On Target

Gun Guru's Tom B's worked his magic on the trigger of our Youth Ranger .308.  Oh, Boy, what a difference the trigger job made.  We are VERY HAPPY!

Our three goals are very simple.

1. We want to relearn how to shoot from the free-style standing position with no support of any kind other than our hands, arms, legs, etc.
2. We want to be able to get off our first shot within 2 seconds beginning with the rifle held in two hands at waist level.
3. We want to consistently get four consecutive shots within an 8-inch circle at 100 yards.

It's all about the free-style standing position for us.

We actually have a plan on how to accomplish these goals.  The first part of the plan was to reduce the trigger pull.  We quickly deduced it would be a waste of ammo to practice with a hard-to-pull trigger.  We figured to might as well wait until the trigger was where we want it.

Secondly, we also have factored in using two .22 caliber rifles to relearn how to shoot from the free-style standing position.  One is an ancient Winchester Model 67, probably made prior to WWII.  The other is an old beater Marlin Model 60 semi-auto (tubular) that we bought almost 30 years ago in Flagstaff.

The idea is to alternate shooting all three rifles and to use the .22's to relearn response, body position, sight acquisition and shot timing.

We don't plan on using very much .308 ammo on any given day.  Today, for example, we shot a grand total of 12 rounds of .308 in three sets of four rounds each.

Meanwhile, we shot maybe 30 rounds of .22 from the M67 single shot.  We're really not too concerned about the accuracy of the .22 because we're simply using it to get the "muscle memory" part reacquired:  Lift-Aim-Shot.  Since it's a single shot, we have to reload after every shot and, naturally, that means you start back at square one on your next shot.  

It's been decades since we shot the M67 using its original iron sights.  It was such a wonderful pleasure to have those sights back on the rifle again today.  It's a perfect training rifle and we are so happy to have it in our hands again.  THANKS, TOM!

Meanwhile, we set up a target at 50 yards and have begun to practice with at that range.  We will gradually work our way up to 100 yards.  It's 50 yards first.

Most shooters aim for tight groups.  We couldn't care less about tight groups.
This is what we want to see--almost all our shots inside the 8-inch circle!

We were shocked and surprised to see that 9 out of our 12 rounds with the .308 were inside the 8-inch circle.  Note that the shot circled on the far right is actually two shots and they are essentially close enough to call "good."  The 12th shot was one-half an inch outside out "goal zone."  We are VERY HAPPY with those 12 shots and consider today's practice session a success.  The trigger job and the warm up with the .22 really made all the different.  There's simply NO way we could have been this good with the old hard trigger.  It's exciting to see the difference the trigger made in today's practice. Likewise, it's really exciting to have that good ol' .22 single back in action.  THANKS, TOM!

The target as it appears at less than 20 yards.

Winchesters

We had our Mentor & Guru work on not one but THREE Winchesters in a single day Wednesday, December 5th.  Oh, what a Great Day that was.

First, Master Gunsmith Tom B. took an old 1960's scope off our ancient WIN Model 67.  He then rummaged around his extensive shop and found an iron rear sight.  He drifted that sight in practically with his eyes closed.  The surface rust on the sight perfectly matched the rust on the barrel.  They are a match made in Single Shot Heaven.

This Winchester Model 67 isn't just ANY single shot, it's our very first rifle we ever had.  I am pretty sure I got it handed to me in 1954 or 1955 when I was 7 years old and got my first hunting license back in Indiana.  It sure looks like this particular Model 67 was made prior to October 1944.

Here's a snippet from the Wiki on Model 67's:

"In place of the earlier chrome plating, blued finish was used on the bolt, trigger, and cocking piece starting in October 1944."

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Model_67

Well, this Model 67 definitely has the chrome and not blue so "go figure."

Next up was the Model 94 lever action carbine in the timeless classic .30-30 caliber.  Back in the 1980's we really wanted an Old Navajo Sheep Gun.  We even put an ad in the newspaper trying to find one to buy in Northern Arizona.

After 25+ years later, we found one late last fall and bought it December 15, about an hour after we learned our Mom died. We knew we were going to have to go to Indiana and sell off all our childhood firearms so we bought this old beater WIN Model 94 .30-30 as a hedge that we would always have something to remember my Dad by and his love of firearms and collecting old, beat-up relics.  This is a genuine old, beat-up relic, we can assure you of that.

Dear Friend Tom looked it over and pronounced it safe, savory and sharp to shoot.  He then also pronounced, "This rifle is in better condition than 98-percent of the firearms on the entire Navajo Reservation."  That sure made us feel good and cemented our new lifelong attachment to this old, worn, pitted, rusted relic.  We plan to shoot the heck out of it now and maybe even hit something, too.

The final act of Tom's trifecta was doing a trigger job on our Wnchester Model 70 Youth Ranger in .308 caliber.  Tom tweaked, twisted and thumbed his way through that trigger like a skilled surgeon.  When he finished it, we were practically jumping for joy.  It's as light as a feather and it's surely going to help us take our own big game to the next level.(pun intended)

It's not often in life that a guy gets three Winchesters worked on in a single day and gets to take them home that very same day.  It's not often that a Dear Friend brings a couple of Winchesters back to life and breathes new sensitivity into a third Winchester.

It was definitely a "Winchester Kinda Day."

THANKS, Tom!  YA DUN GOOD!  I so appreciate what you did.  Happy Shooting & Many Cheers!

jp

He's Got Fluffy!

You are attacked by a pack of feral dogs and try to fight them off and protect your Little Fluffy. But The Big Dog gets Fluffy in his teeth and takes off like, well...A Big Dog! You have to take down The Big Dog before it's curtains for Fluffy!

No See Um's

Hers it is--introducing The No See Um's! They hide behind walls and pop up when you least expect it. They suddenly become your Tactical Priority target and you must immediately shift your point of aim and fire. HURRY! You have at best two or three seconds before the No See Um disappears behind hard cover! No See Um's travel is swarms. We expect to have at least four No See Um's deployed for the next match! Below are photos of the first draft prototype. We are in Version #2 right now and will probably make some further refinements in teh final draft versions. The first draft was too tall so we cut the second version down to six foot three inches. (Highest point of cardboard head.) The stand is designed to NOT allow the target to remain standing. As soon as the lineman lets go of the line, the target falls backwards and disappears behind the wall.

 Additional notes are below these three photos.

The idea for this target came to us in the night last night.  We built it within mere minutes at no cost using stuff that was lying around.  We think the actual cost of building them (assuming use of cull lumber) will be under $5 for each target assembly.

