The Perpetual Firearms Thread

Hap

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Amazon has a Wheeler manual torque wrench for Black Friday; been needing one for a while and was glad to catch it.

View: https://smile.amazon.com/Wheeler-Accurizing-Measurement-Gunsmithing-Maintenance/dp/B0012AXR4S/ref=sr_1_11?crid=3IL68I883XAVP&keywords=Torque&psr=EY17&qid=1669377802&s=black-friday&sprefix=torque%2Cblack-friday%2C83&sr=1-11


They also have a digital one on sale, but AFAIK it's just a display of torque with tone, doesn't actually do the release on reaching max like the manual one does.

I have both, the digital one is crap. The manual is pretty solid, although imprecise to set due to the nature of the manual dial.
 
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von Chaps

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As I progress towards getting a UK firearms cert, I am starting to think about a gun cabinet. You can not get a cert until you have been interviewed by the police and they have inspected your premises including a secure and securely fixed cabinet.

What are the gotchas? What should I be looking out for? How do I size it?

Will probably want to store about 4 rifles. Some will have scopes.
 

Hap

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Most gun "safes" that claim to hold "x" number of rifles base that number on no accessories, no magazines (which unless it's a ready firearm, shouldn't be in anyway) and usually have problems with bolt actions.

For instance, my .338 Ruger precision takes up 2 slots in my safe configuration due to the size of the bolt handle.

In otherwords - make sure and evaluate what you'll be getting and the space needed for each firearm before sizing your gun cabinet. You also need to think about flexibility of mounts if you plan on anything other than a standard bolt action. Firearms are sized and shaped differently and I have quite a bit of trouble getting everything lined up due to the different size and shape of my fire arms.

Also, if you get something with an electronic lock - consider where and how (and compliance with local law) you store the backup key. Eventually you WILL need it. Storing firearms securly is important, but rather useless if someone hangs the key off a hook on the outside of the safe (an example I've witnessed). Not saying you would do this, but do consider what the law requires there.

None of this may apply to you depending on what you're planning on, just sharing lessons learned.

EDIT: bipods can also mess up your planned organization, depending on size/style. I have to take my .338's off - too bloody big. The 6.5CM is fine.
 

von Chaps

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Largest would probably be .308 and Ruger Precision is on my list. Had not considered the bipod.

Maybe:
  • Ruger 10/22 (scope)
  • Tikka T1X or Ruger Precision in .22
  • H&K MP5 (red dot)
  • Savage 12 ftr or Tikka T3X .308 (scope, bipod)
I was considering a 6 or 7 gun cabinet.

Good tip about electronic lock. I was intending to skip those though.

Thanks - good food for thought!

Incidentally, I was planning on .338 until I discovered it's £500 per 100 rounds!
 

Hap

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Well my safe is built into my storm shelter (tornado country here), so my ammo IS in my safe for the most part. For transportation - keep them separate, for home storage, collocation should be fine. I will note that might be a cultural perspective having grown up around firearms.

EDIT: to note that I moved the .338 to the end so it didn't actually take up two slots :)
 

invertedpanda

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Definitely don't skimp on the safe, and be sure to check reviews. I myself have a cheapy Chinese rebrand that, at it's core, is good for the price that I got for free to review via Amazon Vine.. But in my case, I'm not storing anything but 22LRs, and nothing super high-end (no Vudoo for me).

General rule of thumb is safes are nothing more than a deterrent.

I usually suggest you skip biometrics, as most of those are finger print sensors that are easy as hell to defeat (especially since, if someone is looking to get into your safe, they are already in a space where they can lift numerous fingerprints from anything if not the sensor itself).

My favorite safe manufacturer is Fort Knox.. Those suckers are beasts and worth every penny. If you've got the budget, I'd say go that route.
 

Wildbill

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As I progress towards getting a UK firearms cert, I am starting to think about a gun cabinet. You can not get a cert until you have been interviewed by the police and they have inspected your premises including a secure and securely fixed cabinet.

