Are You OnPoint?

As many of you know, Glock pistols are in very high demand these days.  According to our suppliers, Glock is currently running two 8-hour shifts everyday at their production facility in Smyrna, GA.  This is turning out approximately 4,000 units each day.  However, this is not nearly enough to appease the insatiable appetite of the civilian and LE markets– let alone the burgeoning military contracts the company enjoys.

To supplement supply, Glock has recently looked to its homeland for help.  As a result, there are an unknown number of Glock model 19s circulating around the market– with real Austrian proof marks!  We got our first unit today (pictured).  As a collector, these are of particular interest to me.  I only recently read about them online, and certainly didn’t expect to see one in my shop so soon– if ever.  I know you guys would enjoy some pictures, so here you go!

Have a good one and God bless.
– Evan

Who says product cannibalism is a bad thing?  It sure works out for consumers when it’s time to liquidate redundant stock! Case in point are these Beretta Stampedes we just picked up at closeout prices:  $70 off of dealer cost– only $448!

After watching Appaloosa a few weekends ago, I grew a wild hair up you know where and began hunting for cowboy action guns and a pistolero rig.  I handled dozens of different makes and models at the Shot Show and decided that Uberti, Colt, and the new Italian models from Puma were the best of breed.  From birdshead to Bisley, case hardened to bright nickel, walnut to ivory– the options are overwhelming.  Then, I stumbled upon the Beretta Stampede.

Not unlike the Vaqueros by Ruger– Beretta/Uberti incorporated a transfer bar so you can “safely” load all six chambers.  You won’t be doing this in any matches, but it’s nice to have the option.  The Stampede is made by Uberti in Italy and Beretta, of course, owns Uberti.  Hence, there was no need to manufacturer two similar models under the same company umbrella.

In typical cowboy fashion, the Stampede arrived in a brown cardboard box with brown paper sleeve.  As soon as you open the box, the gleam of bright stainless steel shines through.  This model features a 5.5in barrel and is chambered in .45LC.  You can also shoot .45 Schofield and other cowboy loads if you want, so it’s a versatile platform for the sport.  The trigger is very light and requires your full attention, lest ye be fond of 45cal holes.  The hard black rubber grips are lack-lustre and quite slippery, so these will be one of the first accessories to upgrade.

At the range, I had no problem removing the center of a target at 10-yards.   That was with a two hand grip.  However, my confidence got the best of me.  When, I switched to shooting one-handed, I missed the target so far to the left that I struck a wooden support column– removing several large chunks of wood and littering the range with splinters.  Oops!  The RO on duty told me he’d pretend he didn’t see that.  Apparently, watching a western movie for two hours doesn’t provide adequate training for accurate one-handed pistolero shooting!

So, if you’re ready to “cowboy up,” the Stampedes by Beretta/Uberti are a tremendous value.  That’s all for now.  Have a good one and God bless.

– Evan

ATTENTION! The new Expert GI45 1911 from Para Ordnance is the best 1911 on the market– for the money, that is. Of course, I say this without any hint of hyperbole. We just received the first unit this afternoon, and let me tell you something, my friends: there is not a single gun on the market with as much intrinsic value. New models displayed at Shot Show are smooth as glass, but when the actual production models show up at dealers– it’s often a completely different animal. Not so with the new Para GI45 1911.

Out of the box, fit and finish are superb. The GI45’s slide and frame glide against each another like two sticks of warm butter. The matte black finish is beautiful and contrasts perfectly with the brilliant stainless steel barrel. The Para Expert GI45 sports dovetail, three-dot sights that are quick and easy to acquire. The skeleton hammer and drilled trigger add a modern, semi-custom look. Trigger pull is crisp. However, all the rest of the features are standard mil-spec GI fare– right down to the subdued black plastic grips. No fancy checkering on the frame, but for the price– you don’t expect a lot of custom features. This is a workhorse 1911, and the price cannot be beat: $453 dealer cost! The Para Ordnance Expert GI-45 ships in a hard case with two stainless 7rd magazines.

