Pokin' Holes

C & E Gun Shows comes to Hickory in June

2010-06-22T06:22:00.001-04:00

Good news! The C & E Gun Shows is making its way back to Hickory, North Carolina on Saturday and Sunday, June 26th & 27th. The show will be held at the Hickory Metro Convention Center. Saturday hours are 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Sunday hours are 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Admission fee is $8.00 for adults and children 12 and under are free with a paying adult. You can save a little money by printing the "Get A Dollar Off Coupon".

For handgun purchases, have your North Carolina Concealed Handgun Permit or get one or more purchase permits from your local sheriff. Here is a map to the show:

I’ve been busy at the range.

2010-02-21T18:44:00.001-05:00

I had the urge to lighten my ammo boxes. The best way to do it is to shoot some targets! Over the past few weeks I did just that. Here are some of the results.

I have been having a lot of fun with my new Ruger 10/22. I converted it to a “Ruger Taptical 22” using the Tapco 10/22 Intrafuse stock and a few other goodies. This has transformed it into a great little shooter. I will do a review on it in the near future. Until then, here are a few targets.

Ruger Taptical 22 – 25-Yards – 4x Scope

(Click for full size target)

I was using a 2x-6x variable scope. I bought it many years ago for my SKS, but, never used it. It is a compact scope and looks good on the Ruger. The black circle is 1-inch in diameter. This is just about a 1/2-inch group. This is the final group after adjusting the scope. Wow, I am very happy with that.

Ruger Taptical 22 – 10-Yards – 2x Scope

(Click for full size target)

Next, I set the target at 10-yards and used the steel lip version of the Butler Creek 25-round magazines. I was shooting semi-rapid fire. I fired just under a second per round. A good substitute for a red-dot scope is a low power scope. I set the variable scope to 2x. You don’t have the low light capabilities of a red-dot, but, it is just about as quick to acquire the target. With a few exceptions, the 25-rounds made a one hole group. I love this rifle!

I had some 9mm ammo screaming to fly so I brought out the Taurus 92SS pistol. This is a sweet shooting handgun. I had a Beretta 92F several years ago, but, I like the Taurus better. One reason is the Taurus has the safety on the frame, not the slide. It just feels more natural there.

Taurus 92SS – 7-Yards – 5-Shot group

(Click for full size target)

The Taurus 92SS is a double-action pistol. The first pull of the trigger is heavy and subsequent trigger pulls are single action. The first shot on this target landed low-left. This is typical for me with a double action trigger. The rest are in the 9 and 10 ring. By the way…If you need a magazine for your Taurus 92, buy the Mec-Gar magazines. They are the best!

Finally, I had to shoot my IO AK47-C rifle. I decided to use the iron sights and went to Shooters Express to adjust the front sight.

IO AK47-C – 25-Yards – Iron sights

(Click for full size target)

I recently shot the AK with iron sights at 100-yards with fantastic results. More on that later. The IO AK keeps impressing me.

I hope you enjoyed sharing my target shooting activities. I have several projects in the works and will document them later. Until then…Lock and load!

Accessories: Barska Ruger 10/22 Flash Hider

2010-02-04T15:11:00.001-05:00

I have been adding accessories to my Ruger 10/22 rifle. In addition to the fantastic Tapco Intrafuse 10/22 stock, I added a Barska Muzzle Brake/Flash Hider. This is marketed under several brand names, but, I think they are all the same.

Does a .22 rifle need a muzzle brake or flash hider? No, but I think it looks good on my Ruger 10/22 Taptical (Tapco Tactical) rifle! And at only $10.00 on sale at Amazon.com, it was a very affordable addition.

The quality of the body is very good, but, the set screw and supplied Allen wrench are crap! The metal is so soft that it easily strips when you try to tighten it enough to stay in place. It happened to me. The hex opening at the top of the set screw deformed enough to not allow it to be tightened. No problem! Just head down to the hardware store and get a new one.

I first tried the “big box” hardware stores. What a waste of time. They don’t have crap as far as true “hardware” goes! They suggested to try an auto parts store. I tried one of those, too! They suggested to try a local hardware store. You know, one of those that have been around for decades and have several rows of screws, nuts, bolts, and any imaginable connector. Luckily, there was one in town.

Sure enough, they were able to match the set screw. It took a while, but the person helping me would not give up. It is an unusual size, but, here it is in case anyone reading this has the same problem:

4mm x 5mm x .70-thread

The metal on these U.S. made set screws are very hard. They didn’t show any signs of weakening when I really put the torque to it. I will post a review of this and other accessories on an upcoming review of the Ruger 10/22 Taptical rifle.

‘Weapon Shield’: The new standard in firearms cleaning.

2010-01-18T01:00:00.001-05:00

If you shoot often you also clean your firearms often. There are many fine products out there, but, wouldn’t you like to have just one do it all? I think I have finally found that one. Weapon Shield by Steel Shield Technologies is that one.

Cleaning products for firearms are plentiful. Knowing which ones to use is often a matter of opinion. In recent years synthetics have come to the fore front of firearms cleaning and protection. The advantage of synthetic lubricants is that they can withstand higher temperatures, don’t evaporate like petroleum based products, and don’t attract dust like regular gun oil does. The obvious choice was Break Free CLP.

Break Free CLP is a fine product and does the job well. I have used it for quite a while, but, have always been concerned about two things. First, it does clean the bore, but, not as well as a dedicated product like Hoppe’s No. 9 solvent. Second, Break Free CLP contains solvents and you need to take some precautions with ventilation when using it. Consequently, I used both Hoppe’s No. 9 solvent and Break Free CLP to effectively clean my firearms. This worked well, but, I still wanted a single product to do it all.

I was watching a YouTube video by Nuntnfancy, Gunsmithing the 1911: Trigger Job by “Terry G”. In this series of videos, Terry Gardner of Impact Guns tunes-up a model 1911 Taurus and uses a new lubricant…Weapon Shield. He spoke highly of it, so, I thought I would give it a try.

I was placing an order with Midway USA and saw that they had Weapons Shield. The price was right, $8.79, so I ordered the 4-oz. bottle. When it arrived, I noticed the the information of the bottle said Weapon Shield contains no solvents and was non-toxic. I must admit, the first thoughts after reading this was, “this will not clean a gun”. But after using it on my new Ruger 10/22 Tapco Tactical rifle (review coming), I was sold! Weapon Shield pulled all the gunk and grime out of the barrel. There was no harsh smell while using Weapon Shield. This cleaner/lubricant/protectant has considerable viscosity. It wouldn’t just run off during storage. Since Weapon Shield is a synthetic, there was very little dust attraction like with petroleum products.

I looked up the material safety data sheet for Weapon Shield and it confirms that no solvents are used, it is not flammable under normal conditions, and is non-toxic. None of this would be important if it didn’t work, but, it does work…And works well!

I think I have found the perfect weapon cleaner. Steel Shield Technologies has a real winner. I recommend that you give it a try. I don’t think you will be disappointed.

Back to basics. Open sights

2010-01-03T20:07:00.001-05:00

I have been relying on optics too much! I have been using the excuse of having old eyes to justify my departure from the basics of target and recreational shooting. I have just reestablished my “love” for iron or open sights.

I have been trying to find a red-dot scope for my IO AK47-C rifle. The problem is that to mount an optic, I have to mount it forward of the receiver! Yes, over the barrel. This just reeks havoc with the balance of the rifle. It becomes very nose-heavy and uncomfortable to carry and shoot. I know there are some options out there to bring the optics closer to your eyes, but none have been very appealing to me. So I decided to use a novel approach to this problem. Use the iron sights!

I have to wear bifocal glasses and using iron sights on many rifles are problematic. Most American rifle designs have the rear sight closer to the eyes. The AK-47 sight system has the rear sight a good distance forward. This actually helps those with older eyes like mine!

AK-47 Rifle

So, I quit messing around with trying to get a red-dot scope to work for me and forced myself to use the rifle as it was intended. I took my rifle in the back yard and used a laser bore sighter to align the iron sights. This will get me very close to my final adjustment of the sights.

When you are zeroing a battle rifle like the AK-47, you want it to be accurate over several distances. When you zero it properly, the AK-47 with the rear sight set on “battle” setting will give good results on all ranges up to 300-meters. I have researched the procedure to this and found the following:

Set the rear sight to the 100-meter setting. Most AK’s have a graduated sight with 1-10 or 1-8. Each number represents 100-meters. (i.e. 5 is equal to 500-meters).
Set your target to 25-meters (82-feet).
Adjust your front sight so you are hitting the bull’s eye dead center
After you are hitting the bull’s eye at 25-meters, set your rear sight to the “battle setting”. This is the lowest setting on the rear sight. Mine says “P”. You should now be effective up to 300-meters without adjusting the rear sight.

