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"When in Arizona, do as the Arizonans do."
I'm a pretty low-maintenance guy. Aside from food, Internet, and Mountain Dew, I don't require much in the way of spending my disposable income. So with cash to burn, I did like virtually all freedom-loving individuals do in this state: I bought a gun or two.
Smith & Wesson M&P 9 mm
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/6BUV0Zx.jpg)
Originally, I was set on getting a Glock, but I went with the S&W strictly due to comfort. It's literally making me a better shooter. Fencing with a pistol-shaped grip surely had something to do with it, but the gun fits my hand extremely well. I just raise it and the sights align without me really having to try. It's a wonderful first piece.
Smith & Wesson M&P LR .22
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/3V3MWhk.jpg)
This was kind of an impulse buy for me, but I've seen this one at the local shop a few times and have been interested in it since. .22 caliber ammo is very, very cheap and not powerful at all, so there's little to no recoil, minimal sound, and easy on the wallet. Won't lie: there's something invigorating about holding and firing a semi-automatic rifle, even a measly plinker like this thing. 
Taurus 1911 .45 ACP
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/mfUzEmV.jpg)
This big guy was definitely an impulse buy for me.... But it looked very pretty, I wanted a higher-caliber weapon, was interested in trying out a famed 1911, the guy was nice, and I got 50 rounds free ($24 value). Desperately needed a good cleaning, so when I shoot it tomorrow, it should fire fairly well. Feels good in the hand and the sights are intuitive. We'll see about the kick and the noise....
(Next on my list: same guy offers an AR-15 with a handful of goodies attached to it for $1,250 before tax. It's a deeply-tempting offer. @_@ )
Because I'm wanting to pursue this more intently in the future, I'm investing a decent amount in ammunition, cleaning, and necessary accessories. (no, I'm not gonna go buy some sapphire laser pointer for a bayonet knife to "tactically" trick out these firearms, lol; I mean like a reloader or maybe a scope) Both of these were about $500 each; ammo at the local stores is $15/50 rounds of 9mm and $23/300 rounds of .22. Supply is finally starting to pick back up after the crazy demand over the past couple of years.
Ranges: the BLM in our state is awfully lenient on shooting, lol. Basically, you've just gotta be a quarter-mile from any building, and you have to clean up after yourself. Since I live in a remote area, I go to an unsupervised range up a hill just outside of town. Next thing I need to do is build a target stand or three to practice accuracy.
This is my new hobby, and it's tons of fun. I'd recommend to anyone that they jump on an opportunity to do the same. 
+ Show Spoiler [White-Ra shoots too, y'know. :-P] +
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United Kingdom10443 Posts
Although I don't agree with the gun law in the USA I like this blog post because from your tone you sound like a responsible gun owner and someone who enjoys the hobby. Not some guy who is reckless or a wannabe vigilante.
What was it that made you buy a gun?
Anyway hope you have fun, stay safe and continue the same attitude.
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On June 23 2014 14:05 KelsierSC wrote:
Although I don't agree with the gun law in the USA I like this blog post because from your tone you sound like a responsible gun owner and someone who enjoys the hobby. Not some guy who is reckless or a wannabe vigilante.
What was it that made you buy a gun?
Anyway hope you have fun, stay safe and continue the same attitude.
I began thinking about purchasing a handgun two years ago during my internship out here. I was in the downtown area of Tucson, at night, alone, waiting for someone I barely knew (another intern) to pick me up and show me around the city. I realized then that I wanted another way to protect myself; more options, more freedom. After much deliberating, research, inquiry, and practice, (I hate making wasteful purchases) I went ahead and jumped in. Besides, it's the popular thing to do out here, our version of "going out to the bar."  + Show Spoiler +the bar scene is terrible, by the way...
I'm not planning on taking a Concealed Carry (CC) class yet, but it's on my to-do list. The M&P 9 you see above is too large for CC, but others tell me it's a very informative class and firearm use is actually a surprisingly minimal part of it. You learn a lot about other methods of warding off attackers before resorting to your gun.
So for now, it's just for fun.
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We had Glock 17 and Steyr AUG in the Austrian army.
These are pretty good weapons and it's ridiculously easy to fire them.
It never occurred to me that this would be a fun thing to do in your spare time though.
Would a normal person be able to buy rifles like the Steyr AUG in the US?
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Zurich15362 Posts
On June 23 2014 15:31 urboss wrote:
We had Glock 17 and Steyr AUG in the Austrian army.
