I Have A Problem....

Not that bad though. This weekend is this. I know Friday at work I will see the small GA aircraft running the pattern for the show. I will hear the sound of the radial engines as they arrive at the airport. I live really close to where this is going on. I can see the aircraft from my front porch as they perform during the show. The sound of these old aircraft now are an old friend to me that announce the fall of the year. 

I have a Husband and Wife however that want to take a private basic pistol class Saturday. They will be spending money and time. A baby sitter is also involved. They want to get up to speed for a NC CCH Permit. 

I cannot deny them. I will be with them on Saturday. Perhaps I can get to the show on Sunday. 

I love what I do. I like to think it makes a difference in some small way. Small sacrifice to make on my part.   

Yeah, I'm Holding it Wrong!

According to really good revolver shooters including Jerry Miculek, I hold a revolver wrong. I will not debate the wisdom behind such shooters that are WAY better than I. 

I will say this though. I have small hands. As long as my thumbs do not get into the area around the trigger on a DA I am fine. I have also been taught to do the same thing every time you pick up a Handgun. Semi-Automatic or Revolver. 

I do not put my left thumb across the backstrap, nor do I hook it over my right thumb. 
 
So I ask you as Mr. Curmudgeon and I shot yesterday the range took a video. I am at his home range and I am not an instructor there. 

I can see my right thumb moving between shots. I am shooting .357 Magnums not .38 SPL. I know I need to work on that, but your opnion would be appreciated and I now know that video can be a great training tool.




 

Laserlyte Plinking Cans.

I finally got around to playing with these things. I loaded the training cartridge in my Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm and set these things out. The videos are my true first runs with them for better or worse and to make it more interesting I switched to a course of night fire with the Crimson Trace Lightguard only and the transition to the Trijicon night sights, the first time I have ever shot with both low light tools. 

First, day fire:



I have to rack the Pistol to fire multiple shots so I practice the tap rack malfunction drill. I might need to remove a follower on a mag instead of hitting the empty well. 

Then night fire:


That was humbling. Yeah I know I'm probably holding it wrong too. 

Impressions? They are fun and demanding targets. The fact I can actually practice night fire is an added bonus! 

FTC disclaimer. I paid for everything here so pound sand, OK?

UPDATE!

Someone asked. I was about 7 yards away and the camera was much closer to the cans. FYI. Some say the cans do not work in bright light. So far I have not seen that. 

Human Laser Toys...

These arrived today at stately manor in my absence. I'll run them through the paces sometime next week. Concealed Carry Handgun class tomorrow =).

 

A Question About Perceptions....

So tomorrow I will wander off to teach a "Handgun Familiarization" class. This class assumes (correctly it seems most of the time) that the students have never touched a handgun. Much hay has been made over "gun culture version 1.0 vs. version 2.0." 

I get that. So my questions for tonight. I know anyone that wanders by here is a gunnie I think, but.....


I show up in 5.11 pants, boots, and some shirt that says I can do this. I would be a poster boy for gun culture 1.0 and SWPL. The classroom is fantastic and then I pull this stuff out:

So, my questions are: 

Should I tone down the apparel? Just show up in some jeans and maybe an Oxford shirt?

Second. If you look at the picture above you will see a preponderance of Smith and Wesson hardware. 

So, if you were taking a "this end of the handgun is where the bullet comes out" class from me would you interpret the hardware as an endorsement for that manufacturer? I do go get a Glock Gen 3 something and a Beretta 92FS from the range and present them as well, but this post is about perceptions. I only have this 5 hour class to introduce these people to this. I do tell them that I payed for everything and nothing is on "T&E" from the manufacturer. 

What say you? Mix it up more? I'm worrying too much, something in between? 

I strive to make my classes better and any feedback would be appricated. Hell, you want to sit in on a class and give feedback? I'll buy ya Dinner.   



 

Gun Skool!

Well, maybe not. I don't appear to have the operator operating operationally skills to do this stuff:

Anybody spot the problems here? Sigh... Its hard enough to teach the right way. I don't need this. Its not helping. 

