handguns/Springfield XD

Beware the man with 1 gun

Posted on by Caleb

Back in June of last year, I started back into competitive shooting with an IDPA match using my Beretta 92.  Pretty quickly after that, I graduated to a 1911, thanks in no small part to my experience at the ParaUSA Gunblogger Summer Camp.  After the Summer Camp, I dabbled with 1911s, Glocks, my Berettas, and generally messed around across several different competitive divisions.

A friend of mine mentioned that it was bad juju for me to be dividing my training time across different guns, a suggestion which didn’t really hit home until Todd Jarrett said much the same thing to me at SHOT SHOW 2009.  So, while I cruised the show floor, I decided that I’d also start looking for a gun to shoot in Production Division, as I’ve committed to shooting Production at this year’s Bianchi Cup (which reminds me, I need to get that entry form mailed in).

I tried all manner of guns, from CZs to Glocks, Taurus and Ruger, Smith & Wesson M&Ps, even the Armalite AR-24.  That was until almost the last day of the show, when I cruised by Springfield’s booth to ogle the SOCOM II rifle again.  Then, almost by accident, I picked up a Springfield XD Tactical, and my first thought was “hey, this grip angle feels like a 1911, that’s pretty sweet.”

So this Saturday, I stopped by my friendly neighborhood merchant of death and picked up my very own Springfield XD in .40 S&W.  I opted for the “Tactical” model, which has a 5 inch barrel and does not sport the “captive” recoil system, which makes it the closest thing to a polymer 1911 that I’ve ever seen.  Here’s the gun itself over my Beretta Jetfire for scale.

From Gun Nuts: The Next Generation

The 5 inch “tactical” model is pretty much ready out of the box to shoot Production division in USPSA, and the neat thing about it for me is that it allows me to keep shooting in ESP in IDPA – which is nice, because I’m lazy and don’t want to shoot a classifier for Stock Service Pistol. The sights are pretty standard, a no-nonsense three dot arrangement which, as soon as I’m done shooting this weekend’s match in Tennessee, will be knocked off the gun and replaced with a set of fixed Heinie sights, to get me that “black-on-black” sight picture I crave. However, even with the factory sights, the gun is quite accurate. This is a 5 shot group at just under 50 feet, shot very, very slowfire to test the functional accuracy of the gun.

From Gun Nuts: The Next Generation

I’m very excited about the gun – I’ve got a Blackhawk holster and some more of their excellent double stack magazine holders on order, and have placed my order for a case of my favorite 125 grain .40 S&W ammo for shooting Production division.

gun control

A potential gain in the Senate

Posted on by Caleb

The news is reporting that Rep Kirsten Gillibrand will be selected to fill Sen. Clinton’s vacant seat in the US Senate.  This is awesome news, at least from a fiscal and gun rights perspective.  Gillibrand is considered to be a “Blue Dog” Democrat, and has been criticized for supporting gun owner’s rights in New York.

Now, if the eventual gun ban gets to the Senate, it will be incredibly important for New York gun owners to burn up her phones to make sure that she opposes any gun bans that may end up on the Senate floor.  We’ve gone from having Hillary, who was guaranteed to support gun bans to a potential vote against a gun ban.

Uncategorized

Here comes the gun

Posted on by Caleb

I should have my new “Production” division firearm all saddled up and ready to go by this weekend.  Part of my trip to SHOT SHOW was to feel up all the different guns I’m considering for the Production division, which I’ll be shooting at this year’s Bianchi Cup.

After much consideration of caliber, action type, hand fit, IDPA division, and all sorts of fun stuff, I’ve finally settled on the gun for me (for now until my gun ADD acts up).

Of course, you won’t get to see the new blaster until the weekend!

rifles/Shot Show

.338 Xtreme Rifle

Posted on by Caleb

Here’s another fun product from SHOT SHOW 2009 – the .338 Xtreme Rifle and cartridge combo from Xtrememachining.  The cartridge itself is based on the .505 Gibbs, and according to Xtrememachining’s website, produces some pretty impressive ballistics; a muzzle velocity of 3350 fps.  At 2000 yards (not a typo) it has a velocity of 1359 FPS and an energy of 1091 foot pounds.  Their website also claims sub MOA accuracy at 2000 yards and beyond.

Of course, the rifle itself is a beast.  From a distance, I thought it was a .50 caliber based on the size of the gun.

From SHOT SHOW 2009

The round is no slouch in the size department either.

From SHOT SHOW 2009

The round is manufactured by my friends at International Cartridge Corporation, which based on my experience with their ammo means that it’s a quality round with excellent attention to detail paid to the loads. If you live in a state/locality that bans .50 BMG rifles, you probably could do just as well in the “long range blaster” with one of these .338 Xtreme Tactical Rifles.

self defense

Never give up

Posted on by Caleb

10 year old girl fights off her would be abductor.  While not involving a gun, this is a perfect example of the “combat mindset” that I’ve referenced both here and on Gun Nuts Radio.  You fight.  You always fight, until the threat is gone or you can’t fight any more.

It’s my sincere hope that this little girl grows up into an adult who embraces that philosophy and never subscribes to the “if you give in you’ll be fine” theories that seem to roll around in public schools these days.