Guns and Guts

Marlin 1894 Cowboy

July 30th, 2008

My Marlin 1894 Cowboy, chambered in .45 Long Colt, was a gift from my wife last Christmas. It is an exceedingly beautiful rifle, that I will cherish forever. As of this writing, I have not shot it yet, but look forward to doing so in the near future.

The fit and finish of the rifle are excellent, and the action is tight and smooth. The gun points well. It has a good heft, while not being overly heavy, and the skinny forearm is perfect for my smaller hands.

The stock sites are very nice as well. They should allow for rather fine target acquisition. I will most likely have a tang peep sight installed in the future however.

Manufacturer’s Website:
Marlin Firearms

Pics:

Links:
Marlin Owners
Chuck Hawk’s Article
Kim du Toit’s Article

Specs:
Caliber: 45 Colt
Capacity: 10-shot tubular magazine
Action: Lever action with squared finger lever; side ejection; deeply blued metal surfaces; solid top receiver; hammer block safety.
Stock: American black walnut straight-grip stock; hard rubber butt plate; tough Mar-Shield® finish; blued steel fore-end cap.
Barrel: Tapered octagon with deep-cut Ballard-type rifling (6 grooves).
Twist Rate: 1:16″ r.h
Sights: Adjustable Marble semi-buckhorn rear, Marble carbine front sight. Solid top receiver tapped for scope mount; offset hammer spur (right or left hand) for scope use. Serial number is on left side of receiver instead of tang, allowing custom installation of a tang sight by a competent gunsmith.
Overall Length: 37.5″
Weight: 6.5 lbs.

Categories: Guns | Tags: guns i own, lever action, nostalgia, RKBA | No Comments

Marlin 917vs

September 27th, 2007

Categories: Guns | Tags: bolt action, guns i own, rimfire, RKBA | No Comments

Ruger Mark II 22/45 Bull Barrel

September 21st, 2007

This is actually Kim’s pistol. She loves it! I bought it for her as a starter pistol, so she could learn to shoot a 1911. Unfortunately she can’t stand the kick of my 1911, so she is sticking with the 22/45 for now.

The gun itself functions flawlessly with CCI Mini-Mags. You can shoot it all day long with no problems. It is also a very accurate pistol. It just hits were you aim. I personally like the traditional Mark I/II/III grip angle better, but this one does simulate the 1911 very well. The plastic grip is kind of subpar IMO, but it does not affect the functioning of the pistol at all. The bull barrel, undoubtedly contributes to the accuracy, as well as making the gun a pleasure to point.

Overall I would buy it again for her. At some point I will buy a Mark II Hunter for myself.

Manufacturers Website:
Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.

Pics:


Links:

Specs:
Caliber:.22 LR
Capacity:10 Rounds
Finish:Blued
Grip:Black Synthetic
Barrel Length:5 1/2″
Groove:6
Twist:1:16″ RH
Overall Length:9 1/2″
Weight:2 lbs
California Approved:Yes
Massachusetts Approved:Yes
Front Sight(s):Fixed
Rear Sight(s):Adjustable

Categories: Guns | Tags: guns i own, RKBA, semi-auto | No Comments

Bushmaster XM15 Heavy Barrel Carbine

September 20th, 2007

This is my first Guns That I Own post. I can’t think of a better subject than my first (for now only) black rifle. I LOVE this gun. I have put about 1,000 rounds through it so far, and have not had a single hiccup. She just throws ammo downrange in a quick and accurate manner.

The heavy barrel on this gun works great. I like the additional heft. It is easier for me to aim accurately than a lighter gun.

Manufacturer’s Website:
Bushmaster Firearms

Pics:

Links:
The Wonderful Evil Black Rifle

Specs:
A rugged, telescoping buttstock adds to the versatility of this .223 Remington caliber carbine, and the ribbed handguards keep swing weight to a minimum. Its handguards, pistol grip and “tele” stock are molded of hard thermoset polymer composite. The heavy barrel, with chrome lined bore and chamber, offers exceptional accuracy for its length and is externally manganese phosphate finished for complete protection against corrosion and rust - as are all steel parts of the weapon.
The barrel incorporates a “birdcage” style flash suppressor/compensator with closed bottom to eliminate dust signature when firing in the prone position. The M16A2 sight system, with two flip-up apertures designed for either short range shots at moving targets or long distance accuracy, offers adjustment for windage and elevation. The elevation adjustments are graduated from 300 to 800 meters and automatically compensate for bullet drop. Forged, lightweight 7075T6 aircraft quality aluminum receivers have all M16A2 design improvements including cartridge case deflector, last round bolt hold-open and raised ridges for magazine release button protection.
The A3 Type differs in that it’s Upper Receiver is “flat-top” style with an integral Picatinny rail to offer a variety of sight, scope or night vision mounting options. A 1/2 M.o.A. rear sight is incorporated into the Removable Carrying Handle.The carbine is shipped complete with 30 round magazine, instructional manual and carrying sling, all in a hard plastic shipping case..