The adjustment on the AK-47 is done on the front sight. Windage and elevation can be made easily if you have the proper tool. Tapco makes a front sight adjustment tool that will work for the AK-47 and the SKS.

AK-47 / SKS Sight Adjustment Tool

I went to Shooters Express in Belmont, North Carolina. They have an indoor range for rifles. It is only 25-yards, but adequate for setting my iron sights. I took 40-rounds of “good” ammo. You can’t shoot anything with steel in the bullet. So no cheap Wolf or Bear ammo. I had a couple boxes of PMC 7.62x39 ammo. I have had them for more than 10-years and thought it was time to use it. I was very happy with the results. Here is a sample:

Five shots at 25-yards. Click for full target.

The white circle in the above picture is 1” in diameter. Not bad for an old fart with bad eyes using iron sights! I think I will use my AK with the sights it came with. Red-dot scopes are a good thing, but they do add weight and if you have an AK, the position you will probably have to mount is is very inconvenient and throws off the balance of the weapon. The feeling of satisfaction you get when shooting well with simple iron sights can’t be equaled with optics. With optics, you expect to shoot well.

Beretta U22 Neos shooting session

2009-10-25T20:20:00.001-04:00

I went out Saturday with my “newest, new” Beretta U22 Neos. I call it that because it is the second new one I have had. As written in previous posts, I purchased the U22 and had a small problem right out of the box. The rear sight would not adjust. I hesitated sending it back to Davidson’s because it shot so darn well! I wondered if the replacement would shot like the first.

Beretta U22 Neos .22LR Target Pistol

I don’t think it’s luck. I think Beretta has made a near perfect .22-target pistol. The second one shoots just as good as the first. I have owned and do own .22LR semi-automatic pistols. I have read many reviews of such and there is always one reoccurring theme. They can be picky about the ammo you feed it!. I used to own a Ruger Mark II pistol. I loved the gun and kick myself for selling it. It was very accurate, but, you had to feed it a particular brand and type of ammo to get consistent feeding. Even so, there was an occasional hiccup. The same can be said about the Taurus PT22 I have. If I try to feed it anything other than CCI Mini-mags, it will not feed well.

The Beretta U22 Neos breaks the mold! I have fed it several types of ammo. I have fired over 500-rounds through two different pistols without even one malfunction! Beretta has got it right.

My older eyes don’t get along with iron sights. I usually try to add a red-dot scope to the firearm if possible. But, I wanted to give the U22’s iron sights a try. I did much better than I thought I would! Here is an example:

Five rounds from a Beretta U22 using iron sites at 7-yards.

Not bad! The U22 has a Weaver-type rail system so why not add a red-dot scope?

I added my cheap red-dot scope I have used on other guns. It’s is no where near the quality of a EOtech or AimPoint, but, it serves my purposes. Here are the results using the red-dot scope:

Three rounds from a Beretta U22 using a red-dot at 15-yards.

WOW! I doubled the distance and reduced the pattern by half.

I just love my new Beretta U22 Neos. It is fun and inexpensive to shoot. I can see that if you used a 4-power scope, you could make decent shots at 50-yards and beyond. I will be on the lookout for such a scope.

If you are in the market for a .22LR target pistol, consider the U22. It sells for around $250. I would highly recommend getting it through Gallery of Guns. They can ship it to your local FFL dealer and you will have the “lifetime replacement guarantee”.

This is why I will only buy from Davidson’s

2009-10-25T11:20:00.001-04:00

Davidson’s Online is a firearms distributor for many FFL dealers as well as running Gallery of Guns. Gallery of Guns is a website where you can shop for firearms and select from a list of FFL dealers to finalize the purchase.

I have purchased several firearms from Gallery of Guns. One of the main reasons I like them is that they offer a “Lifetime Replacement Guarantee”. Most people will never have to use that feature, but it is a comfort knowing you have it!

I recently purchased a Beretta U22 Neos. This is a fine .22-caliber target pistol, but there was a problem. The rear sight is adjustable…At least it was supposed to be. Mine would not let you turn the screw to adjust the windage. The screw was so “stuck” that it broke the adjustment tool!

I considered sending it to Beretta for repair, but I remembered I had the “Lifetime Replacement Guarantee” with my Gallery of Guns purchase. I called Gallery of Guns and explained the problem and that it was present right out of the box. They were fantastic! There were no accusing questions that often follow when you report a problem. She found the details of my purchase and said she still had the U22 in stock. She reserved one for me. This is important because of the firearm shortage going on right now. All I had to do was take the pistol back to the FFL dealer that finalized the purchase.

I took my U22 back to Bull’s Eye Sporting Goods. There was a prepaid shipping label waiting. Once the firearm has shipped, Davidson’s shipped the replacement. Yes, a brand new firearm was shipped before they even examined the pistol! Now that’s customer service.

I can not recommend Gallery of Guns enough. Their prices are reasonable. Sometimes they may be a little more that you can find at a gun show, but, the peace of mind you get is priceless.

C & E Gun Shows comes to Hickory in November

2009-10-21T11:55:00.001-04:00

Good news! The C & E Gun Shows is making its way back to Hickory, North Carolina on Saturday and Sunday, November 7th and 8th. The show will be held at the Hickory Metro Convention Center. Saturday hours are 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Sunday hours are 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Admission fee is $8.00 for adults and children 12 and under are free with a paying adult. You can save a little money by printing the "Get A Dollar Off Coupon".

For handgun purchases, have your North Carolina Concealed Handgun Permit or be prepared and apply for and get one or more purchase permits from your local sheriff. Here is a map to the show:

Gallery of Guns

2009-10-16T11:45:00.001-04:00

When you want to purchase a new firearm, you may want to consider Gallery of Guns. Gallery of Guns is the internet sales site for the Davidson’s distributer. Davidson’s distributes to many FFL dealers and always has a good selection of guns available at a very reasonable price.

The way Gallery of Guns works is that you go online and find the gun you wish to purchase. You will then be asked for your zip code. Gallery of Guns will display FFL dealers in your area that will receive and finalize the purchase. Different dealers will have different prices. They basically “bid” against each other by accepting different margins of profit. Once you find the dealer you want, you will pay a small down payment with the rest due when you pickup the firearm.

One great thing about buying a gun from Gallery of Guns is that they offer a lifetime replacement guarantee! If your firearms fails due to a manufacturer's defect, they will replace the firearm!

Nutnfancy has made a couple videos of the Davidson’s facility. It is very interesting and worth a look. Here are the YouTube videos:

The Beretta U22 Neos. Affordable fun!

2009-10-04T23:49:00.001-04:00

Well I went out and did it. I bought a new gun! With the expense of ammunition, I needed something affordable to shoot. I was looking for a .22LR target pistol. I had narrowed it down to either the Ruger 22/45 MKIII or the Beretta U22 Neos.

Many years ago, I owned a Ruger MKII with the bull barrel. This was the steel frame model. This pistol was a joy to shoot. It was very accurate. The grip was angled like the old Luger pistol. This is viewed by many to be the perfect angle for natural aiming. The workmanship on the Ruger was top-notch. But I was looking for something a little different.

Ruger MKII With Bull Barrel

I have had a Beretta pistol before; the 92F. It was one of the finest pistols I have ever owned. I was very impressed with the craftsmanship of the gun. Beretta also makes a .22LR plinker. The U22 Neos.

Beretta U22 Neos

The Neos is Greek for “new”. And by looking at the gun, new is a good description. It looks like something out of a Star Wars movie. Just because it has the Beretta name on it doesn’t mean it is a good pistol, so I did some research on it. I didn’t find anything negative about the Neos. Just the opposite. Everything I found points to a well made and fun to shoot pistol.

The Ruger 22/45 and the Beretta U22 Neos both have polymer frames. Both are about the same weight. Both reliable and made well. So what made me choose the Beretta? Two things made me gravitate towards the Beretta Neos. First, it has the same grip angle as the more expensive Ruger steel frame pistol. Second, the Beretta is by far easier to field strip and maintain. If you ever owned a Ruger 22 semi-automatic pistol, you know that it can be a bear to take down and reassemble. I know a story of someone who sold the Ruger pistol cheap because he couldn’t reassemble it!