We have already been thinking of how to use them in a Stage Design.  The graphic below is one example.
The popper symbols would be No See Um's behind fake walls.  As you shoot T1 (near at left), the first NSU pops up in time for you to shoot it after shooting T1.  However, when you begin shooting T2, you won't know when the next NSU will pop up--when it does, you must stop shooting at T2 and attempt to shoot NSU #2.  You shoot T3 while moving to distant cover and then engage T4.  After shooting T4, NSU #3 pops up.  You shoot it and then begin shooting at T5.  You won't know when to expect NSU #4 to pop up.  When it does, you must stop shooting at T5 to shoot NSU #4 and then resume trying to shoot T5.

Successfully shooting this type of a stage will be next to impossible.

The Joker

One of the many fun things about an IDPA match are the "moving" aspects.  There can be moving targets or the shooter can be moving, perhaps both at the same time.  Since we are now staging informal IDPA matches here in the desert near Montezuma Well, we thought it would be fitting to create a moving target.  We spent about 4 hours February 25 building The Joker.  This is what is known as a "swinger."  In essence, such targets are pivoting pendulums with a cardboard target attached to the top.

Typically, these targets are made of welded steel so they can withstand the occasional miss without being destroyed.  Since we are not a welder and since steel has become wildly expensive, we decided to build this target from Home Depot "cull" lumber.  The cost of this contraption (so far) is $5.  All the various hardware was stuff we had lying around.

There are several interesting aspects to this project.  Since we are pretty certain the target holder will eventually get shot up, we made it to be easily replaceable and will carry two sets of replacement parts whenever it is used in a match.  Even though the fully assembled structure is very heavy, it comes apart quickly and easily so it can be set up by one person.  The counterweights are two circular thick steel plates obtained as a Mesa, Arizona scrapyard.  We plan to use the plates to learn to "shoot steel" better.  When the target is not being used, the plates come on and off easily.  The "axle" for this target is a piece of half-inch threaded rod.

The target stem is held in the center between the two uprights by small pieces of 3/4 inch EMT conduit with large washers to reduce friction on the pendulum stem.  We built the target on a windy day and we were having problems with the counterweight end hitting the bottom of the uprights.  This was solved by pound a small piece of half inch copper pipe into the pivot hole.  Now the stem does not rock on the threaded rod and will not hit or bind on the uprights, even in a high wind.

The embedded video runs 12 seconds.  We are figuring the target will be actively swinging for at least 8-10 seconds which is plenty of time for a shooter to get off one, two or three shots, as this target will always be used in an ordinary Vickers stage.

The initial use of this target will be March 5th in a stage called "GPS & Joker's Wild."  Here is a rough outline of the stage:

You are a writer for a golf magazine and have just attended a prestigious golf match in a big city. You are driving a brand new Buick with the latest and greatest onboard navigation system.  After leaving the golf course, your GPS goes wild and leads you deep into the heart of the inner city's most feared gang known as The Jokers.  The ruthless leader of The Jokers is six foot seven inches and loves to entertain his gang by going one-on-one with hapless adversaries while dancing to loud, obnoxious hip hop music in the background.  While driving bewildered through gangland, someone shoots out the tires of your Buick and you must get out and defend yourself.  First, you must take on The Big Joker himself.  As you draw, he begins swinging wildly to the tune of the music.  Once you have dispatched The Big Joker, you must engage T2-3 with two shots each while retreating around and behind the trunk of your Buick.  Engage T5-6 from cover with two shots each, shooting to slide lock, and reloading if necessary.  Then move to the hood of the Buick while reloading from behind cover.

 (NOTE: If you shot to slide lock while engaging T6, you may drop the magazine on the ground.  If you had to reload from slide lock to finish shooting T6, you must reload with retention from behind cover.)

Gang members shoot your gas tank and  the rear of your Buick explodes in flames.  You hear sirens but you know you must make a run for it to the safety of a low wall about 20 feet away.  Shoot T7-9 with two rounds each while moving to the safety of the distant cover.

Home grown IDPA match

Dear Friend and neighbor Gary W. and I decided to stage an informal two person IDPA-style match in our "backyard" shooting range--a location which is barely 3 miles from our actual backyards.  We both live at the end of the pavement in this part of the Verde Valley. 

It's classic Arizona highlands desert scrub vegetation and features a great backstop comprised of limestone deposited when the area was deep under the waters of an ancient lake.  It's very rare to find someone else shooting in this area. There's a real nice open flat area totally free of trash and litter in which to spread out our targets.  Perfect place for an informal IDPA match!

I designed four simple stages.  Their photos are explained below.  Gary paid the price to buy a brand new regulation range timer so we could record our stage times.  Since Gary bought 50 official IDPA targets we were able to actually score the shots in the proscribed manner. We did use a couple of my own home grown Center of Mass targets to supplement Gary's targets.  Gary came to visit us in Idaho Falls in August.  We shot out at the SEIPS range and he was immediately smitten with the 2x4 target stands.  When he returned to Arizona, he made six of them and they sure some in handy!  This was also the first time we were able to use the newly minted cover structure.  Altogether, we shot 100 rounds each.  Gary was using his new FNH FNX 9mm and I shot my "new-to-me" XDM .45 ACP using cast lead 200 grain SWCBB bullets on 5.4 grains of Unique.

We shot the four stages at least twice each.  It took Gary awhile to get the hang of the stages so we had him shoot them three or four times until he "got it right."  We made notes of our times and "points down" and carried on a typically good-natured, friendly competition between each other.  I easily beat him on three of the stages but he beat me by .09 of a second on one of the stages.

After finishing up the fourth stage, we then turned our attention to the 93-year-old Colt 1917 and shot 96 rounds (8 moon clips each).  We both did very well at 7 yards and pretty good at 10 yards.  Our accuracy at 20 yards was terrible.  We obviously need a lot more practice at 20 yards.  The Colt barrel isn't leading up any more.  We're using 230 grain RNFB cast lead bullets that were tumbled in ALOX on 4.3 grains of Bulleye.  The pistol is now very easy to clean and a joy to shoot.  Hopefully, we will soon figure out how to lighten the DA trigger pull and also get better at 20 yards.

Here are all the photos with short notes below each one.

 Stage One was put together for two rounds at each target from the left side of the cover followed by a reload with retention behind cover.

 After the reload, the shooter was to put one round in each of the targets from behind cover.

 This is the first half of Stage Two.  The shots were to be taken from behind cover.  I should have taken a better photo of this stage.

 Here's the second half of Stage Two.  There was no reload on this stage.

