Range Reports

[cashman966]

I'm not implying...just commenting...those holes are so clean. They look like .22 holes.

Actually, they look like nice little SWC holes.

DING DING DING!!

[jeep45238]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSQg-I_5cFg

[ricks2524]

Good job Jeep. But one question....How can you wear a Cincinnati t-shirt and OSU hat at the same time? Don't you get a rash? Should wear Kentucky garb

[NordicRX8]

Range Review: 3" Kimber CDP Ultra II in .45 auto

I took my new acquisition out today and put her through some paces. This gun is new. I used the compact 7rd. Kimber blue magazine that came with the gun as well as two 7rd SS KimPro-Tac magazines and two SS Wilson Combat 47OX magazines.

For ammo, I brought with me (and shot)
1 factory box – Winchester White Box 230gr FMJ (50 rounds)
1 factory box – Winchester Ranger 230gr SXT HP (50 rounds) RA45T
1/2 factory box – Winchester Ranger 230gr SXT HP +P (25 rounds) RA45TP
1 factory box – Speer 230gr Gold Dot Short Barrel HP (20 rounds)
2 hand loaded boxes – Oregon Trails 200gr LSWC, over 4.6gr of Bullseye (200 rounds)
1 hand loaded box – Berry’s Plated 200gr SWC, over 5.5gr of Bullseye (100 rounds)
1 hand loaded box – Remington Golden Saber 185gr, over 7.2gr of Win231 (100 rounds)

Temps at 8:30am was already at 82 degrees F. Good thing there was a steady breeze. All shots were made at 10 yards (30 feet). This gun is a shooter! The front strap checkering did start to get abrasive towards the end of my range time, but that was well after shooting 400 rounds downrange. The +P ammo is definitely not something I want to regularly shoot, but I wanted to make sure it would feed reliably out of this gun; they did. Good thing I shot them early in the day.

The Gold Dot Short Barrel ammo was not marked as +P, but did kick almost as much as the Ranger RA45TP rounds. As usual, the Oregon Trail LSWC was a pleasure to shoot (nice target loads). All my hand loads were loaded to an OAL of 1.250”. The gun ate all the ammo I had (545 rds) and wanted more. After the shooting session was done, it was around 90 degrees and I needed a nap. Although I didn’t take any pictures, I can report that none of my groups were over 3.5” in diameter. The gun functioned flawlessly; there were zero malfunctions of any kind. The Meprolight sights were easy to pickup the sun and the ambi-safety never got in the way. After all that shooting, she was filthy but still looked beautiful to me. I wiped her down, loaded her up with 8 rounds of Gold Dot Short Barrel (in a Wilson 47OX magazine) and placed her back into the UBG Canute holster on my hip. The CDP Ultra II will be replacing the Stainless Ultra Carry II that usually rides in my holster as my primary CCW.

Thanks for the trade 1976Thompson, I love this gun!

Just before posting this, I detail stripped (except the rear sight and swartz parts underneath it) and cleaned the new CDP II. It was really dirty and took longer than usual to clean, but now she's squeaky clean and lubed back up.

[Jake]

1 factory box – Winchester Ranger 230gr SXT HP (50 rounds) RA45T

Ahhhhhh.......the Good Shtuff!

[Strider]

The gun:
Purchased a brand new Glock 30 SF (short frame) earlier this week for $599 + tax. For those unfamiliar with the Glock line-up, the G30 comes in 45ACP and looks like this.

Took it home, cleaned the barrel only. I prefer to leave the copper anti-seize goop in place during the break-in period, it's how I roll.

Friday afternoon, I took it to the range. I used 3 different brands of ammo in it: PMC, MagTech and American Eagle, all 230g. FMJ. I put 217 rounds downrange using the 2 stock 10-round magazine and one 13-round magazine I have from my G21 (just for fun).

My experience:
Extremely manageable recoil for a large caliber, small framed pistol. This is probably due to the dual-spring.

What impressed me the most, accuracy. Wow. I could do no wrong with this pistol tonight and it wasn't for lack of trying. 2hand, 1hand, off-hand, double & triple taps, point-shooting...didn't matter, all rounds found the target's center-mass at 25 feet. Result at ~50 feet; 2handed, careful aim, were very satisfactory: 20 rounds in the silhouette's head with an on-the-line flier.

No malfunctions at all. However, I will note that I did have a bit of brass ejected toward my face and off my melon. It happened a couple more times than is usual for my shooting practices. Not sure what to attribute that to if anything but will keep an eye on it (pardon the pun).

