tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44874670746852861422024-03-18T22:57:20.690-05:00All You Really NeedA blog of guns, food, and photography.John the Texanerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05387509912509138934noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487467074685286142.post-55466230627090540692013-04-24T20:02:00.002-05:002013-04-24T20:04:13.990-05:00Watertown shootoutWhatever network news program is on right now is running a special on the recent shootout between the Boston Marathon bombers and police in Watertown, MA.<br />
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Part of this includes video taken by someone who lives on the street where the shootout occurred, via their smart phone. The video looks directly down onto the shooters, who are in a prolonged firefight. From the video, it looks like the shooters are maybe 40-50 feet away and down from the window. There is an exceptionally clear view of both of the bombing suspects, for extended periods of time.<br />
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The firefight resulted in the death of one of the brothers, and the escape and an extended manhunt for the other.<br />
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Imagine if you will, had that citizen's smart phone been replaced with an AR-15, how those events might have ended a bit differently.<br />
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It's a sad state of affairs when all people are able to do is to video evil, while the state-appointed agents struggle to fight it. There's a time in this country, even in places like Boston, when you didn't have to search for someone willing and able to put their own lives on the line to do something about monsters such as these.John the Texanerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05387509912509138934noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487467074685286142.post-3513553331866899372012-09-06T01:09:00.002-05:002012-09-06T01:10:31.131-05:00Hollywood GunsDear Hollywood,<br />
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While I appreciate the appearance of the Browning Hi-Power in the bank robbery scene of whatever crime investigation show I happened across earlier this evening, there are a couple of things I would like to point out:<br />
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a) The likelihood of a Hi-Power as the pistol of choice by a bank robber is pretty slim. Likewise, the frequent appearance of the 1911 in use by TV and movie scumbags in similar scenarios is just as unrealistic. I am sure it happens upon occasion "<a href="http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/IRL" target="_blank">IRL</a>", but most crime reports I've read place a significantly different kind of pistol in the dirtbag's hands - generally something of a double action design, or something more compact and easily concealed without a proper holster.<br />
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b) If you're going to use a single action pistol in your production, you may want to have said robber ready the gun in a state where the threat is realistic. Hammer down on a Hi-Power means anyone with a basic knowledge of common handgun designs has opportunity to either relieve said robber of his (or in this case, her) firearm, or to ventilate said robber before she has the opportunity do something about it.<br />
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PS: Female bank robbers are incredibly rare. They do exist, but in exponentially smaller numbers than you portray in your productions.<br />
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Sincerely,<br />
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John the TexanerJohn the Texanerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05387509912509138934noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487467074685286142.post-69940883231472925272012-07-04T03:26:00.000-05:002012-07-04T03:26:07.888-05:00.458 SOCOM project - the beginningSince building the 5.56 AR, I'd been debating in my mind a project to build an AR-pattern rifle in one of the many alternative calibers. There are many competing purposes I had in mind, but the most pertinent of these was for hunting larger game, namely hogs. While 5.56/.223 is appropriate for the kind of deer we get in this part of Texas, the hogs are a much tougher creature. <br />
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I'd debated a number of calibers, including .300 Blackout, 6.8 SPC, 6.5 Grendel, and .458 SOCOM. Knowing FlintKnapper from the Texas CHL Forum, I'd caught wind of the <a href="http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=449721" target="_blank">long-running thread he's got over at THR</a> describing his efforts at controlling the rampant pig problem. At current count, there are 1232 posts in that thread, and it's totally worth the read.<br />
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He had a .458 SOCOM purpose-built for his hog control efforts, at which it has proven more than effective. The more I read about the caliber and its effectiveness, the more it seemed to be what I wanted. It is not a long-range round, being mainly effective under 200y. Long distance shooting is another interest of mine, but that will likely have to wait for another build, possibly in 6.5 Grendel.<br />
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Sometime late last year, I decided the .458 SOCOM was the direction I was going to take with my future rifle. When <a href="http://www.yorkarms.com/" target="_blank">Wally over at York Arms</a> announced that he would be starting production of custom-engraved lower receivers, I took the opportunity to have one made, marked in 458 SOCOM to start my project. The resulting lower is of excellent quality and finish. Thanks to Wally for putting up with my ridiculously long custom serial number. Here she is:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifEMTpRzcqTSa7N2m0fq5FI-ENsKWOyMxk8h2oxeDq1JJQKTc3vqmZrAt1bn024Cg0B1MA0BmpwL1n5FZXHCA_1YLhsgUR-Fh6aFXL-luMNoCssa_p6QDFmUyt209JWVk6fqh-xwFw0R8/s1600/458lower-scaled1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifEMTpRzcqTSa7N2m0fq5FI-ENsKWOyMxk8h2oxeDq1JJQKTc3vqmZrAt1bn024Cg0B1MA0BmpwL1n5FZXHCA_1YLhsgUR-Fh6aFXL-luMNoCssa_p6QDFmUyt209JWVk6fqh-xwFw0R8/s320/458lower-scaled1024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(Thanks to Wally for the image)</div>
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I'm working on getting the lower finished in Duracoat, at which time I'll post new photos.<br />
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Being a fan of stout rifles, I decided on the following details:<br />
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20" Barrel, heavy profile, carbine gas system<br />
Magpul PRS stock in FDE<br />
RRA Advanced Half Quad Free-float handguard (same as my 5.56 AR, but in rifle length)<br />
Magpul MIAD grip in FDE<br />
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I've got a Weaver Classic Extreme 1.5-4.5x24 scope to top the rifle off with, and will be getting a Larue LT104 for mounting.<br />
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As production rifles in .458 SOCOM almost universally come with 16" barrels, I'm having Wally make a barrel for me to get the barrel length that I want, along with opening of the ejection port and a couple other custom items.<br />
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We haven't quite worked out a timeline for everything, but I'll update here as the project progresses.<br />
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With loaded ammo in .458 SOCOM difficult to obtain and quite expensive (around $3/round), I've already procured dies and components for loading for the caliber. Expect updates regarding my efforts in that area as well.John the Texanerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05387509912509138934noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487467074685286142.post-39723401179109813462012-07-04T02:21:00.000-05:002012-07-04T02:21:52.176-05:00Phlegmfest 2012 AARI know I'm a little late on the report, but I wanted to express my most sincere thanks to <a href="http://phlegmfatale.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Phlemmy</a> and <a href="http://thelawdogfiles.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Lawdog</a> for opening up their home to the likes of a bunch of gun nuts for some quality socializing.<br />
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This year I was accompanied by my lovely wife, who had her doubts that she was going to be able to get along with a bunch of gunnies. These were proven to be unfounded, as she did manage to have a good time with everyone. She had several interesting conversations with <a href="http://ambulancedriverfiles.com/category/katybeth/" target="_blank">KatyBeth</a>, and spent much time in the living room area with the folks congregating there.<br />
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There were not one, but TWO range trips this year. We arrived too late for the first one, but a bunch of us packed up guns and headed out to the gun club for some good shooty times Saturday afternoon. Having the opportunity to shoot a roughly 12" steel target out at 330y, I thought I'd test out the IMR 3031 accuracy loads I'd developed for the AR. Much to my satisfaction, they rang the target every time. I had <a href="http://maypeacebewithyou.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">MattG</a> test them out as well, and he got the same result.<br />
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I was feeling pretty good about that, until I peered over to my right at MattG spotting for <a href="http://jpg-expertwitness.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">JPG</a>, who was shooting that same steel target with HANDGUNS.<br />
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In retrospect, I think we all wished we'd spent more time shooting each other's guns. It was pretty hot out that day (and we forgot to bring water), so I think we only got an hour or so of range time in before we packed it up and headed back to the house.<br />
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<a href="http://injennifershead.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer</a> and <a href="http://evylrobot.com/" target="_blank">Michael</a> whipped up a delicious crawfish alfredo sometime in the mid-afternoon, which was quickly gobbled up by those of us fortunate enough to get some. Later in the evening, there was brisket and other tasty goods for dinner, and we continued our socializing well into the night.<br />
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I cannot express how happy it makes me to hang around in the back yard with so many friends, telling stories, discussing assorted topics, and passing around guns for show and tell and to illustrate points in our discussions.<br />
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Sunday morning, most of us headed out to the local convenience store/restaurant combo and summarily threw the staff into a panic with our overwhelming numbers. Breakfast sorted, we headed back to the house and hung out a little while longer before saying our goodbyes and making the trip back home.<br />
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Great times were had by all, and I certainly look forward to the next time we get to gather.John the Texanerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05387509912509138934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487467074685286142.post-75639701861609787012011-09-10T16:37:00.002-05:002011-10-26T22:28:21.887-05:00Just An Observation...When The Bee Gees' "Staying Alive" is playing over the PA system at Home Depot, <i>EVERYONE</i> walks to the beat.John the Texanerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05387509912509138934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487467074685286142.post-31341523145696970132011-08-24T00:30:00.004-05:002011-08-24T01:35:10.306-05:00Incremental UpdateIt's fairly common knowledge at my workplace that I'm a shooter. From time to time I will get questions from coworkers about guns or shooting, and sometimes even about buying firearms. Last week a coworker expressed interest in going to the range. I'm happy to oblige any new shooter, so we're tentatively going to be heading out this weekend. The forecast calls for 104 degrees, so the plan is to head out early to avoid the heat of the day.
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<br />In other news, while <a href="http://www.theholstersite.com/">Michael</a> works on the custom rig I requested for the LCP, I figured that I really ought to get that pesky recall service thing out of the way. I would have done it sooner, but the LCP is my everywhere gun. If I'm going somewhere where I can't carry, I won't strap on the OWB pancake for the Hi-Power - that setup is nigh-impossible to unload discretely in a parking lot. But the LCP can drop in the pocket with an Uncle Mike's pocket holster (or soon-to-come OWB clipper rig) and get secured in the truck in a matter of a couple seconds. Having nothing to stand in for the LCP in this capacity, I've put off the recall service.
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<br />Well, along came someone at work selling a NAA Guardian .380 at a good price, so I jumped on it. I had the opportunity to try one out a few years back, and was quite surprised with the accuracy of such a small gun. The NAA was on my list of prospective pocket guns for a long time until I bought the LCP. What I didn't realize was that NAA produced a version to cater to California's ridiculous regulations, and installed an integral "lock" on those guns. My newly-purchased NAA happened to be one of these.
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<br />If you know me, then you're probably aware that I'm not a fan of unnecessary potential points of failure in firearms. Fortunately, this turned out to be a tack-on solution, and was easy enough to remove without affecting the functionality of any other systems. I appear to be the only one in the history of the internet who thought it would be a good idea to put up a guide for this procedure, as my search for such information returned nothing. Look for a guide on removing the Integral Locking System from the NAA Guardian here in the near future. I'll also be putting the pistol through reliability testing and should have a review soon with my general observations and photos.
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<br />I haven't done a food post in some time, so I'll be putting one together in the near future. A comment on my last post from Jim (flier389) over at <a href="http://granddadscorner.blogspot.com">Granddad's Corner</a> got me over to his blog, which got me thinking about foods of years past, and those that remind me of my childhood. I thought it would be a fitting subject for an upcoming post.
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<br />Anyhow, there's a preview of things to come. See you then.