These are pretty good weapons and it's ridiculously easy to fire them.
It never occurred to me that this would be a fun thing to do in your spare time though.
Would a normal person be able to buy rifles like the Steyr AUG in the US?
If it's a modified semi-automatic version, sure.
But then again the same is true for Austria.
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I see, I didn't know that. Well at least the license in Austria is relatively hard to get.
Anyway, these guns basically fire themselves, so there is little to no adventure/skill associated with it.
The only thing that would be fun, hunting with bow and arrow, is of course forbidden in Austria.
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On June 23 2014 16:21 urboss wrote:
I see, I didn't know that. Well at least the license in Austria is relatively hard to get.
Anyway, these guns basically fire themselves, so there is little to no adventure/skill associated with it.
The only thing that would be fun, hunting with bow and arrow, is of course forbidden in Austria.
Its not hard to get a "Waffenbesitzkarte" and almost anyone can get category C + D weapons (its hard for category B weapons), even easier if you are a member of a sport shooting club. You just have to be above 21 and get a "Waffenführerschein" first but you have been in the military so thats very very easy. If I remember correctly you will not be able to buy a AUG in austria though (at least not if you want the easier C + D).
And I also agree the AUG was very easy to shoot with, made me understand why child soldiers can exist. Its really easy.
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United States24756 Posts
This is purely personal preference, but I am not a fan of pistol grips on a 22. A 22 is a great first rifle though. I have no experience whatsoever with pistols and can't comment, there.
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On June 23 2014 15:31 urboss wrote:
We had Glock 17 and Steyr AUG in the Austrian army.
These are pretty good weapons and it's ridiculously easy to fire them.
It never occurred to me that this would be a fun thing to do in your spare time though.
Would a normal person be able to buy rifles like the Steyr AUG in the US?
Like zatic said, it has to be semi-auto., but I could probably find one in Phoenix or Tucson, or have it delivered from afar. I'm content for the time being, but thanks for the recommendation.
On June 23 2014 19:59 micronesia wrote:
This is purely personal preference, but I am not a fan of pistol grips on a 22. A 22 is a great first rifle though. I have no experience whatsoever with pistols and can't comment, there.
I'm tellin' ya: try a Smith & Wesson M&P 9. Seriously. Just feel the grip at a shop or put a few rounds through one on a range. With handguns, you remove a lot of the bulk found in the rifle, so I find it's much easier to handle than the .22, but significantly more difficult to aim with.
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United States24756 Posts
cLAN.Anax, where I live, getting permission to fire a pistol is a huge pain in the ass, so no, I won't be buying one any time soon. If I was to get one, it probably wouldn't be the one you are recommending, but I'm sure your recommendation is a good choice.
I'm not sure what you mean by the pistol being 'easier to handle' than a 22, though.
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I meant just renting one out at a range. Perhaps that's still difficult for you in your locality. If so, sorry. :-\
Think of fighting with a bowie knife, then compare that to fighting with a broadsword. That'd be the analogy I'd use. With the handgun, you just load it up, cock it, and go. With the rifle, it's a little more cumbersome, since the magazine is larger and curved, the sights have a longer distance to line up, and you have to brace it against your shoulder. Again, though, fencing for five years with a grip very much akin to that of a pistol is probably biasing my opinion.
Perhaps I didn't understand what you meant by "pistol grips on a .22." X-D I don't know what differences exist between the two.
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United States24756 Posts
Compare your 22 with this:
![[image loading]](http://stateofguns.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/TIKKA-T3-HUNTER-STAINLESS-FLUTED-BARREL.png)
I just sorta picked a random 22 that doesn't have a pistol grip. For rifles I prefer this general style to the one you have.
I'm also a fan of small to no magazine, so I don't have a problem with them being clunky. I guess if you still find one cumbersome you can get a rifle in bull pup configuration with a 16 inch barrel :p
Also yea, I can't rent pistols either here.
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Can't go hunting game with the .22
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On June 24 2014 09:20 micronesia wrote:Compare your 22 with this: I just sorta picked a random 22 that doesn't have a pistol grip. For rifles I prefer this general style to the one you have. I'm also a fan of small to no magazine, so I don't have a problem with them being clunky. I guess if you still find one cumbersome you can get a rifle in bull pup configuration with a 16 inch barrel :p Also yea, I can't rent pistols either here.