Ruger 22/45 MK III Pistol

The Beretta U22 Neos is a breeze to take down and reassemble. It is a much simpler and modern design. The Ruger 22 has been around for quite a while and has changed very little. Unlike the Ruger, the Neos is a striker fire design. This cuts way down on complexity of design.

Beretta U22 Neos Striker Fire System

Both pistols were selling for the $250 level and both are very well made high-value pistols. The two things that sealed the deal for the Beretta was the ease of field stripping and the styling. You just gotta love the looks of it!

When my new pistol arrived I noticed that the fit, finish, and quality was as I expected from Beretta. It was just fantastic. The feel of the action was solid. The angle and contour of the grip fits naturally in my hand. This makes makes aiming effortless. There was one problem that I have found, though. The Neos has an adjustable rear sight, but the windage adjustment screw will not budge! Beretta supplied an adjustment tool that has a flat head screwdriver for adjusting the sight. I used enough pressure to break the tool trying to adjust the sight. I have emailed Beretta to see how to get this fixed. I am sure they will correct the problem.

As you can see in the pictures in this article, the Beretta U22 Neos has a Weaver-type rail attached to the barrel. This is important as I have mentioned in previous postings that my “old” eyes don’t like iron sights. I added the red/green dot scope that I used on my Marlin rifle. I just love it! As you can see by the target, it allows me to shoot very accurate…Even with old eyes!

10-Rounds at 7-yards using CCI Mini-Mags

The target above shows a 10-shot group at 7-yards. The white circle is 1-inch in diameter. I am not the best marksman around. I am very impressed with the performance of the Beretta Neos. I shot at 25-yards and got most of the rounds in the 4-inch black circle. I will work on that!

On the two days of shooting the Beretta U22 Neos, I fires about 300-rounds. I used three types of ammo. CCI Mini-Mag round nose 40GR copper coated bullets, Winchester Super Speed round nose 40GR copper coated bullets, and Federal 36-grain hollow point copper coated bullets in the bulk pack. It fed all three types of bullets without even one malfunction. Out of the box, the Beretta was 100%. As usual, the CCI Mini-Mags shot best, but not by much! Even the cheaper Federal ammo performed well with the Beretta. The reliability may in part be due to the Beretta magazines. These are fantastic and among the best I have ever seen for a handgun. The spring and follower are extra smooth in operation and the finish of the magazine body is superb. Good job, Beretta!

Now that I have the scope zeroed in, I can take it in the woods and plink! I love shooting the steel reactive targets with a .22 pistol or rifle. The red/green dot scope will make target acquisition fast and accurate. And being a pistol shooting the .22LR round, I can shoot all day and not break the bank!

It has been a long time since I owned a .22 target pistol. I look forward to shooting thousands of rounds through it. Hey, trigger time is trigger time! I love shooting .22’s as much as the bigger rounds. And with the cost savings, I can participate as often as I like.

Note: All images except the target have been borrowed from the internet.

Charlotte Gun Show in October.

2009-10-01T11:07:00.001-04:00

The Dixie Gun and Knife Classic Gun Shows is having an event in Charlotte, North Carolina on October 24th and 25th. This is a good opportunity to stock up on ammo and look for that hard to find gun.

This gun show will be at the Metrolina Expo Center. The doors open on Saturday at 9:00 AM and close at 5:00 PM. On Sunday, the hours are 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Admission is $7.00 for adults and children under 12 are free with paying adult. You can get a $1.00 off coupon here.

Shooting the Marlin model 60 rifle

2009-09-21T00:20:00.001-04:00

The oldest rifle I own is the Marlin model 60. This is an inexpensive .22LR semi-automatic rifle. It holds 18-rounds in the tubular magazine. I don’t know exactly, but I think I have owned this rifle more than 20-years.

I added a red/green dot sight to it. As I mentioned before, my old eyes don’t like iron sights. I found a cheap Walther 1x30 red/green dot scope that will either mount to a Weaver/Picatinny rail or the grooved receivers on many .22 rifles. All you have to do is reverse the built in mount. This sight is non-magnified and is great for quick and accurate target acquisition.

The Walther 1x30 red/green dot scope works great on my Marlin 60 .22 rifle. It has Picatinny rails on it to attach a laser or light. There is a dot size and color selector. I think the dot is about a 5-MOA size dot. At 25-yards, the dot covers about two-thirds of a 4-inch circle.

The Marlin model 60 is just a fantastic little tack driver. The wood stock is cut for an adult length of pull and had a nice cheek weld. The iron sites are “ok”, but you start to see its true potential when you add a scope. The barrel has what is called “micro-groves”. This has 16 smaller grooves that is marketed to be more accurate. I can attest to that fact!

Yesterday, I tried three different brands of ammo. The Federal 36-grain hollow point in the bulk pack. You know…The cheap stuff at the mart store. The Winchester Super Speed round nose. This is 40-grain copper plated ammo that is traveling at around 1300 FPS. The last is the CCI Mini-mag which is 40-grain round nose, copper plated ammo.

I was not surprised by the cheap Federal bulk pack ammo. It is fun to shoot, but not very accurate. I was shooting about 4-inch groups at 25-yards. I guess you get what you pay for.

A big surprise was the Winchester Super Speed ammo. The ammo fed 100% but wasn’t as accurate as I expected. It shot about 2-1/2-inch groups at 25-yards.

The CCI Mini-mag ammo really shinned…Again! This ammo is the most consistent .22 LR ammo I have every used. I get the same results from a box I buy today as one from last year. It cycles 100% and gives consistent accuracy performance.

In the image above, the white circle is 1-inch in diameter. What you see is a 1/2” group using a 5-MOA green dot non-magnified scope on the Marlin model 60 .22 LR rifle at 25-yards from a seated position. Click on the image to see the full target.

The Marlin 60 rifle has always been very accurate. More accurate than anything I have. When using good ammunition like the CCI Mini-mags, you can drive tacks!

Taurus PT-22 magazine modification

2009-09-20T23:34:00.001-04:00

(Click on any image to enlarge)

I have had a Taurus PT-22 “pocket pistol” for many years. It has served me well, but I have noticed a certain “quark” that I have finally fixed.

The factory magazine for the PT-22 has a finger grip extension. For those with smaller hands, I guess this would work well, but, my pinky finger puts pressure on it skewing the alignment ever so slightly. This sometimes causes misfeeds. To solve this problem I would drop my pinky finger below the extension relieving the pressure. I was afraid that if I ever had to use the pistol for its intended purpose, I may be under enough stress to forget this “solution”.

The picture above depicts the Taurus PT-22 and magazine as it originally came from the factory with the exception of the fine Pearce wrap-around rubber grip. Notice the grip extension on the bottom of the magazine. I never did like it. Now I have solved the problem.

Use an Allen wrench or punch to disassemble the magazine. I think most of you know how to do this so I will not go into great detail.

Use caution when removing the floor plate from the magazine. The spring will shoot across the room if you don’t retain it with you finger. You now have the magazine disassembled enough to make this minor modification.

Take a flat head screwdriver to remove the screw holding the plastic magazine extension to the metal floor plate. Now separate the floor plate from the magazine extension. Keep the screw and magazine extension as you may want to put it back the way it was later.

Now reassemble the magazine. There will be a “dimple” protruding from the bottom of the metal floor plate that is only cosmetic and causes no functioning problems. Here is the finished project.

The removal of the magazine extension makes the gun more comfortable for me. The overall size is reduced, a little, which only helps it to be a more effective concealed-carry weapon.

I really enjoy the Taurus PT-22 pistol. It makes a good “summer” carry gun. Some think that .22 LR rounds are underpowered. They are right! Most pistol ammunition are underpowered. This pocket rocket is very accurate up to 7-yards. I can routinely get all nine rounds in a 3-inch group at 7-yards. And this is handheld and semi-rapid firing. I feel safe with my little friend!

AR-15 or AK-47? That is the question!

2009-09-07T21:07:00.002-04:00

As you may have read in my article about the IO AK47-C, I had to face this decision. One thing that helped me is the YouTube series of videos by Nutnfancy. Here is the playlist of the five videos. It is rather long, but well worth the watch.

IO Inc. AK47-C Review

2009-09-07T15:37:00.002-04:00

(Click on any image to enlarge)

I have been getting a lot of visitors looking for a review on the IO AK47-C rifle. I needed to use the rifle a lot before giving my 2-cents worth. Three months ago I decided to buy a tactical rifle. The obvious choices were the AR-15 (figure 1) or the AK-47 (figure 2). Technically speaking, the AK-47, in most cases are actually an AKM rifle. There are very minor changes between the two and to most people, they are the same. The AR-15 was a little out of my price range and I had concerns about a “direct

(figure 1) AR-15

impingement” firearm. Also, an actual AK-47 type rifle has some import considerations that you must be aware of, otherwise, you could be breaking the law! So what to do?