<br />John the Texanerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05387509912509138934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487467074685286142.post-85202651340370181912011-07-28T00:02:00.008-05:002011-07-30T17:53:57.972-05:00New Custom LeatherShortly after I started carrying, I switched to the Hi-Power mentioned previously in this blog. I wanted something that made the gun easy to conceal over the bowling/work type shirts I tended to wear. The <a href="http://www.usgalco.com/HolsterPT3.asp?ProductID=3739&CatalogID=4">Galco Combat Master</a> fit that bill - a high-riding OWB holster with a significant cant, meaning the gun tucked up underneath my arm and was easy to draw.<br /><br />Over the past 4 years, the holster has served me well, but over time it has become more relaxed and floppy, not holding the Hi-Power tightly to my side like it used to. I had resolved to get another holster of the same model to replace it. A little over a year ago I went to a <a href="http://lucrativepain.blogspot.com/2010/07/epic-party.html">party</a> over at <a href="http://lucrativepain.blogspot.com/">Christina</a>'s place up in North Texas, where I met Michael from <a href="http://www.theholstersite.com/">TheHolsterSite.com</a> and <a href="http://evylrobot.com/">EvylRobot.com</a>. About this time he'd jumped into the entrepreneureal unkown, starting his new business making holsters. He'd brought samples of his wares, which were passed around the party during gun show & tell.<br /><br />Fast forward 7 months, and Michael's business had really started to pick up. He'd done some interesting custom holsters, with some <a href="http://www.theholstersite.com/?p=139">particularly cool IDPA/IPSC race holsters</a>. My holster budget had expanded a bit, and I started thinking about what could be improved from the Galco. The most prominent area for improvement was stiffness. Just like my boots and pants, I'm not easy on holsters. I'm a pretty solid and big dude, and the things I wear need to be well-made and durable, or they're garbage in short order. I'd read about horsehide leather, with its wear and moisture resistance, and its exceptional stiffness. The problem is, horsehide is not in common use in the United States, and there's no real source for domestic horse hide. Because of this, mass-produced horsehide holsters simply don't exist.<br /><br />This is where Michael comes in. I'd seen on his site that he deals in some exotics, most notably stingray. So <a href="http://www.gunbloggerconspiracy.com/blog/">we got to talking in IRC</a> one night, and I ask about the possibility of getting a horsehide holster made for my Hi-Power. He'd not worked with horse leather before, but seemed eager to check his supplier and get me a quote. A few days later, we figured out pricing for a holster and magazine carrier to my specifications, and I gave him the go-ahead. Since he'd never worked with the material before and I wasn't in a hurry, I asked him to take as much time as he needed. Over the weeks, we corresponded back and forth about his impressions of the material and his efforts putting together test items. Along the way, I added on a request for a flashlight scabbard as well.<br /><br />For the holster itself, my requirements were simple: a high ride and cant, similar to my Galco holster, with beefed up belt slotting (the Galco slots had stretched out over time, I wanted to avoid that). The mag carrier, on the other hand, had to be a completely custom design in order to hold two magazines and ride at the 7:30 position that I needed. He was able to come up with a design that created a back channel for the belt to ride in, while keeping the carrier high and close to the body.<br /><br />When <a href="http://phlegmfatale.blogspot.com/2011/06/phlegmfest-june-2011-spankening.html">Phlegmfest</a> started to roll around, we found that we would both be attending and my order would be finished shortly prior. So, a personal handoff it was. I arrived at the party, and Michael handed me my new holster, mag carrier, and flashlight scabbard. To say that I was pleased with the holster would be an understatement. Every request had been met, and my expectations exceeded by a great margin. This was a serious piece of leather. It rode beautifully on my belt, fit the Hi-Power perfectly, and kept the gun snug to my side. It was the most solid holster I'd ever seen. Likewise, the mag carrier was a <span style="font-style: italic;">VAST</span> improvement over the <a href="http://www.safariland.com/DutyGear/product.aspx?pid=75">Safariland carrier</a> I'd been using.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3uj9cfM2-c-tMo7EdCfZ08YUiUXk9olk5KfVWbZ-9DEJb9zgnmBMe0Z7SVNYRUK6k5sVMiAogzm12OooiW65IdZpfJbIyOwFv9W9j2xkuWBGr6M4NP0dbZiwcGBPecKGIyZCO-A2peE/s1600/DSC_1039.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 264px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3uj9cfM2-c-tMo7EdCfZ08YUiUXk9olk5KfVWbZ-9DEJb9zgnmBMe0Z7SVNYRUK6k5sVMiAogzm12OooiW65IdZpfJbIyOwFv9W9j2xkuWBGr6M4NP0dbZiwcGBPecKGIyZCO-A2peE/s400/DSC_1039.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634279632491107218" border="0" /></a><br />Unfortunately, as I started to wear my holster back home, I found that the glue between the layers of leather was starting to come apart. I corresponded with Michael about this, and he was quite disconcerted about this development. I took some photos for him, and upon review he insisted that the problem be made right. I mailed the holster back to him, and he found that the issue appeared to be with the glue itself not correctly bonding to the leather, and that the holster would have to be remade entirely. Without going into too much detail, some testing was done with a different glue more suited for horsehide, and he constructed a new holster for me in short order.<br /><br />The new holster arrived a few days ago, and I am quite pleased - both with the quality of Michael's leather work, and his commitment to great customer service. I got the mag carrier and flashlight scabbard (both of which I've been using since Phlegmfest) together with the holster for a photo shoot:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQzimJzvhn1TPPSVtNFIPCb1Q6qvM6gcKkfEWbR9iyvWkxsFWGSOJsHPyI0Ls5-kJkMfZCpct7wJJ4JYhzSwyJ5jXlncK6Po7tiggDQGvrlgcpfZnr8NA57JjVoHKAK2sFeHCtisWAAL8/s1600/DSC_1049.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQzimJzvhn1TPPSVtNFIPCb1Q6qvM6gcKkfEWbR9iyvWkxsFWGSOJsHPyI0Ls5-kJkMfZCpct7wJJ4JYhzSwyJ5jXlncK6Po7tiggDQGvrlgcpfZnr8NA57JjVoHKAK2sFeHCtisWAAL8/s400/DSC_1049.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634278327916548450" border="0" /></a><br />Here's a couple more photos of the holster:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq7EJ0WTla2DY5ztbGcDx6XpjLbcVAH8W_3_ZlhB0BuB4G4FzdrLbjhd84xJl-I1R1CWZw__VX9kIanh1-hLYDTHukSWrLGkapmagv5xa2MLtJDp7YzOrCHpeBqIHiFU2K_MkZo9PXgVo/s1600/DSC_1056.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq7EJ0WTla2DY5ztbGcDx6XpjLbcVAH8W_3_ZlhB0BuB4G4FzdrLbjhd84xJl-I1R1CWZw__VX9kIanh1-hLYDTHukSWrLGkapmagv5xa2MLtJDp7YzOrCHpeBqIHiFU2K_MkZo9PXgVo/s400/DSC_1056.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634280207283926818" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRF_lM_gC1OEaTQT45UnDMhTq9IWSQuhGUmCOF-oLZa3D1tuv_fVIL5M8GrtF5ggSgyCAi79xajFFYgOGwQm73U8I1BSzyniEYPmYhIT-FGkpsbpGi-lGU-k4A6hC5VcrPGjSsRBapcys/s1600/DSC_1060.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 255px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRF_lM_gC1OEaTQT45UnDMhTq9IWSQuhGUmCOF-oLZa3D1tuv_fVIL5M8GrtF5ggSgyCAi79xajFFYgOGwQm73U8I1BSzyniEYPmYhIT-FGkpsbpGi-lGU-k4A6hC5VcrPGjSsRBapcys/s400/DSC_1060.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634280283641046546" border="0" /></a>If you're looking for some custom leather, <a href="http://www.theholstersite.com/?page_id=2">drop Michael a line</a>. I can't recommend him enough. Both his quality of workmanship and his customer service are top notch.John the Texanerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05387509912509138934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487467074685286142.post-78352610777782750372011-05-01T17:24:00.006-05:002011-05-01T22:33:10.605-05:00Running Through The Paces, Pt. 2I got back out to the range on Friday to test out my 3031 rework, as well as to run the new hunting loads through the gun to see if they're performing as expected.<br /><br />Again, it was terribly windy. Not quite as bad as the last trip, but almost. I did manage to keep the chronograp standing for most of the session. There wasn't much wind this morning, just a small breeze, but by the time I got out to the range around 2pm, it had really picked up.<br /><br />I'd set out to do a comparison between a few of the .22 rifles - the new Marlin 795, the older full-length Marlin 60, and an even older Romanian 1969 Trainer that I picked up early last year. I wanted to run some side-by-side comparisons of all three guns to see how they compared at 50m. Unfortunately, the venture was a bust, because my bullets were getting blown all over the targets, regardless of the rifle.<br /><br />I'd only ordered one sling along with the Tech Sights for the 795, but I had what the local surplus shop termed a "Silent Sling" in a 1 1/4" width. Last week, I'd taken the GI sling I'd purchased as a template and managed to reproduce the configuration with a bit of sewing and some standard Uncle Mike's QD sling swivels, and replicated the functionality. I'd found an online guide about how to use a GI web sling around the time I modified the "silent sling", so I figured I'd give it a go. I figured a windy day was a good opportunity to see the difference. Sure enough, I was able to much more easily keep the 795 steady on target using the sling, so at least I got something constructive out of the day with the .22 rifles.<br /><br />On to testing out the 3031 rework, I'd changed primers from the soft and thin CCI #400 that I'd been using, so I figured I'd redo the load and see if there was any change needed. I did a workup in small increments below, above, and above the 24.8 grain charge I'd landed on last time. This is at the top end of load data for this powder/bullet combo, so I didn't stray too far, and incremented in 0.2 grains, from 24.6 to 25.2 grains. They all shot fine, but I started a small amount of leaks around the edges at the top end loads. I also completely lost one primer in that group - not a great sign. This may be in part due to the fact that I used FC brass for the workup, which I've noticed has looser primer pockets. They're significantly easier to seat than LC brass. I'll remember in the future to reserve FC brass for tamer loads, like the VV135 plinking/accuracy load I tested last post. The velocities and accuracy matched up with the previous #400 load and the primers looked good at 24.8 grains anyway, so it looks like the load is going to stay as is.<br /><br />Moving on, I switched to the hunting load using TAC and the Speer 70 grain semi-spitzer soft points. I'd already worked these up previously, and results were good at 25.2 grains. I made a small mistake in adjusting my scale, and ended up charging these at 25.1 grains instead. I had a box of 100 loaded up so I could do the same kinds of tests as last session - some at 50m, some at 100m, both on the lead slead and off the bench, unsupported.<br /><br />I started off with the lead sled at 50m to check out consistency in a group of 10. I had a cotton shop towel set up to deflect brass down onto the bench to more easily recover my empties, since I had so much trouble with the brass catcher last session. I got through 7 shots of the 10, and got a jam that didn't want to clear. The bolt wouldn't seat all the way forward and lock into place. I pulled the rifle apart and played with it a bit and found the problem. A dislodged primer got into the lugging in the barrel adapter, and was getting in the way of the bolt. Dang.<br /><br />I took a look at some of the brass on the bench, and sure enough - missing primers. I also noticed the numbers on the chronograph were indicating velocities above 2800fps, faster than the 25.2 grain charges I'd worked up previously. Now I was a bit confused. I'm pretty meticulous about weighing each charge individually, particularly with hot loads, so there's very little chance of an overcharge getting through. 25.2 grains is also well within the 5.56 pressure loads from TAC (max listed at 26.2 grains). The chronograph seemed to be getting consistent velocities (I still need to review them more closely), so something else seemed to be wrong.<br /><br />Once my rifle was clear and everything appeared to be operating properly, I finished out the set of 10. Results were pretty good, and definitely acceptable for hunting purposes:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxJALvEO2LvQRwQh7BYd8xN9zX304DOaOoZPZOiNPR5ejcPsxiQ8BP-E_jZAAdsvIC5M2wF00qKhjfqJbBNNwTTTj9pFO-kmHKgMnSxjQpYMSDP2G_HmPWGu48JubLIFP9fl9o126dXnE/s1600/TAC-70gr-251-50m-LS-scaled1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 395px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxJALvEO2LvQRwQh7BYd8xN9zX304DOaOoZPZOiNPR5ejcPsxiQ8BP-E_jZAAdsvIC5M2wF00qKhjfqJbBNNwTTTj9pFO-kmHKgMnSxjQpYMSDP2G_HmPWGu48JubLIFP9fl9o126dXnE/s400/TAC-70gr-251-50m-LS-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601899044838017826" border="0" /></a><br />With the dislodged primer issues I'd had, I should have packed it up then an there or moved on to different loads I'd brought along to play with. But, I didn't. I wanted to have a comparison shooting the 70 grain loads without the lead sled.<br /><br />On the third round in, the bolt jammed, and stuck hard. There was no getting it free then and there. It was a terrible feeling. Checking the cases, round #2 was missing a primer, so I figured it had jammed up the bolt somewhere in the upper. With my tail between my legs and my heart in my stomach, I packed everything up and headed home.<br /><br />I got the rifle on the bench and ended up having to pull the buffer tube to get the bolt carrier tapped back in and the upper and lower separated. In the process, I ended up rotating the buttstock tube lock plate into the threads (note to self: use less lok-tite next time) and mangled the rear takedown pin detent spring in the process. I got the upper separated and managed to tap the bolt carrier completely rearward out of the upper (all the time hoping I wasn't ruining the upper). Lo and behold, there it was. A primer lodged in the channel for the bolt cam pin. I thoroughly checked the inside of the receiver and the bolt carrier itself, and didn't find any mangled material, so it appears that everything is still serviceable. It looks like the cam pin was restricted from moving just enough to make things very tight. I got everything assembled (minus the mangled detent spring), and verified that the action operated smoothly and locked up tight.<br /><br />I've had a couple days to think what happened here, and I think I've got an idea. Sometime around the primer change and making the first full batch of 24.7 grain 70 grain loads, my scale got out of adjustment, reading heavy by a few tenths of a grain. I interpreted this as a loss in velocity due to the new primers with the TAC load, so I worked up a new set of loads, and found a match in performance at 25.2 grains. In reality, I was recalibrating my charges up to 24.7 grains or somewhere thereabout. Between that load workup and my batch of 100 25.1 grain loads, I'd recalibrated my scale, so now I was *actually* loading a hotter load. While this is still within 5.56 NATO load data, <span style="font-style: italic;">there's a reason</span> NATO ammo has crimped primers. This put me over the pressure line where the primers started working loose, causing my problem.<br /><br />Lessons I've learned from this experience:<br /><br /><ul><li>Even though my rifle can handle 5.56 NATO pressures, there is a point where uncrimped primers/pockets start to let go.