The Wandering Minstrel

There is an article in the December issue of American Rifleman about Tactical .22 Rifles. The article featured several models wherein the author compared features and performance. The article started with a statement that the term “Tactical .22 Rifle” is an oxymoron in that it is doubtful that any military or police agency would have one of these as their primary tactical weapon. I see his point, but I still want one (after the safe is installed in the Arizona house).

We have seen and held these first two (but have fired none):

Colt Tactical Rimfire

Smith and Wesson M&P15-22

This last one, the Ruger SR-22, has some nice features and good performance. We would also like to examine one of these as we continue to be in the shopping mode.

We’re going to be looking at all rimfire rifles until we figure out what we want.

I gotta get me one of these.

Precision-machined, aluminum magazine release with extended length and oversized button replaces factory part and is laser etched with a distinctive decorative logo that reflects your personality and dresses up your AR-15. Drop-in installation using the gun’s factory-supplied magazine release spring. Logos will not fade or wear off. Available with American Flag or Punisher logo. More…

Also Available:

AR-15/M16 Extended Pivot & Takedown Pin Set
AR-15/M16 Engraved Ejection port cover
Slide Plate for Glock

We’re going to have to get a safe for the new house. Since we’re going to have guns in both houses we can’t simply move the one we have in California. When we eventually sell the old house, the safe which is built into a closet will stay as a selling feature.

Clickable image - Bighorn 26 gun fire safe

I got an ad in the mail today that listed one of these Bighorn Safes. The price and features seemed reasonable, so I went on-line to have a look.

According to GunSafes.com:

Features:

* 480 lbs.
* 4 sided door bolt protection
* UL® Residential Security Container
* Color: Durable baked on powder coat semi-gloss copper vein
* Commercial grade UL Listed electric lock
* Deluxe 5 spoke vault style handle
* Oversized hinges with decorative hinge caps
* Easy to remove shipping feet (no troublesome wood pallet)

Security Features:

* Heavy bodied construction – 480 lbs.
* 1.5” thick door
* UL Listed electronic lock
* 3 layer armored hard plate to protect the lock
* Spring loaded re-locker keeps safe secure if lock is tampered with or removed
* 10 total locking door bolts, 1.25″ diameter, 3 sides active, 1 side dead bolt

Fire Protection:

* 30 minute/1200 degree fire rating
* Expandable door seal – helps keep out smoke and heat
* Fully lined, no uncovered hot spot areas like internal hinge designs

Interior:

* Thick, quality automotive grade upholstery
* Holds up to 26 long guns
* Adjustable shelving
* Predrilled for anchoring to the floor
* Predrilled for dehumidifier
* External hinge door, fully opening provides greater access than internal hinged designs

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.