new guns!

Posted by Greybeard on Sep 26th, 2006 in Shootist | 0 comments

Exciting day today! We were out of the house for a couple of hours, and when we returned home, there was a call on the answering machine. From the B.A.T.F.!!!
After settling down my pulse, I returned their call, that turned out to be a simple matter to rectify. Nothing to do with the type of guns I bought. Whew!
Anyway, a quick trip up to WhiteStone, filled out the paper work, and home I drove with two shiny (well not really all that shiny) new rifles.
The DPMS, is so far everything I expected it to be. A very nicely put together piece of machinery. I can’t wait to get a scope and it and try shooting it. (though the break in procedure sounds a little tedious)
(fire one round, clean, fire one round, clean, and on like that for the 1st 25 rounds, then clean after every 10 rounds up to 100 rounds)
Tomorrow I’ll try a field strip and lube, then possible buy and mount a scope, so I can get started on that break in.

The Tech. Force air rifle, is nice looking, but on closer inspection is obviously not near the quality of the DPMS. It has a shipping gouge on the stock that really bothers me, and I don’t like the way the iron sights line up with the barrel, (they are way off center with the barrel).
I mounted the 3x to 12x scope tonight, and will try sighting it tomorrow some time. If it’s as odd to sight as the iron sights are, I’m going to call it a warped barrel.
It shoots hard, and doesn’t claim any accuracy for the first 100 rounds or so. I was able to shoot about a 3 inch group at 50 ft. (It’s going to have to get a lot better than that)

Bottom line on the Tech. Force,, I’m going to call them tomorrow and check their return policy. I -may- be able to repair the shipping damage to the stock, but I will not tolerate an inaccurate weapon.
We’ll see how tomorrow goes.

Stay tuned for shooter reports on both guns, that’s DPMS LR-308B, and Tech. Force TF-99 in .22 caliber.

~~GB

Surprise phone call from R&R Arms

Posted by Greybeard on Sep 22nd, 2006 in Shootist | 0 comments

I recieved a surprise phone call from R&R Arms this morning, telling me that a DPMSRFA2-308B Long Range 308 had become available.

The order went out a few minutes later!! I should have it in my hot little hands within the next week. I’ll start some serious scope shopping tomorrow, and have already planned out some range time, to start breaking in the barrel and start the sighting in process.

Wow, two guns ordered in two days. I wonder if I set off any government flags. If I did, who ever is watching me, is invited to come out to the club and try a few rounds through my new rifle. I’m pretty new to AR style rifles, and maybe a “government type” could give me a few pointers.

Keep a blog watch going, I’ll be doing range reports on both new guns, as soon as I get them out to the range.

Oh, and here’s a BIG Congratulations to new Papa, MrGrey!!

~~GB

Tech Force Model 99

Posted by Greybeard on Sep 6th, 2006 in Shootist | 0 comments

I tried to order a Tech Force TF-99 , 22 caliber air gun, yesterday.
It is purported to be of European air gun quality, and comes with a 3x to 12x, 40mm scope, at an NRA special price of 199 dollars.

Unfortunately, our Michigan legislature has pre-empted law abiding citizens from ordering a dangerous weapon, (we’re talking about a pellet gun here!).
The folks at www.compasseco.com told me that they are not allowed to ship .22 caliber air guns into Michigan.
I can have it shipped to a licensed gun dealer, but so far I haven’t hooked up with one of those, here around the Harbor.

I’m working on it,, but for now the order is on hold.

~~GB

Dad's guns

Posted by Greybeard on Jun 16th, 2006 in Shootist | Comments Off

With that arsenal tuneup coming this fall, here’s a couple of those rifled pieces out of the safe.

The first one: A Benjamin Model 317, in .177 caliber. It’s approximately 45 years old, and doesn’t really need a trip to the range to get tuned up. Dad kept it hanging on the wall near his back door, just for keeping varmits out of his garden.
Image: newspost_images/benjamin_020.jpg
It starting to show it’s age, but still shoots true and pretty hard. 10 pumps at 35 yards rips a hole in a steel Cambell’s soup can, and I was able to put around 15 rounds into an inch and a half circle, before I got tired of pumping it.

Next, a range candidate. Dad kept this one handy for varmits that were a little tougher, meaner, or harder to get close to. If one of his .22 long rifle guns wouldn’t do the trick, Stinger came out.
Stinger, is a Marlin Model 980 in .22 WMR (that’s magnum). Sighted with a 4X AllPro scope, it will reach right out and touch a medium sized varmit.
Stinger’s last victim, was a large and stinky Skunk that kept coming around Dad’s front door. The .22 mag, hollow point round made short work of mister skunk, pretty much turning his head into a red mist. Very little scent being released in the process.
Image: newspost_images/benjamin_009.jpg
It’s been a long time since I’ve put any rounds through this one, but I expect very good accuracy, out to around 100 yards. Unfortunatley ammo has probably went up a bit since Dad purchased the box shown in the picture, the price was 4 dollars, 20 cents, on the “Gambles” price sticker.

~~GB

Rather sad state of affairs

Posted by Greybeard on Jun 8th, 2006 in Shootist | Comments Off

As noted in previous posts, I’m (still) looking for a AR-15 style, 18 inched barrelled, .308 battle rifle, and a RWS model 48 air rifle, (in .20 or .22 cal.).
I haven’t been able to purchase either one yet, because I can’t find a local dealer that either stocks the item or is willing to order it for me at less than the full retail price.

Examples, the DPMS lists for 1300 bucks, but I can buy it online for around 850.
The RWS around 500 list, online with a scope, 375.

I have this problem; I just seem to want to hold the new gun in my hand, and possibly (gasp) even shoot it for accuracy, before I plunk down my hard earned cash.

Looks like, I’m going to be looking for a while yet.

~~GB , 416 hours to go.