This was long time ago, but one of my UK college roommates got a few pistols after graduation. The way he tells it, the cops didn't so much inspect his gun cabinet, as do everything in their power to rip it out. When they couldn't, he passed inspection.
 

von Chaps

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This was long time ago, but one of my UK college roommates got a few pistols after graduation. The way he tells it, the cops didn't so much inspect his gun cabinet, as do everything in their power to rip it out. When they couldn't, he passed inspection.
Indeed. Anecdotally, I have heard similar in the last few weeks. Problem is, the rules are not specified so it seems it's at the discretion of the officer performing the inspection.
 

von Chaps

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You want to keep humidity low. Ammo corrodes (as do guns, just slower). I have a dehumidifier in my safe.
Thanks. I have started monitoring the conditions in the room I intend to use for storage. Currently, it's at about 80% humidity (I live in a humid area). That seems high. Might have to rethink!
 

NervousEnergy

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Here in the US, the best gun safe (against theft) is a good insurance policy. Anyone breaking into your home will make a beeline toward a gun safe. If it's a fast smash-n-grab by some teenagers it would deter them, but any serious thief will get into it if given a modicum of time, and it's a giant 'valuable stuff here!' sign. Now if you have children or younger family/visitors, the safe is absolutely necessary.
 

von Chaps

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Thanks, interesting insight but totally not applicable in the UK. I suspect that anyone breaking into a home in the UK would be absolutely freaked out to discover the home owner is also a gun owner (if they even recognised a gun safe for what it is). They're not even valuable. A 65" flat screen is worth more to most criminals than a .338 lapua mag.

Over here, there are three main reasons for having a gun safe:
  • It protects family/visitors as you rightly point out
  • In the event of a burglary, it's a massive deterrent - most crims don't want anything to do with guns
  • It's a requirement to be allowed to own firearms

TLDR: if you're a criminal and you want a firearm, breaking & entering is a really poor way to go about it. Statistically, you will never find a home with guns in it.
 

NervousEnergy

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Ahh yes, missed the 'UK Firearms cert' point. In the US there's a thriving market for firearms (in most states), and anything with a ready market is always a target for theft.

Curious here - can you actually own an HK MP5 with a UK firearms cert? Does it have to be semi-auto only or can you own the fully automatic version (referred to as NFA/Class 3 in the US)?
And in terms of gun safes - does it have to be a discreet 'safe', or can it be a small room with reinforced walls and controlled/locked access? I know several folks here (North Texas) that use a small pre-fab tornado shelter as a 'walk in' gun safe with a safe door mechanism retrofitted. They bolt to the concrete foundation and have metal walls capable of withstanding pretty strong impacts from a direct tornado hit, so they're also very good in storing valuables (like guns).
 
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von Chaps

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Fully auto anything is not allowed.

Semi-auto is allowed but only in .22lr. No centre-fire semi-autos are allowed.

I am not entirely sure about the safe question. The rules are not clear and the police have a lot of discretion as to what is allowed. I suspect if you tried to secure an entire room, it would need remote monitoring, etc and you might be classified as a firearms dealer. Otherwise, there is no justification to own enough firearms to warrant a whole room.

In the UK you have to provide a reason for owning a firearm and you need a good reason for each and every one. Hence, "a room-full of firearms" is not a thing here.

ETA: we don't have tornado rooms or anything like that.... yet!
 

jschmeling

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My dad passed away in September, and he was a collector and a gunsmith. He bought lots of WWII firearms and restored them, refinishing the stocks and the barrels, finding them at auctions and pawnshops. He was so proud of his collection. I remember him teaching me to shoot, helping me buy my first rifle and first shotgun, and more. When we inventoried the collection I was surprised by how many things he had collected. And the many, many gun safes he had in the house, all with their combination locks, were a challenge for us to remember his "secret codes" to share the combos with us. Mom decided to sell them all to a dealer, and I really hope they will find their way into interesting collections. RIP, Dad. I will always treasure shooting with you.
 
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.劉煒

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Is it worth trying to discuss UK firearm stuff here or does it warrant its own thread?
The actual arms themselves, yes, the regulatory environment, I doubt you'll find much takers beyond a specialist fora in such affairs.
Will probably want to store about 4 rifles. Some will have scopes.

Define 'rifle' - I have a small carbine cabinet secured in a upstairs closet but it's not going to hold a full length 'hunting rifle' sort of thing.

Here in the US, the best gun safe (against theft) is a good insurance policy. Anyone breaking into your home will make a beeline toward a gun safe. If it's a fast smash-n-grab by some teenagers it would deter them, but any serious thief will get into it if given a modicum of time, and it's a giant 'valuable stuff here!' sign. Now if you have children or younger family/visitors, the safe is absolutely necessary.