The CMP AMC Class Day Three

The CMP Store personnel were kind enough to open it just for the class before opening to the public at 7AM. We of course went! 

Yes, that is correct. 2.5K for a Garand! They are National Match Grade though. I now know what that means =).


Then after the store, we go back to the Armorer's shop for final preparation for test firing. One of the Armorers is giving my rifle the once over and declared that the first stage of my trigger was "mush". He suggested I get another trigger and hammer and try again. This of course meant I also had to do the "trigger job" over. I hesitate to use that term. The purpose of this activity is to retain the proper two-stage trigger yet remove the creep in the second stage and retain the spec of at least a 4.5 pound trigger pull. Luckly I had time to do that and the Armorers had enough time to offer tips and other guidance to the other 19 students before we went to test fire. It is obvious that they want us to leave here with a "Special Grade" rifle! 

So right before lunch we travel to the test fire facility. A heavily modified shipping container with all the stuff on it. 

Oh, I also got the cool T shirt you see here on other students. 

The head Armorer performed the test firing of 8 rounds. He hands the rifle back with the first casing fired from it. A nice touch. Then back to the shop for a class photo. It will be emailed to me. 

Then lunch and after that we talk about the stuff that requires attention that has a tendency to loosen up over time, lubrication, and other items related to keeping it running. 

Then, a glass bedding demonstration:

 



  






















The idea behind this is to fill in the gaps between the wood and metal with epoxy to insure a repeatable relationship between the two during a course of fire. I will probably never do this as I fear the rifle will shoot better than me right now anyway =).

After that, the formal portion of the class was done, but the Armorers said they they were at our disposal for the remainder of the afternoon! I dropped off an M-1 Carbine for a complete technical inspection and 100 yard sighting in. 

Then I placed my rifle in a hard case and shipping box for the ride home. I COULD have taken it with me, but the sales tax in AL is higher than my home state and the 24.95 shipping rate was agreeable. 

I received an e-mail Monday with the shipping number from Deshay at CMP and the rifle arrived Tuesday. 

I of course had to forgo the canvas sling supplied and go with a Turner 1907 leather sling. 

Above: CMP Service Grade M1 Springfield.  Name is Charline!

Below: CMP Special Grade M1 HRA. Name is ??? I think it looks like an Emily, what say you?

I cannot say enough about the class. My thanks to the Armorers John, Ryan, and Chris. My thanks as well to the person that herds the cats around the Custom Shop and made sure our paperwork was in order and all the other ancillary tasks that made sure the class went well, Deshay. The entire organization treated us with the utmost respect and made sure that we were completely happy with our rifles and the class.   

There is no way you can pick up John Garand's masterpiece of design and not feel the history behind this storied rifle and the people that carried them into harms way. If you desire to own one and learn more about it, I cannot say enough about this class or the CMP. They have both the passion and the knowledge of these tools and it shows. It is one thing to be a subject matter expert and another to relay that knowledge to others. They have that down pat too. I was not expecting that pleasant surprise. 

CMP AMC Class Day Two AAR

So we jump right back into it. First we pick out an operating rod. They have a great gauge to check for proper bend and length.

After that we pick out the rest of the parts from bins of them. Again the Armorers told us what to look for when selecting parts and kept a close eye on us as we selected used refinished parts for our rifles. 

Next, the trigger group. Here it is assembled:

The toughest part of the assembly in my opinion. That spring is strong! NO GREASE or lube of any kind in certain areas. In fact, the Garand was designed to be fired "dry" and was in Korea due to the cold temperatures turning grease into muck.

Then we learned all about the rear and front sights. We actually installed an early WWII "lockbar" rear sight on our rifles "just in case we ran across one."

Then we moved to the later version of the rear sight AFTER we totally disassembled and cleaned it. You really need special tools for that and they had them. Here is my rear sight. 

Then we move on to assembling the remaining internals and learn about bolt timing. Bolt timing is the proper release at the right time of the bolt forward when a clip is inserted. Timing of this is accomplished by lengthening the tab on the bullet guide or shortening it. As the instructor said, the bullet guide has nothing to do with guiding the bullets, but sounds cooler than "L shaped piece of metal." 

