The Hobbit Hole XXXVIII - There and Back Again!

[300winmag]

The more I learn about handguns, and my modest skills with them, the more informed questions I can ask myself, and expect a more-informed answer. I now realize that a pocket-capable .38 or 9mm represents a fairly severe compromise between power, concealment, and ease of use. So I started a fresh look at the equation, and decided a vey compact .40S&W would perhaps be a "sweet spot" on a multi-dimensional matrix. By chance, I started to seek out online reviews of the Ruger SR40c compact. After reading reviewers from several sites, I came to the conclusion that some of them never even saw the weapon, and some had complaints about things I would consider trivial. Even the respected NRA reviewers overlooked some items I have learned are important about my Kimber Solo after eight months of ownership.

So I stopped by my regular EBR boutique and looked at one, myself. After a side-by-side comparison with my Sig P239, I decided to take a chance and buy one.

I've already put almost a hundred rounds through it in a shoot-off with the Sig. I've come to several conclusions, most of which conflict with what some "expert" or another have already written. I hope to have more detailed analysis for Saturday. Meanwhile, I can safely state:

The ergonomics are superb, even compared to the Sig. Also, the SR40c is 95% Glock, with the other 5% coming from product liability lawyers, which introduced serious flaws that detract from the safety and reliability of the weapon. And a minor quibble, but Ruger messed up some of the otherwise admirable cosmetics for no good reason.

Please be advised I'll probably produce an opus-sized article, not so much about what I've learned in shooting the Ruger, but about so many "professional" reviewers that I can no longer trust to even properly review a bag of M&Ms.

[Squantos]

I’m not a fan of Ruger or Smith & Wesson auto’s shy of my old Ruger Mk 1’s of which I own 3 and a SW Mod 39 customized by Paris Theodore as the ASP.

http://www.thegunzone.com/people/paris_theodore.html

I do own the SIG 239 with the 40SW and 357SIG barrels and learned the hard way that 40SW and 357SIG magazines can’t be “shared”..... they will do ok on the firing range but because of the geometry of the single stack 239 magazines they wont play nice with each other like a staggered magazine will . As stated for range time ya can swap em but for carry in self defense mode.....get magazines specifically for the caliber your carrying.

Had a long talk with the SIG technical rep and its just the gremlin in the single stack.

My SIG 229 magazines can share 40SW/357SIG ammo reliably.

Let me know how that lil ruger performs etc ......

Stay safe !

[300winmag]

Let me know how that lil ruger performs etc ......

By way of a quick summary, it performs like a particularly shapely Glock. One rumor inside the industry was this design would have been the Kimber plastic-framed weapon that never materialized. Kimber backed out, the design team sold it to Ruger.

For being about as small as a .40S&W can go and still remain sensible, it has been reasonably comfortable with 180gr ammo, and quite pleasant with 155gr, as was the Sig.

[300winmag]

Tonight's Saturday Night Gun Pron continues my analysis of my new Ruger SR40c. First, results from the first trip to the range. I just shot more rounds with the Ruger than the Sig, which accounts for the differing number of holes in the targets.

Most evident are my personal shooting flaws, with both handguns showing decent (for me) accuracy. If anything, the Ruger may have a slight edge. This is with the 155gr FMJ, a load that is quite comfortable to shoot. I could plink all day long with either gun, except for the cost of ammo. At "social" range, accuracy would be fine for either one.

Also note how Ruger uses the 15-round full-size magazine from the SR40. A simple slip-over collar turns the bottom on the magazine into a nice grip extension. With the big mags, it would be a good-but-stubby service weapon in .40S&W.

As I was analyzing the design, I came across a potential fatal flaw that I believe I have exercised-out of the gun, or at least have a couple of possible fixes that would work. I found out that short-cycling the slide in a particular manner would result in a "cocked" trigger, yet the firing pin had not yet been unlocked for firing.

The damn magazine safety works by having a plunger in the slide push down on a hinged ejector, which in turn lowers the firing mechanism in the rear of the frame by a fraction of an inch. This, in turn, lowers the vertical part of the trigger bar enough so it can no longer contact the plunger in the slide that unlocks the striker, allowing it to be brought to full cock.

Real Glocks, and other clones, do not have that "safety" mechanism. Everything is nice and solid, and the trigger bar always can reach the firing pin lock. But even with the magazine safety removed, the tiny wiggle (a couple of degrees of roll along the long axis of the trigger bar) remains. The detent button is depressed only along its edge, rather than straight across the middle. Throw in the 32 ounces of pressure it takes to press in the detent, compared to the 10-12 ounces Gaston Glock decreed, and a rare but deadly malfunction is possible.