(figure 2) AK-47

I thought I had the perfect solution to my dilemma. Kel-Tec makes the SU-16C rifle. The SU-16 series of Kel-Tec rifles use the same ammunition and magazines as the M-16/AR-15 rifle. They are similar in many ways except one very big difference. The SU-16 rifle uses a gas piston system similar to the AK-47! This, in my opinion, makes for a more reliable firearm. The receiver will be much cooler and cleaner than the AR-15’s direct impingement system. The SU-16C version (figure 3) has a folding stock and is very light weight. They usually run about $200 less than the low-end AR-15’s currently on the market. There was just one

(figure 3) Kel-Tec SU-16C

problem…It is nearly impossible to find one! The firearm shortage and high prices have caused an extreme shortage of the SU-16C. Again, what to do?

I have owned a Chinese SKS rifle (figure 4) for about 15-years. The SKS uses the same ammunition as the AK-47…The 7.62x39mm rifle cartridge. Over the years, I have accumulated a small, but, respectable supply of these cartridges. The SKS is a great rifle, but not suitable for a tactical carbine. It is too heavy

(figure 4) SKS Rifle

and has a fixed (non-removable) box magazine that holds 10-rounds. I was gravitating towards the AK-47 type rifle since I was familiar with it’s ammunition and I had a supply of it. If I purchased a rifle using the 5.56 NATO round like the AR-15 and SU-16, I would have to invest in a supply of ammo, and at today’s prices, that could break the bank! The only issue I had with an AK-47 rifle was dealing with the legal restrictions mentioned above. Once again…What to do?

After doing a little research, I found out that there was an AK-47 that was completely manufactured in the United States! This allowed me to make minor modifications without worrying about the 922R compliance laws. I could change things like the hand guards and magazine without wondering if I just made the rifle illegal. IO Inc. in Monroe, North Carolina is making a U.S. AK-47!

The IO AK47-C (figure 5) is made in several variants. Usually the stock and hand guards are changed. I found a dealer in Charlotte that had the IO AK47-C in stock. I drove to Hyatt Guns to look at the rifle before I plopped down $600 or more! The salesman behind the counter was very nice and knowledgeable. He let me

(figure 5) IO Inc. AK47-C

see the rifle. I was pleasantly surprised! The rifle had a very good look and finish. It appeared well made. I decided that I would buy this rifle. There was only one problem. I priced this rifle on Davidson’s Gallery of Guns at around $600. Hyatt’s wanted $799 before taxes! I told the counter help about the price I was looking at and asked if they could do anything about their price. After taking it to the boss, he came back with a price of $700 not including tax. The price at Davidson’s was $629 including shipping and tax shipped to my local gun dealer. This also included all transfer fees! I just couldn’t pay that much difference to save a week’s wait.

The IO AK47-C I finally purchased had a Galil-type forearm and an RPK-style butt stock (see figure 5 above). I was not fond of the Galil forearm because it was a bit big and blocky looking. It turned out to not be a problem because I was planning to replace the forearm anyway. A little about that later. The RPK style stock turned out to be a very good asset after testing the rifle. If you ever fired the AK-47 type rifle, you know that it has a tendency to have a good bit of muzzle rise up and to the right. This is due to two things. When the bullet leaves the barrel, the muzzle will rise and press back to your shoulder. Due to the design of the original AK-47 butt stock, a pivot point (figure 6) is created that makes the whole rifle pivot and rise at that point. The IO AK47-C has

(figure 6) Pivot point

two devices to reduce this effect drastically! First, there is a “slant” muzzle break/flash hider. This redirects the gasses at the muzzle up and to the right, thus countering the natural muzzle rise. Also, the RPK style butt stock greatly reduces the pivot point of the original AK-47 butt stock and directs the recoil

(figure 7) Reduced muzzle rise

straight back into the shoulder (figure 7) much like the AR-15’s butt stock. This keeps you on target for subsequent shots.

When I received the IO AK47-C rifle, I was very pleased with the fit and finish. It came with a cleaning kit, sling, and users manual. It did not come with the cleaning rod that resides under the barrel. I noticed that it came with a 30-round Thermold polymer magazine. It felt cheap and I didn’t feel confident with it. But, I loaded it up with 30-rounds of ammo and went out to test my new rifle. As I posted in a previous entry, the magazine would not stay in the magazine well! Every time I fired the rifle, the magazine would drop to the ground. I didn’t think it was the rifle, but a crappy magazine. I resorted to firing single fire just to see if the rifle functioned well. It did, but I needed to get a new magazine to fully test the IO AK47-C.

I called IO Inc. and told them about the magazine. They quickly shipped me a new, metal magazine. It fit well and fixed the magazine problem. Now that I have a decent magazine, I went back out to test the rifle. This made all the difference in the world. I fired round after round without any failures of any kind. The rifle was accurate…More accurate that I was!

After firing a couple magazines without any hiccups, I brought the rifle home to clean it. The field strip procedure is the same as any other AK-47. It is very simple and fast. I was extremely surprised at how clean the receiver area was. The gas piston system keeps most of the crap out of the receiver. I cleaned the bore, gas tube, and gas piston. The other parts, didn’t require extensive cleaning. I just wiped them off with a patch. I was very happy with the function of the rifle and the ease of maintenance.

The IO AK47-C uses the Tapco G2 AK trigger group. I was very surprised at how clean and crisp it is. This is a good choice of trigger groups and it counts towards 922R compliance if you are using an imported AK-47.

One problem with some imported AK-47’s is sight canting. This is when either the front sight or rear sight block is set off center. This can make sighting the rifle very difficult. I saw no such canting with my IO AK47-C. Sight alignment between the rear and front sight looks perfect.

The IO AK47-C uses a Tapco slanted muzzle break (figure 8). I think this is a fantastic choice! It keeps the original look of an AK-47 and helps counter the muzzle rise present in the AK-47. The

(figure 8) Tapco Slant Muzzle Break

muzzle break is removable and has a standard AK-47 threaded barrel. You can change the muzzle break if you wish. Again, since it is made in the U.S.A., you don’t have to worry about 922R compliance when changing the muzzle device.

The butt stock was new to me. I found out later that it is an RPK style butt stock. If you are an AK-47 purist, you will not like this butt stock. I do. I like the looks of it and it does away with the traditional butt stock pivot point causing the rifle to rise with each shot. The RPK style butt stock directs the recoil straight back into your shoulder, thus reducing muzzle rise. Good job, IO!

The pistol grip looks a little funny, but it works great! It is a little larger than the original pistol grip. This is good since the original is small for most of us in America. I see no need to replace it. Another good job, IO.

The Galil forearm, pistol grip, and RPK style butt stock are polymer. Again, if you are purist, you will not like this, but I do like polymer furniture. It also gives the whole rifle the “black rifle” look.

One drawback of the AK-47 design is that it isn’t “optic” friendly. This means it isn’t easy to put a red-dot or telescopic scope on it. Some do come with a side-rail for scope mounts, but mine didn’t. I could kill two birds with one stone! Add a rail system for optics and other accessories and replace the bulky Galil forearm. I chose the UTG Quad Rail System. This system costs around $60 and is very easy to install. It allows attachment of scopes, vertical hand grips, flashlight, lasers, and etc.

I took the IO AK47-C to an indoor 25-yard range to document the accuracy (figure 9). I am not expecting a tack-driver, but, accurate enough to achieve its intended use…Sport shooting and home defense. As I expected, my ageing eyes don’t like the iron sights. But the results are good. Take a look:

(figure 9) 10-shots at 25-yards using iron sights.

I was very happy with the grouping. I will utilize the rail system and put on a red/green dot sight. The sight I was looking for is 1X magnification (no magnification). This works great out to 100-yards and will allow for quick target acquisition. I don’t have $600 to spend on an AimPoint. I was wanting to spend less than $100. I found the CenterPoint 1x34mm Quick Aim Sight at the “Mart” store for under $50. At 13-ounces, it is a bit heavy, but I can live with it.