We are now ready for some wood. New Walnut stocks and hand guards await. The rifle is assembled and ready to be mated with the wood. 

This required some work on the wood as the trigger group would not close. You want a tight fit, but not so much that you damage the trigger group lugs or the stock. 

If you look to the right of this picture you can see the lead Armorer using a fabricated jig to facilitate the removal of wood on the bottom of the stock where the flat part of the trigger group mates with the stock. Oh, of some interest to me in this picture as well is my rifle! 

We proceed with function checks in preparation for test firing on the last day of class. We were supposed to go to the CMP store today, but they just released some International Harvester M-1's for sale to the public today when they opened. Just like a new iThingy, people were lining up overnight on Wednesday for that and we did not want to get anywhere near it! 

My rifle is complete and I can proudly say I built it!  



 

So I'm Outta Here Tomorrow

Off to visit the CMP for a three day class on the M1 Garand. Getting in the mood for this storied rifle and the men that used them, I came upon this on the Interwebz. 



Well said Sir! I look forward to this!

AAR- New Shooter Class

This will be brief. I see it all the time and it makes me sad most of the time. If you show up for a new shooter class (or as Tam says the "take the price tag off the gun skool") with a brand new heater, well this. You are doing it wrong. This is analogous to buying a car and THEN taking drivers ed class. 

Just saying. I can get you where you need to be, but most of you found out you made an expensive mistake. If you like my handguns that are part of the live fire exercise more than yours, well.... It's not my fault.

First Aid! Active Shooter Class AAR

The usual gang of suspects show up at St. Francis Hospital to attend the "other Kelly's" class during the NRA-AM.  

He gave of his own time to do this and I am grateful for that. Yes, I get Red Cross Basic First Aid, AED, and CPR every year, but I must say having someone that has "been there, done that" brings a new level of knowledge.

I have to say this. I have instructed at the Community College level for over a decade. It is one thing to be a "subject matter expert". It is totally another thing and skill set to relay that information to others that sticks. Kelly rocks in that reguard! I am humbled at the teaching-fu he exhibited!

I now actually know what all this stuff is for and when and how to deploy it. 

Many thanks to Bound Tree Medical for the kit, Brownells for the munchies, St. Francis, and the associate instructors!

Gunney Summer on the Road!

Got an email from the CMP today. Last November I and a friend tried to register for a M1 Garand Advanced Maintenance Class. I and my friend Murph were put on the waiting list. 

I'm in! Hope Murph can make it in too. 

A New Book!

I have brushed against a soon to be famous Author! My friend Old NFO has published his first book. I am honored to say that I read the drafts some time ago and its a great read!

The man knows of which he writes. He is a shooter!

He is on the left above. The dude on the right? Well I don't know about him =) 


 

 

NRA Instructor Development Class AAR

So, Old NFO and I run out to Bill's class on the NRA Personal Protection Inside the Home class for some "training Sir".

I was not disappointed. Aside from seeing NFO again I got to meet Bill. I thought that the Friday one on one class for BIT would be a ball of suck. That did not happen. Although I have taken the class before the one on one as instructor to instructor was very entertaining and Bill is an engaging instructor. He kept me interested in the course and we shared observations on teaching.

Then we meet the next day for the meat of the trip. I have to say, the course material to be presented for students is all encompassing and through. I met Bill's son Mike and another interesting gentleman by the name of Tim. 

Here is Bill, Mike, and Tim running the qual course of fire. 





Me? Well you can go over to Bill and NFO's blogs to see my humble attempts at it. I TOLD these guys not to put pics or videos of me up as it would be detrimental to the traffic on their blogs. They did so anyway. 

Here is my target. Double taps from low ready X 10. I really screwed the pooch on this one. Dropped one. 

 

   











At the end of the day I passed qual so I shut up and move forward. Guess what I am going to be working on this weekend at the range =) I can do better than this. I know it and have done so in the past. Shooting is a perishable skill.

Oh, I need to go back to Vinton IA. Here is the view from the parking lot of the hotel.