Summary:
I cannot say enough good things about this pistol. I am as pleased as I am impressed.

Glock has boasted "Perfection" for years. With the G30SF they have finally proven it!

[Jake]

Ahhhhh...the good shtuff....again!

I'm glad you posted that Strider. I intend to pick one up at some point.

I love the 21 SF and my 19 and the wifes 26.

Unfortunately, I don't think CT http://www.crimsontrace.com/ makes a product for the 30 SF (they do for the reg. G30).

I'd love to have a G30 SF as an everyday carry.

[ShadowMech]

The Gun:

I picked up a two tone XD-M at buckeye outdoors. Even though the two tone wasn't on sale, the black one was at the time, they gave me the same discount on the two tone. It comes in a very sturdy hard case which I was impressed and pleased with, two 16 round double stacked mags, all three replacement backstraps, and the standard xd gear: paddle holster, dual mag carrier (belt loop not paddle, wish it was a paddle version) and mag loader. The paddle holster is adequate, but cheap and not something I would trsut fro any extended carry. There is an alan wrench adjustment that allows you to adjust the tension of the hoslter against the gun.

The gun comes with the split trigger, but is much crisper than the XD service and full size XD in 45, that I compared it to. It took me a while to get use to the split trigger, since this is the first gun I have owned with one (I have 2 da/sa HK's) It does not have an external safety like the XD service model does.

It has a match grade barrel installed, which I was semi skeptical about wondering if it was manufacturer hype or fact. Fortuantely it showed to be fact.

Initially the grip was unsuaul but it quickly became comfortable. It comes with the medium backstrap installed. For my large hands I need to install the larger backstrap. The length of reach for my large hands felt a bit short, I would prefer it to be about 1/4 longer. I hope the larger backstrap helps.

The redesigned slide felt much better than the other XD's that I compared it too. The sights were also better. I expect to put tritrium sights on it or something comparable soon since this will also be a defense gun and want to be able to see the sights in a low light situation.


Shooting:

I went to NASR and ran a brush through the bore and shot using cheap PMC ammo. I fired about 100 rounds through it. The accuracy was consistant. It was definitely the shooter and not the gun since I am an adequate shot with a pistol but no marksman. A guy at the range asked what I thought of it add I let him shoot it. After shooting the gun a couple times, he grouped 30 rounds within 1.5 inches at 25 feet. I felt this was very good for a new gun and one he hadn't shot before. The more he shot it the tighter the grouping became. After about 15 shots he was grouping them within an inch. He was very impressed with it and liked it far better than the glocks he had. The recoil was very manageable and the gun easy to get back on target.

Summary:

A great gun if you are looking for something in 40sw that has a high capacity. A small handed person may find it slightly big, but with the small backstrap it shouldn't be a problem. The M class runs about $100-$150 more than other XD's but IMO well worth it.

S.M.

[Samuel Adams]

CZ 75B SA, 9mm with Custom Competition Sights

A few weeks ago I took delivery of a CZ 75B SA with the Custom Competition Sight Package from Angus at Ghost Productions. The pistol holds 16 in the magazine +1 in the chamber.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v437/ ... 5BSA-3.jpg

Basically the gun shot better than I do. I wear bifocals and, with the range being indoors and somewhat dark, I had to take them off so I could focus on the fiber optic front sight. Shooting outside is not an issue.

The first time at the range, I used a 50-round box of Remington FMC 115gr FMJ ammo from Wally World. The CZ shot flawlessly, considering my vision, and there were no malfunctions of any kind. The SA trigger was crisp and comparable to the 1911s I've shot. In addition, the ergonomics are fantastic. To date, I've put about 500 rounds, mostly WWB, through it with only one stovepipe using Wolf ammo.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v437/ ... 5BSA-2.jpg

The target posted below was at 15 yards with the shooting done freehand. One thing I couldn't control was the target bouncing up and down on the wires.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v437/ ... Target.jpg

GO BUCKS!

{These images are too large to be displayed on the forum, per TOS - JK}

[NordicRX8]

Armscor - Rock Island Armory GI .45

Just got home from shooting at a friend's range (backyard). Took my new RIA .45 GI out for a spin.

I had to adjust my normal grip as the gun would not fire with my normal high thumbs (forward) hold. I guess the lack of a high grip beavertail placed the web of my hand lower and when placing my shooting hand's thumb on top of the safety, the grip safety was not pressed in far enough.