I took the rifle out to “bore” sight the new sight. I did this by placing the rifle in a clamp and aligned the iron sights with an object about 100-yards away. I think gently mounted the CenterPoint sight and adjusted it to aim at the same object. I removed the scope and confirmed alignment with the iron sights. I then went to a 100-yard outdoor range to make final adjustments to the sight. My crude bore sighting worked pretty good! I was only a few inches off at 100-yards. The target below (figure 10) shows all 15-rounds highlighted. The yellow ones are the rounds fired to make the adjustments to the scope. The blue ones are the 5-rounds fired after scope was zeroed.

(figure 10) 15-rounds at 100-yards.

The target was a 12-inch grid printed on a 16-inch square sheet of paper. At 100-yards, i am very happy with the 5-MOA red-green scope. The IO AK47-C continues to pleasantly surprise me.

IO Inc. has changed the AK47-C a little (figure 11). They have done away with the Galil forearm and put a more functional tactical forearm on it. This will allow for a vertical grip or tripod

(figure 11) IO AK47-C Liberty

attachment. I like the change. They kept the same butt stock. Good move! I would still replace the forearm, but keep the RPK style butt stock.

So, how do I like the IO AK47-C? I think I got a lot of rifle for my money! It has functioned flawlessly through several hundred rounds. I have shot Winchester white box, Wolf surplus, and Tiger Russian made ammo. All have worked flawlessly. The fit and finish of the AK47-C is better than most AK-47’s I have seen. I wish they would have included a cleaning rod and side scope mount, though. If it had the side scope mount, I wouldn’t have a heavy scope out over the front of the rifle. It would make the rifle more balanced with the scope over the receiver cover. I would not have to replace the forearm if there was a side scope mount. That is the only thing I would ask IO Inc. to add.

All-in-all, IO Inc. did a very good job with their new AK47-C. The ultimate question is: Would I recommend it to a friend? Without a doubt, yes. I look forward to new additions to the IO Inc. stables. Good job, guys. Keep up the good work!

IAC Hawk 982 Shotgun For A Great Price!

2009-09-01T11:06:00.003-04:00

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I received an email notification that “Bud’s Gun Shop” just got in a supply of the IAC Hawk 982 12-gauge shotgun. If you have been reading my blog, you know that I am a fan of the IAC Hawk 982. It is a copy of the popular Remington 870. Many of the stock options will work with the Hawk. And at $185 delivered, it is a high value for a tactical or home defense shotgun. Click here to view and purchase this shotgun.

I have shot just about every type of 12-gauge ammo through this fine firearm and it has performed magnificently. I would use 00-buck shot up to 25-yards and rifled slugs up to 100-yards. Yes, I said 100-yards! Read my previous post to this blog for evidence of its effectiveness at this range.

The Hawk 982 has fantastic ghost ring sights. If you buy a Remington, this is about a $100-150 option! This is standard on the 982. This allows quick target acquisition while still providing precision at range.

Is the Remington 870 a better shogun than the Hawk 982? Probably, yes. But, I must say that I have had 100% reliability with the Hawk! And at half the price, I think it is a winner!

100-Yard Shooting With Rifle And Shotgun.

2009-08-08T20:21:00.014-04:00

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I had a great day of target shooting today! I went to the "Gastonia Shotgun, Rifle, and Pistol Range" to sight in a new red/green dot scope and to try long range shooting with the shotgun. I was pleasantly surprised.

I got a new scope for the AK47. I was looking for an inexpensive red dot scope. I simply can't afford $600 or so for an Aimpoint. I settled on the CenterPoint 1x34mm Quick Aim Sight. This scope is a 1X scope which means it does not magnify. My old eyes just don't like iron sights anymore but the red dot scopes work fine for me. The CenterPoint is a little on the heavy side at just over 13-ounces. This doesn't sound like much, but with my AK47, I have to mount it on the rail system just in front of the rear sight. This makes the rifle a little nose heavy, but at under $50 I can learn to live with it.

The first thing I needed to do was to adjust the scope to at least get the rounds hitting the paper. I didn't have a fancy laser bore sighter. Instead, I used a "primitive" method of rough sighting the scope. I set up the rifle on sandbags and aimed the iron sights at a spot 100-yards away. I then lightly mounted the scope and aligned the dot with the point down range. I removed the scope and confirmed the alignment. This worked well because I was just a few inches off when I fired the first shot!

I used 10-rounds to adjust the scope and then fired 5-rounds for effect. The target I was shooting at had a 12" grid printed on a 16" square paper target. I was firing at 100-yards and got all rounds on the paper. The final 5-rounds was pretty much dead on target! Check out the results:

I highlighted all 15-rounds. The yellow ones are the ones used for sighting in the scope. The blue ones are the final 5-rounds. I am very pleased with the rifle/scope setup. I fired from a bench at 100-yards using Winchester 7.62x39mm, 123-grain, FMJ bullets. This is the "white box" ammo.

I then moved on to the shotgun. I have an IAC Hawk 982 pump 12-gauge shotgun. The 982 has a 18-1/2" barrel that has an improved cylinder bore. As you have read before in my blog, I like shooting the Remington Slugger® Rifled Slugs. This a huge lead bullet with the rifling built in. This is great for smooth bore shotguns. It is like shooting a ~.72-caliber bullet at around 1500 feet per second. I shot them at 25-yards with great accuracy, but was unsure how they would perform at 100-yards. I was impressed at the performance of the heavy hitter. I fired 15-rounds at the same 16" square target using the excellent ghost ring sights of the Hawk 982. All but three hit the paper...AT 100 YARDS! This shotgun is just so versatile. The types of ammunition that is available to the 12-gauge shotgun can't be matched by any other firearm. Take a look at the target:

I highlighted the strikes in blue. As you can see it is not as accurate as a dedicated rifle, but for a tactical shotgun at 100-yards, it ain't bad!

I had a fantastic day at the range. It was miserable hot, but well worth it. I want to work on my .22 rifles at the range, but due to the heat, I probably will not return until October. I will have some articles on other topics until then. Thanks for reading!

I Found A Public Rifle Range.

2009-07-18T18:16:00.014-04:00

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I was returning from Shooters Express and saw a sign. "Gastonia Shotgun, Rifle, and Pistol Range". This range is behind Rankin Lake in Gastonia, North Carolina. I knew there was a skeet and trap range, but not a rifle range.

I followed the signs to the "Gastonia Police Departments' Firearms and Training Facility". The pistol range is not open to the public, but the 100-yard rifle range is! Each Saturday from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, you can use the range.

I spoke to the range officer and he said you must use lead core rifle ammunition. No steel core ammo like the "Wolf" ammo. I didn't quite understand that because you were shooting into an earthen berm, but, rules are rules. Here are the directions. I am including GPS coordinates for those with GPS devices:

Take US Highway 321 towards Gastonia. Just north of I-85, turn onto Tulip Drive (N35.290230, W81.188070). Go less than a mile and turn right onto Weetabix Parkway (N35.287971, W81.200974). Turn left up a dirt road (N35.292529, W81.203680). You will arrive at the rifle range (N35.294430, W81.205740).

Here is a quote from the Gastonia Police Department web site:

Gastonia Police Departments' Firearms and Training Facility is open to the public when not utilized for police training. It is normally open to the public on Saturdays from 1 to 5 p.m. The range allows shooting rifles only, not pistols. The cost is $5 per hour for Gastonia citizens and $8 per hour for others. Customers bring their own guns and ammunition. Targets are provided. For more information call the shooting range at 704.866.6734.

I will go there in a couple weeks about try it out. It's good to find such a facility close to home.

Ammo!

2009-07-07T13:50:00.005-04:00

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There is one thing that is as elusive as UFO's, Big Foot, And the Loch Ness Monster. Ammunition! Some calibers are so rare, you just buy it without question when you see it.

Today, I went to Wally World to see if they received a shipment. To my surprise They had a couple boxes of Winchester 9mm 115-grain FMJ 100-round Value Packs. "I'll take both!" They also had the Federal 550-round .22LR bulk packs. "I'll take one of those, too!"

Maybe the ammo shortage is starting to come to an end. Let's hope so. But, for now, I can go out and poke a few holes with my 9mm pistols. It's been a while. Time to give them a workout.

Polymer Or Steel Revisited

2009-07-04T15:32:00.014-04:00

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If you read my earlier posting about the choice of magazines, you know I am very apprehensive about polymer magazines. I need to revise my opinion as I have tested, on multiple occasions, the Tapco polymer 30-round AK47 magazine.

I recently purchased an IO Inc. AK47-C rifle. It came with a Thermold 30-round polymer magazine. The magazine looked and felt cheap. After inserting and removing it several times, I noticed that there was a lot of plastic being knocked off. Well, maybe this is like the marks on steel magazines after much use.