We have a bedside pistol quick access, a different location for ready carbines, and the majority of the gear is in a double locked (larger safe + locked door) room.

That said, yeah, there's enough tools in the garage to open any of them in a half hour or so, so at best it's a deterrent behind a defense in depth (neighbors we're on good terms with, cameras, etc).
I suspect if you tried to secure an entire room, it would need remote monitoring, etc and you might be classified as a firearms dealer. Otherwise, there is no justification to own enough firearms to warrant a whole room.
Why?

The aforementioned 'double locked' room is also my computer room - secure from any of the non-adults and casual visitors in the house, home to my 3d printing and CNC gear and various 'projects in progress' that aren't firearms .. yet.

I usually suggest you skip biometrics, as most of those are finger print sensors that are easy as hell to defeat (especially since, if someone is looking to get into your safe, they are already in a space where they can lift numerous fingerprints from anything if not the sensor itself).

Fine for a 'quick access' (though I'd have a backup entry solution too) .. like I said, every single safe in the house can be entered using the tools within the house, given enough time.
 

Evil_Merlin

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My dad passed away in September, and he was a collector and a gunsmith. He bought lots of WWII firearms and restored them, refinishing the stocks and the barrels, finding them at auctions and pawnshops. He was so proud of his collection. I remember him teaching me to shoot, helping me buy my first rifle and first shotgun, and more. When we inventoried the collection I was surprised by how many things he had collected. And the many, many gun safes he had in the house, all with their combination locks, were a challenge for us to remember his "secret codes" to share the combos with us. Mom decided to sell them all to a dealer, and I really hope they will find their way into interesting collections. RIP, Dad. I will always treasure shooting with you.

Sorry for your loss.

I'm one of the few Pre-Vietnam restorer's/rebuilders on Island right now and you end up building up quite a collection over the years. Alas selling to a dealer you won't get near what they were worth.

If you had an inventory I could ball park numbers based on conditions...
 
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fitten

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Finally found some bullets that shoot in my .35 Whelen... 180gr TTSX Barnes factory loads. I had tried the Superformance 200gr and neither me (in my gun) or my cousin (in his) could get them to group less then 4" at 100yds. These are just over 1" at 100yds., which is plenty good enough for our purposes. The only problem, of course, is that finding them for sale is fairly difficult.
 

DeedlitCryogenic

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Finally found some bullets that shoot in my .35 Whelen... 180gr TTSX Barnes factory loads. I had tried the Superformance 200gr and neither me (in my gun) or my cousin (in his) could get them to group less then 4" at 100yds. These are just over 1" at 100yds., which is plenty good enough for our purposes. The only problem, of course, is that finding them for sale is fairly difficult.
What do you have chambered in .35 Whelen? One of the firearms I have been considering is a r7600.

What reloading manual do you use?
 

fitten

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What do you have chambered in .35 Whelen? One of the firearms I have been considering is a r7600.

What reloading manual do you use?

I'm not a reloader so I just get factory loads. I've thought about it more than once but it takes time that I don't really want to spend and would be yet-another hobby that would probably eventually languish over time. Unfortunately, it seems that if I want to shoot anything other than .223/5.56, I may have to end up picking it up. I know people who reload and they tell me that powder is now expensive and bullet makers aren't making many different calibers as much now because of the same reasons. I see people talking about not being able to get even "common" (have to use quotations marks with that, now, because there seems to be only a couple "common" calibers now... 223/5.56, .308, and thankfully for the 6.5CM, there seem to be some 6.5s) 7mm and the like... at least, in some of the popular hunting bullets... I've seen where some folks haven't been able to get things like 7mm Accubonds and the like for (much) more than a year, now, and not just 7mm... Accubonds, Partitions, etc. in a variety of calibers. Right now it sounds like it's not saving anybody much money unless they stockpiled some years ago and still have supplies left and with component availability, it would likely stall out unless I just converted over to the... military-alikes. ANYway....