 Stage Three was a lot of fun.  The shooter was stationary for two shots to T1.  Then, the shooter moved diagonally toward cover while placing two rounds in T2 & T3 while moving. Then the shooter placed two rounds in T4-6 in tactical sequence from behind cover

 We really hit our stride in putting together Stage Four.  This one was a real sweetie.  The shooter placed two shots by drawing and firing with retention into the upper left circle at a distance of 3 feet.  Then, the shooter ran to cover while placing two shots each in T2-4.  The two shots in T2 had to be head shots because of the hostage.  After reaching cover, the shooter had to place one head shot in T5 and T6 and then one shot in the upper left Center of Mass circle of T7.  This was a Limited Vickers for a total of 11 rounds. (The other three stages were Vickers.)  My best time on this stage was 9.19 seconds with all "zeros!"  After four tries, Gary got his time down to 9.37 with all "zeros."  It was a really fun stage.

 Gary had never drawn and fired with retention.  Here he is shown practicing the firing position.

 After shooting the four stages, we also had a lot of fun with the 1917.  The revolver is very accurate at 7 yards.  Gary is very strong.  He shot first and his first group at 7 yards was two inches.  After the sixth shot he kept clicking through for another shot.  I said, "You're done, Gary."  And he turned and said, "I thought it was a .22 and there would be 9 rounds!"  Very funny, Gary!  There is a difference between the recoil of a .22 LR and a .45 ACP.  But to Gary, the pistol felt as comfortable as a .22.  Go figure.

 A .22, huh?

Here's Gary's best group at 10 yards.  Pretty spiffy shooting, Gary!  I definitely didn't do as well as Gary did with the 1917 but I wasn't displeased with my shooting.  I'd give my shooting a B grade and Gary's an A+ at the short distance.

Happy Shooting, jp

Light weight IDPA cover

We saw a great lightweight cover structure at the IDPA Classifier at the Phoenix Rod & Gun Club on November 26.  We took numerous photos of it and decided to try to build one ourselves.  Naturally, however, we wanted to do so for the least possible cost.  We were able to put the cover structure below together for a grand total of $5.  There are captions below each photo.

 Here is the two-foot-wide cover structure as the shooter would see it.  We used a two foot by four foot piece of plywood for the base so there would be minimal chances for the shooter to stumble on the support structure for the cover.

 This is the side that would face downrange.  Actually, either side could be used to face the shooter.

 This is a close up photo of the base.  The 2x4's are screwed to the plywood from the bottom side.  A piece of OSB was added for stability of the 2x4's.  Note that holes for anchor nails have been placed in all four corners.

 We put a piece of old serpentine belt on the base as a carry handle.

 The top is exceptionally light weight  and could be carried by virtually anyone.

The serpentine belt handle makes it very easy to transport the base.  The next phase of this project will be to water seal all of the wood.

The Phoenix IDPA

We've been looking forward to participating in a Phoenix Rod & Gun Club IDPA match.  Their club is awesome.  Some of the top IDPA shooters in America call this club home.  Twenty of the 25 shooters in the November 19th match were ranked as marksmen or higher by the IDPA Classifier.  Twelve of the shooters were ranked as Sharpshooter or Expert.  The Experts really are experts and it was a delight to watch them shoot.  My shooting time was 120.67 seconds for the four-stage match.  The fastest expert time was 51.88 seconds! It's really incredible to see someone shoot an IDPA stage that fast.

The R&G Club IDPA is a very well established outfit.  Their stage designs were totally pro and well run.  The club has all sorts of props with which to set up creative stages.  Everything's extraordinarily organized and tidy as can be.  There's a roomy shade ramada and nice tables and chairs and the whole place exudes a real "clubby" atmosphere.  The club members were very hospitable to me as well as to each other.  They even sang Happy Birthday to one of their members.

I enjoyed a big surprise during the match.  A man I met online via a firearms forum actually came out to watch me shoot.  We enjoyed gabbing  all morning and it sure was fun. Between the hospitality of the local shooters and Justin's visit, I felt right at home. THANKS, Justin!  (Justin took the photo at the top of this post.)

All-in-all, I felt my time was OK.  I had a couple of glitches with the S&W M&P 9mm.  After two reloads it didn't load a round from slide lock so I lost some time dealing with those minor malfunctions. In the photo above, take a look at my right leg.  It's where it is supposed to be.  Apparently, though, it was sticking out past the right barrel when I first ran over there.  They gave me a procedural penalty for the exposure of that leg.  That adds 3 seconds.  There was another procedural penalty that added 3 seconds, too. So, if the pistol would have function properly and I could have avoided those two penalties, I think my time would have been around 105-110 seconds.

Interestingly, I ranked 7th overall in terms of accuracy--which is known as "Points Down" in IDPA parlance.
I had 12 points down.  There were only 6 shooters with fewer "Points Down" than me.  As Bill O. up in Idaho Falls like to say, "Work on accuracy first and then worry about your speed and time."  If I can't be fast, at least I like to think I can be accurate!

I learned a lot of interesting new perspectives at the Phoenix R&G Club IDPA.  I will be going back there November 26th to shoot in the monthly IDPA Classifier.  We will take the Bonomo Custom 1911 and see if we can get classified as a Marksman.  Currently, we are listed as "UNC" in the CDP Division.  By participating in the Classifier match the very least we will be is an official "Novice."  Frankly, after watching those Experts & Sharpshooters yesterday we will be a novice forever compared to those guys and gals. 

Happy Shooting, jp

Heavy Metal Bullets

We spend six months each year in Idaho and six months in Arizona.  Up in Idaho we shoot in both the IDPA and ICORE clubs.  There are some really fine shooters in each venue.  This summer, we learned much from many helpful shooters.  We were particularly interested in learning about cast lead bullets.  Several of the shooters Missouri Bullets.  One of the shooters, however, uses Heavy Metal Bullets out of Scottsdale, Arizona.

Trent C., the shooter who recommended Heavy Metal Bullets competes with a 1911 in IDPA.  He's really fast and accurate and makes it all look so easy.  I was impressed the very first time I saw him shoot and my respect for his skills only continued to grow as the season went on.  Trent swears by Heavy Metal Bullets.  He loves them.

I checked out the Heavy Metal Bullets website and found it to be a really fun little website.  It's nothing fancy bu there are some fun comments on the website.  By and by, we purchased a Colt M1917 .45 ACP revolver.  Everyone told us to use cast lead bullets.  Our thoughts turned to Heavy Metal Bullets and we ordered 500 of their 200 grain semi-wad cutter with the bevel base.  Owner William Simmons runs a one man shop but he is really dedicated to customer service.  He is very prompt in replying to emails and very helpful.  When I talked with him on the phone he was really gracious and didn't mind me asking my typical dumb questions.  Ordering online was a piece of cake and the website calculated Arizona sales tax properly.  I was able use Pay Pal for the payment, something I very much appreciated.  Total "out the door" delivered cost of those 500 bullets was a wee bit less than $50.  The bullets themselves were $45, tax was $3.58 and shipping was free.

I ordered the bullets on a Thursday and picked them up at the Post Office Saturday.  Friday was Veterans Day but I'm guessing they would have been delivered Friday if the Post Office as open.