The first time I took the AK47-C out for a shooting session, I only had one magazine for the rifle, but, I had a Tapco polymer magazine on order and it would arrive in a few days. I quickly found that my initial impressions of the Thermold magazine were right. The Thermold magazine would not even stay in the rifle. After the second shot, the magazine dropped from the magazine well. Thinking it a fluke, I dusted it off and reinserted it into the rifle. Again, it hit the ground. I was reduced to using my new AK47-C like a single shot rifle. I was happy with the rifle, but not the magazine.

IO Inc. was very good about resolving the problem. They instantly shipped a metal magazine to me. After all...You only know how good customer service is by how they resolve problems. Good job, IO Inc. But, I had another polymer magazine coming. Would it be as bad as the Thermold?

The Tapco magazine arrived. I quickly noticed two things. It looked better built and the plastic was denser and stiffer. Maybe this one would do the job. The Tapco magazine was a perfect fit for the rifle. It fit as good or better than the Romanian steel magazines. Also, the Tapco magazine had an anti-tilt follower just like the surplus metal magazines. The Thermold's follower would tilt if you press it with your finger. This was a cheap design. The Tapco magazine had several horizontal ridges on the body. This serves two functions. It gives strength to the polymer magazine and it gives a good grip surface for those who use the magazine as a pseudo-vertical grip. The truth will be found under fire...So to speak!

I took the Tapco and the metal magazines out to my shooting range. All performed flawlessly. The Tapco held its own against Romanian steel. I was impressed. I used the Tapco magazine on another indoor shooting session at Shooters Express. Again, the Tapco was flawless. I think Tapco got it right!

As with anything, there are good points and bad ones. The Tapco polymer magazine for the AK47 is no different. The Tapco polymer is ~4-oz. lighter than its metal counterparts. It may not sound like much, but if you are carrying 4 magazines, that is a full pound! The Tapco magazines also are date stamped. This may come in handy if there is ban of certain magazines. Usually bans have "grandfather" clauses that let you have them if purchased before the ban. The Tapco magazines also come with a lifetime warranty. Hopefully, it isn't needed, but it is there if you do. This magazine also has the horizontal ridges that help you grip it if you use it as a vertical grip. I have found that those ridges are also a bad thing! If you load your magazines in a pouch, they are harder to remove that the metal magazines with vertical ridges. This slows you down if you need to remove them quickly. This is the only negative thing I can see about the Tapco magazine.

I liked the Tapco magazine so well that I ordered another one. If you want to get one, try AIM. They have the Tapco magazines for $17 including shipping! AIM also has the Romanian surplus metal 30-round magazines. They also had a 75-round drum for the AK47, but, it appears to be sold out now. I have purchased several things from AIM and they seem to be a very good dealer for gun parts.

First Target Shooting With The IO AK47-C

2009-07-03T23:56:00.006-04:00

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After just "fun" shooting in the woods with the IO AK47-C, it was time to do some target shooting to see how well I can shoot with the rifle. As indicated before, I am not the best target shooter. Many can do better. My target gives me a real world example of what the rifle can do in MY hands.

I installed the UTG rail system and added a vertical grip. I like the handling of a tactical rifle with a vertical grip. I also wanted to give the Tapco polymer magazine a good workout. I am still not convinced about the use of plastic in a rifle magazine.

I went to an Shooters Express. They have an indoor range that allows rifles. You can't use the surplus or "Wolf" ammo. They use steel jackets. You must use the more expensive ammo that you buy at places like Wally World. Basically, if a magnet sticks to it, you can't use it! I had some Winchester "White Box" ammo that was fine for this indoor range.

I modified my pistol target for an AK47 or SKS rifle. Basically, I got the ballistics data from Remington's "Shoot" program and used it to modify a target to let you sight it in at 25-yards and have the bullet be dead on at 50 and 100-yards. I mounted my target and sent it down range to the 25-yard mark. I then loaded 10-rounds in the magazine. Here are the results:

I am happy with the grouping. The gray dot just below the bull's eye is where the bullets should be striking to be dead on at 50 and 100-yards. On an AK47 and SKS rifle, all adjustments for windage and elevation are done on the front sight. The rear sight is adjustable for distance only. It takes a special tool to adjust the front sight. I didn't have one on this day, but I have one on order. I will return to adjust the sights on another day. Until then, this is sufficient. When I do a final adjustment, I will post the results.

Dressing Up The AK47-C

2009-06-27T20:47:00.006-04:00

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When I first received my IO AK47-C rifle, I was a little disappointed. The Thermold polymer magazine that came with the rifle was crap. It wouldn't even stay in the magazine well. That being said, it turned out to be a good thing!

You never know what kind of customer service a firearms manufacturer is until you have a problem. IO Inc. came through with flying colors. I called them and explained about the crappy magazine and they rushed me out a brand new METAL magazine. It fit like a glove and really looks great. I guess I am a metal-head when it comes to magazines.

Now that I have decent magazines it's time to turn to the rifle itself. The handguard that came on the AK47-C was functional and nice looking, but it was a bit bulky. I also wanted options for accessories like optics, flashlights, lasers, and vertical handgrips. This means I need rails.

I found a fantastic handguard/rail system for the AK-47. The UTG 478 AK Quad Rail System by Leapers is a very reasonable priced and functional addition to my AK. The installation is simple and can be performed with minimal tools. After installing the UTG 478, I added a vertical handgrip. The UTG vertical handgrip was a good choice. I have some pictures of the rifle after the installation. Here is Warren displaying the rifle:

We took the rifle for a test drive. We loaded up four 30-round magazines and headed to our favorite shooting spot. We used the metal and the Tapco polymer magazine. The Tapco functioned perfectly, but I am still gravitating towards metal magazines. I love the vertical handgrip. It helps me put the sights on target quicker and helps stabilize the muzzle end for more accurate shots. I don't have optics yet, but when I do, I will just mount it on the rail above the gas tube. The new UTG handguard seems very stable.

Paper Or Plastic?

2009-06-20T19:17:00.011-04:00

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I'm sure you heard the question when you were buying groceries. "Paper or plastic?" I have had to make a similar decision after getting my new rifle. Instead of "paper or plastic", it was "plastic or steel". My new IO AK-47C came with a Thermold polymer magazine. Yes, it held 30-rounds, but plastic?

I made a similar decision with a recent handgun purchase. I needed a small pistol that fired a 9mm round. All that I was considering had a polymer frame. Glock long ago dismissed the taboo about "plastic" guns when they introduced the Glock 17. I settled on the Kel-Tec PF-9 and have not regretted the decision. The PF-9 has a polymer frame. Like most polymer frame pistols, the PF-9's slide rides on metal rails.

After receiving the IO AK-47C, I experienced problems with the Thermold magazine. It wouldn't stay in the rifle! That is a problem that just can't be ignored. I liked the idea of a lighter weight magazine. I started doing an internet search for a replacement. I found a good deal on a Tapco 30-round AK-47 magazine so I gave it a try.

The Tapco magazine was leaps-and-bounds better than the Thermold. The plastic seemed denser and stronger. The fit was very good. But, still, I noticed some plastic shavings off of the areas where the magazine enters the magazine well. This just made me feel skiddish about "plastic". What to do now?

I thought I would "kick it old school" and try the reliable Eastern block manufacture steel AK-47 magazine. I found a great deal on surplus Romanian magazines. I ordered a couple from AIM for about $11 each. These magazines were stored in heavy grease. The first task was to disassemble them and give them a good cleaning. I degreased them and gave them a good coating of Break Free CLP.

(From left to right: Thermold, Tapco, and Romanian)

I guess you just can't mess with near perfection. The Romanian steel magazines just fit and function perfectly. Now why would anyone want polymer? One word...Weight. The polymer magazines are lighter than steel. Here are the weights of the three magazines I have:

Thermold 4.7-oz.
Tapco 7.3-oz.
Romanian 11.5-oz.

All weights are of the unloaded magazine. The weight of the Tapco over the Thermold confirms my first impressions. The polymer is denser and firmer. I guess if I had to hump 10 magazines around all the time, the weight might be important, but for my sport shooting, it just doesn't matter.

So the question of "polymer or steel?" For magazines, I will choose steel. Sometimes going the old way is the best way!