Ooohhh, makes sense. Fair enough. I don't have much experience with those grips, which was years ago in Boy Scouts. Will consider, thanks!
On June 24 2014 09:46 Disregard wrote:
Can't go hunting game with the .22
For squirrels, you can. One guy sits on his porch and tops the rodents that intrude onto his garden patch. Then he picks some veggies and he's got meat to go with his greens.
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Man you're lucky to live in the free-est state in the country (arizona), I'm about to move to New Jersey and I can't even bring my 50-year-old SKS up there because they think its a baby-killing assault weapon.
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Well if it still operates then at that caliber its a pretty destructive weapon. Considering its still used in third world militaries.
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I live in NYC and gun laws are insanely strict here.
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On June 24 2014 10:42 iamho wrote:
Man you're lucky to live in the free-est state in the country (arizona),
Yeah, people complain that there's nothing to do out in the desert. They need to think a little more outside the box city.
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Nice guns, heard tons of good things about the M&P 9. Heard less good things about the 22 though.
I was thinking about getting some myself but my parents wouldn't let me and a gun license is $100 here, so I guess I'll stick to airsoft for now... Took months of convincing them just to let me get an airsoft gun.
When I get out of MA I'll get some for sure though.
My initial gun list in order of first to last purchase would look like this: Mossberg 500, Ruger 10/22, Glock 19 Gen3, vz. 58 (if they're still $400), M&P shield 9mm, Tikka T3 in .308. I would not buy a Mosin because x54R seems to be drying up and they're increasing in price. SKS's are more expensive than vz's/ak's so I don't see the point in buying them at this current point in time.
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New purchase.
Taurus 1911 .45 ACP
This big guy was definitely an impulse buy for me.... But it looked very pretty, I wanted a higher-caliber weapon, was interested in trying out a famed 1911, the guy was nice, and I got 50 rounds free ($24 value). Desperately needed a good cleaning, so when I shoot it tomorrow, it should fire fairly well. Feels good in the hand and the sights are intuitive. We'll see about the kick and the noise....
(Next on my list: same guy offers an AR-15 with a handful of goodies attached to it for $1,250 before tax. It's a deeply-tempting offer. @_@ )
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United States24756 Posts
Well I'll share my thoughts to help you keep some of your own money...
I don't like the AR-15. You shouldn't like it either. Don't buy it. 5.56 NATO is baby ammo. Get a real rifle.
Also my stomach lurched when I saw you refer to recoil as kick.
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Details.... X-D Thanks for the advice. I'll look at more options before buying.
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For me personally, I like to know people with guns rather than own them myself. Like an ATV or boat, you can use it in good company and all the maintenance is still on them XD.
My brother did offer me a .22 pistol that used to be my uncles. I would need to get the GF's approval before actually bringing it into our house. That and a gun lock, and the requisite safety bits. I dunno, there have been times when I really was interested in taking him up on the offer, but never wound up saying yes or no.
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A .22 pistol is a minor investment in the market of firearms, but is still a major step up from nothing. It would help you to ensure you have a place to shoot it safely and legally before purchasing it. If you don't, I can't recommend any gun to you, 'cause what's the point if you can't use it? :-\
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Well he's offered to actually give it to me, so no cost at all really. Just a matter of my gf being comfortable with it around.
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First impressions on the Taurus:
+ Good weight to it, I like the feel, 1911 model is classic for a reason. Sights aim more steadily than the M&P and recoil is more manageable, probably to do with the extra ounces in it. Half the clip size doesn't bother me; I expected it with a .45. Looks very, very pretty.
- I despise the trigger, very short pull and not smooth at all. Feels slightly "clunky" to me. Wouldn't fire on my second load for whatever reason. The steel, serrated grip is not preferable to the polymer (I believe?) one of the S&W. Stronger shot of course, but not as grand as I was hoping for, lol. Something about the slide bugs me, but it's smooth.
Verdict? I'll trade it in for something else eventually, but will enjoy it while I have it. I like the Smith & Wesson more up until I see the results on the target sheet. There are no doubt better .45s than this and it might have to do with the brand.
I tried a 9mm Desert Eagle a while back and fell in love with the trigger pull. Smooth as butter. If I trade this one in, it'll probably go towards a DE of some sort.
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So I broke down and bought a Tavor. Fell in love when I saw it, and loving it now that I have one.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/WMMAGSp.jpg)
+ Show Spoiler +
These are my best results after sighting my red-dot. 25 yards, 15-25 rounds, .223 brass. Any tips on controlling my pull with a 10 lb. trigger would be great.