</li><li>I need to recalibrate my scale <span style="font-style: italic;">before every session</span>.</li><li>If a load is acting funny, <span style="font-style: italic;">stop using it and figure out why</span>.</li></ul>I've also got 87 rounds of this stuff, and I'm not sure what to do with it. I may use this as an excuse to get one of them fancy bullet puller dies. I'm also considering getting the manual inertial puller out and adjusting OAL (there's plenty of room between 2.165" and max OAL to move the bullet out) to see if that will reduce pressures enough to make the rounds serviceable without having to disassemble them all. I'll have to test those one-by-one, in case they still show leaks or popped primers and avoid this problem from happening again.<br /><br />Phew. What a learning experience this has been.John the Texanerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05387509912509138934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487467074685286142.post-22304213874561607452011-04-24T01:19:00.009-05:002011-04-24T03:50:30.574-05:00Running Through The PacesI finally got to get back to the range today, as my weekends have been booked solidly for the past month. As I mentioned, I was very happy with the results I got from the VV135 powder/55 grain combo, getting sub-MOA grouping using a charge of 24.7 grains. I loaded up 150 rounds using this charge so I could test it out at the range in quantity and see how it runs at 100m as well.<br /><br />It was exceptionally windy at the range today. I'd guess the wind was around 20mph, with frequent and variable gusts of around 40mph. I'd also meant to test out a rework of my 3031 load with the new primers, but the wind was so stiff, the chronograph couldn't stay standing.<br /><br />So today, I focused on trying out my finalized VV135 plinking load and trying out the new Marlin 795.<br /><br />I've got the Marlin all set up with Tech Sights and a sling, so she's ready for Appleseed. I ordered a bunch of magazines, once I found a place that had them in stock. It seems that everyone has the sub-standard 7 round magazines, but no one has the standard 10 rounders. Cabelas doesn't even carry them.<br /><br />Since this was the inaugural range trip, I started with the Marlin. I strapped it in to the lead sled to get it zeroed at 50m. Because of the gusty wind, grouping was not terribly impressive with the subsonic 40-grainers. Surprisingly enough, the newly-installed Tech Sights were quite close. I'd put out 12" targets, but found that that was not necessary, as the sights weren't too far off. A few clicks down and to the left and I got her zeroed with just a few rounds.<br /><br />I pulled the rifle off the lead sled and gave it a go without a support. I was getting low on my CCI Standard Velocity rounds, so I switched over to Aguila SuperMaximum Solid Point 30-grainers.<br /><br />---<br /><br />I'm going to go on a small tangent here, while I think about it. Regarding the CCI SV rounds... Cabela's, why don't you carry CCI ammo in usable quantities? Your selection in .22LR is crap. All of the ammo you carry in anything approximating a brick is terrible. Sure, you carry CCI ammo, but only Stinger/MiniMags in tiny little plastic boxes, or some newfangled "AR" ammo that looks like standard High Velocity rounds put in a smaller and more expensive bulk box. I have to go to Dick's Sporting Goods to get CCI Standard Velocity ammo. As much of a drive it is to get to Buda to get to your store, it pains my very soul to have to go to Dicks in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Domain_%28Austin%29">The Domain</a>. Seriously, stop forcing me go there. Stock some decent .22LR ammo.<br /><br />Also, how is it that you sell a rifle that comes stock with a 10-round magazine, but don't carry any of those magazines? No one wants the overpriced piddly little 7 round magazine that you are selling. That's why you have a pile of them still on the shelf, while everyone goes and orders them from elsewhere on the internet. You had 30-something Marlin 795 rifles in stock at the store the day I purchased mine. You should have a little more forethought.<br /><br />One more thing, Cabelas. Vihtavuori Powder and Speer bullets. Both major players in their respective component groups, but for some reason you don't carry them. Why??<br /><br />---<br /><br />OK, back to shooting the Marlin. One thing I've observed about this rifle is how very light it is. Aside from the barrel and bolt, all parts of this gun are very light. This makes it particularly difficult to keep steady in gusting wind, so the results of my string were less than impressive. I certainly need to start learning sling technique with this gun. As I expected, POI rose, as velocity increased nearly 700fps (1070 vs. 1750 fps). Here are the results:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsfY1ih-ANg246Do-Af2emo-1vMJL3wzTVit5vyUKlWf9UqKtYIpTrkHXp8z4TrtrniMmaWT1ZbsMTy2BOJAMLIq7P5cp3WOTXC6pJ-hN2BPGU4wAxOzMZcjYrVnTS4Ofp4RwZ9ghoUS4/s1600/marlin795-unsupported-50m-scaled1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 395px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsfY1ih-ANg246Do-Af2emo-1vMJL3wzTVit5vyUKlWf9UqKtYIpTrkHXp8z4TrtrniMmaWT1ZbsMTy2BOJAMLIq7P5cp3WOTXC6pJ-hN2BPGU4wAxOzMZcjYrVnTS4Ofp4RwZ9ghoUS4/s400/marlin795-unsupported-50m-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599048217916944322" border="0" /></a><br />I ran another few mags through the rifle. It ate it all up and spit out the empties flawlessly throughout, as expected.<br /><br />Moving on to the AR, in addition to the reloads I brought, there was also a recently-purchased brass catcher. Now, I really had my heart set on a nice catcher from Vector Tactical. <a href="http://blog.robballen.com/2010/09/12/p4292-vector-tactical-brass-catcher-review.post">Robb got one back in September</a>, and I really wanted to get one for myself once my AR was built. A few weeks after Robb got his, the Vector Tactical site stated that the catches were unavailable for order at that time. Early this month, the domain registration for vectortactical.com expired, and has not yet been renewed.<br /><br />Midway carries 3 AR brass catches, all of them look identical. I ordered the only one they had in stock at the time, the "<a href="http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=579543">Mako GMG Brass Catcher AR-15 Nylon Mesh Black</a>". I'm underwhelmed with the performance of this catcher. It's flimsy. While the bag itself should be able to easily hold 100 or more cases, it becomes unusable once 20 is reached. The catcher begins to sag, causing stovepipes. In the 100 rounds I went through today, I had 4 stovepipes, and one double-feed (caused by a stovepiped case). Also, the cheap nylon mesh is not a high-temperature material, so occasionally a case would melt the bag enough to stick.<br /><br />I think I'm going to have to come up with a catcher net system instead, because those stovepipes are annoying.<br /><br />As I moved my Nikon back on the rail a few notches, the AR needed to be zeroed again. This was pretty quick, and I was ready to rock. I ran a test set off the lead sled to get an idea of grouping in larger quantities. Results were not as astounding as with the workup group, but then again it was very windy. Nonetheless, the load performed well:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPLRJOgIT9q5BDfvPMI3SFySk7DHKh1YmdSfx16aoc8VRU3kU7LRSvNNQH8H_3wYoMJeMMWROGsVylIzNlSbdeKrtw4v2OyPfkSsboccgCPNEpxSIb5mhSCTCzCLs19gdtosKjS6BX8Ho/s1600/223-vv135-55gr-LS-50m-scaled1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 390px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPLRJOgIT9q5BDfvPMI3SFySk7DHKh1YmdSfx16aoc8VRU3kU7LRSvNNQH8H_3wYoMJeMMWROGsVylIzNlSbdeKrtw4v2OyPfkSsboccgCPNEpxSIb5mhSCTCzCLs19gdtosKjS6BX8Ho/s400/223-vv135-55gr-LS-50m-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599060396831409042" border="0" /></a><br />I moved over to a 100m bench, posted a couple targets, and did a lead sled test there as well. This was my first time running the AR at 100m, as everything I've really done up to this point has been load testing. I switched over to the 1MOA dot, as the 4MOA eclipsed too much of the target for my taste. I put 10 rounds on target and here's what I got:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoWpBzYNFBsnJ_0H45MLBrNRXAsSxtpk7qVRZTLKk6xf8ExYLZKqCcqJniKfP9zxtPxx3AvOIdFnxs6SohuxwdTxLXVcu4K21JXDpQsEy-1K-lbg8O0HYK-Fa03U0_6drlsoEuvGEuuRs/s1600/223-vv135-55gr-LS-100m-scaled1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 390px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoWpBzYNFBsnJ_0H45MLBrNRXAsSxtpk7qVRZTLKk6xf8ExYLZKqCcqJniKfP9zxtPxx3AvOIdFnxs6SohuxwdTxLXVcu4K21JXDpQsEy-1K-lbg8O0HYK-Fa03U0_6drlsoEuvGEuuRs/s400/223-vv135-55gr-LS-100m-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599062163441687714" border="0" /></a><br />Not too bad. I figured now that I've established my load is good, I'd get some real shooting in. I put another 10 shots into the second target, seated at the bench, unsupported. The grouping opened up considerably more than I would have liked, but it gives me something to work on:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjV_Psp44YpgN4LROV5AYHg5L1QFEVh-VEg_rqQ2CKuPQ33IU27KNnlYJJLnFcdUgTrSmoiZ49ZTXF5OIZySZBZJbk1fYZQjA6fIBlRKUj1NEvT3cRVmErGD7pmrvOUeY2rEmvfi0By7E/s1600/223-vv135-55gr-unsupported-100m-scaled1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 389px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjV_Psp44YpgN4LROV5AYHg5L1QFEVh-VEg_rqQ2CKuPQ33IU27KNnlYJJLnFcdUgTrSmoiZ49ZTXF5OIZySZBZJbk1fYZQjA6fIBlRKUj1NEvT3cRVmErGD7pmrvOUeY2rEmvfi0By7E/s400/223-vv135-55gr-unsupported-100m-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599063745500445314" border="0" /></a>I was working from a box of 100 rounds, and was down to 30. Since I didn't do a target without the sled at 50m, I figured I could load up a 30 round mag and have at it. I worked on acheiving my shooting zen to steady myself, and got some pretty decent results:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOgAzTitb10YMA9CwPxk1GVyKQjHq_kHwwwgHLJpt5JXsmhL3X9fOo7HM3I-aSlj3B4agvbTuOaPXRW3RlVQJpOAptEYYoWBKvVz17xNADNAhKdKyzaBgcU8Lu-u5FRUMK7ilr_u5AgVU/s1600/223-vv135-55gr-unsupported-50m-scaled1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 391px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOgAzTitb10YMA9CwPxk1GVyKQjHq_kHwwwgHLJpt5JXsmhL3X9fOo7HM3I-aSlj3B4agvbTuOaPXRW3RlVQJpOAptEYYoWBKvVz17xNADNAhKdKyzaBgcU8Lu-u5FRUMK7ilr_u5AgVU/s400/223-vv135-55gr-unsupported-50m-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599065210778639938" border="0" /></a><br />I was actually surprised at how tight the grouping was. It's not much bigger than the run off the lead sled. I guess I am getting better. Next trip, I'll be doing the same kind of thing with my hunting load, since I didn't get around to it today. <br /><br />I'll also test out my 55 grain/IMR 3031 rework, so I can finalize a high-velocity (somewhere around 3100-3200fps) load for my Appleseed ammo. I've got Friday off, so hopefully I'll be able to do it then and give you an update.John the Texanerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05387509912509138934noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487467074685286142.post-11157150867771685452011-04-15T18:41:00.004-05:002011-04-15T18:59:36.253-05:00Buy A Gun DayAs you may already know, today is <a href="http://www.buyagunday.net/about/">Buy A Gun Day</a>. As I am out of town for my anniversary, I didn't get to buy a gun today. Instead, I picked one up earlier in the week.<br /><br />I've been wanting to attend an <a href="http://appleseedinfo.org/">Appleseed</a> for quite a while now. I finally went for the beginnings of a <a href="http://appleseedproject.blogspot.com/2008/02/liberty-training-rifle.html">Liberty Training Rifle</a>. Rather than the more common Ruger 10/22, I opted for the Marlin 795. I already have an older Marlin 60 that I'm quite happy with, so I thought I'd give one of the newer (and more petite) box-fed Marlins a try. Here she is:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOVoY4Zxd7OpKsmpmqlBCOz_0G5k9w9La3NjT9J2kxUhg0-lUNIJz_z-cYDjEiGoI5ypUzJgeMv9Mpqygov1YagMxAVMEd6EL7fmNDq1dn0iEk8SnU5EKZVH4mWLaPWui2VHoJaeQqTE/s1600/795-new-scaled1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 93px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOVoY4Zxd7OpKsmpmqlBCOz_0G5k9w9La3NjT9J2kxUhg0-lUNIJz_z-cYDjEiGoI5ypUzJgeMv9Mpqygov1YagMxAVMEd6EL7fmNDq1dn0iEk8SnU5EKZVH4mWLaPWui2VHoJaeQqTE/s400/795-new-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595962450070101922" border="0" /></a>I haven't had the chance to get her to the range yet, so no range report for you today. I've got some Tech Sights and a sling on order to complete the setup.<br /><br />While I had the kitchen counter cleared off for gun photography, I thought I'd get a photo of the AR with bayonet affixed. This one's for you, <a href="http://stuckinmassachusetts.blogspot.com/">Jay</a>:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhenIAtn-YpGL3tDOxj6e_Ui9sAe536c7ZWo2MWt5Zsi7N3E35fOArgFIr4wcyxinwlxHTVeMTRncg1XTTpH8auqCXOuh_ZhxK2MrAYPSdwgrWLrrrXoRMGpau_zJGm7xQdNg7Azz7QoOQ/s1600/AR-bayo-scaled1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 136px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhenIAtn-YpGL3tDOxj6e_Ui9sAe536c7ZWo2MWt5Zsi7N3E35fOArgFIr4wcyxinwlxHTVeMTRncg1XTTpH8auqCXOuh_ZhxK2MrAYPSdwgrWLrrrXoRMGpau_zJGm7xQdNg7Azz7QoOQ/s400/AR-bayo-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595963498036984626" border="0" /></a>John the Texanerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05387509912509138934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487467074685286142.post-10832049861126763412011-03-06T23:20:00.014-06:002011-03-07T01:22:54.829-06:00.223 Handloads (Parts 2 & 3)I've come along in my development efforts, and have had a couple of workup cycles and subsequent range trips.<br /><br />I picked up some of the new IMR 8208 XBR powder a few weeks ago, and put together a set of loads using both the Winchester 55gr FMJ-BT bullets I've been working with, as well as Sierra 69gr HPBT Matchkings. I'd run out of Speer 70gr Semi-Spitzer bullets for my hunting load, and apparently no one in town carries them.<br /><br />I was impressed that I got decent sets from each bullet using the 8208 XBR powder. In 55 gr, both 24.7 and 25.3 grains gave me decent grouping. Unfortunately, I loast all of my chronograph data for the day, so I cannot provide numbers. Please note, all targets were shot at a range of 50m.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNx-TNo9VDNYpOZzvpLY5_tvNYU095vIZpFiBXq9rpsK3BDpdnnq9Tj0dB65Zy4RZo5YLXJJb7ZkKZuLtADS_6y_LRy3CkxBlTm7yrIlFKVkmkL42oRjdrrkT3Z0QjUlnfgJsRF-I1hXE/s1600/55grfmjbt-8208-247-scaled1024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNx-TNo9VDNYpOZzvpLY5_tvNYU095vIZpFiBXq9rpsK3BDpdnnq9Tj0dB65Zy4RZo5YLXJJb7ZkKZuLtADS_6y_LRy3CkxBlTm7yrIlFKVkmkL42oRjdrrkT3Z0QjUlnfgJsRF-I1hXE/s400/55grfmjbt-8208-247-scaled1024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581208819203584274" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2NyX0aoW_b6t7LfyDgNsNU622i7NdNCFDiqiwRt13kST0-SpZ9jRj2XPdH5v0zflrAOP-JQbGU27uY6-3LeZSHIKrFf1gbafIlMwzHC2DOTfQ7fhyphenhyphenSEIpczon30gJRNMsL5w2rlmvC0/s1600/55grfmjbt-8208-253-scaled1024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2NyX0aoW_b6t7LfyDgNsNU622i7NdNCFDiqiwRt13kST0-SpZ9jRj2XPdH5v0zflrAOP-JQbGU27uY6-3LeZSHIKrFf1gbafIlMwzHC2DOTfQ7fhyphenhyphenSEIpczon30gJRNMsL5w2rlmvC0/s400/55grfmjbt-8208-253-scaled1024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581209083982905106" border="0" /></a><br />In the 69gr loads, I got good groups in several of the charges, in both the low and mid ranges of the workup. I got good groups at 21.6, 21.9, 22.5, and 23.1 grains. As you may have noticed, some of the shots on these targets are far off to the right. This is due to a quirk in the operation of the Nikon VSD. I'll have a dedicated post on this topic in the near future.