Went shooting today with a bunch of swell folks from ar-15.com at a local, heretofore unknown to me, range! It’s a truly spiffy facility, 30 minutes from home, multiple covered ranges, a skeet thrower, and a membership composed of sport shooters. Membership is steep for the first year, but reasonable for every year after. I’m kicking the idea around.
I gave the Mutt AR, Beretta 1201FP and my USP a workout. I also took along my 1100 with the new 28″ Mod barrel, but we spent all our time on the 100 yard line and didn’t make it to the clays thrower.
The Beretta got passed around like an inebriated sorostitute and didn’t miss a beat… until it was back in my hands and I fed it some Winchester XB1200LR low recoil buckshot. Funny thing, I fired one round, then I got a *click* instead of a BOOM. The round had advanced from the mag tube and onto the lifter, but hadn’t made the trip into the chamber. Odd. It didn’t happen again in the rest of the 25 round box, and another 25 round box of birdshot, but I’m keeping it stoked with full-throttle buckshot for now. I’ve heard from a variety of sources that the QC on Winchester’s ’silver bottom’ shotshells is somewhat wanting at the moment, so that’s what I’m chalking it up to until I have a chance to run some more of my XB1200LR stash through it.
Oh yeah, shooting slugs off the bench is a major ouch. I think I’ve established my credentials as a fairly recoil-lovin’ fellow, but day-umn. Five 2 3/4″ slugs off the bench out of the Beretta was enough to make me wish I’d brought a .22. I managed a 5″ group at 50 yards, with one severe flyer. I also launched five at the hundred yard line, which, oddly enough, scored me the same size group in about the same place. I think I had a lot of tolerance stacking working in my favor.
The Mutt AR still runs fine, despite a truly piecemeal heritage and today, being fed Wolf Brass 5.56. At first it was throwing a tad right, but I’m blaming that on pilot error, as groups marched back towards the bullseye as the day wore on.
Also, hitting a 8×12″ steel plate at 50 yards with a pistol is harder than it looks! I managed about a 30% success rate. Much easier with the shotgun! Goes ding every time.
But the really big news is… for the first time in my life, I cleaned my guns the same day I shot them!!! Right now all my military and ex-mil readers are rolling their eyes. But I swear, I’m the laziest SOB when it comes to timely gun cleaning. Sometimes, guns don’t get cleaned for months if they’re .22s or low-volume rifles.
But not today! Nope, after I got home, I busted out the CLP, brake cleaner and lithium grease and got everything done in the backyard in under 30 minutes. Now I’m luxuriating in CLP vapors and the knowledge that it’s done.
Happiness is a clean gun. Or, lots of clean guns.
PN NJ | 21-May-07 at 7:33 am | Permalink
Is the Winchester shotshell problem really a QC issue? I thought low recoil buckshot was basically intended for pump guns only.
pdb | 21-May-07 at 10:20 am | Permalink
No, it shouldn’t matter. The recoil impulse / gas volume from a low recoil buckshot shell is about the same from a 1oz+ birdshot shell and ought to work a semi auto action, since they’re all derived from sporting designs.
Now, some less-lethal 12ga munitions like OC shells, beanbags and rubber batons may not have enough juice to cycle a semi, but that’s outside my lane.
pdb | 21-May-07 at 10:22 am | Permalink
Oh yeah, and I’ve heard lots of griping about the QC on Winchester’s silver bottom bulk packed birdshot, and my last batch of XB1200LR had the same silver rim. So, I dunno what that means. :)
aldo. | 21-May-07 at 7:23 pm | Permalink
Hell, I clean ‘em the next day. But, that’s as far as this former Marine rifleman is willing to go. I cannot bring myself to put the cleaning off for longer than that. However, if corrosive primers are involved, clean immediately if not sooner! My trick: Windex. Spray like hell down the bore and punch with patches; repeat numerous times. Spray the bolt face also, and wipe clean. Follow up with normal cleaning. Note: if you shoot corrosive in gas operated rifles (sks, ak, etc) make sure you clean the gas system too. Me, I save that crap for bolt guns and CZ-52 pistols.
Brad | 22-May-07 at 5:23 pm | Permalink
Other than a large store from Arkansas, are there any local shops that sell gun cleaning supplies? Maybe I’m missing something, but the only firearms related places in “the hyphen” seem to be pawn shops. PM via email if thats easier. Thanks.
pdb | 22-May-07 at 9:18 pm | Permalink
On the south side, you can try Dixie Guns, they’re at the corner of Clemmonsville and Ebert in the strip mall with O’Reilly auto parts. I don’t know if the Gun Rack in Walkertown is still open, but I remember they had a good selection of stuff. They’re on 66 in Walkertown across from the Food Lion.
Oh, and there’s Grandview in Pfafftown, but looks like they’ve closed down and are moving out to Yadkinville? Go figger.
Honestly, apart from CLP (which I usually pick up from Archdale Ammo & Arms south of High Point), I don’t use gun specific stuff. I cut up worn out undershirts for patches, use automotive brake cleaner as a gun scrubber, toothbrushes as parts cleaners, and relube with CLP and automotive white lithium grease.
Brad | 23-May-07 at 10:22 am | Permalink
Thanks, its not for me, I’m sending some stuff overseas for someone in the desert. I just hate the W-mart stores around here, they’re always overcrowded and dirty. I guess I got spoiled in Georgia.