Down in this part of the country, our "primitive weapons" regulations for deer season have evolved to include single-shot breech loading centerfire rifles that fire 35cal or larger bullets. There was some slow walk to get to .35cal (from muzzle loaders, then inline muzzle loaders, then allowing red dot sights, then allowing scopes with magnification, then allowing .45-70 Gov't and .444 Marlin breech loaders, and then 35cal or larger) so some people (like my uncle) still use .444 Marlin or the Gov't. I went with .35 Whelen because during the short-ish period where .45-70 and .444M, I just kept using my Encore with the .50cal. Eventually, I found a deal on a .35 Whelen barrel and I know a few people using .35 Whelen so if I forgot my bullets or something, it'd be easier to bum some... otherwise I would have rather gone with a .35 Remington, to be honest (I also have my dad's Remington 760 in .35 Remington so common rounds). The .35 Whelen is a pretty big cartridge, especially for what we have here down in SE USA, but there's not a lot of options in .35cal and larger that aren't ;) I'd have to check but I think the newish 350 Legend would also be legal but it doesn't really spark any interest in me. I'd much rather have a .35 Remington because that's what my dad used pretty much all his life for deer and he put a pile of deer in the freezer with it using just Remington 200gr Core-Lokts. He tried the LeveRevolutions in it but didn't like them because they were "too hot". He also used a .30-06 for three seasons before giving that rifle to me and going back to his .35 Rem. Of course, I've used a .35 Rem some, too... mostly in a Marlin 336 but my dad let me use his 760 a few times when he wasn't going and I didn't have a rifle with me for some reason.

My rifle is a Thompson Center Encore Pro Hunter. I have several barrels for it. It started out as a .50cal inline muzzle loader w/ 3x9 scope and it was pretty good... ~1" groups at 100yds with .45cal sabots. The barrel that I use with it now is pretty much exclusively the .35 Whelen for hunting. I do have a .338 Win Mag barrel but I've never hunted with it... got a good deal on the barrel but if I were to ever hunt with a .338 Win Mag, I think I'd rather have a bolt gun. I really only picked up the .338 Win Mag barrel because I knew someone selling the barrel for cheap. It's not a custom barrel and is 28" long... granted, even in a bolt gun, I'd want a 24" at least with all that powder. I also have a .260 Rem barrel (ordered it custom to insure 8" twist, 24", and bull profile) that is pretty nice... have gotten a few deer with it, too. There are a few things I like about the Encore PH, overall... one is that it is light... like really light. IIRC, with my 24" .260 bull barrel including scope and sling, it's like 6lbs or something. It has a really good recoil pad that came with it so even shooting the .338 Win Mag isn't bad even without a brake. The other is that the overall length is short, too, since it doesn't have an "action". With the .260 Rem barrel on it (24" barrel), the stock to barrel tip length is 6" shorter than my 22" barrel standard action Browning .30-06 A-Bolt. Those make it really easy to deal with in the woods and in stands (climbing or box). The bull barrel, in hind sight, wasn't really needed, tbh... and that kind of makes the balance point a little wonky but it's not too big of a deal for the most part. A standard profile barrel would have worked fine and been even lighter.

My uncle has an H&R breech loading .444 Marlin and a (what he used before they allowed the .444 Marlin) .50cal Thompson Omega inline. I think that inline was used this year by a cousin on a trip out west to get a decent muley. Both of those guns are shooters, too.
 

fitten

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I don't hunt, but do they allow the .458 SOCOM? It's really close to the 45-70 and while expensive, the original developer of the cartridge is over in GA and always has something in stock.

Yeah, it just has to be in a single-shot, breech loading rifle. And even those regulations are relaxed now if you're on private land (you can use whatever you want just like a regular hunting season) so the regulations now only apply to public land. There are a few bits of public land back near where I'm from. In one case, one is a pretty good place to hunt, especially now because the restrictions make it less desirable for some folks to go there. We still like to go there some even though my uncle and cousin are also members of a hunting club. The club is a bit more restrictive than state regulations, like with bag limits, and also since I'm usually only down for a few days, it's cheaper to go on the refuge (no guest fees, either). Several other public lands have drawings for hunts where access is otherwise restricted so those drawings are desirable. The down side of the refuge is that if/when the Mississippi River rises enough, they will close the whole place down so it can be closed for the whole season, sometimes. Also, sometimes they'll limit it to archery/crossbow for the whole season (which we also have archery and crossbows ;) )