The teeny black GI sights were hard to pick up but the gun was accurate when I did my part. 150 rounds (10 230gr Ranger-T SXTs, 40 230gr FMJ-FP and 100 200gr LSWC) downrange and no malfunctions/failures (except not firing because of grip position). The Novak magazine that came with the gun functioned fine as did the Wilson 47Ds. The generic SS tubes I got from a trade recently (5 of them) failed to lock the slide open after the last shot. Obviously not the gun's fault.

The parkerized finish doesn't look as dirty as compared to blued and SS finishes after putting 100+ rounds through the tube.

I guess since I purchased the RIA primarily for its lower (to mount on my MechTech Carbine), the grip safety will not be an issue. I'm glad all my other 1911s have high hold beavertails... especially my CCW pieces.

Speaking of the Mechtech... after shooting the GI in the pistol form, I removed the slide from the frame and mounted the frame to my Mechtech. Loaded up 3 magazines and fired 7 rounds of .45 and 14 rounds of .460 Rowland without a hiccup.

For the money, the RIA is a good value. Even just using the frame, the gun cost me less than what piecing all the parts needed would have cost.

[Brian D.]

Norinco 1911A1 in .45acp.

Hello. This Norinco has perhaps 20,000 rounds through it now and is completely trustworthy. Typical specs on the gun such as weight, bbl. length, etc the same as a Colt Government Model. This one has had a dovetail cut up front, which allowed for the addition of Trijicon night sights by the previous owner. Since it's been mine a low-profile ambidextrous safety has been added, in case I ever need to carry and draw from my left (weak) side. Only other add-ons from me have been 3M Safety Tread tape on the frontstrap, and fresh 18lb. recoil springs as needed over the years.

I bought it in pretty good used condition, for maybe $300 or so. Have carried it in any variety of 1911 holster, this gun is the archetype for getting toted and fired a bunch, and was never meant to be a showpiece anyhow.

Usually this well-used 'old-timer' is relegated to the safe, but I did tote it at the Picnic in the Park a couple of Sundays ago, thought maybe it needed to get some sun and make new friends...Meant to write up the ol' Nork at that time but it slipped my mind until now.

[Brian D.]

Kahr model CW-45, .45acp.

Last week I purchased a brand new Kahr .45acp handgun out at Shooters Supply in Loveland Ohio. This is one of the company's economy-grade firearms,typically selling for a shade over $400. It features a 3.5" bbl, stainless slide and polymer frame. The CW models come with only one magazine, have a conventionally rifled barrel as opposed to polygonal, have a staked-on front sight (as opposed to dovetailed on the upgraded models), use an MIM slide stop instead of forged, and have less "cosmetics", to save the buyer approximately $150-$200.

So far I've found that it feeds and cycles with any sort of ball, jacketed hollowpoint, or round nose lead ammo. The only thing I've found it doesn't work with are lead semiwadcutters. So far a little over 100 rounds total have been fired through it, and with the exception of the 200gr. SWC reloads mentioned, it has run flawlessly.

Capacity is six rounds plus one in the chamber. Most any leather holsters made for 1911s seem to work perfectly for carrying the Kahr. Some kydex 1911 holsters would probably work too, plus there are plenty of holsters made specifically for the Kahr pistols. The magazine is almost exactly the same width and depth (front to back) as 1911 magazines, so mag pouches for the latter will work perfectly with the Kahr .45s.

In spite of its light weight the gun is easy to handle and shoot. The grip frame is just long enough for me to get even my little finger on the grip, this helps with handling the pistol, for sure.

[dan dan the XD40 man]

Not so much a range report as an "equipment" report.

Last week at Vances I bought some Hoppes cleaning patches, #1204S. $5.99 for 1000 patches.

I used them today to clean a couple of guns, and I gotta say, this might be the worst 6 bucks I've ever spent.

Theyre fine for pushing through the bore, but if you try to use them for ANYTHING else, the snag and shred and leaves many pieces of itself in, more often than not, in the hard to get to nooks and crannies of the firearm.

I'm not often moved to write any kind of review of any product whatsoever, but man, these things are bunk.

[Teknorat]

Care to suggest some good patches dan? I need to get some more.

[Scavok]

The extractor ... wow!! It is beefy & powerful by comparison to the P3AT's little limp flat metal spring. Take a look at what the LCP's claw did to this brass. Failures to eject were not a problem.

According to this article (written in May 29, 2008), Ruger acknowledged issues with early guns.

The fix for the torn cases is to have Ruger or a qualified gunsmith remove about an eighth of an inch of that shoulder. That will eliminate the torn cases and violent ejection.