Friday, April 27, 2012
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Ruger 10/22 Takedown
There are few rifles more ubiquitous than the Ruger 10/22. I've owned a number of them over the years but never held onto them for very long for one reason or another. They are endlessly customizable which adds to the fun and can lead to impressive accuracy.
The new Ruger 10/22 Takedown intrigued me enough to throw down the credit card and take one home. So far I'm impressed. The takedown system is the easiest to use of any I've come across - no tools required. The lock up is solid and the rifle functions reliably and in my limited testing the zero has held after several dis- and re-assemblies.
I will be installing a peep sight and I will test the repeatability of the zero when the rear and front sights are on different halves.
Accuracy is about the same as every other 10/22 I've owned - good, not great. The trigger is rather heavy and I've only tried the cheap bulk pack ammo through it which is unlikely to produce stellar accuracy, though it has performed reliably through the rifle.
I'm not a big fan of synthetic stocks but the 10/22 TD's stock is better than most I've come across. It has a nice heft and looks like it would handle rough conditions well. It also makes sense on a rifle that is likely to be stowed in a vehicle and/or neglected until needed.
The niche I see for this rifle is as a "truck gun." It's inexpensive, low maintenance, reliable, compact and versatile. The 22 is a notorious overachiever and when pressed can handle big jobs. It can easily be customized to suit the user and his needs. Ammo is inexpensive and easily carried.
I expect this 10/22 is one I'll keep. Nice going Ruger (again).
The new Ruger 10/22 Takedown intrigued me enough to throw down the credit card and take one home. So far I'm impressed. The takedown system is the easiest to use of any I've come across - no tools required. The lock up is solid and the rifle functions reliably and in my limited testing the zero has held after several dis- and re-assemblies.
I will be installing a peep sight and I will test the repeatability of the zero when the rear and front sights are on different halves.
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| Ruger 10/22 TD and the Marlin 39 Century Limited |
Accuracy is about the same as every other 10/22 I've owned - good, not great. The trigger is rather heavy and I've only tried the cheap bulk pack ammo through it which is unlikely to produce stellar accuracy, though it has performed reliably through the rifle.
I'm not a big fan of synthetic stocks but the 10/22 TD's stock is better than most I've come across. It has a nice heft and looks like it would handle rough conditions well. It also makes sense on a rifle that is likely to be stowed in a vehicle and/or neglected until needed.
The niche I see for this rifle is as a "truck gun." It's inexpensive, low maintenance, reliable, compact and versatile. The 22 is a notorious overachiever and when pressed can handle big jobs. It can easily be customized to suit the user and his needs. Ammo is inexpensive and easily carried.
I expect this 10/22 is one I'll keep. Nice going Ruger (again).
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Friday, January 27, 2012
M&P 45C and the XGRIP
The XGRIP arrived today.
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| XGRIP with 10 round magazine |
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| XGRIP with 14 round Magazine |
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| 45C with XGRIP and Full Size comparison |
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I've been purchasing magazines and the XGRIP from http://gregcotellc.com/cart/index.php GREAT SERVICE and Pricing!
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Tuesday, January 03, 2012
M&P 45 Magazines
M&P 45 Magazines are available with 8 (compact), 10 & 14 round capacities.
I purchased two more - a 10 and a 14 - from http://gregcotellc.com/cart/ which I've found to have great selection, very competitive pricing and OUTSTANDING rapid service.
The 14 round magazine has a permanently attached grip extension that my wife and I both found to be very comfortable when shooting with two hands and seems to further mitigate recoil due to increased leverage. This is something I will be testing further.
So far the function seems to be fine though I need to test more to be confident in that. The 14th round is a bearcat to load. I'm certain some will require a loading device. Inserting a fully loaded magazine into the pistol with the slide in battery (as with a tactical reload) it requires a firm tap to fully seat the magazine. There does seem to be an increased drag when working the action with a full mag on the first round and the next 13 feed more easily. It will take some testing to convince me this is 100% reliable - though so far, so good.
The 14 round magazine seems to be a very nice option for a home defense situation. It would probably serve well as a secondary magazine when in the field or for competitions when capacity isn't limited.
I purchased two more - a 10 and a 14 - from http://gregcotellc.com/cart/ which I've found to have great selection, very competitive pricing and OUTSTANDING rapid service.