The bullets shoot great in the M1917 but they don't load well with moon clips.  They get hung up on the shoulders of the semi-cutter geometry.  Once they are in the cylinder they are great to shoot on 5.4 grains of Unique with CCI #300 primers.  The friend who built my 1911 told me to use them in the 1911.  He said I would be surprised.  Boy, was he ever right!

Since I received the custom 1911 this summer, I have been using 185 grain hollow base plated Berry's bullets from St. George, Utah.  Now, I will be only using Heavy Metal Bullets in the 1911.  They feed like a dream and they are SOOOO accurate in that 1911.  They are a dream to use in reloading.  I am an old-fashioned reloader who uses a Lee "O" press, (AKA:  The Challenger).  Anyway, I use a walnut loading block and typically line up 25 rounds to charge with powder.  I can now easily place 25 of the Heavy Metal Bullets in the belled mouths of those casings with now problem.  This saves me a gob of time and makes reloading so much easier.  The bullets seat well and they feed like the proverbial butter and fire as smooth as silk.  There is no leading in the Bar-Sto barrel of the 1911.  I am very pleased.

Today I received a followup email from William Simmons wondering if I had received the bullets.  I decided to write this blog post to commend him on a "job well done" in casting, sizing and lubing lead bullets.  I will now place my loaded Berry's bullets on the back burner and use them only when I don't have anything else to shoot.  I will be shooting in an IDPA match in Phoenix November 19th and really look forward to using the Heavy Metal Bullets there.  If anyone asks what I am using, I sure will be happy to tell them my high regard for Heavy Metal Bullets.

It's ironic that I started using the Heavy Metal Bullets in the 1911 only because I was looking for something to use in the M1917.  Everything works out for a good purpose--no doubt about it.  Thanks, William for your great customer service.  There's no doubt I will be a loyal customer for a long time to come.

Click here to visit the Heavy Metal Bullets website.

Have a great day & Happy Shooting, jp

New holster for the Airweight

I bought this S&W .38 Special Airweight in 1974.  It's a long story best told some other time.  This little five shot has been with me through thick and thin.  It's been underwater, in rainstorms, dropped in the mud, you name it, the little snubbie has been there, done that.  Throughout this pistol's 39 years of service to me, I've never treated it to its own holster until this year.  No kidding. It's never had a real holster before this summer.

I went out to Wally World and paid may $10-$12 for a cheap-o Blackhawk cordura holster.  Well, that holster sucked Big Time. Not only that, it was right handed.  I found an old IWB for the snubbie in a box of cast-off holsters and bought it for $10.  Likewise, it was right-handed.  I can draw from that holster but I sure can't reholster at all.

Well, the time finally came when I could stand it no longer.  My Faithful sidekick just had to have its own customer holster.  I didn't want a leather one as I spend too much time outside in what some people call "the elements."  You know, stuff like rain, sleet, hail and, yes even snow.  I really like carrying the pistol when I am hiking, especially during snake season.  That's when I put three rounds of snake shot in it and along with two hollow points.  Trouble is, I've never had a decent way of carrying the Airweight.  What good would it do if it's in your pack when you need it?  Um...it would be NO good whatsoever.

Well, a couple of guys I know through shooting in IDPA and ICORE told me about a local guy who builds custom Kydex holsters.  His name is Rick Palmer and he runs Center of Mass Holsters.  Click here for his website.  A photo of Rick is at the bottom of all the holster photos.  I told Rick I wanted a holster I could use in both IDPA and ICORE as well as one that would attach to the hip belt of a wide variety of day packs and even an larger overnight pack, too.  Rick knew just what to do.  I had to wait a few weeks but I got the call yesterday that it was done.

We went to Rick's place in Firth, Idaho, to pick it up this afternoon and it sure didn't disappoint.  Rick took the time to use my very own pistol and custom adjust the holster so the retention pressure is perfect.  It ain't gonna come out unless you draw it out and then it's smooth as silk.

The photo at the top shows how I would be wearing it with a regular belt.  It is a slightly modified paddle holster so I don't have to be wearing a belt to use the holster.  Being an Old Fat Guy, I often don't wear a belt so I really wanted a paddle holster than didn't have the huge paddles like Blackhawks do.  It feels great for normal wear as shown in the top photo.  It always draws out faster than I've ever been able to do in 39 years!

In the first photo below this write up, you see it on the hip belt of my favorite day pack.  It does not interfere with my suspenders and pants and I can move it forward enough so the butt doesn't hit my arm when I am walking.  The next couple of photos are closer views of it on the hip belt.  The last photo shows how it attaches to the hip belt of a smaller day pack I often use.  This is exactly the type of holster I was hoping to have for this old beater Airweight.  I am very Happy.  I highly recommend Center of Mass and look forward to having other holster made there soon. Thanks, Rick!  Happy Shooting. jp

The Sheath--A Universal Kydex ambi holster

The Sheath. It's a great new holster. It fits almost any popular polymer automatic pistol--most of the Glocks, XD, XDM, M&P, Taurus Mil Pro's, FNP's and many more. The Sheath's designer , Rick Palmer has been making custom Kydex holster for ten years and just sold his first Sheath last week. I am only the third person to own one of them and got it less than an hour ago.

Here's how I learned about the Sheath. Rick is the hard working owner of Center Of Mass, a well-respected maker of custom Kydex holsters for all kinds of uses and applications. I heard about Rick and his Center of Mass business from two people I shoot with at IDPA and ICORE. (Rick is shown in the photo below.)

I was impressed with the holsters Rick made for them so I asked him to make a left-handed paddle holster for my 1974 S&W .38 Special Airweight. He called yesterday and said it was ready so we went down to his place to pick it up. It's a beautiful custom holster that we will talk about in a separate Forum post. While we were talking holsters and such, Rick pulled out The Sheath and said, "Take a loot at this." He had an XDM in it but told me it would fit almost any polymer pistol.

The brilliance of his design caught my eye immediately. You can wear it on either side and you can easily adjust the cant. Meanwhile, the ingenious design provides IDPA-legal retention pressure and the pistol is definitely not going to drop out even when held upside down. I asked him if it would fit my M&P and he said he'd guaranteed that it would. So, even though I was really excited about my new L/H holster for the snubbie, I could hardly wait to get home and try the M&P 9mm in The Sheath. Man, it fits perfectly and I can hold The Sheath upside down and shake it and the pistol won't drop out. meanwhile, it fits like a hand in glove on my belt and I can draw and reholster smoothly. NO PROBLEM.

