Recent content by provalov

I haven't found 231 to be any dirtier, but it sure is smokier than my factory ammo in .40S&W. Sometimes have to wait for the smoke to clear on a fast series of shots so I can see the plates again.

Take a look at the Springfield XD polymer semi-auto. Of your three listed caliber preferences, 40S&W is the only one currently available (also available in 9mm and 357sig). The XD40 is my daily carry weapon; also have two XDs in 9mm. I'm a lefty, and therefore appreciate the ambidextrous...

Mark Walden of Walden Holsters makes a superb belt. It's stiff enough that I use it as a separate duty belt at the range, but classy enough that I can wear it with business casual dress at the office.

The Power Custom instructions for fitting their pawl are good, and cover the full disassambly/reassembly needed. Jim: What you said is an encouragement to me. I bought the Freewheel pawl but have never installed it. When I talked to several gunsmiths about putting it in for me, they were...

And if you miss the bear with the first shot, the recoil will take you out of his range anyway!

I agree the 5 1/2 has the best symmetry. It's also long enough for a good sight axis, but not so long that it get's in the way in the field (especially cross-draw).

I gotta agree. My Blackhawk 357 has been my field gun for the past two years, and it really looks it. The blueing doesn't have the durability I expected, but I do love the gun. My future Rugers will be stainless.

I was hoping for some advice on grip technique, do you let it roll, or hold it firm, Use one hand or two and where do you put your other hand if you use two???? The Blackhawk grip is designed for you to let it roll back. I understand it is designed after the old Colt grip design meant to be...

I know the feeling about hating to send it back -- I've got a Blackhawk 357 that occasionally pierces primers, and I've yet to send it back to them. As I understand it, though, Ruger is very good about warranty repair. It just costs a fortune to mail handguns these days due to the shipping...

Alright, I'll bite -- what do you consider a proper bullet and a proper speed?

I just spent half the weekend cleaning out the leading in my XD40 barrel. I reload with Georgia Arms 180gr lead cast round nose because they cost $10 for 300, but man!, that lead took forever to get out. Does anybody have a faster way to de-lead a barrel? I used Kleen-Bore's #10 alternated...

Greybeard: I'm with you on using snake shot for wounded game birds. I've carried shot shells in my Springfield XD40 ever since I had to make a close shot on a wounded dove with my 20 guage -- the only thing left was two legs and a wing. Since then I've finished off several with the .40 snake...

I can't get my wife to come to the range very often, but when she does, strangely, her favorite thing to do is blast stationary skeet set up on the berm. She has found that the recoil of my (non-bottom eject) Norinco 12g is more easily handled when she shoots from the hip than if she shoulders...

Well, Beagle, you know my vote from another thread -- XD. My hands are relatively small as well, and the XD fits better than anything else I've shot. I was out shooting my XDs this week-end with my 13yo daughter. She handles the 9mm well, as do my 10 and 14 year-olds, although they prefer my...

Seems to me a sling in the HD situation actually complicates retention if the confrontation gets up close and personal -- it just gives the BG one more thing to grab if he's trying to disarm you.