IO AK-47C: Mixed Results

2009-06-14T20:49:00.010-04:00

UPDATE: A complete UPDATED review of the IO AK47-C can be found here. (Click on any image to enlarge)

I went out today to fire my new IO AK-47C. Before going, I cleaned the rifle thoroughly. I don't like firing a weapon with the factory lubricant on it. I pulled out my cleaning kit and Break -Free CLP. Now I can give the rifle a good test.

I loaded-up the 30-round polymer magazine. I have never used polymer magazines before and wondered how well it would perform. I soon found out. After two rounds the magazine dropped from the magazine well. If you are familiar with an AK-47 you know that accidentally actuating the magazine release is almost impossible! I brushed the dirt off and rocked it back into place. The next shot it fell out again! I hope this is not indicative of all polymer magazines. The Thermold AK-47 magazine just doesn't cut it!

Since I only had the magazine that came with the rifle, I had to resort to using an AK-47 in single shot mode. I would hold the bolt open and shove a round into the chamber. The rifle functioned very well. The accuracy was decent and just fun to fire. The rifle worked great. I wish I could say the same for the magazine.

I did two things when I got home. I sent an email to IO Inc. and ordered two 30-round metal magazines. One good thing about AK magazines. They are plentiful and cheap!

After venting to IO inc. about the magazine, I cleaned the rifle. The first thing I noticed was how clean the receiver was. I have fired many semi-automatic rifles including the SKS and have never seen a receiver this clean after a shooting session. This must be because of the locking bolt and gas piston system. Both keeps a great deal of the gases out of the receiver. Take down and cleaning an AK-47 is very simple. To my surprise it was nothing like the SKS that I own. At first glance, you would think that the AK-47 and the SKS are of similar design. No, they are not. The SKS is not a locking bolt system and gets much more dirty in the receiver than the AK-47. I can see why the AK-47 has its reputation for reliability...If they are using metal magazines!

When I get my metal magazines I will go out and try again. I just found a source of inexpensive 7.62 x 39mm ammo. That's great because I was getting real tired of paying $0.75 a round!

I Have A New Rifle Coming.

2009-06-11T08:41:00.019-04:00

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I have been waiting to purchase a tactical rifle for a while. The availability has been very low. My first preference was the Kel-Tec SU-16C rifle. It is a good alternative to the $1200 AR-15 rifles on the market, but at a price of around $650 or so. The problem is trying to find one! I did see one at a gun store, but they were asking way too much for it.

I usually buy my guns from Davidson's Inc. They have an online store. When you purchase a firearm, you put a down payment and they ship it to your local gun dealer. There, you pay the rest and fill out the paperwork for the transfer. I put myself on an email notification list to let me know when the SU-16C comes in. I received an email, but when I got to the site, they were all gone.

The AK-47 rifles weren't much cheaper! They usually go for around $1000. Both the AR and AK seemed to be out of my price range...Well that's what I thought! While searching Davidson's one day I noticed something. An AK-47 in the low $600 range including tax and shipping!

The AK-47 was from a company I've never heard of before. IO Inc. is making AK-47's in Monroe, North Carolina. Yes, an AK-47 that is 100% made in America. I had to do a little research before plopping down over $600! I searched the web and found out that they have been making them for under a year. At first they had a few minor fit problems, but according to what I read, these problem were quickly resolved. I found out that IO Inc. has been making firearms for a while now and I actually spoke to someone who used to work there. He said they do good work and produce a fine product.

I really wanted to see one before ordering it blind. I called IO Inc. and they told me that there was a dealer about 45-miles away. ROAD TRIP! Hyatt Guns in Charlotte has a very good selection of firearms, but their prices are way too high. For example, the IO Inc. AK-47-C I was looking at on Davidson's for $626 was selling for $799. I talked to a very nice person on the staff and explained my problem. I showed the printout of the price from Davidson's and asked if he could get close to the price. He talked to the owner and said with tax, they could do $701. This was a difficult decision, but $75 was too much of a difference. If it had been $50, I may have taken it.

One good thing that did come out of the visit to Hyatt's. I got to see the IO Inc. AK-47-C up close and personal. I was very surprised at the quality of the rifle. I have seen many AK's and they are usualy a mixed bag of quality. Granted, all I saw before were the eastern block made rifles and although very functional, they are cosmetically lacking. The IO Inc. model really looked good!

I wasn't really in the market for an AK, but two factors made me make the leap. First, the likelyhood that I would get a Kel-Tec SU-16C for a good price in a timely manner was very slim. Second, since I have an SKS rifle, I have a lot of ammo sitting around that just screams to be fired! If I had purchased the Kel-Tec, I would have to buy a lot of new ammo.

I should have my new rifle in a week. I will post some pictures and a first impression of it after breaking it in.

Shooting The Hawk 982 Shotgun = FUN!

2009-05-31T18:06:00.013-04:00

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I was concerned with the shooting performance when shooting a silouette target at 25-yards with my IAC Hawk 982 shotgun. The earlier post in the blog had all shots inside a respectable area, but the grouping was rather large. I felt that the shotgun was capable of better performance.

I think I was a little intimidated by the power in my first shooting session with the Remington 12-gauge rifled slugs. I fired five rounds from the standing position into a silhouette target at 25-yards. All five was in the desired locations, but the grouping was rather large.

I finally made it to the range again to see just how good the shotgun was. I wanted to eliminate as many variables as possible. I shot from a seated position while resting the shotgun on a sandbag. This will let me see just what my shotgun was capable of without many of my flaws. Here are the results:

I highlighted the holes in red. As you can see, my grouping has decreased significantly! The ghost ring/front post sight system gives you a very good sight picture and helps you concentrate on the front sight. My group is ~3-1/4", center-to-center. Not bad at 25-yards. I estimate that the ~.72-caliber 1-oz. slug is traveling around 1,500 fps (feet per second) and striking with 2,187 foot pounds of energy. This is just devastating.

I think the 12-gauge shotgun is the most versatile of all tactical weapons within 50-yards. The ammunition options are almost unlimited. You can shoot everything from regular bird shot to rifled slugs. The best two options are 00-buck for close in shots and rifled slugs out to 100-yards.

One advantage in these times when ammunition is difficult to find is 12-gauge stuff is readily available. The price is pretty good, too! I purchased a 15-round box of Remington 12-gauge lead rifled slugs for under $9.00. The way things are now with the shortage of ammunition you "buy it when you see it" because you don't know when things will return to normal. I usually buy a couple boxes of the rifled slugs when I stop by Wally World. Hard to beat the fun it gives you. See you at the range!

Gun Show Coming Soon To Hickory

2009-05-24T20:57:00.007-04:00

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Good news! The C & E Gun Shows is making its way back to Hickory, North Carolina on Saturday and Sunday, June 27th & 28th. The show will be held at the Hickory Metro Con vention Center. Saturday hours are 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Sunday hours are 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Admission fee is $8.00 for adults and children 12 and under are free with a paying adult. You can save a little money by printing the "Get A Dollar Off Coupon".

If you don't have your North Carolina Concealed Handgun Permit, be prepared and apply for and get one or more purchase permits from your local sheriff. Here is a map to the show:

Shooting Session With The Taurus PT-22

2009-05-20T13:06:00.012-04:00

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As mentioned earlier in this blog, I had sent my Taurus PT-22 out for repair. Taurus replaced the slide under th e life time warranty at no charge. I finally made it to the range to make sure everything function properly. Everything works great!

I shot at several distances from 3-yards to 7-yards. This is what I feel is the effective range for this firearm. The Taurus PT-22 is not a target pistol. It is a compact, concealable, personal protection weapon. It that role it is more than adequate.

Some say that a semi-automatic pistol firing .22-caliber rimfire ammunition is not reliable. This is too much of a blanket statement to be true. I have found that up to 125-150 rounds, the Taurus PT-22 functions perfectly, but after this amount of shots, the gun gets sufficiently "dirty" and will have some failure-to-feed malfunctions. I have had the Taurus PT-22 for over a decade and this has been true from day one! I don't see this as a problem since I clean my guns often and usually after every firing session. I carry this pistol concealed from time-to-time when a larger pistol is not practical. If I ever have to use it for its intended purpose, I don't forsee shooting more than 18-round anyway!

I have a few targets to show you. I started at 3-yards and fired a 5-shot group. I then moved it to 5-yards and 7-yards. I ended with a 9-shot magazine dump quick fire (1/2-second per shot) at 3-yards. Here are the results. Note: For scale, the center "white" circle is 1-inch in diameter. Each ring out for the center is in 1-inch increments. So the center "white" circle is 1-inch, the next ring is 2-inches, etc.