Now get this--Rick is selling these holster for $25--that's twenty five bucks. HUH? Yep, he said he wanted to make a holster that would help a lot of people use a lot of different firearms. If you're like me, you buy and sell various pistols on a whim. Likewise, when I am shooting up in Camp Verde with the guys, a lot of them offer to let me shoot their pistols and I do the same for them. Thjis holster will allow me to go to the firing line with their pistol in a holster where it belongs before loading and making ready. Likewise, I can now swap this holster out to my right-handed wife it will fit a wide variety of the pistols to which we have access. The thing is amazing and I can't see anything not to like about it, especially the price.

And Rick will ship the holster Priority Mail for a flat $5. So, you could get one of these holsters delivered for $30--out the door--since there wouldn't be any sales tax when shipped to Arizona.

I can hardly wait to show this puppy off in person to my shooting buddies. The Sheath ROX.

Here's Rick's Center of Mass website.

http://comholsters.com/index.php

If you want one, just email him and make arrangements--he can take a credit card over the phone.

Happy Shooting, jp

Shooting The Breeze

Remember that old expression, "shoot the breeze?"  I haven't heard it used in what seems like forever.  It's an outdated phrase in this day of texting, email, cell phone fluff and all the rest of our 21st Century psycho-babble.  It was once common, especially for men, to stand around and "shoot the breeze" with each other.  Well, that's what we are doing here today with this blog post--shooting the breeze.  We doubt we will hit anything as the breeze is an always elusive target! 

This has been a watershed summer as far as shooting goes.  Visualize this factiod: I've reloaded 4,000 rounds of ammunition in four calibers!  That says it all: four thousand rounds.  And, golly gee, almost 95% of those rounds have been shot at something.  Maybe even a few of them hit their intended targets.  We've loaded over 2000 rounds of 9mm, 750 rounds of .45 ACP and 1250 rounds of .38 Special and .357.  Yikes.  If anyone would have told us back in June that we would load 4000 rounds of ammo by mid-August, we would have scoffed and laughed a belly laugh. Nah, ain't no way, Jose (or Hose B).  But it's true.

The other amazing thing about this summer has been the sheer number of firearms that have drifted in and out of our possession.  Since we started shooting in IDPA and ICORE, we have actually used SIX different pistols and revolvers in competition.  We started with a Glock 19; then used the Taurus PT111 Mil Pro 9mm; then tried our S&W 686, delightedly fired the Bonomo Custom 1911, went back to the Glock  and then the 686 and now, finally, we are using a brand new S&W M&P 9mm.  Our little antique 1974 S&W Airweight was pressed into action at an ICORE BUG match August 21.

We've never been particularly good at pistol or revolver shooting but we've become a lot better this summer than ever before.  It doesn't show in our IDPA or ICORE scores but we know the difference.  We're shooting that little snubnose, for example, better than we've shot it in 37 years!  We can actually reliably put five shots into a silhouette from 20 yards.  Now, bear in mind that no one in their right mind would use a 2-inch barrel .38 Special to attempt to shoot someone at 20 yards--those little five-shot revolvers are designed for real close-in situations.  Also, bear in mind, you'd probably get arrested and go to jail for shooting someone at 20 yards.  How could they possibly be a threat to you from 20 yards away?  Well, yeah, I know that's debatable but that's the way it is with our court system these days.  However, it's real nice to know thatI really COULD hit a target at 20 yards with a tiny flea flicker revolver like the Airweight.  And, I'll tell ya what, at 7 yards, I can group those five shots in two inches in the middle of Center of Mass.  That's something I've been unable to claim for the past 37 years.

Shooting the four-inch barrel S&W 686 is a genuine delight.  The term "tack driver" comes to mind.  It's such a fun revolver.  I won't be shooting it at IDPA anymore but I sure do look forward to shooting it in future ICORE matches.  What a hoot.

The most accurate pistol I own is the Bonomo Custom 1911.  It has no peer for accuracy, not even the 686.  It is the first pistol I've ever experience that I would call a "self-aiming" pistol.  If you point it in the general direction of the target, the pistol will take care of the rest and put a bullet right smack dead center of the target.  It's amazing but true.  Plus, it will do it from any distance.  The pistol could make a shooter of any skill look like a professional.  I don't know what voodoo, Tom put into that pistol but it is truly amazing.  I love it dearly and consider it a Family Heirloom.  We're actually going to keep it in a shadow box when it's not in use so we can admire it's awesome, historic beautifulness.

We won't be using the 1911 in competition.  Why is that?  Well, the other people who use 1911's in IDPA are amazingly proficient with their pistols.  It comes down to your personal reaction time in the draw, target acquisition and reloads, as well as the speed of your trigger.  The draw and reloads are the key.  There's simply no way I could possibly EVER be as competitive as the people who shoot in that Division.  They are as fast as a striking rattlesnake and their accuracy is pinpoint.  They can reload their 1911's faster than I can even imagine.  Next summer, I will probably enter the 1911 once in awhile just for grins.  But it wn't be a regular competitor.  Even if we are not going to use it for regular competition, it is clearly, easily our favorite pistol and will be forever and all time!  THANKS, Tom!

We're sticking with 9mm for IDPA.  Now that we have finally found the "right" pistol, we're going to shoot the heck out of it and strive to become ever more accurate and fast with the draw and reloads.  The Glock will soon be gone.  We sold the Taurus some time ago.  So, we have only one 9mm now and we are very happy with it.  We first "discovered" the S&W M&P at the July 16 Ross Coin & Gun Range Day.  We fired both the regular M&P and the Pro model.  The Pro model was amazing but it costs twice as much as the regular model.  When we found an M&P for $460 shipped, we jumped right on it.

It took us awhile to get the hang of the M&P.  We took delivery on it August 17.  Yep, that's a Wednesday.  We hurriedly shot 60 rounds through the pistol and then used it in that night's IDPA match.  We didn't do real well because of the lack of practice.  We had not even practiced beyond 10 yards so we did terrible on IDPA targets at 15 and 20 yards.  We finished 33rd out of 45 shooters but we were quite pleased considering it was the first day we owned the pistol.

In they recent days that have followed we began practicing practically every day, especially at the longer distances.  Up close, the M&P will always hit center of mass no problem.  Well, we couldn't hit jack sh*t at 20 yards so we put in a plea to the Match Director, Doug McK. to help us.  He spent almost two hours with us this week going over all the flaws in our grip, trigger control and sight plane and so forth.  The M&P has interchangeable backstraps so we switched down to the small one and implemented Doug's advice in the other areas.  My, oh, my, what a difference those changes have made.  now we can place all our shots at 20 yards like we know what we are doing.  It makes a world of difference and the pistol is definitely a keeper.

