The Wandering Minstrel

I was looking at gun manufacturers websites just to see what they were Promoting these days. I got to the S&W website and saw this tactical looking pistol as a feature item.

Clickable image - M&P15-22P

This nice little S&W M&P15-22P is still close to the top of my wish list. It has been on the list since May when I posted an article which received comments from Linoge, Chris and Adrian, all of whom seemed to like it a lot. You can read the original article and comments here.

It will be several months before I can think about getting one of these. It will be that long before I have a place to keep it in Arizona. In the meantime I’ll have to settle for daydreams of plinking rattlesnakes and squirrels from the back patio of our new adobe hacienda.

Specs from Smith & Wesson:

* Model: M&P15
* Caliber: .22LR
* Capacity: 25 Round Detachable Magazine
* Barrel Length: 6″ / 15.2 cm
* Action: Blow Back Semi-Auto
* Barrel Twist: 1 in 15″
* Front Sight: Adjustable
* Rear Sight: Adjustable
* Overall Length: 15″ / 38.1 cm
* Weight: 51 oz. / 1,445.8 g
* Lower Receiver Material: Polymer
* Barrel Material: Carbon Steel
* Finish: Matte Black
* Purpose: Recreational Hunting

My laptop computer is starting to crap out so I’m using my old system until the new laptop arrives sometime this week. I’m replacing the old semi-crapped-out Dell with a new HP G60-630us Notebook PC.

In the meantime, gaze upon these beautiful carbines . . .

Top: M16A1 Bottom: M16A2

It is a beautiful day to spend sitting on the backyard swing and then to grill a beautiful beef tenderloin steak. The Better Half saw this in the butcher case at the supermarket on Thursday and we instantly knew that this pretty tenderloin would wind up on the grill today. We only bought the one steak since it was large enough to feed us both.

Clickable image: Tenderloin on the grill.

The Better Half steamed up some broccoli and made a nice dinner salad to go with the steak on the side. Everything was delicious. Plus, there is enough tenderloin left over that we can have steak salads this week. Our dog was only too happy to have the scraps after we were finished eating.

It was a good day today . . .

I spent most of today trying to iron out a minor speed bump on the road to building a new home. I won’t bore you with the details other than to say I have been chasing in circles on both the wireless and Internet.

Most financial institutions have a voice menu tree a mile long. Not only that, when you get through to the crappy elevator music, a voice that tells me all of our associates are busy with other customers, so please stay on the line. I was aggravated before the call, more after the phone tree and even more than that after the five or ten minute wait to actually get a human on the line. Hard to remain civil when you talk to the person, but I need them to do something for me. Seems ass backwards to me, but I guess that’s life in the electronic age.

This holiday weekend, I’ve been breaking in my new Don Hume holster for my Glock 26, “Little Boy.” To assist me, I looked up “breaking in a new leather holster” on the internet. This is what I found - a step-by-step procedure.

Note: I edited the original text a little to correct terminology errors. Clip vs. magazine and bullets vs. rounds. The eHow author must not actually be a gunnie. Other than those errors, it looked like good advice.

New handgun holsters are usually stiff and tight. They should be, because the leather will mold itself to you and your use like a baseball glove or shoe.

1. Empty your handgun and/or the magazine of any rounds.
2. Push the handgun as deeply into the holster as you can.
3. Wear the holster and handgun around the house, as much as possible. This will speed up the holster conforming to the gun and to your body. Wear a belt holster with the belt you usually wear.
4. Draw and holster the pistol whenever you find a few moments. Only through repetitive use will drawing and holstering become easier. Work any catches or snaps as well, to break them in also.
5. Twist the holster on occasion, perhaps once or twice a day for the first week, flexing the leather one way and the other. This will loosen the collagen fibers (the tough inner structure of leather).
6. Store the handgun in the holster at night. The leather, softened by a day of your body heat and sweat, will continue to break in overnight.

The holster is still tight and catches on the slide a bit but it’s getting better. I’ve only had it since Friday so I’ll keep working with it.

Last week, I ordered this holster for my Glock 26, “Little Boy.” I had been considering carrying “Fat Man.” my Glock 30, when we go to Arizona, but I decided that the 9mm with HP rounds would be adequate. It’s also thinner and lighter than the .45 caliber pistol. I have an adjustable shoulder holster, but it’s not exactly comfortable when I carry the Glock 30 and if I wear a T-shirt, the gun prints fore and aft of my shoulder. Forget about wearing it under a tank top or muscle shirt.

So, I ordered a Don Hume IWB Strike holster custom for the Glock 26. The holster is made from cowhide leather and the belt loop is Kydex thermoplastic.

Product description:

The IWB Strike holster tuckable with a 1 1/2″ Kydex belt loop is designed as an inside the waistband that will permit a shirt to tuck between the holster and belt so as to provide maximum concealment. The holster is made of two pieces of cowhide leather for strength and durability and also features a thumb break with a safety strap.

I don’t normally tuck my shirt in, but if I ever have to wear the ol’ Sunday-go-to-meetin’ outfit, I can still pack.

Now this is HOT. Illegal in Kalifornistan, I’m sure, but if we save our dough over the next few months, maybe we can get one in Arizona.

Smith & Wesson announced the expansion of its popular M&P series with the M&P15-22P at the NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits, a tactical pistol version of the M&P15-22 already in the product line.

The M&P15-22P will feature a 25 round detachable box magazine, adjustable front and rear sights, a carbon steel barrel and 6-inch barrel.

The full specifications include:

Manufacturer: Smith & Wesson
Action Type: Blowback, semi-automatic
Lower Receiver: Polymer
Barrel: 6”, Carbon steel
Rifling: 1:15″ right hand twist
Magazine: 25 round box
Sights: A2 Style front sight; A2-style rear sight adjustable for windage and elevation; top, side and bottom Picatinny rails
Trigger: Single-stage
Weight: 3 lbs., 3 oz.
Suggested Retail Price: $585

About a year ago, Ruger introduced their version of the scary-looking AR-style carbine.

The Firearm Blog reviewed it quite thoroughly.

When we have the money saved up, we just might go to Cabela’s in Glendale, AZ and procure one of these.