Primitive Weapons

Weapons legal for use during the Primitive Weapons season are all archery equipment and primitive firearms. "Primitive firearms," for the purpose of hunting deer, are defined as single or double-barreled muzzleloading rifles of at least .38 caliber; OR single shot, breech loading, metallic cartridge rifles (.35 caliber or larger) and replicas, reproductions, or reproductions of those type rifles with an exposed hammer; OR single or double-barreled muzzleloading shotguns, with single ball or slug. All muzzleloading primitive firearms must use black powder or a black powder substitute with percussion caps, #209 shotgun primers, or flintlock ignition. "Blackpowder substitute" is defined as a substance designed, manufactured, and specifically intended to be used as a propellant in muzzleloading or other black powder firearms, excluding modern smokeless powder. Metallic cartridges may be loaded with either black powder or modern smokeless powder (cartridges purchased at sporting goods stores). Telescopic sights are allowed while hunting with any primitive firearm during the primitive weapon seasons. During any open season on deer with primitive weapons after November 30, a person may use any legal weapon of choice on private lands only, if the person is the title owner of the land, the lessee of the hunting rights on the land, a member of a hunting club leasing the hunting rights on the land, or a guest of a person specified above. If the person is required to have a hunting license, the person must have a primitive weapon license, Sportsman's License, or a Lifetime Sportsman's License.
 

DeedlitCryogenic

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The .35 Whelen is a pretty big cartridge, especially for what we have here down in SE USA, but there's not a lot of options in .35cal and larger that aren't ;) I'd have to check but I think the newish 350 Legend would also be legal but it doesn't really spark any interest in me. I'd much rather have a .35 Remington because that's what my dad used pretty much all his life for deer and he put a pile of deer in the freezer with it using just Remington 200gr Core-Lokts. He tried the LeveRevolutions in it but didn't like them because they were "too hot". He also used a .30-06 for three seasons before giving that rifle to me and going back to his .35 Rem. Of course, I've used a .35 Rem some, too... mostly in a Marlin 336 but my dad let me use his 760 a few times when he wasn't going and I didn't have a rifle with me for some reason.
35 whelen is just 30-06 necked up to 35. Since my primary deer rifle is a 30-06, the whelen is a natural progression. And its big heavy rounds are good against alaskan bears, which is what I would have used it for before I moved back down to the lower48.

I like reloading, though I haven't done it since I moved. The accuracy issue you've been having would probably be pretty easy to solve with handloads, assuming your barrel twist is sufficient for the caliber. Locally here in Oregon I have a good variety of ammo to choose from, and reloading supplies are easy. (Heck I can poke my local Bi-mart to stock most of what I need. Small town Bi-marts are great for that. So are the various farming stores.)
 

fitten

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35 whelen is just 30-06 necked up to 35. Since my primary deer rifle is a 30-06, the whelen is a natural progression. And its big heavy rounds are good against alaskan bears, which is what I would have used it for before I moved back down to the lower48.

I like reloading, though I haven't done it since I moved. The accuracy issue you've been having would probably be pretty easy to solve with handloads, assuming your barrel twist is sufficient for the caliber. Locally here in Oregon I have a good variety of ammo to choose from, and reloading supplies are easy. (Heck I can poke my local Bi-mart to stock most of what I need. Small town Bi-marts are great for that. So are the various farming stores.)

Yep, just necked up .30-06 but it packs a bit more energy (with the factory load I'm using, it's flinging that 180gr TTSX at, by the box, 2900fps which is a bit more than the .30-06 with 180gr which is usually at around 2700fps) and, of course, a larger bore for larger holes. I've heard folks use the 225gr and even 250gr in the .35 Whelen for big bears. The 180gr monometal should get really good penetration, too. Yeah, can definitely tune it with handloading but it used to not be so bad to just get a few boxes of different brands/loads and see what shot best... that's a bit more expensive to do, now. The .35 Whelen is usually fairly close to the .338 Win Mag and the .338 has a bit more recoil. Another one that is big in other parts of the world is the 9.3x62, which is a small step up from the .35 Whelen, even... those 286gr bullets are supposed to be really good for larger game (elk, bears) but it has never been that popular over here.

I wish the .338 Fed was more popular... it hits as hard as a .30-06 (harder, actually) and is just a .308 Win necked up to .338 so a bigger hole, too (but it's no .35 Whelen). I really like mine and it shoots good, too... just no ammo unless I get lucky or reload it.
 

jschmeling

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Sorry for your loss.