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixpAx5YXZ90VT7ZCrjCBPOENxYUt7IYB5feLZeJgc4ekk3OroMt5WSerm_XLtTmJjWZoj5U2ID9cSjx4vU5eVeqOz98z0yS2-1wsJCgwta39-3m7OsCrXDM6lvWoqwJ3ekmsMPAY-Fdco/s1600/69grhpbt-8208-216-scaled1024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixpAx5YXZ90VT7ZCrjCBPOENxYUt7IYB5feLZeJgc4ekk3OroMt5WSerm_XLtTmJjWZoj5U2ID9cSjx4vU5eVeqOz98z0yS2-1wsJCgwta39-3m7OsCrXDM6lvWoqwJ3ekmsMPAY-Fdco/s400/69grhpbt-8208-216-scaled1024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581210143696258306" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEFb_tO3Oe1iM-k86k0fUOeMMYJjNdQb35lOywy_Iz8RT7PBxp-69LcdLF00YeDBV-HPLsIqzIGVrQbOy57VN9tTsXNwLMu91h-gUXxxGV9CoXmkklLi7uN2eYfghA-YvNrhugSvIm__g/s1600/69grhpbt-8208-219-scaled1024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEFb_tO3Oe1iM-k86k0fUOeMMYJjNdQb35lOywy_Iz8RT7PBxp-69LcdLF00YeDBV-HPLsIqzIGVrQbOy57VN9tTsXNwLMu91h-gUXxxGV9CoXmkklLi7uN2eYfghA-YvNrhugSvIm__g/s400/69grhpbt-8208-219-scaled1024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581210900142280690" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_mc-eZH7yk9-LiGXp8chrDizbk8FlDH92VfalnjxP-mvcNIGoU_USilNntiIk_u3CJjLDUiN144XfI13XYSqeorgWe5inHVG9cOKqP9WR3bsLWHOpxR57WTZxh20yQ9bex_sXhOibfZc/s1600/69grhpbt-8208-225-scaled1024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_mc-eZH7yk9-LiGXp8chrDizbk8FlDH92VfalnjxP-mvcNIGoU_USilNntiIk_u3CJjLDUiN144XfI13XYSqeorgWe5inHVG9cOKqP9WR3bsLWHOpxR57WTZxh20yQ9bex_sXhOibfZc/s400/69grhpbt-8208-225-scaled1024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581211161591994930" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw3uXVAFz-BvqciMyQd2nSvlvbTBrKsQlsacja9fJckOlqOmBCmv61W_btqP2jvw7XAQckKx3blNkMNZ30QMS5XqF1s9j-7mleD2yP4j7x4dQe-EvehkYAJA-SIKg2m7yjAP1Bc02a3fY/s1600/69grhpbt-8208-231-scaled1024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw3uXVAFz-BvqciMyQd2nSvlvbTBrKsQlsacja9fJckOlqOmBCmv61W_btqP2jvw7XAQckKx3blNkMNZ30QMS5XqF1s9j-7mleD2yP4j7x4dQe-EvehkYAJA-SIKg2m7yjAP1Bc02a3fY/s400/69grhpbt-8208-231-scaled1024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581211391392039330" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Fast-forward to this afternoon. I got in on a bulk order with some other folks from Powder Valley a couple of weeks back, and was able to get a bunch of the Speer 70gr Semi-Spitzer bullets, so that I'll be able to finish out my hunting load development, and get a bunch loaded up for sighting and actual hunting. I got a bulk box of 1000 Hornady 55gr FMJ-BT bullets, which will replace the Winchester bullets for my normal range work. Hornady's bullets are nicer anyway, and the box of 1000 makes them cheaper.<br /><br />I've also switched from using CCI #400 primers to CCI #41. The #400 primers don't seem to be made for .223 and 5.56 pressures. I found that the #400 primers would begin flattening even with moderate loads. The primer cups on the #41 are more stout, and are made specifically for 5.56 loading. Apparently the priming compound charge is different as well. My continuation of the 70gr TAC loads indicated a loss of around 80fps with the new primers.<br /><br />I started out today's session finishing up the TAC workup, and found that 25.2 grains gave me acceptable results, with a velocity averaging 2740fps. I think I've settled on this as a hunting load. Accuracy is acceptable for hunting purposes at a high enough velocity for terminal effectiveness..<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw74ZrmWhXXA98dfW-8di_NMSDYxKvEpLuMFLBn3PKvGBkCsLaeucGP3Cv6z-hTd1KyFhMYbsklzGRihma0nCvLKytUEIWbNbdAAItUaS6YwB430V_ywaf9WU6_QKJwiJbWPBj_PmBhbQ/s1600/70grsprsp-tac-252-scaled1024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw74ZrmWhXXA98dfW-8di_NMSDYxKvEpLuMFLBn3PKvGBkCsLaeucGP3Cv6z-hTd1KyFhMYbsklzGRihma0nCvLKytUEIWbNbdAAItUaS6YwB430V_ywaf9WU6_QKJwiJbWPBj_PmBhbQ/s400/70grsprsp-tac-252-scaled1024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581217999084344578" border="0" /></a><br />I did another workup using the 70gr using the 8208 XBR powder as well. Accuracy was good, but velocity was a little lower than I'd wanted in a hunting round. I may be able to push the charge a bit to get the velocity I want, I'll have to see. The best groups were at 22.1 and 22.7 grains, with average velocities of 2542 and 2610 fps, respectively.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL1ikTCpqKkZ3KortH41R034YaGVSLh2KX611PVgdz_bTi3vvM2W0BGn2g_FanTiEvwR0XoyH5OWPe-8ULqb7u7aCv1QG0UStHcBRRkIVaf4_yvlnXXj05mpssjlynUG-0QghdHyYWozg/s1600/70grsprsp-8208-221-scaled1024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL1ikTCpqKkZ3KortH41R034YaGVSLh2KX611PVgdz_bTi3vvM2W0BGn2g_FanTiEvwR0XoyH5OWPe-8ULqb7u7aCv1QG0UStHcBRRkIVaf4_yvlnXXj05mpssjlynUG-0QghdHyYWozg/s400/70grsprsp-8208-221-scaled1024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581220879808404338" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCIcBu5TF9rFkZqigWx84YBHuuCr_lxNX_02pl_9Q-L6GCqaF-28v6PdSNNvEBVNQkUlgCP20ZteL81h2iYrI3A0B6MwtWWhnWbQS5sRiK_y0VmHlr4s0Wsf203WopAeZNcKwVfOfmKs/s1600/70grsprsp-8208-227-scaled1024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCIcBu5TF9rFkZqigWx84YBHuuCr_lxNX_02pl_9Q-L6GCqaF-28v6PdSNNvEBVNQkUlgCP20ZteL81h2iYrI3A0B6MwtWWhnWbQS5sRiK_y0VmHlr4s0Wsf203WopAeZNcKwVfOfmKs/s400/70grsprsp-8208-227-scaled1024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581221511717995154" border="0" /></a><br />Finally, I decided to try out Vhitavuori N135 with the 55gr bullets, at the suggestion of <a href="http://gungeekrants.blogspot.com/">TxGunGeek</a>. I ordered this powder along with the afore-mentioned bulk buy. I did a wide range for my workup, since I've never worked with the powder before. TxGunGeek uses a charge of 25.6 grains for his accuracy load, though our rifles are certainly different in configuration. I ran the whole gamut and came across a beautiful gem of a grouping at 24.7 grains of 7/16"! I'm quite impressed with the results using this powder so far.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ILSETRLxtpr47qFzZZM2RDhSpucs1Q_s0JRtV8XJZzYsu5uX0k6vq4m-TGGkVuNNUpY9dmM-3fTyr3B5SqxdG3WoTOSSSUDB8UgTM0vCAtE9wXhWUx4B3ILUdTWlh1yR9fI5fnL-eJU/s1600/55grfmjbt-vv135-247-scaled1024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ILSETRLxtpr47qFzZZM2RDhSpucs1Q_s0JRtV8XJZzYsu5uX0k6vq4m-TGGkVuNNUpY9dmM-3fTyr3B5SqxdG3WoTOSSSUDB8UgTM0vCAtE9wXhWUx4B3ILUdTWlh1yR9fI5fnL-eJU/s400/55grfmjbt-vv135-247-scaled1024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581228911098574386" border="0" /></a><br />I didn't get a reading from the chronographfor this string because it was getting dim out and I stopped getting readings about this time. Judging from the readings around this group, I'd say it was moving around 2950 fps. Not too bad for a plinking load. Next session, I'm going to run some of these at 100y and see how they do.John the Texanerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05387509912509138934noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487467074685286142.post-90972088636127435262011-01-31T21:14:00.005-06:002011-02-01T01:05:28.245-06:00.223 handload workupsIt was a nice day at the range today. A bit windy as usual there, but otherwise it was nice shooting weather.<br /><br />As mentioned a couple posts ago, I'd worked up loads with a few different powders and a couple of different bullets. I got the chance to take them out to the range today to see how they ran. I got a bunch of <a href="http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=220757">5-target sheets from Midway</a> with my last order. These utilize five 3 15/16" bullseyes on cheap newsprint-quality paper. They're very inexpensive, so are great for testing load workups.<br /><br />I had two powders I did workups with for the Winchester 55 grain FMJ-BT bullet: IMR 3031 and Hodgdon Benchmark. I was surprised to actually find useful and accurate loads in both powders.<br /><br />I'd not had a lot of faith in IMR 3031, as the key benefit of the powder when it was sold to me is that it burns clean. That is a nice characteristic, but certainly not the primary factor for me when choosing a powder. Using the Lee manual as a guide, I made a workup from 23.0 to 24.8 grains, in increments of 0.3 grains. The top end of this is a compressed load. I don't understand the dynamics of compressed loads very well, other than the fact that some powders don't work well with compression, while others do. OAL for this set was 2.230".<br /><br />I had the chronograph out and had my spotting scope handy to see the results of my work. I made my way through the 3031 group, not seeing anything particularly notable as far as grouping size was concerned. I did see that my shots were grouping a little low and left, so made some adjustments just before the last group of the batch. I ended up over-adjusting and pulled the second shot, which hit a little too high and ricocheted off the bottom edge of the top post above my target. This caused all sorts of nasty tearing on the target, and I figured it didn't matter much, considering the performance of the powder up to this point. I finished up the string and moved on.<br /><br />I brought all my targets home for review, going through the data for each one. I saw that the last string of the IMR 3031 showed a much tighter spread and Standard Deviation than the rest. Average velocity was 3089.05 with a spread of only 53.33 and a SD of 20.17. I went and looked at the target, and in the mess of the ricochet, found the rest of the shots in a 1/2" grouping!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS3Axs3J_-nKC-nqvVz81IMiia25si2PVFYxf32G__86lSLsMChNncTzL3updgMAcF0v4Ofv47huZRh9JVzemfRB8GlXmdtGEWIvmsoLMBjPw311MmJl1Cralaw5LqUjIHDm9z1Sv0xXg/s1600/IMR3031-55-248.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS3Axs3J_-nKC-nqvVz81IMiia25si2PVFYxf32G__86lSLsMChNncTzL3updgMAcF0v4Ofv47huZRh9JVzemfRB8GlXmdtGEWIvmsoLMBjPw311MmJl1Cralaw5LqUjIHDm9z1Sv0xXg/s400/IMR3031-55-248.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568569369199538002" border="0" /></a><br />I think I may do a little tuning work with this powder and explore the top end to see what I find. This was definitely a surprise!<br /><br />The Benchmark workup performed well. I did a workup from 24.0 to 25.5 grains, in increments of 0.3 grains. Data was based on the Hodgdon load, with OAL adjusted to 2.235" from the 2.220 that was listed for a soft point. It looks like the accuracy sweet spot is somewhere around 24.9 grains at an average velocity of 2982.89. Consistency here was good as well, with a spread of only 37.53 and a standard deviation of only 14.59. Grouping was around 1".<br /><br />Moving on to the hunting load workups, I created workups for both powders mentioned above, as well as with Ramshot TAC, which I've heard good things about in conjunction with the Speer 70 grain Semi-Spitzer.<br /><br />I started out with the IMR 3031 loads first. This workup was based on the loads from the Hodgon website, and ranged from 19.0 to 21.1 grains with OAL set to 2.150". Grouping was OK, but nothing below 1.5". The best group also had very tight velocities, with an average of 2430.11 fps, a spread of only 9.77 fps and a standard deviation of only 4.35. Looking at the data overall, the powder stayed very consistent throughout the workup. I may work on this powder a bit and see if an adjustment to OAL makes any difference in grouping. They definitely need to be stoked hotter to hit acceptable velocities for hunting - the highest velocity I got out of this workup was 2503 fps.<br /><br />Next was the Hodgdon Benchmark. This workup went from 20.8 to 22.6 grains, with an OAL of 2.150". I actually got a nice 3/4" group with my starting string, but grouping seemed to progressively open up the higher the velocities got until the last group, where they tightened down a little. The high end of this workup only got up to around 2650 fps. Velocity consistency was actually very similar to the 3031, with extreme spreads generally staying around 25, more or less.<br /><br />Finally, I tried out the revamped Ramshot TAC loads. While Ramshot only publishes .223 loads (which seem overstated in velocity), they have data for 5.56 NATO spec as well. I found someone who'd put this information up on their site after corresponding with Ramshot, so I gave it a try. The listed range (for 68 grains) starts at 23.5 grains up to a max load of 26.2 grains. I picked up just above where I left off, and started at 24.0 grains, with 0.3 grain increments. I'd run low on these bullets, so only had enough for 20 rounds. Since this were NATO-spec charges, I used Lake City brass instead of the the Prvi Partizan or Federal .223 brass I have been using for most of my loads. Grouping tightened up at the top end of my workup, and I got about 1" at 24.9 grains. OAL was set to 2.155" The 24.9 grain group gave good results for velocity, with an average of 2814.45 fps with a spread of 20.15 fps with a standard deviation of 9.53. Once I get some more bullets ordered, I'm going to do another workup with this powder and increment by 0.2 grains and get a little higher that I did with this set.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qopMn7JML4OCP78D6xDRN9A78r3GOyMoEVUjwUNmOf4l4-x6kAtlVjPoho2SNuSG-VypPm-RfdVjBR3o8G3rbHp_kuEc_wZewIrZckeFDI8G0A9xuGUkUyz25WZh3A50ehX8atOB1Tw/s1600/RamshotTAC-70-249.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qopMn7JML4OCP78D6xDRN9A78r3GOyMoEVUjwUNmOf4l4-x6kAtlVjPoho2SNuSG-VypPm-RfdVjBR3o8G3rbHp_kuEc_wZewIrZckeFDI8G0A9xuGUkUyz25WZh3A50ehX8atOB1Tw/s400/RamshotTAC-70-249.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568606718215796130" border="0" /></a><br />It looks like TAC is in good shape for becoming my hunting load powder, so I'll keep you posted here.<br /><br />I also promised a re-evaluation of the S&B 5.56 ammo that I picked up at Cabela's. I had some extra time at the end of my workup tests, so I figured I'd put 10 more rounds through the rifle to see how it measured up this time around. Results were significantly better, with about 1 1/2" grouping, excluding 1 flyer.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_XAxvcwKGUGCLNjsbMU0RP-5mJlgZ4Oj6ZU5rvD3BSSsuje23kitHMenlp_9cqTUY993k3ZQ-uNZ7RiOVRoEvAedu_MobdDXgrz6Xm3jHJGmezO052ZSbKAEEZN9agAxPHmmI_gFY_E/s1600/SB-grouping2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_XAxvcwKGUGCLNjsbMU0RP-5mJlgZ4Oj6ZU5rvD3BSSsuje23kitHMenlp_9cqTUY993k3ZQ-uNZ7RiOVRoEvAedu_MobdDXgrz6Xm3jHJGmezO052ZSbKAEEZN9agAxPHmmI_gFY_E/s400/SB-grouping2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568612491971612770" border="0" /></a><br />That's all I've got for you now. I'll keep you posted on new development efforts.John the Texanerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05387509912509138934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487467074685286142.post-65061469005014078942011-01-19T23:49:00.001-06:002011-01-19T23:51:30.585-06:00Nikon Monarch VSD initial impressionsFor Christmas, my wife got me the <a href="http://www.nikonhunting.com/products/riflescopes/dot_sights/1x30_Dot_Sight_VSD/8430">Nikon Monarch VSD</a> that I'd been eying since I started the build process for the AR. Unfortunately, Nikon regards the VSD as a special order item, so the sight did not arrive until the weekend before last.<br /><br />I installed and zeroed it to correlate with the c0-witnessed iron sights. I used a 1/2" Yankee Hill Machine riser, which put the dot just above the front sight. I took it to the range and was quite pleased with the results.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7gIwR4Bwg8oKNFtyQHYuSlfrzXQCSmXZ_ELYKygY2EtPkjm3AzDPTFdP3zbu73Skrxb0hsigiQMxC9GXtB8bne_VHc5vAYZEitoF22EMuqtqSOtEfq4VamWfn4E0rwfg4I8u1npJpuF8/s1600/AR-VSD-1-scaled1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 174px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7gIwR4Bwg8oKNFtyQHYuSlfrzXQCSmXZ_ELYKygY2EtPkjm3AzDPTFdP3zbu73Skrxb0hsigiQMxC9GXtB8bne_VHc5vAYZEitoF22EMuqtqSOtEfq4VamWfn4E0rwfg4I8u1npJpuF8/s400/AR-VSD-1-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564138051927652562" border="0" /></a><br />The sight is a relatively standard 1x red dot, with the additional feature of a variable-size dot. Sizes include 1, 4, 6, 8, and 10 MOA. There are 11 brightness settings, suitable for a range from low light to bright sunshine conditions.