This one is sold (to me), but we should have more units on the way soon– so stay tuned to the website for more inventory to arrive. [ click here for more info ]

Take care,

– Evan “Haven’t been this excited about a milspec 1911 since…” Kostreva

Project M14 started simple enough.  First, we took a standard Springfield Armory M1A with synthetic stock, added a Harris bipod and adapter, Nikon Monarch 3.3-10×44 glass, Warne tactical rings, scope covers, and an A.R.M.S. mount/base. Next, we sent her off to Predator Custom Shop in Knoxville, TN for a unified gas system, trigger job, stock bedding, and paint job.  It came back shooting sub-2MOA, but the Flat Dark Earth looked more like Flat Dark Pudding.  Something wasn’t right with the color scheme.  It needed something else.

So, last weekend the boys and I got some Mission Specific Duracoat from Lauer Custom Weaponry and decided to “get creative.”  With Flat Dark Earth as our base, we first applied some Woodland Brown to create contrast.  I used some banana plant leaves from the backyard to create naturally smooth lines.  The leaves were placed about 1-2 inches from the surface of the rifle and I sprayed from another 6 inches back.  The technique worked well with a fast sweeping motion.

After letting that cook in the backyard for an hour, I came back and applied Woodland Tan as an accent.  The results speak for themselves.  It was a quick, easy, and inexpensive upgrade.  Best of all: if the project had become a train wreck, Mission Specific paint can easily be removed without damaging the base coat.  So, start with a traditional Duracoat base and go crazy with Mission Specific paint.  It worked for us.

Have a good one.
– Evan

On Saturday morning, I took a short trip to the Wyoming Antelope Club to test fire my HK USP-CT with its new Evolution silencer from Advanced Armament.  After setting up two targets at a modest 10 yards, I put a few 5-round groups down range, unsuppressed, just to verify my zero.  Then, I screwed on the EVO 45 and took a deep breath.  The first group was a little to the right, but that was just my nerves kicking in.  So, I took another deep breath and tried to relax.  Subsequent groups were tight and dead center, but after 25-rounds, the can was really starting to cook.  It was time for a cold range and a break from the action.

The Evolution series from AAC are feature rich silencers.  They’re really a breed apart from everything else on the market.  A unique piston system called A.S.A.P. allows semi-automatic pistols to cycle with impressive reliability.  If you install the included spacer into the system, the silencer can also be used on fixed-barrel applications like the Heckler & Koch P7, UMP, or MP5.

If for some reason I was off zero after installing the can, I could have utilized the Evolution’s unique adjustable zero feature.  Using it, you can make adjustments to the point of impact simply by varying the orientation of the can in 36 degree increments.  The process is quick and easy.  With the unit installed, just pull the silencer body away from the host firearm about a quarter of an inch, then rotate 1/10 turn clockwise or counterclockwise.  Release the silencer and it will snap back into place, resulting in a new orientation and zero.  Luckily, I didn’t even need to do this.  It was good to go, right out of the box.

For a .45acp, the Evolution is exceptionally quiet.  The report resembles a Black Cat firecracker, or a .22 short cartridge.  However, if you really want to go silent, the AAC allows you to run wet.  The Evolution’s design retains 5cc of water for improved sound reduction.  So, I took a sip from my bottle of Zephyrhills and poured the rest into the rear of the EVO.  Shake out the excess and you’re good to go.  People on the firing line may give you a funny look and ask a few questions, but that’s what Class 3 is all about, right?  Boy does water make a difference!  I don’t know the exact dB reduction, but it’s night and day.  Totally hearing safe and what a wonderful sound.  It’s music to any shooter’s ears and quickly drew a crowd.  So, run your EVO wet for best results.  An added benefit is that it keeps the can relatively cool.  So, when you’re done shooting you don’t have to sit around for 20 minutes waiting for your silencer to cool.

If you’re in the market for a pistol silencer, try the Evolution series from AAC.  Now that I’ve shot the 9mm and .45acp versions, believe me, they won’t disappoint you.

Have a good one.
– Evan