I polished the %^#%$@ out of the contact surfaces, which seems to have fixed things. Further testing will verify that. If a problem still exists, a tiny amount of shimming might help. A titanium detent plunger and weaker spring would be nice, too.

I'm fairly confident I have this fixed, and admit I was operating the action in an unnatural way. But this is how I analyze things, and how I build up my confidence in them. My first Glock, a G17, was serial US000033, one of the first 100 imported into the US. I was advised to grab it, because a campaign about the "undetectable plastic gun" was about to begin, and there was a good chance no more would be allowed in. BATFE and State have gotten a lot more practice with that stunt nowadays.

Anyway, I had my first Glock torn down and analyzed, and back together and burning ammo, before the first hysterical bleatings hit the media. So I think I've earned my stripes with Glocks and Glock clones. If I had to have only one weapon, and it had to be a handgun (God forbid), I'd instantly choose my Glock 21. But it's not something I'd care to carry around in a concealment holster day after day.

Speaking of holsters, leather holsters for the Glock 27 are almost a perfect fit for the SR40c after a bit of tweaking. If you know how to work leather, it's trivial, and the results are really nice.

The arrow points to where the edge of the holster touches the ambidextrous mag release on the right side. A tiny bit of leather carved away will fix that. But it did stune me when I stuffed the weapon in the holster the first time, and watched the magazine rocket away. :)

This may be my best carry weapon that combines the reasonable power of the .40S&W with reasonably small size, good accuracy, and pleasant shooting qualities. I ask myself, "self, why didn't I just start out with this?", and I realize it's all part of my continuing education process. If I hadn't started at Square One with something else, and studied, and pondered, and considered alternatives, I wouldn't have learned enough to ask more informed questions, and look for better answers. Even if I stay with one particular handgun, I'll always be checking out new ideas for holsters, and ammo.

For me, this business is too serious not to go through the arduous (and sometimes costly) process of re-evaluation. I need to have a handgun long enough to put several hundred rounds through it, and study it, inside and outside. I can't do that with a store rental gun, and 50 rounds of ammo, although you can at least decide if you want to buy one for further study based on a quick test drive.

I wouldn't buy a car, leave it in the garage, and then take it out once a year to drive it around the block. I'll reach a point of diminishing returns when it comes to handgun skills, but the subject is too critical to risk having those skills decline through disuse. Especially when a crisis never is polite enough to send advanced warning and allow you to brush up on your skills.

[osagebowman]

Morning Win-Mag: nice target with Ruger, 10s and 9s. Looks like you got a straight shooting sidearm. I like the feel of the Ruger better than the 239. I bet the “Magazine Launch” was a surprise. The LCP, LCR, and SR9 definitely have a following in these parts.

[300winmag]

Looks like you got a straight shooting sidearm. I like the feel of the Ruger better than the 239.

One good thing the Ruger has going for it is that it's striker-fired. That allows the entire barrel and slide to sit lower, and makes it closer to the top of the hand for better handling and accuracy. The H&K P7 is still the all-time champ for that.

[300winmag]

This week's Saturday Night Gun Pron looks at a few minor items that I hope interest some of the folks here.

For example, if you have an H&K SL8 rifle converted into a faux G36 via the BATFE 922r route, you'd be well aware that a genuine G36 30-round magazine costs American citizens about $60 each, plus another $30 for a "USA"-marked floorplate to make it 922r compliant. So it is with great rejoicing that I got some Magpul American-made G36-compatible magazines for $28, or less than the cost of the floorplate.

That's a few dollars more than their highly-respected but run-of-the-mill M16 mags. Save your H&K magazines for the collection, and blast away with the American ones.

In other H&K matters, I put a new faux suppressor on my faux H&K UMP, which was converted via the magic of 922r from a H&K USC. Still a semi-auto carbine, still no suppressor, but at least it looks like it has a genuine H&K factory suppressor that was designed for it.

It's a solid piece of aluminum except for the hole that lets it slip over the barrel. One nice feature is that it extends well inside the forearm, where it is screwed to the plastic, rather than using setscrews to clamp it to the barrel itself. Another nice feature is that it is detailed enough to have all the details right, including a non-working QD mount and proper markings. Mine shoots 200gr .45ACP +P rounds from a 16-inch barrel, and it's obviously not your daddy's MP5.

And for all of the Hobbit Hole gadget-lovers, a new gadget that has high gee-whiz scores, and might even be practical. It's a $5 "survival card" made of .012" stainless steel that weighs .2 ounces, and can be used as a signal mirror, or as various kinds of cutting implements. It's a tiny bit wider, and about 50% longer than a GI dog tag.