<br /><br />A bit of commentary here about the dot sizes: I would have preferred an intermediate dot size between 1 and 4 MOA. I would have preferred dot sizes in 1, 2, 4, 8, and 10 or 1,2,4,6, and 10 MOA, as granularity in the smaller dot sizes is far more useful than with the larger sizes. While the 1MOA dot is suitable in most conditions, it gets difficult to see in very bright sunlight. The 4MOA is just a little big for precision, so a 2MOA would have probably filled the gap there.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd356Ngk1aYw2ejLzcnjQoNDZ4_cZxeKTnVeNl8ASunCsm9PLDXz_MBxUazxv8NdXzyIUHT3vTEoFCbL3yzYaSwR61O_aua_TxPEVxSpYmTbSXNRWLNGTOarb9LZt23YPYpG0KNIFpxy0/s1600/AR-VSD-2-scaled1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd356Ngk1aYw2ejLzcnjQoNDZ4_cZxeKTnVeNl8ASunCsm9PLDXz_MBxUazxv8NdXzyIUHT3vTEoFCbL3yzYaSwR61O_aua_TxPEVxSpYmTbSXNRWLNGTOarb9LZt23YPYpG0KNIFpxy0/s400/AR-VSD-2-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564138284475738290" border="0" /></a><br />Other than the missing 2MOA dot size, I don't have any complaints about the sight. I've put a couple hundred rounds through the gun since mounting it, and it appears to be holding zero nicely. It comes with 2 lens caps bungeed together to protect the optics when not in use. I'm going to see if I can find a set of flip-up caps that will fit it, as they seem more practical.<br /><br />I'm going to try and get some shots of the reticle next time I'm at the range, so I'll see if I can get something posted soon to give you a good visual of the sight in use.John the Texanerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05387509912509138934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487467074685286142.post-55582938043699885402011-01-18T19:04:00.010-06:002011-01-18T20:33:26.000-06:00.223 Range TestsIn previous posts, I've mentioned that I'd worked up some loads using Hodgdon Varget for the AR. From personal experience and from searching around on the internets, I've come to learn that Varget isn't really the ideal powder for this caliber. Results were OK, but both my 55 grain FMJ-BT and 70 grain Semi-Spitzer Soft Point loads have fallen short of what I'd hoped they would yield. I've read that Varget works relatively well for heavier bullets. The 70 grain loads I developed did perform better than the 55-grainers, but still not nearly as good as I wanted.<br /><br />So I went and got a few powders to try out. I'd gone to the local gun shop in a rush after work to pick up some Hodgdon Benchmark and Ramshot TAC. Unfortunately, they were out of the former and didn't even carry the latter. At the suggestion of the clerk, I picked up some IMR 3031. He claimed it is good stuff for an AR, and it's "real clean". I grabbed a pound of it and made my way down to the register just before they closed the store.<br /><br />Availability of load data for 3031 is a little thin, but there are loads in the IMR/Hodgdon/Winchester load data for the powder with both of my bullets, so I had a starting place. Still wanting to get the other two powders, I ran down to Cabela's and picked up a pound of the Benchmark and TAC. Benchmark seems to be made for .223 and similar rounds, and there's plentiful data out there for it. TAC is a little less common, and not all of my books have data for it. I'm primarily interested in TAC for a hunting load paired with the 70 grain Speer bullet, and I've read of others getting very good results with this pairing.<br /><br />I worked up 55 grain loads for both Benchmark and 3031, and 70 grain loads for all three powders. TAC is supposed to be better for heavier bullets in .223, so I didn't bother with the 55-grainers using that powder.<br /><br />So, I got everything ready to go to the range on Monday, got out there, and realized I'd left all of my workup loads at home with the exception of the TAC. Dammit.<br /><br />To assist in my reload testing, I'd gotten a <a href="http://www.battenfeldtechnologies.com/caldwell/catalog.asp?product=lead-sled-solo">Caldwell Lead Sled Solo</a>. I have also put a <a href="http://www.nikonhunting.com/products/riflescopes/dot_sights/1x30_Dot_Sight_VSD/8430">Nikon Monarch VSD</a> on my rifle, of which I'll give my initial impressions in a post soon. I also used my Shooting Chrony Gamma Master to check the velocity and consistency of the loads. Once I got used to the lead sled rig, I ran through my TAC workup using 3" black bullseyes at 50y. My test workup used 5 rounds for each charge weight, and grouping was quite good. All groups were within 1.5", with some coming in well under an inch. This is using a 1x red dot, and I think these loads would have given even better grouping had I used magnified optics. I did the workup on the conservative side, and the lower end came in at 2369fps, not the ideal velocity for a hunting round. Ramshot's numbers should indicate that load at more like 2700fps out of a 24" barrel, which is a bit too much loss going out of a 16" barrel to think that barrel length is the only factor. I have a feeling they're taking the Hornady approach and over-stating their loads to keep people from loading too hot. I'm going to redo this workup, shifting to the higher end of their recommended loads to see what that produces, possibly this weekend along with the rest of the workups I forgot at home.<br /><br />Since I had lots of time and no workups to test, I decided to test some of the factory loads I had on hand.<br /><br />First up: UltraMax .223 62 grain FMJ. This stuff has been showing up in the gun shops at a very affordable price. It is commercially reloaded ammo using Lake City and WCC 5.56 brass. I took this stuff out to the range last trip as well, and was disappointed at the performance using iron sights and no support. I thought I'd test it out on the lead sled using the red dot to see what I could get out of it. Results were still disappointing. Pictured below is what I got on an 8" Dirty Bird target at 50y. I ran this through the chronograph as well, and quickly found that this was some seriously inconsistent stuff. Extreme Spread was nearly 300fps! At the price, this is good stuff for plinking around at steel in relatively close courses, but definitely not something you want to use if accuracy or consistency is important.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7i85qnDrLABXYcIS3cqh0JEn_IsDFPsxL57VjDI_x23uSnTco95jsIS0UemQHcYi1sSIqsKDr6L8VZJIduEq-kMlvrV7cqNNf59-QqNVhjd4dY-mcdtP91TuoG-vZQNu4sg5eD3PIMQ/s1600/Ultramax-grouping.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 393px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7i85qnDrLABXYcIS3cqh0JEn_IsDFPsxL57VjDI_x23uSnTco95jsIS0UemQHcYi1sSIqsKDr6L8VZJIduEq-kMlvrV7cqNNf59-QqNVhjd4dY-mcdtP91TuoG-vZQNu4sg5eD3PIMQ/s400/Ultramax-grouping.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563712614108291282" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Next up, I tried my Winchester 55 grain FMJ-BT handloads using Varget (since I still have a bunch of them) to see what they gave me. Grouping was OK at around 1.75", but like I said - not good enough for what I want.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_ixROAlEoXL_pAYYVz3MuEEWw9HujZJguP3jGVY1NEST5hGGiHdETs_EwI4-SxJYUtMzZYLHKb7D4x5IdtTPpsYty091rtzQg6u-g4pTv5DzOYOarl_Gmotp_ujanAuzv7_1PSz_x3U/s1600/Varget-grouping.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 396px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_ixROAlEoXL_pAYYVz3MuEEWw9HujZJguP3jGVY1NEST5hGGiHdETs_EwI4-SxJYUtMzZYLHKb7D4x5IdtTPpsYty091rtzQg6u-g4pTv5DzOYOarl_Gmotp_ujanAuzv7_1PSz_x3U/s400/Varget-grouping.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563709515527417298" border="0" /></a><br />My last trip to Cabela's, I noticed they had some S&B 5.56 55 grain "M193" ammo on sale for $8.99. I picked up a few boxes to see how they'd run. While not nearly as spread out, grouping was not much better than the UltraMax mentioned above. Velocity variation and clustering was much better though, so this may have been in part my fault. Right around this time I realized my riser picatinny rail had worked itself loose (DOH! All my fault, really - my home allen bit kit apparently lacks a 7/64" size, so I'd gingerly tightened the bolts on with pliers at home), so that likely had to do something with it. I got vertical grouping of around 3", but horizontal grouping was only around 1.5". I borrowed an allen wrench from someone else and got my rail all tightened up. I'll have to give the ammo another whirl on the lead sled and see what it does.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbG2e8c_sB_QtQ-2u0C9bDf8c5rYvUcAcCI-Izgm18gfzrEo4mrUL_-cLuOT5UAT2wiFx2AeVn8ZvAEXlOfkJgLCfPpm9598Ztr4FNaVidT4Mm0mpsYGZChok8CwV45wOy_bzPbjY64Y4/s1600/SB-grouping.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 396px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbG2e8c_sB_QtQ-2u0C9bDf8c5rYvUcAcCI-Izgm18gfzrEo4mrUL_-cLuOT5UAT2wiFx2AeVn8ZvAEXlOfkJgLCfPpm9598Ztr4FNaVidT4Mm0mpsYGZChok8CwV45wOy_bzPbjY64Y4/s400/SB-grouping.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563712167232625266" border="0" /></a><br />Next came the surprise of the day, PMC Bronze. This is another 55 grain load in .223 that was on sale at Cabela's for $8.99. I grabbed a few boxes to test out, and figured I'd put them through rifle just to see how they did. Being cheap ammo to start with (it's only $9.99 when not on sale), I didn't expect spectacular results. I was quite surprised to see the target when I peered with the spotting scope. There's one flyer there, but got a 1.25" grouping otherwise. Big surprise! I may be stocking up on this stuff for my non-reload plinking ammo in the future. I'll be interested to see how well the brass works for reloading.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2B_38YCRDqvKoWumCa5Se50aAg4AmmFWB-QBpVLrZKYPi7m9QKQYk0E25yuSSe-2ckFWD5U_dNmvtBfwXvTbildMwLZANAbSsGrASvHTf8-p-aO_St6QHE3154bomiJo-L5rQmSxkIm0/s1600/PMC-grouping.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 391px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2B_38YCRDqvKoWumCa5Se50aAg4AmmFWB-QBpVLrZKYPi7m9QKQYk0E25yuSSe-2ckFWD5U_dNmvtBfwXvTbildMwLZANAbSsGrASvHTf8-p-aO_St6QHE3154bomiJo-L5rQmSxkIm0/s400/PMC-grouping.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563714307181573410" border="0" /></a><br />And finally, there's the WWB Q3131A1 mentioned in an earlier post. As expected, this ammo performed quite well. Aside from one flyer, I got sub 1" grouping with these rounds. Excellent stuff, and this affirms my earlier comments that this is one very nice commercial plinking round. The shelves were bare of the stuff (and marked as a "Best Seller!") during my trip to Cabela's, so I'm apparently not the only one that thinks highly of the stuff.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPfMnfpWtPhjYTEl2gNh7wP6wbqpLm8qobr_7hHFue69tEDw-E_qRDNRPCXmh-ZlO7kj1Mm_ftSHehUKgBVFEDpL6b_wXgcsStXteJelFKaR3BUX-QIGggaMNLa1gi_-b2i0YO9yCma0w/s1600/WWB-Q3131A1-grouping.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 387px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPfMnfpWtPhjYTEl2gNh7wP6wbqpLm8qobr_7hHFue69tEDw-E_qRDNRPCXmh-ZlO7kj1Mm_ftSHehUKgBVFEDpL6b_wXgcsStXteJelFKaR3BUX-QIGggaMNLa1gi_-b2i0YO9yCma0w/s400/WWB-Q3131A1-grouping.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563716221514581314" border="0" /></a><br />Anyhow, that's all I've got for you right now. Expect an update in the near future with my initial impressions regarding the Nikon Monarch VSD.John the Texanerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05387509912509138934noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487467074685286142.post-56378552757217591542010-12-21T22:05:00.005-06:002011-01-16T13:40:59.841-06:00GBC Secret Santa 2010You may or may not know that we had a <a href="http://www.gunbloggerconspiracy.com/blog/?p=836">Secret Santa gift exchange over</a> at the <a href="http://www.gunbloggerconspiracy.com/">Gunblogger Conspiracy</a>. We all signed up and got our Secret Santas assigned by <a href="http://www.papadeltabravo.com/blog/">pdb</a>, who organized the entire thing.<br /><br />My Secret Santa's gift arrived today, just in time for the mass (dis)organized opening in IRC. My Secret Santa was <a href="http://gtwtw.blogspot.com/">ArcticElf</a>, who sent me an Orlite AR magazine especially to induce misfeeds for failure drill purposes, and included 6 .223 snap caps as well. In addition to the magazine, ArcticElf included a <a href="http://store.magpul.com/product/MAG980/116">MagPul B.A.D. Lever</a> for my AR. This is an extension for the bolt catch release, designed to allow operation using the right hand. Also included was a personal note explaining the magazine and its purpose, with a warning *not* to use it for serious purposes. Behold:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXI6qDB_GYJtaa45B1j7wxoCMgM7RYgs6TdgMyW4PHZmZvV1wDIImY_6WwCUl_ZwPL7Y3BXyzVAMJXqfinLo4PF1Ox3LVza0EsGPrtrs2RPiyYlQkXF8cixmYOG_x50Ydk3RZTCH2udh4/s1600/SS-gift-scaled1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXI6qDB_GYJtaa45B1j7wxoCMgM7RYgs6TdgMyW4PHZmZvV1wDIImY_6WwCUl_ZwPL7Y3BXyzVAMJXqfinLo4PF1Ox3LVza0EsGPrtrs2RPiyYlQkXF8cixmYOG_x50Ydk3RZTCH2udh4/s400/SS-gift-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553353437768190418" border="0" /></a><br />The text reads:<br /><br /><blockquote>John,<br /><br />The enclosed AR-16 magazine is quite possibly one of the worst ever produced. On any given day it can be relied upon to cause almost any imaginable malfunction, as a result it makes an excellent training aid for the AR platform and provides plenty of practice clearing various jams and malfunctions. Adding dummy rounds will only make this worse.<br /><br />Please do not use this magazine for anything serious, I cannot stress its unreliability enough.<br /><br />Good luck and happy training.<br /><br />Merry Christmas,<br /><br />ArcticElf</blockquote><br />Thanks to both pdb for organizing the exchange and ArcticElf for the gift. I look forward to doing this again next year!John the Texanerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05387509912509138934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487467074685286142.post-80370529927854063972010-12-16T19:37:00.010-06:002010-12-16T20:35:38.910-06:00Awesome New Photo Tool - HuginI was trying to find a solution for a coworker today, getting a wide area of the office into a single photo. This was a daunting task, as the area needed to be covered was around 100 feet wide and only about 40 feet deep. I figured I could perhaps stitch several photos together and make a panorama. As you may know, I do not use Windows or Photoshop. I kicked the Microsoft habit back in 2oo1, and haven't looked back since. I use Linux exclusively as the platform for all of my computing needs, though I will occasionally utilize my wife's OS X desktop for the sake of convenience (it is the only desktop system in the house at present time).<br /><br />I'd researched photo stitching software a few years back, and only found complex and inadequate guides to sortof putting photos together with <a href="http://www.gimp.org/">The GIMP</a>. I use The GIMP as my primary post-processing and editing program, and am quite happy with its performance. For the uninitiated, it is full-featured photoshop workalike with active development. It is open-source and it is free. Check the link above for more info.