I'm one of the few Pre-Vietnam restorer's/rebuilders on Island right now and you end up building up quite a collection over the years. Alas selling to a dealer you won't get near what they were worth.

If you had an inventory I could ball park numbers based on conditions...
Thanks, appreciate that. Overall my mom decided that she'd rather be done with it quickly than take the time to do it that way - they offered a reasonable number, though could have gotten 30% more with consignment, and probably double to have taken the time to do it the right way. But she's happy to have that one thing done, so it's fine. I think his most expensive rifle was probably $3000 when he bought it, and he had a lot of things he picked up for $50 to $75 at various pawn shops and then worked on. Some never got any attention. The inventory we had didn't have condition, though, so hard to really judge.
 

drogin

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So, kind of excited. Hopefully it's nice and lands soon. Fightlite, who I honestly thought was going to go out of business or something, is looking to release an updated version of their SCR (basically a 50 state compliant AR-15). The new version has a polymer stock with much better/modern sling attachment options.

Fightlite SCR-16-BKM

My current SCR is the SCR-16-PM. Works as intended, but doesn't have great sling attachment options. Right now I run it with a two-point Vicker's Sling, but I have to use a quick attach slot on the M-LOK and a buttstock adapter similar to this one.

It works, but it's not ideal. The new stock seems like it has QD slots on either side, so it should be better for running the two-point sling.

I reached out to Fightlite's sales department, and they are saying that they will sell the stock separately.
 

fitten

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I think I'm going to start looking for a single shot 350 Legend (to comply with hunting regulations)... CVA Scout (black/blue) looks to be pretty cheap. The problem is, of course, is that no one has one for sale. I was looking around and the ammo seems to be pretty common for a non-military-type and reasonably priced. I saw boxes for $26 up to around $35 depending on brand/bullet/etc. My Whelen is just expensive to shoot (2x that cost) and I preferred a lighter round even before I got the Whelen (.35 Remington was what I was wanting but got the Whelen because of a deal and it's what everyone else has so we can share ammo... but now there's no ammo).
 

invertedpanda

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With IL trying to put out some really, REALLY strict gun control measures, part of me wants to pick up something self-defense-wise just in case it actually gets passed (they provide a prior-ownership stipulation in the bill).

Then again, bolt and lever actions are all good, which is what I'd prefer anyway, so no real concern for me on a personal level

The Citadel Levtac-92 or something similar would be a fun little thing to have.

1670676340573.png


Pop an LPVO, light, and foregrip and call it a day.
 

invertedpanda

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Seems like LARP, imo.

The IL gun laws are fine. Good, literal self-defense is gonna vary, but incredibly effective options exist.

That said, I've been tempted to build a lever gun from time to time.
I like having options, hence the M-LOK and pic rail. With my arthritis I'd love to have a good grip stop to help me maintain a hold while I cycle the lever, and then I've also got a number of pic rail optics here I can toss on it.

Only IL gun law I have issue with is the banning of suppressors; Given the propensity for hearing damage when operating firearms, I'd much rather be able to quiet that down (especially with my extremely sensitive hearing). The new stuff I'm not sure how I feel yet; I don't really think it's going to be that effective, when the biggest solution available is red flag laws.. But that's a whole 'nother debate. Just seems like they are banning semi-auto as a knee-jerk reaction, and the specific addition on .50 cal is just weird. I mean, I get it; powerful round, but still. It's weird, when there are a lot of heavy rounds out there that are just as damaging. Whole thing seems way too specific to be effective.

Anyway, only semi-auto I have is my 22LR pistol, and if I get the above I may even get rid of it just to downsize a bit.
 

Hap

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I tend to pickup guns that peak my interest and in most cases are different in some way. I have two bog-standard AR-15s (with higher end components), but all the rest are not common in some way, due to caliber, action, configuration, etc.

Lately, the one that has caught my attention is the Sig Sauer MCX Spear LT (specifically RMCX-300B-9B-LT-SBR). I had an MPX with arm brace, but sold it. It was just too big/heavy for a 9mm.

Others are a SCAR 20S, Fostech Takedown 12-ga shotgun, a Rhino pistol, a Sig MCX Spear (.277 or 6.5), and a SAINT Evac. I also had a SCAR 17S and regret selling that one. It had a brutal kick and was hell on optics, but was a solid rifle.