So far the function seems to be fine though I need to test more to be confident in that. The 14th round is a bearcat to load. I'm certain some will require a loading device. Inserting a fully loaded magazine into the pistol with the slide in battery (as with a tactical reload) it requires a firm tap to fully seat the magazine. There does seem to be an increased drag when working the action with a full mag on the first round and the next 13 feed more easily. It will take some testing to convince me this is 100% reliable - though so far, so good.
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| 14 round mag - Empty |
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| 14 round mag - loaded |
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| Fully loaded Mag weight - 15.1 ounces |
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| Empty Mag weight - 4.7 ounces |
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| 10 round Mag weight - empty, 3 ounces |
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| Fully loaded 10 round mag weight - 10.5 ounces |
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| The 10 & 14 round magazine will fit and function in the 45 Compact. 14 round magazine shown. |
The 14 round magazine seems to be a very nice option for a home defense situation. It would probably serve well as a secondary magazine when in the field or for competitions when capacity isn't limited.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
4.2" SP101 in .357
The problem with Ruger is they keep making guns I want. When they recently offered the SP101 in a 4.2" version I got a call from my gun monger that he had one with my name on it...
The 2.25" SP101 is a frequent CCW for me, especially when something small will do. It is a fantastic gun and even with the fixed sights hitting a sheet of paper at 50 yards is easy and most of them will be inside the 4" bullseye. So, when I got the call that he had one available, I had no willpower at all to resist.
The 4.2" SP101 did appeal to me as a top candidate for the "Perfect Packing Pistol" (3P) and felt it was my duty to test that. As we all know it isn't about finding the 3P, it's all about the quest.
One of the things that strikes me right off about the new Ruger is what a great package it is. The 357 and the SP101 are a fine match. There are a number of 357 revolvers out there that are big guns. I owned a 357 Blackhawk for a while and it always seemed incongruent to me. I want a big cartridge in a big gun - the 45 Colt in a Blackhawk is delightful to handle, shoot and carry. The 32 H&R magnum in a Ruger Single Six is another perfect match of cartridge and revolver and the new SP101 has that same magic.
Another early impression I had was how much better this revolver looks in person than it does in the pictures. It's a hansom piece. The wood grip panels are very attractive.
The new SP101 feels light in my hand and is just big enough that touching off a 357 round still sounds like fun. The adjustable sights are very good and I even like the green dot shrouded on the front sight post, the squared edges still very visible and easy to align for those of us accustomed to that sight picture on our Blackhawks and Single Sixes. One click to the right and mine was shooting POA = POI with 38 spl loads and just a bit high for 357.
At the range I was even more impressed with the 4.2" SP101. The sights are a big improvement over the fixed sighted versions. The extra barrel length added about 70 fps to the 38 special loads (158 grain cast WFN over enough Bullseye to get 765 fps) but only about 30 fps with the 357 loads (158 gr, pushed to 1125 fps with Bullseye). Both loads shot very well.
With the longer barrel I will try some powders with slower burn rates and see how they perform. Lil'gun will generally produced some impressive velocity and good accuracy when I've tried it.
I see this revolver as a near ideal for an evening stroll along the lake shore or for a scouting trip, checking the game cameras, walking the fence lines and any other outdoor venture where an easy carrying and capable revolver could come in handy. Toss a box of 38 special rounds in your pack and take advantage of unplanned plinking opportunities or making some camp meat if legal to do so in your area. An extra speed strip or two of 357 will handle the vast majority of heavy lifting that one might need to address.
The beauty of this revolver is that it's small and lightweight enough to come along, yet big enough to get the job done.
The 2.25" SP101 is a frequent CCW for me, especially when something small will do. It is a fantastic gun and even with the fixed sights hitting a sheet of paper at 50 yards is easy and most of them will be inside the 4" bullseye. So, when I got the call that he had one available, I had no willpower at all to resist.
The 4.2" SP101 did appeal to me as a top candidate for the "Perfect Packing Pistol" (3P) and felt it was my duty to test that. As we all know it isn't about finding the 3P, it's all about the quest.
One of the things that strikes me right off about the new Ruger is what a great package it is. The 357 and the SP101 are a fine match. There are a number of 357 revolvers out there that are big guns. I owned a 357 Blackhawk for a while and it always seemed incongruent to me. I want a big cartridge in a big gun - the 45 Colt in a Blackhawk is delightful to handle, shoot and carry. The 32 H&R magnum in a Ruger Single Six is another perfect match of cartridge and revolver and the new SP101 has that same magic.
Another early impression I had was how much better this revolver looks in person than it does in the pictures. It's a hansom piece. The wood grip panels are very attractive.