<br /><br />However, this post is not about The GIMP. I took my photos and set about finding a way to stitch them together for my coworker. A short Google search brought me to <a href="http://hugin.sourceforge.net/">Hugin</a>. I run <a href="http://www.debian.org/">Debian Linux</a>, and Hugin is included in the standard repositories. I installed the application with its requisite dependencies and suggested optional related packages. The entire install footprint ended up at a mere 60MB. I ran through the steps presented to me by the program, and waited a few minutes for it to process the images (five 12 megapixel images from my Nikon D90). The results were astounding. This application is so well-developed that I had an incredibly impressive image in TIF format in a matter of 5 minutes, and there was nothing manual about the process.<br /><br />I got to my usual coffee shop this evening, and thought I'd play a bit with some 30 second time exposures of the outdoor porch area. I wanted to see how Hugin handled this, given the differences in exposure and color temperature in such an environment, as well as knowing that the darker shots were underexposed due to the limitations I imposed on the camera when capturing the images.<br /><br />Here are the images I started with, scaled down to 1024 pixels wide (if you click on them) for your viewing pleasure:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2vmcSsriGeFCVG4kZB3nfxL2FG-Ct-GkE-fB3Jrff9xZYCdE5p05bAJL2WBnGiMkYsecRuXAc3LjDyFAjLDMajv2ILvS3EkZU1lGZ7CJmkVSIzCjBGJHNow8361WyUGBfXJp6eBs91kc/s1600/porch-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2vmcSsriGeFCVG4kZB3nfxL2FG-Ct-GkE-fB3Jrff9xZYCdE5p05bAJL2WBnGiMkYsecRuXAc3LjDyFAjLDMajv2ILvS3EkZU1lGZ7CJmkVSIzCjBGJHNow8361WyUGBfXJp6eBs91kc/s400/porch-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551464618809865058" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqN80hdf8umXOlN_f2h6euURmTHx2HrA2ZXM6e6HcV3lL2Pm40PpE4_ND8m9fLnAqJFrbHDz7w69n-xbmy8OoAp3g6z-60ZzInEXrjM6P7h85Lzw7VmvUqP_jRxb9MohWT4pUoRE72gSw/s1600/porch-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqN80hdf8umXOlN_f2h6euURmTHx2HrA2ZXM6e6HcV3lL2Pm40PpE4_ND8m9fLnAqJFrbHDz7w69n-xbmy8OoAp3g6z-60ZzInEXrjM6P7h85Lzw7VmvUqP_jRxb9MohWT4pUoRE72gSw/s400/porch-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551464976501722034" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguF2FxbyTDwYvYNsE42bZIy_XAGxx2S8UPnNK6D5SvrmNzK-ilVdMApsy5DIK5J5HFdYhld8NZX23rdnLZQnCsvgIAMgwvXXo_c8My_pGigyqQq9ykOyemk6Ev5Tm8vcxhCbVvTzfmpdU/s1600/porch-3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguF2FxbyTDwYvYNsE42bZIy_XAGxx2S8UPnNK6D5SvrmNzK-ilVdMApsy5DIK5J5HFdYhld8NZX23rdnLZQnCsvgIAMgwvXXo_c8My_pGigyqQq9ykOyemk6Ev5Tm8vcxhCbVvTzfmpdU/s400/porch-3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551465237766649986" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9J5UTtReg8OjRzZxYLy7JlI7xyYiWjo5r8T95_p8-HySa_emGCKxWzwbhAfeFrBvIah3Wyy01ug4riJmgcANAL6Y14ji5AFBlptGM-Jn28zaWXnqhCpbd8jlTw1os4o2c-t6-dBQMM1M/s1600/porch-4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9J5UTtReg8OjRzZxYLy7JlI7xyYiWjo5r8T95_p8-HySa_emGCKxWzwbhAfeFrBvIah3Wyy01ug4riJmgcANAL6Y14ji5AFBlptGM-Jn28zaWXnqhCpbd8jlTw1os4o2c-t6-dBQMM1M/s400/porch-4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551465574761448658" border="0" /></a><br />I simply dumped these photos into Hugin for processing, and out comes this, after about 3 minutes on my single-core not-current-technology laptop:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9vKPCGkCo4OS-1nPJRC1o7dJ9hrsnV67t8Tz760I4fgPAX3uW2OP5pXsJYOzYcZESpPEUHQalkV7temAbvurqus5tUNL4LrCx2QF4FQd7EduPIcwGD0UV8N196qE8KQD146x68u7WfSs/s1600/porch-panorama.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 136px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9vKPCGkCo4OS-1nPJRC1o7dJ9hrsnV67t8Tz760I4fgPAX3uW2OP5pXsJYOzYcZESpPEUHQalkV7temAbvurqus5tUNL4LrCx2QF4FQd7EduPIcwGD0UV8N196qE8KQD146x68u7WfSs/s400/porch-panorama.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551467653413987922" border="0" /></a> The photo (if you click it) has been scaled to 2048 pixels wide and converted to png format, but otherwise no post-processing has been done. The resulting TIF image was 5989x2037 pixels.<br /><br />This is one impressive piece of software. There are many options that I haven't taken a look at yet, but this is what it produces out of the box, choosing the "photometrics" (which I believe evens out the exposure) and "difference" blend mode. Kudos go out to all of the developers of this software. This has got to be one hell of a project to get such a complex piece of software working so elegantly.<br /><br />Check out the project page at:<br /><br /><a href="http://hugin.sourceforge.net/">http://hugin.sourceforge.net/</a><br /><br />This is cross-platform software, and there are releases available for Windows, Mac OS, Linux, and FreeBSD. If you find this software as incredibly useful as I do, consider making a contribution to the project. There is a small link at the bottom of the home page for PayPal donation.John the Texanerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05387509912509138934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487467074685286142.post-89511147590178783472010-12-15T22:42:00.008-06:002010-12-16T01:20:35.606-06:00Brief Range Report - Winchester Q3131A1A couple of months ago, I bought some Winchester 5.56 ammo at Cabela's to try out in the new rifle. It was on sale for $9.99, so I figured I'd pick up several boxes. I'd kept it in the range bag the first session I took the rifle out.<br /><br />I decided to see how it performed the next session (in late November), and was pleasantly surprised at the vast improvement in my group sizes from the AE223. I'd shot a couple of targets using the AE223 at the beginning of the session, and was less than impressed at the grouping I got. Shots were all over the target. I certainly could attribute some of this to my ongoing issues with shooting iron sights against black targets, but they still didn't seem to reflect the consistency of my sighting. It was so bad, I didn't bother keeping or taking photos of the targets.<br /><br />I loaded up some of the Winchester rounds and put 10 rounds through one of the targets that I was shooting with the AE223, and saw an immediate improvement. I loaded up a full mag of 30 and put 3 shots through that same target, then decided to move on to a fresh target, pictured below.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbSpwqs3Ef39Mw_f1GNLwQ-zSGYIQQWL8gUWAGvfE_NAv1Klu04KSMSF3xxvhXcOnTRHnZnt3Hf5Xs8LT9saULyT55EHktwwjNFqMEYRX614gZ04vRrvQh03KAFRNdo_HN3tOpDEp-zus/s1600/WWB-556-scaled1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbSpwqs3Ef39Mw_f1GNLwQ-zSGYIQQWL8gUWAGvfE_NAv1Klu04KSMSF3xxvhXcOnTRHnZnt3Hf5Xs8LT9saULyT55EHktwwjNFqMEYRX614gZ04vRrvQh03KAFRNdo_HN3tOpDEp-zus/s400/WWB-556-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551142823831882354" border="0" /></a><br />Excluding the two fliers at 1:00 and 9:00, that is a 1.5" wide and 2" tall grouping. This ammo seems to shoot *very* well in my rifle, certainly better than my ability to keep the rifle steady on target. On that subject, I just purchased a sling for the rifle, which should vastly improve my ability to steady my shots and improve my consistency. Just trying out the sling at home, I can tell a significant improvement in my ability to keep the rifle steady. I look forward to using it at the range this weekend.<br /><br />I've also been able to work out both the plinking and hunting rounds mentioned in my last post. I've loaded up 200 of the plinking rounds using Winchester 55 grain FMJ-BT bullets, so I can see how well they run in numbers. I've got 50 rounds of the hunting load using the Speer 70 grain semi-spitzer soft point, to get a good feel for the load and its characteristics at different ranges. It looks like I won't get a hog hunt in this year, but an early 2011 hunt is possible. Hopefully, I'll get to put this load to some practical use in the near future.<br /><br />Hopefully, I'll have something new to write up for you after the weekend.John the Texanerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05387509912509138934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487467074685286142.post-30268006262343224422010-11-14T22:34:00.004-06:002010-11-15T00:41:04.069-06:00Rolling My Own...I've been meaning to get a reloading post up for almost a year now. I just happened to be working up some .223 loads for the AR, so now seemed as good a time as any.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMAU5gZX4s-e2GPcKoW1u5OO1RTuSZrS5pl406aQ88P7QFOgvrUy6A-WIREPS1pD1yC-vBIqgBv51NqD4ftu8XdKFLYqYItFy_CJ7et4meNwDtYfHZgjiAJkHjGX_wnAS6HPrQG1aICFM/s1600/223-seating-1-scaled1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 260px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMAU5gZX4s-e2GPcKoW1u5OO1RTuSZrS5pl406aQ88P7QFOgvrUy6A-WIREPS1pD1yC-vBIqgBv51NqD4ftu8XdKFLYqYItFy_CJ7et4meNwDtYfHZgjiAJkHjGX_wnAS6HPrQG1aICFM/s400/223-seating-1-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539661153098979122" border="0" /></a><br />My reloading journey started 11 months ago, when I was given a Lee 50th Anniversary reloading kit by my mother-in-law as a Christmas Gift. I'd been working towards getting into reloading for some time, but had never got around to getting outfitted yet.<br /><br />I started my foray into reloading with 9mm, as that's the caliber I get the most range time with. I've since developed several loads, using Blue Dot, Power Pistol, and Titegroup.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6g-baY1xOfTu3W3MXOQPE8rGviAQRN8Za7INbbFQlxBbe24M6eDc4WwsZF7HxfFno51sB6vLTsZoxSvrhcQiagXNJpIPHO1MUEOsx2we1-Sh5RT4TCP7ofc7ipoBC-SFmtIVfDSPjjE/s1600/223-tray-scaled1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6g-baY1xOfTu3W3MXOQPE8rGviAQRN8Za7INbbFQlxBbe24M6eDc4WwsZF7HxfFno51sB6vLTsZoxSvrhcQiagXNJpIPHO1MUEOsx2we1-Sh5RT4TCP7ofc7ipoBC-SFmtIVfDSPjjE/s400/223-tray-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539661144976353186" border="0" /></a><br />With .380 so difficult to find and expensive when you did find it last year, I decided that .380 would be a great way to save some serious money reloading. I've found, using recovered brass, that I can put together a box of 50 rounds of .380 for $5.84 in component cost. It's a great thing to not be held hostage to the poor selection and high prices of factory-loaded .380. If I need .380, I can simply load some up and have it ready whenever I need it. Not only that, but I've been able to tune my loads for accuracy, and am able to make groups I never thought possible out of my Ruger LCP.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmHoFY44IVWg5JIeUzilsSPlkKxKpPvdtrssm_9Js_Jlf91Zm9bteO7Yhs2NktcDBCU50GXgVp-KEbYxaaIMo3kQpIr6BTnNuAr1NwGwyUAhJvOdfWNdXeZjSKPXK5bZcDqRgltMET4u0/s1600/lee-full-scale-27grains-scaled1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 221px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmHoFY44IVWg5JIeUzilsSPlkKxKpPvdtrssm_9Js_Jlf91Zm9bteO7Yhs2NktcDBCU50GXgVp-KEbYxaaIMo3kQpIr6BTnNuAr1NwGwyUAhJvOdfWNdXeZjSKPXK5bZcDqRgltMET4u0/s400/lee-full-scale-27grains-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539661168621561730" border="0" /></a><br />Today was my first time reloading rifle cartridges. This is a somewhat more involved process than loading handgun rounds. Case lube is required for resizing, powder is manually funneled into each case in the loading tray (there is no expanding die to put the powder through with rifle rounds), and bullet seating is a little more tricky if you're not using boat-tail bullets.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivsLqp6HhktDXqM-wMIgizyMncGtoU7otNVHTbhv3hgy2BHTm6qvkXjJQDWF8vzE7GtmDkwrYtLABbC0L-MySWdsz9lNtXMuQMO5RBxfIX7f8iBpXwMvTXKXQGCKnAR9RKJ4tpBANiX6s/s1600/223-seating-2-scaled1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivsLqp6HhktDXqM-wMIgizyMncGtoU7otNVHTbhv3hgy2BHTm6qvkXjJQDWF8vzE7GtmDkwrYtLABbC0L-MySWdsz9lNtXMuQMO5RBxfIX7f8iBpXwMvTXKXQGCKnAR9RKJ4tpBANiX6s/s400/223-seating-2-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539661157770773938" border="0" /></a><br />I managed to get two sets of loads worked up, one as a standard 55 grain FMJ-BT plinking round, where I'm going strictly for accuracy. The other is a hog/deer hunting round, built with the Speer 70 grain Semi-Spitzer. I'll have to see how these run through the AR, as it has a 1:9 twist rate. From my reading on the subject, this may or may not be enough to stabilize a 70 grain bullet. The Speer website claims 1:10 or better is sufficient for stabilizing this bullet, so I think I should be good to go. We'll see when I try them out.<br /><br />If all goes according to plan, I'm going to hit up the range tomorrow with the chrony in tow and see how these loads run. Hopefully, I'll have an update for you tomorrow night with the results.John the Texanerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05387509912509138934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487467074685286142.post-43664294819283264052010-11-01T14:12:00.005-05:002010-11-01T15:31:40.193-05:00AR Build - Range ReportAfter successful completeion, I took the AR out for its inaugural range session yesterday. I went to Best of the West Shooting Sports in Liberty Hill, the same range used for the LaRue Tactical range day event earlier in the month. The short-range rifle spots are 50, 100, and 250 yards. I wanted to zero the rifle for 200 yards, and 50 yards is at about the upward trajectory intersection of zero for a 200 yard zero AR, so I decided to run at that range. Unfortunately, all of the 50y target boards were in use, so I hung around and talked to the Range Officer and some other guys having a conversation until some space cleared out.<br /><br />Finally, space did clear up, and I stapled up 3 8-inch "Dirty Bird" targets in a vertical row. I loaded up some of the American Eagle "Tactical" AE223 55grn FMJ rounds I picked up on sale at Cabela's into one of the PMAGs, and chambered a round.<br /><br />To be honest, the first shot was quite anti-climactic for me. I went with the heavy barrel for several reasons, one of which was to keep movement and rise to a minimum for faster followup shots. This was much more effective than I anticipated, and my first impression of recoil was more akin to that of my Marlin 60 than any centerfire rifle I'd ever fired. Nonetheless, it was quite satisfying to shoot a gun that I'd put together with my own hands for the first time.<br /><br />On to zeroing in the rifle, after several shots I finally figured out that I was hitting the dirt about 18 inches both high and right. I adjusted my windage and elevation, and finally started getting my hits on paper. I went through about 70 rounds getting zero and checking consistency. This was compounded by the fact that I was sighting with a flat black front sight against a black target. I'm considering tipping my front sight with bright white or perhaps a flourescent green to solve this problem. Please feel free to give suggestions or advice in your commentary.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9wsqjNT_km_stmb5-psU37VWzKH10u0as9wIWewCVmUszD8oIyLBSBPt49XhOjyIhO6-kOs2unM3pkqQh82S8xPKXRS-La43fgMgGmGDKMUdDZPClOhgjfv-VHjitVyRouFb2YjhZLGs/s1600/AR-target-scaled1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 246px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9wsqjNT_km_stmb5-psU37VWzKH10u0as9wIWewCVmUszD8oIyLBSBPt49XhOjyIhO6-kOs2unM3pkqQh82S8xPKXRS-La43fgMgGmGDKMUdDZPClOhgjfv-VHjitVyRouFb2YjhZLGs/s400/AR-target-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534676754917101794" border="0" /></a><br />Anyhow, I finally got a 2.5" group in my last string of 20 shots on the zero target, so I moved on to a clean target. I'm a bit disappointed in the size of the grouping, but I'm pretty certain this is related to the black-on-black sighting issue. Excluding the flyer outliers at 12:00, 9:00, and 6:00, this is a 3.5" group. I think that once I remedy the sight issue and get more accustomed to AR iron sights, I can easily cut that into less than half.