3-Yards, 5-Shots

5-Yards, 5-shots

7-Yards, 5-Shots

9-Shot Magazine Dump
Quick Fire (1/2-second per shot)
3-Yards

I am very happy with the Taurus PT-22. I am not the best marksman. I am getting old, fat, and blind! That being said, the results show that the average shooter can expect 3-inch or less groups up to 7-yards. The quick fire magazine-dump at 3-yards really blew me away. I simply presented the weapon to the target and fired quickly. Yes, the .22-caliber cartridge is an underpowered round. But, most every handgun cartridge is! I think 9-rounds in a group that small will do the job.

As mentioned, I have had it for quite a while and have fired over 2000-rounds through it. It still looks and functions great thanks to proper care and the lifetime warranty. One final note about most .22-caliber handguns. They are usually finicky about the ammo you feed it. You will probably have to try several brands and loads before you find the right match. I found the best results with CCI Mini-Mag High-Velocity copper plated round nose bullets. Many purest will say to use hollow points, but with a .22-caliber long rifle shell, I feel penetration is more important than expansion. That's why I don't use hollow points in this caliber.

New Scope On My Savage Mk. II Bolt Action Rifle

2009-05-14T13:31:00.002-04:00

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I have a Savage Mark II .22-LR bolt action rifle. I wanted to add a scope to it, but didn't want to break the bank. Why put a $200 scope on a $150 rifle?

I found a company in Hong Kong that sells directly to consumers. They have a few scopes and some mounts. The scope has the "Bushnell" labeling, but I think it is a knock-off. No matter, because the price is right. I paid $43 for this scope including shipping! I needed a set of rings to mount to the dovetailed receiver. Luckily, the same company had them for $4. Click on the links to see them.

I followed standard mounting procedures for the scope and focused the eyepiece. I took the rifle outside to do an "old-fashioned" bore sighting of the scope. I removed the bolt and viewed down the bore and lined-up on a point about 100-yards away. I then adjusted the scope to point to the same spot. This will get me close.

I took my newly scoped rifle to the indoor range at the Springs Road Gun Club. I mounted one of the "Pokin' Holes" scope targets and ran it back 25-yards to the back wall. I loaded up my favorite .22-LR round, CCI Mini-mag High Velocity copper-coated 40-grain round nose bullets and fired five rounds. I was only about 4-inches off. Not a bad bore sighting! After a few adjustments I got the zero dialed in. Now I will fire a 10-shot group and see how the new scope setup works.

I was very happy with the results. The first shot was the "flier" left of center. I saw it through the scope and said a few, not so nice words. I settled down and fired the remaining nine rounds. Disregarding the first "flier", the grouping measured 5/8-inch, center-to-center. I'm sure a more accurate shooter could have cut that in half!

This new scope really looks great on my Savage rifle. The initial results are better than expected. Remember, I only have about $50 in the scope and rings! I look forward to many plinking and target shooting sessions. Next, I will take the rifle outside and try ranges up to 100-yards. Look for future reports!

College Students Save Their Lives Using A 222-Year Old Document

2009-05-06T11:18:00.009-04:00

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Two criminals bent on rape and murder burst into the apartment of a group of students in College Park, Georgia. The students were forced into two rooms. One for the men and the other for the women.

When it was clear that murder and rape would soon follow, one student exercised a right affirmed almost 222-years ago: The right to own a firearm to protect yourself guaranteed by the second amendment of the United States Constitution! To read the actual news article and view a video, visit this link.

It is important that we all are able to protect ourselves. To pretend that removing guns will remove evil people is naive. Thinking the police can protect you is wishful thinking. This is not a bash on the police; they are doing the best job imaginable. They simply can't get there in time to stop the crime. They usually have to "clean-up the mess" and try to catch the criminals.

My politics usually lean towards the liberal side. I do differ with my liberal friends on the second amendment rights. I hope they will read this and take it as an opinion of one of their own. Just because many people exercise the right documented in the Constitution to protect themselves and their country, it does not make them "gun nuts". I invite you to read a paper written by LTC (RET) Dave Grossman titled, "On Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs". This illustrates my beliefs on gun ownership in our country.

Nutnfancy YouTube Videos

2009-05-01T08:01:00.015-04:00

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I enjoy opinions and advice from other firearm owners. I am by no means an expert. One I found very informative and entertaining is a YouTube broadcaster by the name of Nutnfancy.

Nutnfancy does "table-top" reviews of firearms, knives, and equipment. He has a military background and comes from a family of outdoors people. His insights are very good and applies every day common sense thinking to his videos. I invite you to take a look! I have selected two videos including his review of the Kel-Tec PF-9, 9mm pistol. I have one of these and enjoyed his review of it.

Visit his YouTube channel to see more of his well made videos.

Food for thought on your next handgun purchase.

2009-04-21T00:28:00.015-04:00

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When I make a firearm purchase I look for long term value. I don't have unlimited funds so I try to find a bargain. I have a couple Taurus handguns. I find that the Taurus line of handguns are very good quality for a good price. One more thing. They come with a lifetime warranty!

If you use a handgun long enough you may need some repairs. This can be pretty expensive if the gun is out of warranty. Not to worry with Taurus! They have a lifetime warranty on the firearm. This is not a warranty for the original purchaser, but for the firearm, no matter who owns it! If you purchase a used Taurus handgun, you also have the lifetime warranty. Something to consider when purchasing used firearms.

I have a Taurus PT-22. I have had it for around 12-years. This is a sub-compact semi-auto handgun that looks like a miniature PT92. This is a good handgun for concealed carry if you have the permit to do so. I'm sure it was never intended for heavy usage, but I have shot a few thousand rounds through it.

There is a "U" shaped steel strap that connects the front left and right slide. This fits under the barrel. It is a weak point and it did break. No worry! I just sent it to Taurus for a free repair. Now it's like new again.

Taurus and Kel-Tec both offer lifetime warranties. I think Kel-Tec's warranty is for the original purchaser only, but that's still better than most warranties. Something to consider on your next firearm purchase.

Charlotte Gun Show

2009-04-15T08:29:00.008-04:00

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The Dixi e Gun and Knife Classic Gun Shows is haveing an event in Charlotte, North Carolina on April 18th and 19th. This is a good opportunity to stock up on ammo and look for that hard to find gun.

This gun show will be at the Metrolina Expo Center. The doors open on Saturday at 9:00 AM and close at 5:00 PM. On Sunday, the hours are 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Admission is $7.00 for adults and children under 12 are free with paying adult. You can get a $1.00 off coupon here.

Having fun making BIG holes!

2009-04-11T19:50:00.013-04:00

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I have an IAC Hawk 982 pu mp shotgun and have shot some 00-buck and really liked the results, but beyond 25-yards, the pattern really spreads. I was looking for something that would go a little further downrange and be effective.

I was in the "mart" store and they had a great deal on some Remington 12-gauge rifled slugs. Now we're talking! A one-ounce 12-gauge bullet traveling 1560 FPS (feet per second) at the muzzle. A rifled slug is a huge, lead bullet with rifling built into the slug. This is best shot through a smooth bore shotgun. What you get is the equalivant to a rifle shooting a really big bullet with an effective range to around 75 to 100 yards. I have to try these!

I made arrangements with my shooting buddy, Warren, to meet me at the Springs Road Gun Club in Hickory, NC. They have an indoor range. You can't shoot high power rifles, but you can shoot just about any handgun, rimfire rifles, and SHOTGUNS! The maximum distance is 25-yards. Just right for my purposes.

I asked the range officer if it would be alright to shoot the slugs. He said, "Sure, just use the lane on the very end." I guess he wanted to be as far away from this shoulder howitzer as possible!

I went to lane one and mounted my target. I was using the full size silhouette target for this session. I taped it to the cardboard and ran it back to 25-yards. I loaded five shells and prepared for the worst. I fired five rounds and put my shotgun down. Man these babies kick! I noticed it was real quite. I looked up the range and everyone was looking my way. The shooter next to me said, "Man that makes me feel inadequate." His .40-caliber was the big dog just moments before. Now it sounded like a pop-gun.

I pressed the button to return the target. WOW! Those are some BIG holes! All five shots well within the lethal zone. You should have seen the eyes of the shooter next to me when he saw the size of the holes. The last time he saw a hold that big, he put a golf ball in it!

I really enjoy the versatility of my pump 12-gauge. There's a shotgun shell for just about any purpose. To see some of the exotic ammo available, click here! There is everything from armor piercing to tear gas shells.

Get out there and poke some holes! Let me know what you enjoy in target shooting. You can comment on any post.