Last night was the first time all summer that we were pleased with our performance during an IDPA match.  In only its second appearance, the M&P really shined.  It's the perfect IDPA pistol for us.  Earlier in the week, we had our reloads chronographed and they came in at an average of 1088 fps.  This calculates to a Power Factor of 125,120, just 120 over the minimum necessary to be IDPA legal.  So, we're happy with our loads, they shoot fine in the M&P and life is finally good as far as shooting in IDPA goes.  From here on out it's just a matter of practice and more practice.

Bill S. is one of the best IDPA shooters.  He says that a year ago he couldn't hit anything and was embarrassed by his performance.  He went out and spent thousands of dollars on his own lead casting setup and the top of the line Dillon progressive press.  He's burned through way over 20,000 rounds since then and has enough supplies on hand to make up at least another 50,000 rounds.  (Not a typo.)  Bill is a BIG devotee of practice and, as he says, there's nothing that 20,000 rounds can't cure.  Well, I am sure that's true.  I know I won't be shooting 20,000 rounds anytime soon, at least in this lifetime, but I intend to continue to load 9mm and practice on a regular basis.

I am looking forward to the laid back Tuesday shoots down in Arizona this winter.  I hope to use those weekly social occasions to maintain at least some basic proficiency with our firearms, especially the 9mm.
I harbor no false notions of ever being one of the local IDPA's top shooters.  My long-term goal there is to be consistently in the middle of the pack--a solid average shooter, if you will.  I don't care if I am at the top of the heap.  I want to know that I can maintain a consistence level of performance and shoot well with the local group each week.  That's going to be good enough for me.  Actually, I have quite a ways to go to pull my times up to that level so being merely average is actually going to be quite a personal challenge for me.  Maintaining "average" will be an ongoing challenge as well.  Just being average with the local IDPA shooters is actually quite an advanced level of proficiency.

I finished last in the August 21st ICORE match.  I was lamenting that fact to our neighbor Bill S. and he said, "Being last with that group of shooters is not bad at all, John."  I hadn't thought of it that way but it didn't take long to realize Bill was correct.  The ICORE shooters are a dozen of the very best pistol shooters around.  They all are consistently some of the top scorers at IDPA and in other matches.  They are incredible.  So, maybe I couldn't beat myself up too badly for finishing last with that group.  Very few of the ICORE shooters use a two-inch barrel in what's called the BUG matches.  BUG, of course, stands for "Back Up Gun."  The rules say your BUG can have a three inch barrel and, believe me, that extra inch makes a world of difference in accuracy.  Several of the ICORE shooters complimented me on my use of the two-inch Airweight.  So, even if I finished last, at least I put up a good show and TRIED to be competitive.

All of the match-grade shooting has done great things for my overall pistol and revolver proficiency.  Frankly, I never, ever dreamed I would be able to actually shoot with a group of really good shooters.  I can't even begin to describe my fear and dread on the first day I went to an IDAP match.  I felt like a genuine fish out of water and just hoped I wouldn't look like an idiot.  It's a wonder I didn't shoot my leg off during that first match.  I had just bought the Glock 19 the night before and was using a goofy inside the waist band leather holster.  I had no experience whatsosever with the Glock trigger mechanism.  Dear Friend Gary W. had put the fear of gawd in me by telling me all sorts of stories about accidental discharges with Glocks.  And, to top it off, I had missed the ENTIRE target board on my first 16 shots in practice earlier in the day of that first match. 

It looks to be a grim night for me that day.  I will never forget the very first stage in that initial IDPA match.  It was called The Crack Head. There were five silhouettes on a diagonal line.  You had to shoot the farthest one first and then each in succession until the closest one.  For the close one, you were required to do a head shot.  When I stood up to the line, I really had no hope, realizing, of course, I had missed my first sixtenn shots earlier in the day.  But something magical happened that hooked me on IDPA right on the spot.  I hit each target precisely where I was supposed to and finished with a perfect head shot, all in 9.81 seconds!  It was my first time to the line and the other members of my squad were quick and generous with their praise.  That broke the ice for me and it's been a great ride ever since.

The biggest gift this summer has been the support and camaraderie of the other IDPA and ICORE shooters.  They are some really great people.  They have helped me a lot and been ever encouraging.  I've spent so much time at the facility, I have been calling it my "home on the range."  The helpfulness of the other shooters reminds me of part of the chorus to "Home on The Range."

Home, home on the range,

Where the deer and the antelope play;

Where seldom is heard a discouraging word

And the skies are not cloudy all day.

Well, that's about all of the "shooting of the breeze" I can muster up this morning.  I'm sure I haven't hit much of the breeze and it will blow along unharmed and no worse for the wear.  It's been fun and I look forward to my next breeze shooting session.  Thanks for reading!  Have a great day--Happy Shooting & Many Cheers!  jp

IDPA 1911 Round Two

Bill Scott shoots an IDPA Stage with his 1911 9mm.

Our first attempt to use the Bonomo Custom 1911 (Hereafter: 1911BC) last week was a frustrating exercise in optimism gone awry.  First off, we couldn't draw the pistol out of the Blackhawk Sherpa holster.  For some reason, the trigger lock took took much pressure to release.  It was a minor miracle we were able to pull the pistol out of the holster and actually compete with it.  Then, to make matters worse, we had a bad magazine that wouldn't feed.  And, if that wasn't enough, two of the magazines wouldn't lock into place.  Somehow, we only finished third from the bottom of the "Combat Defensive Pistol" Division and actually finished 30 seconds faster than our Arizona shooting buddy, Bob Brubaker.  Our 190 second time was actually faster than 10 other shooters for the July 27th match.  Looking back, we have no clue how we were able to shoot that well while facing so many weird issues.  Luck, I guess.

OK, meanwhile, we had two rounds of company over the weekend.  Saturday I felt "something" coming on and then my fears were realized Sunday when I came down with a raging summer cold.  I made the mistake of taking some antihistamines Sunday night to stop the majorly runny nose and eyes, etc.  By Monday morning, I was wiped out--that's what antihistamines do to me.  I was at the lowest energy ebb I have experienced in many years and felt like a walking zombie.  I even took a 2+ hour nap Monday afternoon and went to bed as early as possible.  Right then and there I began to worry about the August 3rd IDPA match.  Would I be able to participate?  Could I solve the 1911BC's issues by Wednesday?  When Tuesday morning rolled around, I could barely get out of bed I was so tired.  I didn't think I'd be able to go to the range and figured I'd just miss Wednesday and hopefully pick it up again on August 10.

Luckily, by early afternoon I was feeling a little better and figured I might as well see how it would go at the range.  Prior to our company showing up, I had taken a hack saw blade to the Blackhawk Sherpa holster and cut out the retaining pin for the locking mechanism.  I tried in vain last Thursday and Friday to find a decent left-hand holster for the 1911 but there were none available anywhere in River City.  Whiel roaming online, I realized Blackhawk doesn't even make a lefthand holster without the lock.  They make such a holster for other pistols but not for the 1911.  Weird but true.