The new SP101 feels light in my hand and is just big enough that touching off a 357 round still sounds like fun. The adjustable sights are very good and I even like the green dot shrouded on the front sight post, the squared edges still very visible and easy to align for those of us accustomed to that sight picture on our Blackhawks and Single Sixes. One click to the right and mine was shooting POA = POI with 38 spl loads and just a bit high for 357.
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| A cylinder's worth, offhand, single action. |
With the longer barrel I will try some powders with slower burn rates and see how they perform. Lil'gun will generally produced some impressive velocity and good accuracy when I've tried it.
I see this revolver as a near ideal for an evening stroll along the lake shore or for a scouting trip, checking the game cameras, walking the fence lines and any other outdoor venture where an easy carrying and capable revolver could come in handy. Toss a box of 38 special rounds in your pack and take advantage of unplanned plinking opportunities or making some camp meat if legal to do so in your area. An extra speed strip or two of 357 will handle the vast majority of heavy lifting that one might need to address.
The beauty of this revolver is that it's small and lightweight enough to come along, yet big enough to get the job done.
M&P 45 & 45C comparison
I happened onto another S&W M&P45 recently and since I had the money, I bought it...
The 45C has been such a good performer that I've managed to overcome my bias against soulless polymer pistols - or at least the Smith & Wesson M&P series. I love the look and feel of a 1911 and still own a few of em (and I have the Ruger SR1911 on order since last Spring...) but one cannot deny the practicality, capacity, lightweight, reliability and accuracy of the many polymer offerings available to us today.
My first impressions of the full size M&P 45 were how light it feels in the hand for its size - which ir roughly equal to a typical 5" 1911. I was also favorably impressed by the comfort of the grip - the extra .415" over the 45C makes a difference. It also has that narrow feel of the 1911 even though it is a double stack magazine. It does point nicely though I like the grip angle better on the 1911.
The weight difference between the 45 and the 45C is slight, less than two ounces. It is more noticeable when compared to a 1911, even with a fully loaded (10) magazine it still feels lighter than a loaded (7) 1911.
Field stripping is very easy with these pistols and does NOT require tools to do so.
Over the chronograph the full sized M&P 45 does produce a little more velocity for the loads I've tested - generally between 25 and 50 fps greater.
My first impressions of the full size M&P 45 were how light it feels in the hand for its size - which ir roughly equal to a typical 5" 1911. I was also favorably impressed by the comfort of the grip - the extra .415" over the 45C makes a difference. It also has that narrow feel of the 1911 even though it is a double stack magazine. It does point nicely though I like the grip angle better on the 1911.
The weight difference between the 45 and the 45C is slight, less than two ounces. It is more noticeable when compared to a 1911, even with a fully loaded (10) magazine it still feels lighter than a loaded (7) 1911.
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| Unloaded weight |
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| Unloaded Weight of 45C |
Field stripping is very easy with these pistols and does NOT require tools to do so.
Over the chronograph the full sized M&P 45 does produce a little more velocity for the loads I've tested - generally between 25 and 50 fps greater.
Both pistols shoot point of aim = point of impact straight out of the box with 230 grain ammo at 7-10 yards. Some old (1964) match 230 grain FMJ ammo I have averaged 885 fps and was the most accurate of the ammo I've tested so far. Like the 45C the 45 seems to digest and fire everything I feed it, from cast SWC and WFN to JHP and FMJ.
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| The 10 round Magazine in the 45C. I believe XGrips will be offering an extension for this pistol/mag combination. |
The 45 will fit and can be drawn from the holster I carry the 45C in. The muzzle protrudes slightly but it does not snag.
I don't plan to carry this pistol concealed very often so I'll be on the hunt for a field holster. Paired up with my Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle the M&P 45 would be nice to have along during the Zombie Apocalypse for close range work when speed and capacity are needed. In reality though it's nice to have a number of choices in a spice of life sort of way.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
30 Caliber Versatility and the Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle
Among the virtues of manually run rifles - Pumps, Bolts and Levers - is their ability to function normally with a wide variety of ammunition. Light and heavy, super and subsonic, jacketed and cast, economical and premium, reloads and store bought... and in the case of non-tubular magazine fed guns, pointy, flat point and round nose bullets too.
The 308 Winchester in an easily customizable platform such as the Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle is a fine match of rifle and cartridge and I believe lives up to Ruger's claim of "The one rifle to have if you could have only one."
Equipped with the Ruger Gunsite Scout a hunter could take to the field with loads suitible for both big and small game.