<br /><br />As an aside, I'd like to make positive mention for the Best of the West Shooting Sports range. This is a great place with a great staff. During my zeroing, my front sight tool broke off all its prongs, and I was stuck. The Range Officer happily offered up his tools for me to use, and I was able to finish my vertical adjustments and finish zeroing the rifle. What's more, is that I went through 100 rounds of .223, but came back with around 350 cases. Not only does this range encourage you to pick up your own brass, they're quite happy if you pick up brass left by other shooters as well. This is in stark contrast to the policies of most ranges who claim your brass as their own as soon as it touches the ground. I've got the cases in the tumbler right now, and hopefully I can crank out a couple of batches of .223 sometime this week. I need to develop some hog-hunting loads using the Speer 70grn semi-spitzer bullet sometime in the next month.<br /><br />The gun performed well, though I did hit one hiccup in the middle of zeroing. Over the period of about 40 rounds, the trigger pin walked itself to the right side of the receiver, completely detaching from the left. This became evident when a trigger pull did nothing. I cleared the gun and pulled the upper off, and was able to fix the problem quickly. My best guess is that I pushed the pin past the detent during assembly, so that the spring was not able to retain it in place. The problem did not repeat itself for the next 6o rounds, so I think this was a simple assembly fluke. I'll take a closer look at it sometime this week to be sure.John the Texanerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05387509912509138934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487467074685286142.post-25134708564185249132010-10-28T22:23:00.005-05:002011-05-13T15:47:16.955-05:00AR Build - Completion!My final shipment of parts for the AR built arrived today. It took a couple of weeks of waiting this time around, as RRA did not have my barrel in stock and were waiting on it before shipping out my order. The UPS tracker showed it as delivered to the doorstep this morning, so I came home for lunch to pick it up and bring it inside.<br /><br />I couldn't help myself, and immediately started assembling the rifle. I didn't have time to completely finish, but did pull off the front sight housing/gas block, removed the unnecessary triangular handguard cap, and replaced the barrel nut with the special one that came with the handguard. The most difficult part of this process was removing the pins for the sight housing/gas block. All of the guides I'd gone though had tapered pins, but RRA uses dowel pins on their equipment. Once I got that figured out, the pins were easy enough to punch out, and then everything slid right off.<br /><br />I got the barrel on just tight enough to stay put and threaded on the handguard and sight housing/gas block to get a look at it and a feel for it. It was quite satisfying to feel the heft and solidity of the gun, even when not completely assembled. That's all I had time for, so headed back to work and wait for the day to be over.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhszLbtRSeJJDkgsIXESjG9HH1pdVdYgKfwuFzthU393KNqZ-U1jFlckIhrm28rlEN_bj8cNsCMRHbI7zG0HUWJYLp8zLWwTW2Z83RYRh60LLbREYxgXHm6ZlIz2wU1c_eH2B0uE1Y_qc0/s1600/AR-complete-1-scaled1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 176px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhszLbtRSeJJDkgsIXESjG9HH1pdVdYgKfwuFzthU393KNqZ-U1jFlckIhrm28rlEN_bj8cNsCMRHbI7zG0HUWJYLp8zLWwTW2Z83RYRh60LLbREYxgXHm6ZlIz2wU1c_eH2B0uE1Y_qc0/s400/AR-complete-1-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533319959917725714" border="0" /></a><br />At the end of the work day, I rushed home and immediately started the rest of the assembly. I started by pulling the upper receiver off and sticking it in the upper action vise block (money well spent) and tightening down the barrel nut. Most sources I've found recommend 30 pounds of torque plus whatever it takes to get the holes in the nut aligned to allow the gas tube through into the receiver. Most sources I've found say 30-40 pounds should be about right, and that about 30 pounds of torque is optimal for best accuracy. The guide that came with my handguard recommends 35 pounds. Unfortunately, the holes don't line up on my barrel nut between 30 and 40 pounds of torque. I found that it was either 12 pounds or 50 to get the holes to line up, so I went with 50. I did a little more googling, and it seems 50 pounds is within acceptable range for the barrel nut, so all is OK.<br /><br />I then threaded on the handguard, got it aligned, and tightened down the nuts that clamp it in place. Next came one of the more tedious parts of the build: pinning the gas tube into the sight housing/gas block. This is a roll pin, and is quite difficult to get started. I see why Brownells makes a front sight bench block to work on these kinds of things, as keeping the sight housing stationary on a flat surface while tapping in the roll pin is quite challenging. It took me quite a while to get the pin started, but getting it fully seated after that was a cinch.<br /><br />Once the gas tube was attached, I slid the sight housing/gas block and on and got things aligned. Next up was to re-pin the sight housing/gas block. This was a bit of a challenge, and I ended up setting the upper on the floor and putting the sight housing on top of a 2x4 I had handy, then carefully tapping the dowel pins back in. Again, the front sight bench block from Brownell's would have made this much simpler. Once this was done, I installed the front sight detent/spring and post. This is very straightforward - just put the spring and detent in its little hole, then thread the sight post into its hole. Once the post starts hitting the detent, use a sight tool to screw the post down further until it's flush in the housing.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs0Dg49WjP57Zd174z6l1zrjYuFNBsWP538ZQYivFAcQJOEF60T4uXMTkti2_qOwMy52biV5OdYvB7L_FiyBB5RKEBIJbji09lp-xnNex0MXFBSuSYc1zZVoYD_QE2NzRG_4SGJTwyNMk/s1600/AR-complete-2-scaled1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 184px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs0Dg49WjP57Zd174z6l1zrjYuFNBsWP538ZQYivFAcQJOEF60T4uXMTkti2_qOwMy52biV5OdYvB7L_FiyBB5RKEBIJbji09lp-xnNex0MXFBSuSYc1zZVoYD_QE2NzRG_4SGJTwyNMk/s400/AR-complete-2-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533319962993858770" border="0" /></a><br />Next up was the flash hider. This is pretty straightforward to install. Brownell's video on this is quite helpful. I got the flash hider on hand-tight against the crush washer, and then rotated it about 270 degrees until it was aligned correctly. This was by far the easiest part of today's assembly. My AR wrench actually has a slot specifically for this, so no new tools were required.<br /><br />The last and most tedious part of assembly was the sling swivel. as simple as this sounds like it should be, there's very little room to get a backing on the rivet in order to mushroom it with a punch on the other side. I tried several different methods, and what I ended up doing to get it to work was gingerly place the back of the rivet on the corner of my vise jaw, to give it as solid base. I hammered away at the top end of the rivet, and it mushroomed up nicely. Oddly enough, the Brownell's videos don't specify how they back the rivet, and whatever they use is not shown in the video. I'd be curious to hear how other folks accomplish this.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZK3tuOXW9LukfZOcElg8B4uiUJf_wsX-D4hxFL9Jo-aqwvsbvK6Vxldr7pByeoqNJ-O-jlJBBFSGMvGAkjxmZ4S0S_njOdl8JFeZM1tSwfb4dXvnXhRkwhog5xulMnIs69Li3xj8-m4/s1600/AR-complete-3-scaled1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZK3tuOXW9LukfZOcElg8B4uiUJf_wsX-D4hxFL9Jo-aqwvsbvK6Vxldr7pByeoqNJ-O-jlJBBFSGMvGAkjxmZ4S0S_njOdl8JFeZM1tSwfb4dXvnXhRkwhog5xulMnIs69Li3xj8-m4/s400/AR-complete-3-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533319968176960514" border="0" /></a><br />And so, my rifle is complete! I won't be able to get to the range until Sunday, but that will give me time to get it lubed up and to check it with the headspace gauge. <br /><br />This has been an exciting process, and I'm very glad that I went the build route for my first AR. I'm quite satisfied with how the gun has turned out, and am itching to get her to the range. I should have a range report for you in the next couple of days.John the Texanerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05387509912509138934noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487467074685286142.post-42596215320743182482010-10-17T18:03:00.004-05:002010-10-17T21:23:47.324-05:00LaRue Tactical Range Day<a href="http://www.laruetactical.com/">LaRue Tactical</a>, a local (Leander, Texas) AR manufacturer, had a range day at the new Best of The West range in Liberty Hill. LaRue makes very nice and high-quality equipment. I considered them as a supplier for parts for my AR build, but their prices are well above my budget for a rifle.<br /><br />Anyhow, this was the first time they've put on this event, at the new <a href="http://texasshootingrange.com/">Best of The West range</a> in Liberty Hill. The range just opened a couple of months ago, and I've heard some overwhelmingly positive reviews about the place.<br /><br />It is the only range of its kind anywhere near here. They've got 400 acres of land with a 1000yd rifle range, 8 tactical shooting bays of varying sizes for running and gunning drills, 2 skeet fields, 2 trap fields, and a pistol range. They've also got RV hookups and plans for a 3D archery range and courses. The place seems to be made specifically for practical training and competition. It's as if someone finally listened to the shooting community and built a range to fit our needs.<br /><br />LaRue provided guns, ammo, and food free of charge to the public. There were several shooting stations with different caliber guns and different styles of shooting (prone, standing, supported with a barrier, etc). I ran into some coworkers, so we hung out and shot stations together.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX64c3-0zLy-pxHDwQLF6g7L6cpewbK3dh8wFVm3RqjM-o8VQyhevPnZ4BXMMgnzFRRM8ZYX2MmvFRliimswLAizSuEnaZWvkREQF4Kz1iGX28gg1PyGd7VhcH6Hd8ShyphenhyphenZdHx8BJviD88/s1600/DSC_8899.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 279px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX64c3-0zLy-pxHDwQLF6g7L6cpewbK3dh8wFVm3RqjM-o8VQyhevPnZ4BXMMgnzFRRM8ZYX2MmvFRliimswLAizSuEnaZWvkREQF4Kz1iGX28gg1PyGd7VhcH6Hd8ShyphenhyphenZdHx8BJviD88/s400/DSC_8899.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529181257414196978" border="0" /></a><br />If I had to guess, I'd say something like 2000 people showed up yesterday. The event ran from 10am until 5pm, but I didn't show up until a little after 2pm. Folks I've talked to who went earlier in the day report very long waits (over an hour) for just about everything, including food. By the time I got there, the wait for different shooting stations was 20-30 minutes.<br /><br />If LaRue makes this a recurring event, they would do well to beef up the stations with more places and have more staff available to ease the wait times. It seems like turnout was far above any expectations, so the LaRue folks were simply overwhelmed with the number of people there. Despite all that, they made the event a great one. I certainly had a great time shooting their guns. My only regret is that I didn't have time to shoot all the stations, especially the prone distance shooting station they had set up.<br /><br />My favorite gun of the day was the 7.62 OBR with a Trijicon ACOG on top (pictured above). It was a really sweet shooter, and made accurate shots easy. I really dug the caret-shaped ( ^ ) red reticle in the ACOG. Thanks go out to everyone from LaRue who made this event possible. I look forward to attending again if this becomes a recurring event.John the Texanerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05387509912509138934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487467074685286142.post-44868014542570903782010-10-06T20:48:00.006-05:002011-05-13T15:46:30.627-05:00AR Build - HandguardI've got an incremental update today, as my handguard arrived from Rock River Arms. So to have something to show you between now and the next shipment and completion of the rifle, I loosely threaded on the barrel nut and handguard.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhl_2wh6nE3B69MujAWQlqCwr_SfmDXGHgH8RCJRbW_Oo0xoy15j_ZUWDgw4J60TYhFab35mMOjsN8SKjtqR5KFuPHKeRsjo2myxfH177FkFYitWd-7YEVRb6DyorT3fSCAsHLJI7JQ4/s1600/AR-minus-barrel-1-scaled1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 162px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhl_2wh6nE3B69MujAWQlqCwr_SfmDXGHgH8RCJRbW_Oo0xoy15j_ZUWDgw4J60TYhFab35mMOjsN8SKjtqR5KFuPHKeRsjo2myxfH177FkFYitWd-7YEVRb6DyorT3fSCAsHLJI7JQ4/s400/AR-minus-barrel-1-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525117830941809970" border="0" /></a><br />Installation is pretty straightforward. The handguard comes with a special barrel nut that's threaded on the outside. Once the nut ins installed as normal with the barrel, then the handguard threads onto the outside of the nut. Once in position, two allen bolts clamp the handguard in place on the barrel nut threads, and presto!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy4Er2DjCNoQLztgEmWPFgxasqyViOY_sCJQ4ldllS9274BtFkPJ-uA0IGAeexNSzvOn0G6VDd5SYdhd8dne8Txj9eIu5klaiHEZVFkwDsbCZtqp-OXk1cxO6zKoqbympFlNL9NAFsaxA/s1600/AR-minus-barrel-3-scaled1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy4Er2DjCNoQLztgEmWPFgxasqyViOY_sCJQ4ldllS9274BtFkPJ-uA0IGAeexNSzvOn0G6VDd5SYdhd8dne8Txj9eIu5klaiHEZVFkwDsbCZtqp-OXk1cxO6zKoqbympFlNL9NAFsaxA/s400/AR-minus-barrel-3-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525117841252419826" border="0" /></a><br />The barrel assembly, gas tube (and pin), front sight post/spring/detent, sling swivel (and rivet), flash suppressor, and crush washer will be ordered tomorrow. It should all arrive in about a week, as long as everything is in stock. I'm getting close!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLiRMlfQfGhD7f2Lf7cFUsAmZHuVyeVbrNt2528q-32Vfffdp-7TW-v0pHRwvn3wGo8Z6lA4QeFx9oWbXVyLSUZm_T7bwsHT25qL3XDXzFD-VpgGeXOU4wWKjhN9KOQ_uWFSrpVVArfEQ/s1600/AR-minus-barrel-2-scaled1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 245px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLiRMlfQfGhD7f2Lf7cFUsAmZHuVyeVbrNt2528q-32Vfffdp-7TW-v0pHRwvn3wGo8Z6lA4QeFx9oWbXVyLSUZm_T7bwsHT25qL3XDXzFD-VpgGeXOU4wWKjhN9KOQ_uWFSrpVVArfEQ/s400/AR-minus-barrel-2-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525123717516268914" border="0" /></a>John the Texanerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05387509912509138934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487467074685286142.post-42439374439039710742010-10-01T01:21:00.009-05:002011-05-13T15:44:08.721-05:00AR Build - Upper Receiver/Bolt Carrier Group/Charging Handle/Rear Sight InstallMy upper receiver, bolt carrier group, and charging handle arrived 2 weeks ago, I just never got around to taking photos and making a post about it. I decided to make this post a combination of those items plus the rear sight, which is probably good because a post only about installing a rear sight sounds a bit boring.<br /><br />I also ordered some tools to aid in the rest of the build, as they're pretty necessary beyond this point, especially for the barrel, handguard, and associated bits . I got a set of vise blocks, for both the upper and lower receivers. In addition, I ordered a front sight tool (the screwdriver handle type), a headspace gauge, a bolt catch punch, and some aluminum black for the small scratches I made at the front of the bolt catch pin channel the first go around. I also stopped by Harbor freight and picked up a clearance sale bench vise for a cool $6.<br /><br />First order of business was to replace the bolt catch pin. I do realize that it is not absolutely necessary to build an AR, but the lower receiver vise block (in a vise) makes installing the magazine catch (and pretty much any other work on the rifle) <span style="font-style: italic;">immensely</span> easier. I popped out the old mangled pin, started the new one in, lined everything up, and presto! What took me 20 minutes to do improperly the first time took me a brief 2 minutes the second time around, done properly. I swabbed on the pale blue transparent Aluminum Black onto the scratches. The bits of shiny silver turned black before my eyes, and were completely gone within a few minutes. That aluminum black is neat stuff.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkF0xVOkRPsaDxe3B-4DWpsbMgpZDvshr_rcCeMUoIgW31xNb0u8dpfJo7v4j2eTrEDOAc7ygiC9shyBhWNLiJU9J-p9vSnuuA_8ndfjmy4ZYazkEIidU17gMIupJ9kbTi3bAvIsHd2_M/s1600/AR-lower-assembled_upper-bolt-handle-rearsight_1-scaled1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 227px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkF0xVOkRPsaDxe3B-4DWpsbMgpZDvshr_rcCeMUoIgW31xNb0u8dpfJo7v4j2eTrEDOAc7ygiC9shyBhWNLiJU9J-p9vSnuuA_8ndfjmy4ZYazkEIidU17gMIupJ9kbTi3bAvIsHd2_M/s400/AR-lower-assembled_upper-bolt-handle-rearsight_1-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522969528535344082" border="0" /></a><br />The receiver/bolt carrier group/charging handle require very little in the way of assembly. The biggest challenge was getting the charging handle in just right to ride in the channel. After that, the bolt carrier group slides in behind it, and that's it. I'm learning during this process that the AR is a cleverly simple design. Things go in only one way, and retention is as simple as possible.<br /><br />Once put together, I installed the upper reciever on the hinge pin, lowered it down and closed the takedown pin, and WA-LA! It seems to me that the most difficult part of assembly is installing the barrel and (because it's free-floating) the handguard. The barrel will be a full assembly, but will necessitate a dissassembly due to the fact that (a) the barrel nut has to be changed out, and (b) the handguard requires the removal of the front sight/gas block for installation.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1UHAH65IYCypWzLxZZOuBt8JApLebB3LggjYernfLsMKnHO-bCYY83jfXw0wBUea-o04P5O4_XTRkT97E8PrmKAklAOK2f5uoHT-m-TmnlxpAH3BAAVmSx9lw4z106I1Nag184msS2I/s1600/AR-bolt-receiver-sight-scaled1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1UHAH65IYCypWzLxZZOuBt8JApLebB3LggjYernfLsMKnHO-bCYY83jfXw0wBUea-o04P5O4_XTRkT97E8PrmKAklAOK2f5uoHT-m-TmnlxpAH3BAAVmSx9lw4z106I1Nag184msS2I/s400/AR-bolt-receiver-sight-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522970399263773426" border="0" /></a><br />And that brings us to the arrival of my rear sight today. I ordered the Matech 600m BUIS (Back Up Iron Sight) from Botach Tactical, as they've got it on sale for about $50. I'm a fan of small apertures (My Mosin-Nagant 91/30 has aftermarket aperture sights, and I've swapped the aperture inserts for the smallest ones available), so this sight seems well-suited for me.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0xC9ms7JBWXoF3Ki-fYTGXJmY563OdhUzvuJOgVXQEpLxjlTinm7h6dY0wQLA3unHWU3C0cT-8iA9ifGKWB6FIODa7toZ6OSsFor0qNadKYf156Ai_-_l3Ykfg_hqW4bX6OpL3KN9N9A/s1600/AR-lower-assembled_upper-bolt-handle-rearsight_2-scaled1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0xC9ms7JBWXoF3Ki-fYTGXJmY563OdhUzvuJOgVXQEpLxjlTinm7h6dY0wQLA3unHWU3C0cT-8iA9ifGKWB6FIODa7toZ6OSsFor0qNadKYf156Ai_-_l3Ykfg_hqW4bX6OpL3KN9N9A/s400/AR-lower-assembled_upper-bolt-handle-rearsight_2-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522969931267256386" border="0" /></a><br />I installed the sight onto the rearmost slot of the picatinny rail per the instructions. Funny thing about the instructions - they dont' say how to get the sight flipped up from its folded position. I poked, prodded, pushed, and pulled everywhere I knew how. The internet is scarce on instructions of how to do this as well. Doing a Google search, I only got as far as "matech si" before the first option in autocomplete became "matech sight instructions". Apparently, I'm not the only one who has been confused by this. I eventually found a reference to flipping the sight up with your thumb (as opposed to the folks who sell these and call it "one touch operation").<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT-QREi885hyphenhyphencaikxiwQ6WwgvJpbcuKhire_3EdCausBRzpz9-R6CcKU7jW5sZI9LHWI7rHfRcZ6MHdo0MZX-G8kQkwdHDmCyCmGNSPIfrynoHHpEXSUVPeJ-L8OQol7zvuEa9iQAZBwc/s1600/AR-Matech_BUI-scaled1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT-QREi885hyphenhyphencaikxiwQ6WwgvJpbcuKhire_3EdCausBRzpz9-R6CcKU7jW5sZI9LHWI7rHfRcZ6MHdo0MZX-G8kQkwdHDmCyCmGNSPIfrynoHHpEXSUVPeJ-L8OQol7zvuEa9iQAZBwc/s400/AR-Matech_BUI-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522968761133021010" border="0" /></a><br />So, for those of you out there finding this page in a desperate search to figure out how to flip up your Matech sight, here it is: just pull up on it. It is held down by some sort of stiff detent, and requires considerable pressure to release. I guess this is good, since you don't want the thing to pop up in the middle of your vision during a firefight. It would be helpful if the manufacturer actually told you how to do this, though. The instructions that came with my sight start off with rail installation and jump directly into zeroing it in.<br /><br />That's all I've got for you for now. The handguard is on order, and should arrive within a week. Unfortunately, I won't be able to do anything with it until the barrel, gas tube, and associated fiddly bits arrive. I figured it was better this way - if I'd ordered the barrel first, It would drive me nuts knowing that all it needed was the handgaurd.John the Texanerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05387509912509138934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487467074685286142.post-15189049475122509462010-09-03T19:29:00.009-05:002011-05-13T15:46:01.729-05:00AR Build - Buttstock/Buffer InstallThe Big Brown Truck Of Happiness arrived today with my latest shipment from Rock River Arms. In addition to the buttstock/buffer, I also ordered a selection of magazines to see what I liked.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9AbQZc7hZG7mPyfz5WxjFcr3KDkWwiSCIxZZl7qzOGtPIXfl4IrezL0oKoY5xeq8LGnWI8UXoTTA3zrtGOnwgX1Cv8_qroiDHTfsGd4u-lRQhkmDWU6CBEqZbbPVOGG7U6kvHBJGsTP0/s1600/cmmg-lower-assembled-scaled1024.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 197px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9AbQZc7hZG7mPyfz5WxjFcr3KDkWwiSCIxZZl7qzOGtPIXfl4IrezL0oKoY5xeq8LGnWI8UXoTTA3zrtGOnwgX1Cv8_qroiDHTfsGd4u-lRQhkmDWU6CBEqZbbPVOGG7U6kvHBJGsTP0/s400/cmmg-lower-assembled-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512855537469808946" border="0" /></a><br />I ordered the Milspec <a href="http://rockriverarms.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_id=300">Tactical CAR Buttstock</a>, which is simply a standard M4-style collapsable stock. The install was very straightforward and simple. I followed the Brownells instructions, but opted for blue Loctite on the buffer tube threads instead of staking the castle nut. I got to use my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/AR15-Combo-Armorers-Wrench-Tool/dp/B00238XECI">AR-15 Armorer's wrench</a> for the first time, and I'm happy that I purchased it.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYE3qgeHGstZF2ZPhcaU0FHYO_4hyphenhyphenIB0bHL7giZzvXSIXQtkorMkDLohIN6ntLvGaE2kCAntL34bNRqv9ntc5BXmB-XqvZbrrLrZaMK9ZfqtvS0MCkphNYQyxTvlt6_w0K4BrAY1K4U_Y/s1600/ar-mags-scaled1024.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 187px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYE3qgeHGstZF2ZPhcaU0FHYO_4hyphenhyphenIB0bHL7giZzvXSIXQtkorMkDLohIN6ntLvGaE2kCAntL34bNRqv9ntc5BXmB-XqvZbrrLrZaMK9ZfqtvS0MCkphNYQyxTvlt6_w0K4BrAY1K4U_Y/s400/ar-mags-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512863917266626082" border="0" /></a><br />For the magazines, I ordered 2 of each type RRA offers - PMAG, standard milspec, and Fusil MIG-welded steel.<br /><br />I am somewhat of a traditionalist, and I don't particularly care for the use of plastic in firearms in general. Even though the PMAGs get rave reviews, I was quite skeptical that they could be as good as steel magazines. After opening up and inspecting the magazines, it became evident to me that the PMAGs are not just a remake of an AR magazine in plastic. No, they are quite an improvement on the original design, and I can see why folks love them. The ridges and channels that guide the follower in the housing make it impossible for the follower to tilt. They are also considerably more solid than I expected them to be. I am looking forward to seeing how these magazines perform once the rifle is built.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2lx_EGm6oekXWvktdYkicHL6-9SPHf0isrjIAz9MUHBt04drGZ6lHSPtB5Cn6aSgdBr3637tV-lQnrXbl0AcK2j6k0G2aPG9EKqjXrY1-VWEPZF1D62p8DS-C-YULFclTx-zi645yiI/s1600/ar-mags-followers-scaled1024.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2lx_EGm6oekXWvktdYkicHL6-9SPHf0isrjIAz9MUHBt04drGZ6lHSPtB5Cn6aSgdBr3637tV-lQnrXbl0AcK2j6k0G2aPG9EKqjXrY1-VWEPZF1D62p8DS-C-YULFclTx-zi645yiI/s400/ar-mags-followers-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512870638432187426" border="0" /></a><br />When comparing the magazines, the Fusil mags have a nice solid feel to them, as well as a beautiful black finish. The reviews I've read online indicate that they're tough and durable. When compared to the mil-spec mags, they certainly seem to be worth the extra five dollars.<br /><br />I'm unsure of what I'll be ordering for my next shipment, as the upper will pretty much need to be all there for any further assembly. It will likely include the <a href="http://rockriverarms.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_id=377">bolt carrier group</a>, as RRA currently has the chromed option on sale for the standard carrier group price.John the Texanerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05387509912509138934noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487467074685286142.post-63515463711928533672010-08-28T01:02:00.004-05:002011-05-13T15:45:25.135-05:00AR Build - Lower Parts InstallAfter week-long boondoggle of UPS mishandling my package, my lower parts kit finally arrived today.<br /><br />I ran up to Harbor Freight to get some punches after arriving home. Apparently they do not carry roll pin punches at the North Austin location. I opted for a simple multi-size set of steel punches in black oxide finish (they also don't carry anything but a honking 5/8" punch in brass), along with a nylon/rubber mallet.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ_byVfJ9L0P93i90v9ktcKVV7xWVo6DYAz-eDdRneOj6rixb7WNE-sqmCKt-PZgS_y82KCabfREmgAQCUIWRQzc5qJYcXMt_fXh-th9LeopZcZsepfv1t0ucqe1h_JKrsihChtKbhcwM/s1600/cmmg-lower-parts-installed-scaled1024.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ_byVfJ9L0P93i90v9ktcKVV7xWVo6DYAz-eDdRneOj6rixb7WNE-sqmCKt-PZgS_y82KCabfREmgAQCUIWRQzc5qJYcXMt_fXh-th9LeopZcZsepfv1t0ucqe1h_JKrsihChtKbhcwM/s400/cmmg-lower-parts-installed-scaled1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510352967770837650" border="0" /></a><br />I had a hard time coming into this build figuring out exactly what I needed in the way of tools. Certainly there are armorer's sets for building an AR, but those are prohibitively expensive for the first-time builder. Here is what I have learned are the essentials for putting a lower together:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">A Bolt Catch Punch</span><br />I learned this the hard way today, by ruining my bolt catch roll pin. If you look closely at the photo (you can click it to enlarge), you may be able to see the mangled end of my magazine catch roll pin slightly protruding from the rear of where it's supposed to be. This will have to be replaced with my next order of parts. An ordinary punch WILL NOT fit there, because the shank is centered in the punch, and the handle can't fit against the lower, parallel to the pin. These punches can be found from pretty much anyone who sells AR tools. Both <a href="http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=151542">Midway</a> and <a href="http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=26484/Product/BOLT_CATCH_PIN_PUNCH">Brownells</a> have them available. The trigger guard roll pin is also the same diameter, so this punch can be used there as well.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">A Nylon mallet</span><br /><a href="http://www.harborfreight.com/soft-face-mallet-39528.html">I picked one up from Harbor freight</a> for about five dollars, but you can find them at all kinds of places, including <a href="http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=192310">Midway</a> and <a href="http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=12588/Product/1__NYLON_BRASS_HAMMER">Brownells</a>. This is useful for using your punches, but also helps you finish off installing the trigger and hammer pins without marring the finish of your receiver and pins.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Punches</span><br />Specifically, 1/16, 3/32, and 1/8 inch sizes. While the 1/16 is not strictly necessary, It's nice for lining things up while you're working. The 3/32 is good for the trigger guard release, and the 1/8 can be used to get the mag release completely screwed in to the button.<br /><br />Now, these are the things I found that were needed for a successful install. Here are the things I wish I'd had today:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">A Vise and a Lower Receiver Vise Block</span><br />While you can put together your lower without these, there's only so many fingers you can use while holding the lower in your hand. A vise will keep you from making mistakes due to the distraction of holding the receiver. It will also allow more precise work. You can get a vise at any hardware store/mega home improvement mart. Vise blocks appear to be available from pretty much anywhere that sells AR tools, including <a href="http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=711128">Midway</a> and <a href="http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=25011/Product/AR_15_M16_LOWER_RECEIVER_VISE_BLOCK">Brownells</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">A Pivot Pin Installation Tool</span><br />Installing the pivot pin spring and detent can be a pain, and one slip can send your detent flying across the room, never to be found again. I was able to avoid this fate with some finagling, but a purpose-built tool for this would have certainly sped things up and lowered the risk. Again, this can be found at places that sell AR tools, including <a href="http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=920248">Midway</a> and <a href="http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=26488/Product/PIVOT_PIN_DETENT_INSTALLATION_TOOL">Brownells</a>.<br /><br />So there you have it. My lower is mostly assembled, The buttstock (M4-style telescoping carbine) is already on order, and should arrive in about a week. Then, I move on to the expensive stuff. Everything besides the CMMG stripped lower is being assembled with parts ordered from <a href="http://www.rockriverarms.com/">Rock River Arms</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to <a href="http://aepilotjim.blogspot.com/">aepilotjim</a> and the rest of the folks from the <a href="http://www.gunbloggerconspiracy.com/blog/">GBC</a> for their assistance in this endeavor. For a good guide to assembling your AR, check out the <a href="http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=11004/guntechdetail/How_to_Build_An_AR-15_Video">How To Build An AR-15 videos over at Brownells</a>.John the Texanerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05387509912509138934noreply@blogger.com5