America still exists. You just have to look for it. 


We did go to the Amana Colonies. The best German food I have had in a long time! I did come home with this souvenir. 

It was filled with Millstone Iowa Pale Ale. An excellent beer and NFO was kind enough to drive back. Hey a Naval Flight Officer at the wheel on the rent a speck? I'm cool with that!

A good time, great classes and can't wait to go back! 

Be Right Back!

Out of here! Tomorrow at o' dark thirty. Wish me luck! I will have nothing other than a Kindle or the IThingy for technology. That is part of the allure of the the trip. Well, except for this:

Many thanks to my friends that gave me good advise on how to do this. I have never done this before. Oh, the orange and black thing is a Trakdot. Let you know how it works after the trip!  

Some Days at the Office are Better Than Others!

Congrats to my 11 Concealed Carry Handgun students today. They rocked. I love doing this! I am tired, with stuff to be put in the safe still. No matter. This is important. 

I Get to Meet a Friend!

I have never met! Only in the Blogosphere would that statement make any sense. Next month I'm getting probulated by TSA for a worthy cause. I'm going to see Bill in Vinton, IA for some NRA Instructor Development. I'll let him tell you about it here. 

I look forward to it and quite frankly getting the hell out of Dodge for a bit. September is filling up with shooty goodness with Murphy's Law charity Blogshoot in two weeks, my own Basic Pistol and CCH classes after that and then three days in IA. 

Woo-Hoo! Just hope I'm not "That Guy" in class =) 

I Hope!

I hope there is a special level of hell for people that sell used .357 Magnum snubbys to little old ladies. Had one today in Basic Pistol class of each. NOT the first gun to learn on! Sigh... Off tomorrow to see what awaits on the CCH class.

The "M" Stands for Marketing!

So last weekend I had two students that wanted to get all up into some .380 mouse guns. They are gearing up for my concealed carry class and took my Basic Pistol class the previous month. They also requested if possible to shoot a Springfield XD in 9mm. My good friend has a XD-M and let me borrow it. I of course had to clean it though! 

My students liked the Colt Mustang the best for the trigger but were freaked out on the whole "carry locked and cocked" issue. They settled on the S&W Bodyguard and hey, I told them the difference between SA and DA so I did not belabor the issue. The fact that the Bodyguard has a horrid trigger to me does not matter as an instructor (it takes a LONG time to get this in your head). You present and they decide. If they are comfortable with it, can shoot it, I'm a happy guy! 

So we get to this:

 













I have shot them before and although this is a perfectly serviceable Handgun, I was again left with a solid "Meh" feeling. Before any SA people get bent, yeah, OK, according to SA this is different than the plain XD in these areas:

1. Adjustable backstrap
2. Match-grade barrel
3. No trigger pull required for takedown
4. Trigger supposedly a little better than the XD
5. More aggressive grip texture for better grip
6. Grip design change to ease accessibility of mag release
7. More aggressive slide serrations for better grip
8. More capacity than standard XD
9. Triple-position Picatinney rail for more accessory adjustment options

Know what? Don't care. To me the M stands for marketing or more money.

Disclaimer: I DO own a Springfield, it says "U.S. Rifle" on it though =) 
 

Road Trip!

A short one but worth it. I got to spend some more time with the new ride and curse myself for missing shifts with the short throw shifter. Here we are at a rest stop off of I-85. 

 


Then we get to the mountain of geese to score these:

Then stop by Mrs. Curmudgeon's house for some coffee. Always good to see her. Mr. Curmudgeon is off somewhere in frozen land north.

So what is in these? Why more of these! 

All is not as it seems though. These are all .22LR caliber and although marked as S&W they were made by Walther. The mountain of geese had them on sale and it was just a bit more than wholesale, but they had them.

 










No removable backstraps. Other than that the look and feel appears to be close to the real thing. 

Perfect to train new students with! It looks like I will have to wear this hat tomorrow for the pin shoot. 

 













The M&P is my friend's favorite pistol you know! Old NFO was kind enough to bring me this cap the last time we shot together. He LOVES the M&P =) .