DPX Gear is a new company that makes some vey high-end and pricey fixed and folding knives. This gadget is laser-scored on the front and back to break off, making a fine or serrated edge, or a razor. You can also sight through the cut-through lettering, allowing you to aim the polished surface like a signal mirror.

The tag is obviously single-use, and obviously a last-ditch item. Still, you have no excuse no to have some stashed all over the place, which is why I wrote the manufacturer about the possibility of bulk discounts. I started out with five, used one up, kept one, and gave the other three to friends, who absolutely insisted on having one. I have ten more on order, but I could easily use a few dozen by the time I stash them away in various bailout bags and other kit.

And I really mean it when I said "last ditch". The breakaway edges are not very sharp, but much better than using your teeth or fingernails. Just cut slowly and carefully, and try to strop the edge on some hard piece of leather, like the sole of a shoe.

Still, this is superior to using a double-edge razor blade, which is wickedly sharp, but also likely to shatter in your fingers. Nothing worse than major lacerations from your "survival tool" when you're in some sort of crisis situation. Under pressure, this blade will bend, rather than shatter. That's your warning to back off, and maybe think of resharpening the edge, and taking things a bit easier.

This tag is limited in its capabilities, but is infinitely better than nothing at all. It can be stashed, and forgotten, almost anywhere, waiting for that one emergency you hope never happens. But it also brings a big smile to any gadget geek in your life, and all for a measly $5.

[SuziQ]

Heh, am getting caught up on the HH thread, working backwards, and saw your "Coexist" graphic. LOVE it!! But this one is my favorite.

[osagebowman]

Afternoon SuziQ - how did you guys make out on the snow? We’ve heard some areas got quite a bit.

[osagebowman]

Nicely done on the HK. Kudos.

Thanks for the tip on five buck wallet accessory, will probably get a couple.

[Professional Engineer]

Well looky, a HH knife made it to the Texas Cowboy Shoot.

[300winmag]

Well looky, a HH knife made it to the Texas Cowboy Shoot.

I noticed that distinctive pocket clip right away. And you're smart in starting her young. Maybe she will settle for an ordinary M4 carbine, rather than a Barbie or Hello Kitty model. :)

[SuziQ]

We only got about 6-8". A town west and north of here, where a Tea Party friend lives, got 22"!! We didn't lose power at our house; we had some flickers on Sat. night, and the lights went out for a couple of seconds, but that was really all of it. I guess it must have gone off at some time during the night, because the clocks on the kitchen appliances were wrong in the morning, but it must not have stayed off for too long. There are some areas in a couple of neighboring towns that STILL don't have their power back. The kids were all off school today, in all the area towns, and a couple of towns have even postponed Trick-or-Treating until Thursday, because with the power out, there are no street lights.

The biggest problem was that the heavy, wet snow fell on trees that still had their leaves on them, and the branches either drooped onto power lines, or they broke and fell on the lines. There are a lot of limbs down, all over our town, and the neighboring ones.

[Ramius]

Nice, mister Mag. So... Have you considered going the route of getting a ~real~ suppressor? Its only an extra $200 tax, which, all things considered, is not so bad on top of the obscene prices for those things. And dang... They’re fun. Is your state still one of the goobered ones?

I’m anxious... My ATF approval should be coming through any time now (four months!) for my .22 and .45 suppressors. Any time now... Already have a Ruger mk3 with a threaded bbl, and have a 1911 threaded bbl that I think (but haven’t tried yet) will fit my Kimber.

Word is, my .45 suppressor is supposed to also work acceptably well on a 9mm. I’ve been searching in vain for a threaded barrel that fits a S&W 39-2 that I have, with no joy.

[300winmag]

Have you considered going the route of getting a ~real~ suppressor? Its only an extra $200 tax, which, all things considered, is not so bad on top of the obscene prices for those things. And dang... They’re fun. Is your state still one of the goobered ones?

There has been a vey low-key announcement by the state attorney general that the 1934 state gun laws (based on model laws written after NFA 1934), does mean what it says, and, yes, if BATFE approves, NFA goodies are legal after all. 70+ years of RAT attorneys general had maintained the exact opposite, using the Clintonian logic of "it depends on what your definition of 'is' is."

My buddy, who had a Class III FFL prior to the Clinton regime, says the word is out to wait until after the first of the year. He has some cans in his plans, and is also looking to go into Title II manufacturing. I can wait a few months more.

Besides, while that $200 tax stamp is now almost laughably cheap in today's world, that little bit of plumbing is obscenely expensive. If I get one, I'll get threaded barrels for my Glock 21 and Sig P220 for starters. I'm more interested in going the SBR route, and if my buddy gets the manufacturer's license, SBRs and full-auto conversions become possible, and perhaps even affordable.