Also, is it time for me to scoot the target back to 40 or 50 yards, or should I continue to tighten my grouping at 25?
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United States24756 Posts
Uh I think those are pretty big targets for that range hehe... that should be pretty obvious by the fact that you aren't getting any shots in the outer rings, and presumably are not a sharpshooter.
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So definitely push the target back? Perhaps try different shooting positions too? I won't always have the luxury of a table and seat, lol.
By the by, here's the collection now. :-D
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/ZnKlWtu.jpg)
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United States24756 Posts
It may not be necessary... not sure to be honest. It's been quite a bit since I shot at all competitively.
What made you choose the bull pup?
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My .22 is "AR" enough for me. I really like the style with how this one's held. Plus, where I live, I would need to shoot at both range and close-quarters. Not sharpshooting, but a shotgun wouldn't do. And, I can shoot this with one arm if it ever came to that.
I honestly predict that bullpups are the future. The Tavor did a great job at hashing out a lot of the misgivings most shooters originally had about bullpups, and the micro Tavor is growing in popularity too. It's not perfect, but it's perfect for me.
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United States24756 Posts
Oh I should have pointed out that I have nothing against bull-pup... I could see myself getting one as well.
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On August 26 2014 19:54 micronesia wrote:
Well I'll share my thoughts to help you keep some of your own money...
I don't like the AR-15. You shouldn't like it either. Don't buy it. 5.56 NATO is baby ammo. Get a real rifle.
Also my stomach lurched when I saw you refer to recoil as kick.
I like this guy. .223 is what you give to your girlfriend when she says the .308 or 30-06 hurts her shoulder. Ignore the talking heads on TV calling an AR a "high powered, military grade assault rifle." Many states don't allow .223 for hunting deer because you can't even reliably and humanely kill a deer with it, in their view. I understand that you're just shooting for recreation so terminal ballistics may not be at the top of your priorities list when shooting at paper.
Nice to see more gun owners on here though, there probably aren't many. I own a Mauser K98k made in 1943. 8mm Mauser is a great round for deer, hogs, elk, Soviets, bigfoot, etc. I have my eyes on a Ruger Speed Six for concealed carry.
I keep a little single-shot .223 for cheap target practice and coyote.
On August 27 2014 08:08 cLAN.Anax wrote:
First impressions on the Taurus:
+ Good weight to it, I like the feel, 1911 model is classic for a reason. Sights aim more steadily than the M&P and recoil is more manageable, probably to do with the extra ounces in it. Half the clip size doesn't bother me; I expected it with a .45. Looks very, very pretty.
- I despise the trigger, very short pull and not smooth at all. Feels slightly "clunky" to me. Wouldn't fire on my second load for whatever reason. The steel, serrated grip is not preferable to the polymer (I believe?) one of the S&W. Stronger shot of course, but not as grand as I was hoping for, lol. Something about the slide bugs me, but it's smooth.
Verdict? I'll trade it in for something else eventually, but will enjoy it while I have it. I like the Smith & Wesson more up until I see the results on the target sheet. There are no doubt better .45s than this and it might have to do with the brand.
I tried a 9mm Desert Eagle a while back and fell in love with the trigger pull. Smooth as butter. If I trade this one in, it'll probably go towards a DE of some sort.
You need to do a little more research. 1911's are famous for their light trigger pulls. I personally prefer it. This is how a single-action 1911 will always function, regardless of manufacturer, but Taurus are definitely not the premier brand out there. Companies like Para make a double-action 1911 which will have a longer, heavier trigger pull than the standard but there's really no point in having a DA pistol with a manual safety, IMO.
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I'm not hunting. If I were, yes, I'd get a larger-caliber firearm.
And my opinion on the 1911 is amended. First thoughts were negative, but I'm now appreciating it for its better qualities, having gotten used to it. The trigger on this one is indeed superior. I tried a Kimber two weeks ago and prefer the 1911 trigger pull over a longer one.
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Northern Ireland22212 Posts
Yeah, 1911s were designed to be carried cocked and locked, I think any deviation from that design is sacrilege :p
I have a CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow, quite a clunky heavy beast but very accurate and I've never had a malfunction with it. Will also shoot any kind of ammo
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Ooo, I like. :-o I'm always a bigger fan of larger guns that feel better in the hand than smaller pieces that I could potentially carry concealed.
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EPT