Categories: Guns | Tags: AR-15, guns i own, RKBA, semi-auto | No Comments

Ruger Mini-14 Ranch Rifle

September 20th, 2007

Ah, the gun that started it all. This is the first gun I ever bought. That is excepting a 10/22 I got at 18 that was promptly stolen. I have had a love/hate relationship with this gun. It was purchased from a former roommate’s father for $450. The price, I would find out, was probably a bit high, but it did come with extra mags, all of which were complete crap.

The rifle was a dirty, inaccurate, and a jamming PITA.

I learned how to take it apart and gave it a thorough cleaning. This took care of the first problem. It was the only easy fix.

I shot it once or twice, and could barely hit the target at 50 yards. Admittedly some of this was my poor marksmanship, but most of it was the gun. The “adjustable” peep sight was loose for one thing. Duh! So I tried to tighten it up and one of the screw’s head split while I was tightening it and fell off. Doh! After a couple of months I got the screws replaced and got it adjusted. At this point I was able to put most rounds on a 12″ target at fifty yards. Better, but still horrible. My latest endeavor was installing an Ultimak rail and a cheap red dot. This vastly improved the rifle’s accuracy. Check out the mod section for more info on this little project. Let’s just say, it followed the M.O. for the rest of the rifle.

As for jamming, it doesn’t jam anymore. I quit using all the crappy mags it came with, and found a couple Ruger factory 30 rounders. These have functioned flawlessly.

The gun is now a fun gun to shoot. It is not as accurate as my AR, but it is acceptable. The Boy prefers the Mini to the AR. Go figure!

I have more in this gun than it is worth, so it will always be mine. Right now it is serving SHTF duty at the lake house.

Manufacturer’s Website:
Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.

Pics:

Mods:
Ultimak Scout Rail

Links:
Perfect Union Mini 14/30 Forum

Specs:
Caliber: .223 Rem
Capacity: 5 Rounds (up to 30 with other mags)
Finish: Blued
Stock: Hardwood
Barrel Length: 18 1/2″
Groove: 6
Twist: 1:9″ RH
Overall Length: 37 1/4″
Weight: 6 3/4 lbs
California Approved: N/A
Massachusetts Approved: N/A
Front Sight(s): Protected Blade
Rear Sight(s): Ghost Ring Adjustable Aperture
Other Features: Garand-Type Safety

Categories: Guns | Tags: guns i own, RKBA, semi-auto | No Comments

Winchester 1200

September 20th, 2007

This gun means more to me than all the rest combined. It is my Grandfather’s shotgun. What else needs to be said? My Pa is living in a nursing home now. I took his shotgun from his house for safekeeping, and took my Remington 870 up there so my Dad, who is staying at the house would have a shotgun around. The Wal Mart special 870 would not be a great loss. The 1200 would kill me.

I remember this gun from childhood. Back when Pa could get around and had his little farm it was a fixture. He used it to “hunt” with. I believe all he ever killed while hunting was an unfortunate jackrabbit that hopped into his path. He brought it home and told my Grandma, “Dot look! It blew it’s head clean off!”. Another memory involved a tarantula on the front porch. He somehow managed to miss the tarantula on the first shot, blowing a big hole in the porch. I remember yelling, “How you gonna miss from 10 feet away with a shotgun?!”. A few seconds later another hole appeared where the tarantula had been. While he accomplished his goal, I think he thought better of it when he was replacing those boards on the porch and repainting the whole thing.

I was allowed to use the gun for a few rabbit/dove/shooting objects in the pond excursions once in a while when I turned 15. I must have put 30 boxes of shells through it in a couple months.

This old shotgun is nothing special. It has a decent wood stock and forearm with a few scratches. The bluing is in great shape except for a couple of small dings, and their was a few small rust spots on the barrel which I took care of. Honestly though, it may as well be a fine European model as far as I am concerned. The memories of Pa and his land, that he later lost, are some of the best of my childhood. I wish Grandma would not have had that heart attack that bankrupted him at the time. I would have loved it if he could have spent some more years out there on his beloved patch of North Texas. He had 25 acres, but to us kids it may as well have been 5,000. We roamed it, along with most of the adjacent larger properties for years. Several deer were even taken out there. None by Pa though. He was always to worried about hitting some non-existent person a mile away if he took the shot. Either that, or he just couldn’t bring himself to destroy what he saw as God’s creative beauty at work.

My Pa is the best man I have ever known. I have never heard him cuss, drink, or smoke. He has served God as well as he could since he was a teenager, and worked hard selling auto parts for a long time to support his family. He has a youthful innocence and sense of humor that makes me weep when I think about losing him. This old shotgun ain’t much, but it is worth the world to me.

Categories: Guns | Tags: guns i own, pump action, RKBA | No Comments