I'm puzzled about the total silence from the leftists. They had multiple cows over "shall issue", so I can't believe they will let this go without some high-power hysteria on their part. They probably have a lot of shoes on hand, ready to drop.

[Overtaxed]

[300winmag]

Tonight's Saturday Night Gun Pron is another installment in what seems to be my never-ending search for wisdom in concealed carry. After much soul-searching, brought on by asking myself more informed questions, I committed Glock again.

On the right is a Glock 33 in .357Sig. The package is almost identical in size to my still-viable Ruger SR40c. They are both designed around the same basic cartridge, and I would love to have a .357Sig barrel for the Ruger, but alas, nobody makes one.

I've learned that the Ruger has the sexier, and bit more comfy, shape due to the fact that the angle of the grip is less steep, and the dual-stack magazine is "stacked" less densely than the Glock, making it one finger longer, and a bit slimmer. The Glock is about as skooshed-up as possible, but both magazines hold nine rounds. Still, the Glock 33 is positively tiny compared to the Glock 21, which, aside from long-slide models, is about as big as Glocks get.

Having extra barrels for my Sig P229 and P239 in .357Sig helped me reconsider my choice of calibers, again. The .357Sig, a necked-down .40S&W case, was designed to propel medium-to-light .355" bullets several hundred FPS faster than regular 9mm or .38 rounds. Energy, on paper, approximates .45ACP, but with less recoil. Many police agencies and other users, including the Secret Service, have done performance tests that show a good combination of accuracy, low recoil, and enhanced lethality. Many of the loads are supersonic, even in short-barreled handguns, giving it a scary bark along with a nasty bite.

As with my other Glocks, I have a few "must-have" accessories on order. Trijicon sights and a tungsten double-spring recoil guide are important. The factory barrel is better supported, and closer to SAAMI specs than the "loose" Glock factory .45 barrel, so I didn't need a replacement, although I did order a .40S&W barrel from Bar-Sto. These $215 barrels have enabled me to have the equivalent of two or three handguns at once, and have proven to be a great investment. My next trip to the range will provide a comparison between the Glock 33 and my trusty Sig P229 in .357Sig. Swap barrels, and both become different handguns.

Another gadget I ordered, but may not install right away, is a Hatfield Gunsmithing "Tactical Racker" for Glocks. I have one on my Glock 21 and 36 due to the super-slippery finish on the slide of the G36. It was so slick I could not get a reliable grip on it when retracting the slide. This aluminum piece, which replaces the plastic slide cover, not only fixes the "slippery" problem, but also allows one-handed slide manipulation using a table, door jamb, or even shoe heel.

The only downside for me is getting poked in the side a bit with IWB carry. Since the G33 slide isn't so slippery, I may not install it, but it's always good to have it in the parts drawer, rather than trying to order only to find out that they won't make another batch for four months, which recently happened with the Demon Tactical takedown pin for the AR15. With luck, I'll have a range report next week.

My Remington 870 Tactical also received an upgrade. It's a new stock from Mesa Tactical, and it seems to be a vey practical and comfy modification. There are probably now a half-dozen ways to mount a sling on this shotgun, although I can only use one at a time.

My only quibble is their logo. Unless it's the arctic, or an explosive atmosphere, my instinctive reaction is to associate a masked face with "bad guy". Liberals not only have cows over "ugly guns", but "ugly advertising", too.

I've seen too many times some statist holding a box of ammo with some scary name or image on it, and spouting some BS. That's why my marketing plan would involve packaging defensive ammo in boxes with image of puppies and kittens, and a name like "fluffy bunnies". Can you imaging Schmuck Shumer trying to incite hysteria while denouncing something packaged like that? :)

[ExGeeEye]

fluffy bunnies of Caerbannogh...

[300winmag]

This special Black Friday edition of Saturday Night Gun Pron is to announce that Brownells has proclaimed this day to also be Black Rifle Friday

Between my parts bin, and Black Friday specials at Brownells, Midway USA, and Amazon, I'm putting together (yet) another "budget M4". However, due to a SUPER special price on a complete upper, it will be a gas piston M4.

No pictures yet, but that's because most of the parts are still in the supply pipeline. Still, it was nice, and economical, to have assorted pins, springs, sights, and tools on hand already.

Again, I hadn't planned on this until all the sales started coming together today, but this is my way to have an example of a gas-piston AR15 at a reasonable do-it-myself, tune-it-myself price.

[osagebowman]

Ah Yes, received that same email offer. Temptation is rearing its head again. Must resist.

Hope we’ll see the new one in a range report soon.

Didn’t otherwise participate in the BF madness. Not even the Cabella’s ‘you might win a nice rifle in an obscure caliber’ would tempt me to brave that ‘first 500 through the door’. Shudder.