Anyway, I felt that justified my butchering of the Sherpa.  Afterwards I sought out one of the IDPA Chieftains.  His name is Elden and he's the Alpha Male at the Sportman's Warehouse gun department.  I asked Elden if he felt my newly butchered holster was IDPA legal.  After hearing my side of the story, he agreed that it would be legal.

So, on Tuesday I was relieved to find that the shade tree hack job on the holster worked just fine.  OK, one issue solved.  Meanwhile, I had worked and worked on the 1911BC's safety, moving it up and down at least 500 times.  This made it a little more compliant.  I also practiced moving the safety up with my right thumb and my right hand came forward into the grip before firing.  OK, issue #2 solved.

My Tuesday problem that wouldn't go away was the magazine feed.  I had purchased two new Kimber magazines the prior week.  It turns out one of them was simply defective.  So, to be safe after Tuesday's range session, I traded in both of the low cost Kimbers and bought the most expensive Kimbers in stock at Sportsman's Warehouse. 

I went back to the range first thing Wednesday morning and tested out the two new magazines.  Whew, they worked perfectly, so well, in fact, that they became my #1 and #2 "GOTO" magazines even over the Wilson Combat magazines that Tom included with the 1911BC. 

After two sessions at the range Tuesday and Wednesday, I felt I was shooting pretty straight and also felt that last week's issues were behind me.  Meanwhile, instead of pooping out in the middle of the day, I actually began to feel better and better as the day rolled along.  However, I can't by any means say that I was feeling 100% when I showed up out at the range for the match tonight.

OK, meanwhile, Susun decided that she was going to attend tonight's match.  That's a good thing but it sure did change the game for me.  Naturally, I wanted to shoot well and impress my sweetie.  Anyone who shoots knows that's usually not possible.  Having a Loved One attend a shooting match almost always invokes the Law of Unintended Consequences.  And so it was tonight.

Everything was going along really well.  The group said the Pledge of Allegiance, heard the obligatory safety talk, split into squads and dutifully trooped off to their assigned stage.  Our squad drew Stage One which turned out to be THE toughest stage of the match.  And wouldn't you know, I was drawn to be second to shoot.  

Somehow as I stared at the daunting stage, all my tenuous energy seemed to flow right out the bottoms of my feet and vaporize.  In hindsight, I really should have asked to be moved down in the shooting order.  it was foolish of me to shoot second.  But, hey, I was trying to impress My Honey.  If my number was called, then well, I was going to stand and deliver.  Big mistake.

Luckily, everything went well with the "Load & Make Ready" command.  However, when the buzzer went off, my brain went completely dead.  POOF.  Just like that.  I drew and raised the pistol to shoot and pulled the trigger and nothing happened.  It seemed like an eternity before I realize I had not dropped the safety.  OPPS--the idiocy factor strikes again.   Then, I was so flustered after finally releasing the safety that I didn't focus on my shots and received not one but TWO FTN's.  The dreaded FTN is the second worst penalty one can receive in IDPA.  It means Failure To Neutralize.  The FTN is a Mortal Sin in IDPA.  It means you are a total eff-up.  Boy, did I feel like an idiot or what?  I slinked back off the firing line with my tail between my legs.  It was easily the worse shooting performance in my entire IDPA career and with Susun looking on, no less.

Everyone in my squad was real nice about it and, as it turned out, I wasn't the only one to get an FTN on that stage.  Several people got FTN's too so I wasn't the Lone Ranger.  Everyone was complaining about the stage setup and how it sucked and so forth so that buoyed my spirits somewhat.  Nevertheless, another shooter's failure to hit the target doesn't justify your own lack of accuracy.

So, we moved on to Stage Two and wouldn't you know I had to shoot first.  Yikes.  Well, in hindsight, I should have voluntarily dropped down to last in the order but that wouldn't look good so I said OK.  Now this one was borderline ridiculous.  There were six IDPA targets.  Three of them were upright in the normal manner.  The other three were turned upside down.  So, here's how it worked.  One of the Safety Officers flipped a coin.  If it was heads you had to shoot the three targets that were upright.  If it was tails, you had to shoot the ones that were upside down.  However, it was more complicated than that.  After loading and making ready, you had to turn uprange to face your squad.  Meanwhile the coin flipper hid behind the Safety Officer with the timer and flipped the coin.  The guy with the timer didn't tell you whether it was heads or or tails until he pushed the buzzer.  So, for me, he yelled TAILS just as he pushed the buzzer.  So, then you had to spin around and draw and shoot the upside down targets.  Bear in mind that the location of the center of mass circle changes greatly when the targets are upside down.  Whew, I actually did pretty well on that stage and redeemed myself, scoring zero on two targets and only getting a minor time penalty on the third one.  I was able to walk back smiling to Susun and say, "See, I really CAN shoot accurately with these guys."  She thought that stage was a real hoot.  It turned out I probably shot the stage about on par with the average of my squad so I felt much better.

Susun left after Stage Two so that took a lot of "stage fright" pressure off my back.  Meanwhile, the natural rotation of the squad bumped me down to last position for Stage Three and near last position for Stages 4-5.  That gave me huge gobs of time to goof off and watch everyone else shoot the stages.  Trust me, there is a giant advantage to shooting near the bottom of the order.

I did real well in Stages 3-4, probably finished in the top half of my squad.  I was feeling pretty good by the time Stage Five rolled around.  I was shooting 3rd from last by that time and my confidence had really grown after the fiasco of Stage One.  First and foremost, the pistol was performing flawlessly.  No jams, no misfeeds, no failures to feed, and no magazines failing to lock in.  Life was good indeed.
After watching the squad shoot Stage Five I decided to kick back and NAIL that SOB Stage. 

Here's the way it was set up.  Supposedly, we were in a Wal-Mart with a bunch of psychos.  (Gee, ain't that the way it ALWAYS is?)  Well, anyway, we had to start in the shooter box and advance toward Bad Guy #1 putting three rounds in him while on the move.  Then we had to go to the end of a wall and peer around the corner and put three rounds into the distant bad guy.  Meanwhile there were two more bad guys that you could only see as you peered farther around the wall.  It was actually a pretty tough stage design as stages go.  Only one shooter before me in our squad recorded a perfect score. 

Now, as you know, the 1911 can only hold 9 rounds and this is obviously a 12 round stage.  The trick here was to shoot to slide lock and duck back behind cover for a reload.  I figured I would put three rounds into the guy while advancing and then spend four rounds on the distant guy before putting two into the middle guy and then do the reload, finish the middle guy with a shot and then dump three into the nearest bad guy. 

Well, it worked to perfection. and I scored ZERO on all four bad guys.  Not only that but my shots were all in tight groups in the middle of Center of Mass.  One of the Safety Officers gave me a High Five and several of the other shooters offered their congratulations.  Everyone was all smiles.  I said I was trying to make up for Stage One and the head Safety Officers said, "We've ALL been trying to make up for Stage One tonight, John!"

It was a great way to end the match and the evening and I was very pleased.  I must say that when I was standing there waiting for the buzzer on Stage Five, I felt very comfortable and at peace with my situation.  When I drew out that 1911BC, it felt like it was made for my hands.  I can distinctly remember a great feeling of comfort with that pistol in Stage Five.  It was like we were all acting together on the same stage with the same plan.  Me, my eyes, the grip, the stance, the sight plane, the pistol, the ammo, everybody did their part and it showed in the results.  I've shot a few stages well before but a lot of it has been pure luck.  This wasn't luck tonight and it's the first time this summer at IDPA I've had a feeling of success through practice, concentration, determination and the newfound ability to shrug off adversity in search of success in the next stage to come.

Thanks, Tom, for making this possible with your pistolsmithing wizardry.  Thanks, Wes, for your kind and steadfast encouragement.  Thanks, Susun, for your loyal and faithful support for this "shooting gig."  Thanks, Bob B. for your tips on mastering the "load and make ready."  And, THANKS to my fellow IDPA shooters for all their great camaraderie.  This club ROX!

It's been a great day.  I think I vanquished my summer cold this evening.  We're ready to move on now.

Thanks for reading.  Happy Shooting & Many Cheers, jp

Grand Pa's pistol on display

Here it is: Grand Pa's .32 lemon squeezer on display.  After much angst and waffling back and forth in the ebb and flow of opinions lodged in response to the blog post below, we opted to save Grand Pa's pistol from a sale into the oblivion of an unknown future.  Below the pistol is a hand carved leather pouch that contains his military record.  On the outside, it is carved,
"Pvt. R.H. Parsons
Troop H, 17th Cavalry
Douglas, Arizona
Transferred to
HQ Troop, 4th Cavalry
Ft. Ringgold, Texas"

Many THANKS to all who provided their thoughts on this matter!  jp

Grand Pa's pistol

(Six more photos below blog post)

I never really knew my Grand Pa very well.  My Mom and he didn't get along so we didn't go there much.  He was a railroader until he retired--mostly working the switchyards in Lafayette, Indiana.  Back when he was a teenager, he enlisted in the US Army and somehow got shipped off to the gawd-forsaken wild lands of Arizona before the First World War.  Believe it or not, my Grand Pa was a US Cavalry man.  He was one of the first enlisted men to be issued the now famous 1911 .45 Gov't model.  He and his fellow soldiers were under Gen. Blackjack Pershing in the legendary chase of Pancho Villa.  Grand Pa was stationed in Douglas, Arizona, and participated in many of the cavalry chases of the elusive Villa.  I actually have some of his military papers showing service dates there in Arizona.  Back home in Indiana, my Mom has an original panorama showing Grand Pa on his horse lined up with all the other pony soldiers.

When Grand Pa came home, he fathered four sons and had to raise them all by himself after his wife died shortly after my Dad was born in 1922.  In those days, Grand Pa was a mule skinner and wrangler for Purdue University's horse and mule herd.  He taught his sons how to be good hunters at an early age because that meant they were putting food on the table.  People didn't hunt for sport back in the 1930's there in the Depression--they hunted for food.  Grand Pa was one of those tough love guys who would give each kid a single cartridge and say, "Don't come home unless you kill something with this."  He was an abusive father and often beat his sons if they failed to kill something with the single shell.  He accused them of wasting his ammunition and that was a cardinal sin back on those days.

For some reason, my own Dad never liked pistols--he only like long arms and that's what we collected as I was growing up.  Shotguns, rifles, muskets, you name it, the house was often filled with long arms but, curiously, no pistols.  Dad would never allow me to have a pistol.  If we went to the range, I was welcome to fire a military surplus 1911 .45 but I could never actually OWN a pistol.  Plenty of rifles, but NO pistols allowed.

I never knew Grand Pa had a favorite pistol until my Dad died in August 1998.  When I went back for the funeral I was prowling around in his bedroom and digging through drawers and, lo and behold, I found a pistol.  I pulled it from the drawer in amazement.  Heck, I didn't even know what kind of pistol it was!  My Dad had served as a top turret gunner on a B-17 in WWII and had been shot down and somehow survived six Nazi prison camps.  Only one of his crew was alive when my Dad died--Jack Bowen, one of the two waist gunners.  Jack was from Texas and a shooter from the git go.  He took one look at the pistol and said, "That's an old lemon squeezer, John, and here's how you break it open."

Well, I took it back to Arizona.  This was in the pre-9/11 Era so I simply stuffed it in my suitcase and didn't give it a second thought.  Over the years, the pistol has resided in a variety of drawers, closets, cupboards, boxes and bins.  For several years I thought I had permanently actually lost the pistol.  It disappeared in 2006 and only was found again in April 2011.  It has been residing safely in a locked .50 ammo can tucked into a secret spot.  I was very relieved to find it but still really didn't (and don't) know what to do with it.

It was probably manufactured in the early 1900's but could have rolled off the S&W production line as last as the 1930's.  I haven't yet figured out how to equate the serial number with the production date.  In any event, it was probably designed for use with old-fashioned powder, possibly even black powder.  I can't imagine it could take the pressure of modern smokeless powder.  I would rate its condition as the high side of fair or maybe the low side of good.

Yesterday, I decided to take it for a walk around the various local gun shops.  I took it to Ski's and the owner didn't know what to offer for it.  He said it could be worth anywhere from $100-$500.  Then I took it to Max's and they only offered me $50 on trade in.  I took it to Ross Gun Shop but those people look so dour in there I didn't even want to talk to them about it.

This morning, I have been researching the pistol and learning more about it.  I did find one up for auction and the owner of that one thinks it is worth $400.  You can click here to see his auction.

I know it's probably heresy to sell of Grand Pa's gun, especially with his Pancho Villa pedigree.  However, I'm not a gun collector, I want to actually SHOOT the firearms I own.  Likewise, I don't have any appropriate context in which to display Grand Pa's pistol.  So, it looks like I'm gonna sell it if I can get a fair price for it.  I'm guessing it ought to be worth $200, plus or minus.  I suspect I will register to be a seller on one of the online gun auction sites and give it a whirl.

Before taking that big leap, however, I'd like to hear the opinions of my shooter buddies: Jef, Tom, Gary, Brad, Wes, and Matt.  I hope one or all of your guys weigh in on this topic.  Just use the comment function below so we can all hear your thoughts on the matter.  THANK YOU!

Well, that's my story and sticking to it!  Cheers, jp