It's really going to depend on funds and availability as to the next one I get and some are no longer made (the EVAC - it didn't last long, but was the most compact quick-break down AR I'd ever seen).
 

invertedpanda

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FN makes some interesting stuff, and if I had enough of a disposable income I might've picked up a SCAR, but after a really shitty range trip where a group of kids were mag dumping a SCAR H (plus some stockless AK variant and a coupe Glocks, all on the rifle range) and just in general being unsafe and obnoxious.. I really lost my curiosity at that point. Seeing that recoil, hearing the boom and feeling it in my chest all just.. Nah. Not my thing at all.

If I did have some money I'd pick up one of these: http://www.valkyriearms.com/delisle.html

Such a fascinating bit of firearm history. I was introduced to this via the Sniper Elite series of games, and when 5 came out and I started covering that game I decided to look it up, and the real rifle is much more fascinating than the in-game one.

Again, just a shame I couldn't own a suppressed version.
 

fitten

Ars Legatus Legionis
54,716
Subscriptor++
Speaking of recoil and feeling it... this was years ago at the range... some guys set up on the bench next to me with a magnum of some type... not sure what, exactly... probably a .300 Win Mag but could have been anything bigger, I didn't get a good look at the cartridges as I didn't want to seem to be staring at them, that had a muzzle brake on it. Every time they'd fire, I could feel it in my body. It literally felt like (and probably was) causing my blue jeans legs to move. I'm not sure what they were doing but they weren't firing fast (probably a minute or so between shots, but not really letting the barrel cool down, either) but after probably 10 shots or so, I started feeling queasy and just left. Of course, I had hearing protection and all, being a the range, but even then it was loud. Brakes at ranges are not cool.
 

invertedpanda

Ars Tribunus Militum
2,790
Subscriptor
Speaking of recoil and feeling it... this was years ago at the range... some guys set up on the bench next to me with a magnum of some type... not sure what, exactly... probably a .300 Win Mag but could have been anything bigger, I didn't get a good look at the cartridges as I didn't want to seem to be staring at them, that had a muzzle brake on it. Every time they'd fire, I could feel it in my body. It literally felt like (and probably was) causing my blue jeans legs to move. I'm not sure what they were doing but they weren't firing fast (probably a minute or so between shots, but not really letting the barrel cool down, either) but after probably 10 shots or so, I started feeling queasy and just left. Of course, I had hearing protection and all, being a the range, but even then it was loud. Brakes at ranges are not cool.
I've heard that muzzle brakes are a dick move at ranges; hence never using one myself.
 

Hap

Ars Legatus Legionis
11,995
Subscriptor++
FN makes some interesting stuff, and if I had enough of a disposable income I might've picked up a SCAR, but after a really shitty range trip where a group of kids were mag dumping a SCAR H (plus some stockless AK variant and a coupe Glocks, all on the rifle range) and just in general being unsafe and obnoxious.. I really lost my curiosity at that point. Seeing that recoil, hearing the boom and feeling it in my chest all just.. Nah. Not my thing at all.

If I did have some money I'd pick up one of these: http://www.valkyriearms.com/delisle.html

Such a fascinating bit of firearm history. I was introduced to this via the Sniper Elite series of games, and when 5 came out and I started covering that game I decided to look it up, and the real rifle is much more fascinating than the in-game one.

Again, just a shame I couldn't own a suppressed version.
I actually like big bore recoil. I have a .458 H'AMR, makes a .458 SOCOM feel like light recoil. Several people have tried it once and got punched by the scope. The SCAR was brutal on the cheek. Still, I like the visceral feel of a big bore weapon. A friend usually brings his .50cal BMG, you usually feel that more standing beside/behind when it's firing. Due to that, I don't permit anyone else to shoot while that's firing. Don't need someone to jump and inadvertently fire something else in an unsafe manner. Had a co-worker visiting from Italy, he practically teleported first time he witnessed it fire. Had a little slip of a co-worker (5ft woman) mag-dump all 10 rounds and got video. It moved her on the mat despite the built-in recoil mitigation.

That Delisle looks interesting.

While I already have a Kriss Vector SBR, I would like an carbine in Alpine White - they are so much fun to shoot and they are very commonly used in SciFi movies as futuristic guns.
 
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