A subsonic lightweight cast bullet or .314" buckshot will cleanly harvest game such as Grouse without destroying the delicious meat. The load I like best for this purpose is the Lyman 311008 over a small amount of Winchester 231. It is accurate, inexpensive and quiet to shoot.
Another subsonic load that has proven to be very accurate in my Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle is the Lyman 311284 (~210 grains). Pushed to almost 1,000 fps it is very accurate and hard hitting making it useful for steel targets and control of larger vermin species. The bullet also performs very well at supersonic velocities and my favorite load for this is using Unique to propel it to 1350 fps.
The Lyman 311334 (~190 grains) has proven itself in several of my 30 caliber bolt action rifles. It also shines in the Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle when pushed to 1900 fps with SR4759. This makes an ideal load for inexpensive practice where high repetitions are required. Rather than spending $0.50/shot for cheap jacketed ammunition you can shoot these for less than half that and reduce barrel wear. Though the velocity is 300-600 fps lower than your typical 308 jacketed bullet ammunition it will perform at long range, perhaps even better.
For hunting loads I've had excellent results with 165 grain JSP bullets over the max (Hodgdon) published data for IMR 3031. In the Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle it is both accurate (1 MOA or better) and achieves the highest velocity, 2573 fps in my Rifle. Varget and IMR 4064 have both produced excellent groups in my GSR too but fell short of the velocity produced with the IMR 3031. With all the rifle powders I've tested I've found that the best performance in the GSR is at or near the max published data (ALWAYS double check data and work up incrementally!!), it seems happiest when velocities reach 2500 fps or better with 165 grain jacketed bullets and around 2700 fps with 150 grain jacketed bullets.
I will be testing IMR 4895 and Winchester 748 under a variety of Jacketed bullets as I've seen a number or impressive results from other GSR owners. The Hornady 150gr SST has produced some notable results at 500 yards and has me especially intrigued.
After 11 months of ownership of a Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle I like it even better than I expected. It has impressed me in the field and at the range. With the introduction of the Polymer magazines it has improved field-ability of the rifle even more making it easier to carry and operate as well as superior weather resistance.
What the rifle lacks in aesthetics it more than makes up for in functionality. I believe Ruger really thought this one through and made the comprises that made the most sense. The only improvement I'm really considering is a rear sight that can be adjusted without tools and possibly a finer more visible front sight.
If I really only could have one rifle, the Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle would serve me well.
The 308 Winchester in an easily customizable platform such as the Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle is a fine match of rifle and cartridge and I believe lives up to Ruger's claim of "The one rifle to have if you could have only one."
Another subsonic load that has proven to be very accurate in my Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle is the Lyman 311284 (~210 grains). Pushed to almost 1,000 fps it is very accurate and hard hitting making it useful for steel targets and control of larger vermin species. The bullet also performs very well at supersonic velocities and my favorite load for this is using Unique to propel it to 1350 fps.
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| Lyman 311284 |
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| Cast Bullets I've successful run through the Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle |
For a fun and very inexpensive gallery load a #0 (~.314") buckshot over Bullseye is surprisingly accurate (less than 2" at 50 yards) out to 50 yards and will shoot Point of Aim out to 25 yards. A fine remedy for garden vermin too.
For hunting loads I've had excellent results with 165 grain JSP bullets over the max (Hodgdon) published data for IMR 3031. In the Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle it is both accurate (1 MOA or better) and achieves the highest velocity, 2573 fps in my Rifle. Varget and IMR 4064 have both produced excellent groups in my GSR too but fell short of the velocity produced with the IMR 3031. With all the rifle powders I've tested I've found that the best performance in the GSR is at or near the max published data (ALWAYS double check data and work up incrementally!!), it seems happiest when velocities reach 2500 fps or better with 165 grain jacketed bullets and around 2700 fps with 150 grain jacketed bullets.
I will be testing IMR 4895 and Winchester 748 under a variety of Jacketed bullets as I've seen a number or impressive results from other GSR owners. The Hornady 150gr SST has produced some notable results at 500 yards and has me especially intrigued.
After 11 months of ownership of a Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle I like it even better than I expected. It has impressed me in the field and at the range. With the introduction of the Polymer magazines it has improved field-ability of the rifle even more making it easier to carry and operate as well as superior weather resistance.
What the rifle lacks in aesthetics it more than makes up for in functionality. I believe Ruger really thought this one through and made the comprises that made the most sense. The only improvement I'm really considering is a rear sight that can be adjusted without tools and possibly a finer more visible front sight.
If I really only could have one rifle, the Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle would serve me well.
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