buy them.

[desertranger]

The LC9 uses the same ammo I do 9mm and I haven't run into the ammo shortage yet.

 

Segue to my Ruger Mini-14, It's very old, ancient from the very early days of the Mini-14. It needed to go back to Ruger for repair so it I shipped it FedEx two weeks ago. Ruger has not received and I called FedEx. They have no record of it ever reaching it's destination or of it even being shipped despite my having all the shipping documents and proof of shipping. So now lost somewhere in the U.S. is my Mini-14 while the govt and everyone else is screaming about gun control.

[hydehunter1]

I hope you insured the heck out of it so Fed x can pay through the nose

[desertranger]

The Ben Avery range is nice one. My only comment is what are you going to do but ammo? It seems to be very scarce in common calibers including .22 lr and almost all .38 variants.

 

A int as you start shooting. shot with both eyes open ad bear in mind you won't start getting good until you've let off about 500 rounds.

 

Enjoy

[desertranger]

My Mini-14 finally turned upp. Ruger couldn't repair it because they didn;' have the parts any more so they sent me a new one for half price. It's evolved, no t really is a mini-14. Ascaled down version of that venerable rifle. Since I got it I've run into the ammo shortage. Can't fnd any .223 anywhere even at Cabellas and Bass Pro.

[Jack Mayer]

Ranger, it may be time to start reloading. Except you can't find primers, either, from what I hear.....

 

I can not find ANY .22 for a rational price. (I do not consider $50+ for a brick "rational".)

[butch&fonda]

I've seen a lot of shortages in the past, but nothing like this time. People are (justifiably, in MY opinion) scared. Plus you have some opportunists trying to make a quick buck, not condemning them, profit is NOT a bad word.

 

I have NEVER seen bullet molds (not just a few specifics but all) and mold handles sold out everywhere. Popular caliber dies are "waiting list" items and components are as rare as $2.50 diesel.

 

Fortunately (for me), I have been well stocked on most things (except bullets) for years and have the molds I need for the calibers that I shoot and load for, so the effects for me have been minimal.

 

I guess that is one advantage to being in a sticks & bricks VS full-timing.

 

Butch and Fonda Williams.

[Newt]

The current ammo situation has certainly changed my shooting habits. I loaded up a bunch before selling the sticks & bricks. At todays prices, it looks like I will be shooting less and hoping the price comes down before having to buy some.

 

Newt

[desertranger]

Ranger, it may be time to start reloading. Except you can't find primers, either, from what I hear.....

 

I can not find ANY .22 for a rational price. (I do not consider $50+ for a brick "rational".)

 

Neither do I but I did break down and bought a brick for $80 because I had absolutely none. It was the cheapest at the show and the gal who sold it to me knocked off $10 because she liked Jin. At the same show, a Crossroads gun show, one place was selling bricks of .22lr for $259.99. Think it's time to switch to archery or a crossbow.

 

Seriously where is all the ammo? There are internet stories and urban myth about DHS buying it all up only I don't believe in conspiracy theory. Still I've never seen a shortage like this in my life you can't even find Russian ammo.

[TCW]

Seriously where is all the ammo? There are internet stories and urban myth about DHS buying it all up only I don't believe in conspiracy theory. Still I've never seen a shortage like this in my life you can't even find Russian ammo.

I have read the stories about the DHS contract. My understanding is that It is a multi-year contract. If it is like many government supply contracts it may not even require the government to purchase anything under the contract, but there is a maximum that the contractor is obligated to supply at the price quoted for the term of the contract. There may or may not have even been any/many deliveries on the DHS contract yet depending on when the contract was due to start. Not sure how the maximum purchase amount under the DHS contract compares to those that GSA(Government Supply Agency) had for ammunition when I was still working. There were contracts for ammunition, firearms, pepper spray, body armor, just about anything you needed for law enforcement personnel.

 

In my opinion, like Butch said, people are scared. There are internet sites/articles predicting the of collapse of the financial system, riots and looting. Rumors/talk about background checks for ammunition purchases, permit requirements for ammunition purchasers, per bullet taxes that all add to peoples concern and are in my opinion fueling the run on firearms and ammunition.

[Jack Mayer]

It is not DHS buying up all the ammo - or any government "conspiracy" to keep ammo away from people. It is supply and demand at work. People are scared and are hoarding ammo. They buy whatever they can find. I know PLENTY of people like this...and these shortages actually create demand. I know if I found a drum of 10,000 .22 I'd buy it, when normally I only keep a couple of bricks around. So I'm no better than the others....

[grumpydoc]

Jack. premium 22 ammo is available if you want it and are willing to pay the price. i just got three bricks of ammo, Eley Tenex, RWS R50 and lapua Midas + for my 22 bench rest guns but this stuff runs about $200 plus S&H. Too expensive for plinking but it shoots much better than the cheap stuff when you are shooting for small groups. Just placed an order for five bricks of bulk stuff and 1000 rds of .223 but I don't have a lot of faith that I will get it any time soon. I'm guilty of the hording behavior, been doing it for years, Best wishes, Jay

[desertranger]

Seems we're all a bit guilty of hoarding. Ruger replaced my agining Mioni-14 with a new one and I haven't even shot it because I have less than 200 rnds of .223. Like I said time to switch to a crossbow. I can make bolts for those.

[TXiceman]

I am down to about 200 rounds of 9mm ball, 100 rounds of .38 Spl ball and 50 to 100 rounds of .22 LR HP. I have all of the long guns in my son-in-laws afe along with a few boxes of ammo. I need to find a range, but need to get some more ammo stored first.

 

Have any of you gun nuts shot a Keltec PMR30, a .22 mag with a 30 round magazine. I have seen one nad have not shot one.

 

Ken

[TCW]

...Have any of you gun nuts shot a Keltec PMR30, a .22 mag with a 30 round magazine. I have seen one nad have not shot one...

I have shot one owned by a friend. It seems to be a decent combat style pistol, especially for the price compared to the FN 5.7x28. The light recoil makes it fun to shoot. As far as I know, the Excel MP-22 is the only other 22 magnum semi-auto pistol. It only holds 9 rounds and is over 12" in length. The last time I talked to a dealer a couple of months ago, they had a waiting list of over a dozen people for the PMR30 and had not received any in several months.

[Newt]

Seems we're all a bit guilty of hoarding. Ruger replaced my agining Mioni-14 with a new one and I haven't even shot it because I have less than 200 rnds of .223. Like I said time to switch to a crossbow. I can make bolts for those.

 

Do like I did with my new handgun, shoot it just enough to get sighted in.

 

Newt

[Striper]

Stopped by a friends business today to check out his supply of 9mm, 40, and 45. He's a Commercial Reloader. ALL of his machines were turned off, NO POWDER. Not a good sign.

[desertranger]

Stopped by a friends business today to check out his supply of 9mm, 40, and 45. He's a Commercial Reloader. ALL of his machines were turned off, NO POWDER. Not a good sign.

 

Now it's getting scary.