Bullet Points

Well, I tried to get this posted earlier today, but sigh, such is a Monday at the office. Better late than never, I guess?

Yes, we did pay homage at the Altar of the Order of St. John Moses Browning. M'heh!

Serenity covers the day's chronology in the fine style which typifies her blog. And yeah, that waiter surely did cop a 'tude about the checks.... and that, after he blew the call on telling me it was okay to spark a luxurious, premium pre-prandial stogie, only to have his manager apologetically tell me that sadly, it just wasn't a cigar-friendly venue.

note to self: scratch P.F. Chaing's off of the "places to go" list.

But anyway, cutting to the chase gun stuff, after breakfast, we repaired to the High Holy House of Drool, otherwise known as Collector's Firearms. To the uninitiated, it would look the same, week after week after week. But let me assure you, that of the thousands upon thousands of new and used guns in their inventory, their stock turns over at an astonishing rate.

In other words, if ya snooze, ya loose.

Which is why this went on layaway, right then and there.

I had one of these in it's M-38 carbine variant back in the mid-80's. In that it had been thoroughly sporterized and had a worn bore, it wasn't a true keeper, but it did hold minute of deer groups at 100 yards. But I was enamored of the workmanship and silky-smooth action.

So when I came across this 1905 twin to Kim's vaunted Princess Inge, well, I had no choice but to snatch it up. That photo is of Kim's mighty Princess. When I get mine out of layaway, I'll post some detailed photos; it's an amazing specimen.

And then, it was off to the range.

Braving the fifteen minute drive through scattered showers, with lightning and thunder skirting our route, our small convoy soldiered on, counting on the vagaries of Texas weather to bless us with shootable weather. And indeed, we arrived at the range to the lightest of drizzle left as a memory from the passing storm.

After parting with the requisite fees at the range office, we took station five abreast at the seven-yard frames. It's nice to show up at a range while the line is cold for target changes. We were able to staple up our targets with nary a hitch in our steps.

We were soon Ready on the Right!, Ready on the Left!, Ready on the Firing Line!

Here's Linda, shooting Airboss' Glock at the 7 yard line.

She's outshooting well over 90 percent of all the people at that range on any given day. And at fifteen yards, she's pure hell on the steel falling-plates. As in, 95% or better hits, regularly, with her Browning Buckmark .22 Camper.

And she braved the thunder of shooting Yellowlegs' precious Wilson CQB .45 ACP, and handled it with aplomb.

Here are the results of Linda's efforts.

Notice from the photos; these aren't the large silhouettes commonly used for combat practice. That's a fairly small group, the bulk of which is falling into about a sub-six-inch group, with about 15% drifing out to a ten-inch pattern.

Her center-mass group in that photo is 100 rounds of .22 LR from the Browning, and the head-shots are a mix of Glock 9mm (a 9mm Jam-O-Matic, in this case), and .45 ACP.

She really, really liked the .45. I have to say, it intimidated her at first. But, as promised, the recoil was actually less than the first gun she ever bought and learned to shoot with.

A Total Titanium Taurus Model 85 TBC snubbie (2" ported bbl.), in .38 special. (her's is actually a straw-gold color, like a titanium drill-bit)

(Five rounds of .38+P in 125 gr. JHP damn near weigh as much as the gun itself. But the porting works, friends. It's actually a very controllable gun to shoot.)

Not a bad outing for her at all, given that this was only her sixth time shooting, ever!

Behind her is my target.

Here's a closer view:

Smith&Wesson 4"bbl., Model 28 Highway Patrolman, .357 Mag.

The center group is fifty rounds of 148 gr. full wadcutter, fired double-action at the rate of about two seconds per shot. I didn't do an "official" scoring of the target, but that's a 500x500 score, with only the X hits not counted in detail. (yes, there is a way to score target with the center blown-out, but that's another post, amigas y' amigos)

Above that is a group of twenty five rounds of .357 Magnum, 125gr. JHP. Hot ones too, I might add. Again, double-action shooting at the same, or a bit faster rate than the wadcutters.

I like hot rounds.

Down on what used to be the "7" on the lower ring, is a ten round, rapid fire group with Linda's .22 Browning Buckmark.

I really, really need to get a digital camera. Thanks to Serenity for these fine pictures though!

The day was literally and figuratively, a blast.

I'm proud as I can be of Linda, and not just because of her shooting, let me hasten to add! Anyone who can put up with the likes of me is a candidate for sainthood.

And you will see Mrs. Yellowlegs' handmade jewlery displayed online, soon. As in, as soon as Yellowlegs sends me down a few JPEG images....(hint, hint, bruddah!)

But the Arsenal of Democracy award surely goes to Airboss & his lovely bride. Brother Boss, I'll look forward to christening that Swedish Mauser from your porch in the near future.

So friends, be it known that on this past Sunday, several hundred thousand more rounds were burnt in offering to St. John Moses Browning.

And It Was Good!

Comments

[El Capitan]

Mmmmm... S&W Model 28 Highway Patrolman. One of those, and a Model 24 (One of the 3 inch barrel, round butt .44 specials made for Lew Horton) and I've got every S&W I'd ever need. Wait... better add the M-1917 Army in .45 ACP just to be on the safe side!

I was never a fan of the Model 29 or 19. Those big clunky grips just never looked right, and even though I've got big mitts, they never fit right either. Give me a slim grip anyday. I can deal with recoil. That's what shooting gloves are for!

[Airboss]

Well,the Tactial Tuperwear(AKA Glock)is fixed!
A Quick call to Glock a couple of min on the phone
20 rounds off the back porch.The Glock is Glocking
ie.Going bang when you pull the trigger.
The problem was the notch I had the recoil spring in.In that it(The Glock)never gets shot,when I Cleaned it last I had put the recoil spring back in the wrong slot on the barrel.I really need to shoot some of my guns more than once every two years.
While I am not a fan of 9mm at all everyone should have at least one,and if you are going to have just one Glock is the one to have.
The Smiths get shot a lot more than any of the bottom feeders in the safe and when I do shoot the Auto's I generaly shoot the 1911's
So the Glock now go's into the rotation at least once a month"Shoot the Glock"
This should solve the problem in the future.
In any case had a great time,good people,good food,and shooting,not a bad way to spend a Sunday.
Thanks for asking me.
See you up at the Ranch soon.

[Raging Dave]

I feel your cigar smoking pain, bro. The girlfriend and I are having difficulty finding a restaurant that will allow us to light up after dinner, without going to some fishtank of a room they jokingly call a "Cigar Room". Right now my truck is seeing more cigar smoking than anywhere else.