1 goal down...

I got the 45 out of layaway back on the 3rd of the month, but didn't take any good pics until I ultra-lightly bead blasted the marred finish. It sure looks nice now!
I am relatively new to the 1911 scene. Back in '92 I had a combat commander, but I sold it.
I'm pretty sure the trigger and sights are aftermarket, and maybe even the mainspring housing (it's plastic!). I like the sights a lot, but the trigger has a wiggle to it that bugs me so I may work on/replace that.

Old Year, New Year (Guns XXXIII)

Well, we added to our collection this year unlike most.

in June we added a Heritage Arms .22 convertible (you've seen this posted before):

in September, we added this CZ52 to the family. Well, I guess I added this one.

I bought it without the Wife's permission, but she wasn't too upset when we saw one in a gun shop the next weekend for almost double what I paid. I wasn't really in the market for one, but I couldn't pass up a good deal:

at the beginning of November, we added this Bulgarian Makarov pistol to the collection.

It is one of the most comfortable pistols we own according to the wife who has claimed ownership of this one (so I guess I'll have to get one for me as well!):


last, but not least, our xmas presents! A pair of CZ82s. "His and Hers", if you will:

one by itself, with all the accessories it came with:

one of the great things about these pistols is the importer's mark, hidden away as it should be:

And what's in store for the new year?

-probably refininshing and restocking the CZ82s

-a .22 pistol with a sound suppressor

-perhaps a "his and hers" pair of 10/22s for the wife and I to customize our own rifles

-stocking up on ammo to feed the whole family of guns

-perhaps a few Mosin Nagant rifles since they are just soooo cheap

-constant deal watching

-oh, and getting my .45 out of layaway where it's been since the first week of November.

A South African Example

Of what happens every single time a government gets involved in things that aren't their business. What do you think... confusing enough? A lack of foresight could criminalize every South African gun owner in a few days.

the original article: at iol.co.nz
Gun owners to get a another shot at Act
The SA Hunters and Game Conservation Association has welcomed an interim court interdict, saying it would temporarily stop more than a million South African gun owners from becoming criminals at the stroke of midnight on June 30. Judge Bill Prinsloo on Friday granted an urgent order in the High Court in Pretoria that all firearm licences granted under the 1969 Arms and Ammunition Act shall be deemed to be lawful and valid, pending the outcome of an application to declare portions of the new Firearms Control Act unconstitutional. The new Act came into operation in 2004, but was in terms of Schedule 1 of the Act phased in over a five-year period, ending on June 30. The Act forces licensed gun owners to re-apply for their licences, including applying for competency certificates, failing which they must dispose of their firearms, or could have them forfeited to the state.
'Everything carries on' The Act also criminalises gun owners who have not applied for the renewal of their licences. They face criminal prosecution and can be sentenced to a year imprisonment for not applying and a further maximum of 15 years for the unlawful possession of a firearm. The association's lawyer, George Nell, described the judgment as "excellent". He said it was of national importance, not only for the Hunters Association, but for all private gun owners. "I think the SAPS and the authorities should have a look at the judgment and maybe take out the positive points to carry out the message to the public more positively and to get their own house in order where necessary," he said.
'Everything is put on hold' Nell said their main application will probably only be heard in about six to eight months and would, if they were successful, have to be confirmed by the Constitutional Court. Police Director Phuti Setati said the judgment could not stop the introduction of the new Act, which will continue."Everything carries on, but because there's another application pending, all licences granted under the old Act remain valid. Everything is put on hold now until the main application is dealt with," he said.Setati said the SAPS respected the judgment and "would act accordingly". "We will study the judgment and will make sure that it is properly communicated internally and externally." - Sapa

Heritage (Guns XXXII)

I just couldn't help myself. I had to get a photo. I really need to learn about indoor lighting (still...) so I can get rid of the flash. I probably need a new tripod since I lost the QD base for mine at a ren. fest.
It's made here in Florida, woohoo! It has the color case hardened frame, green camo (laminate wood) grips, 4.75" bbl, 2 interchangeable cylinders: LR (pictured) and WMR, 6 shots, 4-click hammer, 50 yard report is it can bust up some dirt clods. It's loads of plinking fun without plunking down loads of cash!

Parker Hale, like new. (Guns XXXI)

Remember the Parker Hale .270?
It was my dad's and it had a cracked stock. I took it to a local gunsmith. He said that he thought he'd be able to fix it.
When they called for me to pick it up, he had a new (beat up and ugly) wood stock on it and wanted to measure me for it. I explained that it was not the stock I wanted, that if I had to replace it I wanted the Hogue Overmolded stock. He was not happy because he'd already glassbedded (sic?) the rifle and I was not happy because some of the glasbedding (also sic?) was visible on the barrel.
I should have read more on the forums... I probably could have swapped stocks myself in retrospect, but I thought he'd fix the wood.
Long story short, he got the right stock and I'm glad to be done with the whole thing. He slopped on the screws and never did remove the extra glas (also also sic?). I'll not have him do any more gunsmithing for me. On the other hand, I should have guessed judging by the scratches on some of the for sale pistols (brand new) in the display cases that their attitude was more about functionality than about artistry.

Here she is:




On yet another hand, their prices are reasonable and I picked up a Heritage .22lr/mag SA revolver. I had them order it, and they never took it out of the box. It's pretty nice and shoots awfully straight for a ~$200 brand-spankin'-new pistol. I don't have pics of that one yet, but you can expect another post pretty soon: either I'll get some photos of the .22 or I'll get the Parker Hale out to the range and shoot some paper and some pictures.

State Sovereignty

Lawmaker aims at making Texas firearms exempt from federal regulation
By ANNA M. TINSLEY
atinsley@star-telegram.com

A Texas lawmaker wants to further push state sovereignty from the federal government.
Rep. Leo Berman, a former Arlington mayor pro tem, has filed a bill to make guns, ammunition and gun parts that are made, sold and kept in Texas free from federal regulation. "I fail to see why a bill is necessary in the first place, but ok..."
That would exempt them from federal gun registration, dealer licensing rules and buyer background checks. State laws would still apply.
"This does two things," said Berman, a Tyler Republican. "It tests our sovereignty in relationship to the federal government, and it would attract new small gun manufacturers to the state to manufacture certain types of weapons and ammunition that are only used in intrastate commerce."
Guns and sovereignty are fiery issues in the Lone Star State, where residents resist federal regulations that could trample on either right. "Kinda makes me wonder if Texas isn't the place for me..."
Sparks flew last month when Gov. Rick Perry talked about how some Texans might want the state to secede from the U.S. and when a bill advanced in the Legislature to tell the federal government to "cease and desist" imposing regulations on the state. "Our own (FL) governor has his head in the political clouds. He's more worried about getting that 'spendulous' check than he is about keeping our sovereign rights."
Berman’s bill, similar to measures in Montana and Alaska, would push the sovereignty button even further.
The bill is pending in the House Public Safety Committee.
Texas-made
Berman said his bill is geared to help smaller "mom and pop" gun, ammunition and gun-part makers in Texas.
Those who make and sell their products in the state would put a "Made in Texas" stamp on items meant to stay in Texas.
Lawmakers say the federal government regulates firearms and ammunition through its power to regulate interstate commerce. If Texas prevents those products from leaving the state, federal officials’ arguments for regulating them are rendered moot, state lawmakers say. "I'd say the same argument is good for a whole lot of things, among them drug prohibition and alcohol manufacturing (have you ever looked into the crazy TTB/ATF rules regarding making and selling wine, for instance?)."
"The bill requires every component to be made and stay in Texas," Berman said. "If it leaves Texas, it will be subject to federal legislation." "Makes perfect sense to me."
Critics say the bill is a long shot. They worry that if residents try to follow such a law, they would risk prosecution from the U.S. government, which may not recognize the legislation. Karl Dean Pifer, who owns KC Precision Ballistics in Granbury, said he has mixed feelings about the bill. "What's the issue here? If the bill passes, I'd think people would immediately begin manufacturing in-state items just to make the point. We 'gun nuts' can be pretty hard-headed."
He and his wife and daughter make federally licensed ammunition at their home for up to .50-caliber firearms. Last year, they sold about 10,000 rounds — an amount they have already reached in the first quarter of this year, Pifer said.
While he would like some of the regulatory relief the bill could bring, Pifer said, he’s worried that manufacturers might not be under strict-enough guidelines.
"With no regulation, it could open it up to a lot of bad guys doing a lot of bad stuff," he said. But "it would be great to sell within the state without any additional taxes or regulations." "This doesn't sound like a supporter of firearms freedom to me. Kinda reminds me of how AB lobbies to make the tax and fee burden as tough as possible on breweries just to keep the competition from getting a foot hold."
Test case?
A similar bill is pending in Alaska, where House members have approved the Alaska Firearms Freedom Act.
Some there say they see the bill as a way to reclaim some of their rights from the federal government.
But Texas lawmakers are keeping an eye on the Montana measure, which takes effect Oct. 1. That is the gun-sovereignty law they believe most likely to be tested in court.
Some have said they hope to set off a court battle by finding a Montana resident to notify the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that he or she will build and sell "made in Montana" rifles without federal licensing. "I'm not too clear on why such a Montanan would need to notify the TTB (formerly the ATF) of anything at all."
If not allowed to proceed, the resident would file a lawsuit in the hope of making it to the U.S. Supreme Court for a final ruling.
"This will be the test case, to challenge the federal law," Berman said. "I’m very interested in our Second Amendment rights under the Constitution." "My opinion on this? Okay, since you insist. '...THE FREEDOM OF THE PEOPLE TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED.' I take this to mean that 'We the People' have the right to our weapons of war/hunting/action shooting/target shooting/plinking/etc... including those weapons made illegal to me before I was even born."

Hávamál stanza 38"
"Let a man never stir on his road a step
without his weapons of war;
for unsure is the knowing when need shall arise
of a spear on the way without."

from http://www.nra.org/ :



"I'm Chuck Norris, a black belt patriot...

"If some thug breaks into my home I can use my roundhouse kick, but I prefer he look down the barrel of my gun."



Me too, Chuck.

That's 9mm parabellum.

Re: Sleeping well at night. (guns XXX) [that means 30!]

Ironic, considering the last post I made.

2:00 AM
Misty woke me up. She heard the door on the lanai shut. She got her pistol and went out front. I got the shotgun and went out back. I scanned the yard and roof with the barrel mounted flashlight but found nothing, but when I got back to the front door she came running in. "There was a guy out there!" She had seen him by our trash cans.

"What are you doing?!" as she raised her pistol.

"Sorry, ma'am, I just dropped my wallet." And then he took off.

She scared him out of his flip-flops and he also dropped a woman's checkbook in the street. He had been ditching some presumably stolen goods in our trash. There was an empty "Hooters" billfold (what they give you your bill in) and some bottles of prenatal vitamins. She called the police, who came and got the description from her.

About a year ago, our neighbor came home one evening to find a stranger on his lanai. He called the police who came and looked around. They heard noise from the roof. It was the stranger jumping off. He got away.

I always thought the suburbs were more peaceful than this.

Mak-90 partII (guns xxix)

Last time I posted a pic of this, I said that maybe I'd get one with the 75 round drum under it.

Here it is:

The sleepy-time sheets help, but the rifle is what really makes me sleep well at night.

.

Forgotten Range Pics... (guns XXIIX)

... from the past year or so:

Smith & Wesson mdl 65-3 in my hands:
Kel-Tec P3AT:
That same S&W 65-3 3"bbl .357 mag 6-shooter:
The break-top S&W you may recognize from earlier posts:
The .22 Browning rifle my dad gave me:

since I was 6 (or so) [guns xxvii)

I've owned this. That's when my dad bought it for me.
Somewhere there's a picture of me shooting this as a child. I will find it...

Ammendment II

" A well organized militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the freedom of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

Translation: Since the government will have guns, the citizens will have them too. We are thus protected from the government's guns. See Concord.

This should be a T-shirt, too.

Ruger Red Dot (Guns XXVI)

I tried out a $50 simmons red dot (I got it at a discount- floor sample) this past weekend.

The first grouping (of 30 rounds, I believe) at 25 yards:
I bought this rifle in 1991. It was $99 at Wal-Mart (where I try never to shop now). My uncle Steve who at the time had a type 01 FFL helped me trick it out like his own.

Break-Top Break-Down V (Guns XXV)

Time to remove some pins:



Above, you can see the piece of brass I used to tap them out. I was afraid of marring them with a standard steel punch.

These pins hold in the trigger guts, for lack of the proper term.

Break-Top Break-Down IV (Guns XXIV)

Remove hammer:

Hammer removed:

Remove cylinder (it unscrews if you pull gently while turninig):

M1895 Nagant (Guns XXIII)

The first two cylinders through the Nagant:



1.



2.

Pretty good groups for an 80-year old gun with what some call sub-standard ammo from a guy who's never shot one before, I guess.

I liked it. A LOT.

M1895 Nagant III (Guns XXII)

More shots of the varied markings:

Any assistance in identifying meaning is welcome!

Break-Top Break-Down III (Guns XXI)

Remove the mainspring screw:



Gently remove spring: The spring, removed:

M1895 Nagant II (gunsXX)

Sorry about the flash. This is what the import markings look like, though. You really only see the white of the steel from just the right anlge.

A couple of markings just above the frame screw. Perhaps an "L" in a circle and a "2" ?

M1895 Nagant revolver (Guns XIX)

This one arrived today on my doorstep:





It's my first C&R purchase with my 03FFL (for the layman, that means I recently got a license as a collector of old stuff).



Under $100 and the import marks are discreet and on the